diff --git a/assets/components/Announcements.vue b/assets/components/Announcements.vue
index c229dfb3..d7c61988 100644
--- a/assets/components/Announcements.vue
+++ b/assets/components/Announcements.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 <template>
-  <Dropdown class="dropdown-end" @closed="releaseSeen = mostRecent?.tag ?? config.version">
+  <Dropdown
+    class="dropdown-end"
+    @click="config.releaseCheckMode === 'manual' && fetchReleases()"
+    @closed="releaseSeen = mostRecent?.tag ?? config.version"
+  >
     <template #trigger>
       <mdi:announcement class="size-6 -rotate-12" />
       <template v-if="announcements.length > 0 && releaseSeen != mostRecent?.tag">
@@ -63,7 +67,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { useAnnouncements } from "@/stores/announcements";
 
-const { announcements, mostRecent } = useAnnouncements();
+const { announcements, mostRecent, fetchReleases } = useAnnouncements();
 const { t } = useI18n();
 
 const releaseSeen = useProfileStorage("releaseSeen", config.version);
diff --git a/assets/stores/announcements.ts b/assets/stores/announcements.ts
index 032f6098..481d1962 100644
--- a/assets/stores/announcements.ts
+++ b/assets/stores/announcements.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,25 @@ type Announcement = {
   breaking: number;
 };
 
-const { data: releases } = useFetch(withBase("/api/releases")).get().json<Announcement[]>();
+const releases = ref<Announcement[]>([]);
+let fetched = false;
+
+async function fetchReleases() {
+  if (fetched) return;
+  fetched = true;
+
+  try {
+    const { data } = await useFetch(withBase("/api/releases")).get().json<Announcement[]>();
+    releases.value = data.value || [];
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error("Error while fetching releases:\n", error);
+    fetched = false;
+  }
+}
+
+if (config.releaseCheckMode === "automatic") {
+  fetchReleases();
+}
 
 const otherAnnouncements = [] as Announcement[];
 
@@ -33,5 +51,6 @@ export function useAnnouncements() {
     announcements,
     latestRelease,
     hasRelease,
+    fetchReleases,
   };
 }
diff --git a/assets/stores/config.ts b/assets/stores/config.ts
index 3f9ef832..0961b54e 100644
--- a/assets/stores/config.ts
+++ b/assets/stores/config.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export interface Config {
   enableActions: boolean;
   enableShell: boolean;
   disableAvatars: boolean;
+  releaseCheckMode: "automatic" | "manual";
   user?: {
     username: string;
     email: string;
diff --git a/docs/guide/supported-env-vars.md b/docs/guide/supported-env-vars.md
index de7081c7..13391198 100644
--- a/docs/guide/supported-env-vars.md
+++ b/docs/guide/supported-env-vars.md
@@ -6,26 +6,27 @@ title: Environment Variables and Subcommands
 
 Configurations can be done with flags or environment variables. The table below outlines all supported options and their respective env vars.
 
-| Flag                  | Env Variable               | Default        |
-| --------------------- | -------------------------- | -------------- |
-| `--addr`              | `DOZZLE_ADDR`              | `:8080`        |
-| `--base`              | `DOZZLE_BASE`              | `/`            |
-| `--hostname`          | `DOZZLE_HOSTNAME`          | `""`           |
-| `--level`             | `DOZZLE_LEVEL`             | `info`         |
-| `--auth-provider`     | `DOZZLE_AUTH_PROVIDER`     | `none`         |
-| `--auth-header-user`  | `DOZZLE_AUTH_HEADER_USER`  | `Remote-User`  |
-| `--auth-header-email` | `DOZZLE_AUTH_HEADER_EMAIL` | `Remote-Email` |
-| `--auth-header-name`  | `DOZZLE_AUTH_HEADER_NAME`  | `Remote-Name`  |
-| `--enable-actions`    | `DOZZLE_ENABLE_ACTIONS`    | `false`        |
-| `--enable-shell`      | `DOZZLE_ENABLE_SHELL`      | `false`        |
-| `--disable-avatars`   | `DOZZLE_DISABLE_AVATARS`   | `false`        |
-| `--filter`            | `DOZZLE_FILTER`            | `""`           |
-| `--no-analytics`      | `DOZZLE_NO_ANALYTICS`      | `false`        |
-| `--mode`              | `DOZZLE_MODE`              | `server`       |
-| `--remote-host`       | `DOZZLE_REMOTE_HOST`       |                |
-| `--remote-agent`      | `DOZZLE_REMOTE_AGENT`      |                |
-| `--timeout`           | `DOZZLE_TIMEOUT`           | `10s`          |
-| `--namespace`         | `DOZZLE_NAMESPACE`         | `""`           |
+| Flag                   | Env Variable                | Default        |
+| ---------------------- | --------------------------- | -------------- |
+| `--addr`               | `DOZZLE_ADDR`               | `:8080`        |
+| `--base`               | `DOZZLE_BASE`               | `/`            |
+| `--hostname`           | `DOZZLE_HOSTNAME`           | `""`           |
+| `--level`              | `DOZZLE_LEVEL`              | `info`         |
+| `--auth-provider`      | `DOZZLE_AUTH_PROVIDER`      | `none`         |
+| `--auth-header-user`   | `DOZZLE_AUTH_HEADER_USER`   | `Remote-User`  |
+| `--auth-header-email`  | `DOZZLE_AUTH_HEADER_EMAIL`  | `Remote-Email` |
+| `--auth-header-name`   | `DOZZLE_AUTH_HEADER_NAME`   | `Remote-Name`  |
+| `--enable-actions`     | `DOZZLE_ENABLE_ACTIONS`     | `false`        |
+| `--enable-shell`       | `DOZZLE_ENABLE_SHELL`       | `false`        |
+| `--disable-avatars`    | `DOZZLE_DISABLE_AVATARS`    | `false`        |
+| `--filter`             | `DOZZLE_FILTER`             | `""`           |
+| `--no-analytics`       | `DOZZLE_NO_ANALYTICS`       | `false`        |
+| `--mode`               | `DOZZLE_MODE`               | `server`       |
+| `--release-check-mode` | `DOZZLE_RELEASE_CHECK_MODE` | `automatic`    |
+| `--remote-host`        | `DOZZLE_REMOTE_HOST`        |                |
+| `--remote-agent`       | `DOZZLE_REMOTE_AGENT`       |                |
+| `--timeout`            | `DOZZLE_TIMEOUT`            | `10s`          |
+| `--namespace`          | `DOZZLE_NAMESPACE`          | `""`           |
 
