fix(settings): preserve tray visibility for existing users

application/i18n/locales/en/core.ts

@@ -312,8 +312,11 @@ export const enCoreMessages: Messages = {
   'settings.globalHotkey.toggleWindowDesc': 'Press a key combination to set a global shortcut for showing/hiding the window.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.notSet': 'Not set',
   'settings.globalHotkey.reset': 'Reset to default',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': 'Close to System Tray',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': 'When enabled, closing the window will minimize to the system tray instead of quitting.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': 'Keep Running When Window Closes',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': 'When enabled, closing the window hides it while the app keeps running. Tray icon visibility is set separately.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIcon': 'Show System Tray Icon',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconDesc': 'When disabled, the tray icon is hidden but the app keeps running in the background.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconHiddenHint': 'Tray icon hidden. Launch the app again or use the global toggle hotkey to bring the window back, then re-enable this setting to restore the icon.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabled': 'Enable Global Hotkey',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabledDesc': 'Register system-wide keyboard shortcuts. When disabled, all global hotkeys are unregistered.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.hint': 'Global hotkey works system-wide to quickly show or hide the window (Quake-style terminal).',

application/i18n/locales/es/core.ts

@@ -227,8 +227,11 @@ export const esCoreMessages: Messages = {
   'settings.globalHotkey.toggleWindowDesc': 'Presiona una combinación de teclas para definir un atajo global que muestre u oculte la ventana.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.notSet': 'No configurada',
   'settings.globalHotkey.reset': 'Restablecer al valor predeterminado',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': 'Cerrar a la bandeja del sistema',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': 'Cuando está activado, cerrar la ventana la minimiza a la bandeja del sistema en lugar de salir.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': 'Seguir en segundo plano al cerrar la ventana',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': 'Al cerrar la ventana, se oculta y la aplicación sigue activa. La visibilidad del icono de la bandeja se configura aparte.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIcon': 'Mostrar icono de la bandeja del sistema',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconDesc': 'Cuando está desactivado, el icono de la bandeja se oculta, pero la aplicación sigue ejecutándose en segundo plano.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconHiddenHint': 'Icono de la bandeja oculto. Vuelve a iniciar la aplicación o usa el atajo global para recuperar la ventana y vuelve a activar este ajuste para restaurar el icono.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabled': 'Activar tecla de acceso global',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabledDesc': 'Registra atajos de teclado a nivel de todo el sistema. Cuando está desactivado, todas las teclas de acceso global se desregistran.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.hint': 'La tecla de acceso global funciona en todo el sistema para mostrar u ocultar la ventana rápidamente (terminal estilo Quake).',

application/i18n/locales/ru/core.ts

@@ -296,8 +296,11 @@ export const ruCoreMessages: Messages = {
   'settings.globalHotkey.toggleWindowDesc': 'Нажмите сочетание клавиш, чтобы задать глобальную горячую клавишу для показа или скрытия окна.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.notSet': 'Не задано',
   'settings.globalHotkey.reset': 'Сбросить по умолчанию',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': 'Сворачивать в системный трей',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': 'Если включено, при закрытии окно будет сворачиваться в системный трей вместо выхода из приложения.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': 'Оставлять приложение в фоне при закрытии окна',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': 'При закрытии окно скрывается, а приложение продолжает работать. Отображение значка в трее настраивается отдельно.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIcon': 'Показывать значок в системном трее',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconDesc': 'Если отключено, значок в трее скрыт, но приложение продолжает работать в фоне.',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconHiddenHint': 'Значок в трее скрыт. Запустите приложение снова или используйте глобальную горячую клавишу, чтобы вернуть окно, затем снова включите этот параметр, чтобы восстановить значок.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabled': 'Включить глобальную горячую клавишу',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabledDesc': 'Регистрировать системные сочетания клавиш. Когда отключено, все глобальные горячие клавиши снимаются с регистрации.',
   'settings.globalHotkey.hint': 'Глобальная горячая клавиша работает на уровне всей системы и позволяет быстро показывать или скрывать окно (терминал в стиле Quake).',

