diff --git a/Sources/Shotdeck/AppModel.swift b/Sources/Shotdeck/AppModel.swift
index 13d67c1..a8afad2 100644
--- a/Sources/Shotdeck/AppModel.swift
+++ b/Sources/Shotdeck/AppModel.swift
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public final class AppModel {
     public private(set) var allReturns: [ReturnedDocument] = []
     public private(set) var commentedReturns: [ReturnedDocument] = []
     public private(set) var statusLine: String?
+    public private(set) var updateStatus: String?
     public private(set) var isCapturing: Bool = false
     public private(set) var isSending: Bool = false
     public private(set) var outboxDisplayName: String
@@ -106,9 +107,7 @@ public final class AppModel {
         self.updateChecker.onChecked = { [weak self] in
             guard let self else { return }
             self.updateAvailable = self.updateChecker.availableUpdate
-            if let message = self.updateChecker.statusMessage {
-                self.setStatus(message)
-            }
+            self.setUpdateStatus(self.updateChecker.statusMessage)
         }
         self.updateChecker.onCheckingChanged = { [weak self] checking in
             self?.isCheckingForUpdates = checking
@@ -119,13 +118,13 @@ public final class AppModel {
     public var appVersion: String { UpdateChecker.currentVersion() }
     /// Version recorded in the app-managed rollback copy, when one exists.
     public var previousVersion: String? { updateChecker.previousVersion() }
-    /// Most recent status text — shared with the general status line by design
-    /// (Redline has one status channel, not a separate update-only one).
-    public var updateStatusMessage: String? { statusLine }
+    /// Update-related status text (checked time, staged update, errors). Displayed only in the footer.
+    public var updateStatusMessage: String? { updateStatus }
 
     // MARK: Seam mutators — the only way a WP-4b/4c extension changes state.
 
     func setStatus(_ text: String?) { statusLine = text }
+    func setUpdateStatus(_ text: String?) { updateStatus = text }
     func setSending(_ value: Bool) { isSending = value }
     func setCapturing(_ value: Bool) { isCapturing = value }
     func replaceSession(_ new: CaptureSession) { session = new }
diff --git a/Sources/Shotdeck/PanelSnapshot.swift b/Sources/Shotdeck/PanelSnapshot.swift
index b5a7640..ab43d42 100644
--- a/Sources/Shotdeck/PanelSnapshot.swift
+++ b/Sources/Shotdeck/PanelSnapshot.swift
@@ -155,6 +155,37 @@ enum PanelSnapshot {
         model.replaceRegion(sampleRegion())
         try await addSampleCaptures(to: model)
         try renderMenuBar(model: model, to: directory, name: "09-captures-present-onedrive")
+
+        // 10 — update idle: 3 captures, no update available, footer "Redline <ver>", row "Check for updates".
+        let (updateModel, updateRoot) = try makeIsolatedModel()
+        defer { try? FileManager.default.removeItem(at: updateRoot) }
+        updateModel.snapshotSetScreenRecordingGranted(true)
+        updateModel.replaceRegion(sampleRegion())
+        try await addSampleCaptures(to: updateModel)
+        // No update set, updateChecker in idle state, no previous version
+        updateModel.snapshotSetPreviousVersion(nil)
+        try renderMenuBar(model: updateModel, to: directory, name: "10-update-idle")
+
+        // 11 — update checking: same as 10 but isCheckingForUpdates = true.
+        updateModel.snapshotSetIsCheckingForUpdates(true)
+        try renderMenuBar(model: updateModel, to: directory, name: "11-update-checking")
+        updateModel.snapshotSetIsCheckingForUpdates(false)
+
+        // 12 — update up-to-date: footer status line reads "Redline <ver> is up to date, checked 10:42 Dubai".
+        let upToDateMessage = "Redline \(updateModel.appVersion) is up to date, checked 10:42 Dubai"
+        updateModel.snapshotSetUpdateStatusMessage(upToDateMessage)
+        try renderMenuBar(model: updateModel, to: directory, name: "12-update-uptodate")
+
+        // 13 — update staged: row "Update to 9.9.9" present, footer status "Update to 9.9.9 is ready".
+        updateModel.snapshotSetUpdateAvailable(version: "9.9.9", notes: "Test release")
+        updateModel.snapshotSetUpdateStatusMessage("Update to 9.9.9 is ready")
+        try renderMenuBar(model: updateModel, to: directory, name: "13-update-staged")
+
+        // 14 — update revert: row "Revert to 0.2.0" present.
+        updateModel.snapshotSetUpdateAvailable(version: nil, notes: nil)  // Clear the staged update
+        updateModel.snapshotSetUpdateStatusMessage(nil)
+        updateModel.snapshotSetPreviousVersion("0.2.0")
+        try renderMenuBar(model: updateModel, to: directory, name: "14-update-revert")
     }
 
