diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 70d540af9b..31e9d159ba 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -538,19 +538,33 @@ Configure through the admin dashboard with your identity provider's metadata.
 
 ### Email/SMTP Setup
 
-Configure email notifications in `app.ini`:
+Configure email notifications in `app.ini`. Email is required for account registration, password resets, notification delivery, and **blog guest comment verification** (anonymous commenters receive a 6-digit code via email to verify their identity).
 
 ```ini
 [mailer]
 ENABLED = true
 FROM = noreply@your-instance.com
-PROTOCOL = smtp
+PROTOCOL = smtp+starttls
 SMTP_ADDR = smtp.gmail.com
 SMTP_PORT = 587
 USER = your-email@gmail.com
 PASSWD = your-app-password
 ```
 
+**Supported protocols:** `smtp+starttls` (recommended), `smtps`, `smtp`, `sendmail`
+
+**Common provider examples:**
+
+| Provider | SMTP_ADDR | SMTP_PORT | PROTOCOL |
+|----------|-----------|-----------|----------|
+| Gmail | smtp.gmail.com | 587 | smtp+starttls |
+| Office 365 | smtp.office365.com | 587 | smtp+starttls |
+| Amazon SES | email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com | 587 | smtp+starttls |
+| Mailgun | smtp.mailgun.org | 587 | smtp+starttls |
+| SendGrid | smtp.sendgrid.net | 587 | smtp+starttls |
+
+> **Note:** Gmail requires an [App Password](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833) (not your regular password) when 2FA is enabled. Amazon SES requires SMTP credentials generated from the SES console.
+
 ### Unsplash Integration
 
 Enable Unsplash image search for repository social card backgrounds (Media Kit). This allows repository admins to search and select high-quality background images directly from Unsplash.
diff --git a/options/locale/locale_en-US.json b/options/locale/locale_en-US.json
index 0f51a4d2ff..16d83f93fc 100644
--- a/options/locale/locale_en-US.json
+++ b/options/locale/locale_en-US.json
@@ -2026,6 +2026,7 @@
   "repo.blog.reactions.admin_hint": "Thumbs down counts are only visible to repo admins.",
   "repo.blog.comments": "Comments",
   "repo.blog.comments.empty": "No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!",
+  "repo.blog.comments.disabled": "Comments have been disabled for this post.",
   "repo.blog.comment.posted": "Comment posted successfully.",
   "repo.blog.comment.deleted": "Comment deleted.",
   "repo.blog.comment.delete_confirm": "Are you sure you want to delete this comment?",
diff --git a/routers/web/explore/blog.go b/routers/web/explore/blog.go
index 72427ba798..4913076ae6 100644
--- a/routers/web/explore/blog.go
+++ b/routers/web/explore/blog.go
@@ -38,8 +38,13 @@ func Blogs(ctx *context.Context) {
 	ctx.Data["PackagesPageIsEnabled"] = setting.Service.Explore.EnablePackagesPage || setting.Config().Theme.EnableExplorePackages.Value(ctx)
 	ctx.Data["BlogsPageIsEnabled"] = true
 	ctx.Data["Title"] = ctx.Tr("explore.blogs")
-	ctx.Data["PageIsExplore"] = true
 	ctx.Data["PageIsExploreBlogs"] = true
+
+	blogsInTopNav := setting.Config().Theme.BlogsInTopNav.Value(ctx)
+	ctx.Data["BlogsInTopNav"] = blogsInTopNav
+	if !blogsInTopNav {
+		ctx.Data["PageIsExplore"] = true
+	}
 	ctx.Data["IsRepoIndexerEnabled"] = setting.Indexer.RepoIndexerEnabled
 
 	page := max(ctx.FormInt("page"), 1)
@@ -199,29 +204,27 @@ func StandaloneBlogView(ctx *context.Context) {
 	userReaction, _ := blog_model.GetUserBlogReaction(ctx, post.ID, userID, guestIP)
 	ctx.Data["UserReaction"] = userReaction
 