application/i18n/locales/zh-CN/core.ts

@@ -316,8 +316,11 @@ export const zhCNCoreMessages: Messages = {
   'settings.globalHotkey.toggleWindowDesc': '按下组合键以设置显示/隐藏窗口的全局快捷键。',
   'settings.globalHotkey.notSet': '未设置',
   'settings.globalHotkey.reset': '恢复默认',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': '关闭时最小化到托盘',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': '启用后，关闭窗口将最小化到系统托盘而不是退出程序。',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': '关闭窗口后在后台运行',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': '启用后，关闭窗口会隐藏窗口，应用继续在后台运行。托盘图标可单独开关。',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIcon': '显示系统托盘图标',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconDesc': '关闭后，托盘图标将被隐藏，但应用仍会在后台正常运行。',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconHiddenHint': '托盘图标已隐藏。再次启动应用或使用全局显示/隐藏快捷键即可找回窗口，然后重新打开此设置即可恢复图标。',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabled': '启用全局快捷键',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabledDesc': '注册系统级键盘快捷键。禁用后将取消所有全局快捷键注册。',
   'settings.globalHotkey.hint': '全局快捷键在系统范围内工作，可快速显示或隐藏窗口（下拉式终端风格）。',

application/i18n/locales/zh-TW/core.ts

@@ -318,8 +318,11 @@ export const zhTWCoreMessages: Messages = {
   'settings.globalHotkey.toggleWindowDesc': '按下組合鍵以設定顯示/隱藏視窗的全域快速鍵。',
   'settings.globalHotkey.notSet': '未設定',
   'settings.globalHotkey.reset': '恢復預設',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': '關閉時最小化到系統匣',
-  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': '啟用後，關閉視窗將最小化到系統匣而不是結束程式。',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTray': '關閉視窗後在背景執行',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc': '啟用後，關閉視窗會隱藏視窗，應用程式繼續在背景執行。系統匣圖示可另外開關。',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIcon': '顯示系統匣圖示',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconDesc': '關閉後，系統匣圖示將被隱藏，但應用程式仍會在背景正常執行。',
+  'settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconHiddenHint': '系統匣圖示已隱藏。再次啟動應用程式或使用全域顯示/隱藏快捷鍵即可找回視窗，然後重新開啟此設定即可恢復圖示。',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabled': '啟用全域快速鍵',
   'settings.globalHotkey.enabledDesc': '註冊系統級鍵盤快速鍵。停用後將取消所有全域快速鍵註冊。',
   'settings.globalHotkey.hint': '全域快速鍵在系統範圍內工作，可快速顯示或隱藏視窗（下拉式終端風格）。',

application/state/systemSettingsEffects.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, type MutableRefObject } from 'react';
 import {
   STORAGE_KEY_AUTO_UPDATE_ENABLED,
   STORAGE_KEY_CLOSE_TO_TRAY,
+  STORAGE_KEY_SHOW_TRAY_ICON,
   STORAGE_KEY_AUTO_LAUNCH_ENABLED,
   STORAGE_KEY_GLOBAL_HOTKEY_ENABLED,
   STORAGE_KEY_TOGGLE_WINDOW_HOTKEY,
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ interface UseSystemSettingsEffectsParams {
   toggleWindowHotkey: string;
   globalHotkeyEnabled: boolean;
   closeToTray: boolean;
+  showTrayIcon: boolean;
   autoLaunchEnabled: boolean;
   windowOpacityRecord: WindowOpacityRecord;
   windowOpacityMutationSourceRef: MutableRefObject<WindowOpacityMutationSource>;
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ export function useSystemSettingsEffects({
   toggleWindowHotkey,
   globalHotkeyEnabled,
   closeToTray,
+  showTrayIcon,
   autoLaunchEnabled,
   windowOpacityRecord,
   windowOpacityMutationSourceRef,
@@ -173,6 +176,24 @@ export function useSystemSettingsEffects({
     notifySettingsChanged(STORAGE_KEY_CLOSE_TO_TRAY, closeToTray);
   }, [enabled, closeToTray, notifySettingsChanged, persistMountedRef]);
 
