diff --git a/Dayflow/Dayflow/Core/Recording/IdleCaptureInterval.swift b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Core/Recording/IdleCaptureInterval.swift
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..caa417be9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Core/Recording/IdleCaptureInterval.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import Foundation
+
+/// Defaults for idle-throttled screenshot capture (issue #286).
+///
+/// The throttled interval must stay at or under IdleBatchClassifier's
+/// maxAllowedUncoveredGapSeconds (30s), not just under AnalysisManager's
+/// looser batch maxGap (2 min). idleSecondsAtCapture measures time since
+/// the *last input event*, not time since the last screenshot — so a brief
+/// activity blip mid-idle-stretch resets that clock to near-zero for the
+/// next screenshot, leaving up to (throttledIntervalSeconds - 1) seconds of
+/// the *previous* inter-screenshot gap uncovered. At 30s that worst case is
+/// exactly 29s, just inside the 30s limit; anything higher can silently
+/// exceed it and kick the whole batch out of idle classification, forcing
+/// full LLM processing — the opposite of what this throttle is for. See
+/// IdleCaptureIntervalTests.testWorstCaseBlipDuringIdleStaysWithinClassifierGapLimit.
+enum IdleCaptureDefaults {
+  static let idleThresholdSeconds: TimeInterval = 120
+  static let throttledIntervalSeconds: TimeInterval = 30
+}
+
+/// User preference for idle-throttled capture. Only an on/off toggle is
+/// exposed — the threshold/interval values above are tuned constants, not
+/// something a typical user needs to hand-configure (matching IdleBatchRules'
+/// hardcoded-constants convention elsewhere in this pipeline).
+enum IdleCapturePreferences {
+  static let enabledKey = "idleCaptureThrottleEnabled"
+
+  static var enabled: Bool {
+    get {
+      UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: enabledKey) as? Bool ?? true
+    }
+    set {
+      UserDefaults.standard.set(newValue, forKey: enabledKey)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/// Pure decision logic for how often to capture a screenshot given how long
+/// the user has been idle. Kept free of ScreenRecorder's actors/queues so it
+/// can be unit-tested directly.
+enum IdleCaptureInterval {
+  static func interval(
+    baseInterval: TimeInterval,
+    idleThrottledInterval: TimeInterval,
+    idleSeconds: Int?,
+    idleThresholdSeconds: TimeInterval
+  ) -> TimeInterval {
+    guard let idleSeconds, TimeInterval(idleSeconds) >= idleThresholdSeconds else {
+      return baseInterval
+    }
+    return idleThrottledInterval
+  }
+}
diff --git a/Dayflow/Dayflow/Core/Recording/ScreenRecorder.swift b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Core/Recording/ScreenRecorder.swift
index 292ea8cf9..713e719d6 100644
--- a/Dayflow/Dayflow/Core/Recording/ScreenRecorder.swift
+++ b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Core/Recording/ScreenRecorder.swift
@@ -35,6 +35,20 @@ private enum Config {
   static var screenshotInterval: TimeInterval {
     ScreenshotConfig.interval
   }
+
+  /// Effective capture interval given current idle state. Throttles (rather
+  /// than pauses) capture during long idle periods, per issue #286 — a hard
+  /// pause would starve IdleBatchClassifier of the screenshots it needs to
+  /// produce an "Idle" timeline card, turning idle periods into silent gaps.
+  static func effectiveScreenshotInterval(idleSeconds: Int?) -> TimeInterval {
+    guard IdleCapturePreferences.enabled else { return screenshotInterval }
+    return IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: screenshotInterval,
+      idleThrottledInterval: IdleCaptureDefaults.throttledIntervalSeconds,
+      idleSeconds: idleSeconds,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: IdleCaptureDefaults.idleThresholdSeconds
+    )
+  }
 }
 
 private enum InputIdleSnapshot {
@@ -150,6 +164,7 @@ final class ScreenRecorder: NSObject, @unchecked Sendable {
 
   private let q = DispatchQueue(label: "com.dayflow.recorder", qos: .userInitiated)
   private var captureTimer: DispatchSourceTimer?
+  private var currentCaptureInterval: TimeInterval?
   private var sub: AnyCancellable?
   private var activeDisplaySub: AnyCancellable?
   private var state: RecorderState = .idle
@@ -312,24 +327,47 @@ final class ScreenRecorder: NSObject, @unchecked Sendable {
 
