diff --git a/src/main/build-initial-state.ts b/src/main/build-initial-state.ts
index edff98f7..d2d7b674 100644
--- a/src/main/build-initial-state.ts
+++ b/src/main/build-initial-state.ts
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ export function buildInitialAppState(
       dismissedAnnouncementIds: Array.isArray(config.dismissedAnnouncementIds)
         ? config.dismissedAnnouncementIds.filter((x): x is string => typeof x === 'string')
         : [],
-      announcementsMuted: config.announcementsMuted === true
+      announcementsMuted: config.announcementsMuted === true,
+      autoFetchEnabled: config.autoFetchEnabled !== false
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/fetch-poller.ts b/src/main/fetch-poller.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7f1ef36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/fetch-poller.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import { fetchAllRemotes } from './worktree'
+import { log, formatErr } from './debug'
+
+const FETCH_INTERVAL_MS = 3 * 60 * 1000
+
+interface FetchPollerOptions {
+  getRepoRoots: () => string[]
+  /** Whether the background fetch is enabled. Re-read every tick so a
+   *  settings toggle takes effect without restarting the poller. */
+  isEnabled: () => boolean
+}
+
+/** Periodically runs `git fetch --all` on every known repo so worktrees
+ *  stay current with their remotes without a manual fetch. One fetch per
+ *  repo root (a fetch from the root updates the shared object store that
+ *  all of its worktrees read). Failures are swallowed per-repo — an
+ *  offline remote or auth prompt on one repo doesn't stop the others, and
+ *  the next tick simply tries again. */
+export class FetchPoller {
+  private opts: FetchPollerOptions
+  private timer: NodeJS.Timeout | null = null
+  private inFlight = false
+
+  constructor(opts: FetchPollerOptions) {
+    this.opts = opts
+  }
+
+  start(): void {
+    if (this.timer) return
+    this.timer = setInterval(() => {
+      void this.fetchAll()
+    }, FETCH_INTERVAL_MS)
+  }
+
+  stop(): void {
+    if (this.timer) {
+      clearInterval(this.timer)
+      this.timer = null
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Fetch every repo's remotes once. No-op while disabled or when a
+   *  previous sweep is still running (a slow network shouldn't let ticks
+   *  pile up). */
+  async fetchAll(): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.inFlight) return
+    if (!this.opts.isEnabled()) return
+    const roots = this.opts.getRepoRoots()
+    if (roots.length === 0) return
+    this.inFlight = true
+    try {
+      await Promise.all(
+        roots.map((root) =>
+          fetchAllRemotes(root).catch((err) => {
+            log('fetch-poller', `fetch --all failed for ${root}`, formatErr(err))
+          })
+        )
+      )
+    } finally {
+      this.inFlight = false
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 32718428..6ed99881 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import type { BrowserManagerLike } from './browser-manager-types'
 import { PerfMonitor } from './perf-monitor'
 import { setGitHubApiRecorder, setGitHubApiLoggingEnabled } from './github-recorder'
 import { PRPoller } from './pr-poller'
+import { FetchPoller } from './fetch-poller'
 import { WorktreesFSM } from './worktrees-fsm'
 import { WorktreeDeletionFSM } from './worktree-deletion-fsm'
 import { PanesFSM, stripTransientTabFields } from './panes-fsm'
@@ -611,6 +612,11 @@ const prPoller = new PRPoller(store, {
   }
 })
 
+const fetchPoller = new FetchPoller({
+  getRepoRoots: () => config.repoRoots || [],
+  isEnabled: () => config.autoFetchEnabled !== false
+})
+
 const announcementsPoller = new AnnouncementsPoller(store)
 
 ptyManager.setStore(store)
@@ -1803,6 +1809,23 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
     return true
   })
 
+  transport.onRequest('config:setAutoFetchEnabled', (_ctx, enabled: boolean) => {
+    if (enabled) {
+      delete config.autoFetchEnabled
+    } else {
+      config.autoFetchEnabled = false
+    }
+    saveConfig(config)
+    store.dispatch({
+      type: 'settings/autoFetchEnabledChanged',
+      payload: config.autoFetchEnabled !== false
+    })
+    // Re-enabling shouldn't wait up to 3m for the next tick — fetch now.
+    // fetchAll() itself no-ops while disabled, so this is safe either way.
+    void fetchPoller.fetchAll()
+    return true
+  })
+
   transport.onRequest('config:setAutoUpdateEnabled', (_ctx, enabled: boolean) => {
     if (enabled) {
       delete config.autoUpdateEnabled
@@ -3556,6 +3579,12 @@ async function runBoot(): Promise<void> {
 
   announcementsPoller.start()
 
