diff --git a/src/components/Downloads.astro b/src/components/Downloads.astro
index 8a856ed..f866f1f 100644
--- a/src/components/Downloads.astro
+++ b/src/components/Downloads.astro
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ const fmtDate = (d: string) =>
 const sections = [
   { heading: `ViciBox v.${release.stable.version}`, note: `Current stable release, ${fmtDate(release.stable.date)}`, rel: release.stable, beta: false },
   ...(showBeta
-    ? [{ heading: `ViciBox v.${release.beta.version}`, note: `Beta, ${fmtDate(release.beta.date)} — for testing only, not for production`, rel: release.beta, beta: true }]
+    ? [{ heading: `ViciBox v.${release.beta.version}`, note: release.beta.releaseCandidate
+        ? `Release candidate, ${fmtDate(release.beta.date)} — planned to become the official release on ${fmtDate(release.beta.plannedRelease)}`
+        : `Beta, ${fmtDate(release.beta.date)} — for testing only, not for production`, rel: release.beta, beta: true }]
     : []),
 ];
 ---
diff --git a/src/components/Slideshow.astro b/src/components/Slideshow.astro
index 5679ddf..93f80c1 100644
--- a/src/components/Slideshow.astro
+++ b/src/components/Slideshow.astro
@@ -17,8 +17,12 @@ const slides = [
     image: slideStable,
   },
   {
-    title: `ViciBox v.${release.beta.version} available for testing`,
-    text: 'The next major ViciBox release is in beta. Help us test it on non-production systems and report what you find on the forum.',
+    title: release.beta.releaseCandidate
+      ? `ViciBox v.${release.beta.version} release candidate`
+      : `ViciBox v.${release.beta.version} available for testing`,
+    text: release.beta.releaseCandidate
+      ? `The release candidate for the next major ViciBox release, planned to become the official release on ${new Date(`${release.beta.plannedRelease}T12:00:00Z`).toLocaleDateString('en-US', { month: 'long', day: 'numeric', year: 'numeric' })}. Report anything you find on the forum.`
+      : 'The next major ViciBox release is in beta. Help us test it on non-production systems and report what you find on the forum.',
     href: release.beta.post,
     image: slideBeta,
   },
diff --git a/src/content/posts/vicibox-13-0-0-beta3.md b/src/content/posts/vicibox-13-0-0-beta3.md
index 292f7a0..f7087bd 100644
--- a/src/content/posts/vicibox-13-0-0-beta3.md
+++ b/src/content/posts/vicibox-13-0-0-beta3.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 title: "ViciBox v.13.0.0 Beta 3 Available for Testing"
 slug: "vicibox-13-0-0-beta3"
 date: "2026-10-16T12:00:00.000Z"
-excerpt: "The third beta of ViciBox v.13.0.0 is available for testing, with standard and MD Software RAID1 installers. Beta releases are not intended for production systems."
+excerpt: "The third beta of ViciBox v.13.0.0 is available for testing, with standard and MD Software RAID1 installers. It is the release candidate for v.13.0.0, planned to become the official release on October 31, 2026."
 ---
 
 The third beta of the next major ViciBox release, v.13.0.0, is available for testing:
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ The third beta of the next major ViciBox release, v.13.0.0, is available for tes
 
 MD5 checksums are listed on the [ViciBox Server page](/server), and earlier betas are in the [download archive](https://download.vicidial.com/iso/vicibox/server/archive/).
 
-**Beta releases are for testing only and should not be used on production systems.** For production, use the current stable release, [ViciBox v.12.0.2](/server).
+**Beta 3 is the release candidate for ViciBox v.13.0.0.** Unless testing turns up a major architectural issue that requires fixing the underlying image, it will become the official ViciBox v.13.0.0 release on October 31, 2026. Until then, the current stable release is [ViciBox v.12.0.2](/server).
 
 Please report problems and feedback on the [VICIdial forum](https://www.vicidial.org/VICIDIALforum/), including whether you used the standard or MD ISO.
diff --git a/src/data/release.json b/src/data/release.json
index 752fc3e..baab4e7 100644
--- a/src/data/release.json
+++ b/src/data/release.json
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
     "version": "13.0.0-beta3",
     "date": "2026-10-16",
     "post": "/blog/vicibox-13-0-0-beta3",
+    "releaseCandidate": true,
+    "plannedRelease": "2026-10-31",
     "isos": [
       {
         "label": "Standard install",
diff --git a/src/pages/releases.astro b/src/pages/releases.astro
index 4609601..674ddfc 100644
--- a/src/pages/releases.astro
+++ b/src/pages/releases.astro
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ const fmtDate = (d: string) =>
     <div class="entrytext">
       <p>
         The current stable release is <a href="/server">ViciBox v.{release.stable.version}</a>.
-        ViciBox v.{release.beta.version} is <a href={release.beta.post}>available for testing</a>.
+        {' '}{release.beta.releaseCandidate
+          ? <>ViciBox v.{release.beta.version} is the <a href={release.beta.post}>release candidate</a> for v.{release.beta.version.split('-')[0]}.</>
+          : <>ViciBox v.{release.beta.version} is <a href={release.beta.post}>available for testing</a>.</>}{' '}
         ISOs for every past release are kept in the
         <a href={`${release.isoBase}archive/`}>download archive</a>.
       </p>