+  // Persist and sync the show-tray-icon setting. Runs after the close-to-tray
+  // effect above (declaration order) so a hidden icon destroys the tray that
+  // close-to-tray's mount-time push may have just created.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!enabled) return;
+    // Update main process tray visibility (needed on mount)
+    const bridge = netcattyBridge.get();
+    if (bridge?.setShowTrayIcon) {
+      bridge.setShowTrayIcon(showTrayIcon).catch((err) => {
+        console.warn('[SystemTray] Failed to set show-tray-icon:', err);
+      });
+    }
+    localStorageAdapter.writeString(STORAGE_KEY_SHOW_TRAY_ICON, showTrayIcon ? 'true' : 'false');
+    // Skip IPC on initial mount
+    if (!persistMountedRef.current) return;
+    notifySettingsChanged(STORAGE_KEY_SHOW_TRAY_ICON, showTrayIcon);
+  }, [enabled, showTrayIcon, notifySettingsChanged, persistMountedRef]);
+
   // Hydrate auto-launch from the main process on mount — the OS login item
   // is the real source of truth (the user may have toggled it outside the
   // app), localStorage is only an optimistic cache for first paint.

application/state/useSettingsState.ts

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ import {
   STORAGE_KEY_EXPLORER_CONTEXT_MENU_ENABLED,
   STORAGE_KEY_TOGGLE_WINDOW_HOTKEY,
   STORAGE_KEY_CLOSE_TO_TRAY,
+  STORAGE_KEY_SHOW_TRAY_ICON,
   STORAGE_KEY_AUTO_LAUNCH_ENABLED,
   STORAGE_KEY_HTTP_NETWORK_PROXY,
   STORAGE_KEY_GLOBAL_HOTKEY_ENABLED,
@@ -550,6 +551,13 @@ export const useSettingsState = (options: { enableSettingsSync?: boolean; enable
     if (stored === null) return true;
     return stored === 'true';
   });
+  // Preserve the old tray visibility for existing users until they set this
+  // independently. Fresh installs still default to showing the icon.
+  const [showTrayIcon, setShowTrayIcon] = useState<boolean>(() => {
+    const stored = readStoredString(STORAGE_KEY_SHOW_TRAY_ICON);
+    if (stored === null) return closeToTray;
+    return stored === 'true';
+  });
   // Optimistic cache for first paint; useSystemSettingsEffects hydrates this
   // from app.getLoginItemSettings() (the real source of truth) on mount.
   const [autoLaunchEnabled, setAutoLaunchEnabled] = useState<boolean>(() => {
@@ -1791,6 +1799,7 @@ export const useSettingsState = (options: { enableSettingsSync?: boolean; enable
     toggleWindowHotkey,
     globalHotkeyEnabled,
     closeToTray,
+    showTrayIcon,
     autoLaunchEnabled,
     windowOpacityRecord,
     windowOpacityMutationSourceRef,
@@ -2156,6 +2165,8 @@ export const useSettingsState = (options: { enableSettingsSync?: boolean; enable
     setToggleWindowHotkey,
     closeToTray,
     setCloseToTray,
+    showTrayIcon,
+    setShowTrayIcon,
     autoLaunchEnabled,
     setAutoLaunchEnabled,
     autoLaunchSupported,

components/SettingsPage.tsx

@@ -677,6 +677,8 @@ const SettingsPageContent: React.FC<{ settings: SettingsState; appLock?: AppLock
                                 setToggleWindowHotkey={settings.setToggleWindowHotkey}
                                 closeToTray={settings.closeToTray}
                                 setCloseToTray={settings.setCloseToTray}
+                                showTrayIcon={settings.showTrayIcon}
+                                setShowTrayIcon={settings.setShowTrayIcon}
                                 autoLaunchEnabled={settings.autoLaunchEnabled}
                                 setAutoLaunchEnabled={settings.setAutoLaunchEnabled}
                                 autoLaunchSupported={settings.autoLaunchSupported}

components/settings/tabs/SettingsSystemTab.tsx

@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ interface SettingsSystemTabProps {
   setToggleWindowHotkey: (hotkey: string) => void;
   closeToTray: boolean;
   setCloseToTray: (enabled: boolean) => void;
+  showTrayIcon: boolean;
+  setShowTrayIcon: (enabled: boolean) => void;
   autoLaunchEnabled: boolean;
   setAutoLaunchEnabled: (enabled: boolean) => void;
   autoLaunchSupported: boolean;
@@ -173,6 +175,8 @@ const SettingsSystemTab: React.FC<SettingsSystemTabProps> = ({
   setToggleWindowHotkey,
   closeToTray,
   setCloseToTray,
+  showTrayIcon,
+  setShowTrayIcon,
   autoLaunchEnabled,
   setAutoLaunchEnabled,
   autoLaunchSupported,
@@ -1313,6 +1317,23 @@ const SettingsSystemTab: React.FC<SettingsSystemTabProps> = ({
                   onChange={setCloseToTray}
                 />
               </SettingRow>
+
+              {/* Show System Tray Icon */}
+              <SettingRow
+                anchorId="system-show-tray-icon"
+                label={t("settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIcon")}
+                description={t("settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconDesc")}
+              >
+                <Toggle
+                  checked={showTrayIcon}
+                  onChange={setShowTrayIcon}
+                />
+              </SettingRow>
+              {!showTrayIcon && (
+                <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                  {t("settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconHiddenHint")}
+                </p>
+              )}
             </SettingCard>
 