     @MainActor
@@ -360,6 +391,40 @@ extension AppModel {
         )
         self[keyPath: writable] = granted
     }
+
+    /// Snapshot-only: set isCheckingForUpdates without triggering a real check.
+    func snapshotSetIsCheckingForUpdates(_ checking: Bool) {
+        let writable: ReferenceWritableKeyPath<AppModel, Bool> = unsafeBitCast(
+            \AppModel.isCheckingForUpdates, to: ReferenceWritableKeyPath<AppModel, Bool>.self
+        )
+        self[keyPath: writable] = checking
+    }
+
+    /// Snapshot-only: set updateStatusMessage for panel display.
+    func snapshotSetUpdateStatusMessage(_ message: String?) {
+        setUpdateStatus(message)
+    }
+
+    /// Snapshot-only: set updateAvailable without triggering a real download.
+    func snapshotSetUpdateAvailable(version: String?, notes: String?) {
+        if let version = version, let notes = notes {
+            let writable: ReferenceWritableKeyPath<AppModel, (version: String, notes: String)?> = unsafeBitCast(
+                \AppModel.updateAvailable, to: ReferenceWritableKeyPath<AppModel, (version: String, notes: String)?>.self
+            )
+            self[keyPath: writable] = (version: version, notes: notes)
+        } else {
+            let writable: ReferenceWritableKeyPath<AppModel, (version: String, notes: String)?> = unsafeBitCast(
+                \AppModel.updateAvailable, to: ReferenceWritableKeyPath<AppModel, (version: String, notes: String)?>.self
+            )
+            self[keyPath: writable] = nil
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Snapshot-only: set a fake previousVersion for the revert panel.
+    func snapshotSetPreviousVersion(_ version: String?) {
+        updateChecker.snapshotPreviousVersionOverride = version
+        updateChecker.snapshotUsesPreviousVersionOverride = true
+    }
 }
 
 private enum SnapshotError: Error, CustomStringConvertible {
diff --git a/Sources/Shotdeck/UpdateChecker.swift b/Sources/Shotdeck/UpdateChecker.swift
index 18ff2d0..4ccc003 100644
--- a/Sources/Shotdeck/UpdateChecker.swift
+++ b/Sources/Shotdeck/UpdateChecker.swift
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import AppKit
 import CryptoKit
 import Foundation
 import Security
+import ShotdeckCore
 
 /// Built-in updater. Checks an appcast, stages a verified payload, and installs
 /// only when the user clicks the menu row — never automatically.
@@ -31,6 +32,12 @@ final class UpdateChecker {
     private var repeatingTimer: Timer?
     private var firstCheckTask: Task<Void, Never>?
     private var stagingDirectory: URL?
+    /// Snapshot-only override for previousVersion; when snapshotUsesPreviousVersionOverride is true,
+    /// this value (including nil) is returned instead of checking the file system.
+    var snapshotPreviousVersionOverride: String?
+    var snapshotUsesPreviousVersionOverride: Bool = false
+    /// Test seam: override appcast JSON. When set, returns this instead of fetching from URL.
+    var testAppcastJSON: String?
 
