fix(ui): center toggle knob, surface hidden widget during STT, polish UI

.doctor/dupe-ignore

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ MAGIC:ghost
 MAGIC:secondary
 MAGIC:accent
 MAGIC:default
+MAGIC:link
 
 # Config key — only 2 files, not worth extracting
 MAGIC:sttModel

src-tauri/src/agent/pipeline.rs

@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ fn process_recording(app_handle: &AppHandle, context: RecordingContext) -> Resul
 
         // Auto-prune if size-based retention is configured
         if let Ok(Some(retention)) = db.get_config("transcriptRetention") {
-            if let Some(max_bytes) = parse_retention_bytes(&retention) {
+            if let Some(max_bytes) = crate::storage::transcripts::parse_retention_bytes(&retention) {
                 match db.prune_transcripts(max_bytes) {
                     Ok(n) if n > 0 => log::info!("Pruned {n} old transcripts (retention: {retention})"),
                     Err(e) => log::error!("Failed to prune transcripts: {e}"),
@@ -485,15 +485,12 @@ fn hot_swap_llm(app_handle: &AppHandle, model_id: &str) -> Result<(), AppError>
 }
 
 fn emit_state(app_handle: &AppHandle, state: &str) -> Result<(), tauri::Error> {
-    app_handle.emit("agent-state-changed", serde_json::json!({ "state": state }))
-}
-
-fn parse_retention_bytes(value: &str) -> Option<i64> {
-    match value {
-        "100mb" => Some(104_857_600),
-        "500mb" => Some(524_288_000),
-        "1gb" => Some(1_073_741_824),
-        "5gb" => Some(5_368_709_120),
-        _ => None,
+    // Surface the widget while a recording is active (even when hidden), then
+    // restore the user's configured visibility once we settle back to idle.
+    match state {
+        "recording" => crate::window::widget::show(app_handle),
+        "idle" => crate::window::widget::restore_visibility(app_handle),
+        _ => {}
     }
+    app_handle.emit("agent-state-changed", serde_json::json!({ "state": state }))
 }

src-tauri/src/lib.rs

@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ pub fn run() {
 
                 if onboarding_done {
                     if let Some(widget) = app.get_webview_window("widget") {
-                        let (position, size) = {
+                        let (position, size, visible) = {
                             let db = state.db.lock().unwrap();
                             let pos = db
                                 .get_config("widgetPosition")
@@ -188,11 +188,20 @@ pub fn run() {
                                 .ok()
                                 .flatten()
                                 .unwrap_or_else(|| "medium".to_string());
-                            (pos, sz)
+                            let vis = db
+                                .get_config("widgetVisible")
+                                .ok()
+                                .flatten()
+                                .map_or(true, |v| v == "true");
+                            (pos, sz, vis)
                         };
                         let _ =
                             window::widget::apply_position_and_size(&widget, &position, &size);
-                        let _ = widget.show();
+                        // Respect the user's hide preference at startup. When hidden,
+                        // the pipeline still surfaces the widget during recording.
+                        if visible {
+                            let _ = widget.show();
+                        }
                     }
 
                     // Load STT model in background — but only if the user is on

src-tauri/src/storage/transcripts.rs

@@ -73,3 +73,15 @@ pub trait TranscriptStore {
     fn get_db_size(&self) -> Result<i64>;
     fn prune_transcripts(&self, max_bytes: i64) -> Result<i64>;
 }
+
+/// Map a size-based retention setting (e.g. `"500mb"`) to its byte budget.
+/// Returns `None` for unbounded / unrecognized values.
+pub fn parse_retention_bytes(value: &str) -> Option<i64> {
+    match value {
+        "100mb" => Some(104_857_600),
+        "500mb" => Some(524_288_000),
+        "1gb" => Some(1_073_741_824),
+        "5gb" => Some(5_368_709_120),
+        _ => None,
+    }
+}

src-tauri/src/window/widget.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,71 @@
 use crate::error::AppError;
-use tauri::{LogicalSize, Manager, PhysicalPosition, WebviewWindow};
+use crate::state::AppState;
+use crate::storage::config::ConfigStore;
+use tauri::{AppHandle, LogicalSize, Manager, PhysicalPosition, WebviewWindow};
+
+/// Force the widget visible (used when a recording starts), WITHOUT stealing
+/// keyboard focus from the user's active app. On macOS the widget is an
+/// `NSPanel`; a plain `show()` calls `makeKeyAndOrderFront`, which would steal
+/// focus and break paste injection — so we order it front "regardless" instead.
+///
+/// NSPanel/AppKit calls must happen on the main thread. The pipeline drives
+/// this from the hotkey listener thread, so we hop to the main thread first —
+/// calling AppKit off-main crashes the process.
+pub fn show(app_handle: &AppHandle) {
+    let app = app_handle.clone();
+    let _ = app_handle.run_on_main_thread(move || {
+        #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+        {
+            use tauri_nspanel::ManagerExt;
+            if let Ok(panel) = app.get_webview_panel("widget") {
+                if !panel.is_visible() {
+                    panel.order_front_regardless();
+                }
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if let Some(widget) = app.get_webview_window("widget") {
+            if !widget.is_visible().unwrap_or(false) {
+                let _ = widget.show();
+            }
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+/// Restore the widget to the user's configured visibility. Called when the
+/// pipeline returns to idle, so a hidden widget that we surfaced for recording
+/// gets hidden again. The DB read is thread-safe; the AppKit hide is dispatched
+/// to the main thread (see [`show`]).
+pub fn restore_visibility(app_handle: &AppHandle) {
+    let state = app_handle.state::<AppState>();
+    let visible = state
+        .db
+        .lock()
+        .ok()
+        .and_then(|db| db.get_config("widgetVisible").ok().flatten())
+        .map_or(true, |v| v == "true");
+
+    if visible {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let app = app_handle.clone();
+    let _ = app_handle.run_on_main_thread(move || {
+        #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+        {
+            use tauri_nspanel::ManagerExt;
+            if let Ok(panel) = app.get_webview_panel("widget") {
+                panel.order_out(None);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if let Some(widget) = app.get_webview_window("widget") {
+            let _ = widget.hide();
+        }
+    });
+}
 
