diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index adb1ff1..1ea45e2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 All notable changes to the OpenClaw Home Assistant Integration will be documented in this file.
 
+## [0.1.18] - 2026-02-20
+
+### Fixed
+- Voice input now requires wake word only for continuous voice mode, not for manual mic usage.
+- Added in-card voice status feedback (listening, wake-word wait, sending, error) to make microphone behavior visible.
+- Improved handling for unsupported speech-recognition browsers with explicit UI status.
+
 ## [0.1.17] - 2026-02-20
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/custom_components/openclaw/manifest.json b/custom_components/openclaw/manifest.json
index e51d031..27cc361 100644
--- a/custom_components/openclaw/manifest.json
+++ b/custom_components/openclaw/manifest.json
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   "iot_class": "local_polling",
   "issue_tracker": "https://github.com/techartdev/OpenClawHomeAssistant/issues",
   "requirements": [],
-  "version": "0.1.17",
+  "version": "0.1.18",
   "dependencies": ["conversation"],
   "after_dependencies": ["hassio", "lovelace"]
 }
diff --git a/custom_components/openclaw/www/openclaw-chat-card.js b/custom_components/openclaw/www/openclaw-chat-card.js
index b5c3d90..ca83f74 100644
--- a/custom_components/openclaw/www/openclaw-chat-card.js
+++ b/custom_components/openclaw/www/openclaw-chat-card.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
     this._wakeWordEnabled = false;
     this._wakeWord = "hey openclaw";
     this._alwaysVoiceMode = false;
+    this._voiceStatus = "";
   }
 
   // ── HA card interface ───────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -391,6 +392,8 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
   _startVoiceRecognition() {
     if (!("webkitSpeechRecognition" in window) && !("SpeechRecognition" in window)) {
       console.warn("OpenClaw: Speech recognition not supported in this browser");
+      this._voiceStatus = "Speech recognition not supported by this browser.";
+      this._render();
       return;
     }
 
@@ -399,6 +402,9 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
     this._recognition.continuous = this._isVoiceMode;
     this._recognition.interimResults = true;
     this._recognition.lang = this._hass?.language || "en-US";
+    this._voiceStatus = this._isVoiceMode
+      ? `Listening (wake word: ${this._wakeWord || "hey openclaw"})`
+      : "Listening…";
 
     this._recognition.onresult = (event) => {
       const result = event.results[event.results.length - 1];
@@ -406,29 +412,40 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
         const text = result[0].transcript?.trim();
         if (!text) return;
 
-        if (this._wakeWordEnabled) {
+        const requireWakeWord = this._wakeWordEnabled && this._isVoiceMode;
+
+        if (requireWakeWord) {
           const wake = this._wakeWord || "hey openclaw";
           const lower = text.toLowerCase();
           const wakePos = lower.indexOf(wake);
           if (wakePos < 0) {
+            this._voiceStatus = `Heard: \"${text}\" (waiting for wake word)`;
+            this._render();
             return;
           }
 
           let command = text.slice(wakePos + wake.length).trim();
           command = command.replace(/^[,:;.!?\-]+\s*/, "");
           if (!command) {
+            this._voiceStatus = "Wake word detected. Say command after wake word.";
+            this._render();
             return;
           }
+          this._voiceStatus = "Sending…";
+          this._render();
           this._sendMessage(command);
           return;
         }
 
+        this._voiceStatus = "Sending…";
+        this._render();
         this._sendMessage(text);
       }
     };
 
     this._recognition.onerror = (event) => {
       console.error("OpenClaw: Speech recognition error:", event.error);
+      this._voiceStatus = `Voice error: ${event.error}`;
       this._render();
     };
 
@@ -441,6 +458,7 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
           // Ignore — may already be started
         }
       } else {
+        this._voiceStatus = "";
         this._render();
       }
     };
@@ -455,6 +473,7 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
       this._recognition = null;
     }
     this._isVoiceMode = false;
+    this._voiceStatus = "";
   }
 
