diff --git a/public/css/main.css b/public/css/main.css
index 740d055..d42530d 100644
--- a/public/css/main.css
+++ b/public/css/main.css
@@ -776,6 +776,60 @@ h4 {
   gap: var(--space-sm);
 }
 
+.laya-progress {
+  margin-top: var(--space-md);
+}
+
+.laya-progress-track {
+  position: relative;
+  height: 8px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  background: var(--color-bg-secondary);
+}
+
+.laya-progress-bar {
+  display: block;
+  width: 0;
+  height: 100%;
+  border-radius: inherit;
+  background: var(--color-accent);
+  transition: width var(--transition-fast);
+}
+
+.laya-progress-track.indeterminate .laya-progress-bar {
+  width: 35%;
+  animation: laya-progress-indeterminate 1.2s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes laya-progress-indeterminate {
+  from { transform: translateX(-120%); }
+  to { transform: translateX(360%); }
+}
+
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .laya-progress-track.indeterminate .laya-progress-bar {
+    animation: none;
+    width: 100%;
+    opacity: .45;
+  }
+}
+
+.laya-details-toggle {
+  margin-top: var(--space-sm);
+  padding-left: 0;
+}
+
+.laya-error-details {
+  margin-top: var(--space-xs);
+  padding: var(--space-sm);
+  border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  background: var(--color-bg-secondary);
+  color: var(--color-text-muted);
+  white-space: pre-wrap;
+  overflow-wrap: anywhere;
+}
+
 .laya-model-actions {
   justify-content: flex-start;
   margin: var(--space-md) 0;
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 47dfdea..cba891e 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   <title>nodecast-tv | IPTV Player</title>
   <meta name="description" content="Stream live TV, movies, and series with EPG support">
   <link rel="icon" type="image/svg+xml" href="/favicon.svg">
-  <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/main.css?v=3">
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/main.css?v=4">
   <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
   <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
   <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@400;500;600;700&family=Outfit:wght@800&display=swap"
@@ -489,9 +489,18 @@
                     <span id="laya-model-size" class="setting-hint"></span>
                   </div>
                   <div id="laya-model-message" class="setting-hint"></div>
+                  <div id="laya-download-progress" class="laya-progress" hidden>
+                    <div id="laya-progress-track" class="laya-progress-track" role="progressbar" aria-label="Local AI model download progress">
+                      <span id="laya-progress-bar" class="laya-progress-bar"></span>
+                    </div>
+                    <div id="laya-progress-text" class="setting-hint"></div>
+                  </div>
+                  <button type="button" class="btn btn-ghost laya-details-toggle" id="laya-show-details" aria-expanded="false" hidden>Show details</button>
+                  <pre id="laya-error-details" class="laya-error-details" hidden></pre>
                   <div class="laya-model-actions">
                     <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary" id="laya-download-model">Download model</button>
                     <button type="button" class="btn btn-ghost" id="laya-remove-model">Remove downloaded model</button>
+                    <button type="button" class="btn btn-ghost" id="laya-use-standard" hidden>Use Standard</button>
                   </div>
                   <p class="setting-hint">The model runs on this server. Channel names and metadata are not sent to an AI service.</p>
                 </div>
@@ -1171,6 +1180,7 @@
   <script src="/js/components/VideoPlayer.js?v=5"></script>
   <script src="/js/services/channelLanguageDetection.js?v=1"></script>
   <script src="/js/services/channelLanguageFusion.js?v=1"></script>
+  <script src="/js/services/layaStatusPresentation.js?v=1"></script>
   <script src="/js/services/channelVariantGrouping.js?v=4"></script>
   <script src="/js/components/ChannelList.js?v=7"></script>
   <script src="/js/components/SourceManager.js?v=2"></script>
@@ -1180,7 +1190,7 @@
   <script src="/js/pages/Guide.js?v=2"></script>
   <script src="/js/pages/MoviesPage.js?v=4"></script>
   <script src="/js/pages/SeriesPage.js?v=1"></script>
-  <script src="/js/pages/Settings.js?v=4"></script>
+  <script src="/js/pages/Settings.js?v=5"></script>
   <script src="/js/pages/WatchPage.js?v=1"></script>
   <script src="/js/app.js?v=4"></script>
   <script>
diff --git a/public/js/pages/Settings.js b/public/js/pages/Settings.js
index b29a5e9..44af86f 100644
--- a/public/js/pages/Settings.js
+++ b/public/js/pages/Settings.js
@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ class SettingsPage {
                 this.runLayaModelAction('remove');
             }
         });
+        document.getElementById('laya-use-standard')?.addEventListener('click', () => this.useStandardLanguageDetection());
+        document.getElementById('laya-show-details')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+            const details = document.getElementById('laya-error-details');
+            const button = document.getElementById('laya-show-details');
+            const expanded = button.getAttribute('aria-expanded') === 'true';
+            button.setAttribute('aria-expanded', String(!expanded));
+            details.hidden = expanded;
+        });
         void this.loadLayaStatus();
     }
 
