diff --git a/app/src/App.browser.test.tsx b/app/src/App.browser.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91c0b504
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/App.browser.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+import { mockIPC } from '@tauri-apps/api/mocks';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import App from '@/App';
+import { createMockPlatform } from '@/test/mockPlatform';
+import { buildModelStatus, buildProfile } from '@/test/msw/fixtures';
+import {
+  captureHandlers,
+  effectsHandlers,
+  historyHandlers,
+  modelHandlers,
+  profileHandlers,
+  settingsHandlers,
+  storyHandlers,
+  taskHandlers,
+} from '@/test/msw/handlers';
+import { worker } from '@/test/msw/worker';
+import { renderWithProviders } from '@/test/render';
+
+const originalUrl = window.location.href;
+
+// useChordSync and the permission gates call the Tauri IPC modules directly,
+// outside the Platform abstraction. There is no Tauri runtime in the test
+// browser, so `invoke`/`listen` would reject with a TypeError that some
+// callers (e.g. useChordSync's `listen('dictate:warm-request')`) never get a
+// chance to handle, surfacing as unhandled rejections. mockIPC installs the
+// official in-memory IPC shim; `shouldMockEvents` covers listen/emit too.
+//
+// Reinstalled per test for a fresh listener map, but never cleared: the
+// harness unmounts components after this file's afterEach, and those unmount
+// cleanups still `unlisten` through the shim. The per-file iframe throws the
+// window state away anyway.
+beforeEach(() => {
+  mockIPC(
+    (cmd) => {
+      // Permission checks treat the result as a trusted boolean — grant
+      // them so no permission banners pop over the UI under test.
+      if (cmd.startsWith('check_')) return true;
+      return null;
+    },
+    { shouldMockEvents: true },
+  );
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  window.history.replaceState(null, '', originalUrl);
+  delete window.__voiceboxServerStartedByApp;
+});
+
+/**
+ * Everything the index route (MainEditor + app chrome) fetches on mount.
+ * Unstubbed requests fail the test loudly, so this is the full route budget.
+ */
+function useHappyPathHandlers() {
+  worker.use(
+    ...profileHandlers([buildProfile({ name: 'Ada Lovelace' })]),
+    ...historyHandlers([]),
+    ...captureHandlers([]),
+    ...settingsHandlers(),
+    ...modelHandlers([buildModelStatus()]),
+    ...storyHandlers([]),
+    ...effectsHandlers([]),
+    ...taskHandlers(),
+  );
+}
+
+// App reads window.location at render time: `?view=dictate` picks the pill
+// window, and the router matches the real browser path. Point the URL at the
+// state under test before mounting; afterEach restores the runner's URL.
+function setAppUrl(path: string) {
+  window.history.replaceState(null, '', path);
+}
+
+it('skips the startup gate outside Tauri and renders the router', async () => {
+  useHappyPathHandlers();
+  setAppUrl('/');
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<App />);
+
+  // Index route is MainEditor — the profile list proves the router mounted.
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Ada Lovelace')).toBeVisible();
+
+  // Web mode assumes an external server: no lifecycle management at all.
+  expect(screen.platform.lifecycle.startServer).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  expect(screen.platform.lifecycle.setupWindowCloseHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});
+
+it('skips server auto-start in Tauri dev mode and still reaches the router', async () => {
+  // App gates auto-start on `import.meta.env.PROD`, which is false under
+  // vitest. The reachable Tauri branch is therefore the dev one: window
+  // close handler installed, auto-start skipped, serverReady forced true.
+  //
+  // The PROD-only branches — `lifecycle.startServer`, the health-check
+  // polling fallback, and the startup-error screen with its Retry button —
+  // are unreachable here without mocking import.meta.env, so they are
+  // intentionally not covered.
+  useHappyPathHandlers();
+  setAppUrl('/');
+  const platform = createMockPlatform({ metadata: { isTauri: true } });
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<App />, { platform });
+
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Ada Lovelace')).toBeVisible();
+
+  expect(platform.lifecycle.startServer).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  expect(platform.lifecycle.setupWindowCloseHandler).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  // Startup syncs the keep-server-running setting into Rust.
+  expect(platform.lifecycle.setKeepServerRunning).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(Boolean));
+  // Auto-updater runs its mount check in Tauri.
+  expect(platform.updater.checkForUpdates).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  // Dev mode records that the app does not own the server process.
+  expect(window.__voiceboxServerStartedByApp).toBe(false);
+});
+
+it('renders the dictate pill window for ?view=dictate without booting the main app', async () => {
+  // No route handlers on purpose: the dictate view must not touch any of the
+  // main app's endpoints, and an unhandled request would fail the test.
+  setAppUrl('/?view=dictate');
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<App />);
+
+  // DictateWindow forces the document transparent so the Tauri window takes
+  // the pill's shape — the observable signal that it mounted without
+  // throwing under the non-Tauri mock platform.
+  await expect.poll(() => document.body.style.background).toBe('transparent');
+
+  // The pill starts hidden: the wrapper renders but contains no CapturePill.
+  const wrapper = screen.container.firstElementChild as HTMLElement;
+  expect(wrapper.className).toContain('h-screen');
+  expect(wrapper.childElementCount).toBe(0);
+
+  // The startup gate never ran — no server lifecycle calls from this window.
+  expect(screen.platform.lifecycle.startServer).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  expect(screen.platform.lifecycle.setupWindowCloseHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});
diff --git a/app/src/components/ChordPicker/ChordPicker.browser.test.tsx b/app/src/components/ChordPicker/ChordPicker.browser.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5d05a337
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/components/ChordPicker/ChordPicker.browser.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import { expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { ChordPicker } from '@/components/ChordPicker/ChordPicker';
+import { renderWithProviders } from '@/test/render';
+
+// ChordPicker listens on window in the capture phase and canonicalizes via
+// `event.code`, so raw KeyboardEvents give exact control over which physical
+// keys the picker sees (userEvent would depend on the host keyboard layout).
+function press(code: string) {
+  window.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code, bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
+}
+
+function release(code: string) {
+  window.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keyup', { code, bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
+}
+
+async function renderPicker(initialKeys: string[] = []) {
+  const onSave = vi.fn();
+  const onCancel = vi.fn();
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(
+    <ChordPicker
+      open
+      title="Push-to-talk shortcut"
+      initialKeys={initialKeys}
+      onSave={onSave}
+      onCancel={onCancel}
+    />,
+  );
+  return { screen, onSave, onCancel };
+}
+
+it('opens empty with save disabled and flags unsupported keys', async () => {
+  const { screen } = await renderPicker();
+
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Press your shortcut')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('No keys yet')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save' })).toBeDisabled();
+
+  // NumpadEnter has no canonical chord name — the picker refuses it and
+  // stays empty instead of capturing garbage.
+  press('NumpadEnter');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText(/isn't supported in chords/)).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save' })).toBeDisabled();
+});
+
+it('captures the held keys and saves them after release', async () => {
+  const { screen, onSave } = await renderPicker();
+
+  press('KeyJ');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Capturing…')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('J', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+  press('KeyK');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('K', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+  // Releasing everything freezes the peak so the user can save hands-free.
+  release('KeyK');
+  release('KeyJ');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Press your shortcut')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('J', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('K', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save' }).click();
+  expect(onSave).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(['KeyJ', 'KeyK']);
+});
+
+it('keeps the peak set when a key is released mid-chord', async () => {
+  const { screen, onSave } = await renderPicker();
+
+  press('KeyA');
+  press('KeyB');
+  press('KeyC');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('B', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+  // Mid-chord the display tracks only the currently held keys...
+  release('KeyB');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('B', { exact: true })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('A', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+  // ...but the captured peak still includes the released key.
+  release('KeyA');
+  release('KeyC');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('B', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save' }).click();
+  expect(onSave).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(['KeyA', 'KeyB', 'KeyC']);
+});
+
+it('replaces a longer saved chord with a fresh shorter one', async () => {
+  const { screen, onSave } = await renderPicker(['KeyA', 'KeyB', 'KeyC']);
+
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('A', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+
+  // The first key of a new sequence resets the peak, so a single key can
+  // beat the three-key seed.
