diff --git a/cinny b/cinny
index 3282832..053b364 160000
--- a/cinny
+++ b/cinny
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 3282832a4a784fa9eb3e8f54dbcde5b450e5d8ab
+Subproject commit 053b364a4414e6077cdd9b92e10b0a01a555636b
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index f0cb128..50febe3 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ tauri-plugin-process = "2"
 tauri-plugin-os = "2"
 tauri-plugin-dialog = "2"
 tauri-plugin-opener = "2"
+tauri-plugin-deep-link = "2"
 
 [features]
 # by default Tauri runs in production mode
@@ -41,9 +42,11 @@ custom-protocol = [ "tauri/custom-protocol" ]
 [target.'cfg(not(any(target_os = "android", target_os = "ios")))'.dependencies]
 tauri-plugin-global-shortcut = "2"
 tauri-plugin-updater = "2"
+tauri-plugin-single-instance = "2"
 
 [target.'cfg(target_os = "windows")'.dependencies]
 webview2-com = "0.38"
+window-vibrancy = "0.6"
 windows = { version = "0.61", features = [
     "Win32_Graphics_Gdi",
     "Win32_System_Com",
diff --git a/src-tauri/capabilities/desktop.json b/src-tauri/capabilities/desktop.json
index d6c5559..7564d9f 100644
--- a/src-tauri/capabilities/desktop.json
+++ b/src-tauri/capabilities/desktop.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   ],
   "permissions": [
     "updater:default",
-    "global-shortcut:default"
+    "global-shortcut:default",
+    "deep-link:default"
   ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 2e44f91..20b593e 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,9 +3,44 @@
     windows_subsystem = "windows"
 )]
 
-use tauri::{webview::{NewWindowResponse, WebviewWindowBuilder}, WebviewUrl};
+use tauri::{
+    menu::{Menu, MenuItem, PredefinedMenuItem},
+    tray::{MouseButton, MouseButtonState, TrayIconBuilder, TrayIconEvent},
+    webview::{NewWindowResponse, PageLoadEvent, WebviewWindowBuilder},
+    Manager, WebviewUrl,
+};
 use tauri_plugin_opener::OpenerExt;
 
+/// Bring the main window to the foreground from the tray / a hidden /
+/// minimized state. Shared by the tray, single-instance, and deep-link paths.
+fn show_main(app: &tauri::AppHandle) {
+    if let Some(window) = app.get_webview_window("main") {
+        let _ = window.show();
+        let _ = window.unminimize();
+        let _ = window.set_focus();
+    }
+}
+
+/// Hand a `matrix:` / `matrix.to` URL to the web app by dispatching a DOM
+/// CustomEvent the client listens for (see useDeepLinkNavigate.ts). Uses
+/// `eval` so we don't need the @tauri-apps/api event package on the web side.
+fn forward_deeplink(app: &tauri::AppHandle, url: &str) {
+    show_main(app);
+    if let Some(window) = app.get_webview_window("main") {
+        if let Ok(json) = serde_json::to_string(url) {
+            let _ = window.eval(&format!(
+                "window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('lotus-deeplink',{{detail:{json}}}))"
+            ));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Pull the first `matrix:` link out of a process's CLI args (Windows/Linux
+/// pass deep-link URLs as argv to a freshly launched instance).
+fn matrix_url_from_args(args: &[String]) -> Option<String> {
+    args.iter().find(|a| a.starts_with("matrix:")).cloned()
+}
+
 // Injected into every page before app scripts load.
 // Patches window.Notification to route through tauri-plugin-notification so
 // WebView2's default "denied" state never reaches cinny's permission check.
@@ -242,7 +277,22 @@ pub fn run() {
     let context = tauri::generate_context!();
 
     #[allow(unused_mut)]
-    let mut builder = tauri::Builder::default()
+    let mut builder = tauri::Builder::default();
+
+    // Single-instance MUST be registered first: a second launch focuses the
+    // existing window (and forwards any matrix: link) instead of colliding on
+    // the localhost port. Desktop-only plugin.
+    #[cfg(desktop)]
+    {
+        builder = builder.plugin(tauri_plugin_single_instance::init(|app, argv, _cwd| {
+            show_main(app);
+            if let Some(url) = matrix_url_from_args(&argv) {
+                forward_deeplink(app, &url);
+            }
+        }));
+    }
+
+    builder = builder
         .invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![
             set_badge_count,
             send_notification,
@@ -252,7 +302,8 @@ pub fn run() {
         .plugin(tauri_plugin_localhost::Builder::new(port).build())
         .plugin(tauri_plugin_window_state::Builder::default().build())
         .plugin(tauri_plugin_opener::init())
-        .plugin(tauri_plugin_notification::init());
+        .plugin(tauri_plugin_notification::init())
+        .plugin(tauri_plugin_deep_link::init());
 
     #[cfg(not(any(target_os = "android", target_os = "ios")))]
     {
@@ -261,6 +312,41 @@ pub fn run() {
 
     builder
         .setup(move |app| {
+            // --- System tray: keeps Lotus Chat running in the background so
+            // notifications keep arriving after the window is closed-to-tray. ---
+            let open_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "open", "Open Lotus Chat", true, None::<&str>)?;
+            let quit_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "quit", "Quit Lotus Chat", true, None::<&str>)?;
+            let separator = PredefinedMenuItem::separator(app)?;
+            let tray_menu = Menu::with_items(app, &[&open_item, &separator, &quit_item])?;
+            let _tray = TrayIconBuilder::with_id("main-tray")
+                .icon(app.default_window_icon().cloned().unwrap())
+                .tooltip("Lotus Chat")
+                .menu(&tray_menu)
+                .show_menu_on_left_click(false)
+                .on_menu_event(|app, event| match event.id.as_ref() {
+                    "open" => show_main(app),
+                    "quit" => app.exit(0),
+                    _ => {}
+                })
+                .on_tray_icon_event(|tray, event| {
+                    if let TrayIconEvent::Click {
+                        button: MouseButton::Left,
+                        button_state: MouseButtonState::Up,
+                        ..
+                    } = event
+                    {
+                        let app = tray.app_handle();
+                        if let Some(window) = app.get_webview_window("main") {
+                            if window.is_visible().unwrap_or(false) {
+                                let _ = window.hide();
+                            } else {
+                                show_main(app);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                })
+                .build(app)?;
+
             #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
             let window_url = WebviewUrl::App(Default::default());
 
