diff --git a/src/components/settings/__tests__/about-section-update-badge.test.tsx b/src/components/settings/__tests__/about-section-update-badge.test.tsx
index f40e79798..b9cc3520e 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/__tests__/about-section-update-badge.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/__tests__/about-section-update-badge.test.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
 import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 
 import { I18nProvider } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
-import { AboutSection } from "../about-section";
+import { AboutSection, UpdateBadge } from "../about-section";
 
 /**
  * v1.4.36 W4f — AboutSection update-badge contract.
@@ -100,3 +100,37 @@ describe("<AboutSection> — update badge", () => {
     expect(html).toContain("Sources &amp; docs");
   });
 });
+
+describe("<UpdateBadge> — a11y contract", () => {
+  it("renders an anchor with aria-label, focus-visible ring, and 44 px hit target when a URL is known", () => {
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <UpdateBadge
+        latestTag="v1.4.99"
+        htmlUrl="https://example.test/releases/v1.4.99"
+        ariaLabel="A newer version is available: v1.4.99"
+      />,
+    );
+    expect(html).toContain('aria-label="A newer version is available: v1.4.99"');
+    expect(html).toContain("min-h-11");
+    expect(html).toContain("min-w-11");
+    expect(html).toContain("focus-visible:ring-ring");
+    expect(html).toContain("focus-visible:ring-2");
+    expect(html).toContain("focus-visible:ring-offset-2");
+    expect(html).toContain("text-primary");
+    expect(html).toContain('href="https://example.test/releases/v1.4.99"');
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to a span with role=img + aria-label when no URL is known", () => {
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <UpdateBadge
+        latestTag="v1.4.99"
+        htmlUrl={null}
+        ariaLabel="A newer version is available: v1.4.99"
+      />,
+    );
+    expect(html).toContain('role="img"');
+    expect(html).toContain('aria-label="A newer version is available: v1.4.99"');
+    expect(html).toContain("min-h-11");
+    expect(html).toContain("min-w-11");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/settings/about-section.tsx b/src/components/settings/about-section.tsx
index 2f9a8a866..25de2ec98 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/about-section.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/about-section.tsx
@@ -67,6 +67,51 @@ function writeLastCheckedISO(iso: string): void {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * v1.4.36 QA H7 — keyboard- and touch-accessible update badge.
+ *
+ * Renders as a 44 px-square hit target (anchor when a release URL is
+ * known, span fallback otherwise) with a focus-visible ring, semantic
+ * `text-primary` colour, and a real `aria-label` describing the
+ * available version. Exported so the SSR test can pin the contract
+ * without driving the parent's auto-check effect.
+ */
+export function UpdateBadge({
+  latestTag,
+  htmlUrl,
+  ariaLabel,
+}: {
+  latestTag: string;
+  htmlUrl: string | null;
+  ariaLabel: string;
+}) {
+  if (htmlUrl) {
+    return (
+      <a
+        href={htmlUrl}
+        target="_blank"
+        rel="noopener noreferrer"
+        aria-label={ariaLabel}
+        title={ariaLabel}
+        className="text-primary focus-visible:ring-ring inline-flex min-h-11 min-w-11 items-center justify-center rounded-md hover:opacity-80 focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-none"
+      >
+        <ArrowUpCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
+        <span className="sr-only">{latestTag}</span>
+      </a>
+    );
+  }
+  return (
+    <span
+      role="img"
+      aria-label={ariaLabel}
+      title={ariaLabel}
+      className="text-primary inline-flex min-h-11 min-w-11 items-center justify-center"
+    >
+      <ArrowUpCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
 export function AboutSection() {
   const { t } = useTranslations();
   const fmt = useFormatters();
@@ -185,35 +230,15 @@ export function AboutSection() {
                   the link copy on mobile). No bouncing, no badge
                   counter, no manual recheck button — the badge is
                   the entire surface. */}
-              {updateResult?.status === "newer_available" &&
-                (updateResult.html_url ? (
-                  <a
-                    href={updateResult.html_url}
-                    target="_blank"
-                    rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                    aria-label={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
-                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
-                    })}
-                    title={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
-                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
-                    })}
-                    className="text-dracula-purple inline-flex items-baseline hover:opacity-80"
-                  >
-                    <ArrowUpCircle className="h-4 w-4 self-center" />
-                  </a>
-                ) : (
-                  <span
-                    aria-label={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
-                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
-                    })}
-                    title={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
-                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
-                    })}
-                    className="text-dracula-purple inline-flex items-baseline"
-                  >
-                    <ArrowUpCircle className="h-4 w-4 self-center" />
-                  </span>
-                ))}
+              {updateResult?.status === "newer_available" && (
+                <UpdateBadge
+                  latestTag={updateResult.latest_tag}
+                  htmlUrl={updateResult.html_url}
+                  ariaLabel={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
+                    tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
+                  })}
+                />
+              )}
             </div>
 
             <div className="flex items-baseline gap-2">