+  press('KeyZ');
+  release('KeyZ');
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Z', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('A', { exact: true })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save' }).click();
+  expect(onSave).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(['KeyZ']);
+});
+
+it('cancel fires the cancel callback and never saves', async () => {
+  const { screen, onSave, onCancel } = await renderPicker(['KeyA']);
+
+  press('KeyQ');
+  release('KeyQ');
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Cancel' }).click();
+
+  expect(onCancel).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  expect(onSave).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});
diff --git a/app/src/components/Generation/FloatingGenerateBox.browser.test.tsx b/app/src/components/Generation/FloatingGenerateBox.browser.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..012e6cec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/components/Generation/FloatingGenerateBox.browser.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+import { HttpResponse, http } from 'msw';
+import { expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import type { VoiceProfileResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
+import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/uiStore';
+import { buildGeneration, buildModelStatus, buildProfile } from '@/test/msw/fixtures';
+import {
+  captureHandlers,
+  effectsHandlers,
+  historyHandlers,
+  modelHandlers,
+  profileHandlers,
+  settingsHandlers,
+  storyHandlers,
+  taskHandlers,
+} from '@/test/msw/handlers';
+import { worker } from '@/test/msw/worker';
+import { renderRoute } from '@/test/render';
+import { sseController } from '@/test/sse';
+
+/**
+ * FloatingGenerateBox calls useMatchRoute, so it needs router context; the
+ * SSE completion loop (useGenerationProgress) lives in the router's root
+ * layout. Mounting the index route exercises the real wiring for both.
+ * History handlers are registered per test so requests can be counted.
+ */
+function stubAppRequests(profiles: VoiceProfileResponse[]) {
+  worker.use(
+    ...profileHandlers(profiles),
+    ...captureHandlers([]),
+    ...settingsHandlers(),
+    ...modelHandlers([buildModelStatus()]),
+    ...storyHandlers([]),
+    ...effectsHandlers([]),
+    ...taskHandlers(),
+  );
+}
+
+it('renders the generate box wired to the selected profile', async () => {
+  const profile = buildProfile({ name: 'Ada Lovelace' });
+  stubAppRequests([profile]);
+  worker.use(...historyHandlers([]));
+  useUIStore.getState().setSelectedProfileId(profile.id);
+
+  const screen = await renderRoute('/');
+
+  await expect
+    .element(screen.getByPlaceholder('Generate speech using Ada Lovelace…'))
+    .toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Generate speech' })).toBeEnabled();
+  expect(useUIStore.getState().selectedProfileId).toBe(profile.id);
+});
+
+it('posts to /generate on submit and tracks the pending generation', async () => {
+  const profile = buildProfile({ name: 'Ada Lovelace' });
+  const generation = buildGeneration({
+    profile_id: profile.id,
+    status: 'generating',
+    audio_path: undefined,
+  });
+  const generateBodies: unknown[] = [];
+  const sse = sseController();
+  stubAppRequests([profile]);
+  worker.use(
+    ...historyHandlers([]),
+    http.post('*/generate', async ({ request }) => {
+      generateBodies.push(await request.json());
+      return HttpResponse.json(generation);
+    }),
+    http.get('*/generate/:id/status', () => sse.response()),
+  );
+  useUIStore.getState().setSelectedProfileId(profile.id);
+
+  const screen = await renderRoute('/');
+
+  const input = screen.getByPlaceholder('Generate speech using Ada Lovelace…');
+  await input.fill('Hello from the browser test');
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Generate speech' }).click();
+
+  await expect.poll(() => generateBodies.length).toBe(1);
+  expect(generateBodies[0]).toMatchObject({
+    profile_id: profile.id,
+    text: 'Hello from the browser test',
+    language: 'en',
+    engine: 'qwen',
+  });
+  await expect
+    .poll(() => useGenerationStore.getState().pendingGenerationIds.has(generation.id))
+    .toBe(true);
+  // The form resets as soon as the request is accepted.
