diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 677697ee44..0396cbb6d9 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "screencapturekit",
  "symphonia",
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
+ "tokio",
  "uuid",
  "windows 0.61.3",
  "windows-core 0.61.2",
@@ -5060,9 +5061,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rustls-webpki"
-version = "0.103.9"
+version = "0.103.10"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "d7df23109aa6c1567d1c575b9952556388da57401e4ace1d15f79eedad0d8f53"
+checksum = "df33b2b81ac578cabaf06b89b0631153a3f416b0a886e8a7a1707fb51abbd1ef"
 dependencies = [
  "ring",
  "rustls-pki-types",
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/app/effects/recording.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/app/effects/recording.ts
index 554b5b58d9..52d92b6815 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/app/effects/recording.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/app/effects/recording.ts
@@ -13,16 +13,15 @@ import type { FrameworkProvider } from '@toeverything/infra';
 import { getCurrentWorkspace, isAiEnabled } from './utils';
 
 const logger = new DebugLogger('electron-renderer:recording');
-const RECORDING_PROCESS_RETRY_MS = 1000;
+const RECORDING_IMPORT_RETRY_MS = 1000;
 const NATIVE_RECORDING_MIME_TYPE = 'audio/ogg';
 
-type ProcessingRecordingStatus = {
+type RecordingImportStatus = {
   id: number;
-  status: 'processing';
   appName?: string;
-  blockCreationStatus?: undefined;
   filepath: string;
   startTime: number;
+  importStatus: 'pending_import' | 'importing' | 'imported' | 'import_failed';
 };
 
 type WorkspaceHandle = NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof getCurrentWorkspace>>;
@@ -65,24 +64,10 @@ async function saveRecordingBlob(blobEngine: BlobEngine, filepath: string) {
   return { blob, blobId };
 }
 
-function shouldProcessRecording(
-  status: unknown
-): status is ProcessingRecordingStatus {
-  return (
-    !!status &&
-    typeof status === 'object' &&
-    'status' in status &&
-    status.status === 'processing' &&
-    'filepath' in status &&
-    typeof status.filepath === 'string' &&
-    !('blockCreationStatus' in status && status.blockCreationStatus)
-  );
-}
-
 async function createRecordingDoc(
   frameworkProvider: FrameworkProvider,
   workspace: WorkspaceHandle['workspace'],
-  status: ProcessingRecordingStatus
+  status: RecordingImportStatus
 ) {
   const docsService = workspace.scope.get(DocsService);
   const aiEnabled = isAiEnabled(frameworkProvider);
@@ -99,13 +84,11 @@ async function createRecordingDoc(
     const docProps: DocProps = {
       onStoreLoad: (doc, { noteId }) => {
         void (async () => {
-          // it takes a while to save the blob, so we show the attachment first
           const { blobId, blob } = await saveRecordingBlob(
             doc.workspace.blobSync,
             recordingFilepath
           );
 
-          // name + timestamp(readable) + extension
           const attachmentName =
             (status.appName ?? 'System Audio') + ' ' + timestamp + '.opus';
 
@@ -163,7 +146,7 @@ async function createRecordingDoc(
 }
 
 export function setupRecordingEvents(frameworkProvider: FrameworkProvider) {
-  let pendingStatus: ProcessingRecordingStatus | null = null;
+  let importQueue: RecordingImportStatus[] = [];
   let retryTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
   let processingStatusId: number | null = null;
 
@@ -174,28 +157,48 @@ export function setupRecordingEvents(frameworkProvider: FrameworkProvider) {
     }
   };
 
-  const clearPending = (id?: number) => {
-    if (id === undefined || pendingStatus?.id === id) {
-      pendingStatus = null;
-      clearRetry();
-    }
-    if (id === undefined || processingStatusId === id) {
+  const updateQueue = (nextQueue: RecordingImportStatus[]) => {
+    importQueue = nextQueue;
+    if (
+      processingStatusId !== null &&
+      !importQueue.some(
+        status =>
+          status.id === processingStatusId &&
+          status.importStatus === 'importing'
+      )
+    ) {
       processingStatusId = null;
     }
   };
 
+  const updateLocalImportStatus = (
+    id: number,
+    importStatus: RecordingImportStatus['importStatus']
+  ) => {
+    importQueue = importQueue.map(status =>
+      status.id === id ? { ...status, importStatus } : status
+    );
+  };
+
+  const getNextImportCandidate = () =>
+    importQueue.find(
+      status =>
+        status.importStatus === 'pending_import' ||
+        status.importStatus === 'import_failed'
+    ) ?? null;
+
   const scheduleRetry = () => {
-    if (!pendingStatus || retryTimer !== null) {
+    if (!getNextImportCandidate() || retryTimer !== null) {
       return;
     }
     retryTimer = setTimeout(() => {
       retryTimer = null;
-      void processPendingStatus().catch(console.error);
-    }, RECORDING_PROCESS_RETRY_MS);
+      void processNextImport().catch(console.error);
+    }, RECORDING_IMPORT_RETRY_MS);
   };
 
-  const processPendingStatus = async () => {
-    const status = pendingStatus;
+  const processNextImport = async () => {
+    const status = getNextImportCandidate();
     if (!status || processingStatusId === status.id) {
       return;
     }
@@ -216,8 +219,12 @@ export function setupRecordingEvents(frameworkProvider: FrameworkProvider) {
 
     using currentWorkspace = getCurrentWorkspace(frameworkProvider);
     if (!currentWorkspace) {
-      // Workspace can lag behind the post-recording status update for a short
-      // time; keep retrying instead of permanently failing the import.
+      scheduleRetry();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const claimed = await apis?.recording.claimRecordingImport(status.id);
+    if (!claimed) {
       scheduleRetry();
       return;
     }
@@ -228,47 +235,38 @@ export function setupRecordingEvents(frameworkProvider: FrameworkProvider) {
       await createRecordingDoc(
         frameworkProvider,
         currentWorkspace.workspace,
-        status
+        claimed
       );
-      await apis?.recording.setRecordingBlockCreationStatus(
-        status.id,
-        'success'
-      );
-      clearPending(status.id);
+      updateLocalImportStatus(status.id, 'imported');
+      await apis?.recording.completeRecordingImport(status.id);
     } catch (error) {
-      logger.error('Failed to create recording block', error);
-      try {
-        await apis?.recording.setRecordingBlockCreationStatus(
-          status.id,
-          'failed',
-          error instanceof Error ? error.message : undefined
-        );
-      } finally {
-        clearPending(status.id);
-      }
+      logger.error('Failed to import recording artifact', error);
+      updateLocalImportStatus(status.id, 'import_failed');
+      await apis?.recording.failRecordingImport(
+        status.id,
+        error instanceof Error ? error.message : undefined
+      );
     } finally {
-      if (pendingStatus?.id === status.id) {
-        processingStatusId = null;
-        scheduleRetry();
-      }
+      processingStatusId = null;
+      scheduleRetry();
     }
   };
 
-  events?.recording.onRecordingStatusChanged(status => {
-    if (shouldProcessRecording(status)) {
-      pendingStatus = status;
-      clearRetry();
-      void processPendingStatus().catch(console.error);
-      return;
-    }
+  if (apis?.recording) {
+    void apis.recording
+      .getRecordingImportQueue()
+      .then(queue => {
+        updateQueue(queue ?? []);
+        void processNextImport().catch(console.error);
+      })
+      .catch(error => {
+        logger.error('Failed to load recording import queue', error);
+      });
+  }
 
-    if (!status) {
-      clearPending();
-      return;
-    }
-
-    if (pendingStatus?.id === status.id) {
-      clearPending(status.id);
-    }
+  events?.recording.onRecordingImportQueueChanged(queue => {
+    updateQueue(queue);
+    clearRetry();
+    void processNextImport().catch(console.error);
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/popup/recording/index.tsx b/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/popup/recording/index.tsx
index 207cfb661c..b71de7ab33 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/popup/recording/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron-renderer/src/popup/recording/index.tsx
@@ -10,8 +10,16 @@ import * as styles from './styles.css';
 
 type Status = {
   id: number;
-  status: 'new' | 'recording' | 'processing' | 'ready';
-  blockCreationStatus?: 'success' | 'failed';
+  status:
+    | 'new'
+    | 'starting'
+    | 'recording'
+    | 'finalizing'
+    | 'pending_import'
+    | 'importing'
+    | 'imported'
+    | 'import_failed'
+    | 'finalize_failed';
   appName?: string;
   appGroupId?: number;
   icon?: Buffer;
@@ -56,19 +64,17 @@ export function Recording() {
     }
     if (status.status === 'new') {
       return t['com.affine.recording.new']();
-    } else if (
-      status.status === 'ready' &&
-      status.blockCreationStatus === 'success'
-    ) {
+    } else if (status.status === 'imported') {
       return t['com.affine.recording.success.prompt']();
     } else if (
-      status.status === 'ready' &&
-      status.blockCreationStatus === 'failed'
+      status.status === 'import_failed' ||
+      status.status === 'finalize_failed'
     ) {
       return t['com.affine.recording.failed.prompt']();
     } else if (
+      status.status === 'starting' ||
       status.status === 'recording' ||
-      status.status === 'processing'
+      status.status === 'finalizing'
     ) {
       if (status.appName) {
         return t['com.affine.recording.recording']({
@@ -77,6 +83,11 @@ export function Recording() {
       } else {
         return t['com.affine.recording.recording.unnamed']();
       }
+    } else if (
+      status.status === 'pending_import' ||
+      status.status === 'importing'
+    ) {
+      return t['com.affine.recording.success.prompt']();
     }
     return null;
   }, [status, t]);
@@ -155,8 +166,10 @@ export function Recording() {
         </Button>
       );
     } else if (
-      status.status === 'processing' ||
-      (status.status === 'ready' && !status.blockCreationStatus)
+      status.status === 'starting' ||
+      status.status === 'finalizing' ||
+      status.status === 'pending_import' ||
+      status.status === 'importing'
     ) {
       return (
         <Button
@@ -166,18 +179,15 @@ export function Recording() {
           disabled
         />
       );
-    } else if (
-      status.status === 'ready' &&
-      status.blockCreationStatus === 'success'
-    ) {
+    } else if (status.status === 'imported') {
       return (
         <Button variant="primary" onClick={handleDismiss}>
           {t['com.affine.recording.success.button']()}
         </Button>
       );
     } else if (
-      status.status === 'ready' &&
-      status.blockCreationStatus === 'failed'
+      status.status === 'import_failed' ||
+      status.status === 'finalize_failed'
     ) {
       return (
         <>
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/artifact-registry.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/artifact-registry.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f4689967c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/artifact-registry.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+import { BehaviorSubject } from 'rxjs';
+
+import { logger } from '../logger';
+import { globalStateStorage } from '../shared-storage/storage';
+import type {
+  RecordingArtifactInfo,
+  RecordingImportState,
+  RecordingImportStatus,
+  RecordingSessionStatus,
+} from './types';
+
+const RECORDING_IMPORT_REGISTRY_KEY = 'recordingImportRegistry:v1';
+
+function isImportState(value: unknown): value is RecordingImportState {
+  return (
+    value === 'pending_import' ||
+    value === 'importing' ||
+    value === 'imported' ||
+    value === 'import_failed'
+  );
+}
+
+function isArtifactInfo(value: unknown): value is RecordingArtifactInfo {
+  if (!value || typeof value !== 'object') {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const artifact = value as Partial<RecordingArtifactInfo>;
+  return (
+    typeof artifact.filepath === 'string' &&
+    (artifact.sampleRate === undefined ||
+      typeof artifact.sampleRate === 'number') &&
+    (artifact.numberOfChannels === undefined ||
+      typeof artifact.numberOfChannels === 'number') &&
+    (artifact.durationMs === undefined ||
+      typeof artifact.durationMs === 'number') &&
+    (artifact.size === undefined || typeof artifact.size === 'number') &&
+    (artifact.degraded === undefined ||
+      typeof artifact.degraded === 'boolean') &&
+    (artifact.overflowCount === undefined ||
+      typeof artifact.overflowCount === 'number')
+  );
+}
+
+function isRecordingImportStatus(
+  value: unknown
+): value is RecordingImportStatus {
+  if (!isArtifactInfo(value) || typeof value !== 'object') {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const item = value as Partial<RecordingImportStatus>;
+  return (
+    typeof item.id === 'number' &&
+    typeof item.startTime === 'number' &&
+    typeof item.createdAt === 'number' &&
+    typeof item.updatedAt === 'number' &&
+    isImportState(item.importStatus) &&
+    (item.appName === undefined || typeof item.appName === 'string') &&
+    (item.errorMessage === undefined || typeof item.errorMessage === 'string')
+  );
+}
+
+function loadPersistedImports() {
+  const persisted = globalStateStorage.get(RECORDING_IMPORT_REGISTRY_KEY);
+  if (!Array.isArray(persisted)) {
+    return [] as RecordingImportStatus[];
+  }
+  return persisted.filter(isRecordingImportStatus);
+}
+
+export class RecordingArtifactRegistry {
+  private readonly imports$ = new BehaviorSubject<RecordingImportStatus[]>(
+    loadPersistedImports()
+  );
+
+  get entries$() {
+    return this.imports$;
+  }
+
+  get entries() {
+    return this.imports$.value;
+  }
+
+  private setEntries(
+    updater:
+      | RecordingImportStatus[]
+      | ((entries: RecordingImportStatus[]) => RecordingImportStatus[])
+  ) {
+    const nextEntries =
+      typeof updater === 'function' ? updater(this.imports$.value) : updater;
+    this.imports$.next(nextEntries);
+    globalStateStorage.set(RECORDING_IMPORT_REGISTRY_KEY, nextEntries);
+    return nextEntries;
+  }
+
+  enqueueFromSession(
+    session: RecordingSessionStatus,
+    artifact: RecordingArtifactInfo
+  ) {
+    const now = Date.now();
+    return this.setEntries(entries => {
+      const next = entries.filter(entry => entry.id !== session.id);
+      next.push({
+        id: session.id,
+        appName: session.appGroup?.name,
+        startTime: session.startTime,
+        importStatus: 'pending_import',
+        createdAt: now,
+        updatedAt: now,
+        ...artifact,
+      });
+      next.sort((left, right) => left.createdAt - right.createdAt);
+      return next;
+    }).find(entry => entry.id === session.id);
+  }
+
+  claim(id: number) {
+    let claimed: RecordingImportStatus | null = null;
+    this.setEntries(entries =>
+      entries.map(entry => {
+        if (entry.id !== id) {
+          return entry;
+        }
+        if (
+          entry.importStatus !== 'pending_import' &&
+          entry.importStatus !== 'import_failed'
+        ) {
+          return entry;
+        }
+        claimed = {
+          ...entry,
+          importStatus: 'importing',
+          errorMessage: undefined,
+          updatedAt: Date.now(),
+        };
+        return claimed;
+      })
+    );
+    return claimed;
+  }
+
+  markImported(id: number) {
+    return this.updateState(id, 'imported');
+  }
+
+  markFailed(id: number, errorMessage?: string) {
+    return this.updateState(id, 'import_failed', errorMessage);
+  }
+
+  remove(id: number) {
+    this.setEntries(entries => entries.filter(entry => entry.id !== id));
+  }
+
+  latest() {
+    return [...this.entries].sort((left, right) => {
+      if (left.updatedAt !== right.updatedAt) {
+        return right.updatedAt - left.updatedAt;
+      }
+      return right.id - left.id;
+    })[0];
+  }
+
+  private updateState(
+    id: number,
+    importStatus: RecordingImportState,
+    errorMessage?: string
+  ) {
+    let updated: RecordingImportStatus | null = null;
+    this.setEntries(entries =>
+      entries.map(entry => {
+        if (entry.id !== id) {
+          return entry;
+        }
+        updated = {
+          ...entry,
+          importStatus,
+          errorMessage,
+          updatedAt: Date.now(),
+        };
+        return updated;
+      })
+    );
+    if (!updated) {
+      logger.error(`Recording import ${id} not found`);
+    }
+    return updated;
+  }
+}
+
+export const recordingArtifactRegistry = new RecordingArtifactRegistry();
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/feature.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/feature.ts
index a5544dde76..3f1f675bc9 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/feature.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/feature.ts
@@ -35,8 +35,15 @@ import { globalStateStorage } from '../shared-storage/storage';
 import { getMainWindow } from '../windows-manager';
 import { popupManager } from '../windows-manager/popup';
 import { isAppNameAllowed } from './allow-list';
+import { recordingArtifactRegistry } from './artifact-registry';
 import { recordingStateMachine } from './state-machine';
-import type { AppGroupInfo, RecordingStatus, TappableAppInfo } from './types';
+import type {
+  AppGroupInfo,
+  RecordingImportStatus,
+  RecordingSessionStatus,
+  RecordingStatus,
+  TappableAppInfo,
+} from './types';
 