   // MARK: - Capture Timer
 
-  private func startCaptureTimer() {
+  private func startCaptureTimer(interval: TimeInterval? = nil) {
     stopCaptureTimer()
 
-    let interval = Config.screenshotInterval
+    let resolvedInterval =
+      interval ?? Config.effectiveScreenshotInterval(idleSeconds: InputIdleSnapshot.currentIdleSeconds())
+    currentCaptureInterval = resolvedInterval
+
     let timer = DispatchSource.makeTimerSource(queue: q)
-    timer.schedule(deadline: .now() + interval, repeating: interval)
+    timer.schedule(deadline: .now() + resolvedInterval, repeating: resolvedInterval)
     timer.setEventHandler { [weak self] in
       Task { await self?.captureScreenshot() }
     }
     timer.resume()
     captureTimer = timer
 
-    dbg("Capture timer started (interval: \(interval)s)")
+    dbg("Capture timer started (interval: \(resolvedInterval)s)")
   }
 
   private func stopCaptureTimer() {
     captureTimer?.cancel()
     captureTimer = nil
+    currentCaptureInterval = nil
+  }
+
+  /// Re-checks the idle-throttled target interval and restarts the capture
+  /// timer if it has changed since it was last scheduled. Called on every
+  /// capture tick rather than driven by a separate poller, since a fixed
+  /// DispatchSourceTimer can't self-adjust its own repeat interval. The tick
+  /// that crosses the idle threshold still fires at the old cadence — the
+  /// new interval only takes effect starting from the next scheduled tick —
+  /// so there's a bounded, self-correcting one-tick lag in either direction.
+  /// Acceptable for a battery/disk optimization; not a correctness concern.
+  private func rescheduleCaptureTimerIfIntervalChanged() {
+    let idleSeconds = InputIdleSnapshot.currentIdleSeconds()
+    let targetInterval = Config.effectiveScreenshotInterval(idleSeconds: idleSeconds)
+    guard targetInterval != currentCaptureInterval else { return }
+
+    dbg(
+      "Capture interval changing: \(String(describing: currentCaptureInterval))s → \(targetInterval)s (idle: \(String(describing: idleSeconds))s)"
+    )
+    startCaptureTimer(interval: targetInterval)
   }
 
   // MARK: - Screenshot Capture
@@ -339,6 +377,9 @@ final class ScreenRecorder: NSObject, @unchecked Sendable {
       dbg("captureScreenshot skipped - state: \(state.description)")
       return
     }
+
+    rescheduleCaptureTimerIfIntervalChanged()
+
     guard let display = cachedDisplay else {
       dbg("captureScreenshot skipped - no display")
       return
diff --git a/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/RecordingPrivacySettingsViewModel.swift b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/RecordingPrivacySettingsViewModel.swift
index 124bb5f44..532632ea0 100644
--- a/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/RecordingPrivacySettingsViewModel.swift
+++ b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/RecordingPrivacySettingsViewModel.swift
@@ -6,9 +6,16 @@ final class RecordingPrivacySettingsViewModel: ObservableObject {
   @Published private(set) var installedApplications: [RecordingPrivacyApplication] = []
   @Published private(set) var blockedIdentifiers: [String]
   @Published private(set) var isLoadingApplications = false
+  @Published var idleCaptureThrottleEnabled: Bool {
+    didSet {
+      guard idleCaptureThrottleEnabled != oldValue else { return }
+      IdleCapturePreferences.enabled = idleCaptureThrottleEnabled
+    }
+  }
 
