diff --git a/public/sw.js b/public/sw.js
index c8bc1e2..bd21f9d 100644
--- a/public/sw.js
+++ b/public/sw.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const CACHE_NAME = 'l484-pwa-v4'
+const CACHE_NAME = 'l484-pwa-v5'
 const APP_SHELL = [
   '/',
   '/manifest.webmanifest',
@@ -29,6 +29,19 @@ self.addEventListener('fetch', (event) => {
   if (!['http:', 'https:'].includes(url.protocol)) return
   if (url.pathname.startsWith('/api/')) return
 
+  if (event.request.mode === 'navigate') {
+    event.respondWith(
+      fetch(event.request)
+        .then((response) => {
+          const clone = response.clone()
+          caches.open(CACHE_NAME).then((cache) => cache.put('/', clone))
+          return response
+        })
+        .catch(() => caches.match('/') || caches.match(event.request)),
+    )
+    return
+  }
+
   event.respondWith(
     caches.match(event.request).then((cached) =>
       cached || fetch(event.request).then((response) => {
diff --git a/src/services/notifications.js b/src/services/notifications.js
index 196f219..67da23b 100644
--- a/src/services/notifications.js
+++ b/src/services/notifications.js
@@ -9,7 +9,24 @@ const urlBase64ToArrayBuffer = (base64String) => {
   const rawData = window.atob(base64)
   const key = new Uint8Array([...rawData].map((char) => char.charCodeAt(0)))
   if (key.length !== 65 || key[0] !== 4) throw new Error('VAPID public key is not valid.')
-  return key.buffer
+  return key
+}
+
+const isBraveBrowser = async () => {
+  try {
+    return Boolean(navigator.brave && await navigator.brave.isBrave())
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+const explainSubscribeError = async (error) => {
+  const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'push service error'
+  const brave = await isBraveBrowser()
+  if (brave && /push service|registration failed|not available|permission/i.test(message)) {
+    return 'Brave is blocking Web Push. In Brave settings, enable "Use Google services for push messaging", then fully close and reopen the installed L484 app.'
+  }
+  return `Push registration failed: ${message}. Fully close and reopen the installed app, then try again.`
 }
 
 export const notificationPermission = permission
@@ -34,16 +51,13 @@ const subscribeWithRetry = async (registration, applicationServerKey) => {
   try {
     return await registration.pushManager.subscribe({ userVisibleOnly: true, applicationServerKey })
   } catch (error) {
-    await registration.unregister().catch(() => {})
-    await new Promise((resolve) => window.setTimeout(resolve, 500))
-    const freshRegistration = await navigator.serviceWorker.register('/sw.js', { scope: '/' })
-    const readyRegistration = await navigator.serviceWorker.ready
-    const activeRegistration = readyRegistration || freshRegistration
+    await registration.update().catch(() => {})
+    await new Promise((resolve) => window.setTimeout(resolve, 750))
+    const activeRegistration = await navigator.serviceWorker.ready
     try {
       return await activeRegistration.pushManager.subscribe({ userVisibleOnly: true, applicationServerKey })
-    } catch {
-      const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Push service error.'
-      throw new Error(`Push registration failed: ${message}. Close and reopen the installed app, then try again.`)
+    } catch (retryError) {
+      throw new Error(await explainSubscribeError(retryError || error))
     }
   }
 }
@@ -63,11 +77,12 @@ export const subscribeToNotifications = async () => {
   permission.value = requested
   if (requested !== 'granted') throw new Error('Notification permission was not granted.')
 
-  await navigator.serviceWorker.register('/sw.js', { scope: '/' })
-  const registration = await navigator.serviceWorker.ready
-  const existing = await registration.pushManager.getSubscription()
+  const registered = await navigator.serviceWorker.register('/sw.js', { scope: '/' })
+  await registered.update().catch(() => {})
+  const readyRegistration = await navigator.serviceWorker.ready
+  const existing = await readyRegistration.pushManager.getSubscription()
   if (existing) return saveSubscription(existing)
 
-  const subscription = await subscribeWithRetry(registration, applicationServerKey)
+  const subscription = await subscribeWithRetry(readyRegistration, applicationServerKey)
   return saveSubscription(subscription)
 }