diff --git a/Resources/Info.plist b/Resources/Info.plist
index 41572e05..c96a632f 100644
--- a/Resources/Info.plist
+++ b/Resources/Info.plist
@@ -146,8 +146,16 @@
 			</dict>
 		</dict>
 	</dict>
+	<key>SUAutomaticallyUpdate</key>
+	<false/>
+	<key>SUEnableAutomaticChecks</key>
+	<true/>
 	<key>SUFeedURL</key>
 	<string>https://github.com/manaflow-ai/cmux/releases/latest/download/appcast.xml</string>
+	<key>SUScheduledCheckInterval</key>
+	<integer>86400</integer>
+	<key>SUSendProfileInfo</key>
+	<false/>
 	<key>SUPublicEDKey</key>
 	<string>$(SPARKLE_PUBLIC_KEY)</string>
 </dict>
diff --git a/Sources/Update/UpdateController.swift b/Sources/Update/UpdateController.swift
index 7cc9beb9..ef1176bf 100644
--- a/Sources/Update/UpdateController.swift
+++ b/Sources/Update/UpdateController.swift
@@ -3,6 +3,47 @@ import Cocoa
 import Combine
 import SwiftUI
 
+enum UpdateSettings {
+    static let automaticChecksKey = "SUEnableAutomaticChecks"
+    static let automaticallyUpdateKey = "SUAutomaticallyUpdate"
+    static let scheduledCheckIntervalKey = "SUScheduledCheckInterval"
+    static let sendProfileInfoKey = "SUSendProfileInfo"
+    static let migrationKey = "cmux.sparkle.automaticChecksMigration.v1"
+    static let scheduledCheckInterval: TimeInterval = 60 * 60 * 24
+
+    static func apply(to defaults: UserDefaults) {
+        defaults.register(defaults: [
+            automaticChecksKey: true,
+            automaticallyUpdateKey: false,
+            scheduledCheckIntervalKey: scheduledCheckInterval,
+            sendProfileInfoKey: false,
+        ])
+
+        guard !defaults.bool(forKey: migrationKey) else { return }
+
+        // Repair older installs that may have ended up with automatic checks disabled
+        // before the updater defaults were embedded in Info.plist.
+        defaults.set(true, forKey: automaticChecksKey)
+
+        if let interval = defaults.object(forKey: scheduledCheckIntervalKey) as? NSNumber {
+            if interval.doubleValue <= 0 {
+                defaults.set(scheduledCheckInterval, forKey: scheduledCheckIntervalKey)
+            }
+        } else {
+            defaults.set(scheduledCheckInterval, forKey: scheduledCheckIntervalKey)
+        }
+
+        if defaults.object(forKey: automaticallyUpdateKey) == nil {
+            defaults.set(false, forKey: automaticallyUpdateKey)
+        }
+        if defaults.object(forKey: sendProfileInfoKey) == nil {
+            defaults.set(false, forKey: sendProfileInfoKey)
+        }
+
+        defaults.set(true, forKey: migrationKey)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Controller for managing Sparkle updates in cmux.
 class UpdateController {
     private(set) var updater: SPUUpdater
@@ -27,13 +68,8 @@ class UpdateController {
     }
 
     init() {
-        // cmux checks for updates in the background, but keeps automatic download and
-        // profile submission disabled so all install intent stays user-driven.
         let defaults = UserDefaults.standard
-        defaults.register(defaults: [
-            "SUSendProfileInfo": false,
-            "SUAutomaticallyUpdate": false,
-        ])
+        UpdateSettings.apply(to: defaults)
 
         let hostBundle = Bundle.main
         self.userDriver = UpdateDriver(viewModel: .init(), hostBundle: hostBundle)
@@ -63,19 +99,22 @@ class UpdateController {
         // delegate now suppresses Sparkle's permission UI entirely.
         if ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["CMUX_UI_TEST_RESET_SPARKLE_PERMISSION"] == "1" {
             let defaults = UserDefaults.standard
-            defaults.removeObject(forKey: "SUEnableAutomaticChecks")
-            defaults.removeObject(forKey: "SUSendProfileInfo")
-            defaults.removeObject(forKey: "SUAutomaticallyUpdate")
+            defaults.removeObject(forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticChecksKey)
+            defaults.removeObject(forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticallyUpdateKey)
+            defaults.removeObject(forKey: UpdateSettings.scheduledCheckIntervalKey)
+            defaults.removeObject(forKey: UpdateSettings.sendProfileInfoKey)
+            defaults.removeObject(forKey: UpdateSettings.migrationKey)
             defaults.synchronize()
             UpdateLogStore.shared.append("reset sparkle permission defaults (ui test)")
         }
 #endif
         do {
-            updater.automaticallyChecksForUpdates = true
-            updater.automaticallyDownloadsUpdates = false
-            updater.sendsSystemProfile = false
             try updater.start()
             didStartUpdater = true
+            let interval = Int(updater.updateCheckInterval.rounded())
+            UpdateLogStore.shared.append(
+                "updater started (autoChecks=\(updater.automaticallyChecksForUpdates), interval=\(interval)s, autoDownloads=\(updater.automaticallyDownloadsUpdates))"
+            )
         } catch {
             userDriver.viewModel.state = .error(.init(
                 error: error,
diff --git a/Sources/Update/UpdateDelegate.swift b/Sources/Update/UpdateDelegate.swift
index b3adfc15..7de114d3 100644
--- a/Sources/Update/UpdateDelegate.swift
+++ b/Sources/Update/UpdateDelegate.swift
@@ -33,7 +33,15 @@ extension UpdateDriver: SPUUpdaterDelegate {
         let resolved = UpdateFeedResolver.resolvedFeedURLString(infoFeedURL: infoFeedURL)
         UpdateLogStore.shared.append("update channel: \(resolved.isNightly ? "nightly" : "stable")")
         recordFeedURLString(resolved.url, usedFallback: resolved.usedFallback)
-        return infoFeedURL
+        return resolved.url
+    }
+
+    func updater(_ updater: SPUUpdater, willScheduleUpdateCheckAfterDelay delay: TimeInterval) {
+        UpdateLogStore.shared.append("next update check scheduled in \(Int(delay.rounded()))s")
+    }
+
+    func updaterWillNotScheduleUpdateCheck(_ updater: SPUUpdater) {
+        UpdateLogStore.shared.append("automatic update checks disabled; no scheduled check")
     }
 
