diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b23b217..7d4a2dd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -72,12 +72,17 @@ like Android), concert events become **reliable across web/Android**, several An
 
 ### Added
 - **Android APK download in Settings (Web)** — a "🤖 Android App" section in Settings offers the
-  latest APK so co-users self-serve instead of the maintainer hand-delivering builds. The backend
-  serves the staged APK (`GET /api/apk`, metadata at `/api/apk/info`); the button appears only when an
-  APK is present and shows version/size/date. **Maintainer workflow:** drop the release build into the
-  backend's data volume — `docker cp app-release.apk novasonic-backend:/data/novasonic.apk` (optional
-  `docker cp version.txt novasonic-backend:/data/novasonic.version.txt`). The Android *source* is
-  already in the repo; only build artifacts stay out of git.
+  latest APK so co-users self-serve instead of the maintainer hand-delivering builds. The button
+  appears only when an APK is available and shows version/size/date. The backend serves it
+  (`GET /api/apk`, metadata at `/api/apk/info`) from one of two sources, in order:
+  1. **A fixed Gitea release** (tag `apk-latest`) whose `.apk` asset you overwrite each build —
+     constant ~30 MB, uploadable from anywhere. The backend fetches it **server-side** over the LAN
+     (`GITEA_URL`/`GITEA_REPO`/`GITEA_TOKEN`/`GITEA_APK_TAG` env), so Gitea can stay internal-only and
+     the token never reaches the browser. Release *assets* live in Gitea's attachment store, not the
+     git history, so `clone`/`pull` stay small.
+  2. **Local fallback** — `docker cp app-release.apk novasonic-backend:/data/novasonic.apk` (optional
+     `/data/novasonic.version.txt`).
+  The Android *source* is already in the repo; only build artifacts stay out of git.
 - **Unified Global Search field (Web)** — the separate Song-Importer page/sidebar entry is gone. The
   one search field now auto-detects: a **link** (Spotify/SoundCloud/YouTube) opens the importer
   preview, plain **text** runs a Deezer search. Cleaner left nav, same behaviour as Android.
diff --git a/backend/novasonic-server.js b/backend/novasonic-server.js
index a26e2ef..5183ae5 100644
--- a/backend/novasonic-server.js
+++ b/backend/novasonic-server.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const { execSync, spawn } = require('child_process');
 const path           = require('path');
 const fs             = require('fs');
 const https          = require('https');
+const http           = require('http');
 const crypto         = require('crypto');
 
 const CONFIG    = require('./lib/config');
@@ -468,29 +469,100 @@ app.get('/api/events-debug/:artist', (req, res) => {
 
 // ── NovaSonic Android APK distribution ──────────────────────────────────────
 // The web app offers a "download the Android app" button that points here, so co-users always get
-// the latest APK without the maintainer hand-delivering it. Drop the latest release build into the
-// writable data volume (APK_PATH, default /data/novasonic.apk):
-//   docker cp app-release.apk novasonic-backend:/data/novasonic.apk
-// Optional: a sidecar /data/novasonic.version.txt with a version string (e.g. "2.2") shown in the UI.
-const APK_PATH     = process.env.APK_PATH || path.join(CONFIG.dataPath, 'novasonic.apk');
-const APK_VER_PATH = path.join(CONFIG.dataPath, 'novasonic.version.txt');
+// the latest APK without the maintainer hand-delivering it. Two sources, tried in order:
+//   1) A FIXED Gitea release (default tag "apk-latest") whose .apk asset you overwrite each build —
+//      constant ~30 MB, uploadable from anywhere. The BACKEND fetches it server-side (same LAN as
+//      Gitea), so Gitea can stay internal-only and the token never reaches the browser.
+//        env: GITEA_URL (internal base, e.g. http://gitea:3000), GITEA_REPO (Docker/NovaSonic),
+//             GITEA_TOKEN (read token; only needed for a private repo), GITEA_APK_TAG (default apk-latest)
+//   2) Fallback: a local file in the writable data volume:
+//        docker cp app-release.apk novasonic-backend:/data/novasonic.apk
+//        (optional /data/novasonic.version.txt with a version string)
+const APK_PATH      = process.env.APK_PATH || path.join(CONFIG.dataPath, 'novasonic.apk');
+const APK_VER_PATH  = path.join(CONFIG.dataPath, 'novasonic.version.txt');
+const GITEA_URL     = (process.env.GITEA_URL || '').replace(/\/$/, '');
+const GITEA_REPO    = process.env.GITEA_REPO || '';
+const GITEA_TOKEN   = process.env.GITEA_TOKEN || '';
+const GITEA_APK_TAG = process.env.GITEA_APK_TAG || 'apk-latest';
 
