diff --git a/backend/shonar/services/ai/__init__.py b/backend/shonar/services/ai/__init__.py
index cba72b7..700254c 100644
--- a/backend/shonar/services/ai/__init__.py
+++ b/backend/shonar/services/ai/__init__.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class TranscriptionProvider(Protocol):
         mime: str,
         *,
         language_hint: str | None = None,
+        on_progress=None,  # optional Callable[[int], None], 0..99
     ) -> TranscriptResult: ...
 
 
diff --git a/backend/shonar/services/ai/faster_whisper.py b/backend/shonar/services/ai/faster_whisper.py
index 7ed0ca6..3c2b9b7 100644
--- a/backend/shonar/services/ai/faster_whisper.py
+++ b/backend/shonar/services/ai/faster_whisper.py
@@ -61,11 +61,17 @@ class FasterWhisperProvider:
         mime: str,
         *,
         language_hint: str | None = None,
+        on_progress=None,  # Callable[[int], None] | None — 0..99 percent
     ) -> TranscriptResult:
         # faster-whisper is blocking CPU work: keep it off the event loop.
-        return await asyncio.to_thread(self._run, audio, language_hint)
+        return await asyncio.to_thread(self._run, audio, language_hint, on_progress)
 
-    def _run(self, audio: bytes, language_hint: str | None) -> TranscriptResult:
+    def _run(
+        self,
+        audio: bytes,
+        language_hint: str | None,
+        on_progress=None,
+    ) -> TranscriptResult:
         path: Path | None = None
         try:
             with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=".m4a", delete=False) as f:
@@ -78,10 +84,18 @@ class FasterWhisperProvider:
                 beam_size=5,
                 language=language_hint,
             )
-            segments = [
-                Segment(start=s.start, end=s.end, text=s.text.strip())
-                for s in segments_iter
-            ]
+            duration = float(getattr(info, "duration", 0.0) or 0.0)
+            segments = []
+            last_pct = -1
+            for s in segments_iter:
+                segments.append(Segment(start=s.start, end=s.end, text=s.text.strip()))
+                if on_progress is not None and duration > 0:
+                    # Throttle: report only on whole-percent gains. Capped
+                    # at 99 — the caller commits 100 when the row finishes.
+                    pct = min(99, int(s.end / duration * 100))
+                    if pct > last_pct:
+                        last_pct = pct
+                        on_progress(pct)
             text = " ".join(s.text for s in segments).strip()
             return TranscriptResult(
                 text=text,
diff --git a/backend/shonar/services/ai/whisper_http.py b/backend/shonar/services/ai/whisper_http.py
index a5e791a..b25e81f 100644
--- a/backend/shonar/services/ai/whisper_http.py
+++ b/backend/shonar/services/ai/whisper_http.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class WhisperHttpProvider:
         mime: str,
         *,
         language_hint: str | None = None,
+        on_progress=None,  # accepted for protocol parity; not reported
     ) -> TranscriptResult:
         headers = (
             {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self.api_key}"} if self.api_key else {}
diff --git a/backend/shonar/services/processing.py b/backend/shonar/services/processing.py
index 8090cac..ca91b24 100644
--- a/backend/shonar/services/processing.py
+++ b/backend/shonar/services/processing.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ Entry points:
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import asyncio
 import logging
 import uuid
 from datetime import timedelta
@@ -46,6 +47,49 @@ from shonar.storage import get_storage
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("shonar.processing")
 
