diff --git a/BUILD.md b/BUILD.md
index 53bacb6..6a8008d 100644
--- a/BUILD.md
+++ b/BUILD.md
@@ -58,9 +58,10 @@ py -3.12 -c "from app.tts import ENGINE_CATALOG; v=ENGINE_CATALOG['chatterbox'][
 ```
 
 After installation, verify the monitor identifies CUDA/NVIDIA, the app opens in
-a dedicated maximized window without a visible console, the desktop shortcut
-uses `parroty.ico`, all eight voices appear, previews work, and `stop.bat` shuts
-down port 5000.
+a dedicated maximized window without a visible console, and closing that app
+window with X stops the Flask listener and releases port 5000. Also verify the
+desktop shortcut uses `parroty.ico`, all eight voices appear, previews work, and
+`stop.bat` still shuts down port 5000 as a fallback.
 
 Before publishing, review `README.md`, `Quick Start Readme.txt`, `BUILD.md`,
 `RELEASE_NOTES.md`, and the voice attribution. No version bump or GitHub Release
diff --git a/Quick Start Readme.txt b/Quick Start Readme.txt
index d4a98d3..07cc6d6 100644
--- a/Quick Start Readme.txt	
+++ b/Quick Start Readme.txt	
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ launch_parroty.pyw, and the app folder:
 5. Save with the exact .bat filename shown.
 
 The eight bundled Chatterbox voices already live under app\assets\voices.
-No API key or separate voice download is required.
+No API key or separate voice download is required. Closing the dedicated
+Parroty Chrome/Edge app window with X automatically stops the hidden backend.
 
 ========================================================================
   FILE: install_all.bat
@@ -140,7 +141,8 @@ exit /b 0
 
 1. Run install_all.bat once.
 2. Start Parroty with run.bat or the desktop shortcut.
-3. Use stop.bat to stop the hidden backend.
-4. Use run_debug.bat only for troubleshooting.
+3. Close the Parroty app window with X to stop the hidden backend automatically.
+4. Use stop.bat only if the window is already gone or a forced stop is needed.
+5. Use run_debug.bat only for troubleshooting.
 
 Do not commit the generated BAT files. They are local/package conveniences.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 32cfe9c..1a308fd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -418,8 +418,11 @@ installed). Press **Ctrl+C** to stop.
 `Quick Start Readme.txt`, or use a packaged Windows ZIP that already includes
 them. `run.bat` starts the backend windowlessly through `pythonw.exe`, opens
 Parroty in a dedicated maximized Chrome/Edge app window, and silently creates or
-refreshes the desktop shortcut. Output goes to `parroty.log`; use `stop.bat` to
-shut down the hidden server. These `.bat` files are deliberately ignored by Git.
+refreshes the desktop shortcut. Closing that Parroty app window with **X** now
+automatically stops the hidden Flask backend, the same result as running
+`stop.bat`. Output goes to `parroty.log`; `stop.bat` remains available as a
+fallback if the window is already gone or the backend needs to be forced closed.
+These `.bat` files are deliberately ignored by Git.
 
 Starting again later needs no reinstall — setup is one-time. Open a terminal,
 `cd` into the Parroty folder, activate the venv, and run the server:
diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index 71d0c84..f25bc6c 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ No version number is assigned to this update.
 - Added the bottom-left CPU/GPU/VRAM system monitor.
 - Added hidden background launching with persistent `parroty.log` diagnostics.
 - Added a dedicated maximized Chrome/Edge app window using its own browser profile.
+- Closing the dedicated Parroty app window now automatically stops the hidden
+  Flask backend, matching `stop.bat` behavior without affecting normal browser windows.
 - Added desktop-shortcut creation using the Parroty icon.
 - Corrected hidden-launch template/static resolution.
 - Kept narration workers GPU-enabled when the app window is hidden or inactive.
diff --git a/parroty_window.ps1 b/parroty_window.ps1
index 21c6d00..382f5de 100644
--- a/parroty_window.ps1
+++ b/parroty_window.ps1
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 param(
   [string]$Url = "http://127.0.0.1:5000",
-  [string]$Root = $PSScriptRoot
+  [string]$Root = $PSScriptRoot,
+  [int]$Port = 5000
 )
 
 $ErrorActionPreference = "SilentlyContinue"
@@ -21,6 +22,52 @@ function Find-Browser {
   return $null
 }
 
+function Get-ParrotyBackendPids {
+  param([int]$ListenerPort)
+
+  # Capture the exact process already listening for Parroty before opening the
+  # browser. When the app window closes we stop only these recorded PIDs, never
+  # an unrelated process that might later reuse the port.
+  $ids = [System.Collections.Generic.HashSet[int]]::new()
+
+  try {
+    Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort $ListenerPort -State Listen -ErrorAction Stop |
+      ForEach-Object {
+        if ($_.OwningProcess -gt 0) {
+          [void]$ids.Add([int]$_.OwningProcess)
+        }
+      }
+  } catch {}
+
+  # Fallback for systems where Get-NetTCPConnection is unavailable or restricted.
+  if ($ids.Count -eq 0) {
+    try {
+      $escapedPort = [regex]::Escape([string]$ListenerPort)
+      $pattern = "^\s*TCP\s+\S+:$escapedPort\s+\S+\s+LISTENING\s+(\d+)\s*$"
+      foreach ($line in (& netstat.exe -ano -p tcp 2>$null)) {
+        if ($line -match $pattern) {
+          [void]$ids.Add([int]$Matches[1])
+        }
+      }
+    } catch {}
+  }
+
+  return @($ids)
+}
+
+function Stop-ParrotyBackend {
+  param([int[]]$ProcessIds)
+
+  foreach ($backendProcessId in $ProcessIds) {
+    if ($backendProcessId -le 0 -or $backendProcessId -eq $PID) { continue }
+    try {
+      Get-Process -Id $backendProcessId -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null
+      Stop-Process -Id $backendProcessId -Force -ErrorAction Stop
+      try { Wait-Process -Id $backendProcessId -Timeout 5 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+    } catch {}
+  }
+}
+
 function Maximize-ParrotyWindow {
   param(
     [System.Diagnostics.Process]$InitialProcess,
@@ -92,10 +139,17 @@ public static class ParrotyNativeWindow {
 
 $browser = Find-Browser
 if (-not $browser) {
+  # A normal browser tab cannot be reliably monitored for its close event, so
+  # retain the browser fallback without automatic backend shutdown.
   Start-Process $Url
   exit 0
 }
 
+# Record the currently healthy Parroty listener before starting the app window.
+# This mirrors stop.bat when the window later closes, while avoiding broad
+# process-name matching or interference with normal browser windows.
+$backendPids = @(Get-ParrotyBackendPids -ListenerPort $Port)
+
 # A dedicated Chromium profile prevents an existing normal browser session from
 # restoring Parroty to a remembered windowed size. This is the same launcher
 # pattern used by Stemmy.
@@ -122,5 +176,8 @@ if (-not $process) {
 $windowProcess = Maximize-ParrotyWindow -InitialProcess $process -BrowserPath $browser -LaunchTime $launchTime
 Set-Content -LiteralPath (Join-Path $Root ".parroty.browser.pid") -Value $windowProcess.Id
 
+# Wait for the dedicated Parroty app window—not the user's normal browser—to be
+# closed with X. Closing it is treated the same as running stop.bat.
 try { $windowProcess.WaitForExit() } catch {}
 Remove-Item -LiteralPath (Join-Path $Root ".parroty.browser.pid") -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+Stop-ParrotyBackend -ProcessIds $backendPids