 export const MeetingsSettingsState = {
   $: globalStateStorage.watch<MeetingSettingsSchema>(MeetingSettingsKey).pipe(
@@ -74,14 +81,32 @@ type ShareableContentType = InstanceType<NativeModule['ShareableContent']>;
 type ShareableContentStatic = NativeModule['ShareableContent'];
 
 let shareableContent: ShareableContentType | null = null;
+let nativeModuleOverride: NativeModule | null = null;
 
 function getNativeModule(): NativeModule {
-  return require('@affine/native') as NativeModule;
+  return nativeModuleOverride ?? (require('@affine/native') as NativeModule);
+}
+
+async function getNativeModuleAsync(): Promise<NativeModule> {
+  if (nativeModuleOverride) {
+    return nativeModuleOverride;
+  }
+  return (await import('@affine/native')) as NativeModule;
+}
+
+export function setRecordingNativeModuleForTesting(
+  nativeModule: NativeModule | null
+) {
+  nativeModuleOverride = nativeModule;
 }
 
 function cleanup() {
   const nativeId = recordingStateMachine.status?.nativeId;
-  if (nativeId) cleanupAbandonedNativeRecording(nativeId);
+  if (nativeId) {
+    void cleanupAbandonedNativeRecording(nativeId).catch(error => {
+      logger.error('failed to cleanup abandoned native recording', error);
+    });
+  }
   recordingStatus$.next(null);
   shareableContent = null;
   appStateSubscribers.forEach(subscriber => {
@@ -113,16 +138,103 @@ export const appGroups$ = new BehaviorSubject<AppGroupInfo[]>([]);
 
 export const updateApplicationsPing$ = new Subject<number>();
 
-// There should be only one active recording at a time; state is managed by the state machine
-export const recordingStatus$ = recordingStateMachine.status$;
+export const recordingSessionStatus$ = recordingStateMachine.status$;
+export const recordingImportQueue$ = recordingArtifactRegistry.entries$;
+export const recordingStatus$ = new BehaviorSubject<RecordingStatus | null>(
+  null
+);
 
-function isRecordingSettled(
+function hasActiveRecordingSession(
+  status: RecordingSessionStatus | null | undefined
+) {
+  return (
+    status?.sessionStatus === 'starting' ||
+    status?.sessionStatus === 'recording' ||
+    status?.sessionStatus === 'finalizing'
+  );
+}
+
+function isTerminalPopupStatus(
   status: RecordingStatus | null | undefined
 ): status is RecordingStatus & {
-  status: 'ready';
-  blockCreationStatus: 'success' | 'failed';
+  status: 'imported' | 'import_failed' | 'finalize_failed';
 } {
-  return status?.status === 'ready' && status.blockCreationStatus !== undefined;
+  return (
+    status?.status === 'imported' ||
+    status?.status === 'import_failed' ||
+    status?.status === 'finalize_failed'
+  );
+}
+
+function serializeSessionStatus(
+  status: RecordingSessionStatus | null
+): RecordingStatus | null {
+  if (!status || status.sessionStatus === 'aborted') {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const artifact = status.artifact;
+  return {
+    id: status.id,
+    status:
+      status.sessionStatus === 'finalized'
+        ? 'pending_import'
+        : status.sessionStatus,
+    appName: status.appGroup?.name,
+    appGroupId: status.appGroup?.processGroupId,
+    icon: status.appGroup?.icon,
+    startTime: status.startTime,
+    filepath: artifact?.filepath,
+    sampleRate: artifact?.sampleRate,
+    numberOfChannels: artifact?.numberOfChannels,
+    durationMs: artifact?.durationMs,
+    size: artifact?.size,
+    degraded: artifact?.degraded,
+    overflowCount: artifact?.overflowCount,
+    errorMessage: status.errorMessage,
+  };
+}
+
+function serializeImportStatus(
+  status: RecordingImportStatus | null | undefined
+): RecordingStatus | null {
+  if (!status) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  return {
+    id: status.id,
+    status: status.importStatus,
+    appName: status.appName,
+    startTime: status.startTime,
+    filepath: status.filepath,
+    sampleRate: status.sampleRate,
+    numberOfChannels: status.numberOfChannels,
+    durationMs: status.durationMs,
+    size: status.size,
+    degraded: status.degraded,
+    overflowCount: status.overflowCount,
+    errorMessage: status.errorMessage,
+  };
+}
+
+function getProjectedRecordingStatus(): RecordingStatus | null {
+  const session = recordingStateMachine.status;
+  if (
+    session?.sessionStatus === 'new' ||
+    session?.sessionStatus === 'starting' ||
+    session?.sessionStatus === 'recording' ||
+    session?.sessionStatus === 'finalizing' ||
+    session?.sessionStatus === 'finalize_failed'
+  ) {
+    return serializeSessionStatus(session);
+  }
+
+  return serializeImportStatus(recordingArtifactRegistry.latest());
+}
+
+function emitRecordingStatus() {
+  recordingStatus$.next(getProjectedRecordingStatus());
 }
 
 function createAppGroup(processGroupId: number): AppGroupInfo | undefined {
@@ -193,10 +305,10 @@ function setupNewRunningAppGroup() {
   );
 
   appGroups$.value.forEach(group => {
-    const recordingStatus = recordingStatus$.value;
+    const recordingStatus = recordingStateMachine.status;
     if (
       group.isRunning &&
-      (!recordingStatus || recordingStatus.status === 'new')
+      (!recordingStatus || recordingStatus.sessionStatus === 'new')
     ) {
       newRecording(group);
     }
@@ -225,15 +337,13 @@ function setupNewRunningAppGroup() {
         return;
       }
 
-      const recordingStatus = recordingStatus$.value;
+      const recordingStatus = recordingStateMachine.status;
 
       if (currentGroup.isRunning) {
-        // when the app is running and there is no active recording popup
-        // we should show a new recording popup
         if (
           !recordingStatus ||
-          recordingStatus.status === 'new' ||
-          isRecordingSettled(recordingStatus)
+          recordingStatus.sessionStatus === 'new' ||
+          !hasActiveRecordingSession(recordingStatus)
         ) {
           if (MeetingsSettingsState.value.recordingMode === 'prompt') {
             newRecording(currentGroup);
@@ -251,7 +361,7 @@ function setupNewRunningAppGroup() {
         // when displaying in "new" state but the app is not running any more
         // we should remove the recording
         if (
-          recordingStatus?.status === 'new' &&
+          recordingStatus?.sessionStatus === 'new' &&
           currentGroup.bundleIdentifier ===
             recordingStatus.appGroup?.bundleIdentifier
         ) {
@@ -261,7 +371,7 @@ function setupNewRunningAppGroup() {
         // if the watched app stops while we are recording it,
         // we should stop the recording
         if (
-          recordingStatus?.status === 'recording' &&
+          recordingStatus?.sessionStatus === 'recording' &&
           recordingStatus.appGroup?.bundleIdentifier ===
             currentGroup.bundleIdentifier
         ) {
@@ -276,28 +386,49 @@ function setupNewRunningAppGroup() {
 
 export async function getRecording(id: number) {
   const recording = recordingStateMachine.status;
-  if (!recording || recording.id !== id) {
+  if (recording?.id === id) {
+    return {
+      id,
+      appGroup: recording.appGroup,
+      app: recording.app,
+      startTime: recording.startTime,
+      filepath: recording.artifact?.filepath,
+      sampleRate: recording.artifact?.sampleRate,
+      numberOfChannels: recording.artifact?.numberOfChannels,
+    };
+  }
+
+  const artifact = recordingArtifactRegistry.entries.find(
+    recordingArtifact => recordingArtifact.id === id
+  );
+  if (!artifact) {
     logger.error(`Recording ${id} not found`);
     return;
   }
+
   return {
     id,
-    appGroup: recording.appGroup,
-    app: recording.app,
-    startTime: recording.startTime,
-    filepath: recording.filepath,
-    sampleRate: recording.sampleRate,
-    numberOfChannels: recording.numberOfChannels,
+    startTime: artifact.startTime,
+    filepath: artifact.filepath,
+    sampleRate: artifact.sampleRate,
+    numberOfChannels: artifact.numberOfChannels,
   };
 }
 
-// recording popup status
-// new: waiting for user confirmation
-// recording: native recording is ongoing
-// processing: native stop or renderer import/transcription is ongoing
-// ready + blockCreationStatus: post-processing finished
-// null: hide popup
 function setupRecordingListeners() {
+  subscribers.push(
+    recordingSessionStatus$
+      .pipe(distinctUntilChanged(shallowEqual))
+      .subscribe(() => {
+        emitRecordingStatus();
+      }),
+    recordingImportQueue$
+      .pipe(distinctUntilChanged(shallowEqual))
+      .subscribe(() => {
+        emitRecordingStatus();
+      })
+  );
+
   subscribers.push(
     recordingStatus$
       .pipe(distinctUntilChanged(shallowEqual))
@@ -310,13 +441,12 @@ function setupRecordingListeners() {
           });
         }
 
-        if (isRecordingSettled(status)) {
-          // show the popup for 10s
+        if (isTerminalPopupStatus(status)) {
           setTimeout(
             () => {
               const currentStatus = recordingStatus$.value;
               if (
-                isRecordingSettled(currentStatus) &&
+                isTerminalPopupStatus(currentStatus) &&
                 currentStatus.id === status.id
               ) {
                 popup.hide().catch(err => {
@@ -324,10 +454,12 @@ function setupRecordingListeners() {
                 });
               }
             },
-            status.blockCreationStatus === 'failed' ? 30_000 : 10_000
+            status.status === 'import_failed' ||
+              status.status === 'finalize_failed'
+              ? 30_000
+              : 10_000
           );
         } else if (!status) {
-          // status is removed, we should hide the popup
           popupManager
             .get('recording')
             .hide()
@@ -452,11 +584,10 @@ export function setupRecordingFeature() {
       shareableContent = new ShareableContent();
       setupMediaListeners();
     }
-    // reset all states
-    recordingStatus$.next(null);
     setupAppGroups();
     setupNewRunningAppGroup();
     setupRecordingListeners();
+    emitRecordingStatus();
     return true;
   } catch (error) {
     logger.error('failed to setup recording feature', error);
@@ -479,10 +610,12 @@ function normalizeAppGroupInfo(
 export function newRecording(
   appGroup?: AppGroupInfo | number
 ): RecordingStatus | null {
-  return recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
+  const nextState = recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
     type: 'NEW_RECORDING',
     appGroup: normalizeAppGroupInfo(appGroup),
   });
+  emitRecordingStatus();
+  return serializeRecordingStatus(nextState);
 }
 
 export async function startRecording(
@@ -493,9 +626,10 @@ export async function startRecording(
     type: 'START_RECORDING',
     appGroup: normalizeAppGroupInfo(appGroup),
   });
+  emitRecordingStatus();
 
