diff --git a/Cotabby/Models/PermissionModels.swift b/Cotabby/Models/PermissionModels.swift
index 8d0c5334..4fb47009 100644
--- a/Cotabby/Models/PermissionModels.swift
+++ b/Cotabby/Models/PermissionModels.swift
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ enum CotabbyPermissionKind: String, CaseIterable, Identifiable, Sendable {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Title for the compact permission rows (menu-bar panel, Settings list), with an "(Optional)"
+    /// qualifier appended for enhancement permissions. Those rows reuse the required rows' styling so
+    /// the permission reads as a real, grantable permission rather than a separate feature toggle, and
+    /// this suffix is the only thing that marks it optional there. Card surfaces (onboarding, the
+    /// reminder window) carry their own "Optional" capsule instead, so they keep using `title`.
+    var compactRowTitle: String {
+        isOptionalEnhancement ? "\(title) (Optional)" : title
+    }
+
     var systemImageName: String {
         switch self {
         case .accessibility:
diff --git a/Cotabby/Services/Permission/PermissionManager.swift b/Cotabby/Services/Permission/PermissionManager.swift
index 43a69818..d964866f 100644
--- a/Cotabby/Services/Permission/PermissionManager.swift
+++ b/Cotabby/Services/Permission/PermissionManager.swift
@@ -111,6 +111,15 @@ final class PermissionManager: ObservableObject {
             .allSatisfy(isGranted(_:))
     }
 
+    /// Whether every permission Cotabby can use (required ones plus the optional Screen Recording
+    /// enhancement) is granted. Surfaces that list all permissions (the menu-bar Permissions card)
+    /// use this so they keep showing the still-missing optional permission instead of vanishing as
+    /// soon as the required ones are satisfied. Does not gate autocomplete; that stays on
+    /// `requiredPermissionsGranted`.
+    var allPermissionsGranted: Bool {
+        CotabbyPermissionKind.allCases.allSatisfy(isGranted(_:))
+    }
+
     /// Shared opener used by onboarding and the menu-bar shortcuts.
     func openSettings(for permission: CotabbyPermissionKind) {
         NSWorkspace.shared.open(permission.settingsURL)
diff --git a/Cotabby/UI/MenuBarView.swift b/Cotabby/UI/MenuBarView.swift
index e3739d56..dfcb4ed3 100644
--- a/Cotabby/UI/MenuBarView.swift
+++ b/Cotabby/UI/MenuBarView.swift
@@ -233,8 +233,12 @@ struct MenuBarView: View {
 
     // MARK: - Permissions (conditional)
 
-    /// Only appears when at least one permission is missing. Once all are granted, this
-    /// section vanishes — no wasted space on resolved state.
+    /// Lists every permission Cotabby can use and appears whenever at least one is missing, including
+    /// the optional Screen Recording enhancement. Each row carries its own grant state, so the card
+    /// keeps showing the still-missing permission until nothing is left to grant, then vanishes.
+    /// Screen Recording is surfaced as a normal "(Optional)" permission row rather than hidden or
+    /// shown as a feature toggle, but it never blocks autocomplete (see
+    /// `CotabbyPermissionKind.isRequiredForAutocomplete`).
     @ViewBuilder
     private var permissionsCard: some View {
         if !allPermissionsGranted {
@@ -243,9 +247,9 @@ struct MenuBarView: View {
                     .font(.subheadline.weight(.medium))
                     .padding(.bottom, 2)
 
-                ForEach(CotabbyPermissionKind.allCases.filter(\.isRequiredForAutocomplete)) { permission in
+                ForEach(CotabbyPermissionKind.allCases) { permission in
                     PermissionRow(
-                        title: permission.title,
+                        title: permission.compactRowTitle,
                         granted: permissionManager.isGranted(permission),
                         action: { sourceFrameInScreen in
                             permissionGuidanceController.requestAccess(
@@ -446,7 +450,7 @@ struct MenuBarView: View {
     // MARK: - Derived state
 
     private var allPermissionsGranted: Bool {
-        permissionManager.requiredPermissionsGranted
+        permissionManager.allPermissionsGranted
     }
 
     /// Fast Mode is forced on and locked while Screen Recording is unavailable, since visual context
diff --git a/Cotabby/UI/PermissionReminderView.swift b/Cotabby/UI/PermissionReminderView.swift
index b1922e98..f09218ce 100644
--- a/Cotabby/UI/PermissionReminderView.swift
+++ b/Cotabby/UI/PermissionReminderView.swift
@@ -120,9 +120,10 @@ private struct ReminderPermissionCard: View {
                 }
                 .foregroundStyle(.green)
             } else if isOptional {
-                // Lower-emphasis bordered button so the optional row never competes visually with the
-                // required Allow buttons above it.
-                Button("Enable") {
+                // Same "Allow" verb as the required rows (never a "feature toggle" like Enable), but a
+                // lower-emphasis bordered button so the optional row never competes visually with the
+                // required Allow buttons above it in this "Permissions needed" modal.
+                Button("Allow") {
                     permissionGuidanceController.requestAccess(
                         for: permission,
                         sourceFrameInScreen: actionButtonFrame
diff --git a/Cotabby/UI/Settings/Panes/PermissionsPaneView.swift b/Cotabby/UI/Settings/Panes/PermissionsPaneView.swift
index e4d41eea..72ce0b55 100644
--- a/Cotabby/UI/Settings/Panes/PermissionsPaneView.swift
+++ b/Cotabby/UI/Settings/Panes/PermissionsPaneView.swift
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ struct PermissionsPaneView: View {
                         "context. Without it, Cotabby runs in Fast Mode using only the text you've typed.",
                     systemImage: "camera.viewfinder",
                     granted: permissionManager.screenRecordingGranted,
-                    isOptional: true,
                     permissionGuidanceController: permissionGuidanceController
                 )
             }
@@ -79,23 +78,25 @@ private struct SettingsPermissionRow: View {
     let description: String
     let systemImage: String
     let granted: Bool
-    var isOptional: Bool = false
     let permissionGuidanceController: PermissionGuidanceController
 
     @State private var actionButtonFrame: CGRect = .zero
 
     var body: some View {
         HStack(spacing: 10) {
-            SettingsRowLabel(title: permission.title, description: description, systemImage: systemImage)
+            SettingsRowLabel(title: permission.compactRowTitle, description: description, systemImage: systemImage)
             Spacer(minLength: 0)
-            // An ungranted optional permission reads as a neutral "Off" rather than the orange
-            // "Needs Access" used for required ones, so it never looks like a broken setup.
-            Text(granted ? "Granted" : (isOptional ? "Off" : "Needs Access"))
+            // Optional permissions reuse the required rows' styling and read as real permissions; the
+            // "(Optional)" suffix in `compactRowTitle` is what marks them optional, not a separate
+            // neutral "Off" state or "Enable" verb. The pane-level warning callout still fires for
+            // required permissions only, so nothing here claims autocomplete is broken when just
+            // Screen Recording is missing.
+            Text(granted ? "Granted" : "Needs Access")
                 .font(.caption.weight(.medium))
-                .foregroundStyle(granted ? .green : (isOptional ? .secondary : .orange))
+                .foregroundStyle(granted ? .green : .orange)
 
             if !granted {
-                Button(isOptional ? "Enable" : "Grant Access") {
+                Button("Grant Access") {
                     permissionGuidanceController.requestAccess(
                         for: permission,
                         sourceFrameInScreen: actionButtonFrame