diff --git a/OpenTelemetryExtension.slnx b/OpenTelemetryExtension.slnx
index 37f495d..c088c95 100644
--- a/OpenTelemetryExtension.slnx
+++ b/OpenTelemetryExtension.slnx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     <File Path="release-notes/v2.1.1.md" />
     <File Path="release-notes/v2.1.2.md" />
     <File Path="release-notes/v2.1.3.md" />
+    <File Path="release-notes/v2.1.4.md" />
   </Folder>
   <Folder Name="/.github/workflows/">
     <File Path=".github/workflows/ci.yml" />
diff --git a/release-notes/v2.1.4.md b/release-notes/v2.1.4.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ec4ba2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-notes/v2.1.4.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# v2.1.4
+
+_Released: 2026-08-24_
+
+## Changed
+- Updated all bundled OpenTelemetry packages to 1.18.0
+  (`Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol`, `Extensions.Hosting`, `Instrumentation.Http`,
+  `Instrumentation.AspNetCore`, `Instrumentation.Runtime`). No public API or
+  runtime behavior change.
+- Reworded the NuGet package description so the package listing states up front
+  that the setup is configuration-driven and covers OTLP traces, metrics and logs.
+- Updated the sample and test project dependencies (EF Core, ASP.NET Core OpenAPI,
+  `Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting`, HTTP resilience, service discovery, NLog,
+  `OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.SqlClient`, test SDK and xunit runner). These are
+  not part of the shipped package.
+
+## Fixed
+- README: regenerated the table of contents, which had drifted out of sync with the
+  headings after the v2.1.3 restructuring, and regrouped the sections so related
+  topics sit together.
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests.csproj b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests.csproj
index 6025a8a..a9d050e 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests.csproj
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.IntegrationTests.csproj
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@
 
   <ItemGroup>
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Data.SqlClient" Version="7.0.2" />
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting" Version="10.0.10" />
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="18.8.1" />
-    <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.SqlClient" Version="1.17.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting" Version="10.0.11" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="18.9.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.SqlClient" Version="1.18.0" />
     <PackageReference Include="xunit" Version="2.9.3" />
-    <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" Version="3.1.5">
+    <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" Version="4.0.0">
       <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
       <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers; buildtransitive</IncludeAssets>
     </PackageReference>
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi.csproj b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi.csproj
index d15d636..9e044f7 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi.csproj
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.WebApi.csproj
@@ -11,22 +11,22 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
-	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApi" Version="10.0.10" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design" Version="10.0.10" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer" Version="10.0.10" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools" Version="10.0.10">
+	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApi" Version="10.0.11" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design" Version="10.0.11" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer" Version="10.0.11" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools" Version="10.0.11">
 	    <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
 	    <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers; buildtransitive</IncludeAssets>
 	  </PackageReference>
-	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Http.Resilience" Version="10.8.0" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.ServiceDiscovery" Version="10.8.0" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="NLog.Web.AspNetCore" Version="6.1.4" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol" Version="1.17.0" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Extensions.Hosting" Version="1.17.0" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.AspNetCore" Version="1.17.0" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Http" Version="1.17.0" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Runtime" Version="1.17.0" />
-	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.SqlClient" Version="1.17.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Http.Resilience" Version="10.9.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.ServiceDiscovery" Version="10.9.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="NLog.Web.AspNetCore" Version="6.2.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol" Version="1.18.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Extensions.Hosting" Version="1.18.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.AspNetCore" Version="1.18.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Http" Version="1.18.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Runtime" Version="1.18.0" />
+	  <PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.SqlClient" Version="1.18.0" />
 	  <PackageReference Include="Swashbuckle.AspNetCore" Version="10.2.3" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf.csproj b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf.csproj
index 41f86d9..543bb96 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf.csproj
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Sample.Wpf.csproj
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting" Version="10.0.10" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting" Version="10.0.11" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests.csproj b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests.csproj
index 87facd3..a18a404 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests.csproj
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.Tests.csproj
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
       <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
       <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers; buildtransitive</IncludeAssets>
     </PackageReference>
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="18.8.1" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="18.9.0" />
     <PackageReference Include="xunit" Version="2.9.3" />
-    <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" Version="3.1.5">
+    <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" Version="4.0.0">
       <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
       <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers; buildtransitive</IncludeAssets>
     </PackageReference>
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.csproj b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.csproj
index e290b69..9d76793 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.csproj
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration/OpenTelemetryExtension.Configuration.csproj
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 	<PropertyGroup>
 		<TargetFrameworks>netstandard2.0;net8.0;net10.0</TargetFrameworks>
-		<Version>2.1.3</Version>
+		<Version>2.1.4</Version>
 		<GeneratePackageOnBuild>false</GeneratePackageOnBuild>
 		<GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile>
 
@@ -26,16 +26,16 @@
 
 	<!-- Cross-platform packages: usable from any .NET app (ASP.NET Core, WPF, console, ...). -->
 	<ItemGroup>
-		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol" Version="1.17.0" />
-		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Extensions.Hosting" Version="1.17.0" />
-		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Http" Version="1.17.0" />
-		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Runtime" Version="1.17.0" />
+		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol" Version="1.18.0" />
+		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Extensions.Hosting" Version="1.18.0" />
+		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Http" Version="1.18.0" />
+		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.Runtime" Version="1.18.0" />
 	</ItemGroup>
 
 	<!-- ASP.NET Core instrumentation is only pulled in for web-capable targets,
 	     so non-web clients (WPF, console) using the netstandard2.0 build stay lean. -->
 	<ItemGroup Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' != 'netstandard2.0'">
-		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.AspNetCore" Version="1.17.0" />
+		<PackageReference Include="OpenTelemetry.Instrumentation.AspNetCore" Version="1.18.0" />
 	</ItemGroup>
 
 	<ItemGroup>