-	// Load comments if allowed
-	if post.AllowComments {
-		comments, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentsByPostID(ctx, post.ID)
-		if err != nil {
-			ctx.ServerError("GetBlogCommentsByPostID", err)
-			return
+	// Always load comments (even when disabled, to show existing ones as read-only)
+	comments, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentsByPostID(ctx, post.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		ctx.ServerError("GetBlogCommentsByPostID", err)
+		return
+	}
+	ctx.Data["BlogComments"] = comments
+
+	commentCount, _ := blog_model.CountBlogComments(ctx, post.ID)
+	ctx.Data["CommentCount"] = commentCount
+
+	// Load comment reaction counts and user reactions
+	commentIDs := collectCommentIDs(comments)
+	if len(commentIDs) > 0 {
+		commentReactionCounts, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentReactionCountsBatch(ctx, commentIDs)
+		if err == nil {
+			ctx.Data["CommentReactionCounts"] = commentReactionCounts
 		}
-		ctx.Data["BlogComments"] = comments
-
-		commentCount, _ := blog_model.CountBlogComments(ctx, post.ID)
-		ctx.Data["CommentCount"] = commentCount
-
-		// Load comment reaction counts and user reactions
-		commentIDs := collectCommentIDs(comments)
-		if len(commentIDs) > 0 {
-			commentReactionCounts, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentReactionCountsBatch(ctx, commentIDs)
-			if err == nil {
-				ctx.Data["CommentReactionCounts"] = commentReactionCounts
-			}
-			userCommentReactions, err := blog_model.GetUserBlogCommentReactionsBatch(ctx, commentIDs, userID, guestIP)
-			if err == nil {
-				ctx.Data["UserCommentReactions"] = userCommentReactions
-			}
+		userCommentReactions, err := blog_model.GetUserBlogCommentReactionsBatch(ctx, commentIDs, userID, guestIP)
+		if err == nil {
+			ctx.Data["UserCommentReactions"] = userCommentReactions
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/attachment.go b/routers/web/repo/attachment.go
index 656edb15e5..47742be2d8 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/attachment.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/attachment.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	access_model "code.gitcaddy.com/server/v3/models/perm/access"
 	repo_model "code.gitcaddy.com/server/v3/models/repo"
+	"code.gitcaddy.com/server/v3/models/unit"
 	"code.gitcaddy.com/server/v3/modules/httpcache"
 	"code.gitcaddy.com/server/v3/modules/log"
 	"code.gitcaddy.com/server/v3/modules/setting"
@@ -106,8 +107,25 @@ func ServeAttachment(ctx *context.Context, uuid string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if repository == nil { // If not linked
-		if !(ctx.IsSigned && attach.UploaderID == ctx.Doer.ID) { // We block if not the uploader
+	if repository == nil { // If not linked via issue/release
+		if attach.RepoID > 0 {
+			// Attachment belongs to a repo (e.g. blog featured image) but isn't linked to an issue/release.
+			// Fall back to checking repo-level read access.
+			repository, err = repo_model.GetRepositoryByID(ctx, attach.RepoID)
+			if err != nil {
+				ctx.HTTPError(http.StatusNotFound)
+				return
+			}
+			perm, err := access_model.GetUserRepoPermission(ctx, repository, ctx.Doer)
+			if err != nil {
+				ctx.HTTPError(http.StatusInternalServerError, "GetUserRepoPermission", err.Error())
+				return
+			}
+			if !perm.CanRead(unit.TypeCode) {
+				ctx.HTTPError(http.StatusNotFound)
+				return
+			}
+		} else if !(ctx.IsSigned && attach.UploaderID == ctx.Doer.ID) { // We block if not the uploader
 			ctx.HTTPError(http.StatusNotFound)
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/blog.go b/routers/web/repo/blog.go
index 97d68a3dfb..8d221d8be9 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/blog.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/blog.go
@@ -219,29 +219,27 @@ func BlogView(ctx *context.Context) {
 	userReaction, _ := blog_model.GetUserBlogReaction(ctx, post.ID, userID, guestIP)
 	ctx.Data["UserReaction"] = userReaction
 
