diff --git a/Speaky/AppDelegate.swift b/Speaky/AppDelegate.swift
index 2e0b3eb..496f180 100644
--- a/Speaky/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/Speaky/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -1,12 +1,42 @@
 import AppKit
 
+enum DockVisibilityPolicy {
+    static func activationPolicy(
+        showInDock: Bool,
+        hasOpenWindow: Bool
+    ) -> NSApplication.ActivationPolicy {
+        showInDock || hasOpenWindow ? .regular : .accessory
+    }
+}
+
+@MainActor
 final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, ObservableObject {
-    var appState: AppState?
+    var appState: AppState? {
+        didSet {
+            updateActivationPolicy()
+        }
+    }
 
     func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ notification: Notification) {
         NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.regular)
 
+        let notificationCenter = NotificationCenter.default
+        for name in [
+            NSWindow.didBecomeMainNotification,
+            NSWindow.didMiniaturizeNotification,
+            NSWindow.didDeminiaturizeNotification,
+            NSWindow.willCloseNotification
+        ] {
+            notificationCenter.addObserver(
+                self,
+                selector: #selector(windowVisibilityDidChange),
+                name: name,
+                object: nil
+            )
+        }
+
         DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 0.3) {
+            self.updateActivationPolicy()
             NSApp.activate(ignoringOtherApps: true)
         }
 
@@ -18,13 +48,43 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, ObservableObject {
         false
     }
 
-    func applicationShouldHandleReopen(_ sender: NSApplication, hasVisibleWindows flag: Bool) -> Bool {
-        if !flag {
-            for window in NSApp.windows where window.canBecomeMain {
+    func applicationShouldHandleReopen(_ sender: NSApplication, hasVisibleWindows _: Bool) -> Bool {
+        let hasVisibleUserFacingWindow = NSApp.windows.contains {
+            isUserFacing($0) && ($0.isVisible || $0.isMiniaturized)
+        }
+
+        if !hasVisibleUserFacingWindow {
+            NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.regular)
+            for window in NSApp.windows where isUserFacing(window) {
                 window.makeKeyAndOrderFront(nil)
             }
             NSApp.activate(ignoringOtherApps: true)
         }
         return true
     }
+
+    @objc private func windowVisibilityDidChange(_ notification: Notification) {
+        DispatchQueue.main.async { [weak self] in
+            self?.updateActivationPolicy()
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func updateActivationPolicy() {
+        let showInDock = appState?.settings.showInDock
+            ?? (UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: AppSettings.showInDockDefaultsKey) as? Bool ?? false)
+        let hasOpenWindow = NSApp.windows.contains {
+            isUserFacing($0) && ($0.isVisible || $0.isMiniaturized)
+        }
+        let policy = DockVisibilityPolicy.activationPolicy(
+            showInDock: showInDock,
+            hasOpenWindow: hasOpenWindow
+        )
+
+        guard NSApp.activationPolicy() != policy else { return }
+        NSApp.setActivationPolicy(policy)
+    }
+
+    private func isUserFacing(_ window: NSWindow) -> Bool {
+        window.canBecomeMain && window.styleMask.contains(.titled)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/Speaky/Models/Settings.swift b/Speaky/Models/Settings.swift
index 92005ac..961df9e 100644
--- a/Speaky/Models/Settings.swift
+++ b/Speaky/Models/Settings.swift
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ enum BackgroundAudioMode: String, CaseIterable {
 
