diff --git a/admin/inertia/components/WhatsNewBanner.tsx b/admin/inertia/components/WhatsNewBanner.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f4dc31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/inertia/components/WhatsNewBanner.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { router, usePage } from '@inertiajs/react'
+import Alert from '~/components/Alert'
+
+/**
+ * Post-upgrade "what's new" highlights shown once on the dashboard.
+ *
+ * `version` is the release line (major.minor) these highlights describe. The
+ * banner only renders when the running build's major.minor matches, so it
+ * appears after a user upgrades into the line and every patch within it, then
+ * disappears on the next minor. Dismissal is remembered per-line in
+ * localStorage, so dismissing v1.34 won't suppress a future v1.35 note.
+ *
+ * To surface a new release's highlights: bump `version` and replace
+ * `highlights`. No schema or migration needed.
+ */
+const WHATS_NEW = {
+  version: '1.34',
+  title: "What's new in v1.34",
+  highlights: [
+    'Creator Packs — install curated video packs from your favorite creators and watch them fully offline.',
+    'Medication Reference — offline FDA drug-label lookup for quick, reliable medication information.',
+  ],
+}
+
+/** Extract the major.minor line (e.g. "1.34.2" -> "1.34"). Returns null for
+ *  non-numeric versions like the dev server's "dev". */
+function majorMinor(version: string | undefined | null): string | null {
+  const match = (version ?? '').match(/^(\d+)\.(\d+)/)
+  return match ? `${match[1]}.${match[2]}` : null
+}
+
+export default function WhatsNewBanner() {
+  const { appVersion } = usePage<{ appVersion: string }>().props
+  const storageKey = `nomad:whatsnew-dismissed:${WHATS_NEW.version}`
+
+  const [dismissed, setDismissed] = useState(() => {
+    try {
+      return localStorage.getItem(storageKey) === 'true'
+    } catch {
+      return false
+    }
+  })
+
+  // Only surface highlights for the release they describe, and only until the
+  // user dismisses that line.
+  if (dismissed || majorMinor(appVersion) !== WHATS_NEW.version) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const handleDismiss = () => {
+    setDismissed(true)
+    try {
+      localStorage.setItem(storageKey, 'true')
+    } catch {
+      // localStorage unavailable (private mode, etc.) — banner just re-shows
+      // next load, which is acceptable.
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex justify-center items-center p-4 w-full">
+      <Alert
+        title={WHATS_NEW.title}
+        type="info-inverted"
+        variant="solid"
+        className="w-full"
+        dismissible
+        onDismiss={handleDismiss}
+        buttonProps={{
+          variant: 'primary',
+          children: 'See release notes',
+          icon: 'IconBook',
+          onClick: () => router.visit('/docs/release-notes'),
+        }}
+      >
+        <ul className="mt-1 list-disc list-inside space-y-1 text-white text-opacity-90 text-sm leading-relaxed">
+          {WHATS_NEW.highlights.map((highlight) => (
+            <li key={highlight}>{highlight}</li>
+          ))}
+        </ul>
+      </Alert>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/admin/inertia/pages/home.tsx b/admin/inertia/pages/home.tsx
index a782327..75cdd2b 100644
--- a/admin/inertia/pages/home.tsx
+++ b/admin/inertia/pages/home.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import DynamicIcon, { DynamicIconName } from '~/components/DynamicIcon'
 import { useUpdateAvailable } from '~/hooks/useUpdateAvailable'
 import { useSystemSetting } from '~/hooks/useSystemSetting'
 import Alert from '~/components/Alert'
+import WhatsNewBanner from '~/components/WhatsNewBanner'
 import { SERVICE_NAMES } from '../../constants/service_names'
 
 // Maps is a Core Capability (display_order: 4)
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ export default function Home(props: {
           </div>
         )
       }
+      <WhatsNewBanner />
       <div className="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-4 p-4">
         {items.map((item) => {
           const isEasySetup = item.label === 'Easy Setup'