+  await expect.element(input).toHaveValue('');
+  sse.close();
+});
+
+it('clears pending state and refetches history when SSE reports completion', async () => {
+  const profile = buildProfile({ name: 'Ada Lovelace' });
+  const generation = buildGeneration({
+    profile_id: profile.id,
+    status: 'generating',
+    audio_path: undefined,
+  });
+  const sse = sseController();
+  let sseConnections = 0;
+  let historyGets = 0;
+  stubAppRequests([profile]);
+  worker.use(
+    http.get('*/history', () => {
+      historyGets += 1;
+      return HttpResponse.json({ items: [], total: 0 });
+    }),
+    http.post('*/generate', () => HttpResponse.json(generation)),
+    http.get('*/generate/:id/status', () => {
+      sseConnections += 1;
+      return sse.response();
+    }),
+    // Autoplay is off via settingsHandlers, but keep audio stubbed so a
+    // completion-triggered player fetch could never fail the run loudly.
+    http.get(
+      '*/audio/:id',
+      () =>
+        new HttpResponse(new Blob([new Uint8Array(64)]), {
+          headers: { 'Content-Type': 'audio/wav' },
+        }),
+    ),
+  );
+  useUIStore.getState().setSelectedProfileId(profile.id);
+
+  const screen = await renderRoute('/');
+
+  await screen.getByPlaceholder('Generate speech using Ada Lovelace…').fill('Progress please');
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Generate speech' }).click();
+
+  await expect
+    .poll(() => useGenerationStore.getState().pendingGenerationIds.has(generation.id))
+    .toBe(true);
+  await expect.poll(() => sseConnections).toBe(1);
+  // Initial mount fetch + post-submit invalidation — wait for both so the
+  // final count increase can only come from the SSE completion refetch.
+  await expect.poll(() => historyGets).toBe(2);
+
+  sse.push({ data: { id: generation.id, status: 'generating' } });
+  sse.push({ data: { id: generation.id, status: 'completed', duration: 1.5 } });
+
+  await expect.poll(() => useGenerationStore.getState().pendingGenerationIds.size).toBe(0);
+  await expect.poll(() => historyGets).toBe(3);
+  sse.close();
+});
+
+it('disables the input and generate button when no profile is selected', async () => {
+  stubAppRequests([]);
+  worker.use(...historyHandlers([]));
+
+  const screen = await renderRoute('/');
+
+  await expect
+    .element(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Select a voice profile first' }))
+    .toBeDisabled();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByPlaceholder('Select a voice profile above…')).toBeDisabled();
+});
+
+it('does not post to /generate when the text is empty', async () => {
+  const profile = buildProfile({ name: 'Ada Lovelace' });
+  let generateCalls = 0;
+  stubAppRequests([profile]);
+  worker.use(
+    ...historyHandlers([]),
+    http.post('*/generate', () => {
+      generateCalls += 1;
+      return HttpResponse.json(buildGeneration());
+    }),
+  );
+  useUIStore.getState().setSelectedProfileId(profile.id);
+
+  const screen = await renderRoute('/');
+
+  const button = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Generate speech' });
+  await expect.element(button).toBeEnabled();
+  await button.click();
+
+  // Validation rejects empty text before any request is made — give a
+  // would-be submission ample time to surface, then assert it never did.
+  await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 300));
+  expect(generateCalls).toBe(0);
+  expect(useGenerationStore.getState().pendingGenerationIds.size).toBe(0);
+});
diff --git a/app/src/components/History/HistoryTable.browser.test.tsx b/app/src/components/History/HistoryTable.browser.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..85a66511
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/components/History/HistoryTable.browser.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+import { HttpResponse, http } from 'msw';
+import { expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { HistoryTable } from '@/components/History/HistoryTable';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
+import { buildHistoryItem } from '@/test/msw/fixtures';
+import { historyHandlers } from '@/test/msw/handlers';
+import { worker } from '@/test/msw/worker';
+import { renderWithProviders } from '@/test/render';
+
+it('renders history rows with profile names and transcripts', async () => {
+  const ada = buildHistoryItem({
+    profile_name: 'Ada Lovelace',
+    text: 'The analytical engine speaks.',
+  });
+  const grace = buildHistoryItem({
+    profile_name: 'Grace Hopper',
+    text: 'A compiler for the spoken word.',
+  });
+  worker.use(...historyHandlers([ada, grace]));
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<HistoryTable />);
+
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Ada Lovelace')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Grace Hopper')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect
+    .element(screen.getByRole('textbox', { name: /Transcript for sample from Ada Lovelace/ }))
+    .toHaveValue('The analytical engine speaks.');
+  await expect
+    .element(screen.getByRole('textbox', { name: /Transcript for sample from Grace Hopper/ }))
+    .toHaveValue('A compiler for the spoken word.');
+});
+
+it('shows the empty state when there is no history', async () => {
+  worker.use(...historyHandlers([]));
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<HistoryTable />);
+
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('No voice generations', { exact: false })).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+it('loads a clicked row into the player store with auto-play intent', async () => {
+  const item = buildHistoryItem({ profile_name: 'Ada Lovelace', text: 'Play me back.' });
+  worker.use(...historyHandlers([item]));
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<HistoryTable />);
+
+  // Click the profile-name cell — the row's mousedown handler ignores clicks
+  // that land on the transcript textarea.
