diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 62a6bd6..8a043d6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Package release archive
         run: ./scripts/package-release-archive.sh "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}"
 
+      - name: Package release DMG
+        run: ./scripts/package-release-dmg.sh "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}"
+
       - name: Validate release archive contents
         run: |
           archive="dist/apw-macos-${GITHUB_REF_NAME}.tar.gz"
@@ -160,10 +163,23 @@ jobs:
       - name: Validate universal release binaries
         run: ./scripts/verify-universal-binaries.sh
 
+      - name: Validate release DMG checksum
+        run: |
+          dmg="dist/apw-macos-${GITHUB_REF_NAME}.dmg"
+          test -f "$dmg"
+          test -f "$dmg.sha256"
+          (
+            cd dist
+            shasum -a 256 -c "apw-macos-${GITHUB_REF_NAME}.dmg.sha256"
+          )
+
       - name: Publish release assets
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
         with:
-          files: dist/apw-macos-${{ github.ref_name }}.tar.gz
+          files: |
+            dist/apw-macos-${{ github.ref_name }}.tar.gz
+            dist/apw-macos-${{ github.ref_name }}.dmg
+            dist/apw-macos-${{ github.ref_name }}.dmg.sha256
 
   publish-homebrew-tap:
     name: Publish Homebrew tap PR
diff --git a/docs/INSTALLATION.md b/docs/INSTALLATION.md
index 75bb39b..17b9963 100644
--- a/docs/INSTALLATION.md
+++ b/docs/INSTALLATION.md
@@ -91,6 +91,43 @@ listed in `docs/bootstrap/onboarding.md` are configured. If those optional
 secrets are absent, the workflow emits a warning and publishes an unstapled
 archive rather than failing unrelated release automation.
 
+## Install from a release DMG
+
+Release DMGs are named `apw-macos-vX.Y.Z.dmg`. Each release also publishes a
+matching `apw-macos-vX.Y.Z.dmg.sha256` file for checksum verification.
+
+Download both files from the GitHub release, then verify the DMG before opening
+it:
+
+```bash
+shasum -a 256 -c apw-macos-vX.Y.Z.dmg.sha256
+```
+
+Open the DMG and install the app bundle:
+
+```bash
+MOUNT="/Volumes/APW vX.Y.Z"
+hdiutil attach apw-macos-vX.Y.Z.dmg
+install -m 0755 "$MOUNT/bin/apw" /usr/local/bin/apw
+(cd "$MOUNT" && ./bin/apw app install)
+cp -R "$MOUNT/APW.app" /Applications/APW.app
+hdiutil detach "$MOUNT"
+```
+
+Keep the DMG mounted until `apw app install` completes; the installer discovers
+`APW.app` from the mounted volume before copying it into the per-user runtime
+directory. Then run the first-use launch check:
+
+```bash
+apw --version
+apw status --json
+apw app launch
+```
+
+Gatekeeper should accept release DMGs built by the release workflow. If macOS
+blocks the app, stop the install and verify that the release asset was signed
+and notarized before use.
+
 ## Homebrew
 
 APW uses a **formula-plus-app-install** Homebrew model for the v2 line. The
diff --git a/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh b/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh
index 3d84d49..3d6f6a1 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh
@@ -45,5 +45,6 @@ done < <(find .github/scripts scripts -type f -name '*.sh' -print0)
 ./scripts/test-verify-universal-binaries.sh
 ./scripts/test-universal-release-config.sh
 ./scripts/test-notarize-native-app.sh
+./scripts/test-package-release-dmg.sh
 
