diff --git a/electron/main.cjs b/electron/main.cjs
index e5cee66..c627d51 100644
--- a/electron/main.cjs
+++ b/electron/main.cjs
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ function createSplashWindow() {
     show: false,
     skipTaskbar: false,
     backgroundColor: '#101116',
-    title: 'SOCDOF wird gestartet',
+    title: 'Starting SOCDOF',
     icon: process.platform === 'win32'
       ? path.join(__dirname, '../public/socdof_icon.ico')
       : path.join(__dirname, '../public/socdof_icon.png'),
-    webPreferences: { contextIsolation: true, nodeIntegration: false, sandbox: true }
+    webPreferences: { preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.cjs'), contextIsolation: true, nodeIntegration: false, sandbox: true }
   });
   splashWindow.once('ready-to-show', () => {
     if (splashWindow && !splashWindow.isDestroyed()) splashWindow.show();
diff --git a/electron/splash.html b/electron/splash.html
index 50794cd..ec299e2 100644
--- a/electron/splash.html
+++ b/electron/splash.html
@@ -25,9 +25,40 @@
 <main>
 <img class="logo" src="../public/socdof_icon.png" alt="">
 <h1>SOCDOF</h1>
-<p>Der Arbeitsbereich wird vorbereitet …</p>
-<div class="track" role="progressbar" aria-label="SOCDOF wird gestartet"><div class="bar"></div></div>
+<p id="startup-message">Preparing your workspace...</p>
+<div class="track" role="progressbar" aria-label="Starting SOCDOF"><div class="bar"></div></div>
 <div class="footer">Strudelcode · Yuri / Strudel</div>
 </main>
+<script>
+(async () => {
+  const messages = {
+    en: 'Preparing your workspace...',
+    de: 'Arbeitsbereich wird vorbereitet...',
+    fr: 'Préparation de votre espace de travail...',
+    es: 'Preparando tu espacio de trabajo...'
+  };
+  let language = 'en';
+  // First launch defaults to English. Prefer the app's persisted Electron preference on later launches.
+  try {
+    const prefs = window.electronAPI && typeof window.electronAPI.getPreferences === 'function'
+      ? await window.electronAPI.getPreferences()
+      : null;
+    const saved = prefs && (prefs.language || prefs.locale);
+    if (saved && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(messages, saved)) {
+      language = saved;
+    } else {
+      const localSaved = localStorage.getItem('socdof_language');
+      if (localSaved && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(messages, localSaved)) language = localSaved;
+    }
+  } catch (_) {
+    try {
+      const saved = localStorage.getItem('socdof_language');
+      if (saved && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(messages, saved)) language = saved;
+    } catch (_) {}
+  }
+  document.documentElement.lang = language;
+  document.getElementById('startup-message').textContent = messages[language];
+})();
+</script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/installer-bootstrapper/Program.Framework.cs b/installer-bootstrapper/Program.Framework.cs
index c1dcdbe..738aad4 100644
--- a/installer-bootstrapper/Program.Framework.cs
+++ b/installer-bootstrapper/Program.Framework.cs
@@ -49,12 +49,14 @@ public SetupWindow()
             Text = "SOCDOF Installer";
             StartPosition = FormStartPosition.CenterScreen;
             FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
-            ClientSize = new Size(620, 430);
-            MinimumSize = new Size(620, 430);
-            MaximumSize = new Size(620, 430);
+            ClientSize = new Size(700, 500);
+            MinimumSize = new Size(700, 500);
+            MaximumSize = new Size(700, 500);
+            AutoScaleMode = AutoScaleMode.Dpi;
             BackColor = bg;
             ForeColor = Color.White;
             ShowInTaskbar = true;
+            DoubleBuffered = true;
             Icon = Icon.ExtractAssociatedIcon(Application.ExecutablePath);
             Region = System.Drawing.Region.FromHrgn(CreateRoundRectRgn(0, 0, Width + 1, Height + 1, 18, 18));
             Compose();
@@ -64,85 +66,98 @@ public SetupWindow()
 
         private void Compose()
         {
-            Panel top = new Panel { Dock = DockStyle.Top, Height = 48, BackColor = bg };
+            Panel top = new Panel { Dock = DockStyle.Top, Height = 54, BackColor = Color.FromArgb(25, 26, 30) };
             top.MouseDown += Drag;
             Controls.Add(top);
-            PictureBox smallLogo = new PictureBox { Location = new Point(22, 13), Size = new Size(22, 22), SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.Zoom, Image = Icon == null ? null : Icon.ToBitmap(), BackColor = Color.Transparent };
