diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6b7f7ee5..afc30bc0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # OpenWorker
 
+> **Beta** — OpenWorker is in open beta: it's fully usable and updates itself, and we're actively polishing rough edges. [Issues](https://github.com/andrewyng/openworker/issues) welcome.
+
 An open-source agent that doesn't just chat with you, but delivers finished work -- like hand you a polished document, send a slack message, or update a calendar entry. 
 
 Ask it to prepare a customer brief, untangle your calendar, draft a report, or triage a Slack alert. It works across your files and everyday tools, produces the deliverable, and checks in before doing anything consequential. 
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
index ea51da70..18204164 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ export function App() {
         {overlay && (
           <div className="titlebar-drag" data-tauri-drag-region>
             <span className="titlebar-brand brand-wordmark">
-              <Icon name="logo" size={13} className="mark" /> OpenWorker
+              <Icon name="logo" size={13} className="mark" /> OpenWorker<span className="beta-tag">BETA</span>
             </span>
           </div>
         )}
@@ -1132,7 +1132,10 @@ export function App() {
         <div className="boot-mark">
           <Icon name="logo" size={38} />
         </div>
-        <div className="boot-text">{resumedExisting ? "Restoring your session…" : "Starting OpenWorker…"}</div>
+        <div className="boot-text">
+          {resumedExisting ? "Restoring your session…" : "Starting OpenWorker…"}
+          <span className="beta-tag">BETA</span>
+        </div>
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Onboarding.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
index 8d8b4e6b..5cfe88a2 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ export function Onboarding({ onDone }: { onDone: (next?: "work" | "gallery" | "a
         {step === 0 && (
           <section data-testid="ob-step-model" className="flex-1 min-h-0 flex flex-col">
             {/* Persistent header — stays put while the region below swaps (§39). */}
-            <h1 className="text-[19px] font-semibold">Welcome to OpenWorker</h1>
+            <h1 className="text-[19px] font-semibold">Welcome to OpenWorker<span className="beta-tag">BETA</span></h1>
             <p className="text-[13px] text-muted mt-0.5 mb-4">
               Pick a model provider to get started — OpenWorker runs on your own key, and your
               key and your data stay on this Mac.
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index 06e718b2..9f0215dd 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ export function Sidebar(props: Props) {
             <Icon name="sidebar" size={16} />
           </button>
         )}
-        <div className="brand-wordmark text-[15px]">OpenWorker</div>
+        <div className="brand-wordmark text-[15px]">OpenWorker<span className="beta-tag">BETA</span></div>
       </div>
 
       {/* New session: split button — primary starts the last-used persona; ▾ picks a specific one. */}
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css b/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css
index a8f091af..d2641780 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css
@@ -1579,3 +1579,19 @@ html[data-platform="linux"] ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover { background-color:
   border-left: 2px solid var(--line); padding: 4px 0 4px 10px; margin: 4px 0 6px 4px;
   max-height: 280px; overflow-y: auto;
 }
+
+/* -- BETA tag (quiet gray chip beside the wordmark; presentation-only, never in
+   bundle/artifact names — those feed the updater) --------------------------------- */
+.beta-tag {
+  display: inline-block;
+  margin-left: 6px;
+  padding: 1px 6px;
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--line-strong);
+  background: var(--paper);
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: 9.5px;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  letter-spacing: 0.08em;
+  vertical-align: 2px;
+}