diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ee0b460..9b17d49 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
 - Implemented token-based new-password submission (`?token=...&email=...`) wired to `POST /api/reset-password`.
 - Updated reset flow UX to return to `/login` after successful reset-link request and after successful password update.
 - Added English and German translations for password reset screens/messages.
+- Added new `/ping` endpoint returning connection status, build status, and notification state.
+- Added frontend ping polling with active/hidden intervals and console diagnostics.
+- Added update-available detection comparing loaded build vs ping build, with footer refresh CTA.
+- Added update info modal prompting users to refresh when a newer build is detected.
+- Tuned global dark mode palette to reduce overly bright text/surfaces in dark theme.
+- Refined accent button state styling (hover/active/focus) to avoid Bootstrap blue fallback and preserve contrast.
 
 ## 2026-02-18
 - Added CLI default PHP version detection to system status (`php_default_version`) using the CLI `php` binary.
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/PingController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/PingController.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..993322e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/PingController.php
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Controllers;
+
+use App\Models\Setting;
+use Illuminate\Http\JsonResponse;
+
+class PingController extends Controller
+{
+    public function __invoke(): JsonResponse
+    {
+        $build = Setting::query()->where('key', 'build')->value('value');
+        $reportedBuild = $build !== null ? ((int) $build) + 1 : 1;
+
+        return response()->json([
+            'connect' => 'ok',
+            'version_status' => [
+                'build' => $reportedBuild,
+            ],
+            'notification_state' => false,
+        ]);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/resources/js/App.jsx b/resources/js/App.jsx
index 9fe833b..423ad0b 100644
--- a/resources/js/App.jsx
+++ b/resources/js/App.jsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { BrowserRouter, Link, Route, Routes, useLocation } from 'react-router-dom'
-import { Container, NavDropdown } from 'react-bootstrap'
+import { Button, Container, Modal, NavDropdown } from 'react-bootstrap'
 import { AuthProvider, useAuth } from './context/AuthContext'
 import Home from './pages/Home'
 import ForumView from './pages/ForumView'
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import BoardIndex from './pages/BoardIndex'
 import Ucp from './pages/Ucp'
 import Profile from './pages/Profile'
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
-import { fetchSettings, fetchVersion, getForum, getThread } from './api/client'
+import { fetchPing, fetchSettings, fetchVersion, getForum, getThread } from './api/client'
 
 function PortalHeader({
         userMenu,
@@ -241,9 +241,16 @@ function PortalHeader({
 }
 
 function AppShell() {
+        const PING_INTERVAL_MS = 15000
+        const PING_INTERVAL_HIDDEN_MS = 60000
         const { t } = useTranslation()
         const { token, email, userId, logout, isAdmin, isModerator } = useAuth()
         const [versionInfo, setVersionInfo] = useState(null)
+        const [availableBuild, setAvailableBuild] = useState(null)
+        const [pingBuild, setPingBuild] = useState(null)
+        const [showUpdateModal, setShowUpdateModal] = useState(false)
+        const currentBuildRef = useRef(null)
+        const promptedBuildRef = useRef(null)
         const [theme, setTheme] = useState('auto')
         const [resolvedTheme, setResolvedTheme] = useState('light')
         const [accentOverride, setAccentOverride] = useState(
@@ -272,6 +279,73 @@ function AppShell() {
                         .catch(() => setVersionInfo(null))
         }, [])
 
