diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/ClientRoot.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/ClientRoot.tsx
index 96d97e3..eb0d5ee 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/client/ClientRoot.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/ClientRoot.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   Spinner,
   Text,
 } from 'folds';
-import { HttpApiEvent, HttpApiEventHandlerMap, MatrixClient } from 'matrix-js-sdk';
+import { HttpApiEvent, HttpApiEventHandlerMap, MatrixClient, SyncState } from 'matrix-js-sdk';
 import FocusTrap from 'focus-trap-react';
 import React, { MouseEventHandler, ReactNode, useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import {
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import { SyncStatus } from './SyncStatus';
 import { AuthMetadataProvider } from '../../hooks/useAuthMetadata';
 import { getFallbackSession } from '../../state/sessions';
 import { CallProviderWrapper } from '../../features/call/CallProviderWrapper';
+import { isTauriMobile, startBackgroundSync, stopBackgroundSync } from '../../utils/tauri';
 
 function ClientRootLoading() {
   return (
@@ -139,6 +140,90 @@ const useLogoutListener = (mx?: MatrixClient) => {
   }, [mx]);
 };
 
+/**
+ * Hook to handle visibility changes and restart sync on mobile
+ * When the app goes to background and comes back, sync may be stale/stopped
+ */
+const useVisibilitySync = (mx?: MatrixClient) => {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!mx || !isTauriMobile()) return;
+
+    const handleVisibilityChange = () => {
+      if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') {
+        console.log('[useVisibilitySync] App became visible, checking sync state');
+        const syncState = mx.getSyncState();
+        console.log('[useVisibilitySync] Current sync state:', syncState);
+        
+        // If sync is not running or errored, restart it
+        if (!mx.clientRunning || syncState === SyncState.Error || syncState === SyncState.Stopped || syncState === null) {
+          console.log('[useVisibilitySync] Restarting sync...');
+          startClient(mx).catch((err) => {
+            console.error('[useVisibilitySync] Failed to restart sync:', err);
+          });
+        } else {
+          // Force a sync even if client is running (to catch up quickly)
+          console.log('[useVisibilitySync] Triggering immediate sync');
+          mx.retryImmediately();
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange);
+    
+    // Also handle resume event for mobile (if available)
+    window.addEventListener('resume', handleVisibilityChange);
+    
+    return () => {
+      document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange);
+      window.removeEventListener('resume', handleVisibilityChange);
+    };
+  }, [mx]);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Hook to start/stop native Rust background sync on mobile
+ * This allows notifications to work even when the app is backgrounded
+ */
+const useBackgroundSync = (mx?: MatrixClient) => {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!mx || !isTauriMobile()) return;
+
+    // Start background sync with credentials from the Matrix client
+    const startSync = async () => {
+      try {
+        const homeserverUrl = mx.getHomeserverUrl();
+        const userId = mx.getUserId();
+        const accessToken = mx.getAccessToken();
+        const deviceId = mx.getDeviceId();
+
+        if (!homeserverUrl || !userId || !accessToken || !deviceId) {
+          console.warn('[useBackgroundSync] Missing credentials, cannot start background sync');
+          return;
+        }
+
+        await startBackgroundSync({
+          homeserverUrl,
+          userId,
+          accessToken,
+          deviceId,
+        });
+        console.log('[useBackgroundSync] Background sync started');
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error('[useBackgroundSync] Failed to start background sync:', err);
+      }
+    };
+
+    startSync();
+
+    // Stop background sync on cleanup
+    return () => {
+      stopBackgroundSync().catch((err) => {
+        console.error('[useBackgroundSync] Failed to stop background sync:', err);
+      });
+    };
+  }, [mx]);
+};
+
 type ClientRootProps = {
   children: ReactNode;
 };
@@ -161,6 +246,8 @@ export function ClientRoot({ children }: ClientRootProps) {
   );
 