-  if (!state || state.status !== 'recording' || state === previousState) {
-    return state;
+  if (!state || state.sessionStatus !== 'starting' || state === previousState) {
+    return serializeRecordingStatus(state);
   }
 
   let nativeId: string | undefined;
@@ -503,7 +637,9 @@ export async function startRecording(
   try {
     fs.ensureDirSync(SAVED_RECORDINGS_DIR);
 
-    const meta = getNativeModule().startRecording({
+    logger.info(`recording ${state.id} starting`);
+    const nativeModule = await getNativeModuleAsync();
+    const meta = await nativeModule.startRecording({
       appProcessId: state.app?.processId,
       outputDir: SAVED_RECORDINGS_DIR,
       format: 'opus',
@@ -521,22 +657,30 @@ export async function startRecording(
       sampleRate: meta.sampleRate,
       numberOfChannels: meta.channels,
     });
+    emitRecordingStatus();
 
     if (!nextState || nextState.nativeId !== meta.id) {
       throw new Error('Failed to attach native recording metadata');
     }
 
-    return nextState;
+    logger.info(`recording ${state.id} started`, {
+      nativeId: meta.id,
+      sampleRate: meta.sampleRate,
+      channels: meta.channels,
+    });
+    return serializeRecordingStatus(nextState);
   } catch (error) {
     if (nativeId) {
-      cleanupAbandonedNativeRecording(nativeId);
+      await cleanupAbandonedNativeRecording(nativeId);
     }
     logger.error('failed to start recording', error);
-    return setRecordingBlockCreationStatus(
-      state.id,
-      'failed',
-      error instanceof Error ? error.message : undefined
-    );
+    const nextState = recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
+      type: 'START_RECORDING_FAILED',
+      id: state.id,
+      errorMessage: error instanceof Error ? error.message : undefined,
+    });
+    emitRecordingStatus();
+    return serializeRecordingStatus(nextState);
   }
 }
 
@@ -552,34 +696,58 @@ export async function stopRecording(id: number) {
     return;
   }
 
-  const processingState = recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
+  const finalizingState = recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
     type: 'STOP_RECORDING',
     id,
   });
+  emitRecordingStatus();
   if (
-    !processingState ||
-    processingState.id !== id ||
-    processingState.status !== 'processing'
+    !finalizingState ||
+    finalizingState.id !== id ||
+    finalizingState.sessionStatus !== 'finalizing'
   ) {
-    return serializeRecordingStatus(processingState ?? recording);
+    return serializeRecordingStatus(finalizingState ?? recording);
   }
 
   try {
-    const artifact = getNativeModule().stopRecording(recording.nativeId);
+    logger.info(`recording ${id} finalizing`, {
+      nativeId: recording.nativeId,
+    });
+    const nativeModule = await getNativeModuleAsync();
+    const artifact = await nativeModule.stopRecording(recording.nativeId);
     const filepath = await assertRecordingFilepath(artifact.filepath);
-    const readyStatus = recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
+    const finalizedStatus = recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
       type: 'ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT',
       id,
-      filepath,
-      sampleRate: artifact.sampleRate,
-      numberOfChannels: artifact.channels,
+      artifact: {
+        filepath,
+        sampleRate: artifact.sampleRate,
+        numberOfChannels: artifact.channels,
+        durationMs: artifact.durationMs,
+        size: artifact.size,
+        degraded: artifact.degraded,
+        overflowCount: artifact.overflowCount,
+      },
     });
+    emitRecordingStatus();
 
-    if (!readyStatus) {
+    if (!finalizedStatus) {
       logger.error('No recording status to save');
       return;
     }
 
+    const importEntry = recordingArtifactRegistry.enqueueFromSession(
+      finalizedStatus,
+      finalizedStatus.artifact ?? { filepath }
+    );
+    emitRecordingStatus();
+    logger.info(`recording ${id} finalized`, {
+      filepath,
+      degraded: artifact.degraded,
+      overflowCount: artifact.overflowCount,
+      importStatus: importEntry?.importStatus,
+    });
+
     getMainWindow()
       .then(mainWindow => {
         if (mainWindow) {
@@ -590,19 +758,16 @@ export async function stopRecording(id: number) {
         logger.error('failed to bring up the window', err);
       });
 
-    return serializeRecordingStatus(readyStatus);
+    return serializeRecordingStatus(getProjectedRecordingStatus());
   } catch (error: unknown) {
     logger.error('Failed to stop recording', error);
-    const recordingStatus = await setRecordingBlockCreationStatus(
+    const nextState = recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
+      type: 'FINALIZE_RECORDING_FAILED',
       id,
-      'failed',
-      error instanceof Error ? error.message : undefined
-    );
-    if (!recordingStatus) {
-      logger.error('No recording status to stop');
-      return;
-    }
-    return serializeRecordingStatus(recordingStatus);
+      errorMessage: error instanceof Error ? error.message : undefined,
+    });
+    emitRecordingStatus();
+    return serializeRecordingStatus(nextState);
   }
 }
 
@@ -618,66 +783,137 @@ export async function readRecordingFile(filepath: string) {
   return fsp.readFile(normalizedPath);
 }
 
-function cleanupAbandonedNativeRecording(nativeId: string) {
+async function cleanupAbandonedNativeRecording(nativeId: string) {
   try {
-    const artifact = getNativeModule().stopRecording(nativeId);
-    void assertRecordingFilepath(artifact.filepath)
-      .then(filepath => {
-        fs.removeSync(filepath);
-      })
-      .catch(error => {
-        logger.error('failed to validate abandoned recording filepath', error);
-      });
+    const nativeModule = await getNativeModuleAsync();
+    await nativeModule.abortRecording(nativeId);
   } catch (error) {
     logger.error('failed to cleanup abandoned native recording', error);
   }
 }
 
-export async function setRecordingBlockCreationStatus(
-  id: number,
-  status: 'success' | 'failed',
-  errorMessage?: string
-) {
-  return recordingStateMachine.dispatch({
-    type: 'SET_BLOCK_CREATION_STATUS',
-    id,
-    status,
-    errorMessage,
+export function getRecordingImportQueue() {
+  return recordingArtifactRegistry.entries.flatMap(entry => {
+    const serialized = serializeRecordingImportStatus(entry);
+    return serialized ? [serialized] : [];
   });
 }
 
+export function claimRecordingImport(id: number) {
+  const status = recordingArtifactRegistry.claim(id);
+  if (status) {
+    logger.info(`recording import ${id} claimed`);
+  }
+  emitRecordingStatus();
+  return serializeRecordingImportStatus(status);
+}
+
+export function completeRecordingImport(id: number) {
+  logger.info(`recording import ${id} completed`);
+  const status = recordingArtifactRegistry.markImported(id);
+  emitRecordingStatus();
+  return serializeRecordingImportStatus(status);
+}
+
+export function failRecordingImport(id: number, errorMessage?: string) {
+  logger.error(`recording import ${id} failed`, errorMessage);
+  const status = recordingArtifactRegistry.markFailed(id, errorMessage);
+  emitRecordingStatus();
+  return serializeRecordingImportStatus(status);
+}
+
 export function removeRecording(id: number) {
   recordingStateMachine.dispatch({ type: 'REMOVE_RECORDING', id });
+  recordingArtifactRegistry.remove(id);
+  emitRecordingStatus();
 }
 
 export interface SerializedRecordingStatus {
   id: number;
   status: RecordingStatus['status'];
-  blockCreationStatus?: RecordingStatus['blockCreationStatus'];
   appName?: string;
-  // if there is no app group, it means the recording is for system audio
   appGroupId?: number;
   icon?: Buffer;
   startTime: number;
   filepath?: string;
   sampleRate?: number;
   numberOfChannels?: number;
+  durationMs?: number;
+  size?: number;
+  degraded?: boolean;
+  overflowCount?: number;
+  errorMessage?: string;
 }
 
 export function serializeRecordingStatus(
-  status: RecordingStatus
+  status: RecordingStatus | RecordingSessionStatus | null | undefined
 ): SerializedRecordingStatus | null {
+  const serialized =
+    !status || 'sessionStatus' in status
+      ? serializeSessionStatus(status ?? null)
+      : status;
+
+  if (!serialized) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  return {
+    id: serialized.id,
+    status: serialized.status,
+    appName: serialized.appName,
+    appGroupId: serialized.appGroupId,
+    icon: serialized.icon,
+    startTime: serialized.startTime,
+    filepath: serialized.filepath,
+    sampleRate: serialized.sampleRate,
+    numberOfChannels: serialized.numberOfChannels,
+    durationMs: serialized.durationMs,
+    size: serialized.size,
+    degraded: serialized.degraded,
+    overflowCount: serialized.overflowCount,
+    errorMessage: serialized.errorMessage,
+  };
+}
+
+export interface SerializedRecordingImportStatus {
+  id: number;
+  appName?: string;
+  startTime: number;
+  filepath: string;
+  sampleRate?: number;
+  numberOfChannels?: number;
+  durationMs?: number;
+  size?: number;
+  degraded?: boolean;
+  overflowCount?: number;
+  importStatus: RecordingImportStatus['importStatus'];
+  errorMessage?: string;
+  createdAt: number;
+  updatedAt: number;
+}
+
+export function serializeRecordingImportStatus(
+  status: RecordingImportStatus | null | undefined
+): SerializedRecordingImportStatus | null {
+  if (!status) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
   return {
     id: status.id,
-    status: status.status,
-    blockCreationStatus: status.blockCreationStatus,
-    appName: status.appGroup?.name,
-    appGroupId: status.appGroup?.processGroupId,
-    icon: status.appGroup?.icon,
+    appName: status.appName,
     startTime: status.startTime,
     filepath: status.filepath,
     sampleRate: status.sampleRate,
     numberOfChannels: status.numberOfChannels,
+    durationMs: status.durationMs,
+    size: status.size,
+    degraded: status.degraded,
+    overflowCount: status.overflowCount,
+    importStatus: status.importStatus,
+    errorMessage: status.errorMessage,
+    createdAt: status.createdAt,
+    updatedAt: status.updatedAt,
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/index.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/index.ts
index 4942e6b232..5ec6d198d2 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/index.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/index.ts
@@ -11,15 +11,20 @@ import {
   askForMeetingPermission,
   checkMeetingPermissions,
   checkRecordingAvailable,
+  claimRecordingImport,
+  completeRecordingImport,
   disableRecordingFeature,
+  failRecordingImport,
   getRecording,
+  getRecordingImportQueue,
   readRecordingFile,
+  recordingImportQueue$,
   recordingStatus$,
   removeRecording,
   SAVED_RECORDINGS_DIR,
+  type SerializedRecordingImportStatus,
   type SerializedRecordingStatus,
   serializeRecordingStatus,
-  setRecordingBlockCreationStatus,
   setupRecordingFeature,
   startRecording,
   stopRecording,
@@ -45,13 +50,17 @@ export const recordingHandlers = {
   readRecordingFile: async (_, filepath: string) => {
     return readRecordingFile(filepath);
   },
-  setRecordingBlockCreationStatus: async (
-    _,
-    id: number,
-    status: 'success' | 'failed',
-    errorMessage?: string
-  ) => {
-    return setRecordingBlockCreationStatus(id, status, errorMessage);
+  getRecordingImportQueue: async () => {
+    return getRecordingImportQueue();
+  },
+  claimRecordingImport: async (_, id: number) => {
+    return claimRecordingImport(id);
+  },
+  completeRecordingImport: async (_, id: number) => {
+    return completeRecordingImport(id);
+  },
+  failRecordingImport: async (_, id: number, errorMessage?: string) => {
+    return failRecordingImport(id, errorMessage);
   },
   removeRecording: async (_, id: number) => {
     return removeRecording(id);
@@ -108,4 +117,35 @@ export const recordingEvents = {
       }
     };
   },
+  onRecordingImportQueueChanged: (
+    fn: (queue: SerializedRecordingImportStatus[]) => void
+  ) => {
+    const sub = recordingImportQueue$.subscribe(queue => {
+      fn(
+        queue.map(item => ({
+          id: item.id,
+          appName: item.appName,
+          startTime: item.startTime,
+          filepath: item.filepath,
+          sampleRate: item.sampleRate,
+          numberOfChannels: item.numberOfChannels,
+          durationMs: item.durationMs,
+          size: item.size,
+          degraded: item.degraded,
+          overflowCount: item.overflowCount,
+          importStatus: item.importStatus,
+          errorMessage: item.errorMessage,
+          createdAt: item.createdAt,
+          updatedAt: item.updatedAt,
+        }))
+      );
+    });
+    return () => {
+      try {
+        sub.unsubscribe();
+      } catch {
+        // ignore unsubscribe error
+      }
+    };
+  },
 };
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-machine.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-machine.ts
index d821fe7bc8..afbcbfe1a0 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-machine.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-machine.ts
@@ -2,17 +2,15 @@ import { BehaviorSubject } from 'rxjs';
 
 import { shallowEqual } from '../../shared/utils';
 import { logger } from '../logger';
-import type { AppGroupInfo, RecordingStatus } from './types';
+import type {
+  AppGroupInfo,
+  RecordingArtifactInfo,
+  RecordingSessionStatus,
+} from './types';
 
-/**
- * Recording state machine events
- */
 export type RecordingEvent =
   | { type: 'NEW_RECORDING'; appGroup?: AppGroupInfo }
-  | {
-      type: 'START_RECORDING';
-      appGroup?: AppGroupInfo;
-    }
+  | { type: 'START_RECORDING'; appGroup?: AppGroupInfo }
   | {
       type: 'ATTACH_NATIVE_RECORDING';
       id: number;
@@ -22,56 +20,33 @@ export type RecordingEvent =
       sampleRate: number;
       numberOfChannels: number;
     }
-  | {
-      type: 'STOP_RECORDING';
-      id: number;
-    }
+  | { type: 'START_RECORDING_FAILED'; id: number; errorMessage?: string }
+  | { type: 'STOP_RECORDING'; id: number }
   | {
       type: 'ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT';
       id: number;
-      filepath: string;
-      sampleRate?: number;
-      numberOfChannels?: number;
-    }
-  | {
-      type: 'SET_BLOCK_CREATION_STATUS';
-      id: number;
-      status: 'success' | 'failed';
-      errorMessage?: string;
+      artifact: RecordingArtifactInfo;
     }
+  | { type: 'FINALIZE_RECORDING_FAILED'; id: number; errorMessage?: string }
+  | { type: 'ABORT_RECORDING'; id: number }
   | { type: 'REMOVE_RECORDING'; id: number };
 