+  // Background `git fetch --all` across all repos every few minutes. The
+  // timer always runs; each tick no-ops when the setting is disabled. Kick
+  // an initial sweep at boot so worktrees start current.
+  fetchPoller.start()
+  void fetchPoller.fetchAll()
+
   // Seed hooks.consent from disk and migrate legacy per-worktree hooks
   // to a single user-scope install. Runs once per app install; migrated
   // state sticks via config.hooksMigratedToGlobal.
diff --git a/src/main/persistence.ts b/src/main/persistence.ts
index 58489380..4a18c22a 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence.ts
@@ -164,6 +164,9 @@ export interface Config {
   // to the main worktree's copy, and the boot migration doesn't convert
   // existing regular files. Default is enabled (undefined/true).
   shareClaudeSettings?: boolean
+  // When false, the background `git fetch --all` poller is disabled for all
+  // repos. Default is enabled (undefined/true).
+  autoFetchEnabled?: boolean
   // User's choice for installing agent status hooks at user scope
   // (~/.claude/settings.json, ~/.codex/hooks.json). Persisted so a
   // declined user doesn't see the banner again on next launch.
diff --git a/src/main/worktree.ts b/src/main/worktree.ts
index 3de06095..37af8e39 100644
--- a/src/main/worktree.ts
+++ b/src/main/worktree.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,16 @@ function getCreatedAt(path: string): number {
   }
 }
 
+/** Fetch every remote for a repo — the equivalent of `git fetch --all`.
+ *  Run from the repo root so all of its worktrees see the updated remote
+ *  refs. Failures (offline, auth) throw; the background poller swallows
+ *  them per-repo so one bad remote doesn't stop the others. */
+export async function fetchAllRemotes(repoRoot: string): Promise<void> {
+  const t0 = performance.now()
+  await execFileAsync('git', ['fetch', '--all', '--quiet'], { cwd: repoRoot })
+  perfLog('git-op', `fetchAllRemotes ${repoRoot} ${Math.round(performance.now() - t0)}ms`)
+}
+
 /** Get a sensible default directory for worktrees: <repo>-worktrees/ alongside the repo */
 export function defaultWorktreeDir(repoRoot: string): string {
   const repoName = basename(repoRoot)
diff --git a/src/renderer/build-backend.ts b/src/renderer/build-backend.ts
index c2ccab45..dda1d03f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/build-backend.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/build-backend.ts
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ export function buildBackend(
     setExpandedDiagnosticLoggingEnabled: (enabled: boolean) =>
       req('config:setExpandedDiagnosticLoggingEnabled', enabled),
     setShareClaudeSettings: (enabled: boolean) => req('config:setShareClaudeSettings', enabled),
+    setAutoFetchEnabled: (enabled: boolean) => req('config:setAutoFetchEnabled', enabled),
     setHarnessSystemPromptEnabled: (enabled: boolean) =>
       req('config:setHarnessSystemPromptEnabled', enabled),
     setHarnessSystemPrompt: (prompt: string) => req('config:setHarnessSystemPrompt', prompt),
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/Settings.tsx b/src/renderer/components/Settings.tsx
index 50d60088..80acd14a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/Settings.tsx
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ export function Settings({ onClose, onOpenGuide, onOpenMyWeek, initialSection }:
     harnessStarred,
     worktreeScripts,
     shareClaudeSettings,
+    autoFetchEnabled,
     autoUpdateEnabled,
     warnBeforeQuitting,
     harnessSystemPromptEnabled,
@@ -2316,6 +2317,29 @@ export function Settings({ onClose, onOpenGuide, onOpenMyWeek, initialSection }:
               </div>
               )}
 