+            PictureBox smallLogo = new PictureBox { Location = new Point(24, 16), Size = new Size(22, 22), SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.Zoom, Image = Icon == null ? null : Icon.ToBitmap(), BackColor = Color.Transparent };
             top.Controls.Add(smallLogo);
-            Label title = new Label { Text = "SOCDOF Setup", Location = new Point(52, 14), AutoSize = true, ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(226, 228, 235), Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 9.5f) };
+            Label title = new Label { Text = "SOCDOF", Location = new Point(56, 15), AutoSize = true, ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(226, 228, 235), Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 10f) };
             title.MouseDown += Drag;
             top.Controls.Add(title);
-            Button close = new Button { Text = "×", Location = new Point(568, 6), Size = new Size(44, 36), FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat, BackColor = bg, ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(205, 207, 215), Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 16f), Cursor = Cursors.Hand, Anchor = AnchorStyles.Top | AnchorStyles.Right };
+            Button close = new Button { Text = "×", Location = new Point(646, 7), Size = new Size(42, 38), FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat, BackColor = top.BackColor, ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(190, 193, 204), Font = new Font("Segoe UI Light", 19f), Cursor = Cursors.Hand, Anchor = AnchorStyles.Top | AnchorStyles.Right };
             close.FlatAppearance.BorderSize = 0;
             close.FlatAppearance.MouseOverBackColor = Color.FromArgb(190, 55, 65);
             close.Click += delegate { Close(); };
             top.Controls.Add(close);
 
-            Controls.Add(new PictureBox { Location = new Point(42, 78), Size = new Size(58, 58), SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.Zoom, Image = Icon == null ? null : Icon.ToBitmap(), BackColor = Color.Transparent });
-            Controls.Add(new Label { Text = "SOCDOF installieren", Location = new Point(118, 78), Size = new Size(440, 36), Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 20f, FontStyle.Bold), ForeColor = Color.White });
-            version.SetBounds(120, 117, 440, 22);
+            Panel content = new Panel { Location = new Point(32, 76), Size = new Size(636, 392), BackColor = bg };
+            Controls.Add(content);
+            Panel brandMark = new Panel { Location = new Point(0, 4), Size = new Size(4, 56), BackColor = accent };
+            content.Controls.Add(brandMark);
+            content.Controls.Add(new Label { Text = "SOCDOF", Location = new Point(20, 0), Size = new Size(500, 43), Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 25f, FontStyle.Bold), ForeColor = Color.White });
+            content.Controls.Add(new Label { Text = "DESKTOP · WINDOWS 64-BIT", Location = new Point(23, 43), Size = new Size(450, 20), Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 9f), ForeColor = muted });
+            version.SetBounds(23, 69, 570, 22);
             version.Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 9.5f);
-            version.ForeColor = muted;
-            version.Text = "Neueste Version wird gesucht …";
-            Controls.Add(version);
-            Controls.Add(new Panel { Location = new Point(36, 157), Size = new Size(548, 1), BackColor = Color.FromArgb(57, 59, 66) });
+            version.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(190, 193, 204);
+            version.Text = "Searching for the latest version...";
+            content.Controls.Add(version);
 
-            status.SetBounds(40, 181, 530, 27);
-            status.Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 11f, FontStyle.Bold);
-            status.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(240, 241, 246);
-            status.Text = "Installation wird vorbereitet …";
-            Controls.Add(status);
-            detail.SetBounds(40, 211, 540, 36);
-            detail.Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 9f);
+            Panel card = new Panel { Location = new Point(0, 108), Size = new Size(636, 171), BackColor = panel };
+            content.Controls.Add(card);
+            status.SetBounds(22, 20, 590, 30);
+            status.Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 13f, FontStyle.Bold);
+            status.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(245, 246, 250);
+            status.Text = "Preparing installation...";
+            card.Controls.Add(status);
+            detail.SetBounds(22, 55, 590, 38);
+            detail.Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 9.5f);