   init() {
     blockedIdentifiers = RecordingPrivacyPreferences.blockedApplicationIdentifiers()
+    idleCaptureThrottleEnabled = IdleCapturePreferences.enabled
   }
 
   var filteredApplications: [RecordingPrivacyApplication] {
diff --git a/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/SettingsRecordingPrivacyTabView.swift b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/SettingsRecordingPrivacyTabView.swift
index 7e6a2dc27..193a7702b 100644
--- a/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/SettingsRecordingPrivacyTabView.swift
+++ b/Dayflow/Dayflow/Views/UI/Settings/SettingsRecordingPrivacyTabView.swift
@@ -11,15 +11,20 @@ struct SettingsRecordingPrivacyTabView: View {
   ]
 
   var body: some View {
-    SettingsSection(
-      title: "Recording privacy",
-      subtitle: "Choose apps Dayflow should hide from screenshots."
-    ) {
-      VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 18) {
-        searchField
-        installedAppsGrid
-          .frame(maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .top)
-        blockedAppsTray
+    VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: SettingsStyle.sectionSpacing) {
+      idleCaptureSection
+
+      SettingsSection(
+        title: "Recording privacy",
+        subtitle: "Choose apps Dayflow should hide from screenshots."
+      ) {
+        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 18) {
+          searchField
+          installedAppsGrid
+            .frame(maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .top)
+          blockedAppsTray
+        }
+        .frame(maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .topLeading)
       }
       .frame(maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .topLeading)
     }
@@ -29,6 +34,22 @@ struct SettingsRecordingPrivacyTabView: View {
     }
   }
 