 echo "APW fast checks passed."
diff --git a/scripts/package-release-dmg.sh b/scripts/package-release-dmg.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b0f367e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/package-release-dmg.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+print_help() {
+  cat <<'HELP'
+Usage: ./scripts/package-release-dmg.sh VERSION_OR_TAG
+
+Create dist/apw-macos-<VERSION_OR_TAG>.dmg and a matching .sha256 file.
+
+The DMG contains:
+  - APW.app/
+  - bin/apw
+  - Applications -> /Applications
+
+Prerequisites:
+  - cargo release binary at rust/target/release/apw
+  - native app bundle at native-app/dist/APW.app
+  - hdiutil on macOS
+HELP
+}
+
+if [[ "${1:-}" == "-h" || "${1:-}" == "--help" ]]; then
+  print_help
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ $# -ne 1 || -z "${1:-}" ]]; then
+  echo "VERSION_OR_TAG is required." >&2
+  print_help >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd -- "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+VERSION_OR_TAG="$1"
+BIN_PATH="$ROOT_DIR/rust/target/release/apw"
+APP_DIR="$ROOT_DIR/native-app/dist/APW.app"
+DIST_DIR="$ROOT_DIR/dist"
+STAGING_DIR="$DIST_DIR/dmg-staging"
+DMG_PATH="$DIST_DIR/apw-macos-${VERSION_OR_TAG}.dmg"
+CHECKSUM_PATH="$DMG_PATH.sha256"
+MOUNT_DIR="$DIST_DIR/dmg-mount"
+HDIUTIL_BIN="${HDIUTIL_BIN:-hdiutil}"
+
+if ! command -v "$HDIUTIL_BIN" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "hdiutil not found. DMG packaging must run on macOS." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -x "$BIN_PATH" ]]; then
+  echo "Missing executable release binary: $BIN_PATH" >&2
+  echo "Build it first with: cargo build --manifest-path rust/Cargo.toml --release" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -d "$APP_DIR" ]]; then
+  echo "Missing native app bundle: $APP_DIR" >&2
+  echo "Build it first with: ./scripts/build-native-app.sh" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f "$APP_DIR/Contents/Info.plist" || ! -x "$APP_DIR/Contents/MacOS/APW" ]]; then
+  echo "Native app bundle is incomplete: $APP_DIR" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+cleanup() {
+  if mount | grep -q " on $MOUNT_DIR "; then
+    "$HDIUTIL_BIN" detach "$MOUNT_DIR" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  fi
+  rm -rf "$STAGING_DIR" "$MOUNT_DIR"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+rm -rf "$STAGING_DIR" "$MOUNT_DIR" "$DMG_PATH" "$CHECKSUM_PATH"
+mkdir -p "$STAGING_DIR/bin" "$DIST_DIR"
+
+cp "$BIN_PATH" "$STAGING_DIR/bin/apw"
+cp -R "$APP_DIR" "$STAGING_DIR/APW.app"
+ln -s /Applications "$STAGING_DIR/Applications"
+
+"$HDIUTIL_BIN" create \
+  -volname "APW ${VERSION_OR_TAG}" \
+  -srcfolder "$STAGING_DIR" \
+  -ov \
+  -format UDZO \
+  "$DMG_PATH"
+
+if [[ "${APW_SKIP_DMG_MOUNT_SMOKE:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
+  mkdir -p "$MOUNT_DIR"
+  "$HDIUTIL_BIN" attach -nobrowse -readonly -mountpoint "$MOUNT_DIR" "$DMG_PATH" >/dev/null
+  test -x "$MOUNT_DIR/bin/apw"
+  test -f "$MOUNT_DIR/APW.app/Contents/Info.plist"
+  test -x "$MOUNT_DIR/APW.app/Contents/MacOS/APW"
+  "$HDIUTIL_BIN" detach "$MOUNT_DIR" >/dev/null
+fi
+
+(
+  cd "$DIST_DIR"
+  shasum -a 256 "$(basename "$DMG_PATH")" > "$(basename "$CHECKSUM_PATH")"
+)
+
+echo "$DMG_PATH"
