diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/recovery.test.ts b/packages/desktop/src/recovery.test.ts
index 3164662e..4eaca4cb 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/recovery.test.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/recovery.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { RecoveryStateStore, extractErrorCode, type RecoveryState } from './recovery';
+import type { MenuItemConstructorOptions } from 'electron';
+import {
+  RecoveryStateStore,
+  extractErrorCode,
+  buildTrayMenuTemplate,
+  type RecoveryState,
+} from './recovery';
 
 describe('RecoveryStateStore', () => {
   it('returns the initial state', () => {
@@ -132,3 +138,76 @@ describe('extractErrorCode', () => {
     expect(extractErrorCode({ code: 'NET_FAIL' })).toBe('NET_FAIL');
   });
 });
+
+function defaultState(overrides?: Partial<RecoveryState>): RecoveryState {
+  return {
+    mode: 'normal',
+    reason: null,
+    updateState: 'idle',
+    updateVersion: null,
+    lastUpdateError: null,
+    lastCheckResult: null,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+describe('buildTrayMenuTemplate', () => {
+  it('includes Show/Hide/Change Instance/Quit base items', () => {
+    const items = buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState());
+    const labels = items.map((i) => i.label);
+    expect(labels).toContain('Show Backspace');
+    expect(labels).toContain('Hide');
+    expect(labels).toContain('Change Instance');
+    expect(labels).toContain('Quit');
+  });
+
+  it('includes Check for Updates with idle label when updateState=idle', () => {
+    const items = buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'idle' }));
+    const item = items.find((i) => i.id === 'check-for-updates');
+    expect(item).toBeDefined();
+    expect(item!.label).toBe('Check for Updates…');
+    expect(item!.enabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('disables Check for Updates while checking', () => {
+    const items = buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'checking' }));
+    const item = items.find((i) => i.id === 'check-for-updates');
+    expect(item!.label).toBe('Checking for Updates…');
+    expect(item!.enabled).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('disables Check for Updates while downloading', () => {
+    const items = buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'downloading' }));
+    const item = items.find((i) => i.id === 'check-for-updates');
+    expect(item!.label).toBe('Downloading Update…');
+    expect(item!.enabled).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('shows Update Ready label when downloaded, with Check disabled (Restart is the action)', () => {
+    const items = buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'downloaded' }));
+    const item = items.find((i) => i.id === 'check-for-updates');
+    expect(item!.label).toBe('Update Ready');
+    expect(item!.enabled).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('shows error suffix on Check for Updates label when updateState=error', () => {
+    const items = buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'error' }));
+    const item = items.find((i) => i.id === 'check-for-updates');
+    expect(item!.label).toBe('Check for Updates… (last attempt failed)');
+    expect(item!.enabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('inserts Restart to Install Update only when updateState=downloaded', () => {
+    expect(
+      buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'idle' })).find((i) => i.id === 'restart-to-install'),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(
+      buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'downloading' })).find((i) => i.id === 'restart-to-install'),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+    const downloadedItem = buildTrayMenuTemplate(defaultState({ updateState: 'downloaded' }))
+      .find((i) => i.id === 'restart-to-install');
+    expect(downloadedItem).toBeDefined();
+    expect(downloadedItem!.label).toBe('Restart to Install Update');
+    expect(downloadedItem!.enabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/recovery.ts b/packages/desktop/src/recovery.ts
index 1d83e95d..21b0799b 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/recovery.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/recovery.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { MenuItemConstructorOptions } from 'electron';
+
 export type RecoveryReasonCode =
   | 'load-failed'
   | 'render-gone'
@@ -79,3 +81,58 @@ export function extractErrorCode(err: unknown): string | null {
   }
   return null;
 }
+
+interface MenuActions {
+  onShow: () => void;
+  onHide: () => void;
+  onChangeInstance: () => void;
+  onCheckForUpdates: () => void;
+  onRestartToInstall: () => void;
+  onQuit: () => void;
+}
+
+function checkForUpdatesItem(state: RecoveryState, click: () => void): MenuItemConstructorOptions {
+  switch (state.updateState) {
+    case 'checking':
+      return { id: 'check-for-updates', label: 'Checking for Updates…', enabled: false };
+    case 'downloading':
+      return { id: 'check-for-updates', label: 'Downloading Update…', enabled: false };
+    case 'downloaded':
+      return { id: 'check-for-updates', label: 'Update Ready', enabled: false };
+    case 'error':
+      return { id: 'check-for-updates', label: 'Check for Updates… (last attempt failed)', enabled: true, click };
+    case 'idle':
+    default:
+      return { id: 'check-for-updates', label: 'Check for Updates…', enabled: true, click };
+  }
+}
+
+export function buildTrayMenuTemplate(
+  state: RecoveryState,
+  actions?: Partial<MenuActions>,
+): MenuItemConstructorOptions[] {
+  const items: MenuItemConstructorOptions[] = [
+    { label: 'Show Backspace', click: actions?.onShow },
+    { label: 'Hide', click: actions?.onHide },
+    { type: 'separator' },
+    checkForUpdatesItem(state, () => actions?.onCheckForUpdates?.()),
+  ];
+
+  if (state.updateState === 'downloaded') {
+    items.push({
+      id: 'restart-to-install',
+      label: 'Restart to Install Update',
+      enabled: true,
+      click: actions?.onRestartToInstall,
+    });
+  }
+
+  items.push(
+    { type: 'separator' },
+    { label: 'Change Instance', click: actions?.onChangeInstance },
+    { type: 'separator' },
+    { label: 'Quit', click: actions?.onQuit },
+  );
+
+  return items;
+}