diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.test.ts
index 802cd315b8e60..b6387a06c22d8 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.test.ts
@@ -349,6 +349,47 @@ const makeTestPreviewWebContents = (
   } as unknown as TestPreviewWebContents;
 };
 
+const makeStillImage = (pixels = "fresh-png") => ({
+  toPNG: () => Buffer.from(pixels),
+  toJPEG: () => Buffer.from(pixels),
+  getSize: () => ({ width: 100, height: 80 }),
+});
+
+const makeTestStillImageWebContents = (...args: Parameters<typeof makeTestPreviewWebContents>) => {
+  const wc = makeTestPreviewWebContents(...args);
+  Object.assign(wc, { isDevToolsOpened: () => false });
+  holdStillImagePaint(wc, Promise.resolve());
+  return wc;
+};
+
+const holdStillImagePaint = (
+  wc: TestPreviewWebContents,
+  paint: Promise<void> | Array<Promise<void>>,
+) => {
+  vi.mocked(wc.debugger.sendCommand).mockImplementation(async (method) => {
+    if (method === "Page.getFrameTree") return { frameTree: { frame: { id: "main" } } };
+    if (method === "Page.createIsolatedWorld") return { executionContextId: 7 };
+    if (method === "Runtime.evaluate") {
+      await (Array.isArray(paint) ? paint.shift() : paint);
+      return { result: { value: true } };
+    }
+    return undefined;
+  });
+};
+
+const setupStill = (manager: PreviewManager.PreviewManager["Service"], paint = Promise.resolve()) =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    const image = makeStillImage();
+    const capturePage = vi.fn<() => Promise<typeof image>>().mockResolvedValue(image);
+    const wc = makeTestStillImageWebContents(capturePage);
+    holdStillImagePaint(wc, paint);
+    fromId.mockReturnValue(wc);
+    yield* manager.createTab("tab_still");
+    yield* manager.registerWebview("tab_still", wc.id);
+    yield* manager.setColorScheme("tab_still", "system");
+    return { image, capturePage, wc, capture: manager.captureScreenshot("tab_still") };
+  });
+
 const setupRecordingRaceTabs = (manager: PreviewManager.PreviewManager["Service"]) =>
   Effect.gen(function* () {
     const capturePage = vi.fn(async () => ({
@@ -1824,6 +1865,30 @@ describe("PreviewManager", () => {
     ),
   );
 
+  effectIt.effect("captures final pixels after warmup fails and paint readiness settles", () =>
+    withManager((manager) =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const paint = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+        const { capturePage, wc, capture } = yield* setupStill(manager, paint.promise);
+        capturePage
+          .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("UnknownVizError"))
+          .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("UnknownVizError"))
+          .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("UnknownVizError"))
+          .mockResolvedValue(makeStillImage("final-png"));
+        const fiber = yield* capture.pipe(Effect.forkChild({ startImmediately: true }));
+        yield* TestClock.adjust(300);
+        expect(capturePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+        expect(writeFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+        paint.resolve();
+        const artifact = yield* Fiber.join(fiber);
+        expect(capturePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
+        expect(writeFile.mock.calls).toEqual([[artifact.path, Buffer.from("final-png")]]);
+        expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false], [true]]);
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+
   effectIt.effect("preserves both screenshots of the same site in the same millisecond", () =>
     withManager((manager) =>
       Effect.gen(function* () {
@@ -1837,6 +1902,8 @@ describe("PreviewManager", () => {
         const capturePage = vi
           .fn<() => Promise<ReturnType<typeof pngImage>>>()
           .mockResolvedValueOnce(pngImage(firstPng))
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(pngImage(firstPng))
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(pngImage(secondPng))
           .mockResolvedValueOnce(pngImage(secondPng));
         fromId.mockReturnValue(makeTestPreviewWebContents(capturePage));
         yield* manager.createTab("tab_1");
@@ -1857,6 +1924,115 @@ describe("PreviewManager", () => {
     ),
   );
 
