diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0625011..1529d79 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -17,21 +17,28 @@ Legistar-based jurisdiction or custom legal corpus.
 
 **Desktop App (no installation prerequisites):**
 
-Pre-built installers will be available in the [Releases](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases) section soon. For now, build the desktop application locally:
+Download the standalone desktop application — no Python, Docker, or command line
+required. All analysis runs locally on your machine.
 
-```bash
-# Build desktop application
-cd desktop
-npm install
-npm run build:backend    # Build Python backend
-cd ../frontend
-npm ci
-ELECTRON_BUILD=1 npm run build  # Build frontend for Electron
-cd ../desktop
-npm run build            # Create installer for your platform
-```
+Download the latest version from the [**Releases page**](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases/latest):
+
+| Platform | Installer | Architecture |
+|----------|-----------|--------------|
+| **Windows** | `ODIA-Setup-2.1.0.exe` | x64 |
+| **macOS** | `ODIA-2.1.0.dmg` | x64, arm64 (Universal) |
+| **Linux** | `ODIA-2.1.0.AppImage` | x64 |
+
+**Direct download links (after v2.1.0 release):**
+- [Windows x64](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases/download/v2.1.0/ODIA-Setup-2.1.0.exe)
+- [macOS Universal](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases/download/v2.1.0/ODIA-2.1.0.dmg)
+- [Linux AppImage](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases/download/v2.1.0/ODIA-2.1.0.AppImage)
+
+**System Requirements:**
+- **Windows:** Windows 10 (64-bit) or later
+- **macOS:** macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
+- **Linux:** Ubuntu 18.04+ or equivalent (requires libfuse2)
 
-Installers are output to `desktop/dist/`. See [desktop/README.md](desktop/README.md) for detailed build instructions and platform-specific requirements.
+See [desktop/README.md](desktop/README.md) for installation instructions and troubleshooting.
 
 **With Docker (no Python/Node required):**
 ```bash
diff --git a/docs/RELEASING.md b/docs/RELEASING.md
index d6db8b1..12f152a 100644
--- a/docs/RELEASING.md
+++ b/docs/RELEASING.md
@@ -1,78 +1,292 @@
-# Release Process
+# ODIA Release Process
 
-## Automated Desktop Releases
+## Overview
 
-Desktop application releases are automated via GitHub Actions
-(`.github/workflows/release-desktop.yml`).
+ODIA uses automated GitHub Actions workflows to build and publish desktop application releases. This document describes the release process and troubleshooting steps.
 
-### Creating a New Release
+## Automated Release Process
 
-1. **Update version** in relevant package files:
+### Prerequisites
 
