diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
index 48242cce..f4a3a5d5 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -1 +1,9 @@
 * @wpengine/headless-open-source @wpengine/spcs
+
+# Dependency files: bot is co-owner so its approval satisfies CODEOWNERS for Dependabot PRs
+package.json @wpe-ie-deploy-bot @wpengine/headless-open-source @wpengine/spcs
+package-lock.json @wpe-ie-deploy-bot @wpengine/headless-open-source @wpengine/spcs
+composer.json @wpe-ie-deploy-bot @wpengine/headless-open-source @wpengine/spcs
+composer.lock @wpe-ie-deploy-bot @wpengine/headless-open-source @wpengine/spcs
+Dockerfile @wpe-ie-deploy-bot @wpengine/headless-open-source @wpengine/spcs
+docker-compose.yml @wpe-ie-deploy-bot @wpengine/headless-open-source @wpengine/spcs
diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yaml b/.github/dependabot.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4bc99d20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+version: 2
+updates:
+  # npm (root monorepo — workspaces cover packages/* and plugins/*)
+  - package-ecosystem: "npm"
+    directory: "/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  # composer (plugins)
+  - package-ecosystem: "composer"
+    directory: "/plugins/hwp-cli"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "composer"
+    directory: "/plugins/hwp-previews"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "composer"
+    directory: "/plugins/wpgraphql-debug-extensions"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "composer"
+    directory: "/plugins/wpgraphql-logging"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "composer"
+    directory: "/plugins/wpgraphql-webhooks"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  # docker (Dockerfiles)
+  - package-ecosystem: "docker"
+    directory: "/plugins/hwp-previews/.docker"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "docker"
+    directory: "/plugins/wpgraphql-logging/.docker"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  # docker (docker-compose)
+  - package-ecosystem: "docker"
+    directory: "/plugins/hwp-previews"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "docker"
+    directory: "/plugins/wpgraphql-debug-extensions"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "docker"
+    directory: "/plugins/wpgraphql-logging"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "docker"
+    directory: "/plugins/wpgraphql-webhooks"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+
+  # github-actions
+  - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
+    directory: "/.github/workflows"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-release-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/create-release-branch.yml
index e0bef01b..e195c054 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-release-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-release-branch.yml
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ jobs:
             git commit -m "chore: apply version bump from changesets for ${{ steps.plugin.outputs.slug }}"
             git push origin "$BRANCH_NAME"
 
-            # Create PR
-            gh pr create \
+            # Create PR and capture URL for auto-merge steps
+            RELEASE_PR_URL=$(gh pr create \
               --title "Release: ${{ steps.plugin.outputs.slug }} version bump" \
               --body "Automated release PR for ${{ steps.plugin.outputs.slug }} plugin.
 
@@ -139,8 +139,21 @@ jobs:
 
             Plugin: ${{ steps.plugin.outputs.slug }}" \
               --base main \
-              --head "$BRANCH_NAME"
+              --head "$BRANCH_NAME")
+            echo "RELEASE_PR_URL=$RELEASE_PR_URL" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           fi
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Approve release PR
+        if: env.RELEASE_PR_URL != ''
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_PAT }}
+        run: gh pr review --approve "$RELEASE_PR_URL"
+
+      - name: Enable auto-merge on release PR
+        if: env.RELEASE_PR_URL != ''
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: gh pr merge --auto --squash "$RELEASE_PR_URL"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabot-automation.yaml b/.github/workflows/dependabot-automation.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ef200d49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabot-automation.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+name: Dependabot Automation
+on: pull_request
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+  pull-requests: write
+
+jobs:
+  dependabot:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: ${{github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'}}
+    steps:
+      - name: Dependabot metadata
+        id: metadata
+        uses: dependabot/fetch-metadata@25dd0e34f4fe68f24cc83900b1fe3fe149efef98 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          github-token: "${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}"
+      - name: Approve PR
+        if: ${{steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-minor' || steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-patch'}}
+        env:
+          PR_URL: ${{github.event.pull_request.html_url}}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{secrets.DEPENDABOT_APPROVER_TOKEN}}
+        run: gh pr review --approve "$PR_URL"
+      - name: Enable auto-merge
+        if: ${{steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-minor' || steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-patch'}}
+        env:
+          PR_URL: ${{github.event.pull_request.html_url}}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
+        run: gh pr merge --auto --squash "$PR_URL"