diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index f0c0b4d..593bbed 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
   const [generatedHtml, setGeneratedHtml] = useState<string>('');
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [showShortcuts, setShowShortcuts] = useState(false);
+  const [statusMessage, setStatusMessage] = useState('');
 
   const { uiZoom, setUiZoom, isLoaded } = useSettings();
   const { templates, categories, isLoading: templatesLoading, error: templatesError, refresh, openFolder } = useTemplates();
@@ -103,6 +104,17 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
   // The Tauri file drop is disabled to allow the webview to handle drag events
   // This preserves the drag hover animations in the FileUpload component
 
+  // Announce state changes to screen readers
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const messages: Record<string, string> = {
+      [AppState.UPLOAD]: 'Upload screen',
+      [AppState.CONFIG]: 'Style configuration',
+      [AppState.GENERATING]: 'Generating document',
+      [AppState.PREVIEW]: 'Document preview',
+    };
+    setStatusMessage(messages[appState] || '');
+  }, [appState]);
+
   // Global keydown listener for shortcuts help
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
@@ -168,7 +180,11 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
   };
 
   if (!isLoaded) {
-    return null;
+    return (
+      <div className="h-screen w-screen flex items-center justify-center bg-zinc-950" role="status" aria-live="polite">
+        <span className="sr-only">Loading TypoGenie</span>
+      </div>
+    );
   }
 
   if (appState === AppState.PREVIEW) {
@@ -177,6 +193,7 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
         className="h-screen w-screen overflow-hidden"
         style={{ fontSize: `${uiZoom}%` }}
       >
+        <div role="status" aria-live="polite" className="sr-only">{statusMessage}</div>
         <div className="h-full w-full flex flex-col">
           <Preview
             htmlContent={generatedHtml}
@@ -198,6 +215,7 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
       className="h-screen bg-zinc-950 text-zinc-100 flex flex-col font-sans selection:bg-indigo-500/30 overflow-hidden"
       style={{ fontSize: `${uiZoom}%` }}
     >
+      <div role="status" aria-live="polite" className="sr-only">{statusMessage}</div>
 
       {/* Keyboard Shortcuts Modal */}
       <KeyboardShortcutsHelp isOpen={showShortcuts} onClose={() => setShowShortcuts(false)} />
@@ -380,7 +398,6 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
                       exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -10, scale: 0.95 }}
                       className="mt-4 p-4 bg-red-900/20 border border-red-800 rounded-xl text-center text-red-300"
                       role="alert"
-                      aria-live="polite"
                     >
                       {error}
                     </motion.div>
@@ -392,6 +409,8 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
             {appState === AppState.GENERATING && (
               <motion.div
                 key="generating"
+                role="status"
+                aria-busy="true"
                 initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.9 }}
                 animate={{ opacity: 1, scale: 1 }}
                 exit={{ opacity: 0, scale: 1.1 }}
diff --git a/src/components/FileUpload.tsx b/src/components/FileUpload.tsx
index 58e9b1e..29b3a72 100644
--- a/src/components/FileUpload.tsx
+++ b/src/components/FileUpload.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useCallback, useState, useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
+import React, { useCallback, useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import { motion } from 'motion/react';
 import { Upload, FileText, AlertCircle } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useKeyboardNavigation } from '../hooks/useKeyboardNavigation';
@@ -87,14 +87,6 @@ export const FileUpload: React.FC<FileUploadProps> = ({ onFileLoaded }) => {
     },
   }, [isFocused]);
 
-  // Clear error after 5 seconds
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (error) {
-      const timer = setTimeout(() => setError(null), 5000);
-      return () => clearTimeout(timer);
-    }
-  }, [error]);
-
   return (
     <motion.div 
       className="w-full max-w-xl mx-auto"
@@ -109,6 +101,7 @@ export const FileUpload: React.FC<FileUploadProps> = ({ onFileLoaded }) => {
         role="button"
         tabIndex={0}
         aria-label="Drop zone. Click or press Enter to select a file."
+        aria-describedby={error ? "upload-error" : undefined}
         className={`relative group flex flex-col items-center justify-center w-full h-64 border-2 border-dashed rounded-2xl cursor-pointer overflow-hidden outline-none transition-all
           ${dragActive ? 'border-indigo-500 bg-indigo-500/10' : 'border-zinc-700 bg-zinc-900/50'}
           ${isFocused ? 'ring-2 ring-indigo-500 ring-offset-2 ring-offset-zinc-950 border-indigo-400' : ''}
@@ -208,9 +201,9 @@ export const FileUpload: React.FC<FileUploadProps> = ({ onFileLoaded }) => {
           initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -10, height: 0 }}
           animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0, height: 'auto' }}
           exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -10, height: 0 }}
+          id="upload-error"
           className="mt-4 p-4 bg-red-900/20 border border-red-800 rounded-lg flex items-center gap-3 text-red-200"
           role="alert"
-          aria-live="polite"
         >
           <motion.div
             animate={{ rotate: [0, 10, -10, 0] }}
diff --git a/src/components/Preview.tsx b/src/components/Preview.tsx
index 9770078..4216d2f 100644
--- a/src/components/Preview.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Preview.tsx
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ export const Preview: React.FC<PreviewProps> = ({
   const [successMsg, setSuccessMsg] = useState(false);
   const [showExportModal, setShowExportModal] = useState(false);
   const [focusedElement, setFocusedElement] = useState<'back' | 'fonts' | 'save'>('save');
+  const [exportError, setExportError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   // Get current style from templates
   const style = templates.find(s => s.id === selectedStyleId) || templates[0] || null;
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ export const Preview: React.FC<PreviewProps> = ({
       }
     } catch (e) {
       console.error("Docx Gen Error", e);
-      alert("Failed to generate DOCX: " + e);
+      setExportError("Failed to generate DOCX: " + e);
     } finally {
       setIsExporting(false);
     }
@@ -375,7 +376,7 @@ export const Preview: React.FC<PreviewProps> = ({
   }, [htmlContent, paperSize, selectedStyleId, templates, style]);
 