+
+def _accepts_on_progress(provider) -> bool:
+    """True when the provider's transcribe() accepts on_progress=."""
+    import inspect
+
+    try:
+        return "on_progress" in inspect.signature(provider.transcribe).parameters
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):  # builtins / exotic callables
+        return False
+
+
+def _thread_progress_reporter(job_id):
+    """Callback safe to invoke from a worker thread (faster-whisper runs
+    via asyncio.to_thread): schedules a tiny session update on the loop.
+
+    Progress writes are best-effort display state — failures are logged
+    and swallowed, never allowed to disturb the transcription itself."""
+    loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+
+    def report(pct: int) -> None:
+        async def _write() -> None:
+            from sqlalchemy import update
+
+            from shonar.db.session import session_factory
+
+            try:
+                async with session_factory()() as s:
+                    await s.execute(
+                        update(ProcessingJob)
+                        .where(ProcessingJob.id == job_id)
+                        .values(progress=int(pct))
+                    )
+                    await s.commit()
+            except Exception:  # pragma: no cover - display state only
+                logger.debug("progress write failed for job %s", job_id, exc_info=True)
+
+        try:
+            asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(_write(), loop)
+        except RuntimeError:  # loop already gone (shutdown race)
+            logger.debug("progress dropped for job %s (loop gone)", job_id)
+
+    return report
+
 MAX_TRIES = 3
 
 # A `running` job younger than this is treated as live work, not a crash
@@ -230,8 +274,13 @@ async def _fail(
     (returning normally), otherwise they raise for arq retry."""
     transient = exc is None or isinstance(exc, ProviderTransientError)
     if transient and _job_try(ctx) < MAX_TRIES:
+        # Running state was committed before the long phase; put the row
+        # back to queued for the retry and persist that (a raise no longer
+        # rolls the pre-phase commit back).
+        job.status = JobStatus.queued
         job.attempt = _job_try(ctx)
-        await session.flush()
+        job.stage = None
+        await session.commit()
         raise ProviderTransientError(message)
     job.status = JobStatus.failed
     job.error = message
@@ -293,12 +342,17 @@ async def run_transcribe(ctx: dict, recording_id: str) -> None:
         job.progress = None
         rec.processing_status = ProcessingStatus.processing
         rec.processing_error = None
-        await session.flush()
+        # Commit before the long CPU phase: an open transaction is invisible
+        # to other readers (and on SQLite it locks out the progress writer).
+        await session.commit()
         try:
             audio = await get_storage().get(original.storage_key)
             job.stage = "transcribing"
-            await session.flush()
-            result = await provider.transcribe(audio, original.mime_type)
+            await session.commit()
+            kwargs = {}
+            if _accepts_on_progress(provider):
+                kwargs["on_progress"] = _thread_progress_reporter(job.id)
+            result = await provider.transcribe(audio, original.mime_type, **kwargs)
         except AIError as e:
             await _fail(session, rec, job, str(e), ctx, e)
             await session.commit()
@@ -371,8 +425,9 @@ async def run_summarize(ctx: dict, recording_id: str) -> None:
         job.status = JobStatus.running
         job.attempt = _job_try(ctx)
         job.started_at = utcnow()
+        job.stage = "summarizing"
         rec.processing_status = ProcessingStatus.processing
-        await session.flush()
+        await session.commit()  # visible before the long LLM call
         try:
             result = await provider.summarize(text, title=rec.title)
         except AIError as e:
@@ -381,6 +436,8 @@ async def run_summarize(ctx: dict, recording_id: str) -> None:
             return
         await store_summary(session, rec, result.to_dict(), provider.name, result.model)
         job.status = JobStatus.succeeded
+        job.stage = None
+        job.progress = 100
         job.finished_at = utcnow()
         rec.processing_status = ProcessingStatus.completed
         rec.processing_error = None
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/DesktopState.kt b/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/DesktopState.kt
index a6f3aff..f0a35cc 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/DesktopState.kt
+++ b/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/DesktopState.kt
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
         val hasReport: Boolean,
         val status: FileStatus = FileStatus.NEW,
         val statusNote: String? = null,
+        /** 0..1 while transcribing (backend-reported); null otherwise. */
+        val progress: Float? = null,
     )
 