-	// Load comments if allowed
-	if post.AllowComments {
-		comments, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentsByPostID(ctx, post.ID)
-		if err != nil {
-			ctx.ServerError("GetBlogCommentsByPostID", err)
-			return
+	// Always load comments (even when disabled, to show existing ones as read-only)
+	comments, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentsByPostID(ctx, post.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		ctx.ServerError("GetBlogCommentsByPostID", err)
+		return
+	}
+	ctx.Data["BlogComments"] = comments
+
+	commentCount, _ := blog_model.CountBlogComments(ctx, post.ID)
+	ctx.Data["CommentCount"] = commentCount
+
+	// Load comment reaction counts and user reactions
+	commentIDs := collectCommentIDs(comments)
+	if len(commentIDs) > 0 {
+		commentReactionCounts, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentReactionCountsBatch(ctx, commentIDs)
+		if err == nil {
+			ctx.Data["CommentReactionCounts"] = commentReactionCounts
 		}
-		ctx.Data["BlogComments"] = comments
-
-		commentCount, _ := blog_model.CountBlogComments(ctx, post.ID)
-		ctx.Data["CommentCount"] = commentCount
-
-		// Load comment reaction counts and user reactions
-		commentIDs := collectCommentIDs(comments)
-		if len(commentIDs) > 0 {
-			commentReactionCounts, err := blog_model.GetBlogCommentReactionCountsBatch(ctx, commentIDs)
-			if err == nil {
-				ctx.Data["CommentReactionCounts"] = commentReactionCounts
-			}
-			userCommentReactions, err := blog_model.GetUserBlogCommentReactionsBatch(ctx, commentIDs, userID, guestIP)
-			if err == nil {
-				ctx.Data["UserCommentReactions"] = userCommentReactions
-			}
+		userCommentReactions, err := blog_model.GetUserBlogCommentReactionsBatch(ctx, commentIDs, userID, guestIP)
+		if err == nil {
+			ctx.Data["UserCommentReactions"] = userCommentReactions
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/templates/blog/standalone_view.tmpl b/templates/blog/standalone_view.tmpl
index 9250ff23c6..bfbcc70ba3 100644
--- a/templates/blog/standalone_view.tmpl
+++ b/templates/blog/standalone_view.tmpl
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 					{{if .BlogTags}}
 					<div class="blog-view-tags">
 						{{range .BlogTags}}
-						<span class="ui small label">{{.}}</span>
+						<a class="ui small label" href="{{AppSubUrl}}/blogs?tag={{.}}">{{.}}</a>
 						{{end}}
 					</div>
 					{{end}}
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 			</div>
 
 			<!-- Comments Section -->
-			{{if .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
+			{{if or .BlogPost.AllowComments .BlogComments}}
 			<div class="blog-comments" id="blog-comments">
 				<h3 class="blog-comments-header">
 					{{svg "octicon-comment" 20}}
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@
 					{{if .CommentCount}}<span class="ui small label">{{.CommentCount}}</span>{{end}}
 				</h3>
 
+				{{if not .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
+				<div class="ui message info">
+					{{svg "octicon-lock" 16}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comments.disabled"}}
+				</div>
+				{{end}}
+
 				{{if .BlogComments}}
 				<div class="blog-comments-list">
 					{{range .BlogComments}}
@@ -134,9 +140,11 @@
 									<span class="comment-dislike-count" data-comment-id="{{.ID}}">{{if index $.CommentReactionCounts .ID}}{{(index $.CommentReactionCounts .ID).Dislikes}}{{else}}0{{end}}</span>
 								</button>
 							</div>
+							{{if $.BlogPost.AllowComments}}
 							<button class="blog-reply-btn" data-comment-id="{{.ID}}" type="button">
 								{{svg "octicon-reply" 14}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comment.reply"}}
 							</button>
+							{{end}}
 							{{if or $.IsWriter (and $.IsSigned (eq .UserID $.SignedUserID))}}
 							<form method="post" action="{{$.RepoLink}}/blog/{{$.BlogPost.ID}}/comment/{{.ID}}/delete" class="tw-inline">
 								{{$.CsrfTokenHtml}}
@@ -192,6 +200,7 @@
 						</div>
 						{{end}}
 
+						{{if $.BlogPost.AllowComments}}
 						<!-- Inline reply form (hidden by default) -->
 						<div class="blog-reply-form tw-hidden" id="reply-form-{{.ID}}">
 							<form method="post" action="{{$.RepoLink}}/blog/{{$.BlogPost.ID}}/comment">
@@ -205,13 +214,17 @@
 								</div>
 							</form>
 						</div>
+						{{end}}
 					</div>
 					{{end}}
 				</div>
 				{{else}}
-				<p class="blog-comments-empty">{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comments.empty"}}</p>
+					{{if .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
+					<p class="blog-comments-empty">{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comments.empty"}}</p>
+					{{end}}
 				{{end}}
 
