diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingNotificationHelper.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingNotificationHelper.kt
index 4a0c6b2..4cfb11a 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingNotificationHelper.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingNotificationHelper.kt
@@ -215,7 +215,34 @@ object RecordingNotificationHelper {
             // to the card's own mic; that duplication is the price of the
             // card rendering.
             .apply {
-                if (!rich) return@apply // plain first post: stock template only
+                if (!rich) {
+                    // Plain first post: stock actions so the instant banner
+                    // keeps transport (pause / save / discard) until the
+                    // rich card takes over after warmup. Without these the
+                    // stock template is informational only.
+                    addAction(
+                        if (paused) R.drawable.ic_notif_play else R.drawable.ic_notif_pause,
+                        ctx.getString(
+                            if (paused) R.string.notif_resume else R.string.notif_pause,
+                        ),
+                        svcIntent(
+                            ctx,
+                            if (paused) RecordingService.ACTION_RESUME else RecordingService.ACTION_PAUSE,
+                            42,
+                        ),
+                    )
+                    addAction(
+                        R.drawable.ic_notif_check,
+                        ctx.getString(R.string.notif_save),
+                        activitySaveIntent(ctx),
+                    )
+                    addAction(
+                        R.drawable.ic_notif_close,
+                        ctx.getString(R.string.notif_discard),
+                        svcIntent(ctx, RecordingService.ACTION_DISCARD_REQUEST, 43),
+                    )
+                    return@apply
+                }
                 setCustomContentView(small)
                 setCustomBigContentView(card)
                 // Heads-up uses this on the first post; without it the system
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingService.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingService.kt
index bdf5961..bd1f1bd 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingService.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/recording/RecordingService.kt
@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ class RecordingService : Service() {
     private var resumedAtElapsed = 0L
     private var ticker: Job? = null
     private var starting = false
+    /** Plain-template window: custom RemoteViews first-bind stalls ~10s on
+     * cold SystemUI (traced: FGS post :26.0, heads-up :36.5). Keep the banner
+     * on the stock template until inflation is warm so the shade row +
+     * heads-up pill show instantly like other recorder apps; the 1s ticker
+     * flips to the rich card after warmup. */
+    private var fgsStartedAtElapsed = 0L
 
     private lateinit var stateStore: RecordingStateStore
 
@@ -320,11 +326,13 @@ class RecordingService : Service() {
      * builds); the 1s ticker swaps in the rich card.
      */
     private fun ensureForeground() {
+        fgsStartedAtElapsed = android.os.SystemClock.elapsedRealtime()
         try {
             val notif = RecordingNotificationHelper.build(
                 this, RecordingSnapshot.Phase.RECORDING, 0L, displayFileName(),
                 alertOnce = false, rich = false,
             )
+
             if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.Q) {
                 startForeground(
                     RecordingNotificationHelper.NOTIFICATION_ID, notif,
@@ -333,6 +341,7 @@ class RecordingService : Service() {
             } else {
                 startForeground(RecordingNotificationHelper.NOTIFICATION_ID, notif)
             }
+
         } catch (e: Exception) {
             android.util.Log.w("ShonarRec", "FGS start denied", e)
             broadcast()
@@ -376,12 +385,15 @@ class RecordingService : Service() {
     private fun pushNotification() {
         val s = _snapshot.value
         if (s.phase == RecordingSnapshot.Phase.IDLE) return
+        val warm = fgsStartedAtElapsed == 0L ||
+            android.os.SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() - fgsStartedAtElapsed >= RICH_WARMUP_MS
         val nm = getSystemService(android.app.NotificationManager::class.java)
         runCatching {
             nm.notify(
                 RecordingNotificationHelper.NOTIFICATION_ID,
                 RecordingNotificationHelper.build(
                     this, s.phase, s.elapsedMs, displayFileName(), s.confirmingDiscard,
+                    rich = warm,
                 ),
             )
         }
@@ -559,6 +571,8 @@ class RecordingService : Service() {
     override fun onBind(intent: Intent?): IBinder? = null
 
