diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/formatting/formatter-prompt.ts b/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/formatting/formatter-prompt.ts
index 840ed143..0badf45a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/formatting/formatter-prompt.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/formatting/formatter-prompt.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { GetAccessibilityContextResult } from "@amical/types";
 /**
  * Application type for formatting context
  */
-export type AppType = "email" | "chat" | "notes" | "amical-notes" | "default";
+export type AppType = "email" | "chat" | "notes" | "amical-notes" | "terminal" | "default";
 
 /**
  * App-type specific formatting rules inserted into the system prompt
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ const APP_TYPE_RULES: Record<AppType, string> = {
 - Use code blocks (\`\`\`) for technical content, commands, or code snippets
 - Keep formatting minimal and purposeful - don't over-format simple content
 - Preserve natural speech flow while adding structure where it improves clarity`,
+  // Terminal apps use universal rules only — no app-specific overrides.
+  terminal: "",
   default: "",
 };
 
@@ -106,6 +108,8 @@ We decided to ship on Friday.
 
 - Benchmark performance
 - Update docs</formatted_text>`,
+  // Terminal apps use universal examples only — no app-specific examples.
+  terminal: "",
   default: `### Filler removal + grammar fix:
 <input>so the main issue is that um we need more time</input>
 <formatted_text>The main issue is that we need more time.</formatted_text>
@@ -284,6 +288,14 @@ const BUNDLE_TO_TYPE: Record<string, AppType> = {
   "com.evernote.Evernote": "notes",
   "notion.id": "notes",
   "com.agiletortoise.Drafts-OSX": "notes",
+  "com.apple.Terminal": "terminal",
+  "com.googlecode.iterm2": "terminal",
+  "com.mitchellh.ghostty": "terminal",
+  "dev.warp.Warp-Stable": "terminal",
+  "net.kovidgoyal.kitty": "terminal",
+  "com.github.wez.wezterm": "terminal",
+  "io.alacritty": "terminal",
+  "co.zeit.hyper": "terminal",
 };
 
 // Browser bundle identifiers
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/amical-cloud-provider.ts b/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/amical-cloud-provider.ts
index 5c8c4fbc..3dc94f45 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/amical-cloud-provider.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/amical-cloud-provider.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,18 @@ import {
   type CloudErrorResponse,
 } from "../../../types/error";
 
+// Strip ANSI escape sequences and control characters from accessibility text.
+// Terminal apps expose raw terminal output via the accessibility API which
+// contains escape codes that degrade transcription quality.
+const ANSI_REGEX =
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-control-regex
+  /[\u001b\u009b][[()#;?]*(?:[0-9]{1,4}(?:;[0-9]{0,4})*)?[0-9A-ORZcf-nqry=><~]/g;
+
+function stripAnsiSequences(text: string | undefined | null): string | undefined {
+  if (!text) return undefined;
+  return text.replace(ANSI_REGEX, "");
+}
+
 // Type guard to validate error codes from server
 const isValidErrorCode = (code: string | undefined): code is ErrorCode =>
   code !== undefined && Object.values(ErrorCodes).includes(code as ErrorCode);
@@ -283,28 +295,35 @@ export class AmicalCloudProvider implements TranscriptionProvider {
             enabled: enableFormatting,
           },
           sharedContext: this.currentAccessibilityContext
-            ? {
-                selectedText:
-                  this.currentAccessibilityContext.context?.textSelection
-                    ?.selectedText,
-                beforeText:
-                  this.currentAccessibilityContext.context?.textSelection
-                    ?.preSelectionText,
-                afterText:
-                  this.currentAccessibilityContext.context?.textSelection
-                    ?.postSelectionText,
-                appType: detectApplicationType(
+            ? (() => {
+                const appType = detectApplicationType(
                   this.currentAccessibilityContext,
-                ),
-                appBundleId:
-                  this.currentAccessibilityContext.context?.application
-                    ?.bundleIdentifier,
-                appName:
-                  this.currentAccessibilityContext.context?.application?.name,
-                appUrl:
-                  this.currentAccessibilityContext.context?.windowInfo?.url,
-                surroundingContext: "", // Empty for now, future enhancement
-              }
+                );
+                const isTerminal = appType === "terminal";
+                return {
+                  selectedText: stripAnsiSequences(
+                    this.currentAccessibilityContext!.context?.textSelection
+                      ?.selectedText,
+                  ),
+                  beforeText: stripAnsiSequences(
+                    this.currentAccessibilityContext!.context?.textSelection
+                      ?.preSelectionText,
+                  ),
+                  afterText: stripAnsiSequences(
+                    this.currentAccessibilityContext!.context?.textSelection
+                      ?.postSelectionText,
+                  ),
+                  appType: isTerminal ? "default" : appType,
+                  appBundleId:
+                    this.currentAccessibilityContext!.context?.application
+                      ?.bundleIdentifier,
+                  appName:
+                    this.currentAccessibilityContext!.context?.application?.name,
+                  appUrl:
+                    this.currentAccessibilityContext!.context?.windowInfo?.url,
+                  surroundingContext: "",
+                };
+              })()
             : undefined,
         }),
       });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/whisper-provider.ts b/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/whisper-provider.ts
index c95ebeaa..fc5acd18 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/whisper-provider.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/pipeline/providers/transcription/whisper-provider.ts
@@ -277,8 +277,13 @@ export class WhisperProvider implements TranscriptionProvider {
       return aggregatedTranscription;
     }
 
-    const beforeText =
+    const rawBeforeText =
       accessibilityContext?.context?.textSelection?.preSelectionText;
+    // Strip ANSI escape sequences that terminal apps expose via accessibility
+    // context — they degrade Whisper recognition quality.
+    const beforeText = rawBeforeText
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-control-regex
+      ?.replace(/[\u001b\u009b][[()#;?]*(?:[0-9]{1,4}(?:;[0-9]{0,4})*)?[0-9A-ORZcf-nqry=><~]/g, "");
     if (beforeText && beforeText.trim().length > 0) {
       logger.transcription.debug(
         `Generated initial prompt from before text: "${beforeText}"`,