diff --git a/ios/Podfile b/ios/Podfile
index de176d9..ff76451 100644
--- a/ios/Podfile
+++ b/ios/Podfile
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ post_install do |installer|
     flutter_additional_ios_build_settings(target)
     target.build_configurations.each do |config|
       config.build_settings['IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET'] = '14.0'
+      config.build_settings['GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS'] ||= ['$(inherited)']
+      definitions = config.build_settings['GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS']
+      unless definitions.include?('PERMISSION_NOTIFICATIONS=1')
+        definitions << 'PERMISSION_NOTIFICATIONS=1'
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/providers/download_queue_provider.dart b/lib/providers/download_queue_provider.dart
index b3108e2..0e59a08 100644
--- a/lib/providers/download_queue_provider.dart
+++ b/lib/providers/download_queue_provider.dart
@@ -1943,12 +1943,12 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
       final albumArtist = _resolveAlbumArtistForMetadata(track, settings);
       metadata['ALBUMARTIST'] = albumArtist;
 
-      if (track.trackNumber != null) {
+      if (track.trackNumber != null && track.trackNumber! > 0) {
         metadata['TRACKNUMBER'] = track.trackNumber.toString();
         metadata['TRACK'] = track.trackNumber.toString();
       }
 
-      if (track.discNumber != null) {
+      if (track.discNumber != null && track.discNumber! > 0) {
         metadata['DISCNUMBER'] = track.discNumber.toString();
         metadata['DISC'] = track.discNumber.toString();
       }
@@ -2085,12 +2085,12 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
       final albumArtist = _resolveAlbumArtistForMetadata(track, settings);
       metadata['ALBUMARTIST'] = albumArtist;
 
-      if (track.trackNumber != null) {
+      if (track.trackNumber != null && track.trackNumber! > 0) {
         metadata['TRACKNUMBER'] = track.trackNumber.toString();
         metadata['TRACK'] = track.trackNumber.toString();
       }
 
-      if (track.discNumber != null) {
+      if (track.discNumber != null && track.discNumber! > 0) {
         metadata['DISCNUMBER'] = track.discNumber.toString();
         metadata['DISC'] = track.discNumber.toString();
       }
@@ -2249,11 +2249,11 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
       final albumArtist = _resolveAlbumArtistForMetadata(track, settings);
       metadata['ALBUMARTIST'] = albumArtist;
 
-      if (track.trackNumber != null) {
+      if (track.trackNumber != null && track.trackNumber! > 0) {
         metadata['TRACKNUMBER'] = track.trackNumber.toString();
       }
 
-      if (track.discNumber != null) {
+      if (track.discNumber != null && track.discNumber! > 0) {
         metadata['DISCNUMBER'] = track.discNumber.toString();
       }
 
@@ -2489,6 +2489,7 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
           await musicDir.create(recursive: true);
         }
         state = state.copyWith(outputDir: musicDir.path);
+        ref.read(settingsProvider.notifier).setDownloadDirectory(musicDir.path);
       } else if (!isValidIosWritablePath(state.outputDir)) {
         // Check for other invalid paths (like container root without Documents/)
         _log.w(
@@ -2498,6 +2499,7 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
         final correctedPath = await validateOrFixIosPath(state.outputDir);
         _log.i('Corrected path: $correctedPath');
         state = state.copyWith(outputDir: correctedPath);
+        ref.read(settingsProvider.notifier).setDownloadDirectory(correctedPath);
       }
     }
 
@@ -2898,9 +2900,14 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
                 (trackToDownload.isrc == null && deezerIsrc != null) ||
                 (!_isValidISRC(trackToDownload.isrc ?? '') &&
                     deezerIsrc != null) ||
-                (trackToDownload.trackNumber == null &&
-                    deezerTrackNum != null) ||
-                (trackToDownload.discNumber == null && deezerDiscNum != null);
+                ((trackToDownload.trackNumber == null ||
+                        trackToDownload.trackNumber! <= 0) &&
+                    deezerTrackNum != null &&
+                    deezerTrackNum > 0) ||
+                ((trackToDownload.discNumber == null ||
+                        trackToDownload.discNumber! <= 0) &&
+                    deezerDiscNum != null &&
+                    deezerDiscNum > 0);
 
             if (needsEnrich) {
               trackToDownload = Track(
@@ -2914,8 +2921,16 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
                 isrc: (deezerIsrc != null && _isValidISRC(deezerIsrc))
                     ? deezerIsrc
                     : trackToDownload.isrc,
-                trackNumber: trackToDownload.trackNumber ?? deezerTrackNum,
-                discNumber: trackToDownload.discNumber ?? deezerDiscNum,
+                trackNumber:
+                    (trackToDownload.trackNumber != null &&
+                        trackToDownload.trackNumber! > 0)
+                    ? trackToDownload.trackNumber
+                    : deezerTrackNum,
+                discNumber:
+                    (trackToDownload.discNumber != null &&
+                        trackToDownload.discNumber! > 0)
+                    ? trackToDownload.discNumber
+                    : deezerDiscNum,
                 releaseDate: trackToDownload.releaseDate ?? deezerReleaseDate,
                 deezerId: deezerTrackId,
                 availability: trackToDownload.availability,
@@ -2993,6 +3008,17 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
         }
         _log.d('Output dir: $outputDir');
 
+        final normalizedTrackNumber =
+            (trackToDownload.trackNumber != null &&
+                trackToDownload.trackNumber! > 0)
+            ? trackToDownload.trackNumber!
+            : 1;
+        final normalizedDiscNumber =
+            (trackToDownload.discNumber != null &&
+                trackToDownload.discNumber! > 0)
+            ? trackToDownload.discNumber!
+            : 1;
+
         final payload = DownloadRequestPayload(
           isrc: trackToDownload.isrc ?? '',
           service: item.service,
@@ -3008,8 +3034,8 @@ class DownloadQueueNotifier extends Notifier<DownloadQueueState> {
           // Keep prior behavior: non-YouTube paths were implicitly true.
           embedLyrics: isYouTube ? settings.embedLyrics : true,
           embedMaxQualityCover: settings.maxQualityCover,
-          trackNumber: trackToDownload.trackNumber ?? 1,
-          discNumber: trackToDownload.discNumber ?? 1,
+          trackNumber: normalizedTrackNumber,
+          discNumber: normalizedDiscNumber,
           releaseDate: trackToDownload.releaseDate ?? '',
           itemId: item.id,
           durationMs: trackToDownload.duration,
diff --git a/lib/screens/setup_screen.dart b/lib/screens/setup_screen.dart
index 230a5fa..e32204d 100644
--- a/lib/screens/setup_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/setup_screen.dart
@@ -68,10 +68,12 @@ class _SetupScreenState extends ConsumerState<SetupScreen> {
 
   Future<void> _checkInitialPermissions() async {
     if (Platform.isIOS) {
+      final notificationStatus = await Permission.notification.status;
       if (mounted) {
         setState(() {
           _storagePermissionGranted = true;
-          _notificationPermissionGranted = true;
+          _notificationPermissionGranted =
+              notificationStatus.isGranted || notificationStatus.isProvisional;
         });
       }
     } else if (Platform.isAndroid) {
@@ -181,7 +183,14 @@ class _SetupScreenState extends ConsumerState<SetupScreen> {
   Future<void> _requestNotificationPermission() async {
     setState(() => _isLoading = true);
     try {
-      if (_androidSdkVersion >= 33) {
+      if (Platform.isIOS) {
+        final status = await Permission.notification.request();
+        if (status.isGranted || status.isProvisional) {
+          setState(() => _notificationPermissionGranted = true);
+        } else if (status.isPermanentlyDenied) {
+          await _showPermissionDeniedDialog('Notification');
+        }
+      } else if (_androidSdkVersion >= 33) {
         final status = await Permission.notification.request();
         if (status.isGranted) {
           setState(() => _notificationPermissionGranted = true);
diff --git a/lib/services/notification_service.dart b/lib/services/notification_service.dart
index fc3976e..7606746 100644
--- a/lib/services/notification_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/notification_service.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import 'dart:io';
+import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_local_notifications/flutter_local_notifications.dart';
+import 'package:permission_handler/permission_handler.dart';
 
 class NotificationService {
   static final NotificationService _instance = NotificationService._internal();
@@ -9,6 +12,7 @@ class NotificationService {
   final FlutterLocalNotificationsPlugin _notifications =
       FlutterLocalNotificationsPlugin();
   bool _isInitialized = false;
+  bool _notificationPermissionRequested = false;
 
   static const int downloadProgressId = 1;
   static const int updateDownloadId = 2;
@@ -28,8 +32,8 @@ class NotificationService {
       '@mipmap/ic_launcher',
     );
     const iosSettings = DarwinInitializationSettings(
-      requestAlertPermission: true,
-      requestBadgePermission: true,
+      requestAlertPermission: false,
+      requestBadgePermission: false,
       requestSoundPermission: false,
     );
 
@@ -72,6 +76,55 @@ class NotificationService {
     _isInitialized = true;
   }
 
+  Future<bool> _ensureNotificationPermission() async {
+    if (!Platform.isIOS) return true;
+
+    final status = await Permission.notification.status;
+    if (status.isGranted || status.isProvisional) return true;
+
+    if (_notificationPermissionRequested ||
+        status.isPermanentlyDenied ||
+        status.isRestricted) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    _notificationPermissionRequested = true;
+    final requested = await Permission.notification.request();
+    return requested.isGranted || requested.isProvisional;
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _showSafely({
+    required int id,
+    required String title,
+    required String body,
+    required NotificationDetails details,
+  }) async {
+    if (!await _ensureNotificationPermission()) return;
+
+    try {
+      await _notifications.show(
+        id: id,
+        title: title,
+        body: body,
+        notificationDetails: details,
+      );
+    } on PlatformException catch (e) {
+      final isNotificationsNotAllowed =
+          Platform.isIOS &&
+          (e.code == 'Error 1' ||
+              (e.message?.contains('UNErrorDomain error 1') ?? false) ||
+              e.toString().contains('UNErrorDomain error 1'));
+
+      if (isNotificationsNotAllowed) {
+        debugPrint(
+          'iOS notifications not allowed; skipping local notification',
+        );
+        return;
+      }
+      rethrow;
+    }
+  }
+
   Future<void> showDownloadProgress({
     required String trackName,
     required String artistName,
@@ -110,11 +163,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: downloadProgressId,
       title: 'Downloading $trackName',
       body: '$artistName • $percentage%',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -153,11 +206,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: downloadProgressId,
       title: 'Finalizing $trackName',
       body: '$artistName • Embedding metadata...',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -203,11 +256,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: downloadProgressId,
       title: title,
       body: '$trackName - $artistName',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -243,11 +296,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: downloadProgressId,
       title: title,
       body: '$completedCount tracks downloaded successfully',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -300,11 +353,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: libraryScanId,
       title: 'Scanning local library',
       body: body,
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -346,11 +399,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: libraryScanId,
       title: 'Library scan complete',
       body: '$totalTracks tracks indexed$suffix',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -379,11 +432,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: libraryScanId,
       title: 'Library scan failed',
       body: message,
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -412,11 +465,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: libraryScanId,
       title: 'Library scan cancelled',
       body: 'Scan stopped before completion.',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -463,11 +516,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: updateDownloadId,
       title: 'Downloading SpotiFLAC v$version',
       body: '$receivedMB / $totalMB MB • $percentage%',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -496,11 +549,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: updateDownloadId,
       title: 'Update Ready',
       body: 'SpotiFLAC v$version downloaded. Tap to install.',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
@@ -528,11 +581,11 @@ class NotificationService {
       iOS: iosDetails,
     );
 
-    await _notifications.show(
+    await _showSafely(
       id: updateDownloadId,
       title: 'Update Failed',
       body: 'Could not download update. Try again later.',
-      notificationDetails: details,
+      details: details,
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/file_access.dart b/lib/utils/file_access.dart
index 1ac2b66..1dd4f1f 100644
--- a/lib/utils/file_access.dart
+++ b/lib/utils/file_access.dart
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ final _iosContainerRootPattern = RegExp(
   r'^(/private)?/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/[A-F0-9\-]+/?$',
   caseSensitive: false,
 );
+final _iosContainerPathWithoutLeadingSlashPattern = RegExp(
+  r'^(private/)?var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/[A-F0-9\-]+/.+',
+  caseSensitive: false,
+);
+final _iosLegacyRelativeDocumentsPattern = RegExp(
+  r'^Data/Application/[A-F0-9\-]+/Documents(?:/(.*))?$',
+  caseSensitive: false,
+);
 
 /// Checks if a path is a valid writable directory on iOS.
 /// Returns false if:
@@ -21,6 +29,7 @@ final _iosContainerRootPattern = RegExp(
 bool isValidIosWritablePath(String path) {
   if (!Platform.isIOS) return true;
   if (path.isEmpty) return false;
+  if (!path.startsWith('/')) return false;
 
   // Check if it's the container root (without Documents/, tmp/, etc.)
   if (_iosContainerRootPattern.hasMatch(path)) {
@@ -54,16 +63,64 @@ bool isValidIosWritablePath(String path) {
 
 /// Validates and potentially corrects an iOS path.
 /// Returns a valid Documents subdirectory path if the input is invalid.
-Future<String> validateOrFixIosPath(String path, {String subfolder = 'SpotiFLAC'}) async {
+Future<String> validateOrFixIosPath(
+  String path, {
+  String subfolder = 'SpotiFLAC',
+}) async {
   if (!Platform.isIOS) return path;
 
-  if (isValidIosWritablePath(path)) {
-    return path;
+  final trimmed = path.trim();
+  if (isValidIosWritablePath(trimmed)) {
+    return trimmed;
+  }
+
+  final docDir = await getApplicationDocumentsDirectory();
+  final candidates = <String>[];
+
+  if (trimmed.isNotEmpty) {
+    candidates.add(trimmed);
+  }
+
+  // Some pickers can return absolute iOS paths without the leading slash.
+  if (_iosContainerPathWithoutLeadingSlashPattern.hasMatch(trimmed)) {
+    candidates.add('/$trimmed');
+  }
+
+  // Recover legacy relative iOS path format:
+  // Data/Application/<UUID>/Documents/<subdir>
+  final legacyRelativeMatch = _iosLegacyRelativeDocumentsPattern.firstMatch(
+    trimmed,
+  );
+  if (legacyRelativeMatch != null) {
+    final suffix = (legacyRelativeMatch.group(1) ?? '').trim();
+    final normalizedSuffix = suffix.startsWith('/')
+        ? suffix.substring(1)
+        : suffix;
+    candidates.add(
+      normalizedSuffix.isEmpty
+          ? docDir.path
+          : '${docDir.path}/$normalizedSuffix',
+    );
+  }
+
+  // Generic salvage for relative paths containing `Documents/...`.
+  if (!trimmed.startsWith('/')) {
+    final documentsMarker = 'Documents/';
+    final index = trimmed.indexOf(documentsMarker);
+    if (index >= 0) {
+      final suffix = trimmed.substring(index + documentsMarker.length).trim();
+      candidates.add(suffix.isEmpty ? docDir.path : '${docDir.path}/$suffix');
+    }
+  }
+
+  for (final candidate in candidates) {
+    if (isValidIosWritablePath(candidate)) {
+      return candidate;
+    }
   }
 
   // Fall back to app Documents directory
-  final dir = await getApplicationDocumentsDirectory();
-  final musicDir = Directory('${dir.path}/$subfolder');
+  final musicDir = Directory('${docDir.path}/$subfolder');
   if (!await musicDir.exists()) {
     await musicDir.create(recursive: true);
   }
@@ -96,11 +153,20 @@ IosPathValidationResult validateIosPath(String path) {
     );
   }
 
+  if (!path.startsWith('/')) {
+    return const IosPathValidationResult(
+      isValid: false,
+      errorReason:
+          'Invalid path format. Please choose a local folder from Files.',
+    );
+  }
+
   // Check if it's the container root
   if (_iosContainerRootPattern.hasMatch(path)) {
     return const IosPathValidationResult(
       isValid: false,
-      errorReason: 'Cannot write to app container root. Please choose a subfolder like Documents.',
+      errorReason:
+          'Cannot write to app container root. Please choose a subfolder like Documents.',
     );
   }
 
@@ -110,7 +176,8 @@ IosPathValidationResult validateIosPath(String path) {
       path.contains('com~apple~CloudDocs')) {
     return const IosPathValidationResult(
       isValid: false,
-      errorReason: 'iCloud Drive is not supported. Please choose a local folder.',
+      errorReason:
+          'iCloud Drive is not supported. Please choose a local folder.',
     );
   }
 
@@ -125,7 +192,8 @@ IosPathValidationResult validateIosPath(String path) {
     if (remainingPath.isEmpty || remainingPath == '/') {
       return const IosPathValidationResult(
         isValid: false,
-        errorReason: 'Cannot write to app container root. Please use the default folder or choose a different location.',
+        errorReason:
+            'Cannot write to app container root. Please use the default folder or choose a different location.',
       );
     }
   }