+  effectIt.effect(
+    "waits for paint before capturing and restores rendering after overlapping requests",
+    () =>
+      withManager((manager) =>
+        Effect.gen(function* () {
+          const paints = [Promise.withResolvers<void>(), Promise.withResolvers<void>()];
+          const pendingPaints = paints.map((paint) => paint.promise);
+          const { image, capturePage, wc, capture } = yield* setupStill(manager);
+          holdStillImagePaint(wc, pendingPaints);
+          const first = Promise.withResolvers<typeof image>();
+          const second = Promise.withResolvers<typeof image>();
+          capturePage
+            .mockResolvedValueOnce(makeStillImage("discarded-warmup"))
+            .mockResolvedValueOnce(makeStillImage("discarded-warmup"))
+            .mockReturnValueOnce(first.promise)
+            .mockReturnValueOnce(second.promise);
+          const hostThrottling = vi.fn();
+          yield* manager.setMainWindow({
+            isDestroyed: () => false,
+            once: vi.fn(),
+            webContents: { setBackgroundThrottling: hostThrottling },
+          } as never);
+          const one = yield* capture.pipe(Effect.forkChild({ startImmediately: true }));
+          const two = yield* capture.pipe(Effect.forkChild({ startImmediately: true }));
+          yield* TestClock.adjust(0);
+          expect(capturePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+          expect(pendingPaints).toHaveLength(0);
+          expect(writeFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+          expect(hostThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+          expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+          paints.forEach((paint) => paint.resolve());
+          yield* TestClock.adjust(0);
+          expect(capturePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
+          first.resolve(image);
+          yield* Fiber.join(one);
+          expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+          second.resolve(image);
+          yield* Fiber.join(two);
+          const saved = writeFile.mock.calls.map(([, bytes]) => bytes);
+          expect(saved).toEqual([image.toPNG(), image.toPNG()]);
+          expect(hostThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false], [true]]);
+          expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false], [true]]);
+        }),
+      ),
+  );
+
+  effectIt.effect("keeps picture-in-picture rendering after a still image completes", () =>
+    withManager((manager) =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const { image, capturePage, wc, capture } = yield* setupStill(manager);
+        const pending = Promise.withResolvers<typeof image>();
+        capturePage
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(image)
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(makeStillImage("discarded-warmup"))
+          .mockReturnValueOnce(pending.promise);
+        const { pictureInPictureWindow } = makeTestPictureInPictureWindow();
+        browserWindowConstructor.mockImplementation(function () {
+          return pictureInPictureWindow;
+        });
+        yield* manager.openPictureInPicture("tab_still");
+        const still = yield* capture.pipe(Effect.forkChild({ startImmediately: true }));
+        yield* TestClock.adjust(0);
+        expect(capturePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+        expect(writeFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        pending.resolve(image);
+        yield* Fiber.join(still);
+        expect(writeFile.mock.calls.map((call) => call[1])).toEqual([Buffer.from("fresh-png")]);
+        expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+        yield* manager.closePictureInPicture("tab_still");
+        expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false], [true]]);
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+
+  effectIt.effect("keeps a pending still image rendering when recording ends", () =>
+    withManager((manager) =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const { image, capturePage, wc, capture } = yield* setupStill(manager);
+        const pending = Promise.withResolvers<typeof image>();
+        capturePage.mockResolvedValueOnce(image).mockReturnValue(pending.promise);
+        yield* manager.startRecording("tab_still");
+        const fiber = yield* capture.pipe(Effect.forkChild({ startImmediately: true }));
+        yield* TestClock.adjust(0);
+        yield* manager.stopRecording("tab_still");
+        expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+        pending.resolve(image);
+        yield* Fiber.join(fiber);
+        expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false], [true]]);
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+
+  effectIt.effect("saves available pixels when paint readiness never settles", () =>
+    withManager((manager) =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const paint = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+        const { capturePage, wc, capture } = yield* setupStill(manager, paint.promise);
+        const first = yield* Effect.exit(capture).pipe(
+          Effect.forkChild({ startImmediately: true }),
+        );
+        yield* TestClock.adjust(1_001);
+        expect(Exit.isSuccess(yield* Fiber.join(first))).toBe(true);
+        expect(capturePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+        expect(writeFile.mock.calls.map((call) => call[1])).toEqual([Buffer.from("fresh-png")]);
+        expect(wc.setBackgroundThrottling.mock.calls).toEqual([[false], [true]]);
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+
   effectIt.effect("keeps every recorded guest unthrottled until its frame capture stops", () =>
     withManager((manager) =>
       Effect.gen(function* () {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.ts b/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.ts
index eba18ab631dd0..2c199e358fa5b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/preview/Manager.ts
@@ -387,7 +387,8 @@ interface ManagedListeners {
   readonly webContents: Electron.WebContents;
 }
 
-type FrameCaptureConsumer = "picture-in-picture" | "recording";
+// Each still-image request owns a separate, short-lived rendering lease.
+type FrameCaptureConsumer = "picture-in-picture" | "recording" | symbol;
 
 interface FrameCaptureSession {
   readonly recordingInputOptions?: RecordingInputOptions;
@@ -2651,7 +2652,7 @@ const makeNativeOperations = Effect.fn("PreviewManager.makeOperations")(function
     const [createdAt, millis, image] = yield* Effect.all([
       currentIso,
       currentMillis,
-      capturePageWithRetry(
+      captureStillImage(
         {
           operation: "captureScreenshot.capturePage",
           tabId,
@@ -2699,6 +2700,100 @@ const makeNativeOperations = Effect.fn("PreviewManager.makeOperations")(function
     };
   });
 