+echo "$CHECKSUM_PATH"
diff --git a/scripts/test-package-release-dmg.sh b/scripts/test-package-release-dmg.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..800d615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-package-release-dmg.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd -- "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+WORK_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
+BIN_PATH="$ROOT_DIR/rust/target/release/apw"
+APP_PATH="$ROOT_DIR/native-app/dist/APW.app"
+DMG_PATH="$ROOT_DIR/dist/apw-macos-v9.9.9.dmg"
+CHECKSUM_PATH="$DMG_PATH.sha256"
+cleanup() {
+  rm -f "$DMG_PATH" "$CHECKSUM_PATH"
+  rm -rf "$APP_PATH"
+  rm -f "$BIN_PATH"
+  if [[ -f "$WORK_DIR/apw.backup" ]]; then
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$BIN_PATH")"
+    mv "$WORK_DIR/apw.backup" "$BIN_PATH"
+  fi
+  if [[ -d "$WORK_DIR/APW.app.backup" ]]; then
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$APP_PATH")"
+    mv "$WORK_DIR/APW.app.backup" "$APP_PATH"
+  fi
+  rm -rf "$WORK_DIR"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+fake_hdiutil="$WORK_DIR/hdiutil"
+fake_log="$WORK_DIR/hdiutil.log"
+
+cat > "$fake_hdiutil" <<'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+echo "$*" >> "$FAKE_HDIUTIL_LOG"
+if [[ "${1:-}" == "create" ]]; then
+  srcfolder=""
+  for ((i = 1; i <= $#; i++)); do
+    if [[ "${!i}" == "-srcfolder" ]]; then
+      next=$((i + 1))
+      srcfolder="${!next}"
+      break
+    fi
+  done
+  if [[ -z "$srcfolder" ]]; then
+    echo "missing -srcfolder" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  test -x "$srcfolder/bin/apw"
+  test -f "$srcfolder/APW.app/Contents/Info.plist"
+  test -x "$srcfolder/APW.app/Contents/MacOS/APW"
+  test -L "$srcfolder/Applications"
+  [[ "$(readlink "$srcfolder/Applications")" == "/Applications" ]]
+  output="${@: -1}"
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$output")"
+  printf 'fake dmg\n' > "$output"
+fi
+EOF
+chmod +x "$fake_hdiutil"
+
+if [[ -f "$BIN_PATH" ]]; then
+  mv "$BIN_PATH" "$WORK_DIR/apw.backup"
+fi
+if [[ -d "$APP_PATH" ]]; then
+  mv "$APP_PATH" "$WORK_DIR/APW.app.backup"
+fi
+
+mkdir -p \
+  "$(dirname "$BIN_PATH")" \
+  "$APP_PATH/Contents/MacOS"
+
+printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\necho apw\n' > "$BIN_PATH"
+chmod +x "$BIN_PATH"
+printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\necho APW\n' > "$APP_PATH/Contents/MacOS/APW"
+chmod +x "$APP_PATH/Contents/MacOS/APW"
+printf '<plist version="1.0"><dict></dict></plist>\n' > "$APP_PATH/Contents/Info.plist"
+
+rm -f "$DMG_PATH" "$CHECKSUM_PATH"
+
+FAKE_HDIUTIL_LOG="$fake_log" \
+HDIUTIL_BIN="$fake_hdiutil" \
+APW_SKIP_DMG_MOUNT_SMOKE=1 \
+  "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/package-release-dmg.sh" v9.9.9 >"$WORK_DIR/package.out"
+
+test -f "$DMG_PATH"
+test -f "$CHECKSUM_PATH"
+grep -q "create" "$fake_log"
+grep -Eq "^[0-9a-f]{64}  apw-macos-v9.9.9.dmg$" "$CHECKSUM_PATH"
+
+awk '
+  /^## Install from a release DMG/ { inside = 1 }
+  /^## Homebrew/ { inside = 0 }
+  inside && /apw app install/ && !install_line { install_line = NR }
+  inside && /hdiutil detach/ { detach_line = NR }
+  END { exit !(install_line && detach_line && install_line < detach_line) }
+' "$ROOT_DIR/docs/INSTALLATION.md"