+        useEffect(() => {
+                currentBuildRef.current =
+                        typeof versionInfo?.build === 'number' ? versionInfo.build : null
+        }, [versionInfo?.build])
+
+        useEffect(() => {
+                const currentBuild =
+                        typeof versionInfo?.build === 'number' ? versionInfo.build : null
+                if (currentBuild !== null && pingBuild !== null && pingBuild > currentBuild) {
+                        setAvailableBuild(pingBuild)
+                        return
+                }
+                setAvailableBuild(null)
+        }, [versionInfo?.build, pingBuild])
+
+        useEffect(() => {
+                if (availableBuild === null) return
+                if (promptedBuildRef.current === availableBuild) return
+                promptedBuildRef.current = availableBuild
+                setShowUpdateModal(true)
+        }, [availableBuild])
+
+        useEffect(() => {
+                let active = true
+                let timeoutId = null
+
+                const scheduleNext = () => {
+                        const delay = document.hidden ? PING_INTERVAL_HIDDEN_MS : PING_INTERVAL_MS
+                        timeoutId = window.setTimeout(runPing, delay)
+                }
+
+                const runPing = async () => {
+                        try {
+                                const data = await fetchPing()
+                                const currentBuild = currentBuildRef.current
+                                const remoteBuild =
+                                        typeof data?.version_status?.build === 'number'
+                                                ? data.version_status.build
+                                                : null
+                                console.log('speedBB ping', {
+                                        ...data,
+                                        current_version: currentBuild,
+                                })
+                                if (!active) return
+                                if (remoteBuild !== null) {
+                                        setPingBuild(remoteBuild)
+                                }
+                                window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('speedbb-ping', { detail: data }))
+                        } catch {
+                                // ignore transient ping failures
+                        } finally {
+                                if (active) {
+                                        scheduleNext()
+                                }
+                        }
+                }
+
+                runPing()
+
+                return () => {
+                        active = false
+                        if (timeoutId) {
+                                window.clearTimeout(timeoutId)
+                        }
+                }
+        }, [])
+
         useEffect(() => {
                 let active = true
                 const loadSettings = async () => {
@@ -495,8 +569,35 @@ function AppShell() {
                                                         <span className="bb-version-label">)</span>
                                                 </span>
                                         )}
+                                        {availableBuild !== null && (
+                                                <Button
+                                                        type="button"
+                                                        size="sm"
+                                                        className="bb-accent-button"
+                                                        onClick={() => window.location.reload()}
+                                                >
+                                                        {t('version.update_available_short')} (build {availableBuild}) ·{' '}
+                                                        {t('version.update_now')}
+                                                </Button>
+                                        )}
                                 </div>
                         </footer>
+                        <Modal show={showUpdateModal} onHide={() => setShowUpdateModal(false)} centered>
+                                <Modal.Header closeButton>
+                                        <Modal.Title>{t('version.refresh_prompt_title')}</Modal.Title>
+                                </Modal.Header>
+                                <Modal.Body>
+                                        {t('version.refresh_prompt_body', { build: availableBuild ?? '-' })}
+                                </Modal.Body>
+                                <Modal.Footer className="justify-content-between">
+                                        <Button variant="outline-secondary" onClick={() => setShowUpdateModal(false)}>
+                                                {t('version.remind_later')}
+                                        </Button>
+                                        <Button className="bb-accent-button" onClick={() => window.location.reload()}>
+                                                {t('version.update_now')}
+                                        </Button>
+                                </Modal.Footer>
+                        </Modal>
                 </div>
         )
 }
diff --git a/resources/js/api/client.js b/resources/js/api/client.js
index d3ace48..d3f89c1 100644
--- a/resources/js/api/client.js
+++ b/resources/js/api/client.js
@@ -129,6 +129,15 @@ export async function fetchVersion() {
     return apiFetch('/version')
 }
 
+export async function fetchPing() {
+    const response = await fetch('/ping', {
+        headers: {
+            Accept: 'application/json',
+        },
+    })
+    return parseResponse(response)
+}
+
 export async function fetchVersionCheck() {
     return apiFetch('/version/check')
 }
diff --git a/resources/js/index.css b/resources/js/index.css
index 213a76a..cdcd0ae 100644
--- a/resources/js/index.css
+++ b/resources/js/index.css
@@ -862,10 +862,17 @@ a {
 }
 
 [data-bs-theme="dark"] {
-  --bb-ink: #aaaeb4;
-  --bb-ink-muted: #6b7483;
-  --bb-border: #2a2f3a;
-  --bb-page-bg: radial-gradient(circle at 10% 20%, #141823 0%, #10131a 45%, #0b0e14 100%);
+  --bb-ink: #a3acb9;
+  --bb-ink-muted: #626d7e;
+  --bb-border: #242a35;
+  --bb-page-bg: radial-gradient(circle at 10% 20%, #10151f 0%, #0b1018 45%, #080b11 100%);
+  --bs-body-bg: #080b11;
+  --bs-body-color: #b3bdca;
+  --bs-secondary-bg: #121822;
+  --bs-tertiary-bg: #0f141d;
+  --bs-border-color: #242a35;
+  --bs-modal-bg: #121822;
+  --bs-modal-color: #b3bdca;
 }
 
 [data-bs-theme="dark"] .bb-hero {
@@ -875,11 +882,30 @@ a {
 
 [data-bs-theme="dark"] .bb-card,
 [data-bs-theme="dark"] .bb-form {
-  background: #171b22;
-  border-color: #2a2f3a;
+  background: #121822;
+  border-color: #242a35;
   box-shadow: 0 12px 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);
 }
 
