diff --git a/macos/src/main.swift b/macos/src/main.swift
index da969c7..2d2c325 100644
--- a/macos/src/main.swift
+++ b/macos/src/main.swift
@@ -15,6 +15,35 @@ struct Defaults {
     static let livePreview = "livePreview"
 }
 
+// MARK: - Icons
+// SF Symbols: vector icons that stay sharp at any scale. Template symbols are
+// tinted by macOS (menu bar, menus, buttons) and follow light/dark appearance.
+enum Icons {
+    static func symbol(_ name: String, pointSize: CGFloat = 13, weight: NSFont.Weight = .regular, description: String? = nil) -> NSImage? {
+        let image = NSImage(systemSymbolName: name, accessibilityDescription: description)?
+            .withSymbolConfiguration(.init(pointSize: pointSize, weight: weight))
+        image?.isTemplate = true
+        return image
+    }
+
+    // Fixed colour, for states that need it (recording) and for custom drawing (HUD).
+    // Tints the monochrome symbol so knockouts stay transparent (the tick in
+    // checkmark.circle.fill); a one-colour palette would fill them in. Drawn
+    // lazily, so it stays sharp on any display scale.
+    static func coloredSymbol(_ name: String, pointSize: CGFloat, weight: NSFont.Weight = .regular, color: NSColor, description: String? = nil) -> NSImage? {
+        guard let symbol = symbol(name, pointSize: pointSize, weight: weight, description: description) else { return nil }
+        let image = NSImage(size: symbol.size, flipped: false) { rect in
+            symbol.draw(in: rect)
+            color.set()
+            rect.fill(using: .sourceAtop)
+            return true
+        }
+        image.accessibilityDescription = description
+        image.isTemplate = false
+        return image
+    }
+}
+
 // MARK: - Whisper Models
 struct WhisperModels {
     struct Model {
@@ -681,24 +710,40 @@ final class MeterView: NSView {
     }
     func reset() { level = 0; silent = false; mode = .recording; notice = nil; previewText = nil; needsDisplay = true }
 
+    // Draws a symbol centred on a text line drawn at `origin`; returns the x where the text starts
+    private static func drawSymbol(_ name: String, color: NSColor, font: NSFont, at origin: NSPoint) -> CGFloat {
+        guard let image = Icons.coloredSymbol(name, pointSize: font.pointSize, weight: .medium, color: color) else { return origin.x }
+        let lineHeight = ceil(font.ascender - font.descender)
+        image.draw(in: NSRect(x: origin.x, y: origin.y + (lineHeight - image.size.height) / 2,
+                              width: image.size.width, height: image.size.height))
+        return origin.x + image.size.width + 5
+    }
+
     override func draw(_ dirtyRect: NSRect) {
         let bg = NSBezierPath(roundedRect: bounds, xRadius: 12, yRadius: 12)
         NSColor(calibratedWhite: 0.10, alpha: 0.93).setFill()
         bg.fill()
 
         let warn = mode == .recording && silent
-        let label = mode == .transcribing ? "⏳ Transcribing…" : warn ? "🎤 No audio input?" : "🎤 Recording…"
+        let titleFont = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 12, weight: .medium)
+        let (symbol, symbolColor, label): (String, NSColor, String) =
+            mode == .transcribing ? ("hourglass", .white, "Transcribing…")
+            : warn ? ("mic.slash.fill", .systemRed, "No audio input?")
+            : ("mic.fill", .systemRed, "Recording…")
         var textY = bounds.height - 26
-        label.draw(at: NSPoint(x: 16, y: textY), withAttributes: [
-            .font: NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 12, weight: .medium),
+        let titleX = MeterView.drawSymbol(symbol, color: symbolColor, font: titleFont, at: NSPoint(x: 16, y: textY))
+        label.draw(at: NSPoint(x: titleX, y: textY), withAttributes: [
+            .font: titleFont,
             .foregroundColor: warn ? NSColor.systemRed : NSColor.white
         ])
 