             <SettingHint>

domain/settingsSearchCatalog.ts

@@ -961,6 +961,13 @@ export const SETTINGS_SEARCH_CATALOG: readonly SettingsSearchEntry[] = [
     descriptionKey: "settings.globalHotkey.closeToTrayDesc",
     sectionKey: "settings.globalHotkey.title",
   },
+  {
+    id: "system-show-tray-icon",
+    tab: "system",
+    labelKey: "settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIcon",
+    descriptionKey: "settings.globalHotkey.showTrayIconDesc",
+    sectionKey: "settings.globalHotkey.title",
+  },
 
   // Plugins
   {

electron/bridges/globalShortcutBridge.cjs

@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ let sendWhenRendererReady = null;
 let getSystemMenuMainWindow = null;
 let tray = null;
 let closeToTray = false;
+// User preference for whether the tray/menu bar icon is shown at all.
+// Independent of close-to-tray: the app keeps running in the background with
+// the icon hidden, and window close still hides (not quits) when close-to-tray
+// was explicitly enabled.
+let showTrayIcon = true;
 let windowsTrayScaleListener = null;
 let currentHotkey = null;
 let hotkeyEnabled = false;
@@ -1292,18 +1297,12 @@ function setCloseToTray(enabled) {
   closeToTray = !!enabled;
 
   if (closeToTray) {
-    // Create tray if it doesn't exist
-    if (!tray) {
+    // Tray visibility is controlled separately by showTrayIcon.
+    if (!tray && showTrayIcon) {
       createTray();
     }
   } else {
     clearPendingFullscreenHide(getMainWindow());
-    // A hidden auto-launch cold start pins the tray regardless of this
-    // preference until its window is actually shown once — otherwise a user
-    // with close-to-tray off would get a windowless, trayless zombie process.
-    if (!hiddenLaunchTrayPinned) {
-      destroyTray();
-    }
   }
 
   return { success: true, enabled: closeToTray };
@@ -1321,18 +1320,45 @@ function pinTrayForHiddenLaunch() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Release the hidden-launch tray pin once its window has been shown. If the
- * user's close-to-tray preference is off, the tray is destroyed now instead
- * of lingering until the next close-to-tray toggle.
+ * Release the hidden-launch tray pin once its window has been shown. The
+ * hidden icon preference can now take effect safely.
  */
 function releaseHiddenLaunchTrayPin() {
   if (!hiddenLaunchTrayPinned) return;
   hiddenLaunchTrayPinned = false;
-  if (!closeToTray) {
+  if (!showTrayIcon) {
     destroyTray();
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Show or hide the tray icon without changing close-to-tray behavior. The
+ * app keeps running in the background while the icon is hidden; close-to-tray
+ * still hides the window on close.
+ */
+function setShowTrayIcon(enabled) {
+  showTrayIcon = !!enabled;
+
+  if (showTrayIcon) {
+    if (!tray) {
+      createTray();
+    }
+  } else if (!hiddenLaunchTrayPinned) {
+    // A hidden auto-launch cold start keeps its safety pin until its window
+    // is shown once, so a trayless zombie never appears without consent.
+    destroyTray();
+  }
+
+  return { success: true, enabled: showTrayIcon };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if the tray icon is currently meant to be shown
+ */
+function isShowTrayIconEnabled() {
+  return showTrayIcon;
+}
+
 /**
  * Check if close-to-tray is enabled
  */
@@ -1354,7 +1380,10 @@ function getHotkeyStatus() {
  * Handle window close event - hide to tray instead of closing
  */
 function handleWindowClose(event, win) {
-  if (closeToTray && tray) {
+  // With the tray icon hidden by preference there is no `tray` object, but a
+  // user who enabled close-to-tray still expects the window to hide (app
+  // stays in the background), not to quit.
+  if (closeToTray && (tray || !showTrayIcon)) {
     event.preventDefault();
     hideWindowRespectingMacFullscreen(win);
     return true; // Prevented close
@@ -1392,6 +1421,16 @@ function registerHandlers(ipcMain) {
     return { enabled: closeToTray };
   });
 