   useLogoutListener(mx);
+  useVisibilitySync(mx);
+  useBackgroundSync(mx);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (loadState.status === AsyncStatus.Idle) {
diff --git a/src/app/plugins/react-custom-html-parser.tsx b/src/app/plugins/react-custom-html-parser.tsx
index 9b433c7..bad01d5 100644
--- a/src/app/plugins/react-custom-html-parser.tsx
+++ b/src/app/plugins/react-custom-html-parser.tsx
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ export const getReactCustomHtmlParser = (
           const htmlSrc = mxcUrlToHttp(mx, props.src, params.useAuthentication);
           if (htmlSrc && props.src.startsWith('mxc://') === false) {
             return (
-              <a href={htmlSrc} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">
+              <a href={htmlSrc} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" onClick={handleExternalLinkClick}>
                 {props.alt || props.title || htmlSrc}
               </a>
             );
diff --git a/src/app/utils/tauri.ts b/src/app/utils/tauri.ts
index b43e879..02c0d78 100644
--- a/src/app/utils/tauri.ts
+++ b/src/app/utils/tauri.ts
@@ -9,26 +9,28 @@ export const openExternalUrl = async (url: string): Promise<void> => {
   // Only run this in Tauri builds
   if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && (window as any).__TAURI__) {
     try {
-      console.log('[openExternalUrl] invoking open_external_url command...');
-      const { invoke } = await import('@tauri-apps/api/core');
-      await invoke('open_external_url', { url });
-      console.log('[openExternalUrl] command succeeded');
+      // First, try the plugin directly (works on both desktop and mobile)
+      console.log('[openExternalUrl] trying opener plugin...');
+      const { openUrl } = await import('@tauri-apps/plugin-opener');
+      await openUrl(url);
+      console.log('[openExternalUrl] plugin succeeded');
       return;
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error('[openExternalUrl] Tauri command failed:', err);
-      // Try the plugin as fallback (for mobile)
+    } catch (pluginErr) {
+      console.warn('[openExternalUrl] opener plugin failed:', pluginErr);
+      
+      // Fallback: try the custom command (useful if plugin fails due to ACL)
       try {
-        console.log('[openExternalUrl] trying opener plugin fallback...');
-        const { openUrl } = await import('@tauri-apps/plugin-opener');
-        await openUrl(url);
-        console.log('[openExternalUrl] plugin fallback succeeded');
+        console.log('[openExternalUrl] trying invoke command fallback...');
+        const { invoke } = await import('@tauri-apps/api/core');
+        await invoke('open_external_url', { url });
+        console.log('[openExternalUrl] command fallback succeeded');
         return;
-      } catch (pluginErr) {
-        console.error('[openExternalUrl] plugin fallback also failed:', pluginErr);
+      } catch (invokeErr) {
+        console.error('[openExternalUrl] command fallback also failed:', invokeErr);
       }
-      return;
     }
   }
+  
   console.log('[openExternalUrl] falling back to window.open');
   window.open(url, '_blank');
 };
@@ -269,3 +271,69 @@ export const readClipboardImage = async (): Promise<File | null> => {
     return null;
   }
 };
+
+/**
+ * Background Sync API for mobile platforms
+ * Starts a native Rust-based Matrix sync that runs even when the app is backgrounded
+ */
+export interface BackgroundSyncCredentials {
+  homeserverUrl: string;
+  userId: string;
+  accessToken: string;
+  deviceId: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Start background Matrix sync on mobile
+ * This runs the sync in native Rust code, allowing notifications even when the app is backgrounded
+ */
+export const startBackgroundSync = async (credentials: BackgroundSyncCredentials): Promise<void> => {
+  if (!isTauriMobile()) {
+    console.log('[BackgroundSync] Not on mobile, skipping');
+    return;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const { invoke } = await import('@tauri-apps/api/core');
+    await invoke('start_background_sync', {
+      homeserverUrl: credentials.homeserverUrl,
+      userId: credentials.userId,
+      accessToken: credentials.accessToken,
+      deviceId: credentials.deviceId,
+    });
+    console.log('[BackgroundSync] Started successfully');
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[BackgroundSync] Failed to start:', err);
+    throw err;
+  }
+};
+
+/**
+ * Stop background Matrix sync on mobile
+ */
+export const stopBackgroundSync = async (): Promise<void> => {
+  if (!isTauriMobile()) return;
+
+  try {
+    const { invoke } = await import('@tauri-apps/api/core');
+    await invoke('stop_background_sync');
+    console.log('[BackgroundSync] Stopped');
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[BackgroundSync] Failed to stop:', err);
+  }
+};
+
+/**
+ * Get the current background sync state
+ */
+export const getBackgroundSyncState = async (): Promise<string> => {
+  if (!isTauriMobile()) return 'NotApplicable';
+
+  try {
+    const { invoke } = await import('@tauri-apps/api/core');
+    return await invoke<string>('get_background_sync_state');
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[BackgroundSync] Failed to get state:', err);
+    return 'Error';
+  }
+};