diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 4c20be8..d19acb5 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -465,6 +465,15 @@ func (a *App) SaveSettings(settings map[string]interface{}) string {
 				a.hotkeyListener = hotkey.NewListener(val, a.StartRecording, a.StopRecording)
 			} else {
 				a.hotkeyListener = hotkey.NewListener(val, a.ToggleRecording, func() {})
+				a.hotkeyListener.SetRegistrationErrorCallback(func(err error) {
+					logger.Error("Linux hotkey registration failed: %v", err)
+					go func() {
+						time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+						if a.overlay != nil {
+							a.overlay.Show("Shortcut registration failed. Please add a custom system shortcut calling 'wis-free-v3 --action=toggle' as a fallback.")
+						}
+					}()
+				})
 			}
 			a.hotkeyListener.Start()
 		}
@@ -622,6 +631,15 @@ func (a *App) startupHeadless() {
 	} else {
 		// Linux (Wayland fallback) uses toggle mode: keydown toggles, keyup ignored
 		a.hotkeyListener = hotkey.NewListener(a.config.Shortcut, a.ToggleRecording, func() {})
+		a.hotkeyListener.SetRegistrationErrorCallback(func(err error) {
+			logger.Error("Linux hotkey registration failed: %v", err)
+			go func() {
+				time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+				if a.overlay != nil {
+					a.overlay.Show("Shortcut registration failed. Please add a custom system shortcut calling 'wis-free-v3 --action=toggle' as a fallback.")
+				}
+			}()
+		})
 	}
 	a.hotkeyListener.Start()
 
diff --git a/build/appicon.png b/build/appicon.png
index 63617fe..2d7dd4b 100644
Binary files a/build/appicon.png and b/build/appicon.png differ
diff --git a/build/bin/wis-free-v3.exe b/build/bin/wis-free-v3.exe
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e0e3ed
Binary files /dev/null and b/build/bin/wis-free-v3.exe differ
diff --git a/internal/hotkey/hotkey.go b/internal/hotkey/hotkey.go
index 784aa1d..4b3db96 100644
--- a/internal/hotkey/hotkey.go
+++ b/internal/hotkey/hotkey.go
@@ -13,13 +13,14 @@ import (
 // Listener handles global hotkey events and triggers callbacks when the
 // configured shortcut is pressed and released.
 type Listener struct {
-	startCallback func()
-	stopCallback  func()
-	isListening   bool
-	shortcut      string
-	hk            *xhk.Hotkey
-	stopModPoll   chan struct{}
-	mu            sync.RWMutex
+	startCallback             func()
+	stopCallback              func()
+	registrationErrorCallback func(error)
+	isListening               bool
+	shortcut                  string
+	hk                        *xhk.Hotkey
+	stopModPoll               chan struct{}
+	mu                        sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 // NewListener creates a new hotkey listener with the specified shortcut and callbacks.
@@ -34,6 +35,13 @@ func NewListener(shortcut string, onStart, onStop func()) *Listener {
 	}
 }
 
+// SetRegistrationErrorCallback sets a callback to be invoked if hotkey registration fails.
+func (l *Listener) SetRegistrationErrorCallback(cb func(error)) {
+	l.mu.Lock()
+	l.registrationErrorCallback = cb
+	l.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
 // UpdateShortcut changes the shortcut without stopping the listener.
 // This allows hot-swapping the shortcut while the application is running.
 func (l *Listener) UpdateShortcut(shortcut string) {
@@ -90,11 +98,15 @@ func (l *Listener) Start() {
 		if err := hkToRegister.Register(); err != nil {
 			logger.Error("Failed to register hotkey %s: %v", shortcutToRegister, err)
 			l.mu.Lock()
+			cb := l.registrationErrorCallback
 			if l.hk == hkToRegister {
 				l.hk = nil
 				l.isListening = false
 			}
 			l.mu.Unlock()
+			if cb != nil {
+				cb(err)
+			}
 			return
 		}
 
