diff --git a/extension/src/popup/styles.css b/extension/src/popup/styles.css
index 5379e8e..09c3509 100644
--- a/extension/src/popup/styles.css
+++ b/extension/src/popup/styles.css
@@ -424,6 +424,41 @@ textarea {
   background: #aa812a;
 }
 
+/* Setup wizard — Style C progress track */
+.setup-progress-track {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 4px;
+  width: 100%;
+  max-width: 560px;
+  margin: 8px auto 16px;
+}
+.setup-progress-segment {
+  flex: 1;
+  height: 4px;
+  border-radius: 2px;
+}
+.setup-progress-segment--completed { background: var(--success, #238636); }
+.setup-progress-segment--active    { background: var(--gold, #b8860b); }
+.setup-progress-segment--pending   { background: var(--border, #30363d); }
+
+/* Setup wizard — Recovery QR banner */
+.recovery-qr-banner {
+  padding: 12px 16px;
+  background: var(--bg-elevated, #161b22);
+  border: 1px solid var(--gold, #b8860b);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+}
+.recovery-qr-banner__header {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 8px;
+  margin-bottom: 4px;
+}
+.recovery-qr-banner__actions {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 8px;
+}
+
 /* Spinner */
 .spinner {
   display: inline-block;
diff --git a/extension/src/setup/setup.ts b/extension/src/setup/setup.ts
index 50895ee..ef92f14 100644
--- a/extension/src/setup/setup.ts
+++ b/extension/src/setup/setup.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ const state: WizardState = {
   deviceName: '',
 };
 
+// --- Progress track ---
+
+const SETUP_STEP_NAMES = ['mode', 'host', 'connection', 'vault', 'device', 'done'];
+
+function renderProgressTrack(current: number): string {
+  return `<div class="setup-progress-track">${SETUP_STEP_NAMES.map((_, i) => {
+    const cls = i < current ? 'completed' : i === current ? 'active' : 'pending';
+    return `<div class="setup-progress-segment setup-progress-segment--${cls}" title="${SETUP_STEP_NAMES[i]}"></div>`;
+  }).join('')}</div>`;
+}
+
 // --- State-coupled helpers (pure helpers live in ./setup-helpers.ts) ---
 
 /// Update just the meter DOM without a full re-render (so the input keeps
@@ -168,16 +179,7 @@ function render(): void {
   const app = document.getElementById('app');
   if (!app) return;
 
-  const progressHtml = `
-    <div class="progress-bar">
-      <div class="step ${state.step > 0 ? 'done' : state.step === 0 ? 'current' : ''}"></div>
-      <div class="step ${state.step > 1 ? 'done' : state.step === 1 ? 'current' : ''}"></div>
-      <div class="step ${state.step > 2 ? 'done' : state.step === 2 ? 'current' : ''}"></div>
-      <div class="step ${state.step > 3 ? 'done' : state.step === 3 ? 'current' : ''}"></div>
-      <div class="step ${state.step > 4 ? 'done' : state.step === 4 ? 'current' : ''}"></div>
-      <div class="step ${state.step > 5 ? 'done' : state.step === 5 ? 'current' : ''}"></div>
-    </div>
-  `;
+  const progressHtml = renderProgressTrack(state.step);
 
   let stepHtml = '';
   switch (state.step) {
@@ -224,6 +226,7 @@ function renderStep0(): string {
       </p>
       <div class="mode-cards">
         <button class="mode-card glass ${isNew ? 'active' : ''}" data-mode="new">
+          <span class="mode-card__icon" style="font-size:28px;">◈</span>
           <div class="mode-card-title">create new vault</div>
           <p class="mode-card-blurb">
             I'm setting up Relicario for the first time. This will create a fresh
@@ -231,6 +234,7 @@ function renderStep0(): string {
           </p>
         </button>
         <button class="mode-card glass ${isAttach ? 'active' : ''}" data-mode="attach">
+          <span class="mode-card__icon" style="font-size:28px;">⌥</span>
           <div class="mode-card-title">attach this device</div>
           <p class="mode-card-blurb">
             I already have a vault on another device. Connect this browser to it
@@ -981,6 +985,22 @@ function renderStep5(): string {
   const configJson = JSON.stringify(config, null, 2);
   const isAttach = state.mode === 'attach';
 
+  const qrBannerHtml = (!isAttach && state.verifiedHandle !== null) ? `
+    <div class="recovery-qr-banner" id="recovery-qr-banner" style="margin-bottom:16px;">
+      <div class="recovery-qr-banner__header">
+        <span style="font-size:20px;">◫</span>
+        <strong>Generate a recovery QR before you go</strong>
+      </div>
+      <p class="muted" style="font-size:12px;margin:4px 0 8px;">
+        If you lose your reference image, this QR lets you recover your vault. Print it and store it safely.
+      </p>
+      <div class="recovery-qr-banner__actions">
+        <button class="btn btn-primary" id="setup-gen-qr">Generate now</button>
+        <button class="btn" id="setup-skip-qr">Skip — I'll do this in Settings</button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  ` : '';
+
   return `
     <div class="wizard-step glass" style="padding: 24px; margin-top: 16px;">
       <div class="success-box">
@@ -992,6 +1012,8 @@ function renderStep5(): string {
         </p>
       </div>
 
+      ${qrBannerHtml}
+
       ${isAttach ? '' : `
         <div class="form-group">
           <label class="label">reference image</label>
@@ -1026,6 +1048,48 @@ function renderStep5(): string {
 }
 
 function attachStep5(): void {
+  document.getElementById('setup-gen-qr')?.addEventListener('click', async () => {
+    if (!state.verifiedHandle) return;
+    const btn = document.getElementById('setup-gen-qr') as HTMLButtonElement | null;
+    if (btn) { btn.disabled = true; btn.textContent = 'Generating…'; }
+    try {
+      const { sendMessage } = await import('../shared/state');
+      const resp = await sendMessage({
+        type: 'generate_recovery_qr',
+        sessionHandle: state.verifiedHandle.value,
+        passphrase: state.passphrase,
+      } as any) as any;
+      if (!resp.ok || !resp.data) throw new Error(resp.error ?? 'unknown error');
+      const svg = (resp.data as { svg: string }).svg;
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+        chrome.storage.local.set({ recovery_qr_generated_at: Date.now() }, resolve);
+      });
+      const banner = document.getElementById('recovery-qr-banner');
+      if (banner) {
+        banner.innerHTML = `
+          <div style="text-align:center;">${svg}</div>
+          <p style="font-size:12px;color:var(--success,#238636);margin:8px 0 0;">
+            ◉ Recovery QR generated — save or print this now.
+          </p>
+          <div style="margin-top:8px;">
+            <button class="btn" id="setup-qr-done">Done</button>
+          </div>
+        `;
+        document.getElementById('setup-qr-done')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+          banner.style.display = 'none';
+        });
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (btn) { btn.disabled = false; btn.textContent = 'Generate now'; }
+      alert(`Failed to generate QR: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`);
+    }
+  });
+
+  document.getElementById('setup-skip-qr')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    const banner = document.getElementById('recovery-qr-banner');
+    if (banner) banner.style.display = 'none';
+  });
+
   document.getElementById('download-ref-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
     if (!state.referenceImageBytes) return;
     const blob = new Blob([state.referenceImageBytes.buffer as ArrayBuffer], { type: 'image/jpeg' });