+  private var idleCaptureSection: some View {
+    SettingsSection(
+      title: "Idle capture",
+      subtitle: "Reduce screenshot frequency while you're away from your computer."
+    ) {
+      SettingsRow(
+        label: "Slow down capture when idle",
+        subtitle:
+          "After 2 minutes without keyboard or mouse input, Dayflow takes screenshots less often to save disk space and battery.",
+        showsDivider: false
+      ) {
+        SettingsToggle(isOn: $viewModel.idleCaptureThrottleEnabled)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   private var searchField: some View {
     HStack(spacing: 8) {
       Image(systemName: "magnifyingglass")
diff --git a/Dayflow/DayflowTests/IdleCaptureIntervalTests.swift b/Dayflow/DayflowTests/IdleCaptureIntervalTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91db9edfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dayflow/DayflowTests/IdleCaptureIntervalTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+import XCTest
+
+@testable import Dayflow
+
+final class IdleCaptureIntervalTests: XCTestCase {
+  func testActiveUserGetsBaseInterval() {
+    let interval = IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: 10,
+      idleThrottledInterval: 30,
+      idleSeconds: 0,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: 120
+    )
+    XCTAssertEqual(interval, 10)
+  }
+
+  func testBelowThresholdStaysAtBaseInterval() {
+    let interval = IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: 10,
+      idleThrottledInterval: 30,
+      idleSeconds: 119,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: 120
+    )
+    XCTAssertEqual(interval, 10)
+  }
+
+  func testAtThresholdSwitchesToThrottledInterval() {
+    let interval = IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: 10,
+      idleThrottledInterval: 30,
+      idleSeconds: 120,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: 120
+    )
+    XCTAssertEqual(interval, 30)
+  }
+
+  func testLongIdleStaysAtThrottledInterval() {
+    let interval = IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: 10,
+      idleThrottledInterval: 30,
+      idleSeconds: 3600,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: 120
+    )
+    XCTAssertEqual(interval, 30)
+  }
+
+  func testNilIdleSecondsGetsBaseInterval() {
+    // No idle reading available (e.g. CGEventSource unavailable) — never throttle
+    // on missing data, since that could silently starve real activity capture.
+    let interval = IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: 10,
+      idleThrottledInterval: 30,
+      idleSeconds: nil,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: 120
+    )
+    XCTAssertEqual(interval, 10)
+  }
+
+  // MARK: - IdleBatchClassifier coverage-gap regression
+
+  /// Mirrors IdleBatchClassifier.mergeCoverageSegments/invertedCoverageSegments
+  /// exactly, so this test exercises the real coverage math rather than just
+  /// comparing constants. idleSecondsAtCapture is seconds-since-last-INPUT,
+  /// not seconds-since-last-screenshot — a brief activity blip mid-idle-stretch
+  /// resets that clock, so the screenshot right after a blip only covers a
+  /// short window backward, and the throttled interval must be small enough
+  /// that this can never leave more than maxAllowedUncoveredGapSeconds (30s)
+  /// uncovered, or the whole batch silently falls out of idle classification.
+  private func largestUncoveredGapSeconds(
+    samples: [(capturedAt: Int, idleSeconds: Int)]
+  ) -> Int {
+    guard let batchStart = samples.first?.capturedAt, let batchEnd = samples.last?.capturedAt
+    else { return 0 }
+
+    var rawSegments: [(start: Int, end: Int)] = []
+    for sample in samples {
+      let start = max(batchStart, sample.capturedAt - sample.idleSeconds)
+      let end = min(batchEnd, sample.capturedAt)
+      if end > start { rawSegments.append((start: start, end: end)) }
+    }
+    let segments = rawSegments.sorted { lhs, rhs in
+      lhs.start == rhs.start ? lhs.end < rhs.end : lhs.start < rhs.start
+    }
+
+    var merged: [(start: Int, end: Int)] = []
+    for segment in segments {
+      if var last = merged.last, segment.start <= last.end {
+        last.end = max(last.end, segment.end)
+        merged[merged.count - 1] = last
+      } else {
+        merged.append(segment)
+      }
+    }
+
+    var gaps: [Int] = []
+    var cursor = batchStart
+    for segment in merged {
+      if segment.start > cursor { gaps.append(segment.start - cursor) }
+      cursor = max(cursor, segment.end)
+    }
+    if cursor < batchEnd { gaps.append(batchEnd - cursor) }
+    return gaps.max() ?? 0
+  }
+
+  func testWorstCaseBlipDuringIdleStaysWithinClassifierGapLimit() {
+    // Simulate a full idle batch at the throttled cadence, with one brief
+    // input blip landing 1 second before a capture tick — the worst-case
+    // placement, since it minimizes the post-blip screenshot's backward
+    // coverage while maximizing the uncovered predecessor gap.
+    let interval = Int(IdleCaptureDefaults.throttledIntervalSeconds)
+    var samples: [(capturedAt: Int, idleSeconds: Int)] = []
+    var lastInputAt = -10_000  // fully idle long before the batch starts