diff --git a/internal/linux/overlay.go b/internal/linux/overlay.go
index 92c3e6e..e3554d2 100644
--- a/internal/linux/overlay.go
+++ b/internal/linux/overlay.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"wis-free-v3/internal/logger"
 )
@@ -14,8 +15,9 @@ import (
 // (notify-send). There is no full-screen overlay on Linux to avoid a GTK/Cairo
 // dependency beyond what Wails already pulls in.
 type linuxOverlay struct {
-	mu      sync.Mutex
-	lastMsg string
+	mu         sync.Mutex
+	lastMsg    string
+	lastUpdate time.Time
 }
 
 func NewOverlay() *linuxOverlay {
@@ -75,6 +77,13 @@ func (o *linuxOverlay) SetVolume(level float64) {
 		return
 	}
 	o.mu.Lock()
+	now := time.Now()
+	// Throttle to at most once per 300ms to prevent spawning notify-send processes at ~100Hz (buffer rate)
+	if now.Sub(o.lastUpdate) < 300*time.Millisecond {
+		o.mu.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
+	o.lastUpdate = now
 	base := o.lastMsg
 	o.mu.Unlock()
 	if strings.TrimSpace(base) == "" {
diff --git a/internal/ui/tray/icon.png b/internal/ui/tray/icon.png
index 63617fe..2d7dd4b 100644
Binary files a/internal/ui/tray/icon.png and b/internal/ui/tray/icon.png differ
diff --git a/internal/ui/tray/tray.go b/internal/ui/tray/tray.go
index 0cd94fc..bf2ccaa 100644
--- a/internal/ui/tray/tray.go
+++ b/internal/ui/tray/tray.go
@@ -7,9 +7,13 @@ import (
 	_ "embed"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
+	"image"
+	"image/color"
+	"image/png"
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 
 	"wis-free-v3/internal/config"
 	"wis-free-v3/internal/logger"
@@ -45,6 +49,7 @@ var trayLabel = "wis-free-v3"
 var statusMenuItem *systray.MenuItem
 var triggerCountItem *systray.MenuItem
 var triggerCount int
+var iconsInitOnce sync.Once
 
 func appDisplayName(app App) string {
 	v := app.Version()
@@ -56,6 +61,7 @@ func appDisplayName(app App) string {
 
 // onReady is called when the system tray is ready to be configured.
 func onReady(app App) {
+	initDynamicIcons()
 	trayLabel = appDisplayName(app)
 
 	// Configure tray icon and tooltip
@@ -142,6 +148,7 @@ func buildTooltip(app App) string {
 }
 
 func getDefaultIcon() []byte {
+	initDynamicIcons()
 	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
 		return iconPNGData
 	}
@@ -198,6 +205,7 @@ func UpdateStatus(status string) {
 		statusMenuItem.SetTitle("Status: " + status)
 		systray.SetTooltip(trayLabel + " - " + status)
 
