diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 685989f..66b37b1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ Notes autosave locally as RTFD packages, including embedded images, under `~/Lib
 
 Click **Vim Off** at the top-right of the Notes header to enable modal editing. The button shows **NORMAL**, **INSERT**, **VISUAL**, or **VISUAL LINE**; click it again to disable Vim. This preference persists across reopening and app restarts. Opening or switching notes starts in Normal mode when enabled; ordinary editing is unchanged when disabled.
 
+Normal mode uses a translucent, one-character-wide block cursor. Insert mode and Vim-disabled editing keep the native thin caret.
+
 | Operation | Keys |
 | --- | --- |
 | Move by visible character / logical line | `h` / `l`, `j` / `k` (or arrow keys) |
diff --git a/Sources/Conjure/NotesTextView.swift b/Sources/Conjure/NotesTextView.swift
index 4ee870b..304ecbc 100644
--- a/Sources/Conjure/NotesTextView.swift
+++ b/Sources/Conjure/NotesTextView.swift
@@ -61,10 +61,14 @@ final class NotesTextView: NSTextView, @MainActor NSLayoutManagerDelegate {
     private var tasks: [(range: NSRange, attachment: ListAttachment)] = []
     private var checkboxes: [NSButton] = []
     private var horizontalSelection: (anchor: Int, head: Int)?
-    var vimState = NotesVimState()
+    var vimState = NotesVimState() {
+        didSet {
+            if oldValue.mode != vimState.mode { needsDisplay = true }
+        }
+    }
     var vimModeChanged: (() -> Void)?
     var vimEnabled = false {
-        didSet { resetVim() }
+        didSet { resetVim(); needsDisplay = true }
     }
 
     var markdownContents: NSAttributedString { Self.serialize(attributedString()) }
@@ -77,6 +81,29 @@ final class NotesTextView: NSTextView, @MainActor NSLayoutManagerDelegate {
         refreshTasks()
     }
 
+    private var normalCursorWidth: CGFloat {
+        let position = selectedRange().location
+        let cursorFont = position < (textStorage?.length ?? 0)
+            ? textStorage?.attribute(.font, at: position, effectiveRange: nil) as? NSFont : font
+        return max(2, ceil((cursorFont ?? NotesAppearance.font).maximumAdvancement.width))
+    }
+
+    override func drawInsertionPoint(in rect: NSRect, color: NSColor, turnedOn flag: Bool) {
+        guard vimEnabled, vimMode == .normal else {
+            super.drawInsertionPoint(in: rect, color: color, turnedOn: flag)
+            return
+        }
+        var block = rect
+        block.size.width = normalCursorWidth
+        super.drawInsertionPoint(in: block, color: color.withAlphaComponent(0.45), turnedOn: flag)
+    }
+
+    override func setNeedsDisplay(_ invalidRect: NSRect) {
+        var rect = invalidRect
+        if vimEnabled, vimMode == .normal { rect.size.width += normalCursorWidth }
+        super.setNeedsDisplay(rect)
+    }
+
     private static func serialize(_ contents: NSAttributedString, keepingMetadata: Bool = false) -> NSAttributedString {
         let result = NSMutableAttributedString(attributedString: contents)
         restoreListLayout(in: result)
diff --git a/Tests/ConjureKitTests/NotesCursorTests.swift b/Tests/ConjureKitTests/NotesCursorTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c57220c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/ConjureKitTests/NotesCursorTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import AppKit
+import Testing
+@testable import Conjure
+
+@Test @MainActor
+func vimNormalCursorIsWideButInsertAndDisabledCursorsStayThin() throws {
+    _ = NSApplication.shared
+    let editor = NotesTextView(frame: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 100, height: 50))
+    editor.font = NotesAppearance.font
+    editor.drawsBackground = false
+    editor.setMarkdownContents(NSAttributedString(string: "text"))
+    func paintedWidth() throws -> Int {
+        let bitmap = try #require(NSBitmapImageRep(bitmapDataPlanes: nil, pixelsWide: 100, pixelsHigh: 50,
+            bitsPerSample: 8, samplesPerPixel: 4, hasAlpha: true, isPlanar: false,
+            colorSpaceName: .deviceRGB, bytesPerRow: 0, bitsPerPixel: 0))
+        let context = try #require(NSGraphicsContext(bitmapImageRep: bitmap))
+        NSGraphicsContext.saveGraphicsState()
+        NSGraphicsContext.current = context
+        NSColor.clear.setFill()
+        NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 100, height: 50).fill(using: .copy)
+        editor.drawInsertionPoint(in: NSRect(x: 10, y: 10, width: 1, height: 20), color: .orange, turnedOn: true)
+        context.flushGraphics()
+        NSGraphicsContext.restoreGraphicsState()
+        return (0..<100).filter { x in
+            (0..<50).contains { y in (bitmap.colorAt(x: x, y: y)?.alphaComponent ?? 0) > 0.1 }
+        }.count
+    }
+    let native = try paintedWidth()
+    editor.vimEnabled = true
+    let normal = try paintedWidth()
+    #expect(normal >= 8)
+    #expect(normal > native)
+    editor.vimState.mode = .insert
+    #expect(try paintedWidth() == native)
+    editor.vimEnabled = false
+    #expect(try paintedWidth() == native)
+}