             detail.ForeColor = muted;
-            detail.Text = "SOCDOF wird sicher heruntergeladen und vorbereitet.";
-            Controls.Add(detail);
-            bar.SetBounds(40, 257, 540, 5);
-            bar.Style = ProgressBarStyle.Marquee;
-            bar.MarqueeAnimationSpeed = 25;
-            bar.BackColor = panel;
+            detail.Text = "SOCDOF will be downloaded and prepared securely.";
+            card.Controls.Add(detail);
+
+            Panel track = new Panel { Location = new Point(22, 109), Size = new Size(590, 5), BackColor = Color.FromArgb(57, 59, 68) };
+            card.Controls.Add(track);
+            bar.SetBounds(0, 0, 0, 5);
+            bar.Style = ProgressBarStyle.Continuous;
+            bar.MarqueeAnimationSpeed = 0;
+            bar.BackColor = accent;
             bar.ForeColor = accent;
-            Controls.Add(bar);
+            track.Controls.Add(bar);
+            bar.Tag = track;
+            bar.Size = new Size(0, 5);
 
-            Controls.Add(new Label { Text = "INSTALLATIONSORDNER", Location = new Point(40, 286), AutoSize = true, Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 8f, FontStyle.Bold), ForeColor = muted });
-            Panel pathPanel = new Panel { Location = new Point(40, 307), Size = new Size(540, 42), BackColor = panel, Padding = new Padding(12, 0, 0, 0) };
-            Controls.Add(pathPanel);
-            pathText.SetBounds(12, 0, 405, 42);
+            Label pathHeading = new Label { Text = "INSTALLATION LOCATION", Location = new Point(0, 270), Size = new Size(300, 18), Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 8.5f, FontStyle.Bold), ForeColor = muted };
+            content.Controls.Add(pathHeading);
+            Panel pathPanel = new Panel { Location = new Point(0, 294), Size = new Size(636, 48), BackColor = panel };
+            content.Controls.Add(pathPanel);
+            pathText.SetBounds(16, 0, 475, 48);
             pathText.Text = target;
             pathText.TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleLeft;
-            pathText.Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 9f);
-            pathText.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(224, 226, 234);
+            pathText.Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 9.5f);
+            pathText.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(230, 232, 239);
             pathText.AutoEllipsis = true;
             pathPanel.Controls.Add(pathText);
-            browse.Text = "Ändern";
-            browse.SetBounds(431, 6, 96, 30);
+            browse.Text = "Change";
+            browse.SetBounds(520, 8, 104, 32);
             browse.FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat;
-            browse.FlatAppearance.BorderColor = Color.FromArgb(75, 78, 88);
-            browse.BackColor = panel;
+            browse.FlatAppearance.BorderSize = 0;
+            browse.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(55, 58, 67);
             browse.ForeColor = Color.White;
             browse.Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 9f, FontStyle.Bold);
             browse.Cursor = Cursors.Hand;
             browse.Click += Browse;
             pathPanel.Controls.Add(browse);
 
-            install.Text = "Download wird vorbereitet …";
-            install.SetBounds(40, 366, 540, 42);
+            install.Text = "Preparing download...";
+            install.SetBounds(32, 432, 636, 44);
             install.FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat;
             install.FlatAppearance.BorderSize = 0;
             install.BackColor = accent;
-            install.ForeColor = Color.White;
-            install.Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 10f, FontStyle.Bold);
+            install.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(17, 20, 37);
+            install.Font = new Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 11f, FontStyle.Bold);
             install.Cursor = Cursors.Hand;
             install.Enabled = false;
             install.Click += async delegate { if (installed) Launch(); else await InstallAsync(); };
+            install.MouseEnter += delegate { if (install.Enabled) install.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(133, 145, 255); };
+            install.MouseLeave += delegate { install.BackColor = accent; };
             Controls.Add(install);
-            Controls.Add(new Label { Text = "STRUDELCODE  ·  YURI", Location = new Point(40, 411), Size = new Size(540, 14), TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter, Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 7f, FontStyle.Bold), ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(103, 106, 117) });