-/**
- * Recording State Machine
- * Handles state transitions for the recording process
- */
 export class RecordingStateMachine {
   private recordingId = 0;
   private readonly recordingStatus$ =
-    new BehaviorSubject<RecordingStatus | null>(null);
+    new BehaviorSubject<RecordingSessionStatus | null>(null);
 
-  /**
-   * Get the current recording status
-   */
-  get status(): RecordingStatus | null {
+  get status(): RecordingSessionStatus | null {
     return this.recordingStatus$.value;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Get the BehaviorSubject for recording status
-   */
-  get status$(): BehaviorSubject<RecordingStatus | null> {
+  get status$(): BehaviorSubject<RecordingSessionStatus | null> {
     return this.recordingStatus$;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Dispatch an event to the state machine
-   * @param event The event to dispatch
-   * @returns The new recording status after the event is processed
-   */
-  dispatch(event: RecordingEvent, emit = true): RecordingStatus | null {
+  dispatch(event: RecordingEvent, emit = true): RecordingSessionStatus | null {
     const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
-    let newStatus: RecordingStatus | null = null;
+    let newStatus: RecordingSessionStatus | null = null;
 
     switch (event.type) {
       case 'NEW_RECORDING':
@@ -83,24 +58,30 @@ export class RecordingStateMachine {
       case 'ATTACH_NATIVE_RECORDING':
         newStatus = this.handleAttachNativeRecording(event);
         break;
+      case 'START_RECORDING_FAILED':
+        newStatus = this.handleStartRecordingFailed(
+          event.id,
+          event.errorMessage
+        );
+        break;
       case 'STOP_RECORDING':
         newStatus = this.handleStopRecording(event.id);
         break;
       case 'ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT':
         newStatus = this.handleAttachRecordingArtifact(
           event.id,
-          event.filepath,
-          event.sampleRate,
-          event.numberOfChannels
+          event.artifact
         );
         break;
-      case 'SET_BLOCK_CREATION_STATUS':
-        newStatus = this.handleSetBlockCreationStatus(
+      case 'FINALIZE_RECORDING_FAILED':
+        newStatus = this.handleFinalizeRecordingFailed(
           event.id,
-          event.status,
           event.errorMessage
         );
         break;
+      case 'ABORT_RECORDING':
+        newStatus = this.handleAbortRecording(event.id);
+        break;
       case 'REMOVE_RECORDING':
         this.handleRemoveRecording(event.id);
         newStatus = currentStatus?.id === event.id ? null : currentStatus;
@@ -121,86 +102,104 @@ export class RecordingStateMachine {
     return newStatus;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Handle the NEW_RECORDING event
-   */
-  private handleNewRecording(appGroup?: AppGroupInfo): RecordingStatus {
-    const recordingStatus: RecordingStatus = {
+  private hasActiveSession(status: RecordingSessionStatus | null | undefined) {
+    return (
+      status?.sessionStatus === 'starting' ||
+      status?.sessionStatus === 'recording' ||
+      status?.sessionStatus === 'finalizing'
+    );
+  }
+
+  private handleNewRecording(appGroup?: AppGroupInfo): RecordingSessionStatus {
+    return {
       id: this.recordingId++,
-      status: 'new',
+      sessionStatus: 'new',
       startTime: Date.now(),
       app: appGroup?.apps.find(app => app.isRunning),
       appGroup,
     };
-    return recordingStatus;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Handle the START_RECORDING event
-   */
-  private handleStartRecording(appGroup?: AppGroupInfo): RecordingStatus {
+  private handleStartRecording(
+    appGroup?: AppGroupInfo
+  ): RecordingSessionStatus | null {
     const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
-    if (
-      currentStatus?.status === 'recording' ||
-      currentStatus?.status === 'processing'
-    ) {
+    if (this.hasActiveSession(currentStatus)) {
       logger.error(
-        'Cannot start a new recording if there is already a recording'
+        'Cannot start a new recording while another session is active'
       );
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
     if (
+      currentStatus?.sessionStatus === 'new' &&
       appGroup &&
-      currentStatus?.appGroup?.processGroupId === appGroup.processGroupId &&
-      currentStatus.status === 'new'
+      currentStatus.appGroup?.processGroupId === appGroup.processGroupId
     ) {
       return {
         ...currentStatus,
-        status: 'recording',
-      };
-    } else {
-      const newStatus = this.handleNewRecording(appGroup);
-      return {
-        ...newStatus,
-        status: 'recording',
+        sessionStatus: 'starting',
+        errorMessage: undefined,
       };
     }
+
+    const nextStatus =
+      currentStatus?.sessionStatus === 'new' && !appGroup
+        ? currentStatus
+        : this.handleNewRecording(appGroup);
+
+    return {
+      ...nextStatus,
+      sessionStatus: 'starting',
+      errorMessage: undefined,
+    };
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Attach native recording metadata to the current recording
-   */
   private handleAttachNativeRecording(
     event: Extract<RecordingEvent, { type: 'ATTACH_NATIVE_RECORDING' }>
-  ): RecordingStatus | null {
+  ) {
     const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
     if (!currentStatus || currentStatus.id !== event.id) {
       logger.error(`Recording ${event.id} not found for native attachment`);
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
-    if (currentStatus.status !== 'recording') {
+    if (currentStatus.sessionStatus !== 'starting') {
       logger.error(
-        `Cannot attach native metadata when recording is in ${currentStatus.status} state`
+        `Cannot attach native metadata when recording is in ${currentStatus.sessionStatus} state`
       );
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
     return {
       ...currentStatus,
+      sessionStatus: 'recording' as const,
       nativeId: event.nativeId,
       startTime: event.startTime,
-      filepath: event.filepath,
-      sampleRate: event.sampleRate,
-      numberOfChannels: event.numberOfChannels,
+      artifact: {
+        filepath: event.filepath,
+        sampleRate: event.sampleRate,
+        numberOfChannels: event.numberOfChannels,
+      },
     };
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Handle the STOP_RECORDING event
-   */
-  private handleStopRecording(id: number): RecordingStatus | null {
+  private handleStartRecordingFailed(id: number, errorMessage?: string) {
+    const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
+
+    if (!currentStatus || currentStatus.id !== id) {
+      logger.error(`Recording ${id} not found for start failure`);
+      return currentStatus;
+    }
+
+    return {
+      ...currentStatus,
+      sessionStatus: 'finalize_failed' as const,
+      errorMessage,
+    };
+  }
+
+  private handleStopRecording(id: number) {
     const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
 
     if (!currentStatus || currentStatus.id !== id) {
@@ -208,26 +207,24 @@ export class RecordingStateMachine {
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
-    if (currentStatus.status !== 'recording') {
-      logger.error(`Cannot stop recording in ${currentStatus.status} state`);
+    if (currentStatus.sessionStatus !== 'recording') {
+      logger.error(
+        `Cannot stop recording in ${currentStatus.sessionStatus} state`
+      );
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
     return {
       ...currentStatus,
-      status: 'processing',
+      sessionStatus: 'finalizing' as const,
+      errorMessage: undefined,
     };
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Attach the encoded artifact once native stop completes
-   */
   private handleAttachRecordingArtifact(
     id: number,
-    filepath: string,
-    sampleRate?: number,
-    numberOfChannels?: number
-  ): RecordingStatus | null {
+    artifact: RecordingArtifactInfo
+  ) {
     const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
 
     if (!currentStatus || currentStatus.id !== id) {
@@ -235,66 +232,60 @@ export class RecordingStateMachine {
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
-    if (currentStatus.status !== 'processing') {
-      logger.error(`Cannot attach artifact in ${currentStatus.status} state`);
+    if (currentStatus.sessionStatus !== 'finalizing') {
+      logger.error(
+        `Cannot attach artifact in ${currentStatus.sessionStatus} state`
+      );
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
     return {
       ...currentStatus,
-      filepath,
-      sampleRate: sampleRate ?? currentStatus.sampleRate,
-      numberOfChannels: numberOfChannels ?? currentStatus.numberOfChannels,
+      sessionStatus: 'finalized' as const,
+      artifact: {
+        ...currentStatus.artifact,
+        ...artifact,
+      },
     };
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Set the renderer-side block creation result
-   */
-  private handleSetBlockCreationStatus(
-    id: number,
-    status: 'success' | 'failed',
-    errorMessage?: string
-  ): RecordingStatus | null {
+  private handleFinalizeRecordingFailed(id: number, errorMessage?: string) {
     const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
 
     if (!currentStatus || currentStatus.id !== id) {
-      logger.error(`Recording ${id} not found for block creation status`);
-      return currentStatus;
-    }
-
-    if (currentStatus.status === 'new') {
-      logger.error(`Cannot settle recording ${id} before it starts`);
-      return currentStatus;
-    }
-
-    if (
-      currentStatus.status === 'ready' &&
-      currentStatus.blockCreationStatus !== undefined
-    ) {
+      logger.error(`Recording ${id} not found for finalize failure`);
       return currentStatus;
     }
 
     if (errorMessage) {
-      logger.error(`Recording ${id} create block failed: ${errorMessage}`);
+      logger.error(`Recording ${id} finalize failed: ${errorMessage}`);
     }
 
     return {
       ...currentStatus,
-      status: 'ready',
-      blockCreationStatus: status,
+      sessionStatus: 'finalize_failed' as const,
+      errorMessage,
     };
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Handle the REMOVE_RECORDING event
-   */
-  private handleRemoveRecording(id: number): void {
-    // Actual recording removal logic would be handled by the caller
-    // This just ensures the state is updated correctly
+  private handleAbortRecording(id: number) {
+    const currentStatus = this.recordingStatus$.value;
+
+    if (!currentStatus || currentStatus.id !== id) {
+      logger.error(`Recording ${id} not found for abort`);
+      return currentStatus;
+    }
+
+    return {
+      ...currentStatus,
+      sessionStatus: 'aborted' as const,
+      errorMessage: undefined,
+    };
+  }
+
+  private handleRemoveRecording(id: number) {
     logger.info(`Recording ${id} removed from state machine`);
   }
 }
 
-// Create and export a singleton instance
 export const recordingStateMachine = new RecordingStateMachine();
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-transitions.md b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-transitions.md
index 10e4fda998..63250ecf0b 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-transitions.md
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/state-transitions.md
@@ -1,35 +1,68 @@
 # Recording State Transitions
 
-The desktop recording flow now has a single linear engine state and a separate post-process result.
+The desktop recording flow now uses two independent lifecycle models:
 
-## Engine states
+1. recording session state in Electron main, which tracks native capture/finalize.
+2. artifact import state in Electron main, which tracks renderer-side doc import.
 
-- `inactive`: no active recording
-- `new`: app detected, waiting for user confirmation
-- `recording`: native capture is running
-- `processing`: native capture has stopped and the artifact is being imported
-- `ready`: post-processing has finished
+## Recording Session State
 
-## Post-process result
+- `inactive`: no session has been created yet.
+- `new`: app detected, waiting for user confirmation.
+- `starting`: native session setup is in progress.
+- `recording`: native capture is running.
+- `finalizing`: native stop/finalize is in progress.
+- `finalized`: native finalized an artifact successfully.
+- `finalize_failed`: native finalize failed.
+- `aborted`: native session was discarded without producing an artifact.
 
-`ready` recordings may carry `blockCreationStatus`:
+Only `starting`, `recording`, and `finalizing` occupy the active native slot.
+`finalized`, `finalize_failed`, and `aborted` no longer block the next recording.
 
-- `success`: the recording block was created successfully
-- `failed`: the artifact was saved, but block creation/import failed
+## Recording Artifact Import State
 
-## State flow
+- `pending_import`: artifact is finalized and durable in main, waiting for a renderer to consume it.
+- `importing`: a renderer has claimed the artifact and is importing it into a doc.
+- `imported`: doc import finished successfully.
+- `import_failed`: doc import failed; the artifact remains available for retry.
+
+Artifacts are persisted in main process storage so renderer reloads or missing workspace context do not drop them.
+
+## Session Flow
 
 ```text
-inactive -> new -> recording -> processing -> ready
-                     ^                      |
-                     |                      |
-                     +------ start ---------+
+inactive -> new -> starting -> recording -> finalizing -> finalized
+                         \                              \
+                          \                              -> finalize_failed
+                           -> finalize_failed
 ```
 
-- `START_RECORDING` creates or reuses a pending `new` recording.
-- `ATTACH_NATIVE_RECORDING` fills in native metadata while staying in `recording`.
-- `STOP_RECORDING` moves the flow to `processing`.
-- `ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT` attaches the finalized `.opus` artifact while staying in `processing`.
-- `SET_BLOCK_CREATION_STATUS` settles the flow as `ready`.
+- `START_RECORDING` creates or reuses a pending `new` recording and moves it to `starting`.
+- `ATTACH_NATIVE_RECORDING` attaches native session metadata and moves the session to `recording`.
+- `START_RECORDING_FAILED` keeps the session terminal with `finalize_failed`.
+- `STOP_RECORDING` moves the session to `finalizing`.
+- `ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT` marks the session `finalized` with the native artifact metadata.
+- `FINALIZE_RECORDING_FAILED` marks the session `finalize_failed`.
+- `ABORT_RECORDING` marks the session `aborted`.
 