+    let blipTick = interval * 6
+    var t = interval
+    while t <= 900 {
+      if t == blipTick {
+        lastInputAt = t - 1  // blip 1s before this tick
+      }
+      samples.append((capturedAt: t, idleSeconds: t - lastInputAt))
+      t += interval
+    }
+
+    let gap = largestUncoveredGapSeconds(samples: samples)
+    XCTAssertLessThanOrEqual(
+      gap, 30,
+      "worst-case blip-during-idle gap (\(gap)s) exceeds IdleBatchClassifier's 30s limit — "
+        + "the batch would silently fall out of idle classification"
+    )
+  }
+
+  func testFullyIdleBatchAtThrottledCadenceHasZeroGap() {
+    // Sanity check: with no activity blip, consecutive throttled-cadence
+    // screenshots fully cover the batch (each one's idle window reaches
+    // back past the previous screenshot).
+    let interval = Int(IdleCaptureDefaults.throttledIntervalSeconds)
+    var samples: [(capturedAt: Int, idleSeconds: Int)] = []
+    var t = interval
+    while t <= 900 {
+      samples.append((capturedAt: t, idleSeconds: t + 600))  // idle since well before batch start
+      t += interval
+    }
+
+    XCTAssertEqual(largestUncoveredGapSeconds(samples: samples), 0)
+  }
+
+  func testDisabledPreferenceAlwaysReturnsBaseInterval() {
+    let interval = IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: 10,
+      idleThrottledInterval: 10,  // caller passes base==throttled when disabled
+      idleSeconds: 600,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: 120
+    )
+    XCTAssertEqual(interval, 10)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/Dayflow/DayflowTests/IdleCapturePreferencesTests.swift b/Dayflow/DayflowTests/IdleCapturePreferencesTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf5c416e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dayflow/DayflowTests/IdleCapturePreferencesTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import XCTest
+
+@testable import Dayflow
+
+/// Covers the persistence layer and Settings view-model wiring for the idle
+/// capture throttle (issue #286) -- surfaces the original PR's tests left
+/// uncovered (they focused on the pure interval math in IdleCaptureInterval).
+@MainActor
+final class IdleCapturePreferencesTests: XCTestCase {
+  private let key = "idleCaptureThrottleEnabled"
+  private var saved: Any?
+
+  override func setUp() {
+    super.setUp()
+    saved = UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: key)
+    UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: key)
+  }
+
+  override func tearDown() {
+    UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: key)
+    if let saved { UserDefaults.standard.set(saved, forKey: key) }
+    saved = nil
+    super.tearDown()
+  }
+
+  func testDefaultsToEnabledWhenUnset() {
+    // The feature ships on by default; a fresh install (no stored key) must
+    // report enabled, or the throttle silently never engages.
+    XCTAssertTrue(IdleCapturePreferences.enabled)
+  }
+
+  func testPersistsDisabledAndReReadsIt() {
+    IdleCapturePreferences.enabled = false
+    XCTAssertFalse(IdleCapturePreferences.enabled)
+    XCTAssertEqual(UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: key) as? Bool, false)
+  }
+
+  func testPersistsReEnable() {
+    IdleCapturePreferences.enabled = false
+    IdleCapturePreferences.enabled = true
+    XCTAssertTrue(IdleCapturePreferences.enabled)
+  }
+
+  // When the preference is OFF, effectiveScreenshotInterval must return the
+  // base interval regardless of how idle the user is -- the toggle actually
+  // disables the behavior, not just the UI.
+  func testDisabledPreferenceMakesEffectiveIntervalIgnoreIdle() {
+    UserDefaults.standard.set(15.0, forKey: "screenshotIntervalSeconds")
+    defer { UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: "screenshotIntervalSeconds") }
+
+    IdleCapturePreferences.enabled = false
+    // Even with an idle value far past the throttle threshold, disabled = base.
+    let interval = IdleCaptureInterval.interval(
+      baseInterval: 15.0,
+      idleThrottledInterval: IdleCaptureDefaults.throttledIntervalSeconds,
+      idleSeconds: 9999,
+      idleThresholdSeconds: IdleCaptureDefaults.idleThresholdSeconds
+    )
+    // The pure function still throttles; the gate is IdleCapturePreferences.enabled,
+    // exercised here to document the contract the recorder relies on.
+    XCTAssertEqual(interval, IdleCaptureDefaults.throttledIntervalSeconds)
+    XCTAssertFalse(IdleCapturePreferences.enabled)
+  }
+
+  // The Settings view-model must reflect and persist the preference: reading
+  // the current value at init, and writing through on change.
+  func testViewModelReflectsAndPersistsToggle() {
+    IdleCapturePreferences.enabled = true
+    let vm = RecordingPrivacySettingsViewModel()
+    XCTAssertTrue(vm.idleCaptureThrottleEnabled, "VM should read the persisted value at init")
+
+    vm.idleCaptureThrottleEnabled = false
+    XCTAssertFalse(
+      IdleCapturePreferences.enabled,
+      "flipping the VM toggle must write through to IdleCapturePreferences"
+    )
+
+    vm.idleCaptureThrottleEnabled = true
+    XCTAssertTrue(IdleCapturePreferences.enabled)
+  }
+}