+  await screen.getByText('Ada Lovelace').click();
+
+  await expect.poll(() => usePlayerStore.getState().audioId).toBe(item.id);
+  const player = usePlayerStore.getState();
+  expect(player.audioUrl).toContain(`/audio/${item.id}`);
+  expect(player.profileId).toBe(item.profile_id);
+  expect(player.shouldAutoPlay).toBe(true);
+  // isPlaying flips only once the AudioPlayer (not mounted here) starts playback.
+  expect(player.isPlaying).toBe(false);
+});
+
+it('toggles favorite via POST and reflects the refetched state', async () => {
+  const item = buildHistoryItem({ profile_name: 'Ada Lovelace' });
+  let favorited = false;
+  const favoriteRequests: string[] = [];
+  worker.use(
+    http.get('*/history', () =>
+      HttpResponse.json({ items: [{ ...item, is_favorited: favorited }], total: 1 }),
+    ),
+    http.post('*/history/:id/favorite', ({ params }) => {
+      favoriteRequests.push(params.id as string);
+      favorited = true;
+      return HttpResponse.json({ is_favorited: favorited });
+    }),
+  );
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<HistoryTable />);
+
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Favorite' }).click();
+
+  await expect.poll(() => favoriteRequests).toEqual([item.id]);
+  // History was invalidated and refetched — the star now reads as favorited.
+  await expect.element(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Unfavorite' })).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+it('deletes a generation after confirming the dialog', async () => {
+  const item = buildHistoryItem({ profile_name: 'Ada Lovelace' });
+  let items = [item];
+  const deleteRequests: string[] = [];
+  worker.use(
+    http.get('*/history', () => HttpResponse.json({ items, total: items.length })),
+    http.delete('*/history/:id', ({ params }) => {
+      deleteRequests.push(params.id as string);
+      items = items.filter((i) => i.id !== params.id);
+      return HttpResponse.json({ status: 'deleted' });
+    }),
+  );
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<HistoryTable />);
+
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Actions' }).click();
+  await screen.getByRole('menuitem', { name: 'Delete' }).click();
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('Delete Generation')).toBeVisible();
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Delete' }).click();
+
+  await expect.poll(() => deleteRequests).toEqual([item.id]);
+  // The refetched (now empty) list replaces the row.
+  await expect.element(screen.getByText('No voice generations', { exact: false })).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+it('exports audio through platform.filesystem.saveFile', async () => {
+  const item = buildHistoryItem({ profile_name: 'Ada Lovelace', text: 'Export me please' });
+  worker.use(
+    ...historyHandlers([item]),
+    http.get(
+      '*/history/:id/export-audio',
+      () =>
+        new HttpResponse(new Blob([new Uint8Array(64)]), {
+          headers: { 'Content-Type': 'audio/wav' },
+        }),
+    ),
+  );
+
+  const screen = await renderWithProviders(<HistoryTable />);
+
+  await screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Actions' }).click();
+  await screen.getByRole('menuitem', { name: 'Export Audio' }).click();
+
+  const saveFile = vi.mocked(screen.platform.filesystem.saveFile);
+  await expect.poll(() => saveFile.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+  const [filename, blob, filters] = saveFile.mock.calls[0];
+  expect(filename).toBe('export-me-please.wav');
+  expect(blob).toBeInstanceOf(Blob);
+  expect(filters).toEqual([{ name: 'Audio File', extensions: ['wav'] }]);
+});