diff --git a/CICD_SETUP.md b/CICD_SETUP.md
index 8b18e84..c8d9918 100644
--- a/CICD_SETUP.md
+++ b/CICD_SETUP.md
@@ -1,77 +1,78 @@
 # CI/CD Setup — Gitea Actions (Auto Deploy)
 
-This doc covers how to set up automatic deployment to your production server whenever you push to `main`. The deploy runs `deploy.sh` (`git pull && docker-compose down && docker-compose up -d --build`).
+This doc covers how to set up automatic deployment to your VPS whenever you push to `main`. The deploy runs `deploy.sh` (`git pull && docker-compose down && docker-compose up -d --build`).
+
+The runner is installed **directly on the VPS** — no SSH keys needed.
 
 ---
 
-## Prerequisites
-
-### On Gitea
-- Gitea Actions must be enabled (check Site Administration → Configuration)
-- At least one Actions runner must be registered and online
-
-### On the Production Server
-- Docker and docker-compose installed
-- The repo already cloned at a known path
-- SSH access configured
-
----
-
-## Step 1 — Install a Gitea Actions Runner
-
-If you don't already have a runner:
-
-1. Download the runner binary from your Gitea instance or from the Gitea releases page
-2. Register it:
-   ```
-   ./act_runner register --instance https://your-gitea-url --token <runner-token>
-   ```
-   Get the token from: Gitea → Site Administration → Runners → Create Runner
-3. Start the runner:
-   ```
-   ./act_runner daemon
-   ```
-   Consider running it as a systemd service so it survives reboots.
-
----
-
-## Step 2 — Set Up SSH Key for Deployment
-
-On your local machine or CI machine, generate a dedicated deploy key:
+## Step 1 — Install act_runner on your VPS
 
 ```bash
-ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "gitea-deploy" -f ~/.ssh/gitea_deploy
+wget https://gitea.com/gitea/act_runner/releases/latest/download/act_runner-linux-amd64
+chmod +x act_runner-linux-amd64
+mv act_runner-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/act_runner
 ```
 
-Copy the **public key** (`gitea_deploy.pub`) to your production server:
+---
+
+## Step 2 — Get a runner token from Gitea
+
+Go to: **Gitea repo → Settings → Actions → Runners → Create Runner**
+
+Copy the token shown.
+
+---
+
+## Step 3 — Register the runner on your VPS
 
 ```bash
-ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/gitea_deploy.pub user@your-server
+act_runner register \
+  --instance https://YOUR_GITEA_URL \
+  --token YOUR_RUNNER_TOKEN \
+  --name vps-runner \
+  --labels ubuntu-latest
 ```
 
-Or manually append it to `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on the server.
+---
+
+## Step 4 — Run it as a systemd service
+
+```bash
+nano /etc/systemd/system/act_runner.service
+```
+
+Paste:
+
+```ini
+[Unit]
+Description=Gitea Act Runner
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/act_runner daemon
+WorkingDirectory=/root
+Restart=always
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+```
+
+Enable and start:
+
+```bash
+systemctl daemon-reload
+systemctl enable --now act_runner
+```
 
 ---
 
-## Step 3 — Add Secrets in Gitea
+## Step 5 — Create the workflow file
 
-Go to: your repo → Settings → Secrets → Add Secret
-
-| Secret Name      | Value                                      |
-|------------------|--------------------------------------------|
-| `DEPLOY_HOST`    | IP address or hostname of your server      |
-| `DEPLOY_USER`    | SSH username (e.g. `ubuntu`, `root`)       |
-| `DEPLOY_SSH_KEY` | Full contents of the **private** key file  |
-| `DEPLOY_PORT`    | SSH port (default: `22`)                   |
-
----
-
-## Step 4 — Create the Workflow File
-
-Create `.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml` in the repo root:
+File is already at `.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml`:
 
 ```yaml
-name: Deploy
+name: Deploy to VPS
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -82,52 +83,42 @@ jobs:
   deploy:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - name: Deploy via SSH
-        uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v1.0.3
-        with:
-          host: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_HOST }}
-          username: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_USER }}
-          key: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_SSH_KEY }}
-          port: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_PORT }}
-          script: |
-            cd /path/to/grateful-journal   # <-- update this path
-            bash deploy.sh
-```
-
-Update the `cd` path to wherever the repo lives on your server.
-
----
-
-## Alternative — Runner Running Directly on the Server
-
-If your Gitea Actions runner is already installed on the production server itself, you can skip SSH entirely and simplify the workflow:
-
-```yaml
-name: Deploy
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-
-jobs:
-  deploy:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Run deploy script
+      - name: Deploy
         run: |
-          cd /path/to/grateful-journal   # <-- update this path
+          cd /path/to/grateful-journal
           bash deploy.sh
 ```
 
-This is simpler and avoids managing SSH keys.
+Update `/path/to/grateful-journal` to the actual path on your VPS where the repo is cloned.
 
 ---
 
-## Verifying It Works
+## Step 6 — Make sure the repo is cloned on your VPS
+
+```bash
+git clone https://YOUR_GITEA_URL/username/grateful-journal.git
+```
+
+Skip if already cloned.
+
+---
+
+## How it works
+
+```
+Push to main
+  → Gitea triggers the workflow
+  → act_runner (on VPS) picks up the job
+  → Runs deploy.sh in place: git pull + docker-compose rebuild
+  → App is live
+```
+
+---
+
+## Verifying it works
 
 1. Push a commit to `main`
-2. Go to your repo → Actions tab in Gitea
-3. You should see the workflow run and each step's log output
+2. Go to **Gitea repo → Actions tab**
+3. You should see the workflow run with step-by-step logs
 
-If the runner isn't picking up jobs, check that the runner is online in Site Administration → Runners.
+If the runner isn't picking up jobs, check it's online at **Site Administration → Runners**.