diff --git a/assets/css/tools.css b/assets/css/tools.css
index 3b1f3a6..23b1e87 100644
--- a/assets/css/tools.css
+++ b/assets/css/tools.css
@@ -457,6 +457,12 @@ p {
 
 .trace-status.running {
   background: var(--amber);
+  animation: trace-pulse 1.4s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes trace-pulse {
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
+  50%       { opacity: 0.4; transform: scale(0.7); }
 }
 
 .trace-status.warning {
diff --git a/assets/js/tools.js b/assets/js/tools.js
index 2adb355..50f08e2 100644
--- a/assets/js/tools.js
+++ b/assets/js/tools.js
@@ -564,7 +564,19 @@ async function runTranscribe() {
     return;
   }
   setBusy(true);
-  renderTrace([{ label: 'Sending to Whisper', detail: 'Uploading audio to cuttlefish GPU…', status: 'running' }]);
+
+  const startTime = Date.now();
+  let elapsed = 0;
+  updateTranscribeTrace(0);
+  els.status.textContent = 'Transcribing…';
+
+  const timer = setInterval(() => {
+    elapsed = Math.floor((Date.now() - startTime) / 1000);
+    const m = Math.floor(elapsed / 60);
+    const s = elapsed % 60;
+    els.status.textContent = m > 0 ? `Transcribing… ${m}:${pad2(s)}` : `Transcribing… ${s}s`;
+    updateTranscribeTrace(elapsed);
+  }, 1000);
 
   try {
     const formData = new FormData();
@@ -595,10 +607,29 @@ async function runTranscribe() {
     els.status.textContent = error.message;
     renderTrace([{ label: 'Transcription error', detail: error.message, status: 'warning' }]);
   } finally {
+    clearInterval(timer);
     setBusy(false);
   }
 }
 
+function updateTranscribeTrace(elapsed) {
+  let label, detail;
+  if (elapsed < 10) {
+    label = 'Uploading to Whisper';
+    detail = 'Sending audio to cuttlefish GPU…';
+  } else if (elapsed < 60) {
+    label = 'Processing on GPU';
+    detail = 'Whisper is transcribing. Large files take 1–3 minutes.';
+  } else if (elapsed < 120) {
+    label = 'Still processing…';
+    detail = `${Math.floor(elapsed / 60)} min elapsed — Whisper is working through the audio.`;
+  } else {
+    label = 'Still processing…';
+    detail = `${Math.floor(elapsed / 60)} min ${pad2(elapsed % 60)}s — long recordings can take several minutes.`;
+  }
+  renderTrace([{ label, detail, status: 'running' }]);
+}
+
 function renderTranscriptResults(data) {
   const speakerRoles = data.speaker_roles || {};
   const segments = data.segments || [];