     companion object {
+        /** Stock-template window before the rich custom card is allowed. */
+        private const val RICH_WARMUP_MS = 15_000L
         const val ACTION_START = "com.shonar.recording.START"
         const val ACTION_PAUSE = "com.shonar.recording.PAUSE"
         const val ACTION_RESUME = "com.shonar.recording.RESUME"
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/ui/home/HomeScreen.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/ui/home/HomeScreen.kt
index 40c0050..e5872cf 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/ui/home/HomeScreen.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/ui/home/HomeScreen.kt
@@ -130,6 +130,15 @@ fun HomeScreen(
     LaunchedEffect(Unit) {
         app.settingsManager.ensureLoaded()
         consentSeen = app.settingsManager.bool(BuiltInSettings.CONSENT)
+        // Backfill the widget's sync cache for users who consented before
+        // the cache existed (else their first cold tap still takes the slow
+        // DataStore path).
+        if (consentSeen == true) {
+            runCatching {
+                context.getSharedPreferences("shonar_widget", android.content.Context.MODE_PRIVATE)
+                    .edit().putBoolean("consent", true).apply()
+            }
+        }
         // Adopt files added outside the app (own file sync, USB…) into the library.
         runCatching { app.recordingRepository.refreshRoot() }
         storageOk = runCatching { app.recordingRepository.libraryAccessible() }
@@ -298,6 +307,14 @@ fun HomeScreen(
             scope.launch {
                 app.settingsManager.setValue(BuiltInSettings.CONSENT, "true")
             }
+            // Sync mirror for the widget trampoline: DataStore reads can
+            // exceed the cold-start bound, sending consented users to the
+            // app instead of recording. SharedPreferences reads are
+            // synchronous, so cold widget taps stay instant.
+            runCatching {
+                context.getSharedPreferences("shonar_widget", android.content.Context.MODE_PRIVATE)
+                    .edit().putBoolean("consent", true).apply()
+            }
             consentSeen = true
         })
     }
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/widget/StartRecordingActivity.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/widget/StartRecordingActivity.kt
index 6af2ea9..22486aa 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/widget/StartRecordingActivity.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/shonar/widget/StartRecordingActivity.kt
@@ -14,42 +14,24 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.SupervisorJob
 import kotlinx.coroutines.async
 import kotlinx.coroutines.cancel
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.first
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import kotlinx.coroutines.withTimeoutOrNull
 
 /**
- * Invisible trampoline for the widget tap. A widget broadcast into a cold
- * process is subject to battery-optimization throttling (the tap could sit
- * ~10s before the service woke up). An activity start is exempt: the
- * process gets full priority and startForegroundService from an activity
- * context always satisfies Android 12+ FGS-start rules.
- *
- * Mirrors the in-app Record button exactly:
- * - Mic permission missing -> MainActivity (existing permission flow).
- * - Consent notice not yet acknowledged -> MainActivity, which shows the
- *   consent dialog (same gate as the in-app button).
- * - Idle -> START.
- * - Recording/paused -> SAVE (stop + rename sheet on next app open),
- *   exactly like the in-app Stop button.
- *
- * Finishes before the first frame draws (Translucent.NoTitleBar, no content
- * view), so there is no visible flash.
- *
- * The trampoline stays alive (still invisible) until the service reports a
- * non-IDLE snapshot or a short bound fires. Finishing instantly drops our
- * uid from TOP before startForeground() lands, making the start
- * background-originated — the system then defers the notification's
- * buzz/heads-up by ~10s (traced on-device 2026-09-18: FGS allowed
- * 17:03:17.4, first buzz 17:03:27.5). Waiting for the snapshot keeps the
- * whole start foreground-originated; the wait ends the moment recording
- * state flips, so it adds no artificial delay.
+ * Invisible trampoline for the widget tap. Fires from onResume (foreground)
+ * so the START is foreground-originated and the banner posts instantly.
+ * Gates on consent BEFORE starting (no phantom red-dot then cancel):
+ * unconsented -> MainActivity consent dialog, exactly like the in-app
+ * Record button. Consent loads in parallel with resume; onResume lands in
+ * ~100-200ms (the old onTopResumedActivityChanged never fires for the
+ * translucent theme, costing a 2s timeout every cold tap).
  */
 class StartRecordingActivity : Activity() {
 
     private val scope = CoroutineScope(SupervisorJob() + Dispatchers.Main.immediate)
-    /** Set when the trampoline is TOP-resumed (uid counts as foreground). */
-    private val topResumed = kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow(false)
+    private val resumed = MutableStateFlow(false)
 
