diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/sidebar/timeline/item.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/sidebar/timeline/item.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec23b8af46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/sidebar/timeline/item.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  addDeletion: vi.fn(),
+  amplitude: { mic: 0.4, speaker: 0.3 },
+  ignoreEvent: vi.fn(),
+  invalidateResource: vi.fn(),
+  isIgnored: vi.fn(() => false),
+  openCurrent: vi.fn(),
+  openNew: vi.fn(),
+  sessionMode: "inactive",
+  stop: vi.fn(),
+  storeTitle: "Live Note",
+  timelineSelection: {
+    selectedIds: [] as string[],
+    setAnchor: vi.fn(),
+    selectRange: vi.fn(),
+    toggleSelect: vi.fn(),
+  },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@hypr/plugin-fs-sync", () => ({
+  commands: {
+    sessionDir: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve({ status: "ok", data: "" })),
+  },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@hypr/plugin-opener2", () => ({
+  commands: {
+    openPath: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve()),
+  },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@hypr/ui/components/ui/dancing-sticks", () => ({
+  DancingSticks: ({ amplitude }: { amplitude: number }) => (
+    <span data-amplitude={amplitude} data-testid="dancing-sticks" />
+  ),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@hypr/ui/components/ui/spinner", () => ({
+  Spinner: () => <span data-testid="spinner" />,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@hypr/ui/components/ui/tooltip", () => ({
+  Tooltip: ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
+  TooltipContent: ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
+  TooltipTrigger: ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/session/components/session-preview-card", () => ({
+  SessionPreviewCard: ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => (
+    <>{children}</>
+  ),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/session/hooks/useEnhancedNotes", () => ({
+  useIsSessionEnhancing: () => false,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/shared/hooks/useNativeContextMenu", () => ({
+  useNativeContextMenu: () => vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/store/tinybase/hooks", () => ({
+  useIgnoredEvents: () => ({
+    ignoreEvent: mocks.ignoreEvent,
+    ignoreSeries: vi.fn(),
+    isIgnored: mocks.isIgnored,
+    unignoreEvent: vi.fn(),
+    unignoreSeries: vi.fn(),
+  }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/store/tinybase/store/deleteSession", () => ({
+  captureSessionData: vi.fn(() => null),
+  deleteSessionCascade: vi.fn(),
+  finalizeSessionDeletion: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/store/tinybase/store/main", () => ({
+  STORE_ID: "main",
+  UI: {
+    useCell: () => mocks.storeTitle,
+    useIndexes: () => ({}),
+    useRow: () => null,
+    useStore: () => ({}),
+  },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/store/zustand/live-title", () => ({
+  useSessionTitle: (_sessionId: string, storeTitle: string | undefined) =>
+    storeTitle,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/store/zustand/tabs", () => ({
+  useTabs: (
+    selector: (state: {
+      invalidateResource: typeof mocks.invalidateResource;
+      openCurrent: typeof mocks.openCurrent;
+      openNew: typeof mocks.openNew;
+    }) => unknown,
+  ) =>
+    selector({
+      invalidateResource: mocks.invalidateResource,
+      openCurrent: mocks.openCurrent,
+      openNew: mocks.openNew,
+    }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/store/zustand/timeline-selection", () => ({
+  useTimelineSelection: Object.assign(
+    (selector: (state: typeof mocks.timelineSelection) => unknown) =>
+      selector(mocks.timelineSelection),
+    {
+      getState: () => mocks.timelineSelection,
+    },
+  ),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/store/zustand/undo-delete", () => ({
+  useUndoDelete: (
+    selector: (state: { addDeletion: typeof mocks.addDeletion }) => unknown,
+  ) => selector({ addDeletion: mocks.addDeletion }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("~/stt/contexts", () => ({
+  useListener: (
+    selector: (state: {
+      getSessionMode: (sessionId: string) => string;
+      live: { amplitude: { mic: number; speaker: number } };
+      stop: typeof mocks.stop;
+    }) => unknown,
+  ) =>
+    selector({
+      getSessionMode: () => mocks.sessionMode,
+      live: { amplitude: mocks.amplitude },
+      stop: mocks.stop,
+    }),
+}));
+
+import { TimelineItemComponent } from "./item";
+
+describe("TimelineItemComponent", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    cleanup();
+    mocks.amplitude = { mic: 0.4, speaker: 0.3 };
+    mocks.sessionMode = "inactive";
+    mocks.stop.mockClear();
+    mocks.openCurrent.mockClear();
+    mocks.openNew.mockClear();
+    mocks.timelineSelection.selectedIds = [];
+    mocks.timelineSelection.setAnchor.mockClear();
+    mocks.timelineSelection.selectRange.mockClear();
+    mocks.timelineSelection.toggleSelect.mockClear();
+  });
+
+  it("marks the active session row red in the sidebar timeline", () => {
+    mocks.sessionMode = "active";
+
+    render(
+      <TimelineItemComponent
+        item={{
+          type: "session",
+          id: "session-live",
+          data: {
+            title: "Live Note",
+            created_at: "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
+          },
+        }}
+        precision="time"
+        selected
+        timezone="UTC"
+        multiSelected={false}
+        flatItemKeys={["session-session-live"]}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const rowButton = screen.getByText("Live Note").closest("button");
+
+    expect(rowButton?.className).toContain("bg-red-500");
+    expect(rowButton?.className).toContain("text-white");
+    expect(rowButton?.className).not.toContain("bg-neutral-200");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("dancing-sticks").dataset.amplitude).toBe("0.5");
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Stop listening" }));
+
+    expect(mocks.stop).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(mocks.openCurrent).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/sidebar/timeline/item.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/sidebar/timeline/item.tsx
index bf8bab2a7f..ea36d9aa68 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/sidebar/timeline/item.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/sidebar/timeline/item.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+import { SquareIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import { memo, useCallback, useMemo } from "react";
 
