diff --git a/Sources/Kapture/CaptureController.swift b/Sources/Kapture/CaptureController.swift
index 95e0691..e2cae29 100644
--- a/Sources/Kapture/CaptureController.swift
+++ b/Sources/Kapture/CaptureController.swift
@@ -262,9 +262,21 @@ final class CaptureController: NSObject {
         return nil
     }
 
+    /// System dialogs (permission prompts, System Settings) must always
+    /// receive their clicks even while we're selecting.
+    private func isSystemDialogFrontmost() -> Bool {
+        guard let front = NSWorkspace.shared.frontmostApplication else { return false }
+        let id = front.bundleIdentifier ?? ""
+        return id.hasPrefix("com.apple.security") || id.hasPrefix("com.apple.SystemSettings") || id == "com.apple.systempreferences"
+    }
+
     /// Returns the event to pass through, or nil to consume it.
     func handleTap(_ type: CGEventType, _ event: CGEvent) -> CGEvent? {
         guard isSelecting else { return event }
+        if isSystemDialogFrontmost() {
+            CaptureController.log("tap: system dialog frontmost — passing through \(type)")
+            return event
+        }
 
         switch type {
         case .tapDisabledByUserInput, .tapDisabledByTimeout:
diff --git a/Sources/Kapture/OverlayView.swift b/Sources/Kapture/OverlayView.swift
index 3969558..8a59387 100644
--- a/Sources/Kapture/OverlayView.swift
+++ b/Sources/Kapture/OverlayView.swift
@@ -57,6 +57,23 @@ final class OverlayView: NSView {
         NSColor.black.withAlphaComponent(0.35).setFill()
         NSBezierPath(rect: bounds).fill()
 
+        // Esc hint — the only way out once clicks are consumed by the tap.
+        let hint = "Drag to select · hover + click a window to capture it · Esc to cancel"
+        let hintAttrs: [NSAttributedString.Key: Any] = [
+            .font: NSFont.monospacedSystemFont(ofSize: 12, weight: .medium),
+            .foregroundColor: NSColor.white.withAlphaComponent(0.85),
+        ]
+        let hintSize = hint.size(withAttributes: hintAttrs)
+        let hintRect = NSRect(
+            x: (bounds.width - hintSize.width) / 2 - 10,
+            y: bounds.height - 46,
+            width: hintSize.width + 20,
+            height: hintSize.height + 12
+        )
+        NSColor.black.withAlphaComponent(0.65).setFill()
+        NSBezierPath(roundedRect: hintRect, xRadius: 8, yRadius: 8).fill()
+        hint.draw(at: NSPoint(x: hintRect.minX + 10, y: hintRect.minY + 6), withAttributes: hintAttrs)
+
         guard let controller else { return }
 
         // Highlight the hovered window (rounded, like real window corners)
diff --git a/build-app.sh b/build-app.sh
index 04ab41e..9b3f421 100755
--- a/build-app.sh
+++ b/build-app.sh
@@ -108,9 +108,9 @@ cat > "$APP/Contents/Info.plist" <<'PLIST'
     <key>CFBundleIconFile</key>
     <string>Icon</string>
     <key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
-    <string>1.8.6</string>
+    <string>1.8.7</string>
     <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
-    <string>86</string>
+    <string>87</string>
     <key>LSUIElement</key>
     <true/>
     <key>NSHighResolutionCapable</key>