diff --git a/changelog.d/20261005-launch-without-updating.md b/changelog.d/20261005-launch-without-updating.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4d00d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/20261005-launch-without-updating.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+area: manager
+type: added
+audience: players
+title: Start your installed server or client without downloading an available update
+---
+Choose to update later and keep playing with your installed version. Interrupted server updates still require recovery before startup.
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/de.ts b/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
index 76e27d4..b9330d3 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ const de: Partial<Record<keyof typeof en, string>> = {
   "btn.stop": "SERVER STOPPEN",
   "btn.stopSmall": "Stoppen",
   "btn.restart": "Neustart",
+  "btn.startWithoutUpdate": "Ohne Update starten",
+  "btn.playWithoutUpdate": "Ohne Update spielen",
   "btn.play": "SPIELEN",
   "btn.startPlay": "STARTEN & SPIELEN",
   "btn.startingCaps": "STARTET …",
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 0687612..fe566ef 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ const en = {
   "btn.stop": "STOP SERVER",
   "btn.stopSmall": "Stop",
   "btn.restart": "Restart",
+  "btn.startWithoutUpdate": "Start without updating",
+  "btn.playWithoutUpdate": "Play without updating",
   "btn.play": "PLAY",
   "btn.startPlay": "START & PLAY",
   "btn.startingCaps": "STARTING…",
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/es.ts b/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
index 6144524..a8ee876 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ const es: Partial<Record<keyof typeof en, string>> = {
   "btn.stop": "DETENER SERVIDOR",
   "btn.stopSmall": "Detener",
   "btn.restart": "Reiniciar",
+  "btn.startWithoutUpdate": "Iniciar sin actualizar",
+  "btn.playWithoutUpdate": "Jugar sin actualizar",
   "btn.play": "JUGAR",
   "btn.startPlay": "INICIAR Y JUGAR",
   "btn.startingCaps": "INICIANDO…",
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts b/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts
index 8731974..1b7e1c5 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ const fr: Partial<Record<keyof typeof en, string>> = {
   "btn.stop": "ARRÊTER LE SERVEUR",
   "btn.stopSmall": "Arrêter",
   "btn.restart": "Redémarrer",
+  "btn.startWithoutUpdate": "Démarrer sans mise à jour",
+  "btn.playWithoutUpdate": "Jouer sans mise à jour",
   "btn.play": "JOUER",
   "btn.startPlay": "DÉMARRER ET JOUER",
   "btn.startingCaps": "DÉMARRAGE…",
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts b/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
index 4f9b180..5c8b38e 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ const ru: Partial<Record<keyof typeof en, string>> = {
   "btn.stop": "ОСТАНОВИТЬ СЕРВЕР",
   "btn.stopSmall": "Остановить",
   "btn.restart": "Перезапустить",
+  "btn.startWithoutUpdate": "Запустить без обновления",
+  "btn.playWithoutUpdate": "Играть без обновления",
   "btn.play": "ИГРАТЬ",
   "btn.startPlay": "ЗАПУСТИТЬ И ИГРАТЬ",
   "btn.startingCaps": "ЗАПУСК…",
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts b/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts
index d5c9219..9f063f8 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ const zh = {
   "btn.stop": "停止服务器",
   "btn.stopSmall": "停止",
   "btn.restart": "重启",
+  "btn.startWithoutUpdate": "不更新启动服务器",
+  "btn.playWithoutUpdate": "不更新开始游戏",
   "btn.play": "开始游戏",
   "btn.startPlay": "启动并开始游戏",
   "btn.startingCaps": "正在启动…",
diff --git a/src/screens/Overview.tsx b/src/screens/Overview.tsx
index 00a7e6f..0dbae98 100644
--- a/src/screens/Overview.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Overview.tsx
@@ -274,6 +274,11 @@ export function Overview({ server, companions = true, onForget, onOpenUpdates, o
               {transitioning ? (action === "stopping" ? t("btn.stoppingCaps") : t("btn.startingCaps")) : t("btn.start")}
             </Button>
           )}
+          {!running && upd.available && (
+            <Button variant="secondary" size="sm" disabled={transitioning || upd.applying} onClick={() => run("starting")}>
+              {t("btn.startWithoutUpdate")}
+            </Button>
+          )}
           {running && (
             <Button variant="ghost" size="sm" disabled={transitioning || upd.applying} onClick={() => run("restarting")}>
               {t("btn.restart")}
@@ -333,6 +338,11 @@ export function Overview({ server, companions = true, onForget, onOpenUpdates, o
               {t("btn.setupClient")}
             </Button>
           ) : null}
+          {client && !jobBusy && (clientStatus?.update_available || job.phase === "choose") && (
+            <Button variant="secondary" size="sm" disabled={realmBusy || playing || upd.applying} onClick={() => void play()}>
+              {t("btn.playWithoutUpdate")}
+            </Button>
+          )}
           </div>
         </div>
         {anyUp && !running && !transitioning && (
diff --git a/src/screens/RemoteClient.tsx b/src/screens/RemoteClient.tsx
index cd3a325..0ad2300 100644
--- a/src/screens/RemoteClient.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/RemoteClient.tsx
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ export function RemoteClient({ onHost }: { onHost: () => void }) {
           </form>
           <p className="mt-3 text-sm text-muted">{t("remote.accountHint")}</p>
           <Button variant="primary" className="mt-4" disabled={loading || busy || !savedHost || host.trim() !== savedHost || status === null} onClick={play}>{t("btn.play")}</Button>
+          {status?.linked && status.update_available && <Button variant="secondary" className="mt-4 ml-3" disabled={loading || busy || !savedHost || host.trim() !== savedHost} onClick={() => void launch()}>{t("btn.playWithoutUpdate")}</Button>}
           {note && <p className="mt-3 text-sm text-ok" role="status">{note}</p>}
           {error && <p className="mt-3 text-sm text-bad" role="alert">{error}</p>}
         </Card>