diff --git a/AUDIT_LOG.md b/AUDIT_LOG.md
index 8a05832..854a378 100644
--- a/AUDIT_LOG.md
+++ b/AUDIT_LOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,18 @@
 
 This log tracks all significant changes, updates, and versions in the PaperCache project.
 
+## 2026-06-29 (v0.5.7 Release: Auto-Update Overhaul, On-Demand Update Checks, and Build Fixes)
+**Change:** chore(release): bump version to 0.5.7; feat(updater): overhaul auto-update flow with real-time UI feedback ("Checking…"), toast notification with "Restart Now" button, and manifest configuration; fix(api): update `onEvent` listener helper to forward payloads to callbacks fixing TS2345 strict build error
+
+**Details/Why:**
+1. **Version Bump**: Bumped application version to 0.5.7 across `package.json`, `package-lock.json`, `Cargo.toml`, `Cargo.lock`, `tauri.conf.json`, `Settings.tsx`, and `setupTests.ts`, and added release note `notes/New Features in v0.5.7.md`.
+2. **Auto-Update & On-Demand Checks**: Overhauled Tauri updater mechanism to emit status events and prompt user for controlled restart when updates are ready. Added "Check for Updates" visual feedback in Settings.
+3. **Build Fix**: Fixed TS2345 error where `onEvent` discarded payload parameters, ensuring strict `tsc -b` compilation succeeds cleanly.
+
+**Files changed:** `package.json`, `package-lock.json`, `src-tauri/Cargo.toml`, `src-tauri/Cargo.lock`, `src-tauri/tauri.conf.json`, `src/Settings.tsx`, `src/setupTests.ts`, `notes/New Features in v0.5.7.md`, `CHANGELOG.md`, `AUDIT_LOG.md`.
+
+---
+
 ## 2026-06-29 (Security & Repo Hygiene Audit Fixes)
 **Change:** chore(ci): pin action references in `release.yml` to SHA digests; chore(repo): untrack build binary `PaperCache_aarch64.app.tar.gz` and update `.gitignore`; fix(rust): replace `#[allow(dead_code)]` with `#[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]` on debounce constants
 
@@ -11,6 +23,8 @@ This log tracks all significant changes, updates, and versions in the PaperCache
 3. **Rust Config Gating**: Gated `FOCUS_LOSS_DEBOUNCE_MS` in `src-tauri/src/lib.rs` with `#[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]` so it is cleanly excluded on macOS where it is not used, eliminating dead-code warnings without blanket suppressions.
 
 **Files changed:** `.github/workflows/release.yml`, `.gitignore`, `src-tauri/src/lib.rs`, `CHANGELOG.md`, `AUDIT_LOG.md`.
+
+---
 ## 2026-06-29 (Code Quality Refactor & Test Suite)
 **Change:** refactor(shortcuts): extract helper to deduplicate global shortcut trigger logic; fix(timers): manage completion timeout lifecycle in store; test(editor): add comprehensive unit test suite for `VariableScope`
 
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bb38198..d021a67 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v0.5.7] - 2026-06-29
+
 ### Added
 - **Contextual Auto-Update UI**: When checking for updates in Settings, visual feedback is now displayed ("Checking…"). When an update is downloaded and ready, a persistent toast notification appears with a prominent "Restart Now" button so users can restart when convenient rather than experiencing unexpected application restarts.
 
diff --git a/notes/New Features in v0.5.7.md b/notes/New Features in v0.5.7.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bbd1d84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notes/New Features in v0.5.7.md	
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# New Features in v0.5.7
+
+Welcome to PaperCache v0.5.7!
+
+Here are the new features and improvements implemented in this release:
+- **On-Demand Update Checks**: You can now manually check for updates directly from the Settings panel. Clicking "Check for Updates" provides immediate real-time feedback ("Checking…") while inquiring with GitHub releases.
+- **Contextual Auto-Update & Restart**: Auto-updates have been completely overhauled with granular status tracking. When a new update finishes downloading in the background, a persistent toast notification appears featuring a prominent **"Restart Now"** button. You can now choose exactly when to restart and apply updates rather than experiencing unexpected application disruptions.
+- **Robust CI & Release Manifests**: Fixed release workflow configuration so updater manifests (`latest.json`) are reliably generated on every release asset upload.
+- **Code Quality & Build Hardening**: Resolved TypeScript strict build type checking across event listeners and improved countdown timer memory cleanup.
+
+*(If you have read this note, feel free to delete it)*
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index dc70159..493ae4d 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "papercache",
-  "version": "0.5.6",
+  "version": "0.5.7",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "papercache",
-      "version": "0.5.6",
+      "version": "0.5.7",
       "dependencies": {
         "@tauri-apps/api": "^2.11.1",
         "@tauri-apps/plugin-autostart": "^2.5.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 10fd5ad..c49fbc8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "papercache",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "0.5.6",
+  "version": "0.5.7",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.lock b/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
index 06468e7..699a1db 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
@@ -2926,7 +2926,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "papercache"
-version = "0.5.6"
+version = "0.5.7"
 dependencies = [
  "aes-gcm",
  "base64 0.22.1",
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index 693846e..58834ef 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "papercache"
-version = "0.5.6"
+version = "0.5.7"
 description = "A PaperCache Tauri App"
 authors = ["Aditya Sharma"]
 edition = "2021"
diff --git a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index 68e9306..c4f10d6 100644
--- a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "$schema": "https://schema.tauri.app/2.0.0/tauri.schema.json",
   "productName": "PaperCache",
-  "version": "0.5.6",
+  "version": "0.5.7",
   "identifier": "com.variablethe.papercache",
   "build": {
     "beforeDevCommand": "npm run dev",
diff --git a/src/Settings.tsx b/src/Settings.tsx
index 509ec02..a50f60a 100644
--- a/src/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/Settings.tsx
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export default function Settings({ onClose }: { onClose?: () => void }) {
     return () => disposeUpdateStatus()
   }, [])
 
-  const [appVersion, setAppVersion] = useState('0.5.6')
+  const [appVersion, setAppVersion] = useState('0.5.7')
   useEffect(() => {
     getVersion()
       .then((ver) => setAppVersion(ver))
diff --git a/src/setupTests.ts b/src/setupTests.ts
index bfbdb3f..56bb789 100644
--- a/src/setupTests.ts
+++ b/src/setupTests.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { vi, afterEach } from 'vitest'
 import type { ElectronAPI } from './types'
 
 vi.mock('@tauri-apps/api/app', () => ({
-  getVersion: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue('0.5.6'),
+  getVersion: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue('0.5.7'),
 }))
 
 // Mock matchMedia which is not present in jsdom but might be needed by some components