     data class DetailUi(
@@ -303,7 +305,18 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
                     "SHONAR_TRANSCRIPTION_PROVIDER" to "faster_whisper",
                     "SHONAR_TRANSCRIPTION_MODEL" to "base",
                 )
-                if (ollamaUp()) {
+                // Summarizer preference: LAN inference server (H200) when
+                // its key is present in the environment, then local Ollama.
+                // LAN-only: the key never leaves the network boundary and
+                // is read from the environment, never stored by this app.
+                val lanKey = System.getenv(ENV_LAN_LLM_KEY)?.takeIf { it.isNotBlank() }
+                    ?: readLanKeyFromHermesEnv()
+                if (lanKey.isNotBlank()) {
+                    env["SHONAR_LLM_PROVIDER"] = "openai_compat"
+                    env["SHONAR_LLM_BASE_URL"] = LAN_LLM_BASE_URL
+                    env["SHONAR_LLM_MODEL"] = LAN_LLM_MODEL
+                    env["SHONAR_LLM_API_KEY"] = lanKey
+                } else if (ollamaUp()) {
                     env["SHONAR_LLM_PROVIDER"] = "ollama"
                     env["SHONAR_LLM_BASE_URL"] = "http://127.0.0.1:11434"
                     env["SHONAR_LLM_MODEL"] = ollamaModel()
@@ -352,6 +365,17 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
         apiProc = null
     }
 
+    /** The H200 key lives in ~/.hermes/.env (0600, same machine); desktop
+     * launches from a plain session don't carry it as an env var, so read
+     * it from there. Never logged, never written anywhere else. */
+    private fun readLanKeyFromHermesEnv(): String = runCatching {
+        File(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".hermes/.env")
+            .readLines()
+            .firstOrNull { it.trimStart().startsWith("$ENV_LAN_LLM_KEY=") }
+            ?.substringAfter('=')?.trim()
+            .orEmpty()
+    }.getOrDefault("")
+
     private fun ollamaUp(): Boolean = runCatching {
         java.net.URL("http://127.0.0.1:11434/api/tags").readText().contains("\"models\"")
     }.getOrDefault(false)
@@ -483,14 +507,28 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
         }
     }
 
+    /** file name -> live activity from job polling. */
+    private val _liveProgress = MutableStateFlow<Map<String, LiveProgress>>(emptyMap())
+    val liveProgress = _liveProgress.asStateFlow()
+
+    private fun setLive(name: String, live: LiveProgress?) {
+        _liveProgress.value = _liveProgress.value.toMutableMap().apply {
+            if (live == null) remove(name) else put(name, live)
+        }
+    }
+
     private fun rescanStatuses() {
+        val live = _liveProgress.value
         _entries.value = _entries.value.map { e ->
             val done = reportFile(e.file).exists()
             e.copy(
                 hasReport = done,
+                statusNote = live[e.file.name]?.label,
+                progress = live[e.file.name]?.fraction,
                 status = when {
                     done -> FileStatus.DONE
                     e.file.name in failedFiles -> FileStatus.FAILED
+                    live.containsKey(e.file.name) -> FileStatus.RUNNING
                     e.file.name in inFlight -> FileStatus.QUEUED
                     else -> FileStatus.NEW
                 },
@@ -524,14 +562,17 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
             val ref = provider.upload(draft) {}
             var jobs: List<JobInfo> = emptyList()
             var polls = 0
-            while (polls < 600) { // up to ~30 min per file at 3s polls
+            while (polls < 600) { // up to ~30 min per file at 2s polls
                 polls++
-                delay(3000)
+                delay(2000)
                 jobs = runCatching { parseJobs(provider.fetchJobs(ref.key)) }.getOrNull().orEmpty()
+                setLive(f.name, jobProgress(jobs))
+                rescanStatuses()
                 val t = jobs.firstOrNull { it.jobType == "transcribe" }?.status
                 val s = jobs.firstOrNull { it.jobType == "summarize" }?.status
                 if ((t == null || t in TERMINAL) && (s == null || s in TERMINAL)) break
             }
+            setLive(f.name, null)
             val transcribeFailed = jobs.any {
                 it.jobType == "transcribe" && it.status == "failed"
             }
@@ -542,6 +583,7 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
             saveReport(DetailUi(file = f, transcript = transcript, summary = summary))
             true
         } catch (e: Exception) {
+            setLive(f.name, null)
             // Surface pump failures for diagnosis instead of swallowing them.
             runCatching {
                 File(appDir, "pump-error.log").appendText(
@@ -561,6 +603,19 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
             return
         }
         val hits = mutableListOf<SearchHit>()
+        // Name matches come first: they find untranscribed recordings too
+        // (searching "tycos" should surface "…Tycos Space.m4a" immediately,
+        // whether or not a report exists yet).
+        _entries.value.forEach { e ->
+            if (e.file.nameWithoutExtension.lowercase().contains(needle)) {
+                hits += SearchHit(
+                    report = e.file.nameWithoutExtension,
+                    line = 0,  // 0 = name match (no transcript line)
+                    snippet = "recording name match",
+                    audioPath = e.file.absolutePath,
+                )
+            }
+        }
         dir.listFiles()
             ?.filter { it.isFile && it.name.endsWith(".transcript.md") }
             ?.sortedBy { it.name.lowercase() }
@@ -661,10 +716,11 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
             _detail.value = d.copy()
             // Poll jobs until the transcribe step reaches a terminal state.
             while (true) {
-                delay(3000)
+                delay(2000)
                 val jobs = runCatching { parseJobs(provider.fetchJobs(ref.key)) }.getOrNull()
                     .orEmpty()
                 d.jobs = jobs
+                jobLabel(jobs)?.let { d.busy = it }
                 _detail.value = d.copy()
                 val t = jobs.firstOrNull { it.jobType == "transcribe" }?.status
                 if (t == null || t in TERMINAL) break
@@ -698,6 +754,26 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
     }
 
