diff --git a/src/DisplayI.h b/src/DisplayI.h
index a9bb027..b8dbdbd 100644
--- a/src/DisplayI.h
+++ b/src/DisplayI.h
@@ -34,4 +34,9 @@ class DisplayI {
 
     // Screen timeout
     virtual void setScreenTimeoutMs(uint32_t timeoutMs) = 0;
+
+    // OTA support — TFT frees sprite to reclaim heap for SSL
+    virtual void freeForOTA() {}
+    virtual void updateOTAProgress(uint8_t percent) { (void)percent; }
+    virtual void showOTAError(const char* error) { (void)error; }
 };
diff --git a/src/TFTManager.cpp b/src/TFTManager.cpp
index 908aff9..f6c4666 100644
--- a/src/TFTManager.cpp
+++ b/src/TFTManager.cpp
@@ -667,3 +667,104 @@ void TFTManager::showSpool(const DisplaySpoolData& spool) {
     tftSpool.tagType = spool.tagType;
     showSpoolScanned(tftSpool);
 }
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// OTA support — free sprite for SSL heap, render directly to panel
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void TFTManager::freeForOTA() {
+    // Stop the TFT task so no queue processing conflicts with direct writes.
+    // NOTE: The task and sprite are NOT restored after OTA failure — the device
+    // is expected to reboot (success) or require manual reboot (failure).
+    if (_taskHandle != nullptr) {
+        vTaskDelete(_taskHandle);
+        _taskHandle = nullptr;
+        Serial.println("TFTManager: Task stopped for OTA");
+    }
+
+    // Delete sprite to free 57.6KB heap
+    _sprite.deleteSprite();
+    Serial.printf("TFTManager: Sprite freed, heap now %u\n", ESP.getFreeHeap());
+
+    // Wake screen if it was off
+    _tft.setBrightness(255);
+
+    // Draw OTA screen directly to panel (no sprite)
+    _tft.fillScreen(COLOR_BG);
+
+    // Header bar
+    _tft.fillRect(0, 0, _tft.width(), 28, COLOR_HEADER_BG);
+    _tft.setTextColor(COLOR_ACCENT);
+    _tft.setTextSize(1);
+    _tft.setTextDatum(MC_DATUM);
+    _tft.drawString("SpoolSense", _tft.width() / 2, 14);
+
+    // "Updating..." text
+    int cx = _tft.width() / 2;
+    _tft.setTextColor(COLOR_TEXT);
+    _tft.setTextSize(2);
+    _tft.setTextDatum(MC_DATUM);
+    _tft.drawString("Updating...", cx, 80);
+
+    // Progress bar outline (same position updateOTAProgress will fill)
+    int barX = 20;
+    int barY = 120;
+    int barW = _tft.width() - 40;  // 200px on 240px display
+    int barH = 20;
+    _tft.drawRoundRect(barX, barY, barW, barH, barH / 2, 0x555555);
+
+    // "0%" text
+    _tft.setTextColor(COLOR_SUBTEXT);
+    _tft.setTextSize(1);
+    _tft.setTextDatum(MC_DATUM);
+    _tft.drawString("0%", cx, 155);
+}
+
+void TFTManager::updateOTAProgress(uint8_t percent) {
+    if (percent > 100) percent = 100;
+
+    int barX = 20;
+    int barY = 120;
+    int barW = _tft.width() - 40;  // 200px
+    int barH = 20;
+    int cx = _tft.width() / 2;
+
+    // Fill progress bar
+    int filled = (barW * percent) / 100;
+    if (filled > 0) {
+        _tft.fillRoundRect(barX, barY, filled, barH, barH / 2, COLOR_ACCENT);
+    }
+
+    // Clear and redraw percentage text
+    _tft.fillRect(cx - 30, 148, 60, 16, COLOR_BG);
+    char pctStr[8];
+    snprintf(pctStr, sizeof(pctStr), "%u%%", percent);
+    _tft.setTextColor(COLOR_SUBTEXT);
+    _tft.setTextSize(1);
+    _tft.setTextDatum(MC_DATUM);
+    _tft.drawString(pctStr, cx, 155);
+}
+
+void TFTManager::showOTAError(const char* error) {
+    int cx = _tft.width() / 2;
+
+    // Clear progress area
+    _tft.fillRect(0, 60, _tft.width(), _tft.height() - 60, COLOR_BG);
+
+    // Error icon
+    _tft.fillCircle(cx, 100, 22, 0xFF4444);
+    _tft.setTextColor(COLOR_BG);
+    _tft.setTextSize(3);
+    _tft.setTextDatum(MC_DATUM);
+    _tft.drawString("X", cx, 100);
+
+    // "Update Failed" text
+    _tft.setTextColor(COLOR_TEXT);
+    _tft.setTextSize(1);
+    _tft.drawString("Update Failed", cx, 135);
+
+    // Error detail
+    if (error && error[0]) {
+        _tft.setTextColor(COLOR_SUBTEXT);
+        _tft.drawString(error, cx, 155);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/TFTManager.h b/src/TFTManager.h
index 18eaa41..4281b49 100644
--- a/src/TFTManager.h
+++ b/src/TFTManager.h
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ class TFTManager : public DisplayI {
     void showKeypadEntry(const char* toolNumber);
     void showError(const char* msg);
 