         switch notice {
         case .loadingModel?:
             textY -= 19
-            "Loading model into memory…".draw(at: NSPoint(x: 16, y: textY), withAttributes: [
-                .font: NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 11, weight: .semibold),
+            let font = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 11, weight: .semibold)
+            let x = MeterView.drawSymbol("memorychip", color: .systemYellow, font: font, at: NSPoint(x: 16, y: textY))
+            "Loading model into memory…".draw(at: NSPoint(x: x, y: textY), withAttributes: [
+                .font: font,
                 .foregroundColor: NSColor.systemYellow
             ])
             textY -= 16
@@ -708,8 +753,10 @@ final class MeterView: NSView {
             ])
         case .modelLoaded?:
             textY -= 19
-            "✓ Model loaded".draw(at: NSPoint(x: 16, y: textY), withAttributes: [
-                .font: NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 11, weight: .semibold),
+            let font = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 11, weight: .semibold)
+            let x = MeterView.drawSymbol("checkmark.circle.fill", color: .systemGreen, font: font, at: NSPoint(x: 16, y: textY))
+            "Model loaded".draw(at: NSPoint(x: x, y: textY), withAttributes: [
+                .font: font,
                 .foregroundColor: NSColor.systemGreen
             ])
         case nil:
@@ -818,6 +865,7 @@ final class DownloadProgressWindow: NSObject {
     private var phase = Phase.downloading
 
     private var window: NSWindow?
+    private let titleIcon = NSImageView()
     private let titleLabel = NSTextField(labelWithString: "")
     // Two indicators instead of toggling isIndeterminate on one: after an
     // indeterminate phase, NSProgressIndicator stops drawing determinate values.
@@ -871,6 +919,7 @@ final class DownloadProgressWindow: NSObject {
         bytesPerSecond = 0
         lastRender = .distantPast
         titleLabel.stringValue = "Downloading \(modelName)"
+        setTitleIcon("arrow.down.circle.fill", color: .controlAccentColor)
         setBar(indeterminate: true)
         setDetail("Connecting…")
         hintLabel.isHidden = false
@@ -916,6 +965,7 @@ final class DownloadProgressWindow: NSObject {
     func showLoading(modelName: String) {
         phase = .loading
         titleLabel.stringValue = "Loading \(modelName)…"
+        setTitleIcon("memorychip.fill", color: .controlAccentColor)
         setBar(indeterminate: true)
         setDetail("Download complete. Loading the model into memory…")
         hintLabel.isHidden = true
@@ -924,7 +974,8 @@ final class DownloadProgressWindow: NSObject {
 
     func showReady(modelName: String) {
         phase = .ready
-        titleLabel.stringValue = "✓ \(modelName) is ready"
+        titleLabel.stringValue = "\(modelName) is ready"
+        setTitleIcon("checkmark.circle.fill", color: .systemGreen)
         setBar(indeterminate: false, value: 1)
         setDetail("It is now the active model. Press ⌃⌥D to dictate.")
         hintLabel.isHidden = true
@@ -933,7 +984,8 @@ final class DownloadProgressWindow: NSObject {
 
     func showFailed(modelName: String, message: String) {
         phase = .failed
-        titleLabel.stringValue = "⚠️ Could not download \(modelName)"
+        titleLabel.stringValue = "Could not download \(modelName)"
+        setTitleIcon("exclamationmark.triangle.fill", color: .systemYellow)
         busyBar.stopAnimation(nil)
         busyBar.isHidden = true
         bar.isHidden = true
@@ -951,7 +1003,11 @@ final class DownloadProgressWindow: NSObject {
 
         let v = NSView(frame: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 440, height: 170))
 
-        titleLabel.frame = NSRect(x: 20, y: 130, width: 400, height: 20)
+        titleIcon.frame = NSRect(x: 20, y: 131, width: 18, height: 18)
+        titleIcon.symbolConfiguration = .init(pointSize: 14, weight: .semibold)
+        v.addSubview(titleIcon)
+
+        titleLabel.frame = NSRect(x: 44, y: 130, width: 376, height: 20)
         titleLabel.font = .boldSystemFont(ofSize: 13)
         titleLabel.lineBreakMode = .byTruncatingTail
         v.addSubview(titleLabel)
@@ -995,6 +1051,11 @@ final class DownloadProgressWindow: NSObject {
         return w
     }
 
+    private func setTitleIcon(_ name: String, color: NSColor) {
+        titleIcon.image = NSImage(systemSymbolName: name, accessibilityDescription: nil)
+        titleIcon.contentTintColor = color
+    }
+
     private func setBar(indeterminate: Bool, value: Double = 0) {
         bar.isHidden = indeterminate
         busyBar.isHidden = !indeterminate
@@ -1162,7 +1223,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
         if alert.runModal() == .alertFirstButtonReturn {
             downloadModel(WhisperModels.available[popup.indexOfSelectedItem])
         } else {
-            updateStatus("⚠️ No model selected")
+            updateStatus("No model selected", warning: true)
         }
     }
 