 > [!TIP]
 > Some flags like `--remote-host` or `--remote-agent` can be used multiple times. For example, `--remote-agent 167.99.1.1:7007 --remote-agent 167.99.1.2:7007` or comma-separated `DOZZLE_REMOTE_AGENT=167.99.1.1:7007,167.99.1.2:7007`.
diff --git a/internal/support/cli/args.go b/internal/support/cli/args.go
index 07016f03..9aae2385 100644
--- a/internal/support/cli/args.go
+++ b/internal/support/cli/args.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type Args struct {
 	DisableAvatars   bool                `arg:"--disable-avatars,env:DOZZLE_DISABLE_AVATARS" default:"false" help:"disables avatars for authenticated users."`
 	FilterStrings    []string            `arg:"env:DOZZLE_FILTER,--filter,separate" help:"filters docker containers using Docker syntax."`
 	Filter           map[string][]string `arg:"-"`
+	ReleaseCheckMode string              `arg:"--release-check-mode,env:DOZZLE_RELEASE_CHECK_MODE" default:"automatic" help:"sets the release check mode. When manual, releases will not be automatically fetched."`
 	RemoteHost       []string            `arg:"env:DOZZLE_REMOTE_HOST,--remote-host,separate" help:"list of hosts to connect remotely"`
 	RemoteAgent      []string            `arg:"env:DOZZLE_REMOTE_AGENT,--remote-agent,separate" help:"list of agents to connect remotely"`
 	NoAnalytics      bool                `arg:"--no-analytics,env:DOZZLE_NO_ANALYTICS" help:"disables anonymous analytics"`
diff --git a/internal/web/index.go b/internal/web/index.go
index b7a37da2..570ae326 100644
--- a/internal/web/index.go
+++ b/internal/web/index.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func (h *handler) executeTemplate(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		config["enableActions"] = h.config.EnableActions
 		config["enableShell"] = h.config.EnableShell
 		config["disableAvatars"] = h.config.DisableAvatars
+		config["releaseCheckMode"] = h.config.ReleaseCheckMode
 	}
 
 	if user != nil {
diff --git a/internal/web/routes.go b/internal/web/routes.go
index 402c2a6c..c5d4c0fe 100644
--- a/internal/web/routes.go
+++ b/internal/web/routes.go
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 )
 
+type ReleaseCheckMode string
+
+const (
+	Automatic ReleaseCheckMode = "automatic"
+	Manual    ReleaseCheckMode = "manual"
+)
+
 type AuthProvider string
 
 const (
@@ -27,17 +34,18 @@ const (
 
 // Config is a struct for configuring the web service
 type Config struct {
-	Base           string
-	Addr           string
-	Version        string
-	Hostname       string
-	NoAnalytics    bool
-	Dev            bool
-	Authorization  Authorization
-	EnableActions  bool
-	EnableShell    bool
-	DisableAvatars bool
-	Labels         container.ContainerLabels
+	Base             string
+	Addr             string
+	Version          string
+	Hostname         string
+	NoAnalytics      bool
+	Dev              bool
+	Authorization    Authorization
+	EnableActions    bool
+	EnableShell      bool
+	DisableAvatars   bool
+	ReleaseCheckMode ReleaseCheckMode
+	Labels           container.ContainerLabels
 }
 
 type Authorization struct {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 315928df..51bd9be8 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -140,6 +140,17 @@ func fileExists(filename string) bool {
 func createServer(args cli.Args, hostService web.HostService) *http.Server {
 	_, dev := os.LookupEnv("DEV")
 
+	var releaseCheckMode web.ReleaseCheckMode = web.Automatic
+
+	switch args.ReleaseCheckMode {
+		case "automatic":
+			releaseCheckMode = web.Automatic
+		case "manual":
+			releaseCheckMode = web.Manual
+		default:
+			log.Fatal().Str("releaseCheckMode", args.ReleaseCheckMode).Msg("Invalid release check mode")
+	}
+
 	var provider web.AuthProvider = web.NONE
 	var authorizer web.Authorizer
 	if args.AuthProvider == "forward-proxy" {
@@ -198,10 +209,11 @@ func createServer(args cli.Args, hostService web.HostService) *http.Server {
 			Authorizer: authorizer,
 			TTL:        authTTL,
 		},
-		EnableActions:  args.EnableActions,
-		EnableShell:    args.EnableShell,
-		DisableAvatars: args.DisableAvatars,
-		Labels:         args.Filter,
+		EnableActions:    args.EnableActions,
+		EnableShell:      args.EnableShell,
+		DisableAvatars:   args.DisableAvatars,
+		ReleaseCheckMode: releaseCheckMode,
+		Labels:           args.Filter,
 	}
 
 	assets, err := fs.Sub(content, "dist")