diff --git a/Wino.Core.Domain/Interfaces/IPreferencesService.cs b/Wino.Core.Domain/Interfaces/IPreferencesService.cs
index cde1ca06..7134e44d 100644
--- a/Wino.Core.Domain/Interfaces/IPreferencesService.cs
+++ b/Wino.Core.Domain/Interfaces/IPreferencesService.cs
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ public interface IPreferencesService : INotifyPropertyChanged
     /// </summary>
     bool IsStoreUpdateNotificationsEnabled { get; set; }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Setting: Whether the system tray icon should be created while the shell is available.
+    /// </summary>
+    bool IsSystemTrayIconEnabled { get; set; }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Setting: Whether the Wino account profile button in the shell title bar should be hidden.
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/Wino.Mail.WinUI/App.xaml.cs b/Wino.Mail.WinUI/App.xaml.cs
index 60e17e66..a230b9ae 100644
--- a/Wino.Mail.WinUI/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/Wino.Mail.WinUI/App.xaml.cs
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
                      ?? windowManager.GetWindow(WinoWindowKind.Shell)
                      ?? windowManager.GetWindow(WinoWindowKind.Welcome);
 
+        if (window is IWinoShellWindow)
+        {
+            DisposeTrayIcon();
+        }
+
         InitializeNavigationDispatcher();
     }
 
@@ -159,6 +164,37 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
         _trayIcon.Create();
     }
 
+    private void DisposeTrayIcon()
+    {
+        _trayIcon?.Dispose();
+        _trayIcon = null;
+    }
+
+    private void EnsurePreferenceChangedSubscription()
+    {
+        if (_preferencesService == null)
+            return;
+
+        _preferencesService.PreferenceChanged -= PreferencesServiceChanged;
+        _preferencesService.PreferenceChanged += PreferencesServiceChanged;
+    }
+
+    private bool ShouldCreateTrayIcon()
+        => _hasConfiguredAccounts &&
+           HasShellWindow() &&
+           (_preferencesService?.IsSystemTrayIconEnabled ?? true);
+
+    private void UpdateTrayIconState(bool allowCreation)
+    {
+        if (!allowCreation || !ShouldCreateTrayIcon())
+        {
+            DisposeTrayIcon();
+            return;
+        }
+
+        EnsureTrayIconCreated();
+    }
+
     private IReadOnlyList<NativeTrayIcon.NativeTrayMenuItem> BuildTrayMenu()
     {
         List<NativeTrayIcon.NativeTrayMenuItem> items =
@@ -268,6 +304,7 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
         if (windowManager.GetWindow(WinoWindowKind.Shell) is not ShellWindow shellWindow)
             return;
 
+        DisposeTrayIcon();
         windowManager.HideWindow(shellWindow);
         if (ReferenceEquals(MainWindow, shellWindow))
         {
@@ -289,6 +326,8 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
         {
             await NewThemeService.ApplyThemeToActiveWindowAsync();
         }
+
+        UpdateTrayIconState(window is IWinoShellWindow);
     }
 
     private Task ExitApplicationAsync()
@@ -303,8 +342,7 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
             return;
 
         _isExiting = true;
-        _trayIcon?.Dispose();
-        _trayIcon = null;
+        DisposeTrayIcon();
 
         Services.GetRequiredService<IWinoWindowManager>().CloseAllWindows();
         Application.Current.Exit();
@@ -476,12 +514,10 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
                 return;
 
             EnsureWindowManagerConfigured();
-            EnsureTrayIconCreated();
+            EnsurePreferenceChangedSubscription();
 
             if (_hasConfiguredAccounts)
             {
-                _preferencesService!.PreferenceChanged -= PreferencesServiceChanged;
-                _preferencesService.PreferenceChanged += PreferencesServiceChanged;
                 RestartAutoSynchronizationLoop();
             }
 
@@ -942,11 +978,16 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
 
         if (isStartupTaskLaunch)
         {
+            UpdateTrayIconState(allowCreation: true);
             LogActivation("Launched by startup task. Window created but hidden (system tray only).");
             return;
         }
 
-        MainWindow?.Activate();
+        if (MainWindow is WindowEx window)
+        {
+            await ActivateWindowAsync(window, applyThemeToWindow: false);
+        }
+
         LogActivation("Window created and activated.");
     }
 
@@ -1186,8 +1227,10 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
         // Initialize theme service after window is created.
         await NewThemeService.InitializeAsync();
 
