diff --git a/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.test.ts b/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.test.ts
index fbfce353f..9cefec8f3 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.test.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function createProjectDir(): string {
 }
 
 describe("walkDir", () => {
-  it("hides internal HyperFrames files from project listings", () => {
+  it("hides internal HyperFrames backup files from project listings", () => {
     const projectDir = createProjectDir();
     mkdirSync(join(projectDir, ".hyperframes", "backup"), { recursive: true });
     mkdirSync(join(projectDir, ".hyperframes", "examples"), { recursive: true });
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ describe("walkDir", () => {
 
     const files = walkDir(projectDir);
     expect(files).toContain(".cache/examples/preset.html");
+    expect(files).toContain(".hyperframes/examples/preset.html");
     expect(files).toContain("compositions/scene.html");
     expect(files).not.toContain(".hyperframes/backup/snapshot.html");
-    expect(files).not.toContain(".hyperframes/examples/preset.html");
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.ts b/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.ts
index 7626c3b66..25edab21f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/studio-api/helpers/safePath.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,11 @@ export function isSafePath(base: string, resolved: string): boolean {
   return resolved.startsWith(norm) || resolved === resolve(base);
 }
 
-const IGNORE_DIRS = new Set([".thumbnails", ".hyperframes", "node_modules", ".git"]);
+const IGNORE_DIRS = new Set([".thumbnails", "node_modules", ".git"]);
+
+function shouldIgnoreDir(rel: string): boolean {
+  return rel === ".hyperframes/backup";
+}
 
 /**
  * True when any directory segment of a relative path is a dot-directory or
@@ -26,7 +30,7 @@ export function walkDir(dir: string, prefix = ""): string[] {
   const files: string[] = [];
   for (const entry of readdirSync(dir, { withFileTypes: true })) {
     const rel = prefix ? `${prefix}/${entry.name}` : entry.name;
-    if (IGNORE_DIRS.has(entry.name)) continue;
+    if (IGNORE_DIRS.has(entry.name) || shouldIgnoreDir(rel)) continue;
     if (entry.isDirectory()) {
       files.push(...walkDir(join(dir, entry.name), rel));
     } else {
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/App.tsx b/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
index c5fff0402..075b4e7c7 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
@@ -515,6 +515,8 @@ export function StudioApp() {
                   setCompositionLoading={setCompositionLoading}
                   shouldShowSelectedDomBounds={shouldShowSelectedDomBounds}
                   isGestureRecording={gestureState === "recording"}
+                  recordingState={gestureState}
+                  onToggleRecording={STUDIO_KEYFRAMES_ENABLED ? handleToggleRecording : undefined}
                   blockPreview={blockPreview}
                   gestureOverlay={
                     gestureState === "recording" && previewIframe ? (
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/StudioPreviewArea.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/StudioPreviewArea.tsx
index 68978c10b..757137338 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/StudioPreviewArea.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/StudioPreviewArea.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { useStudioContext } from "../contexts/StudioContext";
 import { useDomEditContext } from "../contexts/DomEditContext";
 import type { BlockPreviewInfo } from "./sidebar/BlocksTab";
 import { readStudioUiPreferences } from "../utils/studioUiPreferences";
+import type { GestureRecordingState } from "./editor/GestureRecordControl";
 
 export interface StudioPreviewAreaProps {
   timelineToolbar: ReactNode;
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ export interface StudioPreviewAreaProps {
   shouldShowSelectedDomBounds: boolean;
   blockPreview?: BlockPreviewInfo | null;
   isGestureRecording?: boolean;
+  recordingState?: GestureRecordingState;
+  onToggleRecording?: () => void;
   gestureOverlay?: ReactNode;
 }
 