@@ -1180,7 +1241,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
             return
         }
         guard let url = URL(string: model.url) else {
-            updateStatus("⚠️ Invalid URL")
+            updateStatus("Invalid URL", warning: true)
             return
         }
 
@@ -1224,7 +1285,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
     func failDownload(_ message: String) {
         let name = currentDownloadModel?.name ?? "model"
         clearDownloadState()
-        updateStatus("⚠️ Download failed")
+        updateStatus("Download failed", warning: true)
         if playSounds { NSSound(named: "Basso")?.play() }
         downloadWindow.showFailed(modelName: name, message: message)
         downloadWindow.show()
@@ -1237,24 +1298,43 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
         updateDownloadIndicators()
     }
 
-    // Menu bar icon when idle: download progress while a model downloads, else the mic
-    var idleIcon: String {
-        downloadTask != nil ? "⬇️ \(downloadPercent)%" : "🎤"
+    // Menu bar icon. While idle it shows the download progress if a model is downloading.
+    enum MenuBarIcon { case idle, recording, busy }
+    var menuBarIcon = MenuBarIcon.idle { didSet { refreshMenuBarIcon() } }
+
+    func refreshMenuBarIcon() {
+        guard let button = statusItem?.button else { return }
+        let downloading = menuBarIcon == .idle && downloadTask != nil
+        switch menuBarIcon {
+        case .idle:
+            button.image = downloading
+                ? Icons.symbol("arrow.down.circle", pointSize: 15, description: "WhisperDictate: downloading a model")
+                : Icons.symbol("mic", pointSize: 15, description: "WhisperDictate")
+        case .recording:
+            button.image = Icons.coloredSymbol("mic.fill", pointSize: 15, color: .systemRed, description: "WhisperDictate: recording")
+        case .busy:
+            button.image = Icons.symbol("hourglass", pointSize: 15, description: "WhisperDictate: working")
+        }
+        button.imagePosition = .imageLeading
+        button.title = downloading ? "\(downloadPercent)%" : ""
     }
 
     // Sync the menu bar icon, the menu's download line and the Settings button
     // with the download state, without overriding the recording/transcribing icon.
     func updateDownloadIndicators() {
-        if let title = statusItem.button?.title, title == "🎤" || title.hasPrefix("⬇️") {
-            statusItem.button?.title = idleIcon
-        }
+        refreshMenuBarIcon()
         if let item = statusItem.menu?.item(withTag: 101) {
             item.isHidden = currentDownloadModel == nil
             if let model = currentDownloadModel {
-                item.title = "⬇️ Downloading \(model.name): \(downloadPercent)% — Show Progress…"
+                item.title = "Downloading \(model.name): \(downloadPercent)% — Show Progress…"
             }
         }
-        settingsDownloadButton?.title = downloadTask != nil ? "⬇️ \(downloadPercent)%" : "Download..."
+        if let button = settingsDownloadButton {
+            let downloading = downloadTask != nil
+            button.image = downloading ? Icons.symbol("arrow.down.circle", pointSize: 11) : nil
+            button.imagePosition = .imageLeading
+            button.title = downloading ? "\(downloadPercent)%" : "Download..."
+        }
     }
 
     // MARK: - URLSessionDownloadDelegate
@@ -1324,7 +1404,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
     // MARK: - Status Item
     func setupStatusItem() {
         statusItem = NSStatusBar.system.statusItem(withLength: NSStatusItem.variableLength)
-        statusItem.button?.title = "🎤"
+        refreshMenuBarIcon()
 
         let menu = NSMenu()
 
@@ -1336,6 +1416,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
         menu.addItem(statusMenuItem)
 
         let downloadMenuItem = NSMenuItem(title: "", action: #selector(showDownloadWindow), keyEquivalent: "")
+        downloadMenuItem.image = Icons.symbol("arrow.down.circle")
         downloadMenuItem.target = self
         downloadMenuItem.tag = 101
         downloadMenuItem.isHidden = true
@@ -1734,20 +1815,16 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
     func checkModelExists() {
         let validation = isValidModelPath(modelPath)
         if !validation.valid {
-            updateStatus("⚠️ \(validation.error ?? "Invalid model")")
+            updateStatus(validation.error ?? "Invalid model", warning: true)
         } else {
             updateStatus("Ready")
         }
     }
 