   if (!style) {
-    return <div className="h-screen flex items-center justify-center text-white">Loading...</div>;
+    return <div className="h-screen flex items-center justify-center text-white" role="status">Loading...</div>;
   }
 
   return (
@@ -399,6 +400,7 @@ export const Preview: React.FC<PreviewProps> = ({
                 onClick={handleSave}
                 onFocus={() => setFocusedElement('save')}
                 disabled={isExporting}
+                aria-live="polite"
                 whileHover={{ scale: 1.05, boxShadow: '0 0 20px rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.4)' }}
                 whileTap={{ scale: 0.95 }}
                 className={`flex items-center gap-2 px-5 py-2.5 rounded-lg font-semibold transition-colors shadow-lg ${successMsg ? 'bg-emerald-600 text-white' : 'bg-blue-600 text-white hover:bg-blue-500'} ${isExporting ? 'opacity-50 cursor-wait' : ''}`}
@@ -431,6 +433,12 @@ export const Preview: React.FC<PreviewProps> = ({
         onClose={() => setShowExportModal(false)}
         onExport={handleExportConfirm}
       />
+      {exportError && (
+        <div role="alert" className="fixed bottom-4 right-4 z-50 p-4 bg-red-900/90 border border-red-800 rounded-xl text-red-200 max-w-md">
+          {exportError}
+          <button onClick={() => setExportError(null)} className="ml-3 text-red-400 hover:text-white" aria-label="Dismiss error">&#10005;</button>
+        </div>
+      )}
     </motion.div>
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/components/StyleSelector.tsx b/src/components/StyleSelector.tsx
index a145d25..ba7e975 100644
--- a/src/components/StyleSelector.tsx
+++ b/src/components/StyleSelector.tsx
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ export const StyleSelector: React.FC<StyleSelectorProps> = ({
 
   if (isLoading) {
     return (
-      <div className="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center">
+      <div className="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center" role="status">
         <motion.div className="text-center" initial={{ opacity: 0 }} animate={{ opacity: 1 }}>
           <motion.div className="w-12 h-12 border-4 border-indigo-500/30 border-t-indigo-500 rounded-full mx-auto mb-4" animate={{ rotate: 360 }} transition={{ duration: 1, repeat: Infinity, ease: "linear" }} />
           <p className="text-zinc-400">Loading templates...</p>
@@ -261,10 +261,10 @@ export const StyleSelector: React.FC<StyleSelectorProps> = ({
 
   if (error) {
     return (
-      <div className="w-full h-full flex flex-col items-center justify-center p-8 text-center">
+      <div className="w-full h-full flex flex-col items-center justify-center p-8 text-center" role="alert">
         <motion.div initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }} className="max-w-md">
           <div className="w-16 h-16 bg-red-500/10 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center mx-auto mb-4">
-            <span className="text-2xl">⚠️</span>
+            <span className="text-2xl" aria-hidden="true">⚠️</span>
           </div>
           <h3 className="text-xl font-semibold text-white mb-2">Template Error</h3>
           <p className="text-zinc-400 mb-6">{error}</p>
@@ -372,6 +372,9 @@ export const StyleSelector: React.FC<StyleSelectorProps> = ({
                   className="w-full bg-zinc-900 border border-zinc-700 rounded-xl py-2 pl-9 pr-4 text-sm text-zinc-200 placeholder:text-zinc-500 focus:outline-none focus:border-indigo-500/50 focus:ring-1 focus:ring-indigo-500/50 transition-all"
                 />
               </div>
+              <div role="status" aria-live="polite" className="sr-only">
+                {searchQuery.trim() ? `${filteredStyles.length} template${filteredStyles.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''} found` : ''}
+              </div>
             </div>
           </div>