diff --git a/src/dashboard/views/tasks-view.ts b/src/dashboard/views/tasks-view.ts
index a882dd973..6361944f8 100644
--- a/src/dashboard/views/tasks-view.ts
+++ b/src/dashboard/views/tasks-view.ts
@@ -12,14 +12,45 @@ import type { ScreenSize } from '../types.js';
 import { Renderer } from '../renderer.js';
 import { TaskStore, defaultTaskRootDir } from '../../core/task-ledger/index.js';
 import type { TaskMeta, TaskStatus } from '../../core/task-ledger/index.js';
+import { promises as fs } from 'node:fs';
+import { homedir } from 'node:os';
+import { join } from 'node:path';
 
 export interface TasksViewData {
   tasks: TaskMeta[];
   version: string;
+  recovery?: RecoveryViewData;
   /** Last error encountered while reading the ledger, if any. */
   errorMessage?: string;
 }
 
+export interface RecoveryViewData {
+  taskRuns: TaskRunRecovery[];
+  handoffs: HandoffRecovery[];
+  errorMessage?: string;
+}
+
+export interface TaskRunRecovery {
+  run_id: string;
+  status: string;
+  reason?: string;
+  requested_at?: number;
+  resume_hint?: string;
+  current_cursor?: string;
+  last_checkpoint?: string;
+  evidence?: Array<{ kind: string; ref: string; summary?: string }>;
+}
+
+export interface HandoffRecovery {
+  handoff_id: string;
+  status: string;
+  reason?: string;
+  run_id?: string;
+  expires_at?: number;
+  before_url?: string;
+  before_title?: string;
+}
+
 const STATUS_COLORS: Record<TaskStatus, string> = {
   PENDING: ANSI.dim,
   RUNNING: ANSI.cyan,
@@ -28,6 +59,11 @@ const STATUS_COLORS: Record<TaskStatus, string> = {
   CANCELLED: ANSI.yellow,
 };
 
+const RECOVERY_STATUS_COLORS: Record<string, string> = {
+  NEEDS_HELP: ANSI.brightYellow,
+  ACTIVE: ANSI.brightMagenta,
+};
+
 function colorize(text: string, code: string | undefined): string {
   if (!code) return text;
   return code + text + ANSI.reset;
@@ -58,13 +94,15 @@ export class TasksView {
         ),
       );
     } else {
-      const visibleRows = Math.max(0, size.rows - 7);
+      const recoveryLines = this.renderRecovery(data.recovery, width);
+      const visibleRows = Math.max(0, size.rows - 7 - recoveryLines.length);
       for (const t of data.tasks.slice(0, visibleRows)) {
         lines.push(this.renderTaskRow(t, width));
       }
+      lines.push(...recoveryLines);
     }
 
-    while (lines.length < size.rows - 2) {
+    while (lines.length < size.rows - 3) {
       lines.push(this.renderer.emptyLine(width));
     }
 
