diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 2a0eb78225..cbb8d1c828 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -2184,6 +2184,13 @@ pub async fn run(recording_logging_handle: LoggingHandle, logs_dir: PathBuf) {
             #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
             app.manage(crate::platform::ScreenCapturePrewarmer::default());
 
+            tokio::spawn({
+                let app = app.clone();
+                async move {
+                    target_select_overlay::init(&app).await;
+                }
+            });
+
             tokio::spawn({
                 let camera_feed = camera_feed.clone();
                 let app = app.clone();
@@ -2351,7 +2358,7 @@ pub async fn run(recording_logging_handle: LoggingHandle, logs_dir: PathBuf) {
                                     if let Ok(CapWindowId::TargetSelectOverlay { .. }) =
                                         CapWindowId::from_str(&id)
                                     {
-                                        let _ = window.close();
+                                        let _ = window.hide();
                                     }
                                 }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs
index 10b136e552..5e4ae9236f 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/recording.rs
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ pub async fn start_recording(
         .filter_map(|(label, win)| CapWindowId::from_str(label).ok().map(|id| (id, win)))
     {
         if matches!(id, CapWindowId::TargetSelectOverlay { .. }) {
-            win.close().ok();
+            win.hide().ok();
         }
     }
     let _ = ShowCapWindow::InProgressRecording { countdown }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs
index 31a030d6b7..c0679ccb1e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/target_select_overlay.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use std::{
 
 use base64::prelude::*;
 use cap_recording::screen_capture::ScreenCaptureTarget;
+use futures::future::join_all;
 
 use crate::windows::{CapWindowId, ShowCapWindow};
 use scap_targets::{
@@ -41,6 +42,31 @@ pub struct DisplayInformation {
     refresh_rate: String,
 }
 
+// We create the windows hidden at app launch so they are ready when used.
+// Otherwise we have noticed they can take a while to load on first interaction (especially on Windows).
+pub async fn init(app: &AppHandle) {
+    join_all(
+        scap_targets::Display::list()
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|d| d.id())
+            .map(|display_id| {
+                let app = app.clone();
+
+                async move {
+                    let result = ShowCapWindow::TargetSelectOverlay { display_id }
+                        .show(&app)
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(|err| error!("Error initializing target select overlay: {err}"));
+
+                    if let Ok(window) = result {
+                        window.hide().ok();
+                    }
+                }
+            }),
+    )
+    .await;
+}
+
 #[specta::specta]
 #[tauri::command]
 #[instrument(skip(app, state))]
@@ -49,15 +75,23 @@ pub async fn open_target_select_overlays(
     state: tauri::State<'_, WindowFocusManager>,
     focused_target: Option<ScreenCaptureTarget>,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
-    let displays = scap_targets::Display::list()
-        .into_iter()
-        .map(|d| d.id())
-        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-    for display_id in displays {
-        let _ = ShowCapWindow::TargetSelectOverlay { display_id }
-            .show(&app)
-            .await;
-    }
+    join_all(
+        scap_targets::Display::list()
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|d| d.id())
+            .map(|display_id| {
+                let app = app.clone();
+
+                async move {
+                    ShowCapWindow::TargetSelectOverlay { display_id }
+                        .show(&app)
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(|err| error!("Error initializing target select overlay: {err}"))
+                        .ok();
+                }
+            }),
+    )
+    .await;
 
     let handle = tokio::spawn({
         let app = app.clone();
@@ -116,7 +150,10 @@ pub async fn open_target_select_overlays(
 pub async fn close_target_select_overlays(app: AppHandle) -> Result<(), String> {
     for (id, window) in app.webview_windows() {
         if let Ok(CapWindowId::TargetSelectOverlay { .. }) = CapWindowId::from_str(&id) {
-            let _ = window.close();
+            window
+                .hide()
+                .map_err(|err| error!("Error hiding target select overlay: {err}"))
+                .ok();
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/routes/target-select-overlay.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/routes/target-select-overlay.tsx
index cecab14f97..393de284a5 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/routes/target-select-overlay.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/routes/target-select-overlay.tsx
@@ -995,9 +995,3 @@ function ResizeHandle(
 		/>
 	);
 }
-
-function getDisplayId(displayId: string | undefined) {
-	const id = Number(displayId);
-	if (Number.isNaN(id)) return 0;
-	return id;
-}