diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 93777f8a2..4ccd1bda5 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
         <rect x="43" y="18" width="8" height="28" rx="1.5" fill="#FF4F1A" />
       </svg>
       <span>OpenIDEA</span>
-      <div class="splash-bar" role="progressbar" aria-label="Loading"></div>
+      <div class="splash-bar" role="progressbar" aria-label="Loading"><i></i></div>
     </div>
     <script type="module" src="/src/main.tsx"></script>
   </body>
diff --git a/public/boot.js b/public/boot.js
index acb74b89a..60076f180 100644
--- a/public/boot.js
+++ b/public/boot.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* global document, localStorage */
+/* global document, localStorage, window */
 // Runs before the app's CSS loads: restores the last theme (theme.ts stores it)
 // so a new window starts in it instead of flashing the light default.
 // An external file because the CSP forbids inline scripts.
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ try {
 } catch {
   /* storage unavailable */
 }
+// Settings windows (`settings-<parent>`) load this page too: splash.css drops the logo for them.
+if (window.__TAURI_INTERNALS__?.metadata?.currentWindow?.label?.startsWith("settings-")) {
+  document.documentElement.dataset.window = "settings";
+}
diff --git a/public/splash.css b/public/splash.css
index 721d23c04..0a8e561e7 100644
--- a/public/splash.css
+++ b/public/splash.css
@@ -29,16 +29,20 @@ body, .splash { background: #e9eaee; }
 :root[data-theme^="dark"] .splash { color: #8c8f95; }
 .splash svg { width: 56px; height: 56px; }
 .splash-bar { width: 120px; height: 2px; border-radius: 1px; overflow: hidden; background: rgb(127 127 127 / 0.18); }
-.splash-bar::after {
-  content: "";
+/* Fake progress: eases towards ~90% over the 4 s cap; hideSplash() fills it before fading out. */
+.splash-bar > i {
   display: block;
-  width: 40%;
   height: 100%;
   background: #3871e1;
-  animation: splash-bar 1.1s ease-in-out infinite;
+  transform-origin: left;
+  animation: splash-fill 4s cubic-bezier(0.1, 0.7, 0.3, 1) both;
 }
+/* Settings window: a dialog, not a launch. Only the bar, and only if loading takes a while. */
+:root[data-window="settings"] .splash { animation-delay: 400ms; }
+:root[data-window="settings"] .splash > :not(.splash-bar) { display: none; }
 @keyframes splash-in { from { opacity: 0; } }
-@keyframes splash-bar { from { transform: translateX(-100%); } to { transform: translateX(250%); } }
+@keyframes splash-fill { from { transform: scaleX(0.04); } to { transform: scaleX(0.92); } }
+/* The fill stays: it grows in place, which reduced motion allows. */
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  .splash, .splash-bar::after { animation: none; }
+  .splash { animation: none; }
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/splash.ts b/src/platform/splash.ts
index d879d1599..6a5b50fbe 100644
--- a/src/platform/splash.ts
+++ b/src/platform/splash.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,19 @@
 const holds: Promise<unknown>[] = [];
 /** Never keep the splash longer than this; a slow open shows its own progress. */
 const MAX_WAIT_MS = 4000;
+const FILL_MS = 120;
+
+/** Runs the fake progress bar to 100% from wherever its animation has got to; false if nothing shows yet. */
+function completeBar(el: HTMLElement): boolean {
+  const fill = el.querySelector<HTMLElement>(".splash-bar > i");
+  if (!fill || getComputedStyle(el).opacity === "0") return false;
+  fill.style.transform = getComputedStyle(fill).transform;
+  fill.style.animation = "none";
+  void fill.offsetWidth;
+  fill.style.transition = `transform ${FILL_MS}ms ease-out`;
+  fill.style.transform = "scaleX(1)";
+  return true;
+}
 
 /** Keeps the splash up until `work` settles. Call before `hideSplash()`. */
 export function holdSplash(work: Promise<unknown>): void {
@@ -21,8 +34,13 @@ export function hideSplash(): void {
     // Two frames: let React commit the state the holds produced before uncovering it.
     requestAnimationFrame(() =>
       requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-        el.classList.add("splash-out");
-        setTimeout(() => el.remove(), 200);
+        setTimeout(
+          () => {
+            el.classList.add("splash-out");
+            setTimeout(() => el.remove(), 200);
+          },
+          completeBar(el) ? FILL_MS : 0,
+        );
       }),
     ),
   );