diff --git a/.github/workflows/promote_staging.yml b/.github/workflows/promote_staging.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f92234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/promote_staging.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+name: Promote staging to main
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      release_type:
+        description: "Release type for main (patch, minor, major)"
+        required: true
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - patch
+          - minor
+          - major
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+  actions: read
+
+jobs:
+  promote:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: verify staging CI
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const owner = context.repo.owner;
+            const repo = context.repo.repo;
+            const workflowId = 'ci.yml';
+            const runs = await github.rest.actions.listWorkflowRuns({
+              owner,
+              repo,
+              workflow_id: workflowId,
+              branch: 'staging',
+              per_page: 1,
+            });
+            if (!runs.data.workflow_runs.length) {
+              core.setFailed('No CI runs found for staging.');
+              return;
+            }
+            const latest = runs.data.workflow_runs[0];
+            if (latest.conclusion !== 'success') {
+              core.setFailed(`Latest staging CI is ${latest.conclusion}.`);
+            }
+
+      - name: checkout main
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          ref: main
+
+      - name: merge staging into main
+        run: |
+          git fetch origin staging
+          git merge --no-ff origin/staging -m "chore: promote staging to main"
+          git push origin HEAD:main
+
+      - name: setup python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+
+      - name: semantic release (main)
+        uses: cycjimmy/semantic-release-action@v4
+        with:
+          extra_plugins: |
+            @semantic-release/commit-analyzer@11
+            @semantic-release/release-notes-generator@12
+            @semantic-release/changelog@6
+            @semantic-release/exec@6
+            @semantic-release/git@10
+            @semantic-release/github@10
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          RELEASE_TYPE: ${{ inputs.release_type }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/semantic_release.yml b/.github/workflows/semantic_release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a033234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/semantic_release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+name: semantic-release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ staging ]
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+  issues: write
+  pull-requests: write
+
+jobs:
+  release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: setup python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+
+      - name: semantic release
+        uses: cycjimmy/semantic-release-action@v4
+        with:
+          extra_plugins: |
+            @semantic-release/commit-analyzer@11
+            @semantic-release/release-notes-generator@12
+            @semantic-release/changelog@6
+            @semantic-release/exec@6
+            @semantic-release/git@10
+            @semantic-release/github@10
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.releaserc.json b/.releaserc.json
index c5444d4..7363fca 100644
--- a/.releaserc.json
+++ b/.releaserc.json
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
     [
       "@semantic-release/exec",
       {
+        "analyzeCommitsCmd": "python scripts/release_type.py",
         "prepareCmd": "python scripts/bump_version.py ${nextRelease.version}"
       }
     ],
diff --git a/plugin/README.md b/plugin/README.md
index d084f80..744d4c2 100644
--- a/plugin/README.md
+++ b/plugin/README.md
@@ -145,6 +145,22 @@ Set the `CLIPABIT_ENVIRONMENT` environment variable:
 | **Windows** | `%APPDATA%\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\Fusion\Scripts\Utility\` |
 | **Linux** | `~/.local/share/DaVinci Resolve/Fusion/Scripts/Edit/` |
 
+## Release Flow (Automated)
+
+### Staging prereleases
+- Pushes to `staging` run semantic-release automatically.
+- Tags are created as `vX.Y.Z-staging.N`.
+- `plugin/CHANGELOG.md` and `plugin/pyproject.toml` are updated.
+
+### Promote to main (manual trigger)
+- Use GitHub Actions workflow **Promote staging to main**.
+- It asks for **release type** (`patch`, `minor`, `major`).
+- It merges `staging` → `main`, then runs semantic-release on `main` with the chosen release type.
+
+### Permissions probe
+- Run **Permissions Probe** workflow to verify whether `GITHUB_TOKEN` has write access.
+- If it fails, org-level settings likely block write permissions.
+
 ## Troubleshooting
 
 ### Scripts Menu Shows "No Scripts"
diff --git a/scripts/release_type.py b/scripts/release_type.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8505a62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/release_type.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    release_type = os.getenv("RELEASE_TYPE", "").strip().lower()
+    if not release_type:
+        return 0
+
+    if release_type not in {"patch", "minor", "major"}:
+        print(f"Invalid RELEASE_TYPE: {release_type}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+
+    print(release_type)
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())