-   ```bash
-   # Update desktop/package.json version field to X.Y.Z
-   # Update pyproject.toml version field to X.Y.Z
-   ```
+- [ ] All tests passing on `master` branch
+- [ ] Desktop app builds successfully locally (optional verification)
+- [ ] Version numbers updated in:
+  - `pyproject.toml` (line 7)
+  - `desktop/package.json` (line 3)
+- [ ] CHANGELOG.md updated (if exists) or release notes prepared
+- [ ] README.md download links point to correct version
 
-2. **Commit version bump:**
+### Creating a Release
 
+1. **Ensure you're on the latest master:**
    ```bash
-   git add desktop/package.json pyproject.toml
-   git commit -m "chore: bump version to X.Y.Z"
-   git push
+   git checkout master
+   git pull origin master
    ```
 
-3. **Create and push tag:**
-
+2. **Create and push the version tag:**
    ```bash
-   git tag vX.Y.Z
-   git push origin vX.Y.Z
+   git tag v2.1.0
+   git push origin v2.1.0
    ```
 
-4. **GitHub Actions automatically:**
-   - Builds desktop installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux
-   - Creates a GitHub Release
-   - Uploads installers as release assets
-   - Generates release notes
+3. **Monitor the build:**
+   - Go to: https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/actions
+   - Watch the "Build and Release Desktop Apps" workflow
+   - Expected duration: 15-20 minutes
+   - Three jobs run in parallel (Windows, macOS, Linux)
 
-5. **Verify release:**
-   - Check <https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases>
+4. **Verify the release:**
+   - Check: https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases
+   - Verify three installers are attached:
+     - `ODIA-Setup-X.Y.Z.exe` (Windows)
+     - `ODIA-X.Y.Z.dmg` (macOS)
+     - `ODIA-X.Y.Z.AppImage` (Linux)
    - Test download links work
-   - Download and test installers on each platform
+   - Download and test installers (recommended)
+
+### What the Workflow Does
+
+The `.github/workflows/release-desktop.yml` workflow:
+
+1. **Builds Python backend** using PyInstaller
+2. **Builds frontend** as static export for Electron
+3. **Creates native installers** using electron-builder:
+   - **Windows:** NSIS installer (`.exe`)
+   - **macOS:** DMG disk image (`.dmg`) - Universal binary (x64 + arm64)
+   - **Linux:** AppImage (`.AppImage`)
+4. **Creates GitHub Release** with auto-generated release notes
+5. **Uploads installers** as release assets
+
+### Version Numbering
+
+Follow Semantic Versioning (semver): `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`
 
-### Manual Release (Fallback)
+- **MAJOR:** Breaking changes, incompatible API changes
+- **MINOR:** New features, backwards-compatible
+- **PATCH:** Bug fixes, backwards-compatible
 
-If the automated release fails:
+Examples:
+- `v2.1.0` → `v2.1.1` (bug fix)
+- `v2.1.0` → `v2.2.0` (new feature)
+- `v2.1.0` → `v3.0.0` (breaking change)
+
+---
+
+## Manual Release (Fallback)
+
+If the automated workflow fails, you can build and release manually.
+
+### Local Build Requirements
+
+**All Platforms:**
+- Node.js 20+
+- Python 3.11+
+- Git
+
+**Platform-Specific:**
+- **Windows:** Windows 10+ (for Windows builds)
+- **macOS:** macOS 10.15+ with Xcode Command Line Tools (for macOS builds)
+- **Linux:** Ubuntu 18.04+ with build-essential, fakeroot, rpm, libfuse2
+
+### Manual Build Steps
 
 ```bash
-# Build locally for your platform
+# 1. Install Python dependencies
+pip install -e ".[dev]"
+pip install pyinstaller
+
+# 2. Build Python backend
+cd desktop
+npm ci
+npm run build:backend
+
+# 3. Build frontend for Electron
+cd ../frontend
+npm ci
+ELECTRON_BUILD=1 npm run build
+
+# 4. Copy frontend to desktop build directory
+cd ..
+mkdir -p desktop/build/frontend
+cp -r frontend/out/. desktop/build/frontend/
+
+# 5. Build installer for your platform
 cd desktop
 npm run build:win     # Windows
 npm run build:mac     # macOS
 npm run build:linux   # Linux
 