@@ -135,6 +143,7 @@ class SettingsPage {
             this.layaStatus = { runtimeAvailable: false, modelPresent: false, error: err.message };
         }
         this.renderLayaStatus(this.layaStatus);
+        if (this.layaStatus?.downloading) this.startLayaStatusPolling();
         return this.layaStatus;
     }
 
@@ -144,25 +153,56 @@ class SettingsPage {
         const messageElement = document.getElementById('laya-model-message');
         const downloadButton = document.getElementById('laya-download-model');
         const removeButton = document.getElementById('laya-remove-model');
+        const useStandardButton = document.getElementById('laya-use-standard');
+        const progress = document.getElementById('laya-download-progress');
+        const progressTrack = document.getElementById('laya-progress-track');
+        const progressBar = document.getElementById('laya-progress-bar');
+        const progressText = document.getElementById('laya-progress-text');
+        const detailsButton = document.getElementById('laya-show-details');
+        const details = document.getElementById('laya-error-details');
         if (!statusElement) return;
 
-        const modelPresent = status.modelPresent === true;
-        const runtimeAvailable = status.runtimeAvailable === true;
-        statusElement.textContent = modelPresent
-            ? (runtimeAvailable ? 'Model ready' : 'Model downloaded · runtime unavailable')
-            : (runtimeAvailable ? 'Model not downloaded' : 'Local AI runtime unavailable');
-        const size = status.modelSizeBytes || status.sizeBytes || status.runtime?.modelSizeBytes;
-        sizeElement.textContent = size ? this.formatBytes(size) : '';
-        downloadButton.hidden = modelPresent;
-        removeButton.hidden = !modelPresent;
-        downloadButton.disabled = Boolean(this.layaOperationPending);
-        removeButton.disabled = Boolean(this.layaOperationPending);
-
         const mode = this.app.player?.settings?.languageDetectionMode || 'algo';
-        if (this.layaOperationPending) messageElement.textContent = this.layaOperationPending;
-        else if (mode !== 'algo' && (!modelPresent || !runtimeAvailable)) {
+        const presentation = LayaStatusPresentation.presentLayaStatus(status, mode);
+        statusElement.textContent = presentation.statusLabel;
+        const size = status.sizeBytes || status.runtime?.modelSizeBytes;
+        sizeElement.textContent = size ? this.formatBytes(size) : '';
+        downloadButton.hidden = !presentation.showDownload;
+        downloadButton.textContent = presentation.downloadLabel;
+        removeButton.hidden = !presentation.showRemove;
+        useStandardButton.hidden = !presentation.showUseStandard;
+        downloadButton.disabled = presentation.busy || Boolean(this.layaOperationPending);
+        removeButton.disabled = presentation.busy || Boolean(this.layaOperationPending);
+
+        progress.hidden = !presentation.showProgress;
+        progressTrack.classList.toggle('indeterminate', presentation.progressIndeterminate);
+        if (presentation.progressPercent !== null) {
+            progressTrack.setAttribute('aria-valuemin', '0');
+            progressTrack.setAttribute('aria-valuemax', '100');
+            progressTrack.setAttribute('aria-valuenow', String(presentation.progressPercent));
+            progressBar.style.width = `${presentation.progressPercent}%`;
+            progressText.textContent = `${presentation.progressPercent}%${presentation.bytesDownloaded !== null ? ` · ${this.formatBytes(presentation.bytesDownloaded)} downloaded` : ''}`;
+            progressTrack.setAttribute('aria-valuetext', progressText.textContent);
+        } else {
+            progressTrack.removeAttribute('aria-valuemin');
+            progressTrack.removeAttribute('aria-valuemax');
+            progressTrack.removeAttribute('aria-valuenow');
+            progressBar.style.width = '';
+            progressText.textContent = presentation.bytesDownloaded !== null
+                ? `${this.formatBytes(presentation.bytesDownloaded)} downloaded`
+                : 'Downloading…';
+            progressTrack.setAttribute('aria-valuetext', progressText.textContent);
+        }
+
+        detailsButton.hidden = !presentation.errorDetail;
+        detailsButton.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
+        details.hidden = true;
+        details.textContent = presentation.errorDetail;
+        if (presentation.errorMessage) messageElement.textContent = presentation.errorMessage;
+        else if (this.layaOperationPending) messageElement.textContent = this.layaOperationPending;
+        else if (mode !== 'algo' && (!status.modelPresent || !status.runtimeAvailable)) {
             messageElement.textContent = 'Local AI is not ready. Download the model and ensure the runtime is running. Live TV will remain available.';
-        } else messageElement.textContent = status.error || '';
+        } else messageElement.textContent = '';
     }
 
