diff --git a/apps/client/src/components/app_context.ts b/apps/client/src/components/app_context.ts
index f7a5dfb1e6..3c7873e8b6 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/components/app_context.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/components/app_context.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import type { NativeImage, TouchBar } from "electron";
 import TouchBarComponent from "./touch_bar.js";
 import type { CKTextEditor } from "@triliumnext/ckeditor5";
 import type CodeMirror from "@triliumnext/codemirror";
+import { StartupChecks } from "./startup_checks.js";
 
 interface Layout {
     getRootWidget: (appContext: AppContext) => RootWidget;
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ export type CommandMappings = {
     openAboutDialog: CommandData;
     hideFloatingButtons: {};
     hideLeftPane: CommandData;
+    showCpuArchWarning: CommandData;
     showLeftPane: CommandData;
     hoistNote: CommandData & { noteId: string };
     leaveProtectedSession: CommandData;
@@ -473,7 +475,14 @@ export class AppContext extends Component {
     initComponents() {
         this.tabManager = new TabManager();
 
-        this.components = [this.tabManager, new RootCommandExecutor(), new Entrypoints(), new MainTreeExecutors(), new ShortcutComponent()];
+        this.components = [
+            this.tabManager,
+            new RootCommandExecutor(),
+            new Entrypoints(),
+            new MainTreeExecutors(),
+            new ShortcutComponent(),
+            new StartupChecks()
+        ];
 
         if (utils.isMobile()) {
             this.components.push(new MobileScreenSwitcherExecutor());
diff --git a/apps/client/src/components/startup_checks.ts b/apps/client/src/components/startup_checks.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b320d7e134
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/components/startup_checks.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import server from "../services/server";
+import Component from "./component";
+
+// TODO: Deduplicate.
+interface CpuArchResponse {
+    isCpuArchMismatch: boolean;
+}
+
+export class StartupChecks extends Component {
+
+    constructor() {
+        super();
+        this.checkCpuArchMismatch();
+    }
+
+    async checkCpuArchMismatch() {
+        try {
+            const response = await server.get("system-checks") as CpuArchResponse;
+            if (response.isCpuArchMismatch) {
+                this.triggerCommand("showCpuArchWarning", {});
+            }
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.warn("Could not check CPU arch status:", error);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/apps/client/src/desktop.ts b/apps/client/src/desktop.ts
index 1a0f7e8a99..65e2e285a4 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/desktop.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/desktop.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import electronContextMenu from "./menus/electron_context_menu.js";
 import glob from "./services/glob.js";
 import { t } from "./services/i18n.js";
 import options from "./services/options.js";
+import server from "./services/server.js";
 import type ElectronRemote from "@electron/remote";
 import type Electron from "electron";
 import "./stylesheets/bootstrap.scss";
diff --git a/apps/client/src/layouts/layout_commons.ts b/apps/client/src/layouts/layout_commons.ts
index d9559cde22..e538398391 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/layouts/layout_commons.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/layouts/layout_commons.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import ConfirmDialog from "../widgets/dialogs/confirm.js";
 import RevisionsDialog from "../widgets/dialogs/revisions.js";
 import DeleteNotesDialog from "../widgets/dialogs/delete_notes.js";
 import InfoDialog from "../widgets/dialogs/info.js";
+import IncorrectCpuArchDialog from "../widgets/dialogs/incorrect_cpu_arch.js";
 