+		initDynamicIcons()
 		if strings.Contains(status, "Recording") {
 			systray.SetIcon(iconRecordingData)
 		} else if strings.Contains(status, "Transcribing") {
@@ -220,3 +228,76 @@ func IncrementTriggerCount() {
 func onExit() {
 	logger.Info("System tray terminated")
 }
+
+func initDynamicIcons() {
+	iconsInitOnce.Do(func() {
+		white := color.RGBA{R: 255, G: 255, B: 255, A: 255}
+		red := color.RGBA{R: 255, G: 59, B: 48, A: 255}
+		yellow := color.RGBA{R: 255, G: 204, B: 0, A: 255}
+
+		iconPNGData = createMicPNG(white)
+		iconRecordingData = createMicPNG(red)
+		iconTranscribingData = createMicPNG(yellow)
+	})
+}
+
+func createMicPNG(c color.Color) []byte {
+	img := image.NewRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, 64, 64))
+	// All pixels are transparent by default (new RGBA starts with 0 alpha).
+
+	// Let's draw the microphone parts
+	for y := 0; y < 64; y++ {
+		for x := 0; x < 64; x++ {
+			drawPixel := false
+
+			// 1. Capsule Body (Rounded Rectangle)
+			// Capsule center is X=32, Y=25. Width=14 (radius 7), height of straight part = 10 (Y from 20 to 30)
+			if x >= 25 && x <= 39 && y >= 20 && y <= 30 {
+				drawPixel = true
+			} else if y < 20 {
+				// Top cap: center (32, 20), radius 7
+				dx := float64(x - 32)
+				dy := float64(y - 20)
+				if dx*dx+dy*dy <= 49 { // 7^2
+					drawPixel = true
+				}
+			} else if y > 30 && y <= 37 {
+				// Bottom cap: center (32, 30), radius 7
+				dx := float64(x - 32)
+				dy := float64(y - 30)
+				if dx*dx+dy*dy <= 49 {
+					drawPixel = true
+				}
+			}
+
+			// 2. U-stand
+			// Center of U-stand circle is (32, 25).
+			// Outer radius = 15, inner radius = 12 (thickness 3)
+			// Only draw for Y >= 25 and Y <= 40
+			dx := float64(x - 32)
+			dy := float64(y - 25)
+			distSq := dx*dx + dy*dy
+			if y >= 25 && y <= 40 && distSq >= 144 && distSq <= 225 { // 12^2 to 15^2
+				drawPixel = true
+			}
+
+			// 3. Stem (Vertical line from Y=40 to 50, X=31 to 33)
+			if x >= 31 && x <= 33 && y >= 40 && y <= 50 {
+				drawPixel = true
+			}
+
+			// 4. Base (Horizontal line at Y=50 to 52, X=20 to 44)
+			if x >= 20 && x <= 44 && y >= 50 && y <= 52 {
+				drawPixel = true
+			}
+
+			if drawPixel {
+				img.Set(x, y, c)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	_ = png.Encode(&buf, img)
+	return buf.Bytes()
+}
diff --git a/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go b/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go
index 90934d9..19c5b2e 100644
--- a/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go
+++ b/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ func portalKeySpecName(key Key) string {
 func portalWaitRequest(conn *dbus.Conn, reqPath dbus.ObjectPath) (uint32, map[string]dbus.Variant, error) {
 	ch := make(chan *dbus.Signal, 8)
 	conn.Signal(ch)
+	defer conn.RemoveSignal(ch)
 	rule := fmt.Sprintf(
 		"type='signal',path='%s',interface='%s',member='Response'",
 		string(reqPath), ifaceRequest,
@@ -318,6 +319,7 @@ func (hk *Hotkey) portalSignalLoop() {
 
 	ch := make(chan *dbus.Signal, 32)
 	conn.Signal(ch)
+	defer conn.RemoveSignal(ch)
 	rule := fmt.Sprintf(
 		"type='signal',interface='%s'",
 		ifaceGlobalShortcuts,
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 182ba3f..a65e71f 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	// Clean up resources on exit
+	cleanupSecondInstanceListener()
 	releaseInstanceLock()
 }
 
diff --git a/main_instance_stub.go b/main_instance_stub.go
index d1fc59c..3bf8331 100644
--- a/main_instance_stub.go
+++ b/main_instance_stub.go
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ func tryNotifyRunningInstanceAction(action string) bool {
 }
 
 func runSecondInstanceListener() {}
+func cleanupSecondInstanceListener() {}
diff --git a/main_instance_unix.go b/main_instance_unix.go
index fb6a0bc..af9af83 100644
--- a/main_instance_unix.go
+++ b/main_instance_unix.go
@@ -112,3 +112,9 @@ func runSecondInstanceListener() {
 		}
 	}()
 }
+
+func cleanupSecondInstanceListener() {
+	if path, err := instanceSocketPath(); err == nil {
+		_ = os.Remove(path)
+	}
+}