@@ -76,6 +114,51 @@ export class TasksView {
     return lines;
   }
 
+  private renderRecovery(recovery: RecoveryViewData | undefined, width: number): string[] {
+    if (!recovery) return [];
+    const lines: string[] = [];
+    if (recovery.errorMessage) {
+      lines.push(BOX.teeRight + horizontalLine(width - 2) + BOX.teeLeft);
+      lines.push(this.renderer.contentLine(colorize(`recovery metadata unavailable: ${recovery.errorMessage}`, ANSI.dim), width));
+      return lines;
+    }
+    const needsHelp = recovery.taskRuns.filter(run => run.status === 'NEEDS_HELP');
+    const activeHandoffs = recovery.handoffs.filter(handoff => handoff.status === 'ACTIVE');
+    if (needsHelp.length === 0 && activeHandoffs.length === 0) return [];
+
+    lines.push(BOX.teeRight + horizontalLine(width - 2) + BOX.teeLeft);
+    lines.push(this.renderer.contentLine(colorize('Recovery / Human Help', ANSI.bold), width));
+    for (const run of needsHelp.slice(0, 3)) {
+      const status = colorize('NEEDS_HELP', RECOVERY_STATUS_COLORS.NEEDS_HELP);
+      lines.push(this.renderer.contentLine(
+        truncate(`${status} run=${run.run_id.slice(0, 8)} reason=${run.reason || '—'}`, width - 4),
+        width,
+      ));
+      lines.push(this.renderer.contentLine(
+        truncate(`  cursor=${run.current_cursor || '—'} resume=${run.resume_hint || '—'}`, width - 4),
+        width,
+      ));
+      const evidence = (run.evidence || []).slice(0, 3).map(item => `${item.kind}:${item.ref}`).join(', ') || '—';
+      lines.push(this.renderer.contentLine(
+        truncate(`  checkpoint=${run.last_checkpoint || '—'} evidence=${evidence}`, width - 4),
+        width,
+      ));
+    }
+    for (const handoff of activeHandoffs.slice(0, 3)) {
+      const remaining = handoff.expires_at ? formatAge(Math.max(0, handoff.expires_at - Date.now())) : '—';
+      const status = colorize('ACTIVE', RECOVERY_STATUS_COLORS.ACTIVE);
+      lines.push(this.renderer.contentLine(
+        truncate(`${status} handoff=${handoff.handoff_id.slice(0, 8)} run=${handoff.run_id?.slice(0, 8) || '—'} timeout=${remaining}`, width - 4),
+        width,
+      ));
+      lines.push(this.renderer.contentLine(
+        truncate(`  reason=${handoff.reason || '—'} before=${handoff.before_url || handoff.before_title || '—'}`, width - 4),
+        width,
+      ));
+    }
+    return lines;
+  }
+
   private renderColumnHeaders(width: number): string {
     const header = colorize(
       pad('task_id', 10) +
@@ -136,9 +219,95 @@ export async function readTasksSnapshot(limit = 200): Promise<TasksViewData> {
     const store = new TaskStore({ rootDir: defaultTaskRootDir() });
     const tasks = await store.list({ limit });
     tasks.sort((a, b) => (b.started_at ?? 0) - (a.started_at ?? 0));
-    return { tasks, version: '1' };
+    const recovery = await readRecoverySnapshot();
+    return { tasks, version: '1', recovery };
   } catch (err) {
     const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
     return { tasks: [], version: '1', errorMessage: msg };
   }
 }
+
+export async function readRecoverySnapshot(limit = 50): Promise<RecoveryViewData> {
+  try {
+    const home = process.env.OPENCHROME_HOME || join(homedir(), '.openchrome');
+    const taskRuns = await readTaskRuns(join(home, 'task-runs'), limit);
+    const handoffs = await readHandoffs(join(home, 'handoffs'), limit);
+    return { taskRuns, handoffs };
+  } catch (err) {
+    const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+    return { taskRuns: [], handoffs: [], errorMessage: msg };
+  }
+}
+
+async function readTaskRuns(root: string, limit: number): Promise<TaskRunRecovery[]> {
+  const entries = await readdirSafe(root);
+  const rows: TaskRunRecovery[] = [];
+  for (const entry of entries.slice(0, limit)) {
+    const meta = await readJsonSafe<Record<string, unknown>>(join(root, entry, 'meta.json'));
+    if (!meta) continue;
+    const needsHelp = meta.needs_help as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+    rows.push({
+      run_id: String(meta.run_id || entry),
+      status: String(meta.status || 'UNKNOWN'),
+      reason: typeof needsHelp?.reason === 'string' ? needsHelp.reason : undefined,
+      requested_at: typeof needsHelp?.requested_at === 'number' ? needsHelp.requested_at : undefined,
+      resume_hint: typeof needsHelp?.resume_hint === 'string' ? needsHelp.resume_hint : undefined,
+      current_cursor: typeof meta.current_cursor === 'string' ? meta.current_cursor : undefined,
+      last_checkpoint: await readLatestCheckpointId(join(root, entry, 'checkpoints')),
+      evidence: Array.isArray(meta.last_evidence) ? meta.last_evidence as TaskRunRecovery['evidence'] : undefined,
+    });
+  }
+  return rows.sort((a, b) => (b.requested_at || 0) - (a.requested_at || 0));
+}
+
+async function readHandoffs(root: string, limit: number): Promise<HandoffRecovery[]> {
+  const entries = await readdirSafe(root);
+  const rows: HandoffRecovery[] = [];
+  for (const entry of entries.slice(0, limit)) {
+    const meta = await readJsonSafe<Record<string, unknown>>(join(root, entry, 'meta.json'));
+    if (!meta) continue;
+    const before = meta.before as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+    rows.push({
+      handoff_id: String(meta.handoff_id || entry),
+      status: String(meta.status || 'UNKNOWN'),
+      reason: typeof meta.reason === 'string' ? meta.reason : undefined,
+      run_id: typeof meta.run_id === 'string' ? meta.run_id : undefined,
+      expires_at: typeof meta.expires_at === 'number' ? meta.expires_at : undefined,
+      before_url: typeof before?.url === 'string' ? before.url : undefined,
+      before_title: typeof before?.title === 'string' ? before.title : undefined,
+    });
+  }
+  return rows.sort((a, b) => (b.expires_at || 0) - (a.expires_at || 0));
+}
+
+async function readLatestCheckpointId(root: string): Promise<string | undefined> {
+  const entries = await readdirSafe(root);
+  const checkpoints: Array<{ id: string; created_at: number }> = [];
+  for (const entry of entries.filter(name => name.endsWith('.json'))) {
+    const json = await readJsonSafe<Record<string, unknown>>(join(root, entry));
+    if (!json) continue;
+    checkpoints.push({
+      id: String(json.checkpoint_id || entry.replace(/\.json$/, '')),
+      created_at: typeof json.created_at === 'number' ? json.created_at : 0,
+    });
+  }
+  checkpoints.sort((a, b) => b.created_at - a.created_at);
+  return checkpoints[0]?.id;
+}
+
+async function readdirSafe(root: string): Promise<string[]> {
+  try {
+    const entries = await fs.readdir(root, { withFileTypes: true });
+    return entries.filter(entry => entry.isDirectory() || entry.isFile()).map(entry => entry.name);
+  } catch {
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
+async function readJsonSafe<T>(file: string): Promise<T | undefined> {
+  try {
+    return JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(file, 'utf8')) as T;
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/dashboard/views/ledger-views.test.ts b/tests/dashboard/views/ledger-views.test.ts
index be07f6c8b..182be0c14 100644
--- a/tests/dashboard/views/ledger-views.test.ts
+++ b/tests/dashboard/views/ledger-views.test.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import { join } from 'node:path';
 
 import { Renderer } from '../../../src/dashboard/renderer.js';
 import { Dashboard } from '../../../src/dashboard/index.js';
-import { TasksView, type TasksViewData } from '../../../src/dashboard/views/tasks-view.js';
+import { TasksView, readRecoverySnapshot, type TasksViewData } from '../../../src/dashboard/views/tasks-view.js';
 import { SkillsView, type SkillsViewData } from '../../../src/dashboard/views/skills-view.js';
 import type { TaskMeta } from '../../../src/core/task-ledger/index.js';
 import type { SkillRecord } from '../../../src/core/skill-memory/index.js';
@@ -95,6 +95,68 @@ describe('TasksView', () => {
     );
     expect(lines.join('\n')).toMatch(/permission denied/);
   });
+
+  test('renders NEEDS_HELP and active handoff recovery details read-only', () => {
+    const renderer = new Renderer();
+    const view = new TasksView(renderer);
+    const data: TasksViewData = {
+      version: '1',
+      tasks: [mkTaskMeta({ task_id: 'r'.repeat(16), status: 'RUNNING' })],
+      recovery: {
+        taskRuns: [{
+          run_id: '1'.repeat(16),
+          status: 'NEEDS_HELP',
+          reason: 'Manual login required before continuing',
+          requested_at: Date.now(),
+          resume_hint: 'Continue after login',
+          current_cursor: 'https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/login',
+          last_checkpoint: 'c'.repeat(16),
+          evidence: [{ kind: 'url', ref: 'https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/login' }],
+        }],
+        handoffs: [{
+          handoff_id: 'h'.repeat(16),
+          status: 'ACTIVE',
+          reason: 'Manual login required before continuing',
+          run_id: '1'.repeat(16),
+          expires_at: Date.now() + 10_000,
+          before_url: 'https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/login',
+          before_title: 'Login Page',
+        }],
+      },
+    };
+    const joined = view.render(data, SIZE).join('\n');
+    expect(joined).toMatch(/Recovery \/ Human Help/);
+    expect(joined).toMatch(/NEEDS_HELP/);
+    expect(joined).toMatch(/Manual login required/);
+    expect(joined).toMatch(/Continue after login/);
+    expect(joined).toMatch(/ACTIVE/);
+    expect(joined).toMatch(/handoff=hhhhhhhh/);
+  });
+
+  test.each([
+    { rows: 24, columns: 80 },
+    { rows: 40, columns: 120 },
+    { rows: 60, columns: 200 },
+  ])('recovery pane renders within terminal size %o', (size) => {
+    const renderer = new Renderer();
+    const view = new TasksView(renderer);
+    const lines = view.render({
+      version: '1',
+      tasks: [mkTaskMeta({ task_id: 'r'.repeat(16), status: 'RUNNING' })],
+      recovery: {
+        taskRuns: [{
+          run_id: '1'.repeat(16),
+          status: 'NEEDS_HELP',
+          reason: 'Manual login required before continuing',
+          current_cursor: 'https://example.com/login',
+          resume_hint: 'resume',
+        }],
+        handoffs: [],
+      },
+    }, size);
+    expect(lines.length).toBe(size.rows);
+    expect(lines.join('\n')).toMatch(/NEEDS_HELP/);
+  });
 });
 
 describe('SkillsView', () => {
@@ -152,8 +214,69 @@ describe('snapshot readers — read-only behavior', () => {
       await fs.rm(fakeHome, { recursive: true, force: true });
     }
   });
+
+  test('readRecoverySnapshot reads TaskRun and handoff metadata without mutating files', async () => {
+    const fakeHome = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), 'oc-recovery-home-'));
+    const prev = process.env.OPENCHROME_HOME;
+    process.env.OPENCHROME_HOME = fakeHome;
+    try {
+      const runDir = join(fakeHome, 'task-runs', '1'.repeat(16));
+      const handoffDir = join(fakeHome, 'handoffs', 'h'.repeat(16));
+      const checkpointDir = join(runDir, 'checkpoints');
+      await fs.mkdir(checkpointDir, { recursive: true });
+      await fs.mkdir(handoffDir, { recursive: true });
+      await fs.writeFile(join(runDir, 'meta.json'), JSON.stringify({
+        run_id: '1'.repeat(16),
+        status: 'NEEDS_HELP',
+        current_cursor: 'https://example.com/login',
+        needs_help: {
+          reason: 'Manual login required',
+          requested_at: 1_700_000_000_000,
+          resume_hint: 'Continue after login',
+        },
+        last_evidence: [{ kind: 'url', ref: 'https://example.com/login' }],
+      }));
+      await fs.writeFile(join(checkpointDir, 'c.json'), JSON.stringify({
+        checkpoint_id: 'c'.repeat(16),
+        created_at: 1_700_000_000_001,
+      }));
+      await fs.writeFile(join(handoffDir, 'meta.json'), JSON.stringify({
+        handoff_id: 'h'.repeat(16),
+        status: 'ACTIVE',
+        reason: 'Manual login required',
+        run_id: '1'.repeat(16),
+        expires_at: 1_700_000_010_000,
+        before: { url: 'https://example.com/login', title: 'Login' },
+      }));
+      const before = JSON.stringify(await tree(fakeHome));
+      for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+        const snapshot = await readRecoverySnapshot();
+        expect(snapshot.taskRuns[0].status).toBe('NEEDS_HELP');
+        expect(snapshot.taskRuns[0].last_checkpoint).toBe('c'.repeat(16));
+        expect(snapshot.handoffs[0].status).toBe('ACTIVE');
+      }
+      expect(JSON.stringify(await tree(fakeHome))).toBe(before);
+    } finally {
+      process.env.OPENCHROME_HOME = prev;
+      await fs.rm(fakeHome, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
 });
 
+async function tree(root: string): Promise<string[]> {
+  const out: string[] = [];
+  async function walk(dir: string): Promise<void> {
+    const entries = await fs.readdir(dir, { withFileTypes: true });
+    for (const entry of entries) {
+      const full = join(dir, entry.name);
+      out.push(full.replace(root, ''));
+      if (entry.isDirectory()) await walk(full);
+    }
+  }
+  await walk(root);
+  return out.sort();
+}
+
 describe('Dashboard ledger refresh ticks', () => {
   test('timer path refreshes ledgers while staying on tasks or skills view', async () => {
     const dashboard = new Dashboard({ enabled: false }) as unknown as {