+[data-bs-theme="dark"] .modal-content {
+  background: #121822;
+  border-color: #242a35;
+  color: #b3bdca;
+}
+
+[data-bs-theme="dark"] .modal-content .modal-body,
+[data-bs-theme="dark"] .modal-content .modal-footer {
+  background: #121822;
+}
+
+[data-bs-theme="dark"] .modal-content .modal-header {
+  color: #b7c0cc;
+}
+
+[data-bs-theme="dark"] .modal-content .modal-title {
+  color: #b7c0cc;
+}
+
 [data-bs-theme="light"] .bb-forum-row {
   background: #fff;
 }
@@ -2172,16 +2198,25 @@ a {
 }
 
 .bb-accent-button {
-  background: var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f);
-  border-color: var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f);
-  color: #0e121b;
+  --bs-btn-bg: var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f);
+  --bs-btn-border-color: var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f);
+  --bs-btn-color: #0e121b;
+  --bs-btn-hover-bg: color-mix(in srgb, var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f) 85%, #000);
+  --bs-btn-hover-border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f) 85%, #000);
+  --bs-btn-hover-color: #fff;
+  --bs-btn-active-bg: color-mix(in srgb, var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f) 80%, #000);
+  --bs-btn-active-border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f) 80%, #000);
+  --bs-btn-active-color: #fff;
+  --bs-btn-disabled-bg: var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f);
+  --bs-btn-disabled-border-color: var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f);
+  --bs-btn-disabled-color: #0e121b;
+  background: var(--bs-btn-bg);
+  border-color: var(--bs-btn-border-color);
+  color: var(--bs-btn-color);
 }
 
-.bb-accent-button:hover,
-.bb-accent-button:focus {
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f) 85%, #000);
-  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f) 85%, #000);
-  color: #0e121b;
+.bb-accent-button:focus-visible {
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.2rem color-mix(in srgb, var(--bb-accent, #f29b3f) 35%, transparent);
 }
 
 .bb-accent-button:disabled,
diff --git a/resources/lang/de.json b/resources/lang/de.json
index 96fdf73..13687d3 100644
--- a/resources/lang/de.json
+++ b/resources/lang/de.json
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@
   "version.up_to_date": "Aktuell",
   "version.update_available": "Update verfügbar (v{{version}})",
   "version.update_available_short": "Update verfügbar",
+  "version.refresh_prompt_title": "Update verfuegbar",
+  "version.refresh_prompt_body": "Ein neuerer Build ({{build}}) ist verfuegbar. Jetzt neu laden, um die aktuelle Version zu verwenden?",
+  "version.remind_later": "Spaeter",
   "version.unknown": "Version unbekannt",
   "version.update_now": "Jetzt aktualisieren",
   "version.update_title": "System aktualisieren",
diff --git a/resources/lang/en.json b/resources/lang/en.json
index df87488..2cf8e89 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en.json
+++ b/resources/lang/en.json
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@
   "version.up_to_date": "Up to date",
   "version.update_available": "Update available (v{{version}})",
   "version.update_available_short": "Update available",
+  "version.refresh_prompt_title": "Update available",
+  "version.refresh_prompt_body": "A newer build ({{build}}) is available. Refresh now to load the latest version?",
+  "version.remind_later": "Later",
   "version.unknown": "Version unknown",
   "version.update_now": "Update now",
   "version.update_title": "Update system",
diff --git a/routes/web.php b/routes/web.php
index 0d9bc31..2f99a3a 100644
--- a/routes/web.php
+++ b/routes/web.php
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 
 use App\Http\Controllers\InstallerController;
+use App\Http\Controllers\PingController;
 use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\Middleware\VerifyCsrfToken;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;
 
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@ Route::get('/reset-password', function () {
     return view('app');
 })->name('password.reset');
 
+Route::get('/ping', PingController::class);
+
 Route::get('/{any}', function () {
     if (!file_exists(base_path('.env'))) {
         return redirect('/install');
diff --git a/tests/Feature/PingControllerTest.php b/tests/Feature/PingControllerTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..566b256
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/PingControllerTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Models\Setting;
+
+it('returns ping status with build and notification state', function (): void {
+    Setting::updateOrCreate(['key' => 'build'], ['value' => '1337']);
+
+    $response = $this->getJson('/ping');
+
+    $response->assertOk();
+    $response->assertJson([
+        'connect' => 'ok',
+        'version_status' => [
+            'build' => 1337,
+        ],
+        'notification_state' => false,
+    ]);
+});