+    // OTA support — free sprite heap, render progress directly to panel
+    void freeForOTA() override;
+    void updateOTAProgress(uint8_t percent) override;
+    void showOTAError(const char* error) override;
+
     void setScreenTimeoutMs(uint32_t timeoutMs) override;
 
     // DisplayI interface
diff --git a/src/WebServerManager.cpp b/src/WebServerManager.cpp
index e3fd8a9..c21a6c1 100644
--- a/src/WebServerManager.cpp
+++ b/src/WebServerManager.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "ConversionUtils.h"
 #include "TigerTagParser.h"
 #include "HomeAssistantManager.h"
+#include "DisplayI.h"
 
 extern "C" {
 #include "openprinttag_lib.h"
@@ -823,6 +824,12 @@ void WebServerManager::otaDownloadTask(void* param) {
     // Pause NFC during OTA
     NFCManager::getInstance().pauseScanTask();
 
+    // Free TFT sprite to reclaim ~57KB heap for SSL
+    if (self->_display) {
+        self->_display->freeForOTA();
+        Serial.printf("OTA: Free heap after sprite release: %u\n", ESP.getFreeHeap());
+    }
+
     WiFiClientSecure secureClient;
     secureClient.setInsecure();
 
@@ -839,6 +846,9 @@ void WebServerManager::otaDownloadTask(void* param) {
         NFCManager::getInstance().resumeScanTask();
         snprintf(self->_otaError, sizeof(self->_otaError), "Download failed: HTTP %d", httpCode);
         self->_otaState = OtaState::FAILED;
+        if (self->_display) {
+            self->_display->showOTAError(self->_otaError);
+        }
         vTaskDelete(nullptr);
         return;
     }
@@ -856,6 +866,9 @@ void WebServerManager::otaDownloadTask(void* param) {
         NFCManager::getInstance().resumeScanTask();
         strncpy(self->_otaError, "Update.begin failed", sizeof(self->_otaError));
         self->_otaState = OtaState::FAILED;
+        if (self->_display) {
+            self->_display->showOTAError(self->_otaError);
+        }
         vTaskDelete(nullptr);
         return;
     }
@@ -873,7 +886,13 @@ void WebServerManager::otaDownloadTask(void* param) {
                 Update.write(buf, bytesRead);
                 written += bytesRead;
                 if (contentLength > 0) {
-                    self->_otaProgress = (uint8_t)((written * 100) / contentLength);
+                    uint8_t newPct = (uint8_t)((written * 100) / contentLength);
+                    if (newPct != self->_otaProgress) {
+                        self->_otaProgress = newPct;
+                        if (self->_display) {
+                            self->_display->updateOTAProgress(newPct);
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -894,6 +913,9 @@ void WebServerManager::otaDownloadTask(void* param) {
         NFCManager::getInstance().resumeScanTask();
         strncpy(self->_otaError, "Update verification failed", sizeof(self->_otaError));
         self->_otaState = OtaState::FAILED;
+        if (self->_display) {
+            self->_display->showOTAError(self->_otaError);
+        }
     }
 
     vTaskDelete(nullptr);
diff --git a/src/WebServerManager.h b/src/WebServerManager.h
index 0e87c85..1d26857 100644
--- a/src/WebServerManager.h
+++ b/src/WebServerManager.h
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #include <WebServer.h>
 #endif
 
+class DisplayI;
+
 class WebServerManager {
 public:
     static WebServerManager& getInstance();
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@ class WebServerManager {
 
     // Call from loop() — processes pending HTTP requests.
     void handleClient();
+    void setDisplay(DisplayI* display) { _display = display; }
 
 private:
     WebServerManager() = default;
@@ -68,6 +71,8 @@ class WebServerManager {
     char _otaError[64] = {0};
     volatile uint8_t _otaProgress = 0;
 
+    DisplayI* _display = nullptr;
+
     void sendError(int code, const char* msg);
 #endif
 };
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 50a9c04..c2d57e2 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ void setup() {
   // Start HTTP server (both STA and AP mode)
   if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED || g_apModeActive) {
     WebServerManager::getInstance().begin(g_apModeActive);
+    WebServerManager::getInstance().setDisplay(activeDisplay);
   }
 
   Serial.println("=== Setup complete ===");