diff --git a/RELEASING.md b/RELEASING.md
index 4ec8e22a..c8177488 100644
--- a/RELEASING.md
+++ b/RELEASING.md
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Optional repository variables:
 
 ## Release flow
 
-1. Bump `package.json` to the version you want to ship.
+1. Bump `package.json` to the version you want to ship. For prereleases, the app version must include the prerelease suffix too, for example `1.3.4-beta.1`.
 2. Commit and push that version.
 3. Create a Git tag in the form `vX.Y.Z`.
 4. Create and publish a GitHub release for that tag. Prefer the helper so custom notes are prepended while GitHub still generates the contributor section:
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ npm run release:create -- --tag v1.2.0-beta.2 --title "v1.2.0 beta-2" --prerelea
 
 This uses `gh release create --generate-notes`, which keeps GitHub's generated change summary and contributor list instead of replacing it with a fully manual release body.
 
+Prereleases intentionally skip uploading the auto-update `.yml` metadata assets to the GitHub release, so beta drafts only carry the installer artifacts and checksums.
+
 5. The `Publish Release` workflow builds, signs, notarizes, uploads, and publishes update metadata.
 
 That is the normal path if you want “click new release and let CI do the rest.”
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index a255b232..f875b3a7 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
 	"name": "recordly",
-	"version": "1.3.4",
+	"version": "1.3.4-beta.1",
 	"lockfileVersion": 3,
 	"requires": true,
 	"packages": {
 		"": {
 			"name": "recordly",
-			"version": "1.3.4",
+			"version": "1.3.4-beta.1",
 			"hasInstallScript": true,
 			"dependencies": {
 				"@phosphor-icons/react": "^2.1.10",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6357c666..65394bec 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 		"url": "https://github.com/webadderallorg/Recordly/issues"
 	},
 	"private": true,
-	"version": "1.3.4",
+	"version": "1.3.4-beta.1",
 	"type": "module",
 	"scripts": {
 		"dev": "vite --config vite.config.ts",