     formatBytes(bytes) {
@@ -176,24 +216,56 @@ class SettingsPage {
     async runLayaModelAction(action) {
         if (this.layaOperationPending) return;
         this.layaOperationPending = action === 'download' ? 'Downloading model…' : 'Removing model…';
+        this.layaStatus = {
+            ...(this.layaStatus || {}),
+            phase: action === 'download' ? 'preparing' : 'deleting',
+            downloading: action === 'download'
+        };
         this.renderLayaStatus(this.layaStatus);
-        const poll = setInterval(() => void this.loadLayaStatus(), 2000);
         try {
             this.layaStatus = action === 'download'
                 ? await API.laya.downloadModel('multilingual')
                 : await API.laya.removeModel();
+            this.layaOperationPending = '';
+            this.renderLayaStatus(this.layaStatus);
+            if (this.layaStatus?.downloading) this.startLayaStatusPolling();
+            else await this.loadLayaStatus();
         } catch (err) {
             this.layaStatus = { ...(this.layaStatus || {}), error: err.message };
-        } finally {
-            clearInterval(poll);
             this.layaOperationPending = '';
             await this.loadLayaStatus();
-            if (this.app.player.settings.languageDetectionMode !== 'algo') {
-                this.app.channelList.setLanguageDetectionMode(this.app.player.settings.languageDetectionMode);
-            }
         }
     }
 
