diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ChatInputBar.vue b/frontend/src/components/ChatInputBar.vue
index c8742c1..3527969 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ChatInputBar.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ChatInputBar.vue
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ const transcribingVoice = ref(false)
 const recorder = useVoiceRecorder()
 const silenceDetector = useSilenceDetector()
 
+// Live mic pulse. `silenceDetector.amplitude` is 0..1 RMS; we floor at 0.1
+// so the button still breathes on silence and cap the scale growth so loud
+// input doesn't punch through the input bar.
+const micStyle = computed(() => {
+  if (!recorder.recording.value) return {}
+  const pulse = 0.1 + Math.min(silenceDetector.amplitude.value, 1) * 0.9
+  return {
+    transform: `scale(${1 + pulse * 0.18})`,
+    boxShadow: `0 0 ${6 + pulse * 14}px ${2 + pulse * 4}px rgba(239, 68, 68, ${0.2 + pulse * 0.3})`,
+  }
+})
+
 async function toggleVoice() {
   if (transcribingVoice.value) return
   if (recorder.recording.value) {
@@ -235,6 +247,7 @@ defineExpose({ focus, prefill })
         v-if="voiceEnabled"
         class="btn-icon btn-mic"
         :class="{ 'mic-recording': recorder.recording.value, 'mic-transcribing': transcribingVoice }"
+        :style="micStyle"
         @click.prevent="toggleVoice"
         :disabled="transcribingVoice || !store.chatReady"
         :title="recorder.recording.value ? 'Click to stop (or wait for silence)' : 'Click to speak'"
@@ -343,7 +356,14 @@ defineExpose({ focus, prefill })
 .btn-icon:hover { opacity: 1; }
 .btn-icon:disabled { opacity: 0.3; cursor: default; }
 
-.btn-mic.mic-recording { opacity: 1; color: #ef4444; }
+.btn-mic.mic-recording {
+  opacity: 1;
+  color: #ef4444;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  /* Smooth between amplitude samples (~100ms) so the pulse feels continuous
+     rather than stepping. */
+  transition: transform 0.12s ease-out, box-shadow 0.12s ease-out;
+}
 .btn-mic.mic-transcribing { opacity: 0.5; }
 
 .note-picker-wrapper { position: relative; }