 pub fn apply_position_and_size(
     widget: &WebviewWindow,

src-tauri/tauri.conf.json

@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@
         "minHeight": 500,
         "center": true,
         "resizable": true,
-        "decorations": false,
-        "transparent": true,
+        "decorations": true,
+        "titleBarStyle": "Overlay",
+        "hiddenTitle": true,
+        "transparent": false,
         "visible": true,
         "url": "index.html"
       },

src/dashboard/dashboard-page.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
+import PageHeader from "../shared/components/page-header";
 import PeriodSelector from "../shared/components/period-selector";
 import statPeriods from "./activity/stat-periods";
 import periodToDays from "./activity/period-to-days";
@@ -11,13 +12,16 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
 
   return (
     <div>
-      <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold mb-6">Dashboard</h1>
+      <PageHeader
+        title="Dashboard"
+        description="Your dictation activity at a glance."
+      />
 
       <StatsRow />
 
-      <div className="mb-8">
+      <div className="mb-10">
         <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-4">
-          <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Activity</h2>
+          <h2 className="text-[15px] font-semibold tracking-[-0.01em]">Activity</h2>
           <PeriodSelector
             periods={statPeriods}
             active={activePeriod}
@@ -28,7 +32,9 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
       </div>
 
       <div>
-        <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold mb-4">Recent Transcripts</h2>
+        <h2 className="text-[15px] font-semibold tracking-[-0.01em] mb-4">
+          Recent Transcripts
+        </h2>
         <RecentTranscripts />
       </div>
     </div>

src/dashboard/stats/stat-cards.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { Type, Gauge, Mic, Clock, type LucideIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import formatNumber from "../../shared/lib/utils/format-number";
+import formatMinutes from "../../shared/lib/utils/format-minutes";
+import type { TranscriptStats } from "../../shared/types/transcript";
+
+export interface StatCard {
+  label: string;
+  icon: LucideIcon;
+  value: (stats: TranscriptStats) => string;
+}
+
+const statCards: StatCard[] = [
+  { label: "words total", icon: Type, value: (s) => formatNumber(s.totalWords) },
+  { label: "w/sec avg", icon: Gauge, value: (s) => s.avgWordsPerSecond.toFixed(1) },
+  { label: "transcriptions", icon: Mic, value: (s) => formatNumber(s.totalTranscripts) },
+  { label: "time saved", icon: Clock, value: (s) => formatMinutes(s.timeSavedMinutes) },
+];
+
+export default statCards;

src/dashboard/stats/stats-row.tsx

@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import Card from "../../shared/components/card";
 import { getTranscriptStats } from "../../shared/lib/tauri-commands";
 import type { TranscriptStats } from "../../shared/types/transcript";
-import formatNumber from "../../shared/lib/utils/format-number";
-import formatMinutes from "../../shared/lib/utils/format-minutes";
-import statPlaceholders from "./stat-placeholders";
+import statCards from "./stat-cards";
 
 export default function StatsRow() {
   const [stats, setStats] = useState<TranscriptStats | null>(null);
@@ -13,23 +11,17 @@ export default function StatsRow() {
     getTranscriptStats().then(setStats).catch(console.error);
   }, []);
 
-  const items = stats
-    ? [
-        { value: formatNumber(stats.totalWords), label: "words total" },
-        { value: `${stats.avgWordsPerSecond.toFixed(1)}`, label: "w/sec avg" },
-        { value: formatNumber(stats.totalTranscripts), label: "transcriptions" },
-        { value: formatMinutes(stats.timeSavedMinutes), label: "time saved" },
-      ]
-    : statPlaceholders;
-
   return (
-    <div className="grid grid-cols-4 gap-4 mb-8">
-      {items.map((stat) => (
-        <Card key={stat.label} className="px-5 py-4">
-          <div className="text-2xl font-bold text-text-primary">
-            {stat.value}
+    <div className="grid grid-cols-4 gap-4 mb-10">
+      {statCards.map(({ label, icon: Icon, value }) => (
+        <Card key={label} className="p-5">
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-center w-9 h-9 rounded-lg bg-accent-subtle text-accent mb-3.5">
+            <Icon size={18} strokeWidth={2} />
+          </div>
+          <div className="text-[28px] leading-none font-bold tabular-nums tracking-[-0.02em] text-text-primary">
+            {stats ? value(stats) : "—"}
           </div>
-          <div className="text-xs text-text-secondary mt-1">{stat.label}</div>
+          <div className="text-xs text-text-secondary mt-1.5">{label}</div>
         </Card>
       ))}
     </div>