+            Controls.Add(new Label { Text = "STRUDELCODE  /  SOCDOF", Location = new Point(32, 480), Size = new Size(636, 14), TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter, Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 7.5f), ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(105, 109, 122) });
         }
 
         private async Task DownloadLatestAsync()
         {
-            State("Neueste Version wird gesucht …", "Verbindung zu GitHub wird hergestellt.", 0, true);
-            install.Text = "Download wird vorbereitet …";
+            State("Searching for the latest version...", "Connecting to GitHub.", 0, true);
+            install.Text = "Preparing download...";
             install.Enabled = false;
             try
             {
@@ -152,7 +167,7 @@ private async Task DownloadLatestAsync()
                 http.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/vnd.github+json"));
                 string json = await http.GetStringAsync("https://api.github.com/repos/Strudelcode/SOCDOF/releases/latest");
                 Dictionary<string, object> release = new JavaScriptSerializer().Deserialize<Dictionary<string, object>>(json);
-                version.Text = "Version " + Convert.ToString(release["tag_name"]) + " · Windows 64-Bit";
+                version.Text = "Version " + Convert.ToString(release["tag_name"]) + " · Windows 64-bit";
                 string url = null;
                 long size = 0;
                 ArrayList assets = release["assets"] as ArrayList;
@@ -171,9 +186,9 @@ private async Task DownloadLatestAsync()
                         }
                     }
                 }
-                if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(url)) throw new InvalidOperationException("Kein passendes SOCDOF-Setup im neuesten Release gefunden.");
+                if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(url)) throw new InvalidOperationException("No compatible SOCDOF setup was found in the latest release.");
                 packagePath = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), "SOCDOF-Setup-" + Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N") + ".exe");
-                State("SOCDOF wird heruntergeladen …", "Das Installationspaket wird im Hintergrund geladen.", 0, false);
+                State("Downloading SOCDOF...", "The installation package is downloading in the background.", 0, false);
                 using (HttpResponseMessage response = await http.GetAsync(url, HttpCompletionOption.ResponseHeadersRead))
                 {
                     response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
@@ -191,23 +206,23 @@ private async Task DownloadLatestAsync()
                             if (total > 0)
                             {
                                 int pct = (int)Math.Max(0, Math.Min(100, got * 100L / total));
-                                bar.Value = pct;
-                                detail.Text = "Installationspaket wird heruntergeladen … " + pct + "%";
+                                SetProgress(pct);
+                                detail.Text = "Downloading installation package... " + pct + "%";
                             }
                         }
                         await output.FlushAsync();
                     }
                 }
                 downloaded = true;
-                State("Bereit zur Installation", "Sie können den Installationsordner noch ändern.", 100, false);
-                install.Text = "Installation starten";
+                State("Ready to install", "You can still change the installation location.", 100, false);
+                install.Text = "Install SOCDOF";
                 install.Enabled = true;
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
             {
-                State("Download nicht möglich", "Prüfen Sie Ihre Internetverbindung und versuchen Sie es erneut.", 0, false);
+                State("Download failed", "Check your internet connection and try again.", 0, false);
                 detail.Text = ex.Message.Length > 110 ? ex.Message.Substring(0, 110) + "…" : ex.Message;
-                install.Text = "Erneut versuchen";
+                install.Text = "Try again";
                 install.Enabled = true;
             }
         }
@@ -216,7 +231,7 @@ private void Browse(object sender, EventArgs e)
         {
             using (FolderBrowserDialog dialog = new FolderBrowserDialog())
             {
-                dialog.Description = "Wählen Sie den übergeordneten Ordner für SOCDOF.";
