diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs
index 8066f6c4..2910ebe8 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ public sealed partial class IslandsShellViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
 
     [ObservableProperty] private bool _isUpdateBannerVisible;
     [ObservableProperty] private string? _updateBannerLatestVersion;
-    [ObservableProperty] private string? _inlineUpdateStatus;
     private bool _bannerDismissedThisSession;
 
     [ObservableProperty]
@@ -305,25 +304,15 @@ public sealed partial class IslandsShellViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
                 if (_bannerDismissedThisSession) { IsUpdateBannerVisible = false; break; }
                 UpdateBannerLatestVersion = _updateCheck.LatestVersion;
                 IsUpdateBannerVisible = true;
-                InlineUpdateStatus = null;
                 break;
             case UpdateCheckStatus.UpToDate:
                 IsUpdateBannerVisible = false;
-                ShowInlineStatus($"You're up to date (v{_updateCheck.CurrentVersion})");
                 break;
             case UpdateCheckStatus.CheckFailed:
-                ShowInlineStatus("Could not check for updates");
                 break;
         }
     }
 
-    private async void ShowInlineStatus(string text)
-    {
-        InlineUpdateStatus = text;
-        await Task.Delay(3000);
-        if (InlineUpdateStatus == text) InlineUpdateStatus = null;
-    }
-
     [RelayCommand]
     private void OpenMissionControl()
     {
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/Views/MainWindow.axaml b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/Views/MainWindow.axaml
index b895b2ad..b2b70245 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/Views/MainWindow.axaml
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/Views/MainWindow.axaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     <KeyBinding Gesture="Shift+OemQuestion" Command="{Binding FocusSearchCommand}"/>
     <KeyBinding Gesture="Ctrl+N" Command="{Binding FocusAddTaskCommand}"/>
   </Window.KeyBindings>
-  <Grid x:Name="RootGrid" RowDefinitions="36,Auto,*,22">
+  <Grid x:Name="RootGrid" RowDefinitions="36,*,22">
     <!-- Custom title bar -->
     <Border Grid.Row="0"
             Background="{DynamicResource DeepBrush}"
@@ -107,45 +107,8 @@
       </Grid>
     </Border>
 
-    <!-- Update banner -->
-    <Border Grid.Row="1"
-            Background="{DynamicResource DeepBrush}"
-            BorderBrush="{DynamicResource LineBrush}"
-            BorderThickness="0,0,0,1"
-            Padding="14,6"
-            IsVisible="{Binding IsUpdateBannerVisible}">
-      <Grid ColumnDefinitions="*,Auto,Auto">
-        <TextBlock Grid.Column="0"
-                   Classes="body"
-                   VerticalAlignment="Center">
-          <Run Text="{loc:Tr shell.update.available}"/>
-          <Run Text="{Binding UpdateCheck.CurrentVersion}"/>
-          <Run Text=" → v"/>
-          <Run Text="{Binding UpdateBannerLatestVersion}"/>
-        </TextBlock>
-        <Button Grid.Column="1"
-                Classes="btn"
-                Margin="0,0,8,0"
-                Content="{loc:Tr shell.update.updateNow}"
-                Command="{Binding UpdateNowCommand}"/>
-        <Button Grid.Column="2"
-                Classes="btn"
-                Content="{loc:Tr shell.update.dismiss}"
-                Command="{Binding DismissBannerCommand}"/>
-      </Grid>
-    </Border>
-
-    <!-- Inline update status (appears at right of banner row when no banner) -->
-    <TextBlock Grid.Row="1"
-               Classes="meta"
-               HorizontalAlignment="Right"
-               VerticalAlignment="Center"
-               Margin="0,0,14,0"
-               Text="{Binding InlineUpdateStatus}"
-               IsVisible="{Binding InlineUpdateStatus, Converter={x:Static ObjectConverters.IsNotNull}}"/>
-
     <!-- Background gradient layer -->
-    <Border Grid.Row="2">
+    <Border Grid.Row="1">
       <Border.Background>
         <RadialGradientBrush Center="50%,50%" GradientOrigin="50%,50%" RadiusX="70%" RadiusY="70%">
           <GradientStop Offset="0"   Color="{StaticResource DeepColor}" />
@@ -155,7 +118,7 @@
     </Border>
 
     <!-- Three islands (user-resizable) -->
-    <Grid Grid.Row="2" Margin="7">
+    <Grid Grid.Row="1" Margin="7">
       <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
         <ColumnDefinition Width="260" MinWidth="200"/>
         <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
@@ -196,7 +159,7 @@
     </Grid>
 
     <!-- Footer: connection status -->
-    <Border Grid.Row="3"
+    <Border Grid.Row="2"
             Background="{DynamicResource DeepBrush}"
             BorderBrush="{DynamicResource LineBrush}"
             BorderThickness="0,1,0,0">
@@ -255,5 +218,35 @@
         <Panel/>
       </DockPanel>
     </Border>
+    <!-- Update popup card — bottom-right corner, only when update available -->
+    <Border Grid.Row="0" Grid.RowSpan="3"
+            VerticalAlignment="Bottom" HorizontalAlignment="Right"
+            Margin="0,0,16,30"
+            ZIndex="100"
+            IsVisible="{Binding IsUpdateBannerVisible}"
+            Background="{DynamicResource DeepBrush}"
+            BorderBrush="{DynamicResource LineBrush}"
+            BorderThickness="1"
+            CornerRadius="6"
+            Padding="14,10">
+      <StackPanel Spacing="8" Width="260">
+        <TextBlock Classes="body">
+          <Run Text="{loc:Tr shell.update.available}"/>
+          <Run Text=" v"/>
+          <Run Text="{Binding UpdateCheck.CurrentVersion}"/>
+          <Run Text=" → v"/>
+          <Run Text="{Binding UpdateBannerLatestVersion}"/>
+        </TextBlock>
+        <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Spacing="8" HorizontalAlignment="Right">
+          <Button Classes="btn"
+                  Content="{loc:Tr shell.update.dismiss}"
+                  Command="{Binding DismissBannerCommand}"/>
+          <Button Classes="btn"
+                  Content="{loc:Tr shell.update.updateNow}"
+                  Command="{Binding UpdateNowCommand}"/>
+        </StackPanel>
+      </StackPanel>
+    </Border>
+
   </Grid>
 </Window>