@@ -81,6 +84,8 @@ export function StudioPreviewArea({
   setCompositionLoading,
   shouldShowSelectedDomBounds,
   isGestureRecording,
+  recordingState,
+  onToggleRecording,
   blockPreview,
   gestureOverlay,
 }: StudioPreviewAreaProps) {
@@ -290,6 +295,8 @@ export function StudioPreviewArea({
                   onRotationCommit={handleDomRotationCommit}
                   gridVisible={snapPrefs.gridVisible}
                   gridSpacing={snapPrefs.gridSpacing}
+                  recordingState={recordingState}
+                  onToggleRecording={onToggleRecording}
                 />
                 <SnapToolbar onSnapChange={setSnapPrefs} />
                 {gestureOverlay}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.test.ts
index 44f30ba6c..7fb292913 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.test.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.test.ts
@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ describe("DomEditOverlay", () => {
     };
 
     let currentSelection: DomEditSelection | null = selection;
+    const onToggleRecording = vi.fn();
     const iframeRef = { current: document.createElement("iframe") as HTMLIFrameElement | null };
     const originalPointerCapture = HTMLDivElement.prototype.setPointerCapture;
     HTMLDivElement.prototype.setPointerCapture = () => {};
@@ -290,15 +291,16 @@ describe("DomEditOverlay", () => {
       const [selected, setSelected] = React.useState<DomEditSelection | null>(selection);
       currentSelection = selected;
 
-      return React.createElement(
-        DomEditOverlay,
-        createOverlayProps({
+      return React.createElement(DomEditOverlay, {
+        ...createOverlayProps({
           iframeRef,
           selection: selected,
           hoverSelection: null,
           onSelectionChange: (next: DomEditSelection) => setSelected(next),
         }),
-      );
+        recordingState: "idle",
+        onToggleRecording,
+      });
     }
 
     act(() => {
@@ -338,6 +340,16 @@ describe("DomEditOverlay", () => {
       "drag",
       expect.objectContaining({ button: 0 }),
     );
+    const recordButton = host.querySelector(
+      '[aria-label="Record gesture (R)"]',
+    ) as HTMLButtonElement;
+    expect(recordButton).toBeTruthy();
+
+    act(() => {
+      recordButton.click();
+    });
+
+    expect(onToggleRecording).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
 
     act(() => {
       root.unmount();
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx
index 9794b3109..6a844e32b 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { useDomEditOverlayRects } from "./useDomEditOverlayRects";
 import { createDomEditOverlayGestureHandlers } from "./useDomEditOverlayGestures";
 import { SnapGuideOverlay, type SnapGuidesState } from "./SnapGuideOverlay";
 import { GridOverlay } from "./GridOverlay";
+import { GestureRecordBadge, type GestureRecordingState } from "./GestureRecordControl";
 
 // Re-exports for external consumers — preserving existing import paths.
 export {
@@ -66,6 +67,8 @@ interface DomEditOverlayProps {
   onRotationCommit: (selection: DomEditSelection, next: { angle: number }) => Promise<void> | void;
   gridVisible?: boolean;
   gridSpacing?: number;
+  recordingState?: GestureRecordingState;
+  onToggleRecording?: () => void;
 }
 
