diff --git a/src/content.ts b/src/content.ts
index cb089d7..0f1107e 100644
--- a/src/content.ts
+++ b/src/content.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,112 @@ interface PageMetrics {
 }
 
 let originalScrollY = 0;
+let captureOverlay: HTMLDivElement | null = null;
+
+/**
+ * Build (once) the on-page capture notice. It is `position: fixed` so it stays
+ * put while the page scrolls, has the maximum z-index, and ignores pointer
+ * events. The orchestrator hides it (`display:none`) for each captureVisibleTab
+ * frame so it never lands in the screenshot, and re-shows it between frames.
+ */
+function ensureCaptureOverlay(): HTMLDivElement {
+  if (captureOverlay && document.documentElement.contains(captureOverlay)) {
+    return captureOverlay;
+  }
+
+  if (!document.getElementById("shotback-overlay-style")) {
+    const style = document.createElement("style");
+    style.id = "shotback-overlay-style";
+    style.textContent = "@keyframes shotback-spin{to{transform:rotate(360deg)}}";
+    document.documentElement.appendChild(style);
+  }
+
+  const overlay = document.createElement("div");
+  overlay.setAttribute("data-shotback-overlay", "");
+  overlay.style.cssText = [
+    "position:fixed",
+    "inset:0",
+    "z-index:2147483647",
+    "display:none",
+    "align-items:flex-start",
+    "justify-content:center",
+    "pointer-events:none",
+    "background:rgba(15,23,42,0.25)",
+    "font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif"
+  ].join(";");
+
+  const pill = document.createElement("div");
+  pill.style.cssText = [
+    "margin-top:24px",
+    "display:flex",
+    "align-items:center",
+    "gap:12px",
+    "padding:12px 18px",
+    "border-radius:9999px",
+    "background:rgba(17,24,39,0.94)",
+    "color:#fff",
+    "box-shadow:0 10px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.35)",
+    "font-size:14px",
+    "line-height:1.25",
+    "font-weight:600"
+  ].join(";");
+
+  const spinner = document.createElement("div");
+  spinner.style.cssText = [
+    "flex:0 0 auto",
+    "width:16px",
+    "height:16px",
+    "border-radius:50%",
+    "border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.35)",
+    "border-top-color:#fff",
+    "animation:shotback-spin 0.8s linear infinite"
+  ].join(";");
+
+  const text = document.createElement("div");
+  const heading = document.createElement("div");
+  heading.textContent = "Capturing full page…";
+  const sub = document.createElement("div");
+  sub.textContent = "Please don’t switch tabs or scroll until it finishes";
+  sub.style.cssText = "font-weight:400;font-size:12px;opacity:0.8;margin-top:2px";
+  text.appendChild(heading);
+  text.appendChild(sub);
+
+  pill.appendChild(spinner);
+  pill.appendChild(text);
+  overlay.appendChild(pill);
+  document.documentElement.appendChild(overlay);
+  captureOverlay = overlay;
+  return overlay;
+}
+
+function setCaptureOverlayDisplay(visible: boolean): void {
+  if (captureOverlay) captureOverlay.style.display = visible ? "flex" : "none";
+}
+
+function removeCaptureOverlay(): void {
+  captureOverlay?.remove();
+  captureOverlay = null;
+}
 
 chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, _sender, sendResponse) => {
+  if (message?.type === "SB_CAPTURE_BEGIN") {
+    ensureCaptureOverlay().style.display = "flex";
+    window.requestAnimationFrame(() => sendResponse({ ok: true }));
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  if (message?.type === "SB_SET_OVERLAY") {
+    setCaptureOverlayDisplay(Boolean(message.visible));
+    window.requestAnimationFrame(() => sendResponse({ ok: true }));
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  if (message?.type === "SB_CAPTURE_END") {
+    removeCaptureOverlay();
+    sendResponse({ ok: true });
+    return true;
+  }
+
   if (message?.type === "SB_GET_PAGE_METRICS") {
     originalScrollY = window.scrollY;
 
@@ -27,6 +131,8 @@ chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, _sender, sendResponse) => {
   if (message?.type === "SB_SCROLL_TO") {
     const y = Number(message.y ?? 0);
     window.scrollTo(0, y);
+    // Re-show the notice between capture frames (it was hidden for the shot).
+    setCaptureOverlayDisplay(true);
 
     window.requestAnimationFrame(() => {
       sendResponse({ ok: true, y: window.scrollY });
@@ -36,6 +142,7 @@ chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, _sender, sendResponse) => {
 
   if (message?.type === "SB_RESTORE_SCROLL") {
     window.scrollTo(0, originalScrollY);
+    removeCaptureOverlay();
     sendResponse({ ok: true });
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/capture.ts b/src/lib/capture.ts
index 529bd99..292f369 100644
--- a/src/lib/capture.ts
+++ b/src/lib/capture.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ async function sendMessage<T>(tabId: number, message: unknown): Promise<T> {
   return chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, message) as Promise<T>;
 }
 
+/** Send a best-effort, cosmetic message (the capture notice). Never throws. */
+async function notify(tabId: number, message: unknown): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    await chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, message);
+  } catch {
+    // The on-page notice is purely cosmetic; ignore if the receiver is absent.
+  }
+}
+
 async function wait(ms: number): Promise<void> {
   await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
 }
@@ -147,18 +156,27 @@ export async function captureFullPage(
     const metrics = await sendToContentScript<PageMetrics>(tabId, { type: "SB_GET_PAGE_METRICS" });
     const steps = buildScrollSteps(metrics.fullHeight, metrics.viewportHeight);
 
+    // Show an on-page notice (the user is looking at this tab, not the editor)
+    // and give them a moment to read it. Overlay messages are cosmetic, so a
+    // failure must never abort the capture.
+    await notify(tabId, { type: "SB_CAPTURE_BEGIN" });
+    await wait(450);
+
     const segments: Array<{ y: number; dataUrl: string }> = [];
     try {
       for (let i = 0; i < steps.length; i += 1) {
         const y = steps[i];
         await sendMessage(tabId, { type: "SB_SCROLL_TO", y });
         await wait(120);
+        // Hide the notice so it is not baked into this frame, then capture.
+        await notify(tabId, { type: "SB_SET_OVERLAY", visible: false });
         const dataUrl = await chrome.tabs.captureVisibleTab(windowId, { format: "png" });
         segments.push({ y, dataUrl });
         onProgress?.(i + 1, steps.length);
       }
     } finally {
       await sendMessage(tabId, { type: "SB_RESTORE_SCROLL" }).catch(() => undefined);
+      await notify(tabId, { type: "SB_CAPTURE_END" });
     }
 
     const images = await Promise.all(segments.map((segment) => loadImage(segment.dataUrl)));