@@ -273,14 +359,72 @@ pub fn run() {
             let app_handle = app.handle().clone();
             let window = WebviewWindowBuilder::new(app, "main".to_string(), window_url)
                 .title("Lotus Chat")
+                // First-run defaults; tauri-plugin-window-state restores geometry
+                // on later launches.
+                .inner_size(1100.0, 720.0)
+                .min_inner_size(480.0, 600.0)
+                .center()
+                // Start hidden and reveal once the page has painted, to avoid the
+                // white launch flash.
+                .visible(false)
                 .initialization_script(NOTIFICATION_BRIDGE)
                 .disable_drag_drop_handler()
+                .on_page_load(|window, payload| {
+                    if matches!(payload.event(), PageLoadEvent::Finished) {
+                        let _ = window.show();
+                    }
+                })
                 .on_new_window(move |url, _features| {
                     let _ = app_handle.opener().open_url(url.as_str(), None::<&str>);
                     NewWindowResponse::Deny
                 })
                 .build()?;
 
+            // Close-to-tray: hide instead of exiting; the app is quit explicitly
+            // from the tray menu.
+            let window_for_close = window.clone();
+            window.on_window_event(move |event| {
+                if let tauri::WindowEvent::CloseRequested { api, .. } = event {
+                    api.prevent_close();
+                    let _ = window_for_close.hide();
+                }
+            });
+
+            // Failsafe: never leave the window stuck hidden if the page-load
+            // event doesn't fire for some reason.
+            let window_for_show = window.clone();
+            std::thread::spawn(move || {
+                std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(8));
+                let _ = window_for_show.show();
+            });
+
+            // Deep links (matrix:): route both the cold-start case and the
+            // already-running case (forwarded via single-instance argv) into the
+            // web client.
+            {
+                use tauri_plugin_deep_link::DeepLinkExt;
+                // Runtime scheme registration is a Linux/Windows-only API; macOS
+                // registers the scheme from the bundle config at build time.
+                #[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "windows"))]
+                let _ = app.deep_link().register_all();
+                let deep_link_handle = app.handle().clone();
+                app.deep_link().on_open_url(move |event| {
+                    for url in event.urls() {
+                        forward_deeplink(&deep_link_handle, url.as_str());
+                    }
+                });
+                if let Some(url) = matrix_url_from_args(&std::env::args().collect::<Vec<_>>()) {
+                    forward_deeplink(&app.handle().clone(), &url);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Windows 11 Mica backdrop. The app paints an opaque TDS background,
+            // so this is subtle (mainly window chrome); harmless if unsupported.
+            #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+            {
+                let _ = window_vibrancy::apply_mica(&window, Some(true));
+            }
+
             // Auto-grant camera, microphone, and notification permissions in WebView2.
             #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
             window.with_webview(|webview| {
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/menu.rs b/src-tauri/src/menu.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 010a2cf..0000000
--- a/src-tauri/src/menu.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-use tauri::menu::{MenuBuilder, SubmenuBuilder};
-use tauri::AppHandle;
-
-pub fn menu() -> tauri::menu::Menu {
-    let app_menu = SubmenuBuilder::new(app, "Cinny")
-        .about(Some(Default::default()))
-        .separator()
-        .hide()
-        .hide_others()
-        .show_all()
-        .separator()
-        .quit()
-        .build()
-        .unwrap();
-
-    let edit_menu = SubmenuBuilder::new(app, "Edit")
-        .undo()
-        .redo()
-        .separator()
-        .cut()
-        .copy()
-        .paste()
-        .select_all()
-        .build()
-        .unwrap();
-
-    let view_menu = SubmenuBuilder::new(app, "View")
-        .fullscreen() // `.fullscreen()` works instead of `.enter_fullscreen()`
-        .build()
-        .unwrap();
-
-    let window_menu = SubmenuBuilder::new(app, "Window")
-        .minimize()
-        .build() // no `.zoom()` method directly available
-        .unwrap();
-
-    MenuBuilder::new(app)
-        .item(&app_menu)
-        .item(&edit_menu)
-        .item(&view_menu)
-        .item(&window_menu)
-        .build()
-        .unwrap()
-}
diff --git a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index 6b2e865..a14ca30 100644
--- a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@
       "certificateThumbprint": null,
       "digestAlgorithm": "sha256",
       "timestampUrl": "",
+      "webviewInstallMode": {
+        "type": "downloadBootstrapper"
+      },
+      "nsis": {
+        "installMode": "currentUser"
+      },
       "wix": {
         "bannerPath": "wix/banner.bmp",
         "dialogImagePath": "wix/dialogImage.bmp"
@@ -55,6 +61,11 @@
       "endpoints": [
         "https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases/download/latest/release.json"
       ]
+    },
+    "deep-link": {
+      "desktop": {
+        "schemes": ["matrix"]
+      }
     }
   },
   "app": {