-# Manually create a release on GitHub and upload installers from desktop/dist/
+# Installers output to: desktop/dist/
+```
+
+### Manual Release Creation
+
+1. Go to: https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases/new
+2. **Tag:** `v2.1.0` (create new tag)
+3. **Title:** `ODIA v2.1.0 - Desktop Release`
+4. **Description:** Add release notes (see template below)
+5. **Attach files:** Upload installers from `desktop/dist/`
+6. **Publish release**
+
+---
+
+## Release Notes Template
+
+```markdown
+## ODIA v2.1.0
+
+### 🎉 First Official Release
+
+This is the first official release of ODIA (Oraculus DI Auditor) featuring desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
+
+### 📱 New Features
+
+- **Desktop Application:** Standalone Electron app for offline document analysis
+  - Native file dialogs
+  - Automatic Python backend management
+  - Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
+
+- **Mobile Application:** React Native/Expo mobile app (source available)
+  - 9 TypeScript-ported analysis detectors
+  - Offline-first architecture
+  - 118 tests at 97% coverage
+
+### 🔍 Analysis Capabilities
+
+- Fiscal anomaly detection
+- Constitutional issues analysis
+- Surveillance concerns identification
+- Procurement timeline analysis
+- Cross-jurisdiction boundary detection
+
+### 📥 Downloads
+
+| Platform | File | Size |
+|----------|------|------|
+| Windows (x64) | ODIA-Setup-2.1.0.exe | ~XXX MB |
+| macOS (Universal) | ODIA-2.1.0.dmg | ~XXX MB |
+| Linux (x64) | ODIA-2.1.0.AppImage | ~XXX MB |
+
+### 📚 Documentation
+
+- [Desktop App README](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/blob/master/desktop/README.md)
+- [Quick Start Guide](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/blob/master/QUICKSTART.md)
+- [Architecture Overview](https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/blob/master/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md)
+
+### 🐛 Known Issues
+
+None reported yet. Please report issues at https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/issues
+
+### 🙏 Acknowledgments
+
+Built with contributions from the Copilot coding agent and the open-source community.
+
+---
+
+**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/commits/v2.1.0
 ```
 
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Build Fails on GitHub Actions
+
+**Check the logs:**
+1. Go to https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/actions
+2. Click on the failed workflow run
+3. Expand the failed job
+4. Review error messages
+
+**Common issues:**
+
+| Error | Cause | Fix |
+|-------|-------|-----|
+| `frontend/out not found` | Frontend build failed | Check ELECTRON_BUILD env var is set |
+| `PyInstaller failed` | Python dependencies missing | Verify requirements.txt complete |
+| `electron-builder failed` | Missing native dependencies | Check platform-specific dependencies |
+| `Permission denied` | File permissions issue | Check file modes in repo |
+
+### Release Not Created
+
+**Verify:**
+- Tag was pushed: `git ls-remote --tags origin`
+- Tag format is correct: `v*.*.*` (e.g., `v2.1.0`, not `2.1.0`)
+- Workflow has `contents: write` permission (already configured)
+- Workflow completed successfully without errors
+
+### Download Links Return 404
+
+**Possible causes:**
+1. Release not published yet (still draft)
+2. Asset file names don't match links
+3. Using `/latest/` before any release exists
+
+**Fix:**
+- Use specific version in URLs: `/download/v2.1.0/filename`
+- Verify exact filenames in release assets
+- Ensure release is published (not draft)
+
+### Installer Doesn't Run
+
+**Windows:**
+- "Windows protected your PC" → Click "More info" → "Run anyway"
+- SmartScreen warning expected for unsigned executables
+
+**macOS:**
+- "Cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer"
+- Right-click → Open → Confirm
+- Or: System Preferences → Security & Privacy → "Open Anyway"
+
+**Linux:**
+- Make executable: `chmod +x ODIA-*.AppImage`
+- Install FUSE: `sudo apt install libfuse2`
+
+---
+
 ## Release Checklist
 
-- [ ] Version bumped in `desktop/package.json`
-- [ ] Version bumped in `pyproject.toml`
-- [ ] CHANGELOG updated (if maintained)
-- [ ] All tests passing (`pytest` and `cd desktop && npm test`)
-- [ ] Desktop app builds successfully locally
-- [ ] Tag created and pushed (`git tag vX.Y.Z && git push origin vX.Y.Z`)
-- [ ] GitHub Actions workflow completes without errors
-- [ ] Release appears on <https://github.com/SynTechRev/ODIA/releases>
-- [ ] Download links tested
-- [ ] Installers tested on target platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux)
+Use this checklist for each release:
+
+### Pre-Release
+- [ ] All tests passing on master
+- [ ] Version updated in `pyproject.toml`
+- [ ] Version updated in `desktop/package.json`
+- [ ] README.md download links updated
+- [ ] Release notes prepared
+
+### Release
+- [ ] Tag created and pushed
+- [ ] GitHub Actions workflow triggered
+- [ ] All three builds completed successfully
+- [ ] Release created automatically
+- [ ] Installers attached to release
+
+### Post-Release
+- [ ] Download links tested (no 404s)
+- [ ] Windows installer tested
+- [ ] macOS installer tested
+- [ ] Linux AppImage tested
+- [ ] GitHub Release marked as "Latest release"
+
+---
+
+## Future Automation Ideas
 
-## Workflow Overview
+- **Automated version bumping** via conventional commits
+- **Changelog generation** from commit messages
+- **Pre-release builds** for testing
+- **Code signing** for Windows/macOS installers
+- **Auto-update mechanism** in desktop app
+- **Homebrew formula** for macOS installation
+- **Snap/Flatpak packages** for Linux
 
-The release workflow (`.github/workflows/release-desktop.yml`) runs on:
+---
 
-- **Version tags** matching `v*.*.*` (e.g., `v2.1.0`) — full build + release
-- **Manual dispatch** — full build + artifact upload (no release created unless on a tag)
+## Resources
 
-The existing CI workflow (`.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml`) handles
-continuous integration builds for pull requests and branch pushes.
+- [Electron Builder Docs](https://www.electron.build/)
+- [GitHub Actions - Creating Releases](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/releasing-projects-on-github/automatically-generated-release-notes)
+- [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/)
+- [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/)