+  const captureStillImage = Effect.fn("PreviewManager.captureStillImage")(function* (
+    errorContext: PreviewOperationContext,
+    tabId: string,
+    wc: Electron.WebContents,
+  ) {
+    const consumer = Symbol("still-image");
+    return yield* Effect.acquireUseRelease(
+      startFrameCapture(tabId, consumer),
+      () =>
+        Effect.gen(function* () {
+          // A DOM mutation can precede its compositor frame even in a shown
+          // window. Keep the original guest rendering through the next paint;
+          // a hidden guest otherwise returns old pixels or never completes.
+          const probe = Effect.fn("PreviewManager.probeStillImagePaint")(function* (
+            send: (
+              method: string,
+              params?: Record<string, unknown>,
+            ) => Effect.Effect<unknown, PreviewOperationError>,
+          ) {
+            // CDP executes against the current document without Electron's
+            // did-stop-loading gate. Isolate scheduling globals from page code.
+            const tree = (yield* send("Page.getFrameTree")) as
+              | { frameTree?: { frame?: { id?: string } } }
+              | undefined;
+            const frameId = tree?.frameTree?.frame?.id;
+            if (typeof frameId !== "string")
+              return yield* new PreviewOperationError({
+                ...errorContext,
+                cause: new Error("The preview paint frame is unavailable."),
+              });
+            const world = (yield* send("Page.createIsolatedWorld", {
+              frameId,
+              worldName: "t3-preview-still-image",
+            })) as { executionContextId?: number } | undefined;
+            if (typeof world?.executionContextId !== "number")
+              return yield* new PreviewOperationError({
+                ...errorContext,
+                cause: new Error("The preview paint context is unavailable."),
+              });
+            const response = (yield* send("Runtime.evaluate", {
+              // Settle and release scheduled work when only timers keep running.
+              // The outer deadline still bounds a frozen renderer.
+              expression: `new Promise(resolve => { let frame; const timer = setTimeout(() => { cancelAnimationFrame(frame); resolve(false); }, ${CAPTURE_PAGE_ATTEMPT_TIMEOUT_MS}); frame = requestAnimationFrame(() => { frame = requestAnimationFrame(() => { clearTimeout(timer); resolve(true); }); }); })`,
+              contextId: world.executionContextId,
+              awaitPromise: true,
+              returnByValue: true,
+            })) as { result?: { value?: unknown }; exceptionDetails?: unknown } | undefined;
+            if (response?.exceptionDetails || response?.result?.value !== true)
+              return yield* new PreviewOperationError({
+                ...errorContext,
+                cause: new Error("The preview paint boundary was not confirmed."),
+              });
+          });
+          const paintReady = Effect.gen(function* () {
+            // Only use an existing owned session; never attach or displace
+            // another debugger to obtain a screenshot.
+            const control = (yield* SynchronizedRef.get(controlSessionsRef)).get(wc.id);
+            if (!control)
+              return yield* new PreviewOperationError({
+                ...errorContext,
+                cause: new Error("The preview paint session is unavailable."),
+              });
+            return yield* probe((method, params) =>
+              attemptPromise(errorContext, () => control.debugger.sendCommand(method, params)),
+            );
+          }).pipe(
+            Effect.timeout(CAPTURE_PAGE_ATTEMPT_TIMEOUT_MS),
+            Effect.catch((error) =>
+              Effect.logWarning(
+                "Preview paint readiness was not confirmed; capturing available pixels with mutation freshness unconfirmed.",
+                { tabId, webContentsId: wc.id, error },
+              ),
+            ),
+          );
+          // Minimized guests can suspend frames even with throttling disabled.
+          // A native capture can resume them; discard its pixels and read again
+          // after the bounded paint probe.
+          const warmup = capturePageWithRetry(errorContext, tabId, wc).pipe(
+            Effect.catchTags({
+              PreviewOperationError: (error) =>
+                Effect.logWarning("Preview warmup capture failed; continuing with final capture.", {
+                  tabId,
+                  webContentsId: wc.id,
+                  error,
+                }),
+            }),
+          );
+          yield* Effect.all([paintReady, warmup], { concurrency: 2, discard: true });
+          return yield* capturePageWithRetry(errorContext, tabId, wc);
+        }),
+      () => stopFrameCapture(tabId, consumer),
+    );
+  });
+
   const capturePreviewFrame = Effect.fn("PreviewManager.capturePreviewFrame")(function* (
     tabId: string,
   ) {