diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3807775..058ac7c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ displays, refreshed every 5 minutes.
 - **⚙** — Settings (custom claude command, refresh interval, autostart, distro override).
 - **×** — quit.
 - The window is **resizable** — drag any edge.
+- **System tray** — there's a tray icon next to the Windows clock while the
+  widget is running. Left-click to bring the window back if you lose it
+  off-screen; right-click for Show / Hide / Refresh / Quit.
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index cc4f729..2a3a424 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ crate-type = ["staticlib", "cdylib", "rlib"]
 tauri-build = { version = "2", features = [] }
 
 [dependencies]
-tauri = { version = "2", features = [] }
+tauri = { version = "2", features = ["tray-icon"] }
 tauri-plugin-autostart = "2"
 tauri-plugin-store = "2"
 tauri-plugin-dialog = "2"
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index c494375..7a45514 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,8 +13,24 @@ mod usage;
 mod watch;
 
 use tauri::{Emitter, Manager};
+use tauri::menu::{MenuBuilder, MenuItem};
+use tauri::tray::{MouseButton, MouseButtonState, TrayIconBuilder, TrayIconEvent};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
+fn show_main_window(app: &tauri::AppHandle) {
+    if let Some(w) = app.get_webview_window("main") {
+        let _ = w.show();
+        let _ = w.unminimize();
+        let _ = w.set_focus();
+    }
+}
+
+fn hide_main_window(app: &tauri::AppHandle) {
+    if let Some(w) = app.get_webview_window("main") {
+        let _ = w.hide();
+    }
+}
+
 async fn refresh_cli_loop(app: tauri::AppHandle, state: state::SharedState) {
     // Small initial delay so we don't compete with cold-start file scanning.
     tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(2)).await;
@@ -66,6 +82,61 @@ pub fn run() {
             let shared = state::AppState::new(settings);
             app.manage(shared.clone());
 
+            // Tray icon: always-visible recovery handle in case the window
+            // gets lost (off-screen, hidden by another app, etc.).
+            let show_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "tray-show", "Show", true, None::<&str>)?;
+            let hide_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "tray-hide", "Hide", true, None::<&str>)?;
+            let refresh_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "tray-refresh", "Refresh /usage", true, None::<&str>)?;
+            let quit_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "tray-quit", "Quit", true, None::<&str>)?;
+
+            let menu = MenuBuilder::new(app)
+                .item(&show_item)
+                .item(&hide_item)
+                .separator()
+                .item(&refresh_item)
+                .separator()
+                .item(&quit_item)
+                .build()?;
+
+            let state_for_tray = shared.clone();
+            let _tray = TrayIconBuilder::with_id("main-tray")
+                .icon(app.default_window_icon().unwrap().clone())
+                .tooltip("Claude Usage Widget")
+                .menu(&menu)
+                .show_menu_on_left_click(false)
+                .on_menu_event(move |app, event| match event.id().as_ref() {
+                    "tray-show" => show_main_window(app),
+                    "tray-hide" => hide_main_window(app),
+                    "tray-refresh" => {
+                        let app = app.clone();
+                        let state = state_for_tray.clone();
+                        tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async move {
+                            let cmd = state.settings.read().claude_command.clone();
+                            let result = tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(move || {
+                                cli_usage::fetch_blocking(cmd.as_deref())
+                            })
+                            .await;
+                            if let Ok(Ok(u)) = result {
+                                *state.cli_usage.write() = Some(u.clone());
+                                let _ = app.emit("cli-usage-updated", &u);
+                            }
+                        });
+                    }
+                    "tray-quit" => app.exit(0),
+                    _ => {}
+                })
+                .on_tray_icon_event(|tray, event| {
+                    if let TrayIconEvent::Click {
+                        button: MouseButton::Left,
+                        button_state: MouseButtonState::Up,
+                        ..
+                    } = event
+                    {
+                        show_main_window(tray.app_handle());
+                    }
+                })
+                .build(app)?;
+
             let handle = app.handle().clone();
             let state_for_task = shared.clone();
             tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async move {