 import { commands as fsSyncCommands } from "@hypr/plugin-fs-sync";
 import { commands as openerCommands } from "@hypr/plugin-opener2";
+import { DancingSticks } from "@hypr/ui/components/ui/dancing-sticks";
 import { Spinner } from "@hypr/ui/components/ui/spinner";
 import {
   Tooltip,
@@ -82,6 +84,8 @@ function ItemBase({
   title,
   displayTime,
   calendarId,
+  isLive,
+  amplitude,
   showSpinner,
   selected,
   ignored,
@@ -90,11 +94,14 @@ function ItemBase({
   onClick,
   onCmdClick,
   onShiftClick,
+  onStop,
   contextMenu,
 }: {
   title: string;
   displayTime: string;
   calendarId: string | null;
+  isLive?: boolean;
+  amplitude?: number;
   showSpinner?: boolean;
   selected: boolean;
   ignored?: boolean;
@@ -103,50 +110,100 @@ function ItemBase({
   onClick: () => void;
   onCmdClick: () => void;
   onShiftClick: () => void;
+  onStop?: () => void;
   contextMenu: MenuItemDef[];
 }) {
   const hasSelection = useTimelineSelection((s) => s.selectedIds.length > 0);
+  const showLiveStop = isLive && onStop;
 
   return (
-    <InteractiveButton
-      onClick={ignored ? undefined : onClick}
-      onCmdClick={ignored ? undefined : onCmdClick}
-      onShiftClick={ignored ? undefined : onShiftClick}
-      contextMenu={hasSelection ? undefined : contextMenu}
-      className={cn([
-        "w-full rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-left",
-        ignored ? "cursor-default" : "cursor-pointer",
-        multiSelected && "bg-neutral-200",
-        !multiSelected && selected && "bg-neutral-200",
-        !multiSelected && !selected && "hover:bg-neutral-200/50",
-        ignored && "opacity-40",
-        !ignored && muted && "opacity-65",
-      ])}
-    >
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-        {showSpinner && (
-          <div className="shrink-0">
-            <Spinner size={14} />
-          </div>
-        )}
-        <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col gap-0.5">
-          <div
-            className={cn(
-              "pointer-events-none truncate text-sm font-normal",
-              ignored && "line-through",
-            )}
-          >
-            {title || "Untitled"}
-          </div>
-          {displayTime && (
-            <div className="font-mono text-xs text-neutral-500">
-              {displayTime}
+    <div className="group/sidebar-live-item relative">
+      <InteractiveButton
+        onClick={ignored ? undefined : onClick}
+        onCmdClick={ignored ? undefined : onCmdClick}
+        onShiftClick={ignored ? undefined : onShiftClick}
+        contextMenu={hasSelection ? undefined : contextMenu}
+        className={cn([
+          "w-full rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-left",
+          showLiveStop && "pr-10",
+          ignored ? "cursor-default" : "cursor-pointer",
+          multiSelected && "bg-neutral-200",
+          !multiSelected && selected && "bg-neutral-200",
+          !multiSelected && !selected && "hover:bg-neutral-200/50",
+          isLive && [
+            "bg-red-500 text-white hover:bg-red-600",
+            "focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-red-500/40 focus-visible:outline-hidden",
+          ],
+          ignored && "opacity-40",
+          !ignored && muted && !isLive && "opacity-65",
+        ])}
+      >
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          {showSpinner && (
+            <div className="shrink-0">
+              <Spinner size={14} />
             </div>
           )}
+          <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col gap-0.5">
+            <div