-Only one recording can be active at a time. A new recording can start only after the previous one has been removed or its `ready` result has been settled.
+## Import Flow
+
+```text
+pending_import -> importing -> imported
+                       \
+                        -> import_failed -> importing
+```
+
+- main enqueues `pending_import` after native finalize succeeds.
+- renderer claims the artifact, moving it to `importing`.
+- renderer marks the artifact `imported` or `import_failed`.
+- `import_failed` artifacts can be claimed again for retry.
+
+## Popup Projection
+
+The popup still renders a single current status, but it is now a projection:
+
+- active session states map to `new`, `starting`, `recording`, `finalizing`, `finalize_failed`.
+- otherwise the latest import entry maps to `pending_import`, `importing`, `imported`, `import_failed`.
+
+This keeps the UI simple without collapsing the underlying source-of-truth back into a single overloaded `processing` state.
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/types.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/types.ts
index a3b4b30801..4ea3c956e2 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/types.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/recording/types.ts
@@ -18,19 +18,76 @@ export interface AppGroupInfo {
   isRunning: boolean;
 }
 
-export interface RecordingStatus {
+export type RecordingSessionState =
+  | 'new'
+  | 'starting'
+  | 'recording'
+  | 'finalizing'
+  | 'finalized'
+  | 'finalize_failed'
+  | 'aborted';
+
+export type RecordingImportState =
+  | 'pending_import'
+  | 'importing'
+  | 'imported'
+  | 'import_failed';
+
+export interface RecordingArtifactInfo {
+  filepath: string;
+  sampleRate?: number;
+  numberOfChannels?: number;
+  durationMs?: number;
+  size?: number;
+  degraded?: boolean;
+  overflowCount?: number;
+}
+
+export interface RecordingSessionStatus {
   id: number; // corresponds to the recording id
-  // an app group is detected and waiting for user confirmation
-  // recording: the native recorder is running
-  // processing: recording has stopped and the artifact is being prepared/imported
-  // ready: the post-processing result has been settled
-  status: 'new' | 'recording' | 'processing' | 'ready';
+  sessionStatus: RecordingSessionState;
   app?: TappableAppInfo;
   appGroup?: AppGroupInfo;
   startTime: number; // 0 means not started yet
-  filepath?: string; // encoded file path
   nativeId?: string;
+  artifact?: RecordingArtifactInfo;
+  errorMessage?: string;
+}
+
+export interface RecordingImportStatus extends RecordingArtifactInfo {
+  id: number;
+  appName?: string;
+  startTime: number;
+  importStatus: RecordingImportState;
+  errorMessage?: string;
+  createdAt: number;
+  updatedAt: number;
+}
+
+export type RecordingDisplayState =
+  | 'new'
+  | 'starting'
+  | 'recording'
+  | 'finalizing'
+  | 'pending_import'
+  | 'importing'
+  | 'imported'
+  | 'import_failed'
+  | 'finalize_failed';
+
+export interface RecordingStatus {
+  id: number;
+  status: RecordingDisplayState;
+  appName?: string;
+  appGroupId?: number;
+  icon?: Buffer;
+  startTime: number;
+  filepath?: string;
   sampleRate?: number;
   numberOfChannels?: number;
-  blockCreationStatus?: 'success' | 'failed';
+  durationMs?: number;
+  size?: number;
+  degraded?: boolean;
+  overflowCount?: number;
+  errorMessage?: string;
 }
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/tray/index.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/tray/index.ts
index ffceb64bdc..eef2caa703 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/tray/index.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/src/main/tray/index.ts
@@ -160,7 +160,12 @@ class TrayState implements Disposable {
 
         const recordingStatus = recordingStatus$.value;
 
-        if (!recordingStatus || recordingStatus.status !== 'recording') {
+        if (
+          !recordingStatus ||
+          (recordingStatus.status !== 'starting' &&
+            recordingStatus.status !== 'recording' &&
+            recordingStatus.status !== 'finalizing')
+        ) {
           const appMenuItems = runningAppGroups.map(appGroup => ({
             label: appGroup.name,
             icon: appGroup.icon || undefined,
@@ -197,8 +202,8 @@ class TrayState implements Disposable {
             ...appMenuItems
           );
         } else {
-          const recordingLabel = recordingStatus.appGroup?.name
-            ? `Recording (${recordingStatus.appGroup?.name})`
+          const recordingLabel = recordingStatus.appName
+            ? `Recording (${recordingStatus.appName})`
             : 'Recording';
 
           // recording is active
@@ -212,9 +217,11 @@ class TrayState implements Disposable {
               label: 'Stop',
               click: () => {
                 logger.info('User action: Stop Recording');
-                stopRecording(recordingStatus.id).catch(err => {
-                  logger.error('Failed to stop recording:', err);
-                });
+                if (recordingStatus.status === 'recording') {
+                  stopRecording(recordingStatus.id).catch(err => {
+                    logger.error('Failed to stop recording:', err);
+                  });
+                }
               },
             }
           );
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-effect.spec.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-effect.spec.ts
index e503d1b0c4..1395c3220a 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-effect.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-effect.spec.ts
@@ -2,22 +2,24 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 const isActiveTab = vi.fn();
 const readRecordingFile = vi.fn();
-const setRecordingBlockCreationStatus = vi.fn();
+const claimRecordingImport = vi.fn();
+const completeRecordingImport = vi.fn();
+const failRecordingImport = vi.fn();
+const getRecordingImportQueue = vi.fn();
 const getCurrentWorkspace = vi.fn();
 const isAiEnabled = vi.fn();
 const transcribeRecording = vi.fn();
 
-let onRecordingStatusChanged:
-  | ((
-      status: {
-        id: number;
-        status: 'processing';
-        appName?: string;
-        filepath?: string;
-        startTime: number;
-        blockCreationStatus?: 'success' | 'failed';
-      } | null
-    ) => void)
+type RecordingImportStatus = {
+  id: number;
+  appName?: string;
+  filepath: string;
+  startTime: number;
+  importStatus: 'pending_import' | 'importing' | 'imported' | 'import_failed';
+};
+
+let onRecordingImportQueueChanged:
+  | ((queue: RecordingImportStatus[]) => void)
   | undefined;
 
 vi.mock('@affine/core/modules/doc', () => ({
@@ -46,16 +48,19 @@ vi.mock('@affine/electron-api', () => ({
     },
     recording: {
       readRecordingFile,
-      setRecordingBlockCreationStatus,
+      claimRecordingImport,
+      completeRecordingImport,
+      failRecordingImport,
+      getRecordingImportQueue,
     },
   },
   events: {
     recording: {
-      onRecordingStatusChanged: vi.fn(
-        (handler: typeof onRecordingStatusChanged) => {
-          onRecordingStatusChanged = handler;
+      onRecordingImportQueueChanged: vi.fn(
+        (handler: typeof onRecordingImportQueueChanged) => {
+          onRecordingImportQueueChanged = handler;
           return () => {
-            onRecordingStatusChanged = undefined;
+            onRecordingImportQueueChanged = undefined;
           };
         }
       ),
@@ -162,10 +167,12 @@ describe('recording effect', () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers();
     vi.clearAllMocks();
     vi.resetModules();
-    onRecordingStatusChanged = undefined;
+    onRecordingImportQueueChanged = undefined;
     readRecordingFile.mockResolvedValue(new Uint8Array([1, 2, 3]).buffer);
-    setRecordingBlockCreationStatus.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    completeRecordingImport.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    failRecordingImport.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
     isAiEnabled.mockReturnValue(false);
+    getRecordingImportQueue.mockResolvedValue([]);
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -173,37 +180,43 @@ describe('recording effect', () => {
     vi.useRealTimers();
   });
 
-  test('retries processing until the active tab has a workspace', async () => {
+  test('retries pending imports until the active tab has a workspace', async () => {
     const workspace = createWorkspaceRef();
+    const pendingImport = {
+      id: 7,
+      importStatus: 'pending_import' as const,
+      appName: 'Zoom',
+      filepath: '/tmp/meeting.opus',
+      startTime: 1000,
+    };
 
     isActiveTab.mockResolvedValueOnce(false).mockResolvedValue(true);
     getCurrentWorkspace
       .mockReturnValueOnce(undefined)
       .mockReturnValue(workspace.ref);
+    claimRecordingImport.mockResolvedValue({
+      ...pendingImport,
+      importStatus: 'importing',
+    });
+    getRecordingImportQueue.mockResolvedValue([pendingImport]);
 
     const { setupRecordingEvents } =
       await import('../../../electron-renderer/src/app/effects/recording');
 
     setupRecordingEvents({} as never);
-
-    onRecordingStatusChanged?.({
-      id: 7,
-      status: 'processing',
-      appName: 'Zoom',
-      filepath: '/tmp/meeting.opus',
-      startTime: 1000,
-    });
-
     await Promise.resolve();
+
     expect(workspace.createDoc).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(setRecordingBlockCreationStatus).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(claimRecordingImport).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
     expect(workspace.createDoc).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(setRecordingBlockCreationStatus).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(claimRecordingImport).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
+    onRecordingImportQueueChanged?.([pendingImport]);
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
 
+    expect(claimRecordingImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7);
     expect(workspace.createDoc).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(workspace.openDoc).toHaveBeenCalledWith('doc-1');
     expect(workspace.blobSet).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
@@ -215,42 +228,51 @@ describe('recording effect', () => {
       expect.objectContaining({ type: 'audio/ogg' }),
       'note-1'
     );
-    expect(setRecordingBlockCreationStatus).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, 'success');
-    expect(setRecordingBlockCreationStatus).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      7,
-      'failed',
-      expect.anything()
-    );
+    expect(completeRecordingImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7);
+    expect(failRecordingImport).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
-  test('retries when the active-tab probe rejects', async () => {
-    const workspace = createWorkspaceRef();
+  test('marks imports as failed when the doc import throws and retries later', async () => {
+    const pendingImport = {
+      id: 9,
+      importStatus: 'import_failed' as const,
+      appName: 'Meet',
+      filepath: '/tmp/meeting.opus',
+      startTime: 1000,
+    };
 
-    isActiveTab
-      .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('probe failed'))
-      .mockResolvedValue(true);
+    const workspace = createWorkspaceRef();
+    workspace.createDoc.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+      throw new Error('create doc failed');
+    });
+
+    isActiveTab.mockResolvedValue(true);
     getCurrentWorkspace.mockReturnValue(workspace.ref);
+    claimRecordingImport
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        ...pendingImport,
+        importStatus: 'importing',
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        ...pendingImport,
+        importStatus: 'importing',
+      });
+    getRecordingImportQueue.mockResolvedValue([pendingImport]);
 
     const { setupRecordingEvents } =
       await import('../../../electron-renderer/src/app/effects/recording');
 
     setupRecordingEvents({} as never);
-
-    onRecordingStatusChanged?.({
-      id: 9,
-      status: 'processing',
-      appName: 'Meet',
-      filepath: '/tmp/meeting.opus',
-      startTime: 1000,
-    });
-
     await Promise.resolve();
-    expect(workspace.createDoc).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(setRecordingBlockCreationStatus).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
 
+    expect(failRecordingImport).toHaveBeenCalledWith(9, 'create doc failed');
+    expect(completeRecordingImport).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    onRecordingImportQueueChanged?.([pendingImport]);
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
 
-    expect(workspace.createDoc).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(setRecordingBlockCreationStatus).toHaveBeenCalledWith(9, 'success');
+    expect(claimRecordingImport).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-state.spec.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-state.spec.ts
index 52a659b3ea..707bad2446 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-state.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/main/recording-state.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { BehaviorSubject } from 'rxjs';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 vi.mock('../../src/main/logger', () => ({
   logger: {
@@ -9,14 +10,24 @@ vi.mock('../../src/main/logger', () => ({
 
 import { RecordingStateMachine } from '../../src/main/recording/state-machine';
 
+function createDeferred<T>() {
+  let resolve!: (value: T) => void;
+  let reject!: (reason?: unknown) => void;
+  const promise = new Promise<T>((res, rej) => {
+    resolve = res;
+    reject = rej;
+  });
+  return { promise, resolve, reject };
+}
+
 function createAttachedRecording(stateMachine: RecordingStateMachine) {
-  const pending = stateMachine.dispatch({
+  const starting = stateMachine.dispatch({
     type: 'START_RECORDING',
   });
 
   stateMachine.dispatch({
     type: 'ATTACH_NATIVE_RECORDING',
-    id: pending!.id,
+    id: starting!.id,
     nativeId: 'native-1',
     startTime: 100,
     filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
@@ -24,93 +35,390 @@ function createAttachedRecording(stateMachine: RecordingStateMachine) {
     numberOfChannels: 2,
   });
 
-  return pending!;
+  return starting!;
 }
 
 describe('RecordingStateMachine', () => {
-  test('transitions from recording to ready after artifact import and block creation', () => {
+  test('tracks session lifecycle through finalized without coupling import state', () => {
     const stateMachine = new RecordingStateMachine();
 
-    const pending = createAttachedRecording(stateMachine);
-    expect(pending?.status).toBe('recording');
+    const starting = stateMachine.dispatch({
+      type: 'START_RECORDING',
+    });
+    expect(starting).toMatchObject({
+      sessionStatus: 'starting',
+    });
 
-    const processing = stateMachine.dispatch({
+    const recording = stateMachine.dispatch({
+      type: 'ATTACH_NATIVE_RECORDING',
+      id: starting!.id,
+      nativeId: 'native-1',
+      startTime: 100,
+      filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
+      sampleRate: 48000,
+      numberOfChannels: 2,
+    });
+    expect(recording).toMatchObject({
+      sessionStatus: 'recording',
+      artifact: {
+        filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
+        sampleRate: 48000,
+        numberOfChannels: 2,
+      },
+    });
+
+    const finalizing = stateMachine.dispatch({
       type: 'STOP_RECORDING',
-      id: pending.id,
+      id: starting!.id,
     });
-    expect(processing?.status).toBe('processing');
+    expect(finalizing?.sessionStatus).toBe('finalizing');
 