+    startLayaStatusPolling() {
+        if (this.layaPollTimer) return;
+        this.layaPollTimer = setInterval(async () => {
+            if (this.layaPollInFlight) return;
+            this.layaPollInFlight = true;
+            try {
+                const status = await this.loadLayaStatus();
+                if (!status?.downloading && ['ready', 'failed', 'idle'].includes(status?.phase)) {
+                    clearInterval(this.layaPollTimer);
+                    this.layaPollTimer = null;
+                    if (status.phase === 'ready' && this.app.player.settings.languageDetectionMode !== 'algo') {
+                        this.app.channelList.setLanguageDetectionMode(this.app.player.settings.languageDetectionMode);
+                    }
+                }
+            } finally {
+                this.layaPollInFlight = false;
+            }
+        }, 1000);
+    }
+
+    useStandardLanguageDetection() {
+        const radio = document.querySelector('input[name="language-detection-mode"][value="algo"]');
+        if (radio) radio.checked = true;
+        this.app.player.settings.languageDetectionMode = 'algo';
+        this.app.player.saveSettings();
+        this.app.channelList.setLanguageDetectionMode('algo');
+        this.renderLayaStatus(this.layaStatus);
+    }
+
     async initTranscodingSettings() {
         // Encoder settings
         const hwEncoderSelect = document.getElementById('setting-hw-encoder');
diff --git a/public/js/services/layaStatusPresentation.js b/public/js/services/layaStatusPresentation.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7d443c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/js/services/layaStatusPresentation.js
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+(function (root, factory) {
+    const service = factory();
+    if (typeof module === 'object' && module.exports) module.exports = service;
+    if (root) root.LayaStatusPresentation = service;
+})(typeof globalThis !== 'undefined' ? globalThis : this, function () {
+    const PHASE_LABELS = {
+        idle: 'Model not downloaded',
+        checking: 'Checking local AI model…',
+        downloading: 'Downloading model…',
+        verifying: 'Verifying model…',
+        preparing: 'Preparing download…',
+        ready: 'Model ready',
+        failed: 'Model download failed',
+        deleting: 'Removing model…'
+    };
+
+    function errorParts(status) {
+        const value = status.error || status.lastError;
+        const fallback = status.lastError;
+        if (!value) return { message: '', detail: '' };
+        if (typeof value === 'string') return {
+            message: value,
+            detail: typeof fallback === 'object' ? String(fallback.detail || '') : ''
+        };
+        return {
+            message: String(value.message || 'The local AI model operation failed.'),
+            detail: String(value.detail || '')
+        };
+    }
+
+    function presentLayaStatus(status = {}, mode = 'algo') {
+        const phase = PHASE_LABELS[status.phase] ? status.phase : 'idle';
+        const busy = Boolean(status.downloading) || ['checking', 'downloading', 'verifying', 'preparing', 'deleting'].includes(phase);
+        const percentValue = Number(status.progressPercent);
+        const determined = phase === 'downloading' && status.progressPercent !== null &&
+            status.progressPercent !== undefined && Number.isFinite(percentValue);
+        const progressPercent = determined ? Math.max(0, Math.min(100, Math.round(percentValue))) : null;
+        const error = errorParts(status);
+        const failed = phase === 'failed';
+        return {
+            phase,
+            statusLabel: status.modelPresent && phase === 'idle'
+                ? (status.runtimeAvailable ? 'Model ready' : 'Model downloaded · runtime unavailable')
+                : PHASE_LABELS[phase],
+            busy,
+            showProgress: phase === 'downloading',
+            progressIndeterminate: phase === 'downloading' && progressPercent === null,
+            progressPercent,
+            bytesDownloaded: status.bytesDownloaded !== null && status.bytesDownloaded !== undefined && Number.isFinite(Number(status.bytesDownloaded))
+                ? Number(status.bytesDownloaded) : null,
+            totalBytes: status.totalBytes !== null && status.totalBytes !== undefined && Number.isFinite(Number(status.totalBytes))
+                ? Number(status.totalBytes) : null,
+            errorMessage: failed ? (error.message || 'The local AI model could not be downloaded.') : '',
+            errorDetail: failed ? error.detail : '',
+            downloadLabel: failed ? 'Retry download' : 'Download model',
+            showDownload: !busy && !status.modelPresent && (phase === 'idle' || failed),
+            showRemove: !busy && Boolean(status.modelPresent) && !failed,
+            showUseStandard: failed && mode !== 'algo'
+        };
+    }
+
+    return { presentLayaStatus };
+});
diff --git a/server/routes/laya.js b/server/routes/laya.js
index 62238da..88c0e87 100644
--- a/server/routes/laya.js
+++ b/server/routes/laya.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ router.get('/status', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
 
 router.post('/model/download', requireAuth, requireAdmin, async (req, res) => {
     try {
-        res.json(await laya.downloadModel(req.body?.model));
+        res.status(202).json(laya.startModelDownload(req.body?.model));
     } catch (error) {
         sendError(res, error);
     }
diff --git a/server/services/layaService.js b/server/services/layaService.js
index 3f3de5f..8939af1 100644
--- a/server/services/layaService.js
+++ b/server/services/layaService.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const MAX_BATCH_ITEMS = 64;
 const MAX_BATCH_BYTES = 64 * 1024;
 const MAX_TEXT_LENGTH = 4096;
 const ALLOWED_MODELS = new Set(['english', 'multilingual', 'typed-decisions']);
+const DOWNLOAD_TIMEOUT_MS = 30 * 60 * 1000;
 
 class LayaRequestError extends Error {
     constructor(message, statusCode = 503) {
@@ -62,6 +63,46 @@ async function clearDirectoryContents(directory) {
     }
 }
 
