diff --git a/guest_server/main.go b/guest_server/main.go
index 26b41201..5ed7179e 100644
--- a/guest_server/main.go
+++ b/guest_server/main.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
@@ -156,6 +157,37 @@ func getRdpConnectedStatus(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	w.Write(jsonResponse)
 }
 
+type ProcessStatusResponse struct {
+	Running bool `json:"running"`
+}
+
+func getProcessStatus(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	path := r.URL.Query().Get("path")
+	if path == "" {
+		http.Error(w, "path query param required", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Use PowerShell to check if process with matching path is running
+	// - Expand environment variables in the input path
+	// - Use case-insensitive comparison (-ieq)
+	escapedPath := strings.ReplaceAll(path, "'", "''")
+	psCommand := fmt.Sprintf(
+		"$p=[Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables('%s') -replace '/','\\'; if(Get-Process | Where-Object {$_.Path -ieq $p} | Select-Object -First 1){'1'}else{'0'}",
+		escapedPath,
+	)
+	cmd := exec.Command("powershell", "-NoProfile", "-NoLogo", "-Command", psCommand)
+	output, _ := cmd.Output()
+
+	response := ProcessStatusResponse{
+		Running: strings.TrimSpace(string(output)) == "1",
+	}
+
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response)
+}
+
 func applyUpdate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// Verify password
 	expectedHash, err := getSecureRegKey(AUTHKEY_HASH_REG)
@@ -334,6 +366,7 @@ func main() {
 	r.HandleFunc("/version", getVersion).Methods("GET")
 	r.HandleFunc("/metrics", getMetrics).Methods("GET")
 	r.HandleFunc("/rdp/status", getRdpConnectedStatus).Methods("GET")
+	r.HandleFunc("/process/status", getProcessStatus).Methods("GET")
 	r.HandleFunc("/update", applyUpdate).Methods("POST")
 	r.HandleFunc("/get-icon", getIcon).Methods("POST")
 	r.HandleFunc("/auth/set-hash", setAuthHash).Methods("POST")
diff --git a/src/renderer/lib/winboat.ts b/src/renderer/lib/winboat.ts
index 45eed617..3190f3e4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/lib/winboat.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/lib/winboat.ts
@@ -428,6 +428,25 @@ export class Winboat {
         return status.rdpConnected;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Checks if a process with the given executable path is running in the Windows guest
+     * @param path The executable path to check
+     * @returns true if the process is running, false otherwise
+     */
+    async isProcessRunning(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
+        try {
+            const res = await nodeFetch(`${this.apiUrl}/process/status?path=${encodeURIComponent(path)}`, {
+                signal: AbortSignal.timeout(FETCH_TIMEOUT),
+            });
+            const data = (await res.json()) as { running: boolean };
+            logger.info(`Process ${path} is running: ${data.running}`);
+            return data.running;
+        } catch (err) {
+            logger.warn(`isProcessRunning failed for ${path}: ${err}`);
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     static readCompose(composePath: string): ComposeConfig {
         const composeFile = fs.readFileSync(composePath, "utf-8");
         const composeContents = YAML.parse(composeFile) as ComposeConfig;
diff --git a/src/renderer/views/Apps.vue b/src/renderer/views/Apps.vue
index 9ea75e42..c51b8ca0 100644
--- a/src/renderer/views/Apps.vue
+++ b/src/renderer/views/Apps.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,23 @@
 <template>
     <div>
+        <!-- Loading Overlay -->
+        <Transition name="fade">
+            <div
+                v-if="launchingApp"
+                class="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex flex-col items-center justify-center bg-black/60 backdrop-blur-sm"
+            >
+                <div class="relative mb-4">
+                    <img
+                        class="size-20 rounded-xl"
+                        :src="`data:image/png;charset=utf-8;base64,${launchingApp.Icon}`"
+                        alt="App Icon"
+                    />
+                    <x-throbber class="absolute inset-0 m-auto size-10"></x-throbber>
+                </div>
+                <p class="mt-4 text-lg font-semibold text-white">Opening {{ launchingApp.Name }}...</p>
+            </div>
+        </Transition>
+
         <dialog ref="addCustomAppDialog">
             <h3 class="mb-2">{{ currentAppForm.Source === "custom" ? "Edit App" : "Add App" }}</h3>
             <div class="flex flex-row gap-5 mt-4 w-[35vw]">
@@ -192,8 +210,11 @@
                     v-for="app of computedApps"
                     :key="app.id"
                     class="flex relative flex-row gap-2 justify-between items-center p-2 my-0 backdrop-blur-xl backdrop-brightness-150 cursor-pointer generic-hover bg-neutral-800/20"
-                    :class="{ 'bg-gradient-to-r from-yellow-600/20 bg-neutral-800/20': app.Source === 'custom' }"
-                    @click="winboat.launchApp(app)"
+                    :class="{
+                        'bg-gradient-to-r from-yellow-600/20 bg-neutral-800/20': app.Source === 'custom',
+                        'pointer-events-none opacity-50': launchingApp,
+                    }"
+                    @click="handleAppLaunch(app)"
                     @contextmenu="openContextMenu($event, app)"
                 >
                     <div class="flex flex-row items-center gap-2 w-[85%]">
@@ -266,6 +287,7 @@ const FormData: typeof import("form-data") = require("form-data");
 
 const winboat = Winboat.getInstance();
 const apps = ref<WinApp[]>([]);
+const launchingApp = ref<WinApp | null>(null);
 const searchInput = ref("");
 const sortBy = ref("");
 const filterBy = ref("all");
@@ -473,10 +495,56 @@ function onContextMenuHide() {
 
 function launchApp() {
     if (contextMenuTarget.value) {
-        winboat.launchApp(contextMenuTarget.value);
+        handleAppLaunch(contextMenuTarget.value);
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Handles app launch with loading state management and spam-click prevention.
+ * Polls the guest server to detect when the process is actually running.
+ */
+async function handleAppLaunch(app: WinApp) {
+    console.log("Handle app launch: ", app.Name);
+    if (launchingApp.value) return; // Prevent double-clicks
+    launchingApp.value = app;
+
+    // Fire and forget - don't await since launchApp blocks until app closes
+    winboat.launchApp(app).catch(err => {
+        console.error("Error launching app:", err);
+    });
+
+    // For UWP apps (launched via explorer.exe), we can't detect the actual process
+    // For non-.exe files (.msc, etc.), they're opened by other host processes
+    // In both cases, fall back to a timeout
+    const isUwpApp = app.Source === "uwp";
+    const isExecutable = app.Path.toLowerCase().endsWith(".exe");
+
+    if (isUwpApp || !isExecutable) {
+        // Can't track these by process path, use timeout
+        setTimeout(() => {
+            launchingApp.value = null;
+        }, 2000);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Poll for process status (max 10 seconds, check every 500ms)
+    const maxAttempts = 20;
+    for (let i = 0; i < maxAttempts; i++) {
+        await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500));
+        try {
+            const running = await winboat.isProcessRunning(app.Path);
+            console.log("Process running: ", running);
+            if (running) {
+                break;
+            }
+        } catch {
+            // Ignore errors and continue polling
+        }
+    }
+
+    launchingApp.value = null;
+}
+
 /**
  * Triggers the file picker for the custom app icon, then processes the image selected
  */