diff --git a/electron/main.ts b/electron/main.ts
index 38f4333f..7a81199e 100644
--- a/electron/main.ts
+++ b/electron/main.ts
@@ -528,6 +528,12 @@ function createTray() {
 	tray.on("double-click", () => focusOrCreateMainWindow());
 }
 
+function shouldUseTray() {
+	// macOS exposes Recordly as a regular Dock app. Windows and Linux keep the
+	// tray entry because they do not have the macOS Dock lifecycle.
+	return process.platform !== "darwin";
+}
+
 function getPublicAssetPath(filename: string) {
 	return path.join(process.env.VITE_PUBLIC || RENDERER_DIST, filename);
 }
@@ -1002,9 +1008,14 @@ app.whenReady().then(async () => {
 			}
 		}, 100);
 	});
+	if (process.platform === "darwin" && app.dock) {
+		await app.dock.show();
+	}
 	syncDockIcon();
-	createTray();
-	updateTrayMenu();
+	if (shouldUseTray()) {
+		createTray();
+		updateTrayMenu();
+	}
 	setupApplicationMenu();
 	// Ensure recordings directory exists
 	await ensureRecordingsDir();
@@ -1031,8 +1042,10 @@ app.whenReady().then(async () => {
 		(recording: boolean, sourceName: string) => {
 			selectedSourceName = sourceName;
 			setHudOverlayRecordingActive(recording);
-			if (!tray) createTray();
-			updateTrayMenu(recording);
+			if (shouldUseTray()) {
+				if (!tray) createTray();
+				updateTrayMenu(recording);
+			}
 			if (recording) {
 				reassertHudOverlayMouseState();
 			}
diff --git a/electron/windows.ts b/electron/windows.ts
index 8a10981f..e0fb5be2 100644
--- a/electron/windows.ts
+++ b/electron/windows.ts
@@ -693,7 +693,12 @@ export function createUpdateToastWindow(): BrowserWindow {
 		win.setAlwaysOnTop(true, "status");
 	}
 
-	win.setVisibleOnAllWorkspaces(true, { visibleOnFullScreen: true });
+	win.setVisibleOnAllWorkspaces(true, {
+		visibleOnFullScreen: true,
+		// Keep Recordly a foreground application so macOS does not temporarily
+		// remove its Dock icon while showing an overlay window.
+		skipTransformProcessType: process.platform === "darwin",
+	});
 	updateToastWindow = win;
 
 	win.on("closed", () => {
@@ -1001,7 +1006,12 @@ export function createCountdownWindow(): BrowserWindow {
 
 	countdownWindow = win;
 
-	win.setVisibleOnAllWorkspaces(true, { visibleOnFullScreen: true });
+	win.setVisibleOnAllWorkspaces(true, {
+		visibleOnFullScreen: true,
+		// Keep Recordly a foreground application so macOS does not temporarily
+		// remove its Dock icon while showing the countdown.
+		skipTransformProcessType: process.platform === "darwin",
+	});
 
 	win.webContents.on("did-finish-load", () => {
 		if (!win.isDestroyed()) {