     companion object {
+        /** Live pipeline activity for a recording: human label plus the
+         * 0..1 fraction when the backend reports one. Null = idle. */
+        fun jobProgress(jobs: List<JobInfo>): LiveProgress? {
+            val t = jobs.firstOrNull { it.jobType == "transcribe" }
+            val s = jobs.firstOrNull { it.jobType == "summarize" }
+            return when {
+                t != null && t.status == "running" -> when {
+                    t.stage == "loading-model" -> LiveProgress("loading model…", null)
+                    t.progress != null ->
+                        LiveProgress("transcribing… ${t.progress}%", t.progress / 100f)
+                    else -> LiveProgress("transcribing…", null)
+                }
+                s != null && s.status == "running" -> LiveProgress("summarizing…", null)
+                else -> null
+            }
+        }
+
+        /** Label-only convenience for the Detail screen's busy text. */
+        fun jobLabel(jobs: List<JobInfo>): String? = jobProgress(jobs)?.label
+
         const val KEY_URL = "server.url"
         const val KEY_FOLDER = "library.folder"
         const val KEY_PASSWORD = "local.password"
@@ -705,6 +781,10 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
         const val KEY_AUTO = "library.auto_transcribe"
         /** Preferred local summarization model (Ollama). */
         const val DEFAULT_LLM_MODEL = "qwen3:4b"
+        /** LAN H200 inference server (private 10.x network, never internet). */
+        const val LAN_LLM_BASE_URL = "http://10.50.200.200:8100"
+        const val LAN_LLM_MODEL = "qwen3.8-flash-next"
+        const val ENV_LAN_LLM_KEY = "HERMES_CUSTOM_10_50_200_200_8100_API_KEY"
         // Must satisfy the engine's email validation (period in domain).
         const val LOCAL_EMAIL = "desktop@app.shonar"
 
@@ -724,4 +804,13 @@ class DesktopState(private val appDir: File = defaultAppDir()) {
     }
 }
 