-    const artifactAttached = stateMachine.dispatch({
+    const finalized = stateMachine.dispatch({
       type: 'ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT',
-      id: pending.id,
-      filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
-      sampleRate: 48000,
-      numberOfChannels: 2,
+      id: starting!.id,
+      artifact: {
+        filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
+        durationMs: 1_000,
+        size: 128,
+        degraded: true,
+        overflowCount: 2,
+      },
     });
-    expect(artifactAttached).toMatchObject({
-      status: 'processing',
-      filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
-    });
-
-    const ready = stateMachine.dispatch({
-      type: 'SET_BLOCK_CREATION_STATUS',
-      id: pending.id,
-      status: 'success',
-    });
-    expect(ready).toMatchObject({
-      status: 'ready',
-      blockCreationStatus: 'success',
-    });
-  });
-
-  test('keeps native audio metadata when stop artifact omits it', () => {
-    const stateMachine = new RecordingStateMachine();
-
-    const pending = createAttachedRecording(stateMachine);
-    stateMachine.dispatch({ type: 'STOP_RECORDING', id: pending.id });
-
-    const artifactAttached = stateMachine.dispatch({
-      type: 'ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT',
-      id: pending.id,
-      filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
-    });
-
-    expect(artifactAttached).toMatchObject({
-      sampleRate: 48000,
-      numberOfChannels: 2,
+    expect(finalized).toMatchObject({
+      sessionStatus: 'finalized',
+      artifact: {
+        filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
+        sampleRate: 48000,
+        numberOfChannels: 2,
+        durationMs: 1_000,
+        size: 128,
+        degraded: true,
+        overflowCount: 2,
+      },
     });
   });
 
   test.each([
-    { status: 'success' as const, errorMessage: undefined },
-    { status: 'failed' as const, errorMessage: 'native start failed' },
+    {
+      name: 'finalized sessions',
+      settleEvent: {
+        type: 'ATTACH_RECORDING_ARTIFACT' as const,
+        artifact: {
+          filepath: '/tmp/recording.opus',
+        },
+      },
+      expectedStatus: 'finalized',
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'failed finalize sessions',
+      settleEvent: {
+        type: 'FINALIZE_RECORDING_FAILED' as const,
+        errorMessage: 'boom',
+      },
+      expectedStatus: 'finalize_failed',
+    },
   ])(
-    'settles recordings into ready state with blockCreationStatus=$status',
-    ({ status, errorMessage }) => {
+    'allows a new recording after $name',
+    ({ settleEvent, expectedStatus }) => {
       const stateMachine = new RecordingStateMachine();
 
-      const pending = stateMachine.dispatch({
-        type: 'START_RECORDING',
+      const pending = createAttachedRecording(stateMachine);
+      stateMachine.dispatch({
+        type: 'STOP_RECORDING',
+        id: pending.id,
       });
-      expect(pending?.status).toBe('recording');
 
       const settled = stateMachine.dispatch({
-        type: 'SET_BLOCK_CREATION_STATUS',
-        id: pending!.id,
-        status,
-        errorMessage,
-      });
-      expect(settled).toMatchObject({
-        status: 'ready',
-        blockCreationStatus: status,
+        id: pending.id,
+        ...settleEvent,
       });
+      expect(settled?.sessionStatus).toBe(expectedStatus);
 
       const next = stateMachine.dispatch({
         type: 'START_RECORDING',
       });
-      expect(next?.id).toBeGreaterThan(pending!.id);
-      expect(next?.status).toBe('recording');
-      expect(next?.blockCreationStatus).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(next?.id).toBeGreaterThan(pending.id);
+      expect(next?.sessionStatus).toBe('starting');
     }
   );
 });
+
+describe('recording feature', () => {
+  const nativeStartRecording = vi.fn();
+  const nativeStopRecording = vi.fn();
+  const nativeAbortRecording = vi.fn();
+  const ensureDirSync = vi.fn();
+  const resolveExistingPathInBase = vi.fn(
+    async (_base: string, filepath: string) => filepath
+  );
+  const getMainWindow = vi.fn(async () => ({
+    show: vi.fn(),
+  }));
+
+  const storageState = new Map<string, unknown>();
+  const watchSubjects = new Map<string, BehaviorSubject<unknown>>();
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.resetModules();
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    storageState.clear();
+    watchSubjects.clear();
+
+    vi.doMock('@affine/native', () => ({
+      ShareableContent: class ShareableContent {
+        static applications() {
+          return [];
+        }
+
+        static applicationWithProcessId() {
+          return null;
+        }
+
+        static isUsingMicrophone() {
+          return false;
+        }
+
+        static onApplicationListChanged() {
+          return { unsubscribe: vi.fn() };
+        }
+
+        static onAppStateChanged() {
+          return { unsubscribe: vi.fn() };
+        }
+      },
+      startRecording: nativeStartRecording,
+      stopRecording: nativeStopRecording,
+      abortRecording: nativeAbortRecording,
+    }));
+
+    vi.doMock('electron', () => ({
+      app: {
+        getPath: vi.fn(() => '/tmp'),
+        on: vi.fn(),
+      },
+      systemPreferences: {
+        getMediaAccessStatus: vi.fn(() => 'granted'),
+        askForMediaAccess: vi.fn(async () => true),
+      },
+    }));
+
+    vi.doMock('fs-extra', () => ({
+      default: {
+        ensureDirSync,
+        removeSync: vi.fn(),
+      },
+    }));
+
+    vi.doMock('../../src/shared/utils', async () => {
+      const actual = await vi.importActual('../../src/shared/utils');
+      return {
+        ...actual,
+        isMacOS: () => false,
+        isWindows: () => false,
+        resolveExistingPathInBase,
+      };
+    });
+
+    vi.doMock('../../src/main/shared-storage/storage', () => ({
+      globalStateStorage: {
+        get: (key: string) => storageState.get(key),
+        set: (key: string, value: unknown) => {
+          storageState.set(key, value);
+          const subject$ = watchSubjects.get(key);
+          subject$?.next(value);
+        },
+        watch: (key: string) => {
+          const subject$ =
+            watchSubjects.get(key) ??
+            new BehaviorSubject(storageState.get(key));
+          watchSubjects.set(key, subject$);
+          return subject$.asObservable();
+        },
+      },
+    }));
+
+    vi.doMock('../../src/main/windows-manager', () => ({
+      getMainWindow,
+    }));
+
+    vi.doMock('../../src/main/windows-manager/popup', () => ({
+      popupManager: {
+        get: () => ({
+          showing: false,
+          show: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+          hide: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+        }),
+      },
+    }));
+
+    vi.doMock('lodash-es', () => ({
+      debounce: (fn: (...args: unknown[]) => void) => fn,
+    }));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllTimers();
+  });
+
+  test('slow start exposes starting state before native setup resolves', async () => {
+    const startDeferred = createDeferred<{
+      id: string;
+      filepath: string;
+      sampleRate: number;
+      channels: number;
+      startedAt: number;
+    }>();
+    nativeStartRecording.mockReturnValue(startDeferred.promise);
+
+    const {
+      recordingStatus$,
+      setRecordingNativeModuleForTesting,
+      startRecording,
+    } = await import('../../src/main/recording/feature');
+    setRecordingNativeModuleForTesting({
+      ShareableContent: class ShareableContent {},
+      startRecording: nativeStartRecording,
+      stopRecording: nativeStopRecording,
+      abortRecording: nativeAbortRecording,
+    } as never);
+
+    const startPromise = startRecording();
+    expect(recordingStatus$.value).toMatchObject({
+      status: 'starting',
+    });
+
+    startDeferred.resolve({
+      id: 'native-1',
+      filepath: '/tmp/0.opus',
+      sampleRate: 48_000,
+      channels: 2,
+      startedAt: 123,
+    });
+
+    await startPromise;
+    expect(recordingStatus$.value).toMatchObject({
+      status: 'recording',
+    });
+    expect(recordingStatus$.value?.filepath).toContain('0.opus');
+  });
+
+  test('slow stop transitions through finalizing and then pending_import', async () => {
+    nativeStartRecording.mockResolvedValue({
+      id: 'native-1',
+      filepath: '/tmp/0.opus',
+      sampleRate: 48_000,
+      channels: 2,
+      startedAt: 123,
+    });
+
+    const stopDeferred = createDeferred<{
+      id: string;
+      filepath: string;
+      sampleRate: number;
+      channels: number;
+      durationMs: number;
+      size: number;
+      degraded: boolean;
+      overflowCount: number;
+    }>();
+    nativeStopRecording.mockReturnValue(stopDeferred.promise);
+
+    const {
+      getRecordingImportQueue,
+      recordingStatus$,
+      setRecordingNativeModuleForTesting,
+      startRecording,
+      stopRecording,
+    } = await import('../../src/main/recording/feature');
+    setRecordingNativeModuleForTesting({
+      ShareableContent: class ShareableContent {},
+      startRecording: nativeStartRecording,
+      stopRecording: nativeStopRecording,
+      abortRecording: nativeAbortRecording,
+    } as never);
+
+    const started = await startRecording();
+    const stopPromise = stopRecording(started!.id);
+    expect(recordingStatus$.value).toMatchObject({
+      id: started!.id,
+      status: 'finalizing',
+    });
+
+    stopDeferred.resolve({
+      id: 'native-1',
+      filepath: '/tmp/0.opus',
+      sampleRate: 48_000,
+      channels: 2,
+      durationMs: 2_000,
+      size: 256,
+      degraded: true,
+      overflowCount: 4,
+    });
+
+    await stopPromise;
+
+    expect(recordingStatus$.value).toMatchObject({
+      id: started!.id,
+      status: 'pending_import',
+      degraded: true,
+      overflowCount: 4,
+    });
+    expect(getRecordingImportQueue()).toEqual([
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        id: started!.id,
+        importStatus: 'pending_import',
+        filepath: '/tmp/0.opus',
+        degraded: true,
+        overflowCount: 4,
+      }),
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  test('stop failure releases the active slot for the next recording', async () => {
+    nativeStartRecording
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        id: 'native-1',
+        filepath: '/tmp/0.opus',
+        sampleRate: 48_000,
+        channels: 2,
+        startedAt: 123,
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        id: 'native-2',
+        filepath: '/tmp/1.opus',
+        sampleRate: 48_000,
+        channels: 2,
+        startedAt: 456,
+      });
+    nativeStopRecording.mockRejectedValue(new Error('native stop failed'));
+
+    const {
+      recordingStatus$,
+      setRecordingNativeModuleForTesting,
+      startRecording,
+      stopRecording,
+    } = await import('../../src/main/recording/feature');
+    setRecordingNativeModuleForTesting({
+      ShareableContent: class ShareableContent {},
+      startRecording: nativeStartRecording,
+      stopRecording: nativeStopRecording,
+      abortRecording: nativeAbortRecording,
+    } as never);
+
+    const first = await startRecording();
+    await stopRecording(first!.id);
+
+    expect(recordingStatus$.value).toMatchObject({
+      id: first!.id,
+      status: 'finalize_failed',
+      errorMessage: 'native stop failed',
+    });
+
+    const second = await startRecording();
+    expect(second).toMatchObject({
+      id: expect.any(Number),
+      status: 'recording',
+    });
+    expect(second!.id).toBeGreaterThan(first!.id);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/workspace/handlers.spec.ts b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/workspace/handlers.spec.ts
index db826bba25..87e66b89af 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/workspace/handlers.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/apps/electron/test/workspace/handlers.spec.ts
@@ -132,51 +132,46 @@ describe('workspace db management', () => {
     ).toBe(false);
   });
 
-  test('rejects unsafe ids when deleting a workspace', async () => {
-    const { deleteWorkspace } =
-      await import('@affine/electron/helper/workspace/handlers');
-    const outsideDir = path.join(tmpDir, 'outside-delete-target');
+  test.each([
+    {
+      name: 'deleting a workspace',
+      outsideDirName: 'outside-delete-target',
+      call: async () => {
+        const { deleteWorkspace } =
+          await import('@affine/electron/helper/workspace/handlers');
+        return deleteWorkspace(
+          universalId({
+            peer: 'local',
+            type: 'workspace',
+            id: '../../outside-delete-target',
+          })
+        );
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'deleting backup workspaces',
+      outsideDirName: 'outside-backup-target',
+      call: async () => {
+        const { deleteBackupWorkspace } =
+          await import('@affine/electron/helper/workspace/handlers');
+        return deleteBackupWorkspace('../../outside-backup-target');
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'recovering backup workspaces',
+      outsideDirName: 'outside-recover-target',
+      call: async () => {
+        const { recoverBackupWorkspace } =
+          await import('@affine/electron/helper/workspace/handlers');
+        return recoverBackupWorkspace('../../outside-recover-target');
+      },
+    },
+  ])('rejects unsafe ids when $name', async ({ outsideDirName, call }) => {
+    const outsideDir = path.join(tmpDir, outsideDirName);
 
     await fs.ensureDir(outsideDir);
 
-    await expect(
-      deleteWorkspace(
-        universalId({
-          peer: 'local',
-          type: 'workspace',
-          id: '../../outside-delete-target',
-        })
-      )
-    ).rejects.toThrow('Invalid workspace id');
-
-    expect(await fs.pathExists(outsideDir)).toBe(true);
-  });
-
-  test('rejects unsafe ids when deleting backup workspaces', async () => {
-    const { deleteBackupWorkspace } =
-      await import('@affine/electron/helper/workspace/handlers');
-    const outsideDir = path.join(tmpDir, 'outside-backup-target');
-
-    await fs.ensureDir(outsideDir);
-
-    await expect(
-      deleteBackupWorkspace('../../outside-backup-target')
-    ).rejects.toThrow('Invalid workspace id');
-
-    expect(await fs.pathExists(outsideDir)).toBe(true);
-  });
-
-  test('rejects unsafe ids when recovering backup workspaces', async () => {
-    const { recoverBackupWorkspace } =
-      await import('@affine/electron/helper/workspace/handlers');
-    const outsideDir = path.join(tmpDir, 'outside-recover-target');
-
-    await fs.ensureDir(outsideDir);
-
-    await expect(
-      recoverBackupWorkspace('../../outside-recover-target')
-    ).rejects.toThrow('Invalid workspace id');
-
+    await expect(call()).rejects.toThrow('Invalid workspace id');
     expect(await fs.pathExists(outsideDir)).toBe(true);
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/frontend/native/index.d.ts b/packages/frontend/native/index.d.ts
index e0d650ef84..8e14011a35 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/native/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/native/index.d.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ export declare class ShareableContent {
   static tapGlobalAudio(excludedProcesses: Array<ApplicationInfo> | undefined | null, audioStreamCallback: ((err: Error | null, arg: Float32Array) => void)): AudioCaptureSession
 }
 
