diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index a458c29..211199e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ jobs:
 
       # Authenticates via npm trusted publishing (no token). Each package must have
       # this repo + publish.yml configured as its Trusted Publisher on npmjs.com.
-      - name: Publish new versions
+      # The Trusted Publisher grants "npm stage publish" only, so versions are
+      # staged here and a maintainer approves them on npmjs.com (Staged Packages).
+      - name: Stage new versions
         run: |
           for dir in packages/*/; do
             name=$(node -p "require('./${dir}package.json').name")
@@ -46,6 +48,6 @@ jobs:
             if npm view "${name}@${version}" version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
               echo "${name}@${version} already published, skipping"
             else
-              npm publish --workspace "$dir" --access public
+              npm stage publish --workspace "$dir" --access public
             fi
           done
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2d9afd0..df95e0c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@ and `npm test` on every push and pull request against `master`.
 
 Packages are published to npm under the `@promact` scope by
 `.github/workflows/publish.yml`, which runs when a GitHub Release is published
-(or manually via "Run workflow"). It builds, lints, and tests, then publishes
-any package whose version isn't on npm yet. It authenticates with
+(or manually via "Run workflow"). It builds, lints, and tests, then stages
+(`npm stage publish`) any package whose version isn't on npm yet. A maintainer
+then approves each staged version on npmjs.com (**Staged Packages**) with 2FA,
+which publishes it. It authenticates with
 [npm trusted publishing](https://docs.npmjs.com/trusted-publishers), so no npm
 token is stored in the repo.
 
@@ -62,7 +64,8 @@ To release:
 1. Bump the `version` of each package you changed (e.g.
    `npm version patch -w @promact/email-service`) and merge to `master`.
 2. Create a GitHub Release. Versions already on npm are skipped, so only
-   bumped packages are published.
+   bumped packages are staged.
+3. Approve the staged versions on npmjs.com under **Staged Packages**.
 
 ### First-time setup