diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6313b56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+* text=auto eol=lf
diff --git a/apps/tauri/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/apps/tauri/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 314a8d6..aa0922f 100644
--- a/apps/tauri/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/apps/tauri/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -556,6 +556,19 @@ fn set_sync_interval(
     s.save_config()
 }
 
+#[tauri::command]
+fn set_sync_interval_unfocused(
+    workspace_id: String,
+    interval_secs: Option<u64>,
+    state: State<'_, Mutex<AppState>>,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let mut s = lock_state(&state)?;
+    if let Some(ws) = s.config.workspaces.get_mut(&workspace_id) {
+        ws.sync_interval_unfocused_secs = interval_secs;
+    }
+    s.save_config()
+}
+
 /// A remote folder entry returned to the frontend.
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 struct RemoteFolderEntry {
@@ -792,6 +805,8 @@ async fn sync_workspace(
 
     {
         let mut s = lock_state(&state)?;
+        // Suppress file watcher events from sync-written files (500ms debounce + margin)
+        mute_watcher(&mut s);
         if let Some(ws) = s.config.workspaces.get_mut(&workspace_id) {
             ws.last_sync = Some(Utc::now());
         }
@@ -914,6 +929,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             set_webdav_config,
             set_workspace_theme,
             set_sync_interval,
+            set_sync_interval_unfocused,
             add_webdav_workspace,
             list_remote_folder,
             inspect_remote_workspace,
diff --git a/apps/tauri/src/App.svelte b/apps/tauri/src/App.svelte
index 6ce797f..5e29705 100644
--- a/apps/tauri/src/App.svelte
+++ b/apps/tauri/src/App.svelte
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@
       {:else if app.screen === "setup"}
         <SetupScreen cancellable={app.hasWorkspace} />
       {:else}
-        <TasksScreen />
+        {#key app.config?.current_workspace}
+          <TasksScreen />
+        {/key}
       {/if}
     </div>
   </div>
diff --git a/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/SettingsScreen.svelte b/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/SettingsScreen.svelte
index a56cc53..f35bc72 100644
--- a/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/SettingsScreen.svelte
+++ b/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/SettingsScreen.svelte
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
       </div>
 
       <div class="mt-3">
-        <label class="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium opacity-60">Sync interval</label>
+        <label class="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium opacity-60">Sync interval (focused)</label>
         <select
           value={String(app.syncIntervalSecs)}
           onchange={(e) => {
@@ -221,6 +221,24 @@
           <option value="600">10 minutes</option>
         </select>
       </div>
+
+      <div class="mt-3">
+        <label class="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium opacity-60">Sync interval (background)</label>
+        <select
+          value={String(app.syncIntervalUnfocusedSecs)}
+          onchange={(e) => {
+            const val = parseInt((e.target as HTMLSelectElement).value);
+            app.setSyncIntervalUnfocused(val === 600 ? null : val);
+          }}
+          class="w-full appearance-none rounded-lg border border-border-light bg-surface-light px-3 py-2 text-sm text-text-light outline-none focus:border-primary dark:border-border-dark dark:bg-surface-dark dark:text-text-dark"
+        >
+          <option value="60">1 minute</option>
+          <option value="120">2 minutes</option>
+          <option value="300">5 minutes</option>
+          <option value="600">10 minutes</option>
+          <option value="1800">30 minutes</option>
+        </select>
+      </div>
     </section>
   {/if}
 
diff --git a/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/TasksScreen.svelte b/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/TasksScreen.svelte
index bc84859..f05d2b1 100644
--- a/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/TasksScreen.svelte
+++ b/apps/tauri/src/lib/screens/TasksScreen.svelte
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     }
   });
 
+
   function openTask(task: Task) {
     taskStack = [task.id];
   }
diff --git a/apps/tauri/src/lib/stores/app.svelte.ts b/apps/tauri/src/lib/stores/app.svelte.ts
index 0bcdc81..c1f8bec 100644
--- a/apps/tauri/src/lib/stores/app.svelte.ts
+++ b/apps/tauri/src/lib/stores/app.svelte.ts
@@ -35,8 +35,9 @@ let _syncInterval: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
 let _syncDebounce: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
 let _focusUnlisten: (() => void) | null = null;
 const DEFAULT_SYNC_INTERVAL_SECS = 60;
+const DEFAULT_SYNC_INTERVAL_UNFOCUSED_SECS = 600;
 const SYNC_DEBOUNCE_MS = 5_000;
-const SYNC_FOCUS_THRESHOLD_MS = 30_000;
+let _appFocused = true;
 
 // ── Derived ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -85,6 +86,11 @@ let syncIntervalSecs = $derived(
     ? config.workspaces[config.current_workspace]?.sync_interval_secs ?? DEFAULT_SYNC_INTERVAL_SECS
     : DEFAULT_SYNC_INTERVAL_SECS,
 );
+let syncIntervalUnfocusedSecs = $derived(
+  config?.current_workspace
+    ? config.workspaces[config.current_workspace]?.sync_interval_unfocused_secs ?? DEFAULT_SYNC_INTERVAL_UNFOCUSED_SECS
+    : DEFAULT_SYNC_INTERVAL_UNFOCUSED_SECS,
+);
 