-app.get('/api/apk/info', (req, res) => {
-  fs.stat(APK_PATH, (err, st) => {
-    if (err) return res.json({ available: false });
-    let version = null;
-    try { version = fs.readFileSync(APK_VER_PATH, 'utf8').trim() || null; } catch {}
-    res.json({ available: true, size: st.size, updatedAt: st.mtimeMs, version });
+function _giteaApiJson(pathAndQuery) {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    if (!GITEA_URL || !GITEA_REPO) return reject(new Error('gitea not configured'));
+    const u = new URL(`${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITEA_REPO}${pathAndQuery}`);
+    const lib = u.protocol === 'https:' ? https : http;
+    const headers = { 'Accept': 'application/json', 'User-Agent': 'NovaSonic' };
+    if (GITEA_TOKEN) headers['Authorization'] = `token ${GITEA_TOKEN}`;
+    lib.get(u, { headers }, r => {
+      let body = '';
+      r.on('data', d => body += d);
+      r.on('end', () => {
+        if (r.statusCode < 200 || r.statusCode >= 300) return reject(new Error(`gitea ${r.statusCode}`));
+        try { resolve(JSON.parse(body)); } catch (e) { reject(e); }
+      });
+    }).on('error', reject);
   });
-});
+}
 
-app.get('/api/apk', (req, res) => {
+// The .apk asset of the fixed release, or null if unavailable.
+async function _giteaApkAsset() {
+  const rel = await _giteaApiJson(`/releases/tags/${encodeURIComponent(GITEA_APK_TAG)}`);
+  const asset = (rel.assets || []).find(a => /\.apk$/i.test(a.name || ''));
+  if (!asset) return null;
+  return {
+    size: asset.size,
+    url: asset.browser_download_url,
+    version: rel.name || rel.tag_name || null,
+    updatedAt: new Date(asset.created_at || rel.published_at || Date.now()).getTime(),
+  };
+}
+
+function _serveLocalApk(res) {
+  if (res.headersSent) return;
   fs.stat(APK_PATH, (err) => {
     if (err) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Keine APK hinterlegt' });
     res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/vnd.android.package-archive');
     res.setHeader('Content-Disposition', 'attachment; filename="NovaSonic.apk"');
     res.sendFile(APK_PATH);
   });
+}
+
+// Stream a Gitea attachment to the client, following redirects, falling back to the local file.
+function _streamApkFromUrl(urlStr, res, redirectsLeft = 3) {
+  const u = new URL(urlStr);
+  const lib = u.protocol === 'https:' ? https : http;
+  const headers = { 'User-Agent': 'NovaSonic' };
+  if (GITEA_TOKEN) headers['Authorization'] = `token ${GITEA_TOKEN}`;
+  lib.get(u, { headers }, up => {
+    if ([301, 302, 303, 307, 308].includes(up.statusCode) && up.headers.location && redirectsLeft > 0) {
+      up.resume();
+      return _streamApkFromUrl(new URL(up.headers.location, u).toString(), res, redirectsLeft - 1);
+    }
+    if (up.statusCode !== 200) { up.resume(); return _serveLocalApk(res); }
+    res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/vnd.android.package-archive');
+    res.setHeader('Content-Disposition', 'attachment; filename="NovaSonic.apk"');
+    if (up.headers['content-length']) res.setHeader('Content-Length', up.headers['content-length']);
+    up.pipe(res);
+  }).on('error', () => _serveLocalApk(res));
+}
+
+app.get('/api/apk/info', async (req, res) => {
+  try {
+    const a = await _giteaApkAsset();
+    if (a) return res.json({ available: true, size: a.size, updatedAt: a.updatedAt, version: a.version, source: 'gitea' });
+  } catch { /* fall through to local */ }
+  fs.stat(APK_PATH, (err, st) => {
+    if (err) return res.json({ available: false });
+    let version = null;
+    try { version = fs.readFileSync(APK_VER_PATH, 'utf8').trim() || null; } catch {}
+    res.json({ available: true, size: st.size, updatedAt: st.mtimeMs, version, source: 'local' });
+  });
+});
+
+app.get('/api/apk', async (req, res) => {
+  let asset = null;
+  try { asset = await _giteaApkAsset(); } catch { /* fall through to local */ }
+  if (asset?.url) return _streamApkFromUrl(asset.url, res);
+  _serveLocalApk(res);
 });
 
 app.get('/api/health', (req, res) => {
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index ad723f1..09e4a04 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ services:
       - MAX_PARALLEL=${MAX_PARALLEL:-2}
       - DOWNLOAD_BACKEND=${DOWNLOAD_BACKEND:-ytdlp}
       - TICKETMASTER_API_KEY=${TICKETMASTER_API_KEY}
+      # Android APK download button — backend proxies a fixed Gitea release ("apk-latest"), same LAN.
+      # Optional: leave unset to use the local /data/novasonic.apk fallback instead.
+      - GITEA_URL=${GITEA_URL:-}                 # internal Gitea base, e.g. http://gitea:3000
+      - GITEA_REPO=${GITEA_REPO:-}               # owner/repo, e.g. Docker/NovaSonic
+      - GITEA_TOKEN=${GITEA_TOKEN:-}             # read token (only for a private repo)
+      - GITEA_APK_TAG=${GITEA_APK_TAG:-apk-latest}
     command: >
       sh -c "
         apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends python3 python3-pip ffmpeg curl git unzip && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* &&