+async function directorySize(directory) {
+    let total = 0;
+    let entries;
+    try {
+        entries = await fs.readdir(directory, { withFileTypes: true });
+    } catch (error) {
+        if (error.code === 'ENOENT') return 0;
+        throw error;
+    }
+    for (const entry of entries) {
+        const target = path.join(directory, entry.name);
+        if (entry.isDirectory()) total += await directorySize(target);
+        else if (entry.isFile()) total += (await fs.stat(target)).size;
+    }
+    return total;
+}
+
+function safeError(error) {
+    const statusCode = error instanceof LayaRequestError ? error.statusCode : 500;
+    const message = statusCode === 500 ? 'Model download failed' : error.message;
+    return {
+        message,
+        detail: statusCode === 503
+            ? 'The optional Laya runtime is unavailable.'
+            : `Laya model operation failed (HTTP ${statusCode}).`
+    };
+}
+
+function initialDownloadState() {
+    return {
+        phase: 'idle',
+        downloading: false,
+        progressPercent: null,
+        bytesDownloaded: null,
+        totalBytes: null,
+        error: null,
+        lastError: null
+    };
+}
+
 class LayaService {
     constructor(options = {}) {
         this.baseUrl = options.baseUrl || process.env.LAYA_BASE_URL || 'http://laya:8000';
@@ -71,18 +112,23 @@ class LayaService {
             ? require('../db/sqlite').layaLanguageCache
             : options.cache;
         this.timeoutMs = options.timeoutMs || 3000;
+        this.downloadTimeoutMs = options.downloadTimeoutMs || DOWNLOAD_TIMEOUT_MS;
+        this.progressIntervalMs = options.progressIntervalMs || 500;
+        this.downloadState = initialDownloadState();
+        this.downloadPromise = null;
     }
 
     async request(endpoint, options = {}) {
         if (typeof this.fetch !== 'function') throw new LayaRequestError('Laya runtime client is unavailable');
         const controller = new AbortController();
-        const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), this.timeoutMs);
+        const { timeoutMs = this.timeoutMs, ...fetchOptions } = options;
+        const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), timeoutMs);
         const headers = { 'content-type': 'application/json' };
         if (process.env.LAYA_API_KEY) headers.authorization = `Bearer ${process.env.LAYA_API_KEY}`;
         try {
             const response = await this.fetch(`${this.baseUrl}${endpoint}`, {
-                ...options,
-                headers: { ...headers, ...options.headers },
+                ...fetchOptions,
+                headers: { ...headers, ...fetchOptions.headers },
                 signal: controller.signal
             });
             const data = await response.json().catch(() => null);
@@ -98,39 +144,110 @@ class LayaService {
 
     async status() {
         await fs.mkdir(this.modelDir, { recursive: true });
-        const modelPresent = (await fs.readdir(this.modelDir)).length > 0;
+        const sizeBytes = await directorySize(this.modelDir);
+        const modelPresent = sizeBytes > 0;
+        if (this.downloadState.downloading) this.downloadState.bytesDownloaded = sizeBytes;
         try {
             const runtime = await this.request('/health', { method: 'GET' });
-            return { runtimeAvailable: true, modelPresent, runtime };
+            if (!this.downloadState.downloading && this.downloadState.phase !== 'failed' && modelPresent) {
+                this.downloadState.phase = 'ready';
+            }
+            return { ...this.downloadState, runtimeAvailable: true, modelPresent, sizeBytes, runtime };
         } catch (error) {
-            return { runtimeAvailable: false, modelPresent, error: error.message };
+            return { ...this.downloadState, runtimeAvailable: false, modelPresent, sizeBytes };
         }
     }
 
