diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 75321a6..5066b77 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,23 +1,6 @@
 name: Release
 
 on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-    inputs:
-      release_tag:
-        description: 'Existing release tag to publish (leave empty for a dry run)'
-        required: false
-        type: string
-  pull_request:
-    branches:
-      - main
-    paths:
-      - '.github/actions/setup/**'
-      - '.github/workflows/ci.yml'
-      - '.github/workflows/release.yml'
-      - 'package.json'
-      - 'scripts/check-package.mjs'
-      - 'scripts/check-release.mjs'
-      - 'tsconfig.build.json'
   push:
     tags:
       - 'v*'
@@ -31,32 +14,24 @@ concurrency:
 
 jobs:
   verify:
-    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
     uses: ./.github/workflows/ci.yml
 
   package:
     needs: verify
-    if: >-
-      always() &&
-      (github.event_name == 'pull_request' || needs.verify.result == 'success')
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@fbc6f3992d24b796d5a048ff273f7fcc4a7b6c09 # v5.0.0
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-          ref: ${{ inputs.release_tag || github.ref }}
 
       - name: Setup
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup
 
       - name: Validate release tag
-        if: github.event_name == 'push' || inputs.release_tag != ''
-        env:
-          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_name || inputs.release_tag }}
         run: |
           git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD origin/main
-          node scripts/check-release.mjs "$RELEASE_TAG"
+          node scripts/check-release.mjs "$GITHUB_REF_NAME"
 
       - name: Build package
         run: yarn build
@@ -73,12 +48,9 @@ jobs:
           name: npm-package
           path: artifacts/*.tgz
           if-no-files-found: error
-          retention-days: 1
+          retention-days: 7
 
   publish:
-    if: >-
-      (github.event_name == 'push' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')) ||
-      (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.release_tag != '')
     needs: package
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     environment: release
@@ -101,13 +73,11 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Publish with npm trusted publishing
         shell: bash
-        env:
-          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_name || inputs.release_tag }}
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
 
           package_name=react-native-ease
-          version="${RELEASE_TAG#v}"
+          version="${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}"
           tarball="./artifacts/$package_name-$version.tgz"
           dist_tag=latest
           if [[ "$version" == *-* ]]; then dist_tag=next; fi
@@ -137,7 +107,7 @@ jobs:
 
           npm publish "$tarball" --provenance --access public --tag "$dist_tag"
 
-          for attempt in {1..12}; do
+          for attempt in {1..60}; do
             if npm view "$package_name@$version" version dist.integrity --json > "$registry_file" &&
               npm view "$package_name" "dist-tags.$dist_tag" --json > "$RUNNER_TEMP/dist-tag.json" &&
               node -e '
@@ -158,5 +128,5 @@ jobs:
             sleep 10
           done
 
-          echo "Registry verification failed." >&2
+          echo "npm accepted publication, but registry verification is still pending. Check the exact version before retrying with the saved artifact." >&2
           exit 1
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index ef37f59..2e1a1d2 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -4,27 +4,6 @@ This repository publishes one npm package, `react-native-ease`. The example and
 documentation site are not published to npm. Keep this document aligned with
 [the Release workflow](.github/workflows/release.yml).
 
-## One-time trusted-publisher setup
-
-Configure a GitHub Actions trusted publisher in the npm package settings:
-
-| Field             | Value                                |
-| ----------------- | ------------------------------------ |
-| Organization      | `appandflow`                         |
-| Repository        | `react-native-ease`                  |
-| Workflow filename | `release.yml`                        |
-| Environment       | `release`                            |
-| Allowed action    | Direct publishing with `npm publish` |
-
-The workflow uses npm's OpenID Connect integration and does not need an npm
-write token. It publishes with Node 24 and npm provenance. See
-[npm's trusted publishing guide](https://docs.npmjs.com/trusted-publishers/).
-
-Create the GitHub `release` environment, require a maintainer review, and limit
-deployment tags to `v*`. Declaring the environment in the workflow does not
-create its protection rules, and the npm trust relationship must also be
-configured separately.
-
 ## Prepare and verify a candidate
 
 Start from reviewed, current `main`. Check npm before choosing a version; a Git
@@ -57,15 +36,6 @@ node scripts/check-release.mjs vX.Y.Z
 CI also builds the Android, iOS, and tvOS examples. Device behavior affected by
 the release still needs device validation.
 
-After this workflow has been merged into the default branch, use **Actions →
-Release → Run workflow** with `release_tag` empty for a publication-free
-integration test. The manual run executes the full reusable CI workflow, builds
-and validates the npm tarball, and uploads it as a one-day workflow artifact.
-
-The dry run cannot test npm's OIDC trust relationship because npm authenticates
-the workflow only when `npm publish` runs. Use the first intentional prerelease
-to validate trusted publishing end to end.
-
 ## Tag and publish
 
 1. Run `yarn release X.Y.Z` from current `main`. `release-it` creates the release
@@ -93,17 +63,18 @@ move a newer dist-tag backward.
 - If authentication fails, verify the npm publisher's organization, repository,
   workflow filename, and environment. Do not add a long-lived npm token as a
   workaround.
-- If validation fails before publication, fix the issue on `main` and prepare a
-  new version. Never move a pushed release tag.
-- If a publish is interrupted, query the exact npm version before retrying. The
-  workflow refuses registry errors other than a real missing-version response.
-  If the tagged workflow itself needs a fix, merge the fix to `main`, then run
-  the Release workflow manually with the existing tag in `release_tag`. It
-  checks out and validates that immutable tag before publishing its exact package.
-- npm versions cannot be overwritten. Publish a new version for any correction.
-- Do not rerun an old release to change `latest` or `next` after a newer release
-  has advanced that dist-tag.
-
-Adding this workflow does not publish anything. npm publication begins only when
-a matching release tag is pushed, or supplied explicitly as `release_tag` to a
-manual recovery run, and the protected environment is approved.
+- Retry a failed publish with `gh run rerun RUN_ID --failed`. This reuses the
+  inspected tarball, retained for seven days, without repeating native CI.
+- npm processing can take several minutes. The workflow allows approximately
+  ten minutes for verification after acceptance. If verification times out,
+  inspect the exact npm version before retrying with the same artifact.
+- If the artifact has expired, rerun all jobs. A rerun uses the original workflow
+  revision, including its checkout and scripts. Merging a workflow fix does not
+  update an existing run.
+- Never move an already-published tag. npm versions cannot be overwritten;
+  publish a new version for corrections to a published package.
+- An existing version is skipped only when its integrity matches the saved
+  tarball. This does not change `latest` or `next`.
+
+Adding this workflow does not publish anything. Publication requires a matching
+`v*` tag push, successful CI, and approval of the protected release environment.