 @Observable
 final class AppSettings {
+    static let showInDockDefaultsKey = "showInDock"
+
     var selectedModelID: String {
         didSet { UserDefaults.standard.set(selectedModelID, forKey: "selectedModelID") }
     }
@@ -110,6 +112,9 @@ final class AppSettings {
     var checkForUpdates: Bool {
         didSet { UserDefaults.standard.set(checkForUpdates, forKey: "checkForUpdates") }
     }
+    var showInDock: Bool {
+        didSet { UserDefaults.standard.set(showInDock, forKey: Self.showInDockDefaultsKey) }
+    }
     var cleanupInterval: String {
         didSet { UserDefaults.standard.set(cleanupInterval, forKey: "cleanupInterval") }
     }
@@ -174,6 +179,7 @@ final class AppSettings {
         }
         self.soundEffectsEnabled = UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: "soundEffectsEnabled") as? Bool ?? true
         self.checkForUpdates = UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: "checkForUpdates") as? Bool ?? true
+        self.showInDock = UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: Self.showInDockDefaultsKey) as? Bool ?? false
         self.cleanupInterval = UserDefaults.standard.string(forKey: "cleanupInterval") ?? "Never"
         let deviceVal = UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: "selectedAudioDevice") as? UInt32
         self.selectedAudioDevice = deviceVal
diff --git a/Speaky/Views/MainWindow/SettingsView.swift b/Speaky/Views/MainWindow/SettingsView.swift
index cb21174..4a2edf6 100644
--- a/Speaky/Views/MainWindow/SettingsView.swift
+++ b/Speaky/Views/MainWindow/SettingsView.swift
@@ -38,6 +38,18 @@ struct SettingsView: View {
                 ))
             }
 
+            // Application
+            Section("Application") {
+                Toggle("Show in Dock", isOn: Binding(
+                    get: { settings.showInDock },
+                    set: { settings.showInDock = $0 }
+                ))
+
+                Text("When disabled, Speaky only appears in the Dock while its window is open.")
+                    .font(.caption)
+                    .foregroundStyle(Theme.textTertiary)
+            }
+
             // Behavior
             Section("Behavior") {
                 Toggle("Auto-paste after transcription", isOn: Binding(
diff --git a/SpeakyTests/AppSettingsTests.swift b/SpeakyTests/AppSettingsTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a6f85a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SpeakyTests/AppSettingsTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import Foundation
+import Testing
+@testable import Speaky
+
+@Suite("AppSettings", .serialized)
+struct AppSettingsTests {
+
+    @Test("Show in Dock is disabled by default")
+    func showInDockDefault() {
+        withRestoredShowInDockPreference {
+            UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: AppSettings.showInDockDefaultsKey)
+
+            #expect(AppSettings().showInDock == false)
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test("Show in Dock is persisted")
+    func showInDockPersistence() {
+        withRestoredShowInDockPreference {
+            let settings = AppSettings()
+
+            settings.showInDock = true
+
+            #expect(AppSettings().showInDock)
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func withRestoredShowInDockPreference(_ body: () -> Void) {
+        let defaults = UserDefaults.standard
+        let savedValue = defaults.object(forKey: AppSettings.showInDockDefaultsKey)
+        defer {
+            if let savedValue {
+                defaults.set(savedValue, forKey: AppSettings.showInDockDefaultsKey)
+            } else {
+                defaults.removeObject(forKey: AppSettings.showInDockDefaultsKey)
+            }
+        }
+
+        body()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/SpeakyTests/DockVisibilityPolicyTests.swift b/SpeakyTests/DockVisibilityPolicyTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9cacf0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SpeakyTests/DockVisibilityPolicyTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import AppKit
+import Testing
+@testable import Speaky
+
+@Suite("Dock visibility policy")
+struct DockVisibilityPolicyTests {
+
+    @Test("hides from Dock when disabled and no window is open")
+    func hiddenWithoutWindow() {
+        let policy = DockVisibilityPolicy.activationPolicy(
+            showInDock: false,
+            hasOpenWindow: false
+        )
+
+        #expect(policy == .accessory)
+    }
+
+    @Test("shows in Dock while a window is open")
+    func shownWithOpenWindow() {
+        let policy = DockVisibilityPolicy.activationPolicy(
+            showInDock: false,
+            hasOpenWindow: true
+        )
+
+        #expect(policy == .regular)
+    }
+
+    @Test("stays in Dock when enabled")
+    func shownWhenEnabled() {
+        let policy = DockVisibilityPolicy.activationPolicy(
+            showInDock: true,
+            hasOpenWindow: false
+        )
+
+        #expect(policy == .regular)
+    }
+}