+              {scopeRepoRoot === null && (
+                <>
+                  <h3 className="text-sm font-semibold text-fg-bright mt-6 mb-1">Auto-fetch remotes</h3>
+                  <p className="text-xs text-dim mb-3">
+                    Runs{' '}
+                    <code className="bg-panel-raised px-1 rounded text-xs">git fetch --all</code>{' '}
+                    on every repo every 3 minutes in the background so your
+                    worktrees stay current with their remotes without a manual
+                    fetch. Applies to all repos.
+                  </p>
+                  <label className="flex items-center gap-3 cursor-pointer">
+                    <input
+                      type="checkbox"
+                      checked={autoFetchEnabled}
+                      onChange={(e) => { void backend.setAutoFetchEnabled(e.target.checked) }}
+                      className="accent-current icon-base cursor-pointer" />
+                    <span className="text-sm text-fg">
+                      Periodically fetch all repos in the background
+                    </span>
+                  </label>
+                </>
+              )}
+
               <div className="flex items-center justify-between mt-6 mb-1">
                 <h3 className="text-sm font-semibold text-fg-bright">Default merge strategy</h3>
                 {scopeRepoRoot === null && reposOverridingKey('mergeStrategy').length > 0 && (
diff --git a/src/renderer/types.ts b/src/renderer/types.ts
index 0ead0aa5..e78bfa2d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/types.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/types.ts
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ export interface ElectronAPI {
   setWarnBeforeQuitting(enabled: boolean): Promise<boolean>
   setExpandedDiagnosticLoggingEnabled(enabled: boolean): Promise<boolean>
   setShareClaudeSettings(enabled: boolean): Promise<boolean>
+  setAutoFetchEnabled(enabled: boolean): Promise<boolean>
   setHarnessSystemPromptEnabled(enabled: boolean): Promise<boolean>
   setHarnessSystemPrompt(prompt: string): Promise<boolean>
   setHarnessSystemPromptMain(prompt: string): Promise<boolean>
diff --git a/src/shared/state/settings.test.ts b/src/shared/state/settings.test.ts
index 70f42b7d..73daf52b 100644
--- a/src/shared/state/settings.test.ts
+++ b/src/shared/state/settings.test.ts
@@ -575,6 +575,20 @@ describe('settingsReducer', () => {
     expect(off.announcementsMuted).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  it('autoFetchEnabledChanged toggles the auto-fetch flag', () => {
+    expect(initialSettings.autoFetchEnabled).toBe(true)
+    const off = apply(initialSettings, {
+      type: 'settings/autoFetchEnabledChanged',
+      payload: false
+    })
+    expect(off.autoFetchEnabled).toBe(false)
+    const on = apply(off, {
+      type: 'settings/autoFetchEnabledChanged',
+      payload: true
+    })
+    expect(on.autoFetchEnabled).toBe(true)
+  })
+
   it('returns a new object reference (no mutation)', () => {
     const next = apply(initialSettings, { type: 'settings/themeDarkChanged', payload: 'dracula' })
     expect(next).not.toBe(initialSettings)
diff --git a/src/shared/state/settings.ts b/src/shared/state/settings.ts
index 63616fdd..2bfbc5b5 100644
--- a/src/shared/state/settings.ts
+++ b/src/shared/state/settings.ts
@@ -216,6 +216,10 @@ export interface SettingsState {
    *  the feed contents. Set by the "Hide all announcements" action and
    *  cleared only by the user. */
   announcementsMuted: boolean
+  /** When true (default), a background task runs `git fetch --all` on
+   *  every known repo every few minutes so worktrees stay current with
+   *  their remotes without a manual fetch. Applies to all repos. */
+  autoFetchEnabled: boolean
 }
 
 export type SettingsEvent =
@@ -274,6 +278,7 @@ export type SettingsEvent =
   | { type: 'settings/prReviewPromptChanged'; payload: string }
   | { type: 'settings/announcementDismissed'; payload: string }
   | { type: 'settings/announcementsMutedChanged'; payload: boolean }
+  | { type: 'settings/autoFetchEnabledChanged'; payload: boolean }
 
 // Client-side placeholder. Real values are seeded in the main-process Store
 // constructor from the on-disk config and secrets.
@@ -329,7 +334,8 @@ export const initialSettings: SettingsState = {
   expandedDiagnosticLoggingEnabled: false,
   prReviewPrompt: DEFAULT_PR_REVIEW_PROMPT,
   dismissedAnnouncementIds: [],
-  announcementsMuted: false
+  announcementsMuted: false,
+  autoFetchEnabled: true
 }
 
 export function settingsReducer(state: SettingsState, event: SettingsEvent): SettingsState {
@@ -443,6 +449,8 @@ export function settingsReducer(state: SettingsState, event: SettingsEvent): Set
     }
     case 'settings/announcementsMutedChanged':
       return { ...state, announcementsMuted: event.payload }
+    case 'settings/autoFetchEnabledChanged':
+      return { ...state, autoFetchEnabled: event.payload }
     default: {
       const _exhaustive: never = event
       void _exhaustive