diff --git a/Sources/Sst/AppCommands.swift b/Sources/Sst/AppCommands.swift
index 2b42c4e..e427bad 100644
--- a/Sources/Sst/AppCommands.swift
+++ b/Sources/Sst/AppCommands.swift
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct AppCommands: Commands {
             Button(Strings.dictionary) { show(.dictionary) }
                 .keyboardShortcut("2", modifiers: .command)
             Button(Strings.search) {
-                show(.transcripts)
+                show(model.section)
                 model.focusSearch()
             }
             .keyboardShortcut("f", modifiers: .command)
diff --git a/Sources/Sst/AppModel.swift b/Sources/Sst/AppModel.swift
index d7abf27..fe1be64 100644
--- a/Sources/Sst/AppModel.swift
+++ b/Sources/Sst/AppModel.swift
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
     @Published private(set) var installedVariants: Set<String> = []
     @Published private(set) var recordingStartedAt: Date?
     @Published private(set) var lastDuration: TimeInterval?
+    @Published private(set) var loadingVariant: String?
     /// Bumped whenever the history or dictionary changes, so views that cache derived data can refresh.
     @Published private(set) var historyRevision = 0
     @Published private(set) var dictionaryRevision = 0
@@ -61,7 +62,6 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
     private let policy: InsertionPolicy
     private let controller: DictationController
     private var modelTask: Task<Void, Never>?
-    private var loadingVariant: String?
     private var cancellables = Set<AnyCancellable>()
 
     convenience init() {
@@ -123,6 +123,11 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Like `recordingBlocker`, plus: a window recording is only kept when the history is on.
+    var windowRecordingBlocker: String? {
+        recordingBlocker ?? (settings.keepHistory ? nil : Strings.historyNeededForWindow)
+    }
+
     var statusLine: String {
         if let blocker = recordingBlocker, state == .idle { return blocker }
         switch state {
@@ -153,14 +158,19 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
         controller.onStateChange = { [weak self] state in
             guard let self else { return }
             self.state = state
+            if state != .recording, let started = self.recordingStartedAt {
+                // The counter shows the recording length, not the time spent transcribing and pasting.
+                self.lastDuration = Date().timeIntervalSince(started)
+                self.recordingStartedAt = nil
+            }
             switch state {
             case .recording:
                 self.lastError = nil
                 self.recordingStartedAt = Date()
                 self.levelSource.reset()
             case .idle:
-                if let started = self.recordingStartedAt { self.lastDuration = Date().timeIntervalSince(started) }
-                self.recordingStartedAt = nil
+                // Also covers a window recording that was ended with the hotkey; the paste decision is already made.
+                self.policy.windowSession = false
                 self.levelSource.reset()
             default: break
             }
@@ -192,6 +202,9 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
         permissions.objectWillChange
             .sink { [weak self] _ in self?.objectWillChange.send() }
             .store(in: &cancellables)
+        settings.objectWillChange
+            .sink { [weak self] _ in self?.objectWillChange.send() }
+            .store(in: &cancellables)
 
         dictionary.onChange = { [weak self] in
             guard let self else { return }
@@ -199,10 +212,15 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
             self.dictionaryList.reload()
             self.dictionaryRevision += 1
         }
+        dictionary.onExternalChange = { [weak self] in self?.dictionaryList.externalChangeDetected() }
         history.onChange = { [weak self] in
             self?.historyRevision += 1
             self?.historyList.refresh()
         }
+        // Backstop for editors that write in place, which the folder watcher can miss.
+        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(forName: NSApplication.didBecomeActiveNotification, object: nil, queue: .main) { [weak self] _ in
+            MainActor.assumeIsolated { self?.dictionary.reloadIfChanged() }
+        }
         NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(forName: NSApplication.willTerminateNotification, object: nil, queue: .main) { [history] _ in
             MainActor.assumeIsolated { history.flush() }
         }
@@ -211,19 +229,28 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
     private func start() async {
         do { try dictionary.load() } catch { lastError = error.localizedDescription }
         dictionary.startWatching()
-        if case .recoveredCorrupt = history.load() {
+        switch history.load() {
+        case .recoveredCorrupt:
             lastError = "Het geschiedenisbestand was beschadigd en is opzij gezet."
+        case .unreadable:
+            lastError = Strings.historyUnreadable
+        case .empty, .loaded:
+            break
         }
         refreshInstalled()
+        if !ModelCatalog.all.contains(where: { $0.id == settings.modelVariant }) {
+            settings.modelVariant = ModelCatalog.defaultVariant
+        }
+        activateModel(settings.modelVariant)   // the download must not wait for the microphone prompt
         await permissions.requestMissing()
         retryHotkey()
-        activateModel(settings.modelVariant)
     }
 
     func retryHotkey() {
         permissions.refresh()
         do {
             try hotkey.start()
+            if lastError == HotkeyMonitor.HotkeyError.tapUnavailable.errorDescription { lastError = nil }
         } catch {
             lastError = error.localizedDescription
         }
@@ -232,7 +259,7 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
     // MARK: recording
 
