diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c6031ab..3ca1270 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ server/data/*.sqlite-*
 # Expo
 .expo/
 
+# Generated social media assets
+social_out/
+
 # Claude / Agents (symlinks incompatible with EAS Build on Windows)
 .agents/
 .claude/
-.env
+.env
diff --git a/app/_layout.tsx b/app/_layout.tsx
index e9f6267..9bb2d93 100644
--- a/app/_layout.tsx
+++ b/app/_layout.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import * as SplashScreen from 'expo-splash-screen';
 import { AuthService } from '../services/authService';
 import { Analytics } from '../services/analytics';
 import { AnimatedSplashScreen } from '../components/AnimatedSplashScreen';
+import { reportInstallOnce } from '../services/installPing';
 
 // Prevent the splash screen from auto-hiding before asset loading is complete.
 SplashScreen.preventAutoHideAsync().catch(() => { });
@@ -113,6 +114,8 @@ function RootLayoutInner() {
         await signOut();
       }
       setInstallCheckDone(true);
+      // Fire-and-forget: pings the downloads Discord channel once per install.
+      reportInstallOnce();
     })();
   }, [signOut]);
 
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index 8453ad9..763b7f8 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ const {
 const { applyCatalogGrounding, normalizeText } = require('./lib/scanGrounding');
 const { decideReviewOutcome, reviewAgreesWithPrimary } = require('./lib/scanReview');
 const { ensureStorageBucketWithRetry, uploadImage, isStorageConfigured } = require('./lib/storage');
-const { isPurchaseEventType, notifyPurchase, notifyNewUser } = require('./lib/discord');
+const { isPurchaseEventType, notifyPurchase, notifyNewUser, notifyDownload } = require('./lib/discord');
 const {
   exchangeCodeForTokens: exchangeTiktokCode,
   getTiktokTokens,
@@ -1118,6 +1118,31 @@ app.post('/v1/upload/image', async (request, response) => {
   }
 });
 
+// ─── Install ping ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Fired once by the app on first launch (unauthenticated — there is no account
+// yet). Deduped per install id so retries and reinstalls with a persisted id
+// don't ping the downloads channel twice.
+app.post('/v1/app-install', async (request, response) => {
+  try {
+    const installId = String(request.body?.installId || '').trim();
+    if (!installId || installId.length > 128) {
+      return response.status(400).json({ code: 'BAD_REQUEST', message: 'installId is required.' });
+    }
+    const isFirstReport = await claimNotificationOnce(db, `app-install:${installId}`);
+    if (isFirstReport) {
+      notifyDownload({
+        platform: request.header('x-app-platform'),
+        appVersion: request.header('x-app-version'),
+      });
+    }
+    response.status(200).json({ ok: true });
+  } catch (error) {
+    const payload = toApiErrorPayload(error);
+    response.status(payload.status).json(payload.body);
+  }
+});
+
 // ─── Auth endpoints ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 app.post('/auth/signup', async (request, response) => {
diff --git a/server/lib/discord.js b/server/lib/discord.js
index d411bbd..d5731c1 100644
--- a/server/lib/discord.js
+++ b/server/lib/discord.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ const PLAN_NAMES_BY_PRODUCT = {
 
 const EMBED_COLOR_SALE = 0x2ecc71;
 const EMBED_COLOR_NEW_USER = 0x3498db;
+const EMBED_COLOR_DOWNLOAD = 0x9b59b6;
 
 const isPurchaseEventType = (eventType) =>
   PURCHASE_EVENT_TYPES.has(String(eventType || '').toUpperCase());
@@ -95,8 +96,21 @@ const notifyNewUser = ({ platform, appVersion, provider } = {}) => {
   });
 };
 
+const notifyDownload = ({ platform, appVersion } = {}) => {
+  sendDiscordEmbed(DOWNLOADS_WEBHOOK_URL, {
+    title: '⬇️ Neuer Download',
+    color: EMBED_COLOR_DOWNLOAD,
+    fields: [
+      { name: 'Gerät', value: formatPlatform(platform), inline: true },
+      { name: 'App-Version', value: sanitizeEmbedText(appVersion) || 'Unbekannt', inline: true },
+    ],
+    timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+  });
+};
+
 module.exports = {
   isPurchaseEventType,
   notifyPurchase,
   notifyNewUser,
+  notifyDownload,
 };
diff --git a/services/installPing.ts b/services/installPing.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ce4537
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/installPing.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { AppMetaDb } from './database';
+import { getConfiguredBackendRootUrl } from '../utils/backendUrl';
+import { getAppInfoHeaders } from '../utils/appInfoHeaders';
+
+const INSTALL_ID_KEY = 'install_ping_id_v1';
+const INSTALL_REPORTED_KEY = 'install_ping_reported_v1';
+const REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS = 10000;
+
+const getOrCreateInstallId = (): string => {
+  const existing = AppMetaDb.get(INSTALL_ID_KEY);
+  if (existing) return existing;
+  const installId = `${Date.now().toString(36)}-${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 12)}-${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 12)}`;
+  AppMetaDb.set(INSTALL_ID_KEY, installId);
+  return installId;
+};
+
+// Reports this install to the backend exactly once (fire-and-forget). The
+// backend dedupes by install id, so retrying after a failed attempt is safe.
+export const reportInstallOnce = async (): Promise<void> => {
+  try {
+    if (AppMetaDb.get(INSTALL_REPORTED_KEY) === '1') return;
+    const backendBaseUrl = getConfiguredBackendRootUrl();
+    if (!backendBaseUrl) return;
+
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS);
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${backendBaseUrl.replace(/\/$/, '')}/v1/app-install`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: {
+          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+          ...getAppInfoHeaders(),
+        },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ installId: getOrCreateInstallId() }),
+        signal: controller.signal,
+      });
+      if (response.ok) {
+        AppMetaDb.set(INSTALL_REPORTED_KEY, '1');
+      }
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(timeout);
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Offline or backend unreachable — retried on next app start.
+  }
+};