+    startModelDownload(model = 'multilingual') {
+        if (!ALLOWED_MODELS.has(model)) throw new LayaRequestError('Unsupported Laya model', 400);
+        if (this.downloadState.downloading) throw new LayaRequestError('A Laya model download is already running', 409);
+        this.downloadState = {
+            ...initialDownloadState(),
+            phase: 'preparing',
+            downloading: true,
+            bytesDownloaded: 0
+        };
+        this.downloadPromise = this.downloadModel(model).catch(() => undefined);
+        return { ...this.downloadState };
+    }
+
     async downloadModel(model = 'multilingual') {
         if (!ALLOWED_MODELS.has(model)) throw new LayaRequestError('Unsupported Laya model', 400);
         await fs.mkdir(this.modelDir, { recursive: true });
-        await this.request('/v1/systemone', {
-            method: 'POST',
-            body: JSON.stringify({
-                state: 'Bonjour',
-                model,
-                questions: {
-                    language: {
-                        type: 'choice',
-                        instructions: 'Identify the language of this text.',
-                        criteria: { fr: 'French', en: 'English', es: 'Spanish', other: 'Another language' }
+        this.downloadState.phase = 'downloading';
+        const progressTimer = setInterval(() => {
+            directorySize(this.modelDir)
+                .then(size => { this.downloadState.bytesDownloaded = size; })
+                .catch(() => {});
+        }, this.progressIntervalMs);
+        progressTimer.unref?.();
+        try {
+            await this.request('/v1/systemone', {
+                method: 'POST',
+                timeoutMs: this.downloadTimeoutMs,
+                body: JSON.stringify({
+                    state: 'Bonjour',
+                    model,
+                    questions: {
+                        language: {
+                            type: 'choice',
+                            instructions: 'Identify the language of this text.',
+                            criteria: { fr: 'French', en: 'English', es: 'Spanish', other: 'Another language' }
+                        }
                     }
-                }
-            })
-        });
-        return this.status();
+                })
+            });
+            this.downloadState.phase = 'verifying';
+            this.downloadState.bytesDownloaded = await directorySize(this.modelDir);
+            const status = await this.status();
+            this.downloadState = {
+                ...this.downloadState,
+                phase: 'ready',
+                downloading: false,
+                error: null,
+                lastError: null
+            };
+            return { ...status, ...this.downloadState };
+        } catch (error) {
+            const visibleError = safeError(error);
+            this.downloadState = {
+                ...this.downloadState,
+                phase: 'failed',
+                downloading: false,
+                error: visibleError,
+                lastError: visibleError,
+                bytesDownloaded: await directorySize(this.modelDir)
+            };
+            throw error;
+        } finally {
+            clearInterval(progressTimer);
+        }
     }
 
     async deleteModel() {
-        await clearDirectoryContents(this.modelDir);
-        if (this.cache) this.cache.clear();
-        return { deleted: true, modelPresent: false };
+        if (this.downloadState.downloading) throw new LayaRequestError('Cannot delete a model while downloading', 409);
+        this.downloadState = { ...initialDownloadState(), phase: 'deleting' };
+        try {
+            await clearDirectoryContents(this.modelDir);
+            if (this.cache) this.cache.clear();
+            this.downloadState = initialDownloadState();
+            return {
+                ...this.downloadState,
+                deleted: true,
+                modelPresent: false,
+                runtimeAvailable: false,
+                sizeBytes: 0
+            };
+        } catch (error) {
+            const visibleError = safeError(error);
+            this.downloadState = {
+                ...this.downloadState,
+                phase: 'failed',
+                error: visibleError,
+                lastError: visibleError
+            };
+            throw error;
+        }
     }
 
     cacheKey(text, mode, model) {
@@ -191,5 +308,7 @@ module.exports = {
     LayaService,
     MODEL_DIR,
     clearDirectoryContents,
+    directorySize,
+    initialDownloadState,
     validateBatchPayload
 };
diff --git a/test/layaService.test.js b/test/layaService.test.js
index 89733cb..16f7906 100644
--- a/test/layaService.test.js
+++ b/test/layaService.test.js
@@ -20,6 +20,77 @@ test('status reports an unavailable runtime without throwing', async () => {
     const status = await service.status();
     assert.equal(status.runtimeAvailable, false);
     assert.equal(status.modelPresent, false);
+    assert.equal(status.phase, 'idle');
+    assert.equal(status.downloading, false);
+    assert.equal(status.progressPercent, null);
+    assert.equal(status.bytesDownloaded, null);
+    assert.equal(status.totalBytes, null);
+    assert.equal(status.sizeBytes, 0);
+    assert.equal(status.error, null);
+});
+
+test('model download exposes an indeterminate transition and finishes ready', async () => {
+    const modelDir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'nodecast-laya-download-'));
+    let finishDownload;
+    const downloadResponse = new Promise(resolve => { finishDownload = resolve; });
+    const service = new LayaService({
+        modelDir,
+        cache: null,
+        progressIntervalMs: 5,
+        fetch: async url => {
+            if (url.endsWith('/health')) return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ status: 'ok' }) };
+            await downloadResponse;
+            return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ answers: {} }) };
+        }
+    });
+
+    const started = service.startModelDownload();
+    assert.equal(started.phase, 'preparing');
+    assert.equal(started.downloading, true);
+    assert.equal(started.progressPercent, null);
+
+    await fs.writeFile(path.join(modelDir, 'partial.bin'), 'partial model');
+    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 15));
+    const downloading = await service.status();
+    assert.equal(downloading.phase, 'downloading');
+    assert.equal(downloading.downloading, true);
+    assert.ok(downloading.bytesDownloaded > 0);
+
+    finishDownload();
+    await service.downloadPromise;
+    const ready = await service.status();
+    assert.equal(ready.phase, 'ready');
+    assert.equal(ready.downloading, false);
+    assert.equal(ready.modelPresent, true);
+    assert.equal(ready.error, null);
+});
+
+test('download failures remain visible in status and retry resets the error', async () => {
+    const modelDir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'nodecast-laya-failure-'));
+    let shouldFail = true;
+    const service = new LayaService({
+        modelDir,
+        cache: null,
+        fetch: async url => {
+            if (url.endsWith('/health')) throw new Error('connection refused at https://secret.invalid/token');
+            if (shouldFail) throw new Error('download failed at https://secret.invalid/token');
+            return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ answers: {} }) };
+        }
+    });
+
+    service.startModelDownload();
+    await service.downloadPromise;
+    const failed = await service.status();
+    assert.equal(failed.phase, 'failed');
+    assert.equal(failed.downloading, false);
+    assert.equal(failed.error.message, 'Laya runtime is unavailable');
+    assert.doesNotMatch(JSON.stringify(failed), /secret\.invalid|token/);
+
+    shouldFail = false;
+    const retry = service.startModelDownload();
+    assert.equal(retry.error, null);
+    assert.equal(retry.lastError, null);
+    await service.downloadPromise;
 });
 
