diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino
index ffa9f3f..37fdc9e 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #error "Unsupported board!"
 #endif
 
+#define FIRMWARE_VERSION "1.0.1"
 #define HARDWARE_TYPE MD_MAX72XX::FC16_HW
 #define MAX_DEVICES 4
 
@@ -1557,23 +1558,23 @@ void setupWebServer() {
   });
 
   server.on("/uptime", HTTP_GET, [](AsyncWebServerRequest *request) {
-    if (!LittleFS.exists("/uptime.dat")) {
-      request->send(200, "text/plain", "No uptime recorded yet.");
-      return;
+    unsigned long seconds = 0;
+    String formatted = "No uptime recorded yet.";
+    if (LittleFS.exists("/uptime.dat")) {
+      File f = LittleFS.open("/uptime.dat", "r");
+      if (f) {
+        String content = f.readString();
+        seconds = content.toInt();
+        formatted = formatUptime(seconds);
+        f.close();
+      }
     }
-
-    File f = LittleFS.open("/uptime.dat", "r");
-    if (!f) {
-      request->send(500, "text/plain", "Error reading uptime file.");
-      return;
-    }
-
-    String content = f.readString();
-    f.close();
-
-    unsigned long seconds = content.toInt();
-    String formatted = formatUptime(seconds);
-    request->send(200, "text/plain", formatted);
+    String json = "{";
+    json += "\"uptime_seconds\":" + String(seconds) + ",";
+    json += "\"uptime_formatted\":\"" + formatted + "\",";
+    json += "\"version\":\"" FIRMWARE_VERSION "\"";
+    json += "}";
+    request->send(200, "application/json", json);
   });
 
   server.on("/export", HTTP_GET, [](AsyncWebServerRequest *request) {
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/index_html.h b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/index_html.h
index ad9af2b..1588df5 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/index_html.h
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/index_html.h
@@ -1451,7 +1451,7 @@ opacity: 0.5;
         <div class="sub-collapsible-content" aria-hidden="true">
           <div class="content-wrapper">
             <div class="toggle-padding device-info">
-              <span>Firmware: v1.0.1</span><br><br>
+              <span>Firmware: <span id="fwVersion"></span></span><br><br>
               <span>IP: 
                 <span id="ipDisplay">Fetching...</span>
               </span><br><br>
@@ -2512,10 +2512,18 @@ opacity: 0.5;
       // Fetch uptime from ESP
       function fetchUptime() {
         fetch("/uptime")
-          .then((res) => res.text())
-          .then((text) => {
-            uptimeSeconds = parseUptimeToSeconds(text);
+          .then((res) => res.json())
+          .then((data) => {
+            // Get raw seconds from firmware
+            uptimeSeconds = data.uptime_seconds || 0;
+            // Update uptime display immediately
             updateUptimeDisplay();
+            // Update firmware version in UI
+            const versionEl = document.getElementById("fwVersion");
+            if (versionEl) {
+              versionEl.textContent = "v" + data.version;
+            }
+            // Restart local increment timer
             if (uptimeTimer) clearInterval(uptimeTimer);
             uptimeTimer = setInterval(() => {
               uptimeSeconds++;
@@ -2525,23 +2533,6 @@ opacity: 0.5;
           .catch((err) => console.error("Error fetching /uptime:", err));
       }
 
-      // Convert "14:56:54" or "2d 03:12:33" → total seconds
-      function parseUptimeToSeconds(text) {
-        let days = 0,
-          h = 0,
-          m = 0,
-          s = 0;
-        const dayMatch = text.match(/(\d+)\s*(?:d|day)/i);
-        if (dayMatch) days = parseInt(dayMatch[1]);
-        const timeMatch = text.match(/(\d+):(\d+):(\d+)/);
-        if (timeMatch) {
-          h = parseInt(timeMatch[1]);
-          m = parseInt(timeMatch[2]);
-          s = parseInt(timeMatch[3]);
-        }
-        return days * 86400 + h * 3600 + m * 60 + s;
-      }
-
       // Format seconds → "2 days 04:09:31", "1 day 03:05:12", or "03:05:12"
       function formatUptime(seconds) {
         const days = Math.floor(seconds / 86400);
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino
index 10e8d36..86a4770 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "months_lookup.h"  // Languages for the Months of the Year
 #include "index_html.h"     // Web UI
 
