diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
index 5bfed122e1d..538c1713604 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## [UNRELEASED]
 
+- After an extension-managed CodeQL CLI update, the notification now offers to open the CLI release notes instead of the extension log. [#1095](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/issues/1095)
+
 ## 1.17.8 - 17 July 2026
 
 - Fix a bug where installing or updating the CodeQL CLI could hang indefinitely while extracting the downloaded archive. Extraction now reports an error if a file cannot be written, and aborts with a clear message if no progress is made within the download timeout (for example due to slow or networked storage, or security software). [#4455](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/4455)
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/codeql-cli/distribution/release-notes.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/codeql-cli/distribution/release-notes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a9bde0d4259
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/codeql-cli/distribution/release-notes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import { env, Uri } from "vscode";
+import { showInformationMessageWithAction } from "../../common/vscode/dialog";
+
+export const codeQlCliReleaseNotesUrl =
+  "https://github.com/github/codeql-cli-binaries/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md";
+
+/**
+ * Offers release notes after the extension updates its managed CodeQL CLI.
+ */
+export async function offerCodeQlCliReleaseNotes(
+  updateMessage: string,
+): Promise<void> {
+  if (
+    await showInformationMessageWithAction(updateMessage, "Show release notes")
+  ) {
+    await env.openExternal(Uri.parse(codeQlCliReleaseNotesUrl));
+  }
+}
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
index cda8a62e0f9..925e231b00d 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ import {
   showBinaryChoiceDialog,
   showInformationMessageWithAction,
 } from "./common/vscode/dialog";
+import { offerCodeQlCliReleaseNotes } from "./codeql-cli/distribution/release-notes";
 import {
   asError,
   assertNever,
@@ -555,10 +556,9 @@ async function installOrUpdateDistributionWithProgressTitle(
         );
 
         await ctx.globalState.update(shouldUpdateOnNextActivationKey, false);
-        void showAndLogInformationMessage(
-          extLogger,
-          `CodeQL CLI updated to version "${result.updatedRelease.name}".`,
-        );
+        const updateMessage = `CodeQL CLI updated to version "${result.updatedRelease.name}".`;
+        void extLogger.log(updateMessage);
+        void offerCodeQlCliReleaseNotes(updateMessage);
       }
       break;
     default:
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/test/vscode-tests/no-workspace/codeql-cli/release-notes.test.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/test/vscode-tests/no-workspace/codeql-cli/release-notes.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d6f27054af3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/test/vscode-tests/no-workspace/codeql-cli/release-notes.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { env, Uri, window } from "vscode";
+import {
+  codeQlCliReleaseNotesUrl,
+  offerCodeQlCliReleaseNotes,
+} from "../../../../src/codeql-cli/distribution/release-notes";
+
+describe("offerCodeQlCliReleaseNotes", () => {
+  const updateMessage = 'CodeQL CLI updated to version "v2.23.0".';
+  let showInformationMessageSpy: jest.SpiedFunction<
+    typeof window.showInformationMessage
+  >;
+  let openExternalSpy: jest.SpiedFunction<typeof env.openExternal>;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    showInformationMessageSpy = jest
+      .spyOn(window, "showInformationMessage")
+      .mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    openExternalSpy = jest.spyOn(env, "openExternal").mockResolvedValue(true);
+  });
+
+  it("opens the CLI changelog when the release-notes action is selected", async () => {
+    showInformationMessageSpy.mockImplementationOnce((...args) =>
+      Promise.resolve(args[1]),
+    );
+
+    await offerCodeQlCliReleaseNotes(updateMessage);
+
+    expect(showInformationMessageSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(updateMessage, {
+      title: "Show release notes",
+      isCloseAffordance: false,
+    });
+    expect(openExternalSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      Uri.parse(codeQlCliReleaseNotesUrl),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("does not open the changelog when the message is dismissed", async () => {
+    await offerCodeQlCliReleaseNotes(updateMessage);
+
+    expect(openExternalSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});