-data class SearchHit(val report: String, val line: Int, val snippet: String)
+data class SearchHit(
+    val report: String,
+    val line: Int,
+    val snippet: String,
+    /** Set for name matches so the hit can open the recording. */
+    val audioPath: String? = null,
+)
+
+/** What the pipeline is doing for a library file right now. */
+data class LiveProgress(val label: String, val fraction: Float?)
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Screens.kt b/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Screens.kt
index da1c285..84d82cc 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Screens.kt
+++ b/desktop/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Screens.kt
@@ -133,12 +133,21 @@ fun LibraryScreen(state: DesktopState) {
             } else {
                 LazyColumn(Modifier.fillMaxWidth().weight(1f),
                     verticalArrangement = Arrangement.spacedBy(4.dp)) {
-                    items(hits) { h ->
-                        Card(Modifier.fillMaxWidth()) {
+                    items(hits, key = { "${it.audioPath ?: "text"}:${it.report}:${it.line}" }) { h ->
+                        val openable = h.audioPath?.let { File(it).exists() } == true
+                        Card(
+                            Modifier.fillMaxWidth().then(
+                                if (openable) Modifier.clickable {
+                                    state.openDetail(File(h.audioPath))
+                                } else Modifier
+                            ),
+                        ) {
                             Column(Modifier.padding(10.dp)) {
                                 Text(h.report, style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleSmall)
-                                Text("line ${h.line}: …${h.snippet}…",
-                                    style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall)
+                                Text(
+                                    if (h.line == 0) h.snippet else "line ${h.line}: …${h.snippet}…",
+                                    style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
+                                )
                             }
                         }
                     }
@@ -166,7 +175,10 @@ fun LibraryScreen(state: DesktopState) {
                                         when (e.status) {
                                             FileStatus.DONE -> "transcript saved"
                                             FileStatus.QUEUED -> "queued for transcription"
-                                            FileStatus.RUNNING -> "transcribing…"
+                                            // statusNote carries the live
+                                            // "transcribing… 42%" label.
+                                            FileStatus.RUNNING ->
+                                                e.statusNote ?: "transcribing…"
                                             FileStatus.FAILED ->
                                                 "failed" + (e.statusNote?.let { " ($it)" } ?: "")
                                             FileStatus.NEW -> "not transcribed"
@@ -179,6 +191,13 @@ fun LibraryScreen(state: DesktopState) {
                                         else -> MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant
                                     },
                                 )
+                                if (e.progress != null) {
+                                    Spacer(Modifier.height(6.dp))
+                                    LinearProgressIndicator(
+                                        progress = { e.progress },
+                                        modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth().height(4.dp),
+                                    )
+                                }
                             }
                             if (e.status == FileStatus.NEW || e.status == FileStatus.FAILED) {
                                 TextButton({ state.pumpFile(e.file) }) { Text("Transcribe") }
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/test/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/JobProgressTest.kt b/desktop/app/src/test/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/JobProgressTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d600e18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/app/src/test/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/JobProgressTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package com.shonar.desktop
+
+import com.shonar.recording.JobInfo
+import org.junit.Assert.assertEquals
+import org.junit.Assert.assertNull
+import org.junit.Test
+
+class JobProgressTest {
+
+    private fun job(type: String, status: String, stage: String? = null, progress: Int? = null) =
+        JobInfo(jobType = type, status = status, stage = stage, progress = progress)
+
+    @Test fun `idle when nothing running`() {
+        assertNull(DesktopState.jobProgress(emptyList()))
+        assertNull(DesktopState.jobProgress(listOf(job("transcribe", "succeeded"))))
+    }
+
+    @Test fun `loading model has no percentage`() {
+        val p = DesktopState.jobProgress(
+            listOf(job("transcribe", "running", stage = "loading-model")),
+        )
+        assertEquals("loading model…", p?.label)
+        assertNull(p?.fraction)
+    }
+
+    @Test fun `transcribing shows backend percentage`() {
+        val p = DesktopState.jobProgress(
+            listOf(job("transcribe", "running", stage = "transcribing", progress = 42)),
+        )
+        assertEquals("transcribing… 42%", p?.label)
+        assertEquals(0.42f, p!!.fraction!!, 0.0001f)
+    }
+
+    @Test fun `transcribe failure falls back to indeterminate`() {
+        val p = DesktopState.jobProgress(
+            listOf(job("transcribe", "running", stage = "transcribing")),
+        )
+        assertEquals("transcribing…", p?.label)
+        assertNull(p?.fraction)
+    }
+
+    @Test fun `summarizing stage`() {
+        val p = DesktopState.jobProgress(
+            listOf(job("transcribe", "succeeded"), job("summarize", "running")),
+        )
+        assertEquals("summarizing…", p?.label)
+    }
+}