 export const DomEditOverlay = memo(function DomEditOverlay({
@@ -87,6 +90,8 @@ export const DomEditOverlay = memo(function DomEditOverlay({
   onGroupPathOffsetCommit,
   onBoxSizeCommit,
   onRotationCommit,
+  recordingState,
+  onToggleRecording,
 }: DomEditOverlayProps) {
   const overlayRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const boxRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
@@ -431,6 +436,13 @@ export const DomEditOverlay = memo(function DomEditOverlay({
               />
             </div>
           )}
+          {onToggleRecording && (
+            <GestureRecordBadge
+              rect={overlayRect}
+              recordingState={recordingState}
+              onToggleRecording={onToggleRecording}
+            />
+          )}
           <div
             key={selectionKey}
             ref={boxRef}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/GestureRecordControl.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/GestureRecordControl.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4e7ae5d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/GestureRecordControl.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+export type GestureRecordingState = "idle" | "recording" | "preview";
+
+interface GestureRecordIconProps {
+  recording: boolean;
+}
+
+function GestureRecordIcon({ recording }: GestureRecordIconProps) {
+  return (
+    <svg width="10" height="10" viewBox="0 0 10 10" aria-hidden="true">
+      {recording ? (
+        <rect x="1" y="1" width="8" height="8" rx="1" fill="currentColor" />
+      ) : (
+        <circle cx="5" cy="5" r="4.5" fill="currentColor" />
+      )}
+    </svg>
+  );
+}
+
+interface GestureRecordPanelButtonProps {
+  recordingState?: GestureRecordingState;
+  recordingDuration?: number;
+  onToggleRecording: () => void;
+}
+
+export function GestureRecordPanelButton({
+  recordingState,
+  recordingDuration,
+  onToggleRecording,
+}: GestureRecordPanelButtonProps) {
+  const recording = recordingState === "recording";
+
+  return (
+    <div className="px-4 pb-3">
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+        onClick={onToggleRecording}
+        className={`w-full flex items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-lg py-2 text-[11px] font-medium transition-colors ${
+          recording
+            ? "bg-red-500/15 text-red-400 border border-red-500/30 animate-pulse"
+            : "bg-panel-input text-panel-text-2 hover:bg-panel-hover border border-panel-border"
+        }`}
+      >
+        <GestureRecordIcon recording={recording} />
+        {recording
+          ? `Stop recording ${(recordingDuration ?? 0).toFixed(1)}s — press R`
+          : "Record gesture (R) — move pointer to capture motion"}
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+interface GestureRecordBadgeProps {
+  rect: { left: number; top: number; width: number; height: number };
+  recordingState?: GestureRecordingState;
+  onToggleRecording: () => void;
+}
+
+export function GestureRecordBadge({
+  rect,
+  recordingState,
+  onToggleRecording,
+}: GestureRecordBadgeProps) {
+  const recording = recordingState === "recording";
+  const label = recording ? "Stop gesture recording (R)" : "Record gesture (R)";
+
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      aria-label={label}
+      title={label}
+      className={`pointer-events-auto absolute z-20 flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-full border shadow-lg transition-colors ${
+        recording
+          ? "border-red-400/60 bg-red-500 text-white animate-pulse"
+          : "border-studio-accent/60 bg-neutral-950 text-studio-accent hover:bg-neutral-900"
+      }`}
+      style={{
+        left: Math.max(0, rect.left + rect.width + 8),
+        top: Math.max(0, rect.top - 4),
+      }}
+      onPointerDown={(event) => {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+      }}
+      onMouseDown={(event) => {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+      }}
+      onClick={(event) => {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+        onToggleRecording();
+      }}
+    >
+      <GestureRecordIcon recording={recording} />
+    </button>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanel.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanel.tsx
index 80f22e6ee..478df5952 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanel.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import { STUDIO_GSAP_PANEL_ENABLED, STUDIO_KEYFRAMES_ENABLED } from "./manualEdi
 import { usePlayerStore, liveTime } from "../../player";
 import { TimingSection } from "./propertyPanelTimingSection";
 import { type PropertyPanelProps } from "./propertyPanelHelpers";
+import { GestureRecordPanelButton } from "./GestureRecordControl";
 
 // Re-export helpers that external consumers import from this module
 export {
@@ -354,6 +355,14 @@ export const PropertyPanel = memo(function PropertyPanel({
         </div>
       </div>
       <div className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto">
+        {onToggleRecording && (
+          <GestureRecordPanelButton
+            recordingState={recordingState}
+            recordingDuration={recordingDuration}
+            onToggleRecording={onToggleRecording}
+          />
+        )}
+
         <TextSection
           element={element}
           styles={styles}
@@ -558,31 +567,6 @@ export const PropertyPanel = memo(function PropertyPanel({
             />
           )}
 
-        {onToggleRecording && (
-          <div className="px-4 pb-3">
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
-              onClick={onToggleRecording}
-              className={`w-full flex items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-lg py-2 text-[11px] font-medium transition-colors ${
-                recordingState === "recording"
-                  ? "bg-red-500/15 text-red-400 border border-red-500/30 animate-pulse"
-                  : "bg-panel-input text-panel-text-2 hover:bg-panel-hover border border-panel-border"
-              }`}
-            >
-              <svg width="10" height="10" viewBox="0 0 10 10">
-                {recordingState === "recording" ? (
-                  <rect x="1" y="1" width="8" height="8" rx="1" fill="currentColor" />
-                ) : (
-                  <circle cx="5" cy="5" r="4.5" fill="currentColor" />
-                )}
-              </svg>
-              {recordingState === "recording"
-                ? `Stop recording ${(recordingDuration ?? 0).toFixed(1)}s — press R`
-                : "Record gesture (R) — move pointer to capture motion"}
-            </button>
-          </div>
-        )}
         {showEditableSections && (
           <StyleSections
             projectId={projectId}