     /// Called when an update is scheduled to install silently,
diff --git a/Sources/Update/UpdateDriver.swift b/Sources/Update/UpdateDriver.swift
index 04dedebd..289df890 100644
--- a/Sources/Update/UpdateDriver.swift
+++ b/Sources/Update/UpdateDriver.swift
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ class UpdateDriver: NSObject, SPUUserDriver {
             return
         }
 #endif
-        // Never show Sparkle's permission UI. cmux relies on its in-app update pill instead,
-        // and defaults to manual update checks unless explicitly enabled elsewhere.
-        UpdateLogStore.shared.append("auto-deny update permission (no UI)")
+        // Never show Sparkle's permission UI. cmux always enables scheduled checks and keeps
+        // automatic downloads disabled so installs remain user-driven.
+        UpdateLogStore.shared.append("auto-allow update permission (no UI)")
         DispatchQueue.main.async {
-            reply(SUUpdatePermissionResponse(automaticUpdateChecks: false, sendSystemProfile: false))
+            reply(SUUpdatePermissionResponse(automaticUpdateChecks: true, sendSystemProfile: false))
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift b/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift
index 60018a44..5ec9aae7 100644
--- a/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift
+++ b/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift
@@ -5190,6 +5190,46 @@ final class UpdateChannelSettingsTests: XCTestCase {
     }
 }
 
+final class UpdateSettingsTests: XCTestCase {
+    func testApplyEnablesAutomaticChecksAndDailySchedule() {
+        let defaults = makeDefaults()
+        UpdateSettings.apply(to: defaults)
+
+        XCTAssertTrue(defaults.bool(forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticChecksKey))
+        XCTAssertEqual(defaults.double(forKey: UpdateSettings.scheduledCheckIntervalKey), UpdateSettings.scheduledCheckInterval)
+        XCTAssertFalse(defaults.bool(forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticallyUpdateKey))
+        XCTAssertFalse(defaults.bool(forKey: UpdateSettings.sendProfileInfoKey))
+        XCTAssertTrue(defaults.bool(forKey: UpdateSettings.migrationKey))
+    }
+
+    func testApplyRepairsLegacyDisabledAutomaticChecksOnce() {
+        let defaults = makeDefaults()
+        defaults.set(false, forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticChecksKey)
+        defaults.set(0, forKey: UpdateSettings.scheduledCheckIntervalKey)
+        defaults.set(true, forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticallyUpdateKey)
+
+        UpdateSettings.apply(to: defaults)
+
+        XCTAssertTrue(defaults.bool(forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticChecksKey))
+        XCTAssertEqual(defaults.double(forKey: UpdateSettings.scheduledCheckIntervalKey), UpdateSettings.scheduledCheckInterval)
+        XCTAssertTrue(defaults.bool(forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticallyUpdateKey))
+
+        defaults.set(false, forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticChecksKey)
+        UpdateSettings.apply(to: defaults)
+
+        XCTAssertFalse(defaults.bool(forKey: UpdateSettings.automaticChecksKey))
+    }
+
+    private func makeDefaults() -> UserDefaults {
+        let suiteName = "UpdateSettingsTests.\(UUID().uuidString)"
+        guard let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: suiteName) else {
+            fatalError("Failed to create isolated UserDefaults suite")
+        }
+        defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suiteName)
+        return defaults
+    }
+}
+
 final class SidebarRemoteErrorCopySupportTests: XCTestCase {
     func testMenuLabelIsNilWhenThereAreNoErrors() {
         XCTAssertNil(SidebarRemoteErrorCopySupport.menuLabel(for: []))