diff --git a/src/App.vue b/src/App.vue
index 4f4b5e1..f029baa 100644
--- a/src/App.vue
+++ b/src/App.vue
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   PhFloppyDisk,
   PhGearSix,
   PhImageSquare,
+  PhMonitorPlay,
   PhPause,
   PhPencilSimpleLine,
   PhPlay,
@@ -195,6 +196,11 @@ function stop() {
   store.pause()
 }
 
+function openFullscreenPreview() {
+  store.pause()
+  fullscreenOpen.value = true
+}
+
 async function saveProject() {
   // projectForSave stitches the current editor-session UI state
   // (zoom, pan, overlay toggles, timeline display) onto the
@@ -508,8 +514,7 @@ function onKeyDown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
   if (isEditable(e.target)) return
   e.preventDefault()
   if (e.shiftKey) {
-    store.pause()
-    fullscreenOpen.value = true
+    openFullscreenPreview()
     return
   }
   store.togglePlay()
@@ -595,8 +600,7 @@ async function runDesktopMenuCommand(command: string) {
       rewind()
       break
     case 'fullscreen-preview':
-      store.pause()
-      fullscreenOpen.value = true
+      openFullscreenPreview()
       break
     case 'toggle-panels':
       panelsHidden.value = !panelsHidden.value
@@ -706,6 +710,13 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
           @click="store.togglePlay()"
         />
         <div class="transport-side transport-right">
+          <IconButton
+            :icon="PhMonitorPlay"
+            icon-weight="regular"
+            size="md"
+            :title="t('app.fullscreenPlayback')"
+            @click="openFullscreenPreview"
+          />
           <IconButton
             :icon="PhStop"
             icon-weight="fill"
diff --git a/src/components/DocumentSettings.vue b/src/components/DocumentSettings.vue
index 95178a7..538884a 100644
--- a/src/components/DocumentSettings.vue
+++ b/src/components/DocumentSettings.vue
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import type { Theme } from '@/composables/useTheme'
 import { useTooltipPref } from '@/composables/useTooltipPref'
 import { useAssetThumbsPref } from '@/composables/useAssetThumbsPref'
 import { useShowWelcomeOnStart } from '@/composables/useShowWelcomeOnStart'
+import { useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay } from '@/composables/useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay'
 import { showLocked } from '@/composables/useShowLocked'
 import { Modal, ToggleSwitch } from '@/components/ui'
 import { setLocale, t, useI18n } from '@/i18n'
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ const { theme, setTheme } = useTheme()
 const { enabled: tooltipsEnabled } = useTooltipPref()
 const { enabled: thumbsEnabled } = useAssetThumbsPref()
 const { enabled: welcomeOnStart } = useShowWelcomeOnStart()
+const { enabled: fullscreenAutoplay } = useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay()
 const { locale } = useI18n()
 
 // Re-check the stored clipart folder whenever settings opens — covers the
@@ -288,6 +290,17 @@ function applyTheme(t: Theme) {
                   </div>
                 </label>
 
+                <label class="row-toggle">
+                  <ToggleSwitch
+                    v-model="fullscreenAutoplay"
+                    :aria-label="t('settings.fullscreenAutoplayLabel')"
+                  />
+                  <div class="row-toggle-text">
+                    <div class="row-toggle-label">{{ t('settings.fullscreenAutoplayLabel') }}</div>
+                    <div class="row-toggle-desc">{{ t('settings.fullscreenAutoplayDesc') }}</div>
+                  </div>
+                </label>
+
                 <div class="setting-block">
                   <div class="setting-heading">{{ t('settings.appearanceTitle') }}</div>
                   <div class="setting-desc">{{ t('settings.themeHint') }}</div>
diff --git a/src/components/FullscreenPreview.vue b/src/components/FullscreenPreview.vue
index 981bd99..dd3b76a 100644
--- a/src/components/FullscreenPreview.vue
+++ b/src/components/FullscreenPreview.vue
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ import { cameraAspect, isCameraEnabled } from '@/lib/camera'
 import { mountPlayer, type PlayerHandle } from '@/lib/exportPlayer'
 import { t } from '@/i18n'
 import { useTimeFormat } from '@/composables/useTimeFormat'
+import { useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay } from '@/composables/useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay'
 
 const { formatTime } = useTimeFormat()
+const { enabled: autoplay } = useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay()
 
 const props = defineProps<{ modelValue: boolean }>()
 const emit = defineEmits<{ 'update:modelValue': [value: boolean] }>()
@@ -51,14 +53,14 @@ async function startPreview() {
   // stage. Otherwise the two runtimes fight — editor audio pool +
   // preview audio pool would both emit the same mp3s at once.
   store.pause()
-  playing.value = true
+  playing.value = autoplay.value
   showControls.value = false
   const start = rangeIn.value
   const end = rangeOut.value
   const head = store.playhead
   const initialTime = head < start || head >= end ? start : head
   localTime.value = initialTime
-  mountAt(el, initialTime, true)
+  mountAt(el, initialTime, autoplay.value)
   requestBrowserFullscreen()
 }
 