     init() {
         let config = URLSessionConfiguration.ephemeral
@@ -85,7 +92,12 @@ final class UpdateChecker {
 
         guard Self.isNewer(appcast.version, than: Self.currentVersion()) else {
             clearOffer()
-            statusMessage = manual ? "Redline \(Self.currentVersion()) is up to date." : nil
+            if manual {
+                let timestamp = DubaiTime.checkTime(lastCheckedAt ?? Date())
+                statusMessage = "Redline \(Self.currentVersion()) is up to date, checked \(timestamp)"
+            } else {
+                statusMessage = nil
+            }
             onChecked?()
             return
         }
@@ -93,7 +105,7 @@ final class UpdateChecker {
         do {
             try await downloadAndStage(appcast)
             availableUpdate = (version: appcast.version, notes: appcast.notes ?? "")
-            statusMessage = nil
+            statusMessage = manual ? "Update to \(appcast.version) is ready" : nil
         } catch UpdateCheckError.checksumMismatch {
             discardStaging()
             availableUpdate = nil
@@ -226,8 +238,11 @@ final class UpdateChecker {
     }
 
     /// The version recorded in `Redline.app.previous`'s Info.plist, or nil when no
-    /// rollback copy exists.
+    /// rollback copy exists. Respects the snapshot-only override for panel rendering.
     func previousVersion(target: URL = UpdateChecker.defaultInstallTarget) -> String? {
+        if snapshotUsesPreviousVersionOverride {
+            return snapshotPreviousVersionOverride
+        }
         let previousURL = target.deletingLastPathComponent().appendingPathComponent("Redline.app.previous")
         let plistURL = previousURL.appendingPathComponent("Contents/Info.plist")
         guard let plist = NSDictionary(contentsOf: plistURL) as? [String: Any] else { return nil }
@@ -346,7 +361,12 @@ final class UpdateChecker {
     }
 
     private func fetchAppcast() async throws -> Appcast {
-        let data = try await fetchData(from: Self.resolvedAppcastURL())
+        let data: Data
+        if let testJSON = testAppcastJSON {
+            data = testJSON.data(using: .utf8) ?? Data()
+        } else {
+            data = try await fetchData(from: Self.resolvedAppcastURL())
+        }
         return try JSONDecoder().decode(Appcast.self, from: data)
     }
 
diff --git a/Sources/ShotdeckCore/Support/DubaiTime.swift b/Sources/ShotdeckCore/Support/DubaiTime.swift
index 77313ac..2923f1f 100644
--- a/Sources/ShotdeckCore/Support/DubaiTime.swift
+++ b/Sources/ShotdeckCore/Support/DubaiTime.swift
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import Foundation
 public enum DubaiTime {
     private static let stampFormatter = LockedDateFormatter(dateFormat: "d MMM yyyy, HH:mm 'Dubai'")
     private static let fileStampFormatter = LockedDateFormatter(dateFormat: "yyyyMMdd-HHmmss")
+    private static let checkTimeFormatter = LockedDateFormatter(dateFormat: "HH:mm 'Dubai'")
 
     public static func stamp(_ date: Date) -> String {
         stampFormatter.string(from: date)
@@ -11,6 +12,10 @@ public enum DubaiTime {
     public static func fileStamp(_ date: Date) -> String {
         fileStampFormatter.string(from: date)
     }
+
+    public static func checkTime(_ date: Date) -> String {
+        checkTimeFormatter.string(from: date)
+    }
 }
 