 // ── Actions ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -133,6 +139,7 @@ async function switchWorkspace(id: string) {
     await invoke("set_current_workspace", { id });
     config = await invoke<AppConfig>("get_config");
     activeListId = null;
+    tasks = [];
     await loadLists();
     const ws = config?.workspaces[id];
     if (ws) invoke("watch_workspace", { path: ws.path }).catch((e) => console.warn("File watcher failed:", e));
@@ -363,21 +370,26 @@ function debouncedSync() {
   _syncDebounce = setTimeout(() => { _syncDebounce = null; triggerSync(); }, SYNC_DEBOUNCE_MS);
 }
 
+function restartSyncInterval() {
+  if (_syncInterval) clearInterval(_syncInterval);
+  var secs = _appFocused ? syncIntervalSecs : syncIntervalUnfocusedSecs;
+  _syncInterval = setInterval(triggerSync, secs * 1000);
+}
+
 function startAutoSync() {
   stopAutoSync();
+  _appFocused = true;
   triggerSync();
-  _syncInterval = setInterval(triggerSync, syncIntervalSecs * 1000);
-  // Store the promise-returned unlisten function, ensuring we clean up any
-  // previous listener before assigning a new one.
+  restartSyncInterval();
   getCurrentWindow().onFocusChanged(({ payload: focused }) => {
-    if (focused && Date.now() - lastSyncTime > SYNC_FOCUS_THRESHOLD_MS) triggerSync();
+    // Sync on re-focus if stale beyond the focused interval
+    if (focused && !_appFocused && Date.now() - lastSyncTime > syncIntervalSecs * 1000)
+      triggerSync();
+    _appFocused = focused;
+    restartSyncInterval();
   }).then((unlisten) => {
-    // If stopAutoSync was called while the promise was pending, immediately clean up
-    if (!_syncInterval) {
-      unlisten();
-    } else {
-      _focusUnlisten = unlisten;
-    }
+    if (!_syncInterval) unlisten();
+    else _focusUnlisten = unlisten;
   }).catch((e) => {
     console.warn("Failed to set up focus listener:", e);
   });
@@ -403,6 +415,20 @@ async function setSyncInterval(secs: number | null) {
   }
 }
 
+async function setSyncIntervalUnfocused(secs: number | null) {
+  if (!config?.current_workspace) return;
+  try {
+    await invoke("set_sync_interval_unfocused", {
+      workspaceId: config.current_workspace,
+      intervalSecs: secs,
+    });
+    config = await invoke<AppConfig>("get_config");
+    if (isWebdav) startAutoSync();
+  } catch (e) {
+    error = String(e);
+  }
+}
+
 async function setTheme(theme: string | null) {
   if (!config?.current_workspace) return;
   try {
@@ -517,6 +543,9 @@ export const app = {
   get syncIntervalSecs() {
     return syncIntervalSecs;
   },
+  get syncIntervalUnfocusedSecs() {
+    return syncIntervalUnfocusedSecs;
+  },
   get lastSyncResult() {
     return lastSyncResult;
   },
@@ -552,6 +581,7 @@ export const app = {
   startAutoSync,
   stopAutoSync,
   setSyncInterval,
+  setSyncIntervalUnfocused,
   setTheme,
   addWebdavWorkspace,
   forgetMissingWorkspace,
diff --git a/apps/tauri/src/lib/types.ts b/apps/tauri/src/lib/types.ts
index ca603fe..36d07c8 100644
--- a/apps/tauri/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/apps/tauri/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export interface WorkspaceConfig {
   last_sync: string | null;
   theme: string | null;
   sync_interval_secs: number | null;
+  sync_interval_unfocused_secs: number | null;
 }
 
 export interface AppConfig {
diff --git a/crates/onyx-core/src/config.rs b/crates/onyx-core/src/config.rs
index 4ed9528..d7807be 100644
--- a/crates/onyx-core/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/onyx-core/src/config.rs
@@ -33,11 +33,13 @@ pub struct WorkspaceConfig {
     pub theme: Option<String>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none", default)]
     pub sync_interval_secs: Option<u64>,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none", default)]
+    pub sync_interval_unfocused_secs: Option<u64>,
 }
 
 impl WorkspaceConfig {
     pub fn new(name: String, path: PathBuf) -> Self {
-        Self { name, path, mode: WorkspaceMode::Local, webdav_url: None, webdav_path: None, last_sync: None, theme: None, sync_interval_secs: None }
+        Self { name, path, mode: WorkspaceMode::Local, webdav_url: None, webdav_path: None, last_sync: None, theme: None, sync_interval_secs: None, sync_interval_unfocused_secs: None }
     }
 }