-    func updateStatus(_ status: String) {
-        if let menu = statusItem.menu {
-            for item in menu.items {
-                if item.tag == 100 {
-                    item.title = "Status: \(status)"
-                }
-            }
-        }
+    func updateStatus(_ status: String, warning: Bool = false) {
+        guard let item = statusItem.menu?.item(withTag: 100) else { return }
+        item.title = "Status: \(status)"
+        item.image = warning ? Icons.coloredSymbol("exclamationmark.triangle.fill", pointSize: 13, color: .systemYellow) : nil
     }
 
     // MARK: - Permissions
@@ -1840,7 +1917,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
             audioRecorder?.isMeteringEnabled = true
             audioRecorder?.record()
             isRecording = true
-            statusItem.button?.title = "🔴"
+            menuBarIcon = .recording
             updateStatus("Recording...")
             if playSounds { NSSound(named: "Tink")?.play() }
             NSLog("Recording started")
@@ -1961,7 +2038,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
         let keepHUD = explainLoading || recordingHUD.hasPreview
         stopMeter(hideHUD: !keepHUD)
         if keepHUD { recordingHUD.showTranscribing(notice: explainLoading ? .loadingModel : nil) }
-        statusItem.button?.title = "⏳"
+        menuBarIcon = .busy
         updateStatus("Transcribing...")
         if playSounds { NSSound(named: "Pop")?.play() }
         NSLog("Recording stopped, transcribing...")
@@ -2031,7 +2108,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
         }
 
         if !isRecording && !isTranscribing {
-            statusItem.button?.title = "⏳"
+            menuBarIcon = .busy
             updateStatus("Loading model…")
         }
 
@@ -2043,7 +2120,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
                 defer { completion?() }
                 guard let self = self, self.whisperServer === server else { return }
                 let busy = self.isRecording || self.isTranscribing
-                if !busy { self.statusItem.button?.title = self.idleIcon }
+                if !busy { self.menuBarIcon = .idle }
                 if ok {
                     if !busy { self.updateStatus("Ready") }
                     NSLog("whisper-server ready on port \(server.port)")
@@ -2061,8 +2138,8 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
         let modelValidation = isValidModelPath(modelPath)
         guard modelValidation.valid else {
             DispatchQueue.main.async {
-                self.statusItem.button?.title = self.idleIcon
-                self.updateStatus("⚠️ \(modelValidation.error ?? "Invalid model")")
+                self.menuBarIcon = .idle
+                self.updateStatus(modelValidation.error ?? "Invalid model", warning: true)
                 if self.playSounds { NSSound(named: "Basso")?.play() }
             }
             return
@@ -2070,8 +2147,8 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
 
         guard SupportedLanguages.isValid(language) else {
             DispatchQueue.main.async {
-                self.statusItem.button?.title = self.idleIcon
-                self.updateStatus("⚠️ Invalid language")
+                self.menuBarIcon = .idle
+                self.updateStatus("Invalid language", warning: true)
                 if self.playSounds { NSSound(named: "Basso")?.play() }
             }
             return
@@ -2098,7 +2175,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
             if let finalText = finalText, !finalText.isEmpty {
                 self.pasteText(finalText)
             } else {
-                self.statusItem.button?.title = self.idleIcon
+                self.menuBarIcon = .idle
                 self.updateStatus("Ready")
                 if self.playSounds { NSSound(named: "Basso")?.play() }
                 NSLog("No speech recognized")
@@ -2111,8 +2188,8 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
     func transcribeWithCLI(prompt: String? = nil) -> String? {
         guard let whisperPath = findWhisperCLI() else {
             DispatchQueue.main.async {
-                self.statusItem.button?.title = self.idleIcon
-                self.updateStatus("⚠️ whisper-cli not found")
+                self.menuBarIcon = .idle
+                self.updateStatus("whisper-cli not found", warning: true)
                 if self.playSounds { NSSound(named: "Basso")?.play() }
                 NSLog("whisper-cli not found in PATH")
             }
@@ -2187,7 +2264,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, URLSessionDownloadDelegate,
                 }
             }
 
-            self.statusItem.button?.title = self.idleIcon
+            self.menuBarIcon = .idle
             self.updateStatus("Ready")
             if self.playSounds { NSSound(named: "Glass")?.play() }
         }