diff --git a/app/renderer/app.js b/app/renderer/app.js
index 07b56ec..88555e0 100644
--- a/app/renderer/app.js
+++ b/app/renderer/app.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class StepForgeApp {
     this.homeBtn = document.getElementById('btn-home');
 
     this.state = {
-      view: 'library',
+      view: 'welcome',
       query: '',
       folderFilter: 'all',
       library: { guides: [], folders: [], guideFolders: {} },
@@ -24,9 +24,11 @@ class StepForgeApp {
     this.libraryRenderToken = 0;
 
     this.view.innerHTML = `
+      <div id="welcome-host"></div>
       <div id="library-host"></div>
       <div id="editor-host" class="hidden"></div>
     `;
+    this.welcomeHost = document.getElementById('welcome-host');
     this.libraryHost = document.getElementById('library-host');
     this.editorHost = document.getElementById('editor-host');
 
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ class StepForgeApp {
     });
 
     this.homeBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
-      if (this.state.view === 'editor') this.showLibrary();
+      if (this.state.view !== 'welcome') this.showWelcome();
     });
 
     document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
@@ -85,9 +87,18 @@ class StepForgeApp {
   }
 
   async init() {
-    await this.refreshData();
-    this.updateCaptureState(await api.capture.state());
-    this.renderLibrary();
+    this.renderWelcome();
+    try {
+      await this.refreshData();
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error(err);
+    }
+    try {
+      this.updateCaptureState(await api.capture.state());
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error(err);
+    }
+    if (this.state.view === 'welcome') this.renderWelcome();
   }
 
   async refreshData() {
@@ -123,12 +134,38 @@ class StepForgeApp {
 
   setView(view) {
     this.state.view = view;
+    this.welcomeHost.classList.toggle('hidden', view !== 'welcome');
     this.libraryHost.classList.toggle('hidden', view !== 'library');
     this.editorHost.classList.toggle('hidden', view !== 'editor');
     this.searchInput.classList.toggle('hidden', view !== 'library');
     this.renderTopbar();
   }
 
+  async showWelcome() {
+    this.editor.setActive(false);
+    this.setView('welcome');
+    this.renderWelcome();
+  }
+
+  async openExistingWorkspace() {
+    try {
+      await this.refreshData();
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error(err);
+    }
+    this.state.query = '';
+    this.searchInput.value = '';
+    this.state.folderFilter = 'all';
+    this.setView('library');
+    this.renderLibrary();
+  }
+
+  async startNewCapture() {
+    const guide = await api.library.create({ title: 'Untitled capture' });
+    await this.openGuide(guide.guideId);
+    await api.capture.session({ action: 'start', guideId: guide.guideId });
+  }
+
   async showLibrary(reason = null) {
     this.editor.setActive(false);
     this.setView('library');
@@ -182,6 +219,9 @@ class StepForgeApp {
 
   renderTopbar() {
     clearNode(this.topbarContext);
+    if (this.state.view === 'welcome') {
+      return;
+    }
     if (this.state.view === 'library') {
       this.topbarContext.append(
         el('button', { type: 'button', onClick: () => this.createGuide() }, 'New'),
@@ -205,6 +245,30 @@ class StepForgeApp {
     );
   }
 
+  renderWelcome() {
+    this.setView('welcome');
+    clearNode(this.welcomeHost);
+
+    const body = el('div.welcome',
+      {},
+      el('div.welcome-hero',
+      {},
+        el('div.welcome-kicker', {}, 'Local guide capture'),
+        el('h1', {}, 'StepForge'),
+        el('p', {}, 'Offline guide capture and export for local workspaces.'),
+      ),
+      el('div.welcome-actions',
+        {},
+        el('button.primary.welcome-action', { type: 'button', onClick: () => this.startNewCapture() }, 'New Capture'),
+        el('button.welcome-action', { type: 'button', onClick: () => this.openExistingWorkspace() }, 'Existing Workspace'),
+        el('button.welcome-action', { type: 'button', onClick: () => this.openSettings() }, 'Settings'),
+      ),
+    );
+
+    this.welcomeHost.append(body);
+    this.renderTopbar();
+  }
+
   async renderLibrary() {
     this.setView('library');
     this.editor.setActive(false);
diff --git a/app/renderer/style.css b/app/renderer/style.css
index 7ffddca..ae9b005 100644
--- a/app/renderer/style.css
+++ b/app/renderer/style.css
@@ -53,6 +53,14 @@ body {
 
 #app { display: flex; flex-direction: column; height: 100vh; }
 #view { flex: 1; min-height: 0; display: flex; }
+#welcome-host,
+#library-host,
+#editor-host {
+  flex: 1;
+  min-width: 0;
+  min-height: 0;
+  display: flex;
+}
 .hidden { display: none !important; }
 .muted { color: var(--muted); font-size: 12px; }
 
@@ -155,6 +163,63 @@ kbd {
 
 .library, .editor { flex: 1; min-height: 0; display: flex; }
 
+.welcome {
+  flex: 1;
+  min-height: 0;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  padding: clamp(28px, 7vh, 76px) clamp(28px, 6vw, 92px) clamp(24px, 8vh, 72px);
+}
+.welcome-hero {
+  width: min(760px, 100%);
+  margin: clamp(32px, 12vh, 132px) auto 0;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+.welcome-kicker {
+  margin-bottom: 12px;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: 12px;
+  font-weight: 650;
+  letter-spacing: 0.08em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+}
+.welcome-hero h1 {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: clamp(44px, 5vw, 72px);
+  line-height: 1.03;
+  letter-spacing: -0.04em;
+}
+.welcome-hero p {
+  margin: 16px auto 0;
+  max-width: 560px;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: 15px;
+}
+.welcome-actions {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
+  gap: 14px;
+  width: min(940px, 100%);
+  margin: 0 auto;
+}
+.welcome-action {
+  min-height: 60px;
+  padding: 15px 18px;
+  border-radius: 16px;
+  font-size: 15px;
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow);
+}
+.welcome-actions .primary {
+  background: var(--accent);
+  border-color: var(--accent);
+  color: var(--accent-fg);
+}
+.welcome-actions .primary:hover {
+  background: var(--accent-strong);
+  border-color: var(--accent-strong);
+}
+
 .lib-side {
   width: 248px;
   min-width: 248px;
@@ -671,3 +736,15 @@ fieldset legend {
   border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
 }
 
+@media (max-width: 820px) {
+  .welcome {
+    padding: 24px 20px 28px;
+  }
+  .welcome-hero {
+    margin-top: 72px;
+  }
+  .welcome-actions {
+    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
+    width: min(440px, 100%);
+  }
+}