+export declare function abortRecording(id: string): Promise<void>
+
 export declare function decodeAudio(buf: Uint8Array, destSampleRate?: number | undefined | null, filename?: string | undefined | null, signal?: AbortSignal | undefined | null): Promise<Float32Array>
 
 /** Decode audio file into a Float32Array */
@@ -48,6 +50,8 @@ export interface RecordingArtifact {
   channels: number
   durationMs: number
   size: number
+  degraded: boolean
+  overflowCount: number
 }
 
 export interface RecordingSessionMeta {
@@ -68,9 +72,9 @@ export interface RecordingStartOptions {
   id?: string
 }
 
-export declare function startRecording(opts: RecordingStartOptions): RecordingSessionMeta
+export declare function startRecording(opts: RecordingStartOptions): Promise<RecordingSessionMeta>
 
-export declare function stopRecording(id: string): RecordingArtifact
+export declare function stopRecording(id: string): Promise<RecordingArtifact>
 export interface MermaidRenderOptions {
   theme?: string
   fontFamily?: string
diff --git a/packages/frontend/native/index.js b/packages/frontend/native/index.js
index fa4aabbcea..4d61bc9c0a 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/native/index.js
+++ b/packages/frontend/native/index.js
@@ -577,6 +577,7 @@ module.exports.ApplicationListChangedSubscriber = nativeBinding.ApplicationListC
 module.exports.ApplicationStateChangedSubscriber = nativeBinding.ApplicationStateChangedSubscriber
 module.exports.AudioCaptureSession = nativeBinding.AudioCaptureSession
 module.exports.ShareableContent = nativeBinding.ShareableContent
+module.exports.abortRecording = nativeBinding.abortRecording
 module.exports.decodeAudio = nativeBinding.decodeAudio
 module.exports.decodeAudioSync = nativeBinding.decodeAudioSync
 module.exports.startRecording = nativeBinding.startRecording
diff --git a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/Cargo.toml b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/Cargo.toml
index 97d0db1674..2c7b990646 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ rand              = { workspace = true }
 rubato            = { workspace = true }
 symphonia         = { workspace = true, features = ["all", "opt-simd"] }
 thiserror         = { workspace = true }
+tokio             = { workspace = true, features = ["rt", "sync"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(target_os = "macos")'.dependencies]
 block2           = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/audio_callback.rs b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/audio_callback.rs
index 11e9238c24..ba9c1e60e6 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/audio_callback.rs
+++ b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/audio_callback.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::{
+  Arc,
+  atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering},
+};
 
-use crossbeam_channel::Sender;
+use crossbeam_channel::{Sender, TrySendError};
 use napi::{
   bindgen_prelude::Float32Array,
   threadsafe_function::{ThreadsafeFunction, ThreadsafeFunctionCallMode},
@@ -11,7 +14,10 @@ use napi::{
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub enum AudioCallback {
   Js(Arc<ThreadsafeFunction<Float32Array, ()>>),
-  Channel(Sender<Vec<f32>>),
+  Channel {
+    sender: Sender<Vec<f32>>,
+    overflow_count: Arc<AtomicU64>,
+  },
 }
 
 impl AudioCallback {
@@ -22,10 +28,16 @@ impl AudioCallback {
         // audio thread.
         let _ = func.call(Ok(samples.into()), ThreadsafeFunctionCallMode::NonBlocking);
       }
-      Self::Channel(sender) => {
-        // Drop the chunk if the channel is full to avoid blocking capture.
-        let _ = sender.try_send(samples);
-      }
+      Self::Channel { sender, overflow_count } => match sender.try_send(samples) {
+        Ok(()) => {}
+        Err(TrySendError::Full(_)) => {
+          let dropped = overflow_count.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed) + 1;
+          if dropped == 1 || dropped.is_power_of_two() {
+            eprintln!("[affine_media_capture] audio queue overflow, dropped {dropped} chunks");
+          }
+        }
+        Err(TrySendError::Disconnected(_)) => {}
+      },
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/recording.rs b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/recording.rs
index f85c06d572..c6ec31d552 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/recording.rs
+++ b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/recording.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ use std::{
   fs,
   io::{BufWriter, Write},
   path::PathBuf,
-  sync::{LazyLock, Mutex},
+  sync::{
+    Arc, LazyLock,
+    atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering},
+  },
   thread::{self, JoinHandle},
   time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH},
 };
@@ -13,6 +16,7 @@ use napi_derive::napi;
 use ogg::writing::{PacketWriteEndInfo, PacketWriter};
 use opus_codec::{Application, Channels, Encoder, FrameSize, SampleRate as OpusSampleRate};
 use rubato::Resampler;
+use tokio::sync::{Mutex as AsyncMutex, mpsc, oneshot};
 
 #[cfg(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "windows"))]
 use crate::audio_callback::AudioCallback;
@@ -24,6 +28,7 @@ use crate::windows::screen_capture_kit::ShareableContent;
 const ENCODE_SAMPLE_RATE: OpusSampleRate = OpusSampleRate::Hz48000;
 const MAX_PACKET_SIZE: usize = 4096;
 const RESAMPLER_INPUT_CHUNK: usize = 1024;
+const AUDIO_CHUNK_QUEUE_CAPACITY: usize = 1024;
 
 type RecordingResult<T> = std::result::Result<T, RecordingError>;
 
@@ -55,6 +60,8 @@ pub struct RecordingArtifact {
   pub channels: u32,
   pub duration_ms: i64,
   pub size: i64,
+  pub degraded: bool,
+  pub overflow_count: u32,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
@@ -448,6 +455,8 @@ impl OggOpusWriter {
       channels: self.channels.as_usize() as u32,
       duration_ms,
       size,
+      degraded: false,
+      overflow_count: 0,
     })
   }
 }
@@ -507,17 +516,41 @@ impl PlatformCapture {
 }
 
 enum ControlMessage {
-  Stop(Sender<RecordingResult<RecordingArtifact>>),
+  Stop {
+    reply_tx: oneshot::Sender<RecordingResult<RecordingArtifact>>,
+  },
+  Abort {
+    reply_tx: oneshot::Sender<RecordingResult<()>>,
+  },
 }
 
 struct ActiveRecording {
   id: String,
-  control_tx: Sender<ControlMessage>,
+  control_tx: mpsc::UnboundedSender<ControlMessage>,
   controller: Option<JoinHandle<()>>,
 }
 
-static ACTIVE_RECORDING: LazyLock<Mutex<Option<ActiveRecording>>> = LazyLock::new(|| Mutex::new(None));
-static START_RECORDING_LOCK: LazyLock<Mutex<()>> = LazyLock::new(|| Mutex::new(()));
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct RecordingQualityMetrics {
+  overflow_count: Arc<AtomicU64>,
+}
+
+impl RecordingQualityMetrics {
+  fn shared_counter(&self) -> Arc<AtomicU64> {
+    Arc::clone(&self.overflow_count)
+  }
+
+  fn overflow_count(&self) -> u32 {
+    self
+      .overflow_count
+      .load(Ordering::Relaxed)
+      .try_into()
+      .unwrap_or(u32::MAX)
+  }
+}
+
+static ACTIVE_RECORDING: LazyLock<AsyncMutex<Option<ActiveRecording>>> = LazyLock::new(|| AsyncMutex::new(None));
+static START_RECORDING_LOCK: LazyLock<AsyncMutex<()>> = LazyLock::new(|| AsyncMutex::new(()));
 
 fn now_millis() -> i64 {
   SystemTime::now()
@@ -568,10 +601,17 @@ fn build_excluded_refs(ids: &[u32]) -> Result<Vec<ApplicationInfo>> {
   Ok(excluded)
 }
 
-fn start_capture(opts: &RecordingStartOptions, tx: Sender<Vec<f32>>) -> Result<(PlatformCapture, u32, u32)> {
+fn start_capture(
+  opts: &RecordingStartOptions,
+  tx: Sender<Vec<f32>>,
+  overflow_count: Arc<AtomicU64>,
+) -> Result<(PlatformCapture, u32, u32)> {
   #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
   {
-    let callback = AudioCallback::Channel(tx);
+    let callback = AudioCallback::Channel {
+      sender: tx,
+      overflow_count,
+    };
     let session = if let Some(app_id) = opts.app_process_id {
       ShareableContent::tap_audio_with_callback(app_id, callback)?
     } else {
@@ -586,7 +626,10 @@ fn start_capture(opts: &RecordingStartOptions, tx: Sender<Vec<f32>>) -> Result<(
 
   #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
   {
-    let callback = AudioCallback::Channel(tx);
+    let callback = AudioCallback::Channel {
+      sender: tx,
+      overflow_count,
+    };
     let session =
       ShareableContent::tap_audio_with_callback(opts.app_process_id.unwrap_or(0), callback, opts.sample_rate)?;
     let sample_rate = session.get_sample_rate().round() as u32;
@@ -598,6 +641,7 @@ fn start_capture(opts: &RecordingStartOptions, tx: Sender<Vec<f32>>) -> Result<(
   {
     let _ = opts;
     let _ = tx;
+    let _ = overflow_count;
     Err(RecordingError::UnsupportedPlatform.into())
   }
 }
@@ -625,13 +669,19 @@ fn spawn_recording_controller(
   id: String,
   filepath: PathBuf,
   opts: RecordingStartOptions,
-) -> (Receiver<RecordingResult<u32>>, Sender<ControlMessage>, JoinHandle<()>) {
-  let (started_tx, started_rx) = bounded(1);
-  let (control_tx, control_rx) = bounded(1);
+) -> (
+  oneshot::Receiver<RecordingResult<u32>>,
+  mpsc::UnboundedSender<ControlMessage>,
+  JoinHandle<()>,
+) {
+  let (started_tx, started_rx) = oneshot::channel();
+  let (control_tx, mut control_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
 
   let controller = thread::spawn(move || {
-    let (tx, rx) = bounded::<Vec<f32>>(32);
-    let (mut capture, capture_rate, capture_channels) = match start_capture(&opts, tx.clone()) {
+    let (tx, rx) = bounded::<Vec<f32>>(AUDIO_CHUNK_QUEUE_CAPACITY);
+    let metrics = RecordingQualityMetrics::default();
+    let (mut capture, capture_rate, capture_channels) = match start_capture(&opts, tx.clone(), metrics.shared_counter())
+    {
       Ok(capture) => capture,
       Err(error) => {
         let _ = started_tx.send(Err(RecordingError::Start(error.to_string())));
@@ -675,28 +725,52 @@ fn spawn_recording_controller(
       return;
     }
 
-    while let Ok(message) = control_rx.recv() {
+    if let Some(message) = control_rx.blocking_recv() {
       match message {
-        ControlMessage::Stop(reply_tx) => {
-          let result = match capture.stop() {
-            Ok(()) => {
-              drop(audio_tx.take());
-              match worker.take() {
-                Some(handle) => match handle.join() {
-                  Ok(result) => result,
-                  Err(_) => Err(RecordingError::Join),
-                },
-                None => Err(RecordingError::Join),
-              }
-            }
+        ControlMessage::Stop { reply_tx } => {
+          let stop_result = capture.stop();
+          drop(audio_tx.take());
+          let worker_result = match worker.take() {
+            Some(handle) => match handle.join() {
+              Ok(result) => result,
+              Err(_) => Err(RecordingError::Join),
+            },
+            None => Err(RecordingError::Join),
+          };
+          let result = match stop_result {
+            Ok(()) => worker_result.map(|mut artifact| {
+              artifact.overflow_count = metrics.overflow_count();
+              artifact.degraded = artifact.overflow_count > 0;
+              artifact
+            }),
             Err(error) => Err(RecordingError::Start(error.to_string())),
           };
 
           let _ = reply_tx.send(result);
+        }
+        ControlMessage::Abort { reply_tx } => {
+          let stop_result = capture.stop();
+          drop(audio_tx.take());
+          let worker_result = match worker.take() {
+            Some(handle) => match handle.join() {
+              Ok(result) => result,
+              Err(_) => Err(RecordingError::Join),
+            },
+            None => Err(RecordingError::Join),
+          };
+          let result = match stop_result {
+            Ok(()) => match worker_result {
+              Ok(artifact) => {
+                fs::remove_file(&artifact.filepath).ok();
+                Ok(())
+              }
+              Err(RecordingError::Empty) => Ok(()),
+              Err(error) => Err(error),
+            },
+            Err(error) => Err(RecordingError::Start(error.to_string())),
+          };
 
-          if worker.is_none() {
-            break;
-          }
+          let _ = reply_tx.send(result);
         }
       }
     }
@@ -711,17 +785,65 @@ fn spawn_recording_controller(
   (started_rx, control_tx, controller)
 }
 
-fn cleanup_recording_controller(control_tx: &Sender<ControlMessage>, controller: JoinHandle<()>) {
-  let (reply_tx, reply_rx) = bounded(1);
-  let _ = control_tx.send(ControlMessage::Stop(reply_tx));
-  let _ = reply_rx.recv();
-  let _ = controller.join();
+async fn join_controller_handle(controller: JoinHandle<()>) -> RecordingResult<()> {
+  tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || controller.join().map_err(|_| RecordingError::Join))
+    .await
+    .map_err(|_| RecordingError::Join)?
 }
 
