diff --git a/src/lib/ae_events/ae_launcher__default_launch_profiles.ts b/src/lib/ae_events/ae_launcher__default_launch_profiles.ts
index 90b5f0eb..19b3135e 100644
--- a/src/lib/ae_events/ae_launcher__default_launch_profiles.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ae_events/ae_launcher__default_launch_profiles.ts
@@ -57,10 +57,21 @@ function make_vlc_mirror_profile(): LaunchProfile {
         app: 'VLC',
         display_mode: 'mirror',
         open_cmd: 'open -a "VLC" "{{path}}"',
-        post_delay_ms: 1500,
+        post_delay_ms: 1000,
+        // Poll until VLC is frontmost before sending Cmd+F. A fixed delay is unreliable because
+        // `open -a VLC` returns immediately (just fires an Apple Event) — VLC cold-start on a
+        // loaded conference Mac can take 3-5 seconds before the window is visible and interactive.
+        // Polling (15 × 0.5 s = up to 7.5 s after the initial wait) fires as soon as VLC is ready.
         post_script: `tell application "VLC"
     activate
 end tell
+repeat 15 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "System Events"
+        if frontmost of process "VLC" is true then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
 tell application "System Events"
     tell process "VLC"
         keystroke "f" using command down
@@ -73,10 +84,17 @@ const POWERPOINT_MAC_EXTEND_PROFILE: LaunchProfile = {
     app: 'Microsoft PowerPoint',
     display_mode: 'extend',
     open_cmd: 'open -a "Microsoft PowerPoint" "{{path}}"',
-    post_delay_ms: 2000,
+    post_delay_ms: 1000,
     post_script: `tell application "Microsoft PowerPoint"
     activate
 end tell
+repeat 15 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "System Events"
+        if frontmost of process "Microsoft PowerPoint" is true then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
 tell application "System Events"
     tell process "Microsoft PowerPoint"
         keystroke return using command down
@@ -88,9 +106,20 @@ const KEYNOTE_MAC_EXTEND_PROFILE: LaunchProfile = {
     app: 'Keynote',
     display_mode: 'extend',
     open_cmd: 'open -a "Keynote" "{{path}}"',
-    post_delay_ms: 2000,
+    post_delay_ms: 1000,
+    // Keynote uses `start (front document)` which requires the document to actually be loaded —
+    // polling frontmost is not enough here. Poll document count instead.
     post_script: `tell application "Keynote"
     activate
+end tell
+repeat 20 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "Keynote"
+        if (count of documents) > 0 then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
+tell application "Keynote"
     start (front document)
 end tell`
 };
@@ -99,10 +128,17 @@ const LIBREOFFICE_MAC_EXTEND_PROFILE: LaunchProfile = {
     app: 'LibreOffice',
     display_mode: 'extend',
     open_cmd: 'open -a "LibreOffice" "{{path}}"',
-    post_delay_ms: 2000,
+    post_delay_ms: 1000,
     post_script: `tell application "LibreOffice"
     activate
 end tell
+repeat 15 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "System Events"
+        if frontmost of process "soffice" is true then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
 tell application "System Events"
     tell process "soffice"
         key code 96
@@ -114,10 +150,17 @@ const ACROBAT_MAC_MIRROR_PROFILE: LaunchProfile = {
     app: 'Adobe Acrobat Reader DC',
     display_mode: 'mirror',
     open_cmd: 'open -a "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" "{{path}}"',
-    post_delay_ms: 2000,
+    post_delay_ms: 1000,
     post_script: `tell application "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC"
     activate
 end tell
+repeat 15 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "System Events"
+        if frontmost of process "AdobeReader" is true then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
 tell application "System Events"
     tell process "AdobeReader"
         keystroke "l" using command down
@@ -131,10 +174,17 @@ const POWERPOINT_WIN_EXTEND_PROFILE: LaunchProfile = {
     app: 'Microsoft Office PowerPoint (Windows)',
     display_mode: 'extend',
     open_cmd: 'open -a "Microsoft Office PowerPoint" "{{path}}"',
-    post_delay_ms: 3000,
+    post_delay_ms: 1500,
     post_script: `tell application "Microsoft Office PowerPoint"
     activate
 end tell
+repeat 15 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "System Events"
+        if frontmost of process "Microsoft Office PowerPoint" is true then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
 tell application "System Events"
     key code 96
 end tell`
@@ -144,10 +194,17 @@ const LIBREOFFICE_WIN_EXTEND_PROFILE: LaunchProfile = {
     app: 'LibreOffice (Windows)',
     display_mode: 'extend',
     open_cmd: 'open -a "LibreOffice" "{{path}}"',
-    post_delay_ms: 3000,
+    post_delay_ms: 1500,
     post_script: `tell application "LibreOffice"
     activate
 end tell
+repeat 15 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "System Events"
+        if frontmost of process "soffice" is true then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
 tell application "System Events"
     tell process "soffice"
         key code 96
@@ -159,10 +216,17 @@ const ACROBAT_WIN_MIRROR_PROFILE: LaunchProfile = {
     app: 'Acrobat Reader (Windows)',
     display_mode: 'mirror',
     open_cmd: 'open -a "Acrobat Reader Windows" "{{path}}"',
-    post_delay_ms: 3000,
+    post_delay_ms: 1500,
     post_script: `tell application "Acrobat Reader Windows"
     activate
 end tell
+repeat 15 times
+    delay 0.5
+    tell application "System Events"
+        if frontmost of process "Acrobat Reader Windows" is true then exit repeat
+    end tell
+end repeat
+delay 0.3
 tell application "System Events"
     key code 108 using control down
 end tell`