diff --git a/linux/install.sh b/linux/install.sh
index 4577cca..cc90f90 100755
--- a/linux/install.sh
+++ b/linux/install.sh
@@ -1,49 +1,75 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Set up Blitztext for Linux: create a venv, install deps, check host tools,
-# and write the default config. Run from the linux/ directory.
+# Install Blitztext for Linux (no root needed).
+#
+# Creates a self-contained venv at ~/.local/lib/blitztext (outside any CIFS
+# share, using --copies so no symlinks are needed), copies the package into it,
+# and writes a launcher to ~/.local/bin/blitztext. The source folder can be
+# deleted after this script finishes.
 set -euo pipefail
 
 cd "$(dirname "$0")"
-VENV=".venv"
+APPDIR="$HOME/.local/lib/blitztext"
+VENV="$APPDIR/venv"
+BIN="$HOME/.local/bin/blitztext"
 
 echo "==> Checking host tools"
 need_pkg=()
-command -v xdotool   >/dev/null || need_pkg+=("xdotool")
+command -v xdotool    >/dev/null || need_pkg+=("xdotool")
 command -v notify-send >/dev/null || need_pkg+=("libnotify-bin")
 if ! command -v pw-record >/dev/null && ! command -v arecord >/dev/null && ! command -v parecord >/dev/null; then
-  need_pkg+=("pipewire-bin (or alsa-utils)")
+    need_pkg+=("pipewire-bin (or alsa-utils)")
 fi
-if ((${#need_pkg[@]})); then
-  echo "   Missing host tools: ${need_pkg[*]}"
-  echo "   On Ubuntu/Debian:  sudo apt install xdotool libnotify-bin pipewire-bin"
-  echo "   (continuing — install them before running the daemon)"
+if (( ${#need_pkg[@]} )); then
+    echo "   Missing host tools: ${need_pkg[*]}"
+    echo "   On Ubuntu/Debian:  sudo apt install xdotool libnotify-bin pipewire-bin"
+    echo "   (continuing — install them before running the app)"
 fi
 
-# --system-site-packages lets the venv see an apt-installed PyGObject (python3-gi)
-# for the optional system-tray mode; harmless if it's not installed.
 echo "==> Creating venv at $VENV"
-python3 -m venv --system-site-packages "$VENV"
+mkdir -p "$APPDIR"
+# --copies avoids lib64->lib symlinks that fail on CIFS/SMB shares.
+# --system-site-packages lets the venv see apt-installed python3-gi for the tray.
+python3 -m venv --copies --system-site-packages "$VENV"
 "$VENV/bin/pip" install --upgrade pip -q
-"$VENV/bin/pip" install -r requirements.txt
+"$VENV/bin/pip" install -q -r requirements.txt
+
+echo "==> Installing blitztext package"
+# Copy the package into site-packages so this source folder can be deleted.
+cp -r blitztext "$VENV/lib/python"*/site-packages/
 
 echo "==> Writing default config (if absent)"
 "$VENV/bin/python" -m blitztext config-path
 
+echo "==> Installing launcher → $BIN"
+mkdir -p "$(dirname "$BIN")"
+cat > "$BIN" <<EOF
+#!/bin/sh
+exec "$VENV/bin/python" -m blitztext "\$@"
+EOF
+chmod +x "$BIN"
+
+# Copy icons to hicolor so the app shows up properly in the tray / launcher.
+ICON_DIR="$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor"
+PKG_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
+for s in 32 48 64 128 256; do
+    SRC="$PKG_DIR/packaging/blitztext_${s}.png"
+    if [ -f "$SRC" ]; then
+        DEST="$ICON_DIR/${s}x${s}/apps/blitztext.png"
+        mkdir -p "$(dirname "$DEST")"
+        cp "$SRC" "$DEST"
+    fi
+done
+gtk-update-icon-cache -qf "$ICON_DIR" 2>/dev/null || true
+
 cat <<EOF
 
-Done. To start it:
+Done! Blitztext is installed at $APPDIR
 
-  $VENV/bin/python -m blitztext tray   # system tray (needs: sudo apt install python3-gi)
-  $VENV/bin/python -m blitztext gui    # control-panel window
-  $VENV/bin/python -m blitztext run    # headless, hotkeys only
+Start it:
+  blitztext tray    # system tray
+  blitztext gui     # control-panel window
 
-Edit your config (hotkeys, Whisper model, rewrite endpoint) at:
+(Make sure ~/.local/bin is in your PATH — it is by default on Ubuntu.)
 
-  \$($VENV/bin/python -m blitztext config-path)
-
-For the rewrite workflows, export your key first, e.g.:
-
-  export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
-
-To run it in the background on login, see blitztext.service in this folder.
+You can now delete the source folder if you cloned it just for installation.
 EOF