diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/general_settings.rs b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/general_settings.rs
index 3bc8459239..68cc722057 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/general_settings.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/general_settings.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,14 @@ pub fn default_studio_recording_quality() -> StudioRecordingQuality {
 impl MainWindowRecordingStartBehaviour {
     pub fn perform(&self, window: &tauri::WebviewWindow) -> tauri::Result<()> {
         match self {
-            Self::Close => window.hide(),
+            Self::Close => {
+                // On Windows, hide() leaves the DirectComposition surface composited on screen as
+                // a white ghost box. minimize() releases the surface without leaving an artifact.
+                #[cfg(windows)]
+                return window.minimize();
+                #[cfg(not(windows))]
+                window.hide()
+            }
             Self::Minimise => window.minimize(),
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs
index cbbd81bc5e..97b302ae67 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs
@@ -3011,11 +3011,15 @@ async fn handle_recording_end(
         let _ = window.hide();
     }
 
-    // Destroy any target-select overlays that were hidden when recording started
-    // so they don't reappear when the main window comes back.
+    // Destroy any target-select overlays so they don't reappear when the main window comes back.
+    // On Windows, hide() leaves the DirectComposition transparency surface composited on screen
+    // (ghost overlay); closing the window releases the surface entirely.
     let focus_manager = handle.try_state::<crate::target_select_overlay::WindowFocusManager>();
     for (label, window) in handle.webview_windows() {
         if let Ok(CapWindowId::TargetSelectOverlay { display_id }) = CapWindowId::from_str(&label) {
+            #[cfg(windows)]
+            let _ = window.close();
+            #[cfg(not(windows))]
             hide_overlay(&window);
             if let Some(ref fm) = focus_manager {
                 fm.destroy(&display_id, handle.global_shortcut());
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs
index f930a8b4c3..f48963b398 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs
@@ -325,6 +325,11 @@ pub fn close_target_select_overlay_windows(app: &AppHandle) {
     for (id, window) in app.webview_windows() {
         if let Ok(CapWindowId::TargetSelectOverlay { display_id }) = CapWindowId::from_str(&id) {
             saw_overlay = true;
+            // On Windows, hide() leaves the DirectComposition transparency surface composited on
+            // screen (ghost overlay). Closing the window fully releases the surface.
+            #[cfg(windows)]
+            let _ = window.close();
+            #[cfg(not(windows))]
             hide_overlay(&window);
             if let Some(state) = state.as_ref() {
                 state.destroy(&display_id, app.global_shortcut());