 test('model deletion remains limited to the configured model directory', async () => {
@@ -30,10 +101,16 @@ test('model deletion remains limited to the configured model directory', async (
     await fs.writeFile(path.join(modelDir, 'nested', 'model.bin'), 'model');
     await fs.writeFile(sentinel, 'keep');
 
-    await clearDirectoryContents(modelDir);
+    const service = new LayaService({ modelDir, cache: null, fetch: async () => { throw new Error('offline'); } });
+    service.downloadState.phase = 'failed';
+    service.downloadState.error = { message: 'previous error', detail: 'safe' };
+    const deleted = await service.deleteModel();
 
     assert.deepEqual(await fs.readdir(modelDir), []);
     assert.equal(await fs.readFile(sentinel, 'utf8'), 'keep');
+    assert.equal(deleted.phase, 'idle');
+    assert.equal(deleted.error, null);
+    assert.equal(deleted.sizeBytes, 0);
 });
 
 test('batch validation rejects oversized item counts', () => {
diff --git a/test/layaStatusPresentation.test.js b/test/layaStatusPresentation.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..763c970
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/layaStatusPresentation.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+const test = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const { presentLayaStatus } = require('../public/js/services/layaStatusPresentation.js');
+
+test('presents unknown-size downloads as indeterminate with downloaded bytes', () => {
+    const view = presentLayaStatus({
+        phase: 'downloading',
+        downloading: true,
+        progressPercent: null,
+        bytesDownloaded: 12 * 1024 * 1024,
+        totalBytes: null
+    });
+    assert.equal(view.progressIndeterminate, true);
+    assert.equal(view.progressPercent, null);
+    assert.equal(view.bytesDownloaded, 12 * 1024 * 1024);
+    assert.equal(view.showDownload, false);
+    assert.equal(view.showRemove, false);
+});
+
+test('presents known progress as a bounded percentage', () => {
+    const view = presentLayaStatus({ phase: 'downloading', downloading: true, progressPercent: 47.6 });
+    assert.equal(view.progressIndeterminate, false);
+    assert.equal(view.progressPercent, 48);
+});
+
+test('failed downloads expose retry, safe details and Standard fallback', () => {
+    const view = presentLayaStatus({
+        phase: 'failed',
+        modelPresent: false,
+        error: { message: 'Model download failed', detail: 'The optional Laya runtime is unavailable.' }
+    }, 'hybrid');
+    assert.equal(view.downloadLabel, 'Retry download');
+    assert.equal(view.showDownload, true);
+    assert.equal(view.showUseStandard, true);
+    assert.equal(view.errorMessage, 'Model download failed');
+    assert.equal(view.errorDetail, 'The optional Laya runtime is unavailable.');
+});
+
+test('ready models expose removal without download actions', () => {
+    const view = presentLayaStatus({ phase: 'ready', modelPresent: true, runtimeAvailable: true });
+    assert.equal(view.showRemove, true);
+    assert.equal(view.showDownload, false);
+});