diff --git a/docs/USAGE.md b/docs/USAGE.md
index 7c33467e..4cdaa825 100644
--- a/docs/USAGE.md
+++ b/docs/USAGE.md
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ agent-tty record export <session-id> --format asciicast --out ./session.cast --j
 agent-tty record export <session-id> --format webm --timing accelerated --out ./session.webm --json
 ```
 
+WebM export replays with recorded wall-clock timing by default. Pass `--timing accelerated` (idle gaps clamped to 400ms) or `--timing max-speed` for a time-compressed video.
+
 `ghostty-web` provides reference visual truth for reviewable artifacts; it does not promise exact pixel parity with native terminals.
 
 ## Isolation
diff --git a/src/cli/main.ts b/src/cli/main.ts
index cd93f596..02fd2ec2 100644
--- a/src/cli/main.ts
+++ b/src/cli/main.ts
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
     .option('--profile <name>', 'Render profile name')
     .option(
       '--timing <mode>',
-      'Replay timing mode for WebM: recorded, accelerated, max-speed',
+      'Replay timing mode for WebM: recorded (default), accelerated, max-speed',
     )
     .option('--json', 'Emit a JSON command envelope', false)
     .action(
diff --git a/src/export/webm.ts b/src/export/webm.ts
index caa23cf7..507d22a5 100644
--- a/src/export/webm.ts
+++ b/src/export/webm.ts
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@ import type { RenderProfileConfig, ReplayState } from '../renderer/types.js';
 import { invariant, unreachable } from '../util/assert.js';
 
 const REPLAY_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
-const DEFAULT_ACCELERATED_TIMING: ReplayTimingOptions = Object.freeze({
+// maxGapMs/minFrameHoldMs are tuned for watchability: shorter clamps make the
+// video flicker because every idle gap collapses to a near-instant cut.
+const ACCELERATED_TIMING: ReplayTimingOptions = Object.freeze({
   mode: 'accelerated' as const,
-  maxGapMs: 100,
-  minFrameHoldMs: 50,
+  maxGapMs: 400,
+  minFrameHoldMs: 100,
   finalFrameHoldMs: 1_000,
 });
 
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@ function buildReplayTimingOptions(mode: ReplayTimingMode): ReplayTimingOptions {
 
   switch (validatedMode) {
     case 'accelerated':
-      return DEFAULT_ACCELERATED_TIMING;
+      return ACCELERATED_TIMING;
     case 'recorded':
       return { mode: 'recorded', finalFrameHoldMs: 1_000 };
     case 'max-speed':
@@ -172,8 +174,9 @@ export async function generateWebmExport(
         height: viewportHeight,
       },
     };
+    // Default to wall-clock timing so exported videos match the recorded pace.
     const resolvedTimingMode: ReplayTimingMode =
-      options.timingMode ?? 'accelerated';
+      options.timingMode ?? 'recorded';
     const timingOptions = buildReplayTimingOptions(resolvedTimingMode);
     const backendFactory = deps?.backendFactory ?? createDefaultBackend;
     const requestedRendererName = resolveRendererName(
diff --git a/test/unit/commands/record-export.test.ts b/test/unit/commands/record-export.test.ts
index 9b476781..30481ff0 100644
--- a/test/unit/commands/record-export.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/commands/record-export.test.ts
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ describe('record export command', () => {
       cols: 80,
       rows: 24,
       profileName: 'reference-dark',
-      timingMode: 'accelerated',
+      timingMode: 'recorded',
       rendererBackend: 'ghostty-web',
     });
     mocks.stat.mockResolvedValue({ size: webmBytes });
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ describe('record export command', () => {
       expectedRenderProfileHash,
     );
     expect(artifactEntry.metadata.profileName).toBe('reference-dark');
-    expect(artifactEntry.metadata.timingMode).toBe('accelerated');
+    expect(artifactEntry.metadata.timingMode).toBe('recorded');
     expect(artifactEntry.metadata.rendererBackend).toBe('ghostty-web');
 
     expect(mocks.emitSuccess).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ describe('record export command', () => {
           cols: 80,
           rows: 24,
           profileName: 'reference-dark',
-          timingMode: 'accelerated',
+          timingMode: 'recorded',
           rendererBackend: 'ghostty-web',
         };
       },
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ describe('record export command', () => {
       cols: 80,
       rows: 24,
       profileName: 'reference-light',
-      timingMode: 'accelerated',
+      timingMode: 'recorded',
       rendererBackend: 'ghostty-web',
     });
     const webmBytes = 12_345;
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ describe('record export command', () => {
       cols: 80,
       rows: 24,
       profileName: 'reference-dark',
-      timingMode: 'accelerated',
+      timingMode: 'recorded',
       rendererBackend: 'ghostty-web',
     });
     const webmBytes = 12_345;
diff --git a/test/unit/export/webm.test.ts b/test/unit/export/webm.test.ts
index 52bccd95..266ea90c 100644
--- a/test/unit/export/webm.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/export/webm.test.ts
@@ -250,9 +250,7 @@ describe('generateWebmExport', () => {
         targetSeq: 1,
       },
       {
-        mode: 'accelerated',
-        maxGapMs: 100,
-        minFrameHoldMs: 50,
+        mode: 'recorded',
         finalFrameHoldMs: 1_000,
       },
     );
@@ -269,7 +267,7 @@ describe('generateWebmExport', () => {
       cols: 80,
       rows: 24,
       profileName: 'reference-dark',
-      timingMode: 'accelerated',
+      timingMode: 'recorded',
       rendererBackend: 'ghostty-web',
     });
   });
@@ -316,7 +314,7 @@ describe('generateWebmExport', () => {
     expect(result.rendererBackend).toBe('ghostty-web');
   });
 
-  it('passes recorded timing options when timingMode is recorded', async () => {
+  it('passes accelerated timing options when timingMode is accelerated', async () => {
     const mockBackend = createMockBackend();
 
     const result = await generateWebmExport(
@@ -326,16 +324,21 @@ describe('generateWebmExport', () => {
         manifest: createManifest(),
         events: createEvents(),
         outputPath: '/tmp/exports/recording-1-webm.webm',
-        timingMode: 'recorded',
+        timingMode: 'accelerated',
       },
       { backendFactory: () => mockBackend.backend },
     );
 
     expect(mockBackend.replayWithTiming).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({ sessionId: 'session-01' }),
-      { mode: 'recorded', finalFrameHoldMs: 1_000 },
+      {
+        mode: 'accelerated',
+        maxGapMs: 400,
+        minFrameHoldMs: 100,
+        finalFrameHoldMs: 1_000,
+      },
     );
-    expect(result.timingMode).toBe('recorded');
+    expect(result.timingMode).toBe('accelerated');
   });
 
   it('passes max-speed timing options when timingMode is max-speed', async () => {
@@ -360,7 +363,7 @@ describe('generateWebmExport', () => {
     expect(result.timingMode).toBe('max-speed');
   });
 
-  it('defaults to accelerated timing when timingMode is omitted', async () => {
+  it('defaults to recorded timing when timingMode is omitted', async () => {
     const mockBackend = createMockBackend();
 
     const result = await generateWebmExport(
@@ -376,14 +379,9 @@ describe('generateWebmExport', () => {
 
     expect(mockBackend.replayWithTiming).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({ sessionId: 'session-01' }),
-      {
-        mode: 'accelerated',
-        maxGapMs: 100,
-        minFrameHoldMs: 50,
-        finalFrameHoldMs: 1_000,
-      },
+      { mode: 'recorded', finalFrameHoldMs: 1_000 },
     );
-    expect(result.timingMode).toBe('accelerated');
+    expect(result.timingMode).toBe('recorded');
   });
 
   it('rejects empty events', async () => {