-fn take_active_recording(id: &str) -> RecordingResult<ActiveRecording> {
-  let mut active_recording = ACTIVE_RECORDING
-    .lock()
-    .map_err(|_| RecordingError::Start("lock poisoned".into()))?;
+async fn cleanup_recording_controller(control_tx: &mpsc::UnboundedSender<ControlMessage>, controller: JoinHandle<()>) {
+  let (reply_tx, reply_rx) = oneshot::channel();
+  let _ = control_tx.send(ControlMessage::Abort { reply_tx });
+  let _ = reply_rx.await;
+  let _ = join_controller_handle(controller).await;
+}
+
+fn map_recording_result<T>(result: RecordingResult<T>) -> Result<T> {
+  match result {
+    Ok(value) => Ok(value),
+    Err(RecordingError::Start(message)) => Err(RecordingError::Start(message).into()),
+    Err(error) => Err(error.into()),
+  }
+}
+
+async fn send_control_message<T>(
+  id: &str,
+  message: ControlMessage,
+  reply_rx: oneshot::Receiver<RecordingResult<T>>,
+) -> Result<T> {
+  let control_tx = {
+    let recording = ACTIVE_RECORDING.lock().await;
+    let active = recording.as_ref().ok_or(RecordingError::NotFound)?;
+    if active.id != id {
+      return Err(RecordingError::NotFound.into());
+    }
+    active.control_tx.clone()
+  };
+
+  if control_tx.send(message).is_err() {
+    if let Ok(recording) = take_active_recording(id).await {
+      let _ = join_active_recording(recording).await;
+    }
+    return Err(RecordingError::Join.into());
+  }
+
+  let response = match reply_rx.await {
+    Ok(response) => response,
+    Err(_) => {
+      if let Ok(recording) = take_active_recording(id).await {
+        let _ = join_active_recording(recording).await;
+      }
+      return Err(RecordingError::Join.into());
+    }
+  };
+
+  let active_recording = take_active_recording(id).await?;
+  join_active_recording(active_recording).await?;
+  map_recording_result(response)
+}
+
+async fn take_active_recording(id: &str) -> RecordingResult<ActiveRecording> {
+  let mut active_recording = ACTIVE_RECORDING.lock().await;
   let recording = active_recording.take().ok_or(RecordingError::NotFound)?;
   if recording.id != id {
     *active_recording = Some(recording);
@@ -730,15 +852,14 @@ fn take_active_recording(id: &str) -> RecordingResult<ActiveRecording> {
   Ok(recording)
 }
 
-fn join_active_recording(mut recording: ActiveRecording) -> RecordingResult<()> {
+async fn join_active_recording(mut recording: ActiveRecording) -> RecordingResult<()> {
   if let Some(handle) = recording.controller.take() {
-    handle.join().map_err(|_| RecordingError::Join)?;
+    join_controller_handle(handle).await?;
   }
   Ok(())
 }
 
-#[napi]
-pub fn start_recording(opts: RecordingStartOptions) -> Result<RecordingSessionMeta> {
+async fn start_recording_inner(opts: RecordingStartOptions) -> Result<RecordingSessionMeta> {
   if let Some(fmt) = opts.format.as_deref()
     && !fmt.eq_ignore_ascii_case("opus")
   {
@@ -748,17 +869,12 @@ pub fn start_recording(opts: RecordingStartOptions) -> Result<RecordingSessionMe
     normalize_channel_count(channels)?;
   }
 
-  let _start_lock = START_RECORDING_LOCK
-    .lock()
-    .map_err(|_| RecordingError::Start("lock poisoned".into()))?;
+  let _start_lock = START_RECORDING_LOCK.lock().await;
   let output_dir = validate_output_dir(&opts.output_dir)?;
   let id = sanitize_id(opts.id.clone());
 
   {
-    let recording = ACTIVE_RECORDING
-      .lock()
-      .map_err(|_| RecordingError::Start("lock poisoned".into()))?;
-
+    let recording = ACTIVE_RECORDING.lock().await;
     if recording.is_some() {
       return Err(RecordingError::Start("recording already active".into()).into());
     }
@@ -770,9 +886,17 @@ pub fn start_recording(opts: RecordingStartOptions) -> Result<RecordingSessionMe
   }
 
   let (started_rx, control_tx, controller) = spawn_recording_controller(id.clone(), filepath.clone(), opts);
-  let encoding_channels = started_rx
-    .recv()
-    .map_err(|_| RecordingError::Start("failed to start recording controller".into()))??;
+  let encoding_channels = match started_rx.await {
+    Ok(Ok(channels)) => channels,
+    Ok(Err(error)) => {
+      let _ = join_controller_handle(controller).await;
+      return Err(error.into());
+    }
+    Err(_) => {
+      let _ = join_controller_handle(controller).await;
+      return Err(RecordingError::Start("failed to start recording controller".into()).into());
+    }
+  };
 
   let meta = RecordingSessionMeta {
     id: id.clone(),
@@ -782,16 +906,10 @@ pub fn start_recording(opts: RecordingStartOptions) -> Result<RecordingSessionMe
     started_at: now_millis(),
   };
 
-  let mut recording = match ACTIVE_RECORDING.lock() {
-    Ok(recording) => recording,
-    Err(_) => {
-      cleanup_recording_controller(&control_tx, controller);
-      return Err(RecordingError::Start("lock poisoned".into()).into());
-    }
-  };
+  let mut recording = ACTIVE_RECORDING.lock().await;
 
   if recording.is_some() {
-    cleanup_recording_controller(&control_tx, controller);
+    cleanup_recording_controller(&control_tx, controller).await;
     return Err(RecordingError::Start("recording already active".into()).into());
   }
 
@@ -805,63 +923,50 @@ pub fn start_recording(opts: RecordingStartOptions) -> Result<RecordingSessionMe
 }
 
 #[napi]
-pub fn stop_recording(id: String) -> Result<RecordingArtifact> {
-  let control_tx = {
-    let recording = ACTIVE_RECORDING
-      .lock()
-      .map_err(|_| RecordingError::Start("lock poisoned".into()))?;
+pub async fn start_recording(opts: RecordingStartOptions) -> Result<RecordingSessionMeta> {
+  start_recording_inner(opts).await
+}
 
-    let active = recording.as_ref().ok_or(RecordingError::NotFound)?;
-    if active.id != id {
-      return Err(RecordingError::NotFound.into());
-    }
-    active.control_tx.clone()
-  };
+async fn stop_recording_inner(id: String) -> Result<RecordingArtifact> {
+  let (reply_tx, reply_rx) = oneshot::channel();
+  send_control_message(&id, ControlMessage::Stop { reply_tx }, reply_rx).await
+}
 
-  let (reply_tx, reply_rx) = bounded(1);
-  if control_tx.send(ControlMessage::Stop(reply_tx)).is_err() {
-    if let Ok(recording) = take_active_recording(&id) {
-      let _ = join_active_recording(recording);
-    }
-    return Err(RecordingError::Join.into());
-  }
+#[napi]
+pub async fn stop_recording(id: String) -> Result<RecordingArtifact> {
+  stop_recording_inner(id).await
+}
 
-  let response = match reply_rx.recv() {
-    Ok(response) => response,
-    Err(_) => {
-      if let Ok(recording) = take_active_recording(&id) {
-        let _ = join_active_recording(recording);
-      }
-      return Err(RecordingError::Join.into());
-    }
-  };
+async fn abort_recording_inner(id: String) -> Result<()> {
+  let (reply_tx, reply_rx) = oneshot::channel();
+  send_control_message(&id, ControlMessage::Abort { reply_tx }, reply_rx).await
+}
 
-  let artifact = match response {
-    Ok(artifact) => artifact,
-    Err(RecordingError::Start(message)) => {
-      return Err(RecordingError::Start(message).into());
-    }
-    Err(error) => {
-      if let Ok(recording) = take_active_recording(&id) {
-        let _ = join_active_recording(recording);
-      }
-      return Err(error.into());
-    }
-  };
-
-  let active_recording = take_active_recording(&id)?;
-  join_active_recording(active_recording)?;
-
-  Ok(artifact)
+#[napi]
+pub async fn abort_recording(id: String) -> Result<()> {
+  abort_recording_inner(id).await
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-  use std::{env, fs::File, path::PathBuf};
+  use std::{env, fs::File, path::PathBuf, thread};
 
   use ogg::PacketReader;
+  use tokio::runtime::Builder;
 
-  use super::{OggOpusWriter, convert_interleaved_channels};
+  use super::{
+    ACTIVE_RECORDING, ActiveRecording, ControlMessage, OggOpusWriter, RecordingArtifact, RecordingError,
+    RecordingQualityMetrics, START_RECORDING_LOCK, abort_recording_inner, bounded, convert_interleaved_channels, mpsc,
+    stop_recording_inner,
+  };
+  use crate::audio_callback::AudioCallback;
+
+  fn block_on<F: std::future::Future>(future: F) -> F::Output {
+    Builder::new_current_thread()
+      .build()
+      .expect("create runtime")
+      .block_on(future)
+  }
 
   fn temp_recording_path() -> PathBuf {
     env::temp_dir().join(format!("affine-recording-test-{}.opus", rand::random::<u64>()))
@@ -939,4 +1044,105 @@ mod tests {
       vec![3.0, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0]
     );
   }
+
+  #[test]
+  fn stop_recording_clears_active_session_after_stop_error() {
+    let _lock = START_RECORDING_LOCK.blocking_lock();
+    let id = String::from("stop-error");
+    let (control_tx, mut control_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+    let controller = thread::spawn(move || {
+      let Some(ControlMessage::Stop { reply_tx }) = control_rx.blocking_recv() else {
+        panic!("expected stop");
+      };
+      let _ = reply_tx.send(Err(RecordingError::Start(String::from("boom"))));
+    });
+
+    *ACTIVE_RECORDING.blocking_lock() = Some(ActiveRecording {
+      id: id.clone(),
+      control_tx,
+      controller: Some(controller),
+    });
+
+    let error = match block_on(stop_recording_inner(id)) {
+      Ok(_) => panic!("stop should fail"),
+      Err(error) => error,
+    };
+    assert!(
+      error.to_string().contains("start failure: boom"),
+      "unexpected error: {error}"
+    );
+    assert!(ACTIVE_RECORDING.blocking_lock().is_none());
+  }
+
+  #[test]
+  fn stop_recording_returns_artifact_and_clears_active_session() {
+    let _lock = START_RECORDING_LOCK.blocking_lock();
+    let id = String::from("stop-success");
+    let (control_tx, mut control_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+    let controller = thread::spawn(move || {
+      let Some(ControlMessage::Stop { reply_tx }) = control_rx.blocking_recv() else {
+        panic!("expected stop");
+      };
+      let _ = reply_tx.send(Ok(RecordingArtifact {
+        id: String::from("stop-success"),
+        filepath: String::from("/tmp/recording.opus"),
+        sample_rate: 48_000,
+        channels: 2,
+        duration_ms: 1_000,
+        size: 128,
+        degraded: true,
+        overflow_count: 3,
+      }));
+    });
+
+    *ACTIVE_RECORDING.blocking_lock() = Some(ActiveRecording {
+      id: id.clone(),
+      control_tx,
+      controller: Some(controller),
+    });
+
+    let artifact = block_on(stop_recording_inner(id)).expect("stop should succeed");
+    assert_eq!(artifact.filepath, "/tmp/recording.opus");
+    assert!(artifact.degraded);
+    assert_eq!(artifact.overflow_count, 3);
+    assert!(ACTIVE_RECORDING.blocking_lock().is_none());
+  }
+
+  #[test]
+  fn abort_recording_clears_active_session() {
+    let _lock = START_RECORDING_LOCK.blocking_lock();
+    let id = String::from("abort-success");
+    let (control_tx, mut control_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+    let controller = thread::spawn(move || {
+      let Some(ControlMessage::Abort { reply_tx }) = control_rx.blocking_recv() else {
+        panic!("expected abort");
+      };
+      let _ = reply_tx.send(Ok(()));
+    });
+
+    *ACTIVE_RECORDING.blocking_lock() = Some(ActiveRecording {
+      id: id.clone(),
+      control_tx,
+      controller: Some(controller),
+    });
+
+    block_on(abort_recording_inner(id)).expect("abort should succeed");
+    assert!(ACTIVE_RECORDING.blocking_lock().is_none());
+  }
+
+  #[test]
+  fn queue_overflow_marks_recording_as_degraded() {
+    let metrics = RecordingQualityMetrics::default();
+    let (sender, receiver) = bounded(1);
+    let callback = AudioCallback::Channel {
+      sender,
+      overflow_count: metrics.shared_counter(),
+    };
+
+    callback.call(vec![0.1, 0.2]);
+    callback.call(vec![0.3, 0.4]);
+
+    let _ = receiver.recv().expect("queued audio");
+    assert_eq!(metrics.overflow_count(), 1);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/windows/audio_capture.rs b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/windows/audio_capture.rs
index 3fe694ad90..6281dcb2d6 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/windows/audio_capture.rs
+++ b/packages/frontend/native/media_capture/src/windows/audio_capture.rs
@@ -192,19 +192,26 @@ impl AudioCaptureSession {
     if self.stopped.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
       return Ok(());
     }
+    self.stopped.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+    let mut pause_errors = Vec::new();
     self
       .mic_stream
       .pause()
-      .map_err(|e| Error::new(Status::GenericFailure, format!("{e}")))?;
+      .map_err(|e| pause_errors.push(format!("pause mic stream: {e}")))
+      .ok();
     self
       .lb_stream
       .pause()
-      .map_err(|e| Error::new(Status::GenericFailure, format!("{e}")))?;
-    self.stopped.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+      .map_err(|e| pause_errors.push(format!("pause loopback stream: {e}")))
+      .ok();
     if let Some(jh) = self.jh.take() {
       let _ = jh.join(); // ignore poison
     }
-    Ok(())
+    if pause_errors.is_empty() {
+      Ok(())
+    } else {
+      Err(Error::new(Status::GenericFailure, pause_errors.join("; ")))
+    }
   }
 }