     private func handleHotkey(_ event: HotkeyEvent) {
-        guard modelReady else { return }
+        guard event == .released || modelReady else { return }
         if event == .pressed, AVCaptureDevice.authorizationStatus(for: .audio) != .authorized {
             lastError = Strings.microphoneMissing
             return
@@ -250,7 +277,7 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
     }
 
     func startWindowRecording() {
-        guard recordingBlocker == nil, state == .idle else { return }
+        guard windowRecordingBlocker == nil, state == .idle else { return }
         policy.windowSession = true
         Task {
             await controller.handle(.pressed)
@@ -305,7 +332,7 @@ final class AppModel: ObservableObject {
     }
 
     func deleteModel(_ variant: String) {
-        guard variant != activeVariant else { return }
+        guard variant != activeVariant, variant != loadingVariant else { return }
         do {
             try storage.delete(variant)
         } catch {
diff --git a/Sources/Sst/DeckView.swift b/Sources/Sst/DeckView.swift
index b324c17..9983a05 100644
--- a/Sources/Sst/DeckView.swift
+++ b/Sources/Sst/DeckView.swift
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ struct DeckView: View {
                     }
                 }
                 .buttonStyle(KeyButtonStyle(kind: .record, latched: model.isRecording))
-                .disabled(!model.isRecording && model.recordingBlocker != nil)
-                .help(model.recordingBlocker ?? "")
+                .disabled(!model.isRecording && model.windowRecordingBlocker != nil)
+                .help(model.windowRecordingBlocker ?? "")
 
                 Button(Strings.stop) { model.stopWindowRecording() }
                     .buttonStyle(KeyButtonStyle())
diff --git a/Sources/Sst/DictionaryView.swift b/Sources/Sst/DictionaryView.swift
index 40a9952..5b95b7d 100644
--- a/Sources/Sst/DictionaryView.swift
+++ b/Sources/Sst/DictionaryView.swift
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ struct DictionaryView: View {
                 selection = nil
             }
         }
+        .onChange(of: model.searchFocusTick) { _, _ in searchFocused = true }
         .onChange(of: list.rows) { _, rows in
             if let s = selection, !rows.contains(where: { $0.id == s }) { selection = nil }
         }
@@ -215,7 +216,9 @@ private struct EntryEditor: View {
                 HStack(spacing: Space.s3) {
                     Spacer()
                     Button(Strings.cancel, action: onClose).buttonStyle(KeyButtonStyle())
+                        .keyboardShortcut(.cancelAction)
                     Button(Strings.save, action: save).buttonStyle(KeyButtonStyle(kind: .record)).disabled(!canSave)
+                        .keyboardShortcut(.defaultAction)
                 }
             }
             .padding(Layout.panelPadding)
@@ -246,6 +249,11 @@ private struct EntryEditor: View {
 
     private func save() {
         if let id = editingID {
+            guard list.rows.contains(where: { $0.id == id }) else {
+                list.errorMessage = Strings.entryGone
+                onClose()
+                return
+            }
             list.update(id: id, to: kind)
         } else {
             list.add(kind)
diff --git a/Sources/Sst/SettingsView.swift b/Sources/Sst/SettingsView.swift
index b9249dd..deb4c1e 100644
--- a/Sources/Sst/SettingsView.swift
+++ b/Sources/Sst/SettingsView.swift
@@ -185,9 +185,12 @@ private struct ModelSettingsView: View {
             Spacer()
             if installed && !isActive {
                 Button(Strings.useModel) { model.activateModel(option.id) }.buttonStyle(KeyButtonStyle())
+                    .disabled(model.loadingVariant != nil)
                 Button(Strings.remove) { model.deleteModel(option.id) }.buttonStyle(KeyButtonStyle())
+                    .disabled(model.loadingVariant != nil)
             } else if !installed {
                 Button(Strings.download) { model.activateModel(option.id) }.buttonStyle(KeyButtonStyle())
+                    .disabled(model.loadingVariant != nil)
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/Sources/Sst/Strings.swift b/Sources/Sst/Strings.swift
index b20e13b..71593ba 100644
--- a/Sources/Sst/Strings.swift
+++ b/Sources/Sst/Strings.swift
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ enum Strings {
     static let undo = "Herstel"
     static let save = "Bewaar"
     static let editEntry = "Invoer"
+    static let entryGone = "Deze invoer bestaat niet meer; je wijziging is niet bewaard."
     static let emptyDictionary = "Nog geen invoeren. Voeg een woord of een correctie toe met +."
 
     // deck
@@ -66,6 +67,8 @@ enum Strings {
     static let microphoneMissing = "Microfoon-toegang ontbreekt"
     static let openSystemSettings = "Open Instellingen"
     static let open = "Open"
+    static let historyNeededForWindow = "Zet ‘Transcripties bewaren’ aan om vanuit het venster op te nemen."
+    static let historyUnreadable = "Het geschiedenisbestand kon niet worden gelezen; nieuwe transcripties worden niet bewaard."
     static let permissionsMissing = "Geef eerst de rechten onder Controles"
 
     // settings