diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/update.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/update.contribution.ts
index a21a2294257..4d5801ef372 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/update.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/update.contribution.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import { Registry } from '../../../../platform/registry/common/platform.js';
 import { IWorkbenchContributionsRegistry, Extensions as WorkbenchExtensions } from '../../../common/contributions.js';
 import { Categories } from '../../../../platform/action/common/actionCommonCategories.js';
 import { MenuId, registerAction2, Action2 } from '../../../../platform/actions/common/actions.js';
+import { ICommandService } from '../../../../platform/commands/common/commands.js';
+import { IQuickInputService } from '../../../../platform/quickinput/common/quickInput.js';
 import { ProductContribution, UpdateContribution, CONTEXT_UPDATE_STATE, SwitchProductQualityContribution, showReleaseNotesInEditor, DefaultAccountUpdateContribution } from './update.js';
 import { UpdateTitleBarContribution } from './updateTitleBarEntry.js';
 import { LifecyclePhase } from '../../../services/lifecycle/common/lifecycle.js';
@@ -241,3 +243,25 @@ if (isWindows) {
 
 	registerAction2(DeveloperApplyUpdateAction);
 }
+
+registerAction2(class ShowUpdateInfoAction extends Action2 {
+	constructor() {
+		super({
+			id: 'update.showUpdateInfo',
+			title: localize2('showUpdateInfo', "Show Update Info"),
+			category: Categories.Developer,
+			f1: true,
+			precondition: IsWebContext.negate(),
+		});
+	}
+
+	async run(accessor: ServicesAccessor): Promise<void> {
+		const commandService = accessor.get(ICommandService);
+		const quickInputService = accessor.get(IQuickInputService);
+		const markdown = await quickInputService.input({ prompt: localize('showUpdateInfo.prompt', "Enter markdown to render (leave empty to load from URL)") });
+		if (markdown === undefined) {
+			return; // cancelled
+		}
+		await commandService.executeCommand('_update.showUpdateInfo', markdown || undefined);
+	}
+});
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTitleBarEntry.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTitleBarEntry.ts
index c1e985bfa7d..1c3a9f1b900 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTitleBarEntry.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTitleBarEntry.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { isWeb } from '../../../../base/common/platform.js';
 import { localize } from '../../../../nls.js';
 import { IActionViewItemService } from '../../../../platform/actions/browser/actionViewItemService.js';
 import { Action2, MenuId, registerAction2 } from '../../../../platform/actions/common/actions.js';
-import { ICommandService } from '../../../../platform/commands/common/commands.js';
+import { CommandsRegistry, ICommandService } from '../../../../platform/commands/common/commands.js';
 import { IContextKey, IContextKeyService, RawContextKey } from '../../../../platform/contextkey/common/contextkey.js';
 import { IHoverService } from '../../../../platform/hover/browser/hover.js';
 import { IInstantiationService } from '../../../../platform/instantiation/common/instantiation.js';
@@ -115,9 +115,20 @@ export class UpdateTitleBarContribution extends Disposable implements IWorkbench
 			}
 		));
 
+		this._register(CommandsRegistry.registerCommand('_update.showUpdateInfo', (_accessor, markdown?: string) => this.showUpdateInfo(markdown)));
+
 		void this.onStateChange(true);
 	}
 
+	private async showUpdateInfo(markdown?: string) {
+		const rendered = await this.tooltip.renderPostInstall(markdown);
+		if (rendered) {
+			this.tooltipVisible = true;
+			this.context.set(true);
+			this.entry?.showTooltip(true);
+		}
+	}
+
 	private async onStateChange(startup = false) {
 		this.pendingShow.clear();
 		if (ACTIONABLE_STATES.includes(this.state.type)) {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTooltip.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTooltip.ts
index dee3128ab03..b64a06871d4 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTooltip.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/update/browser/updateTooltip.ts
@@ -382,19 +382,21 @@ export class UpdateTooltip extends Disposable {
 		this.renderMessage(localize('updateTooltip.restartingPleaseWait', "Restarting to update, please wait..."));
 	}
 
-	public async renderPostInstall(): Promise<boolean> {
+	public async renderPostInstall(markdown?: string): Promise<boolean> {
 		this.hideAll();
 		this.renderTitleAndInfo(localize('updateTooltip.installedDefaultTitle', "New Update Installed"));
 		this.renderMessage(
 			localize('updateTooltip.installedDefaultMessage', "See release notes for details on what's new in this release."),
 			Codicon.info);
 
-		let text: string | null = null;
-		try {
-			const url = getUpdateInfoUrl(this.productService.version);
-			const context = await this.requestService.request({ url, callSite: 'updateTooltip' }, CancellationToken.None);
-			text = await asTextOrError(context);
-		} catch { }
+		let text: string | null = markdown ?? null;
+		if (!text) {
+			try {
+				const url = getUpdateInfoUrl(this.productService.version);
+				const context = await this.requestService.request({ url, callSite: 'updateTooltip' }, CancellationToken.None);
+				text = await asTextOrError(context);
+			} catch { }
+		}
 
 		if (!text) {
 			return false;