diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/settings_window.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/settings_window.rs
index ce5f3cc..1d18bdb 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/settings_window.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/settings_window.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ fn create_settings_window(
         .title("Talkis")
         .visible(visible)
         .focused(visible)
+        .background_throttling(tauri::utils::config::BackgroundThrottlingPolicy::Disabled)
         .inner_size(920.0, 680.0)
         .min_inner_size(820.0, 560.0)
         .center();
diff --git a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index e09dabb..6c52ac6 100644
--- a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
       {
         "label": "widget",
         "visible": false,
+        "backgroundThrottling": "disabled",
         "title": "Talkis",
         "url": "index.html?window=widget",
         "width": 129,
diff --git a/src/lib/backgroundActivity.test.ts b/src/lib/backgroundActivity.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3e6e6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/backgroundActivity.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+
+import { holdBackgroundActivity } from "./backgroundActivity";
+
+describe("background activity lifetime", () => {
+  test("keeps a granted shared lock pending until the window unmounts", async () => {
+    let settled = false;
+    let signal: AbortSignal | undefined;
+    let request: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve();
+    const release = holdBackgroundActivity("widget", {
+      request: (name, options, callback): Promise<void> => {
+        expect(name).toBe("talkis:widget:background");
+        expect(options.mode).toBe("shared");
+        signal = options.signal;
+        request = callback({ name, mode: "shared" }).then(() => {
+          settled = true;
+        });
+
+        return request;
+      },
+    });
+
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(settled).toBe(false);
+    expect(signal?.aborted).toBe(false);
+
+    release();
+    release();
+    await request;
+
+    expect(settled).toBe(true);
+    expect(signal?.aborted).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("releases a late grant when cleanup precedes acquisition", async () => {
+    let grant: (() => Promise<void>) | undefined;
+    let signal: AbortSignal | undefined;
+    const release = holdBackgroundActivity("settings", {
+      request: (name, options, callback): Promise<void> => {
+        signal = options.signal;
+        grant = (): Promise<void> => callback({ name, mode: "shared" });
+
+        return Promise.resolve();
+      },
+    });
+
+    release();
+    expect(signal?.aborted).toBe(true);
+    expect(grant).toBeDefined();
+    await grant?.();
+  });
+
+  test("does not block window startup if the browser rejects the request", async () => {
+    const release = holdBackgroundActivity("widget", {
+      request: (): Promise<void> => Promise.reject(new Error("locks disabled")),
+    });
+
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(release).toBeFunction();
+    release();
+  });
+
+  test("supports browsers without the Locks API", () => {
+    const release = holdBackgroundActivity("settings");
+
+    expect(release).toBeFunction();
+    release();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/backgroundActivity.ts b/src/lib/backgroundActivity.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cf347b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/backgroundActivity.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { logError, logInfo } from "./logger";
+
+interface BackgroundLockManager {
+  request(
+    name: string,
+    options: LockOptions,
+    callback: (lock: Lock | null) => Promise<void>,
+  ): Promise<void>;
+}
+
+/** Keep event-driven background windows eligible to receive hotkeys and IPC. */
+export function holdBackgroundActivity(
+  windowLabel: "widget" | "settings",
+  locks: BackgroundLockManager | undefined =
+    typeof navigator === "undefined" ? undefined : navigator.locks,
+): () => void {
+  if (!locks) {
+    return (): void => {};
+  }
+
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  let released = false;
+  let finish: () => void = (): void => {};
+  const lifetime = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    finish = resolve;
+  });
+
+  try {
+    void locks.request(
+      `talkis:${windowLabel}:background`,
+      { mode: "shared", signal: controller.signal },
+      async (): Promise<void> => {
+        if (released) return;
+
+        void logInfo("BACKGROUND", `Activity lock acquired: ${windowLabel}`);
+        await lifetime;
+      },
+    ).catch((error: unknown) => {
+      if (!released) {
+        void logError(
+          "BACKGROUND",
+          `Activity lock unavailable (${windowLabel}): ${String(error)}`,
+        );
+      }
+    });
+  } catch (error) {
+    void logError(
+      "BACKGROUND",
+      `Failed to request activity lock (${windowLabel}): ${String(error)}`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (): void => {
+    released = true;
+    finish();
+    controller.abort();
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/windows/settings/SettingsApp.tsx b/src/windows/settings/SettingsApp.tsx
index 36ccf02..f98f637 100644
--- a/src/windows/settings/SettingsApp.tsx
+++ b/src/windows/settings/SettingsApp.tsx
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import {
 } from "../../lib/store";
 import { checkAllPermissions } from "../../lib/permissions";
 import { logError, logInfo } from "../../lib/logger";
+import { holdBackgroundActivity } from "../../lib/backgroundActivity";
 import { UserPanel } from "../../components/UserPanel";
 import { watchThemePreference } from "../../lib/theme";
 import { syncWindowsTitlebarTheme } from "../../lib/windowsTitlebar";
@@ -381,6 +382,8 @@ function getCurrentDomSelectionText(): string {
 }
 
 export function SettingsApp(): ReactElement {
+  useEffect(() => holdBackgroundActivity("settings"), []);
+
   const { t } = useI18n();
   const initialQuery = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
   const checkUpdateAtStartup = initialQuery.get("checkUpdate") === "1";
diff --git a/src/windows/widget/Widget.tsx b/src/windows/widget/Widget.tsx
index 67d13cb..a1d10e1 100644
--- a/src/windows/widget/Widget.tsx
+++ b/src/windows/widget/Widget.tsx
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import {
   transcribeFilePathOnly,
 } from "../../lib/fileTranscription";
 import { logError, logInfo } from "../../lib/logger";
+import { holdBackgroundActivity } from "../../lib/backgroundActivity";
 import { tn, useI18n } from "../../lib/i18n";
 import {
   requestSystemAudioPermission,
@@ -339,6 +340,8 @@ function isCallCapturePermissionError(error: unknown): boolean {
 }
 
 export function Widget() {
+  useEffect(() => holdBackgroundActivity("widget"), []);
+
   const { t } = useI18n();
   const widgetWindow = getCurrentWindow();
   const dragStartRef = useRef<{ x: number; y: number } | null>(null);