+              className={cn(
+                "pointer-events-none truncate text-sm font-normal",
+                ignored && "line-through",
+              )}
+            >
+              {title || "Untitled"}
+            </div>
+            {displayTime && (
+              <div
+                className={cn([
+                  "font-mono text-xs",
+                  isLive ? "text-white/65" : "text-neutral-500",
+                ])}
+              >
+                {displayTime}
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </div>
+          {calendarId && <CalendarIndicator calendarId={calendarId} />}
         </div>
-        {calendarId && <CalendarIndicator calendarId={calendarId} />}
-      </div>
-    </InteractiveButton>
+      </InteractiveButton>
+      {showLiveStop ? (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          aria-label="Stop listening"
+          onClick={(event) => {
+            event.preventDefault();
+            event.stopPropagation();
+            onStop();
+          }}
+          className={cn([
+            "absolute top-1/2 right-3 flex size-5 -translate-y-1/2 items-center justify-center rounded-sm",
+            "text-white/80 transition-colors hover:bg-white/15 hover:text-white",
+            "focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-white/70 focus-visible:outline-hidden",
+          ])}
+        >
+          <span
+            aria-hidden
+            className="flex items-center justify-center group-hover/sidebar-live-item:hidden"
+          >
+            <DancingSticks
+              amplitude={amplitude ?? 0.25}
+              color="currentColor"
+              height={14}
+              width={13}
+              stickWidth={2}
+              gap={2}
+            />
+          </span>
+          <span
+            aria-hidden
+            className="hidden items-center justify-center group-hover/sidebar-live-item:flex"
+          >
+            <SquareIcon size={10} className="fill-current" />
+          </span>
+        </button>
+      ) : null}
+    </div>
   );
 }
 
@@ -343,12 +400,17 @@ const SessionItem = memo(
     ) as string | undefined;
     const title = useSessionTitle(sessionId, storeTitle);
 
-    const sessionMode = useListener((state) => state.getSessionMode(sessionId));
+    const { sessionMode, stop, amplitude } = useListener((state) => ({
+      sessionMode: state.getSessionMode(sessionId),
+      stop: state.stop,
+      amplitude: state.live.amplitude,
+    }));
     const isEnhancing = useIsSessionEnhancing(sessionId);
+    const isLive = sessionMode === "active";
     const isFinalizing = sessionMode === "finalizing";
     const isBatching = sessionMode === "running_batch";
     const showSpinner =
-      !selected && (isFinalizing || isEnhancing || isBatching);
+      !selected && !isLive && (isFinalizing || isEnhancing || isBatching);
 
     const sessionEvent = useMemo(
       () => getSessionEvent(item.data),
@@ -457,6 +519,11 @@ const SessionItem = memo(
           title={title}
           displayTime={displayTime}
           calendarId={calendarId}
+          isLive={isLive}
+          amplitude={Math.max(
+            0.25,
+            Math.min(Math.hypot(amplitude.mic, amplitude.speaker), 1),
+          )}
           showSpinner={showSpinner}
           selected={selected}
           muted={muted}
@@ -464,6 +531,7 @@ const SessionItem = memo(
           onClick={handleClick}
           onCmdClick={handleCmdClick}
           onShiftClick={handleShiftClick}
+          onStop={stop}
           contextMenu={contextMenu}
         />
       </SessionPreviewCard>