 export function applyModals(rootContainer: RootContainer) {
     rootContainer
@@ -45,4 +46,5 @@ export function applyModals(rootContainer: RootContainer) {
         .child(new InfoDialog())
         .child(new ConfirmDialog())
         .child(new PromptDialog())
+        .child(new IncorrectCpuArchDialog())
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json b/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json
index 4601580559..ab7933617f 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json
+++ b/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json
@@ -1918,5 +1918,14 @@
     "title": "Appearance",
     "word_wrapping": "Word wrapping",
     "color-scheme": "Color scheme"
+  },
+  "cpu_arch_warning": {
+    "title": "Please download the ARM64 version",
+    "message_macos": "TriliumNext is currently running under Rosetta 2 translation, which means you're using the Intel (x64) version on Apple Silicon Mac. This will significantly impact performance and battery life.",
+    "message_windows": "TriliumNext is currently running emulation, which means you're using the Intel (x64) version on a Windows on ARM device. This will significantly impact performance and battery life.",
+    "recommendation": "For the best experience, please download the native ARM64 version of TriliumNext from our releases page.",
+    "download_link": "Download Native Version",
+    "continue_anyway": "Continue Anyway",
+    "dont_show_again": "Don't show this warning again"
   }
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/widgets/dialogs/incorrect_cpu_arch.ts b/apps/client/src/widgets/dialogs/incorrect_cpu_arch.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e30060fec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/widgets/dialogs/incorrect_cpu_arch.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import BasicWidget from "../basic_widget.js";
+import { Modal } from "bootstrap";
+import utils from "../../services/utils.js";
+import { t } from "../../services/i18n.js";
+
+const TPL = /*html*/`
+<div class="cpu-arch-dialog modal mx-auto" tabindex="-1" role="dialog" style="z-index: 2000;">
+    <div class="modal-dialog modal-lg" role="document">
+        <div class="modal-content">
+            <div class="modal-header">
+                <h5 class="modal-title">${t("cpu_arch_warning.title")}</h5>
+                <button type="button" class="btn-close" data-bs-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"></button>
+            </div>
+            <div class="modal-body">
+                <p>${utils.isMac() ? t("cpu_arch_warning.message_macos") : t("cpu_arch_warning.message_windows")}</p>
+
+                <p>${t("cpu_arch_warning.recommendation")}</p>
+            </div>
+            <div class="modal-footer d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center">
+                <button class="download-correct-version-button btn btn-primary btn-lg me-2">
+                    <span class="bx bx-download"></span>
+                    ${t("cpu_arch_warning.download_link")}
+                </button>
+
+                <button class="btn btn-secondary" data-bs-dismiss="modal">${t("cpu_arch_warning.continue_anyway")}</button>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+</div>`;
+
+export default class IncorrectCpuArchDialog extends BasicWidget {
+    private modal!: Modal;
+    private $downloadButton!: JQuery<HTMLElement>;
+
+    doRender() {
+        this.$widget = $(TPL);
+        this.modal = Modal.getOrCreateInstance(this.$widget[0]);
+        this.$downloadButton = this.$widget.find(".download-correct-version-button");
+
+        this.$downloadButton.on("click", () => {
+            // Open the releases page where users can download the correct version
+            if (utils.isElectron()) {
+                const { shell } = utils.dynamicRequire("electron");
+                shell.openExternal("https://github.com/TriliumNext/Notes/releases/latest");
+            } else {
+                window.open("https://github.com/TriliumNext/Notes/releases/latest", "_blank");
+            }
+        });
+
+        // Auto-focus the download button when shown
+        this.$widget.on("shown.bs.modal", () => {
+            this.$downloadButton.trigger("focus");
+        });
+    }
+
+    showCpuArchWarningEvent() {
+        this.modal.show();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/api/system_info.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/api/system_info.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32c7f91f7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/api/system_info.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { execSync } from "child_process";
+import { isMac, isWindows } from "../../services/utils";
+import { arch, cpus } from "os";
+
+function systemChecks() {
+    return {
+        isCpuArchMismatch: isCpuArchMismatch()
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Detects if the application is running under emulation on Apple Silicon or Windows on ARM.
+ * This happens when an x64 version of the app is run on an M1/M2/M3 Mac or on a Windows Snapdragon chip.
+ * @returns true if running on x86 emulation on ARM, false otherwise.
+ */
+export const isCpuArchMismatch = () => {
+    if (isMac) {
+        try {
+            // Use child_process to check sysctl.proc_translated
+            // This is the proper way to detect Rosetta 2 translation
+            const result = execSync("sysctl -n sysctl.proc_translated 2>/dev/null", {
+                encoding: "utf8",
+                timeout: 1000
+            }).trim();
+
+            // 1 means the process is being translated by Rosetta 2
+            // 0 means native execution
+            // If the sysctl doesn't exist (on Intel Macs), this will return empty/error
+            return result === "1";
+        } catch (error) {
+            // If sysctl fails or doesn't exist (Intel Macs), not running under Rosetta 2
+            return false;
+        }
+    } else if (isWindows && arch() === "x64") {
+        return cpus().some(cpu =>
+            cpu.model.includes('Microsoft SQ') ||
+            cpu.model.includes('Snapdragon'));
+    } else {
+        return false;
+    }
+};
+
+export default {
+    systemChecks
+};
diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts
index b988ecb114..6b984aed4a 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import ollamaRoute from "./api/ollama.js";
 import openaiRoute from "./api/openai.js";
 import anthropicRoute from "./api/anthropic.js";
 import llmRoute from "./api/llm.js";
+import systemInfoRoute from "./api/system_info.js";
 
 import etapiAuthRoutes from "../etapi/auth.js";
 import etapiAppInfoRoutes from "../etapi/app_info.js";
@@ -238,6 +239,7 @@ function register(app: express.Application) {
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/recent-notes", recentNotesRoute.addRecentNote);
     apiRoute(GET, "/api/app-info", appInfoRoute.getAppInfo);
     apiRoute(GET, "/api/metrics", metricsRoute.getMetrics);
+    apiRoute(GET, "/api/system-checks", systemInfoRoute.systemChecks);
 
     // docker health check
     route(GET, "/api/health-check", [], () => ({ status: "ok" }), apiResultHandler);