 /// DateFormatter is not Sendable. This holder is the only shared mutable state
diff --git a/Tests/ShotdeckTests/UpdateCheckerTests.swift b/Tests/ShotdeckTests/UpdateCheckerTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b31ed5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/ShotdeckTests/UpdateCheckerTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+import Foundation
+import Testing
+@testable import Shotdeck
+@testable import ShotdeckCore
+
+@Test("DubaiTime.checkTime formats as HH:MM Dubai")
+func dubaiTimeCheckTimeFormat() {
+    let now = Date()
+    let result = DubaiTime.checkTime(now)
+
+    // Dubai timezone format: HH:MM Dubai
+    let pattern = "^[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2} Dubai$"
+    let regex = try? NSRegularExpression(pattern: pattern, options: [])
+    let range = NSRange(result.startIndex..<result.endIndex, in: result)
+    let matches = regex?.matches(in: result, options: [], range: range) ?? []
+    #expect(!matches.isEmpty, "checkTime should format as HH:MM Dubai, got: \(result)")
+}
+
+@Test("Status message: up-to-date manual check includes Dubai timestamp")
+@MainActor
+func manualCheckUpToDateIncludesTimestamp() async {
+    let checker = UpdateChecker()
+
+    // Inject a stub appcast showing the current version (no update available)
+    let currentVersion = UpdateChecker.currentVersion()
+    let stubAppcast = """
+    {
+      "version": "\(currentVersion)",
+      "zipURL": "https://example.com/dummy.zip",
+      "sha256": "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
+    }
+    """
+    checker.testAppcastJSON = stubAppcast
+
+    // Capture the status message
+    var capturedStatus: String?
+    checker.onChecked = {
+        capturedStatus = checker.statusMessage
+    }
+
+    // Run the manual check
+    await checker.checkNow(manual: true)
+
+    // Verify the message matches the expected format and includes a timestamp
+    guard let status = capturedStatus else {
+        #expect(false, "statusMessage should not be nil for manual check finding no update")
+        return
+    }
+
+    // Message should be "Redline X.Y.Z is up to date, checked HH:MM Dubai"
+    let pattern = "^Redline [0-9]+\\.[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+ is up to date, checked [0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2} Dubai$"
+    let regex = try? NSRegularExpression(pattern: pattern, options: [])
+    let range = NSRange(status.startIndex..<status.endIndex, in: status)
+    let matches = regex?.matches(in: status, options: [], range: range) ?? []
+    #expect(!matches.isEmpty, "Manual check up-to-date message should match format, got: \(status)")
+}
+
+@Test("Status message: automatic check doesn't set message when up-to-date")
+@MainActor
+func automaticCheckUpToDateLeavesMessageNil() async {
+    let checker = UpdateChecker()
+
+    // Inject a stub appcast showing the current version (no update available)
+    let currentVersion = UpdateChecker.currentVersion()
+    let stubAppcast = """
+    {
+      "version": "\(currentVersion)",
+      "zipURL": "https://example.com/dummy.zip",
+      "sha256": "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
+    }
+    """
+    checker.testAppcastJSON = stubAppcast
+
+    // Capture the status message
+    var capturedStatus: String?
+    checker.onChecked = {
+        capturedStatus = checker.statusMessage
+    }
+
+    // Run an AUTOMATIC check (manual: false)
+    await checker.checkNow(manual: false)
+
+    // For automatic checks finding no update, statusMessage should be nil
+    #expect(capturedStatus == nil,
+            "Automatic check finding no update should leave statusMessage nil, got: \(capturedStatus ?? "(nil)")")
+}
+
+@Test("Update status and general status are independent channels")
+@MainActor
+func statusChannelsAreIndependent() async throws {
+    let fm = FileManager.default
+    let appSupportRoot = fm.temporaryDirectory
+        .appendingPathComponent("update-checker-channel-test-\(UUID().uuidString)", isDirectory: true)
+    defer { try? fm.removeItem(at: appSupportRoot) }
+
+    // Create a real AppModel using the standard launch pattern
+    let model = AppDelegate.makeLaunchModel(appSupportRoot: appSupportRoot)
+    defer { model.hotkeys.unregisterAll() }
+
+    // Test 1: Setting statusLine should NOT affect updateStatusMessage
+    model.setStatus("General status: captured 3")
+    #expect(model.statusLine == "General status: captured 3", "statusLine should be set")
+    #expect(model.updateStatusMessage == nil, "updateStatusMessage should remain nil")
+
+    // Test 2: Setting updateStatus should NOT affect statusLine
+    model.setUpdateStatus("Update to 9.9.9 is ready")
+    #expect(model.statusLine == "General status: captured 3", "statusLine should remain unchanged")
+    #expect(model.updateStatusMessage == "Update to 9.9.9 is ready", "updateStatusMessage should be set")
+
+    // Test 3: Clearing statusLine leaves updateStatus intact
+    model.setStatus(nil)
+    #expect(model.statusLine == nil, "statusLine should be cleared")
+    #expect(model.updateStatusMessage == "Update to 9.9.9 is ready", "updateStatusMessage should persist")
+
+    // Test 4: Clearing updateStatus leaves other state unaffected
+    model.setUpdateStatus(nil)
+    #expect(model.updateStatusMessage == nil, "updateStatusMessage should be cleared")
+}