-        if (MainWindow != null)
-            Services.GetRequiredService<IWinoWindowManager>().ActivateWindow(MainWindow);
+        if (MainWindow is WindowEx window)
+        {
+            await ActivateWindowAsync(window, applyThemeToWindow: false);
+        }
 
         LogActivation("Window created and activated.");
     }
@@ -1398,6 +1441,7 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
     public void Receive(AccountCreatedMessage message)
     {
         _hasConfiguredAccounts = true;
+        EnsurePreferenceChangedSubscription();
 
         var windowManager = Services.GetRequiredService<IWinoWindowManager>();
 
@@ -1436,11 +1480,7 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
 
         MainWindow?.DispatcherQueue?.TryEnqueue(async () =>
         {
-            if (_preferencesService != null)
-            {
-                _preferencesService.PreferenceChanged -= PreferencesServiceChanged;
-                _preferencesService.PreferenceChanged += PreferencesServiceChanged;
-            }
+            EnsurePreferenceChangedSubscription();
 
             CreateWindow(
                 null,
@@ -1484,6 +1524,7 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
             // All accounts removed — go back to welcome wizard from step 1
             Services.GetRequiredService<WelcomeWizardContext>().Reset();
             StopAutoSynchronizationLoop();
+            UpdateTrayIconState(allowCreation: false);
             CloseShellWindowIfPresent();
             CreateWelcomeWindow();
             if (MainWindow != null)
@@ -1577,10 +1618,16 @@ public partial class App : WinoApplication,
 
     private void PreferencesServiceChanged(object? sender, string propertyName)
     {
-        if (propertyName != nameof(IPreferencesService.EmailSyncIntervalMinutes))
+        if (propertyName == nameof(IPreferencesService.EmailSyncIntervalMinutes))
+        {
+            RestartAutoSynchronizationLoop();
             return;
+        }
 
-        RestartAutoSynchronizationLoop();
+        if (propertyName == nameof(IPreferencesService.IsSystemTrayIconEnabled))
+        {
+            UpdateTrayIconState(allowCreation: true);
+        }
     }
 
     private void RestartAutoSynchronizationLoop()
diff --git a/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Services/PreferencesService.cs b/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Services/PreferencesService.cs
index d7d3feb3..0abced6c 100644
--- a/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Services/PreferencesService.cs
+++ b/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Services/PreferencesService.cs
@@ -387,6 +387,12 @@ public class PreferencesService(IConfigurationService configurationService) : Ob
         set => SetPropertyAndSave(nameof(IsStoreUpdateNotificationsEnabled), value);
     }
 
+    public bool IsSystemTrayIconEnabled
+    {
+        get => _configurationService.Get(nameof(IsSystemTrayIconEnabled), true);
+        set => SetPropertyAndSave(nameof(IsSystemTrayIconEnabled), value);
+    }
+
     public bool IsWinoAccountButtonHidden
     {
         get => _configurationService.Get(nameof(IsWinoAccountButtonHidden), false);
diff --git a/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Views/Settings/AppPreferencesPage.xaml b/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Views/Settings/AppPreferencesPage.xaml
index 798e1c5c..aae7fdd3 100644
--- a/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Views/Settings/AppPreferencesPage.xaml
+++ b/Wino.Mail.WinUI/Views/Settings/AppPreferencesPage.xaml
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@
                 </controls:SettingsCard.HeaderIcon>
             </controls:SettingsCard>
 
+            <controls:SettingsCard Description="{x:Bind domain:Translator.SettingsAppPreferences_ServerBackgroundingMode_MinimizeTray_Description}" Header="{x:Bind domain:Translator.SettingsAppPreferences_ServerBackgroundingMode_MinimizeTray_Title}">
+                <ToggleSwitch IsOn="{x:Bind ViewModel.PreferencesService.IsSystemTrayIconEnabled, Mode=TwoWay}" />
+                <controls:SettingsCard.HeaderIcon>
+                    <FontIcon FontFamily="{StaticResource SymbolThemeFontFamily}" Glyph="&#xE7F4;" />
+                </controls:SettingsCard.HeaderIcon>
+            </controls:SettingsCard>
+
 
             <controls:SettingsCard Description="{x:Bind domain:Translator.SettingsAppPreferences_StoreUpdateNotifications_Description}" Header="{x:Bind domain:Translator.SettingsAppPreferences_StoreUpdateNotifications_Title}">
                 <ToggleSwitch IsOn="{x:Bind ViewModel.PreferencesService.IsStoreUpdateNotificationsEnabled, Mode=TwoWay}" />