+                dialog.Description = "Choose the parent folder for SOCDOF.";
                 dialog.ShowNewFolderButton = true;
                 dialog.SelectedPath = Path.GetDirectoryName(target);
                 if (dialog.ShowDialog(this) == DialogResult.OK)
@@ -234,25 +249,25 @@ private async Task InstallAsync()
             installing = true;
             install.Enabled = false;
             browse.Enabled = false;
-            State("SOCDOF wird installiert …", "Die Anwendung wird eingerichtet. Bitte lassen Sie dieses Fenster geöffnet.", 0, true);
+            State("Installing SOCDOF...", "Setting up the application. Please keep this window open.", 0, true);
             try
             {
                 Directory.CreateDirectory(target);
                 ProcessStartInfo info = new ProcessStartInfo { FileName = packagePath, Arguments = "/S /D=" + target, UseShellExecute = false, CreateNoWindow = true, WorkingDirectory = Path.GetTempPath() };
                 using (Process process = Process.Start(info))
                 {
-                    if (process == null) throw new InvalidOperationException("Das Setup konnte nicht gestartet werden.");
+                    if (process == null) throw new InvalidOperationException("The setup could not be started.");
                     await Task.Run(delegate { process.WaitForExit(); });
-                    if (process.ExitCode != 0) throw new InvalidOperationException("Das Setup wurde mit Fehlercode " + process.ExitCode + " beendet.");
+                    if (process.ExitCode != 0) throw new InvalidOperationException("Setup exited with error code " + process.ExitCode + ".");
                 }
                 installed = true;
-                State("Installation abgeschlossen", "SOCDOF wurde erfolgreich installiert.", 100, false);
-                install.Text = "SOCDOF starten";
+                State("Installation complete", "SOCDOF was installed successfully.", 100, false);
+                install.Text = "Launch SOCDOF";
                 install.Enabled = true;
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
             {
-                State("Installation fehlgeschlagen", "Das Setup konnte nicht abgeschlossen werden.", 0, false);
+                State("Installation failed", "Setup could not be completed.", 0, false);
                 detail.Text = ex.Message.Length > 110 ? ex.Message.Substring(0, 110) + "…" : ex.Message;
                 install.Text = "Erneut versuchen";
                 install.Enabled = true;
@@ -265,19 +280,30 @@ private void Launch()
             string exe = Path.Combine(target, "SOCDOF.exe");
             if (!File.Exists(exe))
             {
-                MessageBox.Show(this, "Die Anwendung wurde nicht gefunden:\n" + exe, "SOCDOF", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Warning);
+                MessageBox.Show(this, "The application could not be found:\n" + exe, "SOCDOF", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Warning);
                 return;
             }
             try { Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo(exe) { UseShellExecute = true }); Close(); }
-            catch (Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show(this, ex.Message, "SOCDOF konnte nicht gestartet werden", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error); }
+            catch (Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show(this, ex.Message, "Could not launch SOCDOF", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error); }
         }
 
         private void State(string heading, string description, int percent, bool marquee)
         {
             status.Text = heading;
             detail.Text = description;
-            if (marquee) { bar.Style = ProgressBarStyle.Marquee; bar.MarqueeAnimationSpeed = 25; }
-            else { bar.Style = ProgressBarStyle.Continuous; bar.MarqueeAnimationSpeed = 0; bar.Value = Math.Max(0, Math.Min(100, percent)); }
+            if (marquee) { bar.Style = ProgressBarStyle.Marquee; bar.MarqueeAnimationSpeed = 25; bar.Width = ((Panel)bar.Tag).Width; }
+            else { bar.Style = ProgressBarStyle.Continuous; bar.MarqueeAnimationSpeed = 0; SetProgress(percent); }
+        }
+
+        private void SetProgress(int percent)
+        {
+            Panel track = bar.Tag as Panel;
+            if (track == null) return;
+            bar.Width = (int)(track.Width * (Math.Max(0, Math.Min(100, percent)) / 100.0));
+            bar.Height = track.Height;
+            bar.Left = 0;
+            bar.Top = 0;
+            bar.BackColor = accent;
         }
 
         private static void Drag(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)