   _toggleVoiceMode() {
@@ -740,6 +759,11 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
           animation: pulse 1.5s infinite;
           margin-right: 4px;
         }
+        .voice-status {
+          padding: 4px 16px 0 16px;
+          font-size: 12px;
+          color: var(--oc-text-secondary);
+        }
         @keyframes pulse {
           0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
           50% { opacity: 0.3; }
@@ -777,6 +801,8 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
           }
         </div>
 
+        ${this._voiceStatus ? `<div class="voice-status">${this._escapeHtml(this._voiceStatus)}</div>` : ""}
+
         <div class="input-area">
           <textarea
             id="input"
diff --git a/www/openclaw-chat-card.js b/www/openclaw-chat-card.js
index b5c3d90..ca83f74 100644
--- a/www/openclaw-chat-card.js
+++ b/www/openclaw-chat-card.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
     this._wakeWordEnabled = false;
     this._wakeWord = "hey openclaw";
     this._alwaysVoiceMode = false;
+    this._voiceStatus = "";
   }
 
   // ── HA card interface ───────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -391,6 +392,8 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
   _startVoiceRecognition() {
     if (!("webkitSpeechRecognition" in window) && !("SpeechRecognition" in window)) {
       console.warn("OpenClaw: Speech recognition not supported in this browser");
+      this._voiceStatus = "Speech recognition not supported by this browser.";
+      this._render();
       return;
     }
 
@@ -399,6 +402,9 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
     this._recognition.continuous = this._isVoiceMode;
     this._recognition.interimResults = true;
     this._recognition.lang = this._hass?.language || "en-US";
+    this._voiceStatus = this._isVoiceMode
+      ? `Listening (wake word: ${this._wakeWord || "hey openclaw"})`
+      : "Listening…";
 
     this._recognition.onresult = (event) => {
       const result = event.results[event.results.length - 1];
@@ -406,29 +412,40 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
         const text = result[0].transcript?.trim();
         if (!text) return;
 
-        if (this._wakeWordEnabled) {
+        const requireWakeWord = this._wakeWordEnabled && this._isVoiceMode;
+
+        if (requireWakeWord) {
           const wake = this._wakeWord || "hey openclaw";
           const lower = text.toLowerCase();
           const wakePos = lower.indexOf(wake);
           if (wakePos < 0) {
+            this._voiceStatus = `Heard: \"${text}\" (waiting for wake word)`;
+            this._render();
             return;
           }
 
           let command = text.slice(wakePos + wake.length).trim();
           command = command.replace(/^[,:;.!?\-]+\s*/, "");
           if (!command) {
+            this._voiceStatus = "Wake word detected. Say command after wake word.";
+            this._render();
             return;
           }
+          this._voiceStatus = "Sending…";
+          this._render();
           this._sendMessage(command);
           return;
         }
 
+        this._voiceStatus = "Sending…";
+        this._render();
         this._sendMessage(text);
       }
     };
 
     this._recognition.onerror = (event) => {
       console.error("OpenClaw: Speech recognition error:", event.error);
+      this._voiceStatus = `Voice error: ${event.error}`;
       this._render();
     };
 
@@ -441,6 +458,7 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
           // Ignore — may already be started
         }
       } else {
+        this._voiceStatus = "";
         this._render();
       }
     };
@@ -455,6 +473,7 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
       this._recognition = null;
     }
     this._isVoiceMode = false;
+    this._voiceStatus = "";
   }
 
   _toggleVoiceMode() {
@@ -740,6 +759,11 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
           animation: pulse 1.5s infinite;
           margin-right: 4px;
         }
+        .voice-status {
+          padding: 4px 16px 0 16px;
+          font-size: 12px;
+          color: var(--oc-text-secondary);
+        }
         @keyframes pulse {
           0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
           50% { opacity: 0.3; }
@@ -777,6 +801,8 @@ class OpenClawChatCard extends HTMLElement {
           }
         </div>
 
+        ${this._voiceStatus ? `<div class="voice-status">${this._escapeHtml(this._voiceStatus)}</div>` : ""}
+
         <div class="input-area">
           <textarea
             id="input"