diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cc5dad0..55c4a41 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ All notable changes to RigDoctor are recorded here. Format follows
 (`MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`, pre-1.0). `__version__` and `pyproject.toml` must match the git
 release tag (so the auto-updater, D18, can compare versions).
 
+## [0.18.0] - 2026-05-22
+### Added
+- **Global recording indicator.** While a capture is running, the sidebar shows a red
+  **● Recording** badge on every page — with the **game** being captured and the live sample
+  count (and a GPU-lost flag if seen). It polls the recorder, so it reflects captures started
+  any way: manual `record`, a guided diagnostic, or the Steam launch wrapper.
+
 ## [0.17.0] - 2026-05-22
 ### Added
 - **Inventory page is back in the GUI** (it was removed in 0.7.2 in favor of the CLI). Sidebar
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 116afd4..ad9588b 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "rigdoctor"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.18.0"
 description = "Modular hardware monitoring & crash diagnostics for Linux gamers."
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"
diff --git a/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py b/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py
index ae719c7..02629fc 100644
--- a/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py
+++ b/src/rigdoctor/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """RigDoctor — modular hardware monitoring & crash diagnostics for Linux gamers."""
 
-__version__ = "0.17.0"
+__version__ = "0.18.0"
diff --git a/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py b/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py
index bc99f3d..ee8afbc 100644
--- a/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py
+++ b/src/rigdoctor/gui/main_window.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import html
 import os
 import sys
 import threading
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ from .notifications_page import NotificationsPage
 from .recorder_page import RecorderPage
 from .setup_page import SetupPage
 from .share_page import SharePage
-from .theme import ACCENT, GOOD, MUTED
+from .theme import ACCENT, CRIT, GOOD, MUTED, TEXT
 from .worker import SamplerWorker
 
 _NAV_ITEMS = ["Dashboard", "Logs", "Health", "Games", "Environment", "Inventory", "Setup", "Notifications", "Share"]
@@ -127,6 +128,14 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             self._update_timer.timeout.connect(self._start_update_check)
             self._update_timer.start()
 
+        # Reflect any capture (manual, diagnostic, or the Steam wrapper) in the sidebar on
+        # every page, so it's always clear when RigDoctor is recording and for which game.
+        self._rec_timer = QTimer(self)
+        self._rec_timer.setInterval(1500)
+        self._rec_timer.timeout.connect(self._update_recording)
+        self._rec_timer.start()
+        self._update_recording()
+
     def _build_sidebar(self) -> QFrame:
         bar = QFrame()
         bar.setObjectName("Sidebar")
@@ -141,6 +150,17 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         subtitle.setObjectName("AppSubtitle")
         v.addWidget(title)
         v.addWidget(subtitle)
+
+        # Global recording indicator — visible on every page while a capture runs.
+        self._rec_indicator = QLabel()
+        self._rec_indicator.setWordWrap(True)
+        self._rec_indicator.setTextFormat(Qt.TextFormat.RichText)
+        self._rec_indicator.setStyleSheet(
+            f"background: #241316; border: 1px solid {CRIT}; border-radius: 8px; padding: 8px 10px;"
+        )
+        self._rec_indicator.hide()
+        v.addSpacing(12)
+        v.addWidget(self._rec_indicator)
         v.addSpacing(18)
 
         group = QButtonGroup(self)
@@ -242,6 +262,23 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         self.health_page._run()
         self.inventory_page._run()
 
+    def _update_recording(self) -> None:
+        from .core import diagnostic
+
+        status = diagnostic.active()
+        if not status:
+            self._rec_indicator.hide()
+            return
+        game = status.get("game")
+        samples = status.get("samples", 0)
+        lost = "  ·  GPU-lost" if status.get("gpu_lost") else ""
+        lines = [f"<span style='color:{CRIT};'>●</span> <b style='color:{TEXT};'>Recording</b>"]
+        if game:
+            lines.append(f"<span style='color:{TEXT};'>{html.escape(str(game))}</span>")
+        lines.append(f"<span style='color:{MUTED};'>{samples} samples{lost}</span>")
+        self._rec_indicator.setText("<br>".join(lines))
+        self._rec_indicator.show()
+
     def _set_games_badge(self, count: int) -> None:
         btn = self._nav_buttons.get("Games")
         if btn is not None: