diff --git a/main/Common Classes/PrefsShared.swift b/main/Common Classes/PrefsShared.swift
index e10c963..a86018c 100644
--- a/main/Common Classes/PrefsShared.swift	
+++ b/main/Common Classes/PrefsShared.swift	
@@ -23,10 +23,19 @@ enum PrefsShared {
 		get { Int("AutoDeleteLogsDays") }
 		set { Int("AutoDeleteLogsDays", newValue) }
 	}
-	
-	static var CurrentlyRecording: Bool {
-		get { Bool("CurrentlyRecording") }
-		set { Bool("CurrentlyRecording", newValue) }
+}
+
+
+// MARK: - Recording State
+
+enum CurrentRecordingState : Int {
+	case Off = 0, App = 1, Background = 2
+}
+
+extension PrefsShared {
+	static var CurrentlyRecording: CurrentRecordingState {
+		get { CurrentRecordingState(rawValue: Int("CurrentlyRecording")) ?? .Off }
+		set { Int("CurrentlyRecording", newValue.rawValue) }
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/main/DB/DBExtensions.swift b/main/DB/DBExtensions.swift
index 3731ebb..dcabcdd 100644
--- a/main/DB/DBExtensions.swift
+++ b/main/DB/DBExtensions.swift
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ extension Recording {
 	var fallbackTitle: String { get {
 		isLongTerm ? "Background Recording" : "Unnamed Recording #\(id)"
 	} }
-	var duration: Timestamp? { get { stop == nil ? nil : stop! - start } }
-	var isLongTerm: Bool { (duration ?? 0) > Timestamp.hours(1) }
+	var duration: Timestamp { get { stop ?? .now() - start } }
+	var isLongTerm: Bool { duration > Timestamp.hours(1) }
 	var isShared: Bool { uploadkey?.count ?? 0 > 0}
 }
 
diff --git a/main/Extensions/Time.swift b/main/Extensions/Time.swift
index feb3cd1..80ec882 100644
--- a/main/Extensions/Time.swift
+++ b/main/Extensions/Time.swift
@@ -86,17 +86,21 @@ struct TimeFormat {
 	}
 	
 	/// Duration string with format `mm:ss` or `mm:ss.SSS`
-	static func from(_ duration: TimeInterval, millis: Bool = false) -> String {
+	static func from(_ duration: TimeInterval, millis: Bool = false, hours: Bool = false) -> String {
 		let t = Int(duration)
+		let min = t / 60
+		let sec = t % 60
 		if millis {
 			let mil = Int(duration * 1000) % 1000
-			return String(format: "%02d:%02d.%03d", t / 60, t % 60, mil)
+			return String(format: "%02d:%02d.%03d", min, sec, mil)
+		} else if hours {
+			return String(format: "%02d:%02d:%02d", min / 60, min % 60, sec)
 		}
-		return String(format: "%02d:%02d", t / 60, t % 60)
+		return String(format: "%02d:%02d", min, sec)
 	}
 	
-	/// Duration string with format `mm:ss` or `mm:ss.SSS` since reference date
-	static func since(_ date: Date, millis: Bool = false) -> String {
-		from(Date().timeIntervalSince(date), millis: millis)
+	/// Duration string with format `mm:ss` or `mm:ss.SSS` or `HH:mm:ss` since reference date
+	static func since(_ date: Date, millis: Bool = false, hours: Bool = false) -> String {
+		from(Date().timeIntervalSince(date), millis: millis, hours: hours)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/main/GUI/Base.lproj/Recordings.storyboard b/main/GUI/Base.lproj/Recordings.storyboard
index 82946a5..f7f7935 100644
--- a/main/GUI/Base.lproj/Recordings.storyboard
+++ b/main/GUI/Base.lproj/Recordings.storyboard
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
                                         <rect key="frame" x="0.0" y="95" width="320" height="54.5"/>
                                         <subviews>
                                             <label opaque="NO" userInteractionEnabled="NO" contentMode="left" horizontalHuggingPriority="251" verticalHuggingPriority="251" text="00:00.000" textAlignment="center" lineBreakMode="tailTruncation" baselineAdjustment="alignBaselines" adjustsFontSizeToFit="NO" translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints="NO" id="rbR-np-cXD">
-                                                <rect key="frame" x="8" y="8" width="200" height="38"/>
+                                                <rect key="frame" x="8" y="8" width="200" height="38.5"/>
                                                 <accessibility key="accessibilityConfiguration">
                                                     <accessibilityTraits key="traits" staticText="YES" updatesFrequently="YES"/>
                                                 </accessibility>
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
                                                 <nil key="highlightedColor"/>
                                             </label>
                                             <button opaque="NO" contentMode="scaleToFill" contentHorizontalAlignment="center" contentVerticalAlignment="center" buttonType="roundedRect" lineBreakMode="middleTruncation" translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints="NO" id="vAq-EZ-Gmx">
-                                                <rect key="frame" x="212" y="8" width="100" height="38"/>
+                                                <rect key="frame" x="212" y="8" width="100" height="38.5"/>
                                                 <fontDescription key="fontDescription" style="UICTFontTextStyleTitle2"/>
                                                 <state key="normal" title="Stop">
                                                     <color key="titleColor" systemColor="systemRedColor" red="1" green="0.23137254900000001" blue="0.18823529410000001" alpha="1" colorSpace="custom" customColorSpace="sRGB"/>
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@
                         <outlet property="buttonView" destination="La3-9e-6TK" id="UMg-xx-6OV"/>
                         <outlet property="headerView" destination="ppJ-js-Wwz" id="68u-8M-R2Q"/>
                         <outlet property="runningView" destination="9Yj-FX-eFd" id="L2C-YR-2HN"/>
+                        <outlet property="stopButton" destination="vAq-EZ-Gmx" id="XiW-1H-I9y"/>
                         <outlet property="timeLabel" destination="rbR-np-cXD" id="EEe-8F-HT6"/>
                     </connections>
                 </viewController>
diff --git a/main/GlassVPN.swift b/main/GlassVPN.swift
index 67595e9..e1acb49 100644
--- a/main/GlassVPN.swift
+++ b/main/GlassVPN.swift
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ struct VPNAppMessage {
 		.init("notify-prefs-change:1")
 	}
 	/// Triggered whenever user taps on the start/stop recording button
-	static func isRecording(_ state: Bool) -> Self {
-		.init("recording-now:\(state ? 1 : 0)")
+	static func isRecording(_ state: CurrentRecordingState) -> Self {
+		.init("recording-now:\(state.rawValue)")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/main/GlassVPNHook.swift b/main/GlassVPNHook.swift
index 61a4434..1023411 100644
--- a/main/GlassVPNHook.swift
+++ b/main/GlassVPNHook.swift
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class GlassVPNHook {
 		reloadDomainFilter()
 		setAutoDelete(PrefsShared.AutoDeleteLogsDays)
 		cachedNotify = CachedConnectionAlert()
-		currentlyRecording = PrefsShared.CurrentlyRecording
+		currentlyRecording = PrefsShared.CurrentlyRecording != .Off
 	}
 	
 	/// Invalidate auto-delete timer and release stored properties. You should nullify this instance afterwards.
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ class GlassVPNHook {
 				cachedNotify = CachedConnectionAlert()
 				return
 			case "recording-now":
-				currentlyRecording = value == "1"
+				let newState = CurrentRecordingState(rawValue: Int(value) ?? 0)
+				currentlyRecording = newState != .Off
 				return
 			default: break
 			}
diff --git a/main/Recordings/TVCPreviousRecords.swift b/main/Recordings/TVCPreviousRecords.swift
index 71312dc..f274a05 100644
--- a/main/Recordings/TVCPreviousRecords.swift
+++ b/main/Recordings/TVCPreviousRecords.swift
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class TVCPreviousRecords: UITableViewController, EditActionsRemove {
 		let x = dataSource[indexPath.row]
 		cell.textLabel?.text = x.title ?? x.fallbackTitle
 		cell.textLabel?.textColor = (x.title == nil) ? .systemGray : nil
-		cell.detailTextLabel?.text = "\(x.isShared ? "✅ " : "")at \(DateFormat.minutes(x.start)),  duration: \(TimeFormat.from(x.duration ?? 0))"
+		cell.detailTextLabel?.text = "\(x.isShared ? "✅ " : "")at \(DateFormat.minutes(x.start)),  duration: \(TimeFormat.from(x.duration))"
 		cell.imageView?.image = x.isLongTerm ? nil : BundleIcon.image(x.appId)
 		cell.imageView?.layer.cornerRadius = 6.75
 		cell.imageView?.layer.masksToBounds = true
diff --git a/main/Recordings/VCEditRecording.swift b/main/Recordings/VCEditRecording.swift
index 7e64278..266d6d8 100644
--- a/main/Recordings/VCEditRecording.swift
+++ b/main/Recordings/VCEditRecording.swift
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class VCEditRecording: UIViewController, UITextFieldDelegate, UITextViewDelegate
 		inputDetails.text = """
 			Start:		\(DateFormat.seconds(record.start))
 			End:		\(record.stop == nil ? "?" : DateFormat.seconds(record.stop!))
-			Duration:	\(TimeFormat.from(record.duration ?? 0))
+			Duration:	\(TimeFormat.from(record.duration))
 			"""
 		validateSaveButton()
 		if deleteOnCancel { // mark as destructive
diff --git a/main/Recordings/VCRecordings.swift b/main/Recordings/VCRecordings.swift
index 0368370..55ddbc7 100644
--- a/main/Recordings/VCRecordings.swift
+++ b/main/Recordings/VCRecordings.swift
@@ -3,17 +3,22 @@ import UIKit
 class VCRecordings: UIViewController, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
 	private var currentRecording: Recording?
 	private var recordingTimer: Timer?
+	private var state: CurrentRecordingState = .Off
 	
 	@IBOutlet private var headerView: UIView!
 	@IBOutlet private var buttonView: UIView!
 	@IBOutlet private var runningView: UIView!
 	@IBOutlet private var timeLabel: UILabel!
+	@IBOutlet private var stopButton: UIButton!
 	
 	override func viewDidLoad() {
 		timeLabel.font = timeLabel.font.monoSpace()
 		if let ongoing = RecordingsDB.getCurrent() {
 			currentRecording = ongoing
-			startTimer(animate: false)
+			// Currently this class is the only one that changes the state,
+			// if that ever changes, make sure to update local state as well
+			state = PrefsShared.CurrentlyRecording
+			startTimer(animate: false, longterm: state == .Background)
 		} else { // hide timer if not running
 			updateUI(setRecording: false, animated: false)
 		}
@@ -50,44 +55,36 @@ class VCRecordings: UIViewController, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
 		}
 		currentRecording = RecordingsDB.startNew()
 		QLog.Debug("start recording #\(currentRecording!.id)")
-		startTimer(animate: true)
-		notifyVPN(setRecording: true)
+		let longterm = sender.selectedSegmentIndex == 1
+		startTimer(animate: true, longterm: longterm)
+		notifyVPN(setRecording: longterm ? .Background : .App)
 	}
 	
 	@IBAction private func stopRecording(_ sender: UIButton) {
-		notifyVPN(setRecording: false)
-		stopTimer(animate: true)
-		RecordingsDB.stop(&currentRecording!)
+		let validRecording = (state == .Background) == currentRecording!.isLongTerm
+		notifyVPN(setRecording: .Off) // will change state = .Off
+		stopTimer()
 		QLog.Debug("stop recording #\(currentRecording!.id)")
-		let editVC = (children.first as! TVCPreviousRecords)
-		editVC.insertAndEditRecording(currentRecording!)
+		RecordingsDB.stop(&currentRecording!)
+		if validRecording {
+			let editVC = (children.first as! TVCPreviousRecords)
+			editVC.insertAndEditRecording(currentRecording!)
+		} else {
+			QLog.Debug("Discard illegal recording #\(currentRecording!.id)")
+			RecordingsDB.delete(currentRecording!)
+		}
 		currentRecording = nil // otherwise it will restart
 	}
 	
-	private func notifyVPN(setRecording state: Bool) {
+	private func notifyVPN(setRecording state: CurrentRecordingState) {
 		PrefsShared.CurrentlyRecording = state
+		self.state = state
 		GlassVPN.send(.isRecording(state))
 	}
 	
-	private func startTimer(animate: Bool) {
-		guard let r = currentRecording, r.stop == nil else {
-			return
-		}
-		recordingTimer = Timer.repeating(0.086, call: #selector(timerCallback(_:)), on: self, userInfo: Date(r.start))
-		updateUI(setRecording: true, animated: animate)
-	}
-	
-	@objc private func timerCallback(_ sender: Timer) {
-		timeLabel.text = TimeFormat.since(sender.userInfo as! Date, millis: true)
-	}
-	
-	private func stopTimer(animate: Bool) {
-		recordingTimer?.invalidate()
-		recordingTimer = nil
-		updateUI(setRecording: false, animated: animate)
-	}
-	
 	private func updateUI(setRecording: Bool, animated: Bool) {
+		stopButton.tag = 99 // tag used in timerCallback()
+		stopButton.setTitle("", for: .normal) // prevent flashing while animating in and out
 		let block = {
 			self.headerView.isHidden = setRecording
 			self.buttonView.isHidden = setRecording
@@ -96,6 +93,34 @@ class VCRecordings: UIViewController, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
 		animated ? UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.3, animations: block) : block()
 	}
 	
+	private func startTimer(animate: Bool, longterm: Bool) {
+		guard let r = currentRecording, r.stop == nil else {
+			return
+		}
+		updateUI(setRecording: true, animated: animate)
+		let freq = longterm ? 1 : 0.086
+		let obj = (longterm, Date(r.start))
+		recordingTimer = Timer.repeating(freq, call: #selector(timerCallback(_:)), on: self, userInfo: obj)
+		recordingTimer!.fire() // update label immediately
+	}
+	
+	private func stopTimer() {
+		recordingTimer?.invalidate()
+		recordingTimer = nil
+		updateUI(setRecording: false, animated: true)
+	}
+	
+	@objc private func timerCallback(_ sender: Timer) {
+		let (slow, start) = sender.userInfo as! (Bool, Date)
+		timeLabel.text = TimeFormat.since(start, millis: !slow, hours: slow)
+		let valid = slow == currentRecording!.isLongTerm
+		let validInt = (valid ? 1 : 0)
+		if stopButton.tag != validInt {
+			stopButton.tag = validInt
+			stopButton.setTitle(valid ? "Stop" : slow ? "Cancel" : "Discard", for: .normal)
+		}
+	}
+	
 	
 	// MARK: Tutorial View Controller
 	
@@ -103,13 +128,21 @@ class VCRecordings: UIViewController, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
 		let x = TutorialSheet()
 		x.addSheet().addArrangedSubview(QuickUI.text(attributed: NSMutableAttributedString()
 			.h1("How to record?\n")
-			.normal("\nBefore you begin a new recording make sure that you quit all running applications. " +
-				"Tap on the 'Start Recording' button and switch to the application you'd like to inspect. " +
-				"Use the App as you would normally. Try to get to all corners and functionality the App provides. " +
-				"When you feel that you have captured enough content, come back to ").italic("AppCheck").normal(" and stop the recording." +
-				"\n\n" +
-				"Upon completion you will find your recording in the section below. " +
-				"You can review your results and remove user specific information if necessary.")
+			.normal("\nThere are two types: specific app recordings and general background activity. " +
+					"The former are usually 3 – 5 minutes long, the latter need to be at least an hour long.")
+			.h2("\n\nApp recording\n")
+			.normal("Before you begin make sure that you quit all running applications and wait a few seconds. " +
+					"Tap on the 'App' recording button and switch to the application you'd like to inspect. " +
+					"Use the App as you would normally. Try to get to all corners and functionality the App provides. " +
+					"When you feel that you have captured enough content, come back to ").italic("AppCheck").normal(" and stop the recording.")
+			.h2("\n\nBackground recording\n")
+			.normal("Will answer one simple question: What communications happen while you aren't using your device. " +
+					"You should solely start a background recording when you know you aren't going to use your device in the near future. " +
+					"For example, before you go to bed.\n" +
+					"As soon as you start using your device, you should stop the recording to avoid distorting the results.")
+			.h2("\n\nFinish\n")
+			.normal("Upon completion you will find your recording in the section below. " +
+					"You can review your results and remove any user specific information if necessary.\n")
 		))
 		x.buttonTitleDone = "Close"
 		x.present()
@@ -120,10 +153,10 @@ class VCRecordings: UIViewController, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
 		x.addSheet().addArrangedSubview(QuickUI.text(attributed: NSMutableAttributedString()
 			.h1("What are Recordings?\n")
 			.normal("\nSimilar to the default logging, recordings will intercept every request and log it for later review. " +
-				"Recordings are usually 3 – 5 minutes long and cover a single application. " +
-				"You can utilize recordings for App analysis or to get a ground truth for background traffic." +
+				"App recordings are usually 3 – 5 minutes long and cover a single application. " +
+				"You can utilize recordings for App analysis or to get a ground truth on background traffic." +
 				"\n\n" +
-				"Optionally, you can help us by providing app specific recordings. " +
+				"Optionally, you can help us by providing your app specific recordings. " +
 				"Together with your findings we can create a community driven privacy monitor. " +
 				"The research results will help you and others avoid Apps that unnecessarily share data with third-party providers.")
 		))
diff --git a/main/Recordings/VCShareRecording.swift b/main/Recordings/VCShareRecording.swift
index 1e45466..2c3bfd5 100644
--- a/main/Recordings/VCShareRecording.swift
+++ b/main/Recordings/VCShareRecording.swift
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class VCShareRecording : UIViewController {
 		let start = record.start
 		let comp = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.weekOfYear, .yearForWeekOfYear], from: Date(start))
 		let wkYear = "\(comp.yearForWeekOfYear ?? 0).\(comp.weekOfYear ?? 0)"
-		let lenSec = record.duration ?? 0
+		let lenSec = record.duration
 		
 		let res = RecordingsDB.details(record)
 		var cluster: [String : [Timestamp]] = [:]