+  // Show/hide the tray icon itself (independent of close-to-tray)
+  ipcMain.handle("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon", async (_event, { enabled }) => {
+    return setShowTrayIcon(enabled);
+  });
+
+  // Get show-tray-icon status
+  ipcMain.handle("netcatty:tray:isShowTrayIcon", async () => {
+    return { enabled: showTrayIcon };
+  });
+
   // Update tray menu data
   ipcMain.handle("netcatty:tray:updateMenuData", async (_event, data) => {
     setTrayMenuData(data);

electron/bridges/globalShortcutBridge.test.cjs

@@ -1705,7 +1705,7 @@ test("a hidden-launch tray pin survives close-to-tray being turned off", async (
   }
 });
 
-test("releasing the hidden-launch tray pin destroys the tray if close-to-tray is off", async () => {
+test("releasing the hidden-launch tray pin keeps the visible tray when close-to-tray is off", async () => {
   const bridge = loadBridge();
   const electronModule = createElectronStub();
   bridge.init({ electronModule, getMainWindow: () => null });
@@ -1719,7 +1719,27 @@ test("releasing the hidden-launch tray pin destroys the tray if close-to-tray is
 
     bridge.releaseHiddenLaunchTrayPin();
 
-    assert.equal(bridge.getTray(), null, "once the window is shown, close-to-tray=off should win");
+    assert.notEqual(bridge.getTray(), null, "show-tray-icon=on keeps the tray visible");
+  } finally {
+    bridge.cleanup();
+  }
+});
+
+test("releasing the hidden-launch tray pin hides the icon when requested", async () => {
+  const bridge = loadBridge();
+  const electronModule = createElectronStub();
+  bridge.init({ electronModule, getMainWindow: () => null });
+  const ipcMain = createIpcMainStub();
+  bridge.registerHandlers(ipcMain);
+
+  try {
+    bridge.pinTrayForHiddenLaunch();
+    await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon")(null, { enabled: false });
+    assert.notEqual(bridge.getTray(), null, "the hidden launch keeps its recovery icon");
+
+    bridge.releaseHiddenLaunchTrayPin();
+
+    assert.equal(bridge.getTray(), null);
   } finally {
     bridge.cleanup();
   }
@@ -1757,7 +1777,7 @@ test("releaseHiddenLaunchTrayPin is a no-op when the pin was never set", () => {
   }
 });
 
