diff --git a/SettingsWindow.xaml b/SettingsWindow.xaml
index 7347a98..01d6958 100644
--- a/SettingsWindow.xaml
+++ b/SettingsWindow.xaml
@@ -145,6 +145,25 @@
                                        Text="Emergency stop shortcuts and stop phrases discard the active capture without typing text. Use silence auto-commit or the start / stop shortcut when you want to commit." />
                         </StackPanel>
 
+                        <Border Name="FirstRunDownloadHintBorder"
+                                Margin="0,14,0,0"
+                                Padding="14"
+                                Background="{StaticResource HeroCardBackgroundBrush}"
+                                BorderBrush="{StaticResource HeroCardBorderBrush}"
+                                BorderThickness="1"
+                                CornerRadius="10"
+                                Visibility="Collapsed">
+                            <StackPanel>
+                                <TextBlock FontSize="14"
+                                           FontWeight="SemiBold"
+                                           Text="Ready to download your first model" />
+                                <TextBlock Name="FirstRunDownloadHintText"
+                                           Margin="0,6,0,0"
+                                           Foreground="{StaticResource TextSecondaryBrush}"
+                                           TextWrapping="Wrap" />
+                            </StackPanel>
+                        </Border>
+
                         <TextBlock Name="WelcomeFooterText"
                                    Margin="0,18,0,0"
                                    Foreground="{StaticResource TextSecondaryBrush}"
diff --git a/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs b/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
index b6d986e..8c9f989 100644
--- a/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -159,6 +159,11 @@ internal SettingsWindow(AppSettings settings, bool isFirstRun, DictationStatsSta
 
         this.InitializeModelSelection(settings);
         this.UpdateWindowChrome();
+
+        if (isFirstRun)
+        {
+            this.UpdateFirstRunDownloadHint();
+        }
     }
 
     internal event Action<AppSettings>? SettingsSaved;
@@ -1040,6 +1045,10 @@ private void OnSaveClick(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
             if (ReferenceEquals(this.SetupTabControl.SelectedItem, this.WelcomeTab))
             {
                 this.SetupTabControl.SelectedItem = this.ModelTab;
+                if (!this.IsCurrentBackendModelInstalled())
+                {
+                    this.OnDownloadSelectedModelClick(this, new RoutedEventArgs());
+                }
                 return;
             }
 
@@ -2406,6 +2415,67 @@ private void SetModelPathText(string? value)
         this.suppressModelPathTextChanged = false;
     }
 
+    private void UpdateFirstRunDownloadHint()
+    {
+        if (this.FirstRunDownloadHintBorder is null || this.FirstRunDownloadHintText is null)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (this.IsCurrentBackendModelInstalled())
+        {
+            this.FirstRunDownloadHintBorder.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var (name, size) = this.currentBackend switch
+        {
+            TranscriptionBackendKind.Moonshine =>
+                MoonshineModelCatalog.Options
+                    .Where(opt => opt.Recommended)
+                    .Select(opt => (opt.DisplayName, opt.ApproximateSizeLabel))
+                    .FirstOrDefault(("the recommended model", string.Empty)),
+            TranscriptionBackendKind.Parakeet =>
+                ParakeetModelCatalog.Options
+                    .Where(opt => opt.Recommended)
+                    .Select(opt => (opt.DisplayName, opt.ApproximateSizeLabel))
+                    .FirstOrDefault(("the recommended model", string.Empty)),
+            TranscriptionBackendKind.WhisperNet =>
+                WhisperNetModelCatalog.Options
+                    .Where(opt => opt.Recommended)
+                    .Select(opt => (opt.DisplayName, opt.ApproximateSizeLabel))
+                    .FirstOrDefault(("the recommended model", string.Empty)),
+            _ =>
+                WhisperModelCatalog.Options
+                    .Where(opt => opt.Recommended)
+                    .Select(opt => (opt.DisplayName, opt.ApproximateSizeLabel))
+                    .FirstOrDefault(("the recommended model", string.Empty))
+        };
+
+        var sizeNote = string.IsNullOrEmpty(size) ? string.Empty : $" (~{size} download)";
+        this.FirstRunDownloadHintText.Text =
+            $"Clicking Next will begin downloading {name}{sizeNote}. " +
+            "You can change the model choice on the next step before the download finishes.";
+        this.FirstRunDownloadHintBorder.Visibility = Visibility.Visible;
+    }
+
+    private bool IsCurrentBackendModelInstalled()
+    {
+        return this.currentBackend switch
+        {
+            TranscriptionBackendKind.Moonshine =>
+                MoonshineModelCatalog.Options.Any(opt => MoonshineModelCatalog.TryResolveInstalledPath(opt, out _)),
+            TranscriptionBackendKind.Parakeet =>
+                ParakeetModelCatalog.Options.Any(opt => ParakeetModelCatalog.TryResolveInstalledPath(opt, out _)),
+            TranscriptionBackendKind.QualcommQnn =>
+                QualcommAihubWhisperModelCatalog.Options.Any(opt => QualcommAihubWhisperModelCatalog.TryResolveInstalledPath(opt, out _)),
+            TranscriptionBackendKind.WhisperNet =>
+                WhisperNetModelCatalog.Options.Any(opt => WhisperNetModelCatalog.TryResolveInstalledArtifacts(opt, out _)),
+            _ =>
+                WhisperModelCatalog.Options.Any(opt => WhisperModelCatalog.TryResolveInstalledPath(opt, out _))
+        };
+    }
+
     private void ShowModelDownloadMessage(string message)
     {
         this.ModelDownloadStatusText.Text = message;