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ watch(
       if (!props.modelValue) return
       const still = frameEl.value
       if (!still) return
-      mountAt(still, keepTime, true)
+      mountAt(still, keepTime, playing.value)
     })
   },
 )
diff --git a/src/composables/useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay.ts b/src/composables/useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0dbff1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/composables/useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { ref, watch } from 'vue'
+
+const STORAGE_KEY = 'animatr.fullscreenPreviewAutoplay'
+
+function read(): boolean {
+  try {
+    return localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY) === 'true'
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+// Module-level shared ref so settings and fullscreen preview use the
+// same preference without prop drilling through the app shell.
+export const fullscreenPreviewAutoplay = ref<boolean>(read())
+
+watch(fullscreenPreviewAutoplay, (v) => {
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, String(v))
+  } catch {
+    /* ignore */
+  }
+})
+
+export function useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay() {
+  return { enabled: fullscreenPreviewAutoplay }
+}
diff --git a/src/devtools/tests.ts b/src/devtools/tests.ts
index 4d87fd1..bc59f0a 100644
--- a/src/devtools/tests.ts
+++ b/src/devtools/tests.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import { drawButtonFrame, drawSceneFrame, renderButtonThumbnail } from '@/lib/re
 import { t as i18nT } from '@/i18n'
 import { expandedTrackOrder } from '@/lib/sceneOrder'
 import { CLIP_FALLBACK_BOUNDS, computeClipBounds } from '@/lib/clipBounds'
+import { renderSceneFrameForOutput } from '@/lib/camera'
 import {
   deleteStoredProject,
   getStoredProject,
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ import {
 import Modal from '@/components/ui/Modal.vue'
 import IconButton from '@/components/ui/IconButton.vue'
 import Toast from '@/components/ui/Toast.vue'
+import App from '@/App.vue'
 import PropertiesPanel from '@/components/PropertiesPanel.vue'
 import ClipartDrawer from '@/components/ClipartDrawer.vue'
 import SceneDrawer from '@/components/SceneDrawer.vue'
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ import ExportDialog from '@/components/ExportDialog.vue'
 import WelcomeDialog from '@/components/WelcomeDialog.vue'
 import FullscreenPreview from '@/components/FullscreenPreview.vue'
 import HelpDialog from '@/components/HelpDialog.vue'
+import { fullscreenPreviewAutoplay } from '@/composables/useFullscreenPreviewAutoplay'
 import { createAudioRuntime } from '@/composables/useAudioRuntime'
 import {
   clearWaveformCache,
@@ -1428,6 +1431,88 @@ export function registerAllTests(): void {
       expect(frame?.querySelector('canvas')).toBeTruthy()
       handle.unmount()
     })
+
+    test('fullscreen preview autoplay preference controls the initial transport state', async () => {
+      makeFreshStore()
+      const before = fullscreenPreviewAutoplay.value
+      const primaryButton = () =>
+        document.body.querySelector('.fs-toolbar .fs-btn') as HTMLButtonElement | null
+      try {
+        fullscreenPreviewAutoplay.value = false
+        const pausedHandle = mountComponent(FullscreenPreview, { modelValue: true })
+        await nextTick()
+        await nextTick()
+        expect(primaryButton()?.getAttribute('aria-label')).toBe('Play')
+        pausedHandle.unmount()
+        await nextTick()
+
+        fullscreenPreviewAutoplay.value = true
+        const playingHandle = mountComponent(FullscreenPreview, { modelValue: true })
+        await nextTick()
+        await nextTick()
+        expect(primaryButton()?.getAttribute('aria-label')).toBe('Pause')
+        playingHandle.unmount()
+      } finally {
+        fullscreenPreviewAutoplay.value = before
+      }
+    })
+
+    test('top transport fullscreen button opens the preview and pauses editor playback', async () => {
+      const s = makeFreshStore()
+      s.play()
+      expect(s.playing).toBe(true)
+      const handle = mountComponent(App, {})
+      try {
+        await nextTick()
+        await nextTick()
+        const btn = handle.host.querySelector(
+          `[aria-label="${i18nT('app.fullscreenPlayback')}"]`,
+        ) as HTMLButtonElement | null
+        expect(btn).toBeTruthy()
+        btn!.click()
+        await nextTick()
+        await nextTick()
+        expect(s.playing).toBe(false)
+        expect(document.body.querySelector('.fs-root')).toBeTruthy()
+        expect(document.body.querySelector('.fs-frame')).toBeTruthy()
+      } finally {
+        handle.unmount()
+      }
+    })
+
+    test('camera output renders off-stage content over the scene background', () => {
+      const s = makeFreshStore()
+      s.scene.canvas.width = 100
+      s.scene.canvas.height = 100
+      s.scene.canvas.background = '#123456'
+      const rect = s.addAsset({
+        kind: 'rect',
+        name: 'Outside',
+        width: 10,
+        height: 10,
+        fill: '#ff0000',
+      })
+      const layer = s.addLayer(rect.id)!
+      s.upsertKeyframe(layer.id, 0, { x: -15, y: 50 })
+      s.enableCamera()
+      s.setCameraBaseProps({ x: -50, y: 0, width: 100, height: 100 })
+
+      const canvas = document.createElement('canvas')
+      canvas.width = 100
+      canvas.height = 100
+      const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d')!
+      renderSceneFrameForOutput(ctx, s.scene, 0, {}, { width: 100, height: 100 })
+
+      const outsideStageBg = ctx.getImageData(10, 50, 1, 1).data
+      expect(Array.from(outsideStageBg.slice(0, 3))).toEqual([0x12, 0x34, 0x56])
+      expect(outsideStageBg[3]).toBe(255)
+
+      const outsideStageLayer = ctx.getImageData(35, 50, 1, 1).data
+      expect(outsideStageLayer[0]).toBeGreaterThan(200)
+      expect(outsideStageLayer[1]).toBeLessThan(40)
+      expect(outsideStageLayer[2]).toBeLessThan(40)
+      expect(outsideStageLayer[3]).toBe(255)
+    })
   })
 
   suite('export — target size scaling', () => {
@@ -15897,7 +15982,7 @@ export function registerAllTests(): void {
       expect(src).toContain('clipKaleidoPivot')
       expect(src).toContain('clipArmLocalT')
       // Runtime version got bumped during the kaleido + wiggle work.
-      expect(src).toContain("'35'")
+      expect(src).toContain("'36'")
     })
 
     test('exported runtime layerActiveAt is unaffected by kaleido fields', async () => {
@@ -16275,7 +16360,7 @@ export function registerAllTests(): void {
       expect(src).toContain('function wiggleSeeds(')
       // Runtime version got bumped through the wiggle work and the
       // later layer-kaleido-pivot landing.
-      expect(src).toContain("'35'")
+      expect(src).toContain("'36'")
     })
   })
 
@@ -16807,7 +16892,7 @@ export function registerAllTests(): void {
       const src = generateRuntimeScript()
       expect(src).toContain('function layerArmTf(')
       // Bumped on this work.
-      expect(src).toContain("'35'")
+      expect(src).toContain("'36'")
     })
   })
 }
diff --git a/src/i18n/messages.ts b/src/i18n/messages.ts
index 9fb19eb..c0288de 100644
--- a/src/i18n/messages.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/messages.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export const en = {
     pause: 'Pause (Space)',
     play: 'Play (Space)',
     stop: 'Stop',
+    fullscreenPlayback: 'Fullscreen playback (Shift+Space)',
     recentProjects: 'Recent projects',
     copyStill: {
       label: 'Copy current frame',
@@ -467,6 +468,9 @@ export const en = {
     welcomeOnStartLabel: 'Show welcome screen on start',
     welcomeOnStartDesc:
       'Open the welcome / recents dialog when RUWIO launches. Off → boot straight into the last edited project. The last file is always restored either way; the welcome dialog just gives you a chance to switch.',
+    fullscreenAutoplayLabel: 'Autoplay in fullscreen preview',
+    fullscreenAutoplayDesc:
+      'Start playback immediately when fullscreen preview opens. When off, fullscreen opens paused and Space starts it.',
     bgVideoLabel: 'Video',
     bgVideoNone: 'No background video',
     bgVideoPickFile: 'Pick video file…',
@@ -1140,6 +1144,7 @@ export const de: DeepPartial<Messages> = {
     pause: 'Pause (Leertaste)',
     play: 'Abspielen (Leertaste)',
     stop: 'Stop',
+    fullscreenPlayback: 'Fullscreen-Wiedergabe (Shift+Leertaste)',
     recentProjects: 'Letzte Projekte',
     copyStill: {
       label: 'Aktuellen Frame kopieren',
@@ -1334,6 +1339,12 @@ export const de: DeepPartial<Messages> = {
     assetThumbsLabel: 'Asset-Vorschaubilder',
     assetThumbsDesc:
       'Zeigt kleine Vorschauen in Assets, Clips und Buttons. Aus ist kompakter, an ist übersichtlicher.',
+    welcomeOnStartLabel: 'Willkommensfenster beim Start anzeigen',
+    welcomeOnStartDesc:
+      'Öffnet beim Start von RUWIO den Willkommen-/Letzte-Projekte-Dialog. Aus startet direkt mit dem zuletzt bearbeiteten Projekt.',
+    fullscreenAutoplayLabel: 'Autoplay in Fullscreen-Vorschau',
+    fullscreenAutoplayDesc:
+      'Startet die Wiedergabe sofort, wenn die Fullscreen-Vorschau geöffnet wird. Wenn aus, öffnet sie pausiert und Leertaste startet sie.',
     bgVideoLabel: 'Video',
     bgVideoNone: 'Kein Hintergrundvideo',
     bgVideoPickFile: 'Videodatei wählen…',
diff --git a/src/lib/camera.ts b/src/lib/camera.ts
index 81aa57a..7d719d5 100644
--- a/src/lib/camera.ts
+++ b/src/lib/camera.ts
@@ -182,11 +182,20 @@ export function renderSceneFrameForOutput(
   ctx.save()
   ctx.setTransform(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0)
   ctx.clearRect(0, 0, outputWidth, outputHeight)
+  const bg = scene.canvas.background
+  if (!scene.backgroundVideo && bg && bg !== 'transparent') {
+    ctx.fillStyle = bg
+    ctx.fillRect(0, 0, outputWidth, outputHeight)
+  }
   ctx.restore()
 
   ctx.save()
   ctx.scale(outputWidth / camera.width, outputHeight / camera.height)
   ctx.translate(-camera.x, -camera.y)
-  drawSceneFrame(ctx, scene, time, images, { crop: options?.cropStage })
+  drawSceneFrame(ctx, scene, time, images, {
+    crop: options?.cropStage ?? false,
+    clear: false,
+    background: false,
+  })
   ctx.restore()
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/exportPlayer.ts b/src/lib/exportPlayer.ts
index ca8d83e..7c6c7ca 100644
--- a/src/lib/exportPlayer.ts
+++ b/src/lib/exportPlayer.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ function isProject(p: ExportPayload): p is Project {
   return Array.isArray((p as Partial<Project>).scenes)
 }
 
-const RUNTIME_VERSION = '35'
+const RUNTIME_VERSION = '36'
 
 /** Materialize the engine source. The font map is rebuilt on every
  *  call so user-uploaded custom fonts (which live in localStorage
@@ -1178,10 +1178,16 @@ const ENGINE_TEMPLATE = `(function(){
       ctx.beginPath();
       ctx.rect(0,0,vw,vh);
       ctx.clip();
+      if(useCamera && !scene.backgroundVideo && scene.canvas.background && scene.canvas.background !== 'transparent'){
+        ctx.fillStyle=scene.canvas.background;
+        ctx.fillRect(0,0,vw,vh);
+      }
       if(useCamera) ctx.translate(-cam.x,-cam.y);
       if(!scene.backgroundVideo){
-        ctx.fillStyle=scene.canvas.background;
-        ctx.fillRect(0,0,lw,lh);
+        if(!useCamera){
+          ctx.fillStyle=scene.canvas.background;
+          ctx.fillRect(0,0,lw,lh);
+        }
       }
       var layerById={};
       for(var li=0;li<scene.layers.length;li++)layerById[scene.layers[li].id]=scene.layers[li];
diff --git a/src/lib/render.ts b/src/lib/render.ts
index 0d04e9b..aece278 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.ts
+++ b/src/lib/render.ts
@@ -566,11 +566,18 @@ export function drawSceneFrame(
   scene: Scene,
   time: number,
   images: Record<string, HTMLImageElement>,
-  options?: { crop?: boolean; buttonStates?: Map<string, ButtonState> },
+  options?: {
+    crop?: boolean
+    clear?: boolean
+    background?: boolean
+    buttonStates?: Map<string, ButtonState>
+  },
 ) {
   const lw = scene.canvas.width
   const lh = scene.canvas.height
   const crop = options?.crop !== false
+  const clear = options?.clear !== false
+  const paintBackground = options?.background !== false
   const buttonStates = options?.buttonStates
 
   ctx.save()
@@ -583,13 +590,13 @@ export function drawSceneFrame(
   // Mandatory for transparent-background scenes so subsequent frames
   // don't accumulate alpha; harmless for opaque ones since `fillRect`
   // below paints over everything.
-  ctx.clearRect(0, 0, lw, lh)
+  if (clear) ctx.clearRect(0, 0, lw, lh)
   // A background video takes over the backdrop — leave the stage area
   // transparent so the DOM video underneath is visible. Same treatment
   // when the canvas background is explicitly 'transparent' so
   // APNG/WebM exports carry the alpha channel out to the file.
   const bg = scene.canvas.background
-  if (!scene.backgroundVideo && bg && bg !== 'transparent') {
+  if (paintBackground && !scene.backgroundVideo && bg && bg !== 'transparent') {
     ctx.fillStyle = bg
     ctx.fillRect(0, 0, lw, lh)
   }