+#define FIRMWARE_VERSION "1.0.1"
 #define HARDWARE_TYPE MD_MAX72XX::FC16_HW
 #define MAX_DEVICES 4
 #define CLK_PIN 14   //D5
@@ -1525,22 +1526,23 @@ void setupWebServer() {
   });
 
   server.on("/uptime", HTTP_GET, [](AsyncWebServerRequest *request) {
-    if (!LittleFS.exists("/uptime.dat")) {
-      request->send(200, "text/plain", "No uptime recorded yet.");
-      return;
+    unsigned long seconds = 0;
+    String formatted = "No uptime recorded yet.";
+    if (LittleFS.exists("/uptime.dat")) {
+      File f = LittleFS.open("/uptime.dat", "r");
+      if (f) {
+        String content = f.readString();
+        seconds = content.toInt();
+        formatted = formatUptime(seconds);
+        f.close();
+      }
     }
-
-    File f = LittleFS.open("/uptime.dat", "r");
-    if (!f) {
-      request->send(500, "text/plain", "Error reading uptime file.");
-      return;
-    }
-
-    String content = f.readString();
-
-    unsigned long seconds = content.toInt();
-    String formatted = formatUptime(seconds);
-    request->send(200, "text/plain", formatted);
+    String json = "{";
+    json += "\"uptime_seconds\":" + String(seconds) + ",";
+    json += "\"uptime_formatted\":\"" + formatted + "\",";
+    json += "\"version\":\"" FIRMWARE_VERSION "\"";
+    json += "}";
+    request->send(200, "application/json", json);
   });
 
   server.on("/export", HTTP_GET, [](AsyncWebServerRequest *request) {
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/index_html.h b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/index_html.h
index ad9af2b..1588df5 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/index_html.h
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/index_html.h
@@ -1451,7 +1451,7 @@ opacity: 0.5;
         <div class="sub-collapsible-content" aria-hidden="true">
           <div class="content-wrapper">
             <div class="toggle-padding device-info">
-              <span>Firmware: v1.0.1</span><br><br>
+              <span>Firmware: <span id="fwVersion"></span></span><br><br>
               <span>IP: 
                 <span id="ipDisplay">Fetching...</span>
               </span><br><br>
@@ -2512,10 +2512,18 @@ opacity: 0.5;
       // Fetch uptime from ESP
       function fetchUptime() {
         fetch("/uptime")
-          .then((res) => res.text())
-          .then((text) => {
-            uptimeSeconds = parseUptimeToSeconds(text);
+          .then((res) => res.json())
+          .then((data) => {
+            // Get raw seconds from firmware
+            uptimeSeconds = data.uptime_seconds || 0;
+            // Update uptime display immediately
             updateUptimeDisplay();
+            // Update firmware version in UI
+            const versionEl = document.getElementById("fwVersion");
+            if (versionEl) {
+              versionEl.textContent = "v" + data.version;
+            }
+            // Restart local increment timer
             if (uptimeTimer) clearInterval(uptimeTimer);
             uptimeTimer = setInterval(() => {
               uptimeSeconds++;
@@ -2525,23 +2533,6 @@ opacity: 0.5;
           .catch((err) => console.error("Error fetching /uptime:", err));
       }
 
-      // Convert "14:56:54" or "2d 03:12:33" → total seconds
-      function parseUptimeToSeconds(text) {
-        let days = 0,
-          h = 0,
-          m = 0,
-          s = 0;
-        const dayMatch = text.match(/(\d+)\s*(?:d|day)/i);
-        if (dayMatch) days = parseInt(dayMatch[1]);
-        const timeMatch = text.match(/(\d+):(\d+):(\d+)/);
-        if (timeMatch) {
-          h = parseInt(timeMatch[1]);
-          m = parseInt(timeMatch[2]);
-          s = parseInt(timeMatch[3]);
-        }
-        return days * 86400 + h * 3600 + m * 60 + s;
-      }
-
       // Format seconds → "2 days 04:09:31", "1 day 03:05:12", or "03:05:12"
       function formatUptime(seconds) {
         const days = Math.floor(seconds / 86400);