diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8846815..1546ebb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ All notable changes to RigDoctor are recorded here. Format follows
 (`MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`, pre-1.0). `__version__` and `pyproject.toml` must match the git
 release tag (so the auto-updater, D18, can compare versions).
 
+## [0.0.8] - 2026-05-21
+### Added
+- **Periodic update checks**: the GUI now re-checks for new releases while running (every
+  `update_check_minutes`, default 30; 0 disables), so a newly published version is detected
+  without restarting. After applying an update, re-checks stop until restart.
+- **"Run with admin" on the Health page**: runs all checks (including root-only SMART) via
+  `pkexec rigdoctor report --json`, so the full report — not just "SMART needs root" — is
+  available from the UI.
+
 ## [0.0.7] - 2026-05-21
 ### Added
 - **User-local installer** `install.sh` (no root): creates a private venv, links
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 28ff49f..9db6673 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "rigdoctor"
-version = "0.0.7"
+version = "0.0.8"
 description = "Modular hardware monitoring & crash diagnostics for Linux gamers."
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"
diff --git a/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py b/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py
index 706dd37..d0e04dd 100644
--- a/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py
+++ b/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """RigDoctor — modular hardware monitoring & crash diagnostics for Linux gamers."""
 
-__version__ = "0.0.7"
+__version__ = "0.0.8"
diff --git a/src/rigdoctor/config.py b/src/rigdoctor/config.py
index 351f735..be17755 100644
--- a/src/rigdoctor/config.py
+++ b/src/rigdoctor/config.py
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ DEFAULTS: dict = {
     "interval": 1.0,           # sampling interval in seconds (default ≤1 Hz — NFR)
     "log_max_bytes": 20_000_000,  # rotate a log segment past this size
     "log_backups": 10,            # keep this many rotated segments (bounds disk use)
+    "update_check_minutes": 30,   # re-check for updates this often while running (0 = off)
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/rigdoctor/gui/health_page.py b/src/rigdoctor/gui/health_page.py
index ec02e9b..e6e51ea 100644
--- a/src/rigdoctor/gui/health_page.py
+++ b/src/rigdoctor/gui/health_page.py
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import json
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
 import threading
 import time
 
@@ -72,6 +77,11 @@ class HealthPage(QWidget):
         self._status = QLabel("")
         self._status.setObjectName("Muted")
         header.addWidget(self._status)
+        self._admin_btn = QPushButton("Run with admin")
+        self._admin_btn.setToolTip("Run all checks with root (SMART needs it) — prompts for your password")
+        self._admin_btn.clicked.connect(self._run_admin)
+        self._admin_btn.setEnabled(shutil.which("pkexec") is not None)
+        header.addWidget(self._admin_btn)
         self._run_btn = QPushButton("Run health report")
         self._run_btn.setObjectName("PrimaryButton")
         self._run_btn.clicked.connect(self._run)
@@ -106,7 +116,34 @@ class HealthPage(QWidget):
             findings = []
         self._result.emit(findings)
 
+    def _run_admin(self) -> None:
+        self._run_btn.setEnabled(False)
+        self._admin_btn.setEnabled(False)
+        self._status.setText("Running all checks with admin (you'll be prompted)…")
+        threading.Thread(target=self._work_admin, daemon=True).start()
+
+    def _work_admin(self) -> None:
+        from ..core.health import Finding
+
+        cli = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(sys.executable), "rigdoctor")
+        if os.path.exists(cli):
+            cmd = ["pkexec", cli, "report", "--json"]
+        else:  # dev / not on PATH next to python
+            cmd = ["pkexec", sys.executable, "-m", "rigdoctor", "report", "--json"]
+        try:
+            proc = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=180)
+            findings = [Finding(**d) for d in json.loads(proc.stdout)] if proc.returncode == 0 else None
+        except Exception:
+            findings = None  # pkexec cancelled / failed / unparsable
+        self._result.emit(findings)
+
     def _render_findings(self, findings) -> None:
+        self._run_btn.setEnabled(True)
+        self._admin_btn.setEnabled(shutil.which("pkexec") is not None)
+        if findings is None:  # elevated run cancelled/failed — keep current results
+            self._status.setText("admin run cancelled")
+            return
+
         while self._list.count():
             item = self._list.takeAt(0)
             w = item.widget()
@@ -122,4 +159,3 @@ class HealthPage(QWidget):
         for finding in findings:
             self._list.addWidget(_finding_widget(finding))
         self._list.addStretch(1)
-        self._run_btn.setEnabled(True)
diff --git a/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py b/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py
index 41e47fa..077a90f 100644
--- a/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py
+++ b/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import threading
 
-from PySide6.QtCore import Qt, Signal
+from PySide6.QtCore import Qt, QTimer, Signal
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
     QButtonGroup,
     QFrame,
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
 )
 
 from .. import __version__
+from ..config import load_config
 from ..core import updates
 from .dashboard import Dashboard
 from .health_page import HealthPage
@@ -71,11 +72,19 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         self._worker.sampled.connect(self.dashboard.update_sample)
         self._worker.start()
 
-        # Background update check (M13); result lands in the sidebar.
+        # Update check (M13): once at launch, then periodically so a newly published
+        # release is detected without restarting (interval from config; 0 disables).
         self._latest_tag = None
+        self._applied = False
         self._update_checked.connect(self._show_update_state)
         self._update_applied.connect(self._on_update_applied)
-        threading.Thread(target=self._check_updates, daemon=True).start()
+        self._start_update_check()
+        minutes = float(load_config().get("update_check_minutes", 30) or 0)
+        if minutes > 0:
+            self._update_timer = QTimer(self)
+            self._update_timer.setInterval(int(minutes * 60_000))
+            self._update_timer.timeout.connect(self._start_update_check)
+            self._update_timer.start()
 
     def _build_sidebar(self) -> QFrame:
         bar = QFrame()
@@ -134,16 +143,24 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
 
     def _on_update_applied(self, rc: int) -> None:
         if rc == 0:
+            self._applied = True
             self._update_label.setText("updated — restart RigDoctor")
             self._update_btn.setVisible(False)
+            if hasattr(self, "_update_timer"):
+                self._update_timer.stop()
         else:
             self._update_label.setText("update failed")
             self._update_btn.setEnabled(True)
 
+    def _start_update_check(self) -> None:
+        threading.Thread(target=self._check_updates, daemon=True).start()
+
     def _check_updates(self) -> None:
         self._update_checked.emit(updates.update_state())
 
     def _show_update_state(self, result) -> None:
+        if self._applied:  # an update was applied this session; awaiting restart
+            return
         state, tag = result
         self._latest_tag = tag
         self._update_btn.setVisible(False)