diff --git a/.changeset/b4ebf24f.md b/.changeset/b4ebf24f.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..922ba02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/b4ebf24f.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+bump: patch
+---
+
+Add a display-mode setting: dock, menu bar, or hidden.
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift
index 8351675..f43d1cd 100644
--- a/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift
@@ -1,15 +1,23 @@
 import Foundation
 
+enum DisplayMode: String, Codable, CaseIterable {
+    case dock
+    case menuBar = "menu-bar"
+    case hidden
+}
+
 struct Config: Codable {
     var animations: Bool
     var trigger: String?
     var bindings: [String: Action]
     var livePreviews: Bool?
+    var displayMode: DisplayMode?
 
     var triggerSpec: String { trigger ?? "cmd-cmd" }
     var livePreviewsEnabled: Bool { livePreviews ?? true }
+    var displayModeOrDefault: DisplayMode { displayMode ?? .dock }
 
-    static let `default` = Config(animations: true, trigger: nil, bindings: [:], livePreviews: nil)
+    static let `default` = Config(animations: true, trigger: nil, bindings: [:], livePreviews: nil, displayMode: nil)
 
     static var fileURL: URL {
         URL(fileURLWithPath: NSHomeDirectory())
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/SettingsWindow.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/SettingsWindow.swift
index a985207..a750b08 100644
--- a/Sources/cmdcmd/SettingsWindow.swift
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/SettingsWindow.swift
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ final class SettingsWindowController: NSWindowController {
     init(config: Config) {
         model = SettingsModel(config: config)
         let window = NSWindow(
-            contentRect: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 460, height: 320),
+            contentRect: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 460, height: 400),
             styleMask: [.titled, .closable, .miniaturizable],
             backing: .buffered,
             defer: false
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ final class SettingsWindowController: NSWindowController {
 private final class SettingsModel: ObservableObject {
     @Published var animations: Bool { didSet { save() } }
     @Published var livePreviews: Bool { didSet { save() } }
+    @Published var displayMode: DisplayMode { didSet { save() } }
     private var base: Config
     @Published var status: String = ""
     var onSave: ((Config) -> Void)?
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ private final class SettingsModel: ObservableObject {
     init(config: Config) {
         animations = config.animations
         livePreviews = config.livePreviewsEnabled
+        displayMode = config.displayModeOrDefault
         base = config
     }
 
@@ -43,10 +45,12 @@ private final class SettingsModel: ObservableObject {
         var config = base
         config.animations = animations
         config.livePreviews = livePreviews
+        config.displayMode = displayMode
         do {
             try Config.patchOnDisk([
                 ("animations", animations ? "true" : "false"),
                 ("livePreviews", livePreviews ? "true" : "false"),
+                ("displayMode", "\"\(displayMode.rawValue)\""),
             ])
             base = config
             onSave?(config)
@@ -96,6 +100,20 @@ private struct SettingsRootView: View {
             }
             .toggleStyle(.switch)
 
+            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 6) {
+                Text("Show app in").font(.system(size: 13, weight: .medium))
+                Picker("", selection: $model.displayMode) {
+                    Text("Dock").tag(DisplayMode.dock)
+                    Text("Menu Bar").tag(DisplayMode.menuBar)
+                    Text("Hidden").tag(DisplayMode.hidden)
+                }
+                .labelsHidden()
+                .pickerStyle(.segmented)
+                Text("Hidden mode keeps the app running with no Dock or menu bar UI. Re-launch cmdcmd.app to bring Settings back.")
+                    .font(.caption)
+                    .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            }
+
             Spacer(minLength: 0)
 
             HStack(spacing: 10) {
@@ -108,6 +126,6 @@ private struct SettingsRootView: View {
             }
         }
         .padding(24)
-        .frame(minWidth: 420, minHeight: 280)
+        .frame(minWidth: 420, minHeight: 360)
     }
 }
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift
index 414c428..7c37e06 100644
--- a/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ if let i = args.firstIndex(of: "--render-iconset"), i + 1 < args.count {
 }
 
 let app = NSApplication.shared
-app.setActivationPolicy(.regular)
 app.applicationIconImage = AppIcon.makePlaceholder()
 
 final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
@@ -28,8 +27,13 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
 
     var settingsFactory: (() -> SettingsWindowController)?
     private var settingsController: SettingsWindowController?
+    private var statusItem: NSStatusItem?
 
     func applicationDockMenu(_ sender: NSApplication) -> NSMenu? {
+        return buildAppMenu()
+    }
+
+    private func buildAppMenu() -> NSMenu {
         let menu = NSMenu()
         let settingsItem = NSMenuItem(title: "Settings…", action: #selector(openSettings), keyEquivalent: "")
         settingsItem.target = self
@@ -42,9 +46,43 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
                                    keyEquivalent: "")
         checkItem.target = updaterController
         menu.addItem(checkItem)
+        menu.addItem(.separator())
+        menu.addItem(NSMenuItem(title: "Quit cmdcmd", action: #selector(NSApplication.terminate(_:)), keyEquivalent: "q"))
         return menu
     }
 
+    func applyDisplayMode(_ mode: DisplayMode) {
+        switch mode {
+        case .dock:
+            removeStatusItem()
+            NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.regular)
+        case .menuBar:
+            NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.accessory)
+            installStatusItem()
+        case .hidden:
+            removeStatusItem()
+            NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.accessory)
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func installStatusItem() {
+        if statusItem == nil {
+            let item = NSStatusBar.system.statusItem(withLength: NSStatusItem.squareLength)
+            let icon = NSImage(systemSymbolName: "command", accessibilityDescription: "cmdcmd")
+            icon?.isTemplate = true
+            item.button?.image = icon
+            item.menu = buildAppMenu()
+            statusItem = item
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func removeStatusItem() {
+        if let s = statusItem {
+            NSStatusBar.system.removeStatusItem(s)
+        }
+        statusItem = nil
+    }
+
     func applicationShouldHandleReopen(_ sender: NSApplication, hasVisibleWindows flag: Bool) -> Bool {
         if !flag { openSettings() }
         return true
@@ -73,6 +111,7 @@ app.finishLaunching()
 
 _ = try? Config.ensureExists()
 var appConfig = Config.load()
+appDelegate.applyDisplayMode(appConfig.displayModeOrDefault)
 let tracker = SpaceTracker()
 let overlay = Overlay(tracker: tracker, config: appConfig)
 var trigger: AnyObject?
@@ -82,6 +121,7 @@ appDelegate.settingsFactory = {
     controller.onSave = { newConfig in
         appConfig = newConfig
         overlay.updateConfig(newConfig)
+        appDelegate.applyDisplayMode(newConfig.displayModeOrDefault)
     }
     return controller
 }