diff --git a/lightningbeam-ui/Cargo.toml b/lightningbeam-ui/Cargo.toml
index 1d7b708..f52917f 100644
--- a/lightningbeam-ui/Cargo.toml
+++ b/lightningbeam-ui/Cargo.toml
@@ -39,3 +39,6 @@ resvg = "0.42"
 
 # Utilities
 pollster = "0.3"
+
+# Desktop notifications
+notify-rust = "4.11"
diff --git a/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/Cargo.toml b/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/Cargo.toml
index 671897c..ead4c8a 100644
--- a/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/Cargo.toml
+++ b/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/Cargo.toml
@@ -48,3 +48,6 @@ rfd = "0.15"
 
 # Cross-platform config paths
 directories = "5.0"
+
+# Desktop notifications
+notify-rust = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/src/main.rs b/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/src/main.rs
index a2c65e0..bad5281 100644
--- a/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/src/main.rs
+++ b/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/src/main.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ mod default_instrument;
 
 mod export;
 
+mod notifications;
+
 mod effect_thumbnails;
 use effect_thumbnails::EffectThumbnailGenerator;
 
@@ -2975,6 +2977,12 @@ impl eframe::App for EditorApp {
                         );
                         // Close the progress dialog after a brief delay
                         self.export_progress_dialog.close();
+
+                        // Send desktop notification
+                        if let Err(e) = notifications::notify_export_complete(output_path) {
+                            // Log but don't fail - notifications are non-critical
+                            eprintln!("⚠️  Could not send desktop notification: {}", e);
+                        }
                     }
                     lightningbeam_core::export::ExportProgress::Error { ref message } => {
                         eprintln!("❌ Export error: {}", message);
@@ -2983,6 +2991,12 @@ impl eframe::App for EditorApp {
                             0.0,
                         );
                         // Keep the dialog open to show the error
+
+                        // Send desktop notification for error
+                        if let Err(e) = notifications::notify_export_error(message) {
+                            // Log but don't fail - notifications are non-critical
+                            eprintln!("⚠️  Could not send desktop notification: {}", e);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/src/notifications.rs b/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/src/notifications.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..573626e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lightningbeam-ui/lightningbeam-editor/src/notifications.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+//! Desktop notifications for export completion
+
+use notify_rust::Notification;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+/// Send a desktop notification for successful export
+///
+/// # Arguments
+/// * `output_path` - Path to the exported file
+///
+/// # Returns
+/// Ok(()) if notification sent successfully, Err with log message if failed
+pub fn notify_export_complete(output_path: &Path) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let filename = output_path
+        .file_name()
+        .and_then(|n| n.to_str())
+        .unwrap_or("unknown");
+
+    Notification::new()
+        .summary("Export Complete")
+        .body(&format!("Successfully exported: {}", filename))
+        .icon("dialog-information")  // Standard icon name (freedesktop.org)
+        .timeout(5000)  // 5 seconds
+        .show()
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to show notification: {}", e))?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Send a desktop notification for export error
+///
+/// # Arguments
+/// * `error_message` - The error message to display
+///
+/// # Returns
+/// Ok(()) if notification sent successfully, Err with log message if failed
+pub fn notify_export_error(error_message: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    // Truncate very long error messages
+    let truncated = if error_message.len() > 100 {
+        format!("{}...", &error_message[..97])
+    } else {
+        error_message.to_string()
+    };
+
+    Notification::new()
+        .summary("Export Failed")
+        .body(&truncated)
+        .icon("dialog-error")  // Standard error icon
+        .timeout(10000)  // 10 seconds for errors (longer to read)
+        .show()
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to show notification: {}", e))?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}