+				{{if .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
 				<!-- New comment form -->
 				<div class="blog-comment-form-wrapper">
 					{{if .IsSigned}}
@@ -261,6 +274,7 @@
 					{{end}}
 					{{end}}
 				</div>
+				{{end}}
 			</div>
 			{{end}}
 		</div>
diff --git a/templates/explore/blogs.tmpl b/templates/explore/blogs.tmpl
index 52fb69977b..4fee312f5b 100644
--- a/templates/explore/blogs.tmpl
+++ b/templates/explore/blogs.tmpl
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {{template "base/head" .}}
 <div role="main" aria-label="{{.Title}}" class="page-content explore blogs">
-	{{template "explore/navbar" .}}
+	{{if not .BlogsInTopNav}}{{template "explore/navbar" .}}{{end}}
 	<div class="ui container">
 		{{if .FeaturedPost}}
 		<div class="blog-featured">
diff --git a/templates/repo/blog/view.tmpl b/templates/repo/blog/view.tmpl
index fe0d9e4e26..71f5b22d17 100644
--- a/templates/repo/blog/view.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/blog/view.tmpl
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 					{{if .BlogTags}}
 					<div class="blog-view-tags">
 						{{range .BlogTags}}
-						<span class="ui small label">{{.}}</span>
+						<a class="ui small label" href="{{AppSubUrl}}/blogs?tag={{.}}">{{.}}</a>
 						{{end}}
 					</div>
 					{{end}}
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
 			</div>
 
 			<!-- Comments Section -->
-			{{if .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
+			{{if or .BlogPost.AllowComments .BlogComments}}
 			<div class="blog-comments" id="blog-comments">
 				<h3 class="blog-comments-header">
 					{{svg "octicon-comment" 20}}
@@ -96,6 +96,12 @@
 					{{if .CommentCount}}<span class="ui small label">{{.CommentCount}}</span>{{end}}
 				</h3>
 
+				{{if not .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
+				<div class="ui message info">
+					{{svg "octicon-lock" 16}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comments.disabled"}}
+				</div>
+				{{end}}
+
 				{{if .BlogComments}}
 				<div class="blog-comments-list">
 					{{range .BlogComments}}
@@ -125,9 +131,11 @@
 									<span class="comment-dislike-count" data-comment-id="{{.ID}}">{{if index $.CommentReactionCounts .ID}}{{(index $.CommentReactionCounts .ID).Dislikes}}{{else}}0{{end}}</span>
 								</button>
 							</div>
+							{{if $.BlogPost.AllowComments}}
 							<button class="blog-reply-btn" data-comment-id="{{.ID}}" type="button">
 								{{svg "octicon-reply" 14}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comment.reply"}}
 							</button>
+							{{end}}
 							{{if or $.IsWriter (and $.IsSigned (eq .UserID $.SignedUserID))}}
 							<form method="post" action="{{$.RepoLink}}/blog/{{$.BlogPost.ID}}/comment/{{.ID}}/delete" class="tw-inline">
 								{{$.CsrfTokenHtml}}
@@ -181,6 +189,7 @@
 						</div>
 						{{end}}
 
+						{{if $.BlogPost.AllowComments}}
 						<!-- Inline reply form (hidden by default) -->
 						<div class="blog-reply-form tw-hidden" id="reply-form-{{.ID}}">
 							<form method="post" action="{{$.RepoLink}}/blog/{{$.BlogPost.ID}}/comment">
@@ -193,13 +202,17 @@
 								</div>
 							</form>
 						</div>
+						{{end}}
 					</div>
 					{{end}}
 				</div>
 				{{else}}
-				<p class="blog-comments-empty">{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comments.empty"}}</p>
+					{{if .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
+					<p class="blog-comments-empty">{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.blog.comments.empty"}}</p>
+					{{end}}
 				{{end}}
 
+				{{if .BlogPost.AllowComments}}
 				<!-- New comment form -->
 				<div class="blog-comment-form-wrapper">
 					{{if .IsSigned}}
@@ -247,6 +260,7 @@
 					{{end}}
 					{{end}}
 				</div>
+				{{end}}
 			</div>
 			{{end}}
 		</div>