-test("setCloseToTray(false) still destroys an unpinned tray as before", async () => {
+test("setCloseToTray(false) keeps a visible tray without hiding the window on close", async () => {
   const bridge = loadBridge();
   const electronModule = createElectronStub();
   const { ipcMain } = await enableCloseToTray(bridge, electronModule);
@@ -1765,6 +1785,92 @@ test("setCloseToTray(false) still destroys an unpinned tray as before", async ()
   try {
     assert.notEqual(bridge.getTray(), null);
     await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setCloseToTray")(null, { enabled: false });
+    assert.notEqual(bridge.getTray(), null);
+    assert.equal(bridge.handleWindowClose({ preventDefault() { assert.fail("close was prevented"); } }, new FakeWindow()), false);
+  } finally {
+    bridge.cleanup();
+  }
+});
+
+test("setShowTrayIcon(false) destroys the tray even when close-to-tray stays on", async () => {
+  const bridge = loadBridge();
+  const electronModule = createElectronStub();
+  const { ipcMain } = await enableCloseToTray(bridge, electronModule);
+
+  try {
+    assert.notEqual(bridge.getTray(), null);
+    const result = await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon")(null, { enabled: false });
+    assert.deepEqual(result, { success: true, enabled: false });
+    assert.equal(bridge.getTray(), null);
+  } finally {
+    bridge.cleanup();
+  }
+});
+
+test("handleWindowClose still hides to tray after the icon was hidden by preference", async () => {
+  await withPlatform("darwin", async () => {
+    const bridge = loadBridge();
+    const electronModule = createElectronStub();
+    const { ipcMain } = await enableCloseToTray(bridge, electronModule);
+
+    try {
+      await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon")(null, { enabled: false });
+      assert.equal(bridge.getTray(), null);
+
+      const win = new FakeWindow({ fullscreen: false });
+      let prevented = false;
+      const result = bridge.handleWindowClose({ preventDefault() { prevented = true; } }, win);
+
+      assert.equal(result, true);
+      assert.equal(prevented, true);
+      assert.equal(win.hideCalls, 1);
+    } finally {
+      bridge.cleanup();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+test("setShowTrayIcon(true) restores the tray when close-to-tray is on", async () => {
+  const bridge = loadBridge();
+  const electronModule = createElectronStub();
+  const { ipcMain } = await enableCloseToTray(bridge, electronModule);
+
+  try {
+    await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon")(null, { enabled: false });
+    assert.equal(bridge.getTray(), null);
+    await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon")(null, { enabled: true });
+    assert.notEqual(bridge.getTray(), null);
+  } finally {
+    bridge.cleanup();
+  }
+});
+
+test("setShowTrayIcon(true) creates a tray when close-to-tray is off", async () => {
+  const bridge = loadBridge();
+  const electronModule = createElectronStub();
+  bridge.init({ electronModule, getMainWindow: () => null });
+  const ipcMain = createIpcMainStub();
+  bridge.registerHandlers(ipcMain);
+
+  try {
+    await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setCloseToTray")(null, { enabled: false });
+    await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon")(null, { enabled: true });
+    assert.notEqual(bridge.getTray(), null);
+  } finally {
+    bridge.cleanup();
+  }
+});
+
+test("setCloseToTray(true) does not recreate the tray while the icon is hidden by preference", async () => {
+  const bridge = loadBridge();
+  const electronModule = createElectronStub();
+  bridge.init({ electronModule, getMainWindow: () => null });
+  const ipcMain = createIpcMainStub();
+  bridge.registerHandlers(ipcMain);
+
+  try {
+    await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon")(null, { enabled: false });
+    await ipcMain.handlers.get("netcatty:tray:setCloseToTray")(null, { enabled: true });
     assert.equal(bridge.getTray(), null);
   } finally {
     bridge.cleanup();

electron/preload/api.cjs

@@ -1557,6 +1557,10 @@ function createPreloadApi(ctx) {
     ipcRenderer.invoke("netcatty:tray:setCloseToTray", { enabled }),
   isCloseToTray: () =>
     ipcRenderer.invoke("netcatty:tray:isCloseToTray"),
+  setShowTrayIcon: (enabled) =>
+    ipcRenderer.invoke("netcatty:tray:setShowTrayIcon", { enabled }),
+  isShowTrayIcon: () =>
+    ipcRenderer.invoke("netcatty:tray:isShowTrayIcon"),
 
   // Auto Launch at system login (hidden to tray)
   getAutoLaunch: () =>

infrastructure/config/storageKeys.ts

@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ export const STORAGE_KEY_MANAGED_SOURCES = 'netcatty_managed_sources_v1';
 // Global Toggle Window Settings (Quake Mode)
 export const STORAGE_KEY_TOGGLE_WINDOW_HOTKEY = 'netcatty_toggle_window_hotkey_v1';
 export const STORAGE_KEY_CLOSE_TO_TRAY = 'netcatty_close_to_tray_v1';
+/** Whether the system tray / menu bar icon is shown. Default: shown. */
+export const STORAGE_KEY_SHOW_TRAY_ICON = 'netcatty_show_tray_icon_v1';
 /** Optimistic cache only — the source of truth is app.getLoginItemSettings() in the main process. */
 export const STORAGE_KEY_AUTO_LAUNCH_ENABLED = 'netcatty_auto_launch_enabled_v1';
 /** App-level HTTP(S) proxy for cloud sync / AI (not SSH ProxyJump). */

types/global/netcatty-bridge-app.d.ts

@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ declare global {
     // System Tray / Close to Tray
     setCloseToTray?(enabled: boolean): Promise<{ success: boolean; enabled: boolean }>;
     isCloseToTray?(): Promise<{ enabled: boolean }>;
+    setShowTrayIcon?(enabled: boolean): Promise<{ success: boolean; enabled: boolean }>;
+    isShowTrayIcon?(): Promise<{ enabled: boolean }>;
 
     // Auto Launch at system login (hidden to tray)
     getAutoLaunch?(): Promise<{ success: boolean; enabled: boolean; supported: boolean }>;