diff --git a/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx b/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx
index 04c1c9e2..9949d327 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
 } from "../api/sessions";
 import type { SessionSummary } from "../api/types";
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
-import { useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
 /**
  * The page is designed to live INSIDE the Omics Portal chrome (its left sidebar
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ export function AppShell() {
   const refresh = () => queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["sessions"] });
   const activeSession = sessions.find((s) => s.id === activeSessionId) ?? null;
   const finalized = activeSession?.status === "finalized";
+  const [localStart, setLocalStart] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (activeSessionId && !activeSession) setLocalStart((prev) => prev ?? new Date().toISOString());
+    else if (!activeSessionId) setLocalStart(null);
+  }, [activeSessionId, activeSession]);
+  const startedAt = activeSession?.created_at ?? localStart;
 
   function openPanel(id: string) {
     const s = sessions.find((x) => x.id === id);
@@ -171,7 +177,11 @@ export function AppShell() {
         {activeSessionId && (
           <div className="shrink-0 border-b border-border/70 bg-background/80 px-6 py-2.5 backdrop-blur">
             <div className="mx-auto max-w-3xl">
-              <WorkflowBar finalized={finalized} />
+              <WorkflowBar
+                finalized={finalized}
+                createdAt={startedAt}
+                updatedAt={activeSession?.updated_at ?? null}
+              />
             </div>
           </div>
         )}
diff --git a/frontend/src/shell/ElapsedTimer.test.tsx b/frontend/src/shell/ElapsedTimer.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..be240639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/shell/ElapsedTimer.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { ElapsedTimer } from "./ElapsedTimer";
+
+test("renders nothing without a start time", () => {
+  const { container } = render(<ElapsedTimer startedAt={null} />);
+  expect(container).toBeEmptyDOMElement();
+});
+
+test("frozen elapsed when stoppedAt is set (2m 5s)", () => {
+  render(
+    <ElapsedTimer
+      startedAt="2026-07-03T10:00:00.000Z"
+      stoppedAt="2026-07-03T10:02:05.000Z"
+    />,
+  );
+  expect(screen.getByText("2m 5s")).toBeInTheDocument();
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/shell/ElapsedTimer.tsx b/frontend/src/shell/ElapsedTimer.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f1a040e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/shell/ElapsedTimer.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+
+function fmt(ms: number): string {
+  const total = Math.max(0, Math.floor(ms / 1000));
+  return `${Math.floor(total / 60)}m ${total % 60}s`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Total process time, anchored on the session's created_at (robust to reload and
+ * resume). Ticks every second while running; freezes at stoppedAt once the session
+ * is finalized. Renders nothing until a start time is known.
+ */
+export function ElapsedTimer({
+  startedAt,
+  stoppedAt,
+}: {
+  startedAt: string | null;
+  stoppedAt?: string | null;
+}) {
+  const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now());
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!startedAt || stoppedAt) return;
+    const t = setInterval(() => setNow(Date.now()), 1000);
+    return () => clearInterval(t);
+  }, [startedAt, stoppedAt]);
+
+  if (!startedAt) return null;
+  const start = new Date(startedAt).getTime();
+  const end = stoppedAt ? new Date(stoppedAt).getTime() : now;
+  return (
+    <span
+      className="shrink-0 tabular-nums text-xs text-muted-foreground"
+      aria-label="Elapsed time"
+      title="Total elapsed time"
+    >
+      {fmt(end - start)}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/shell/WorkflowBar.tsx b/frontend/src/shell/WorkflowBar.tsx
index 9caed2b8..b7012cdb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shell/WorkflowBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/shell/WorkflowBar.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // frontend/src/shell/WorkflowBar.tsx
 import { useSessionStore } from "../store/sessionStore";
+import { ElapsedTimer } from "./ElapsedTimer";
 
 const PHASES = [
   { id: "F1", name: "Disambiguation" },
@@ -24,16 +25,25 @@ const DOT: Record<DotState, string> = {
   pending: "bg-transparent text-muted-foreground/70 ring-border",
 };
 
-export function WorkflowBar({ finalized = false }: { finalized?: boolean }) {
+export function WorkflowBar({
+  finalized = false,
+  createdAt = null,
+  updatedAt = null,
+}: {
+  finalized?: boolean;
+  createdAt?: string | null;
+  updatedAt?: string | null;
+}) {
   const currentPhase = useSessionStore((s) => s.currentPhase);
   const phaseError = useSessionStore((s) => s.phaseError);
   const activeIdx = PHASES.findIndex((p) => p.id === currentPhase);
 
   return (
-    <nav
-      aria-label="Workflow progress"
-      className="flex items-center justify-center gap-0 overflow-x-auto py-0.5"
-    >
+    <div className="flex items-center justify-center gap-3">
+      <nav
+        aria-label="Workflow progress"
+        className="flex items-center gap-0 overflow-x-auto py-0.5"
+      >
       {PHASES.map((p, i) => {
         const isActive = currentPhase === p.id;
         const isDone = activeIdx > -1 && i < activeIdx;
@@ -85,6 +95,8 @@ export function WorkflowBar({ finalized = false }: { finalized?: boolean }) {
           </div>
         );
       })}
-    </nav>
+      </nav>
+      <ElapsedTimer startedAt={createdAt} stoppedAt={finalized ? updatedAt : null} />
+    </div>
   );
 }