     override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
@@ -62,33 +44,44 @@ class StartRecordingActivity : Activity() {
             finish()
             return
         }
+        // Active session: SAVE needs no consent gate; fire at once.
+        if (RecordingService.snapshot.value.phase != RecordingSnapshot.Phase.IDLE) {
+            RecordingService.command(this, RecordingService.ACTION_SAVE)
+            ShonarWidgetUpdater.refresh(this)
+            finish()
+            return
+        }
+        // Sync fast path: cached consent needs no DataStore wait.
+        if (cachedConsent() == true) {
+            scope.launch {
+                withTimeoutOrNull(RESUME_WAIT_MS) { resumed.first { it } }
+                RecordingService.command(
+                    this@StartRecordingActivity, RecordingService.ACTION_START,
+                )
+                withTimeoutOrNull(TRAMPOLINE_WAIT_MS) {
+                    RecordingService.snapshot.first {
+                        it.phase != RecordingSnapshot.Phase.IDLE
+                    }
+                }
+                ShonarWidgetUpdater.refresh(this@StartRecordingActivity)
+                finish()
+            }
+            return
+        }
         scope.launch {
             val app = application as ShonarApplication
-            // Same consent gate as the in-app Record button. Bound the read
-            // so a wedged store degrades to opening the app, never a hang.
             val consentedDeferred = async {
                 withTimeoutOrNull(CONSENT_WAIT_MS) {
                     runCatching {
                         app.settingsManager.ensureLoaded()
                         app.settingsManager.bool(BuiltInSettings.CONSENT)
-                    }.getOrDefault(false)
+                    }.getOrNull()
                 } == true
             }
-            // Wait until TOP-resumed so the START/SAVE call below is
-            // foreground-originated. Sent from onCreate, the system stamps
-            // the intent FROM_BACKGROUND (activity not yet resumed) and
-            // defers the notification's interruption ~10s — traced
-            // on-device: FGS allowed +0.1s, first buzz +10.1s, every session.
-            // Bound: a missed resume signal must never strand the activity.
-            withTimeoutOrNull(RESUME_WAIT_MS) { topResumed.first { it } }
+            withTimeoutOrNull(RESUME_WAIT_MS) { resumed.first { it } }
             val consented = withTimeoutOrNull(CONSENT_WAIT_MS) { consentedDeferred.await() } == true
-            // Active session: mirror the in-app Stop button (save; the rename
-            // sheet opens on next app launch via RenamePendingHolder).
-            if (RecordingService.snapshot.value.phase != RecordingSnapshot.Phase.IDLE) {
-                RecordingService.command(
-                    this@StartRecordingActivity, RecordingService.ACTION_SAVE,
-                )
-            } else if (!consented) {
+            if (consented) cacheConsent()
+            if (!consented) {
                 startActivity(
                     Intent(this@StartRecordingActivity, MainActivity::class.java)
                         .addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK),
@@ -97,9 +90,6 @@ class StartRecordingActivity : Activity() {
                 RecordingService.command(
                     this@StartRecordingActivity, RecordingService.ACTION_START,
                 )
-                // Bound, not a delay: returns the instant recording starts;
-                // the timeout only covers mic-failure paths (the service
-                // reverts the UI itself there).
                 withTimeoutOrNull(TRAMPOLINE_WAIT_MS) {
                     RecordingService.snapshot.first {
                         it.phase != RecordingSnapshot.Phase.IDLE
@@ -113,20 +103,11 @@ class StartRecordingActivity : Activity() {
 
     override fun onResume() {
         super.onResume()
-        // Pre-29 has no top-resumed signal (and no background-FGS
-        // restriction); onResume is sufficient there.
-        if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 29) topResumed.value = true
-    }
-
-    override fun onTopResumedActivityChanged(isTopResumed: Boolean) {
-        super.onTopResumedActivityChanged(isTopResumed)
-        if (isTopResumed) topResumed.value = true
+        resumed.value = true
     }
 
     override fun onNewIntent(intent: Intent) {
         super.onNewIntent(intent)
-        // singleInstance re-tap while a waiter is pending: the first waiter
-        // already covers the start — never strand a second instance.
         finish()
     }
 
@@ -135,6 +116,22 @@ class StartRecordingActivity : Activity() {
         super.onDestroy()
     }
 
+    private fun cachedConsent(): Boolean? {
+        return try {
+            val sp = getSharedPreferences("shonar_widget", MODE_PRIVATE)
+            if (sp.contains("consent")) sp.getBoolean("consent", false) else null
+        } catch (_: Exception) {
+            null
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun cacheConsent() {
+        runCatching {
+            getSharedPreferences("shonar_widget", MODE_PRIVATE)
+                .edit().putBoolean("consent", true).apply()
+        }
+    }
+
     companion object {
         private const val TRAMPOLINE_WAIT_MS = 2_500L
         private const val CONSENT_WAIT_MS = 2_000L
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 7c10317..cbba412 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
     <string name="notif_channel_recording_desc">Shonar recording controls. Kept silent so takes stay clean.</string>
     <string name="notif_recording">Shonar is recording</string>
     <string name="notif_paused">Shonar recording paused</string>
+    <string name="notif_pause">Pause</string>
+    <string name="notif_resume">Resume</string>
+    <string name="notif_save">Save</string>
+    <string name="notif_discard">Discard</string>
     <!-- Widget -->
     <string name="widget_record">Record</string>
     <string name="widget_recording">Recording…</string>