diff --git a/frontend/src/components/VoiceOverlay.vue b/frontend/src/components/VoiceOverlay.vue
index 470a648..447aebb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/VoiceOverlay.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/VoiceOverlay.vue
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import { ref, onMounted, onUnmounted, computed } from 'vue'
 import { useVoiceRecorder } from '@/composables/useVoiceRecorder'
 import { useVoiceAudio } from '@/composables/useVoiceAudio'
+import { useSilenceDetector } from '@/composables/useSilenceDetector'
 import { apiPost, apiSSEStream, getVoiceStatus, transcribeAudio, synthesiseSpeech } from '@/api/client'
 
 // ─── Voice service availability ──────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ const isBusy = computed(() => phase.value !== 'idle' && phase.value !== 'error')
 // ─── Composables ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 const recorder = useVoiceRecorder()
 const audio = useVoiceAudio()
+const silenceDetector = useSilenceDetector()
 
 // ─── Core PTT flow ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 async function startPtt() {
@@ -79,9 +81,13 @@ async function startPtt() {
     return
   }
   phase.value = 'recording'
+  if (recorder.stream.value) {
+    silenceDetector.start(recorder.stream.value, stopPtt)
+  }
 }
 
 async function stopPtt() {
+  silenceDetector.stop()
   if (phase.value !== 'recording') return
 
   phase.value = 'transcribing'
@@ -187,7 +193,14 @@ async function stopPtt() {
   assistantMessageId // consumed; suppress lint
 }
 
+function onBtnClick() {
+  if (phase.value === 'error') { phase.value = 'idle'; return }
+  if (phase.value === 'recording') { stopPtt(); return }
+  if (phase.value === 'idle') { startPtt() }
+}
+
 function cancelAll() {
+  silenceDetector.stop()
   recorder.stopRecording().catch(() => {})
   audio.stop()
   phase.value = 'idle'
@@ -263,7 +276,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
           <span v-else-if="phase === 'error'" class="voice-error-label">{{ errorMsg || 'Error' }}</span>
         </div>
         <div v-else-if="!open || !messages.length" class="voice-status-label voice-hint">
-          Hold <kbd>Space</kbd> or tap
+          Tap or press <kbd>Space</kbd>
         </div>
 
         <!-- Cancel button (shown while busy or speaking) -->
@@ -288,23 +301,24 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
             'voice-ptt--speaking': phase === 'speaking' || audio.playing.value,
             'voice-ptt--error': phase === 'error',
           }"
-          @mousedown.prevent="startPtt"
-          @mouseup.prevent="stopPtt"
-          @touchstart.prevent="startPtt"
-          @touchend.prevent="stopPtt"
-          @click.prevent="phase === 'error' ? (phase = 'idle') : undefined"
+          @click.prevent="onBtnClick"
           :disabled="phase === 'transcribing' || phase === 'generating'"
-          :aria-label="phase === 'recording' ? 'Release to send' : 'Hold to speak'"
-          :title="phase === 'recording' ? 'Release to send' : 'Hold Space or tap to speak'"
+          :aria-label="phase === 'recording' ? 'Click to stop' : 'Click to speak'"
+          :title="phase === 'recording' ? 'Click to stop or wait for silence' : 'Click or press Space to speak'"
         >
           <!-- Idle: mic icon -->
           <svg v-if="phase === 'idle' || phase === 'error'" width="22" height="22" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
             <path d="M12 14c1.66 0 3-1.34 3-3V5c0-1.66-1.34-3-3-3S9 3.34 9 5v6c0 1.66 1.34 3 3 3zm-1-9c0-.55.45-1 1-1s1 .45 1 1v6c0 .55-.45 1-1 1s-1-.45-1-1V5zm6 6c0 2.76-2.24 5-5 5s-5-2.24-5-5H5c0 3.53 2.61 6.43 6 6.92V21h2v-3.08c3.39-.49 6-3.39 6-6.92h-2z"/>
           </svg>
-          <!-- Recording: waveform / stop icon -->
-          <svg v-else-if="phase === 'recording'" width="22" height="22" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
-            <path d="M6 19h4V5H6v14zm8-14v14h4V5h-4z"/>
-          </svg>
+          <!-- Recording: amplitude bars -->
+          <span v-else-if="phase === 'recording'" class="voice-amp-bars">
+            <span
+              v-for="n in 3"
+              :key="n"
+              class="voice-amp-bar"
+              :style="{ transform: `scaleY(${0.3 + silenceDetector.amplitude.value * (0.4 + n * 0.15)})` }"
+            ></span>
+          </span>
           <!-- Busy: spinner dots -->
           <span v-else-if="phase === 'transcribing' || phase === 'generating'" class="voice-spinner">
             <span></span><span></span><span></span>
@@ -525,7 +539,23 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   40% { transform: scale(1); opacity: 1; }
 }
 
-/* ─── Transition ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+/* ─── Amplitude bars (recording state) ──────────────────────────���───────── */
+.voice-amp-bars {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 3px;
+  align-items: center;
+  height: 22px;
+}
+.voice-amp-bar {
+  width: 4px;
+  height: 18px;
+  background: #fff;
+  border-radius: 2px;
+  transform-origin: center;
+  transition: transform 0.08s ease;
+}
+
+/* ─── Transition ───────────────────────���──────────────────────���──────────── */
 .panel-slide-enter-active,
 .panel-slide-leave-active {
   transition: opacity 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease;