diff --git a/docs/UPDATE.md b/docs/UPDATE.md
index d76ccb7..0109824 100644
--- a/docs/UPDATE.md
+++ b/docs/UPDATE.md
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ See the [full changelog](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/releases/tag/v0.18.
 - Distro matrix runs `install.sh` (#810)
 - `install.sh` Faster Whisper box is CPU CTranslate2 / INT8, not NVIDIA CUDA. The whisper.cpp GPU step does not install the CUDA toolkit; Vulkan is first, CUDA only if a toolkit is already on the machine (#826)
 
-AppImage and Flatpak remain whisper.cpp only. Snap ships whisper.cpp plus VOSK. Faster Whisper and Parakeet are optional extras on `install.sh` / source installs.
+AppImage, Flatpak and Snap remain whisper.cpp only. Faster Whisper and Parakeet are optional extras on `install.sh` / source installs.
 
 See the [full changelog](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/releases/tag/v0.17.0).
 
diff --git a/src/vocalinux/ui/settings_dialog.py b/src/vocalinux/ui/settings_dialog.py
index a97f32b..37c6d27 100644
--- a/src/vocalinux/ui/settings_dialog.py
+++ b/src/vocalinux/ui/settings_dialog.py
@@ -9977,7 +9977,10 @@ For now, the engine has been reverted to VOSK."""
             self.speech_engine.set_audio_device(device_index, device_name)
 
         logger.info(f"Audio device changed to: [{device_index}] {device_name}")
-        self.audio_test_status.set_markup(f"<i>Selected: {device_label}</i>")
+        # Device names are free text ("Mic & Line", "<A2DP>"); escape them for Pango.
+        self.audio_test_status.set_markup(
+            f"<i>Selected: {GLib.markup_escape_text(device_label or '')}</i>"
+        )
 
     def _cancel_audio_test(self, *_args: object) -> None:
         """Cancel capture and invalidate any queued result when Settings closes."""
@@ -10048,7 +10051,7 @@ For now, the engine has been reverted to VOSK."""
                     "<small>Check if microphone is muted or try a different device</small>"
                 )
         else:
-            error_msg = result.get("error", "Unknown error")
+            error_msg = GLib.markup_escape_text(str(result.get("error", "Unknown error")))
             self.audio_test_status.set_markup(
                 f"<span foreground='#c01c28'>✗ Test failed:</span> {error_msg}"
             )
diff --git a/tests/test_pulse_sources.py b/tests/test_pulse_sources.py
index 055e37b..98197a0 100644
--- a/tests/test_pulse_sources.py
+++ b/tests/test_pulse_sources.py
@@ -679,6 +679,38 @@ class TestAudioDeviceTooltip:
         dialog.audio_device_combo.set_tooltip_text.assert_called_with(self._SOF)
 
 
+class TestAudioStatusMarkup:
+    """Device names and errors are free text; the status label parses Pango markup."""
+
+    def _glib(self) -> MagicMock:
+        from xml.sax.saxutils import escape
+
+        return MagicMock(markup_escape_text=MagicMock(side_effect=escape))
+
+    def test_selected_device_name_is_escaped(self) -> None:
+        settings_dialog = _load_settings_dialog()
+        dialog = MagicMock(_initializing=False, _pulse_source_names={})
+        dialog.audio_device_combo.get_active_id.return_value = "2"
+        dialog.audio_device_combo.get_active_text.return_value = "Mic & Line <A2DP>"
+        with patch.object(settings_dialog, "GLib", self._glib()):
+            settings_dialog.SettingsDialog._on_audio_device_changed(dialog, None)
+        dialog.audio_test_status.set_markup.assert_called_with(
+            "<i>Selected: Mic &amp; Line &lt;A2DP&gt;</i>"
+        )
+
+    def test_test_failure_message_is_escaped(self) -> None:
+        settings_dialog = _load_settings_dialog()
+        dialog = MagicMock()
+        with patch.object(settings_dialog, "GLib", self._glib()):
+            settings_dialog.SettingsDialog._handle_audio_test_result(
+                dialog, {"success": False, "error": "Invalid device <hw:0,6> & busy"}
+            )
+        dialog.audio_test_status.set_markup.assert_called_with(
+            "<span foreground='#c01c28'>✗ Test failed:</span> "
+            "Invalid device &lt;hw:0,6&gt; &amp; busy"
+        )
+
+
 def _load_settings_dialog() -> ModuleType:
     """Import settings_dialog with real GTK base classes so its methods are callable.