diff --git a/web/backend/api/__init__.py b/web/backend/api/__init__.py
index d6cbb4b..c38d5c4 100644
--- a/web/backend/api/__init__.py
+++ b/web/backend/api/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
-"""API route handlers."""
\ No newline at end of file
+"""API route handlers."""
+
+from . import upload, split, status, download
+# websocket is imported directly in main.py to avoid circular import
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/backend/api/websocket.py b/web/backend/api/websocket.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f83519
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/backend/api/websocket.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"""WebSocket endpoint for real‑time progress updates."""
+
+import json
+
+from fastapi import APIRouter, WebSocket, WebSocketDisconnect
+
+from backend.services.task_manager import task_manager
+from backend.services.progress_publisher import register_connection, unregister_connection
+
+router = APIRouter(tags=["websocket"])
+
+
+@router.websocket("/ws/{task_id}")
+async def websocket_endpoint(websocket: WebSocket, task_id: str):
+    await websocket.accept()
+
+    register_connection(task_id, websocket)
+
+    try:
+        # Send initial status
+        status = task_manager.get_status(task_id)
+        await websocket.send_json({
+            "type": "status",
+            "data": status
+        })
+
+        while True:
+            data = await websocket.receive_text()
+            try:
+                message = json.loads(data)
+                if message.get("type") == "ping":
+                    await websocket.send_json({"type": "pong"})
+                elif message.get("type") == "get_status":
+                    status = task_manager.get_status(task_id)
+                    await websocket.send_json({
+                        "type": "status",
+                        "data": status
+                    })
+            except json.JSONDecodeError:
+                pass
+
+    except WebSocketDisconnect:
+        unregister_connection(task_id, websocket)
+    except Exception as e:
+        unregister_connection(task_id, websocket)
+        print(f"WebSocket error: {e}")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/backend/main.py b/web/backend/main.py
index b38611d..a334ba7 100644
--- a/web/backend/main.py
+++ b/web/backend/main.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
 
 from backend.config import settings
 from backend.api import upload, split, status, download
+from backend.api.websocket import router as websocket_router
 
 app = FastAPI(
     title="Audio Splitter Web API",
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ app.include_router(upload.router)
 app.include_router(split.router)
 app.include_router(status.router)
 app.include_router(download.router)
+app.include_router(websocket_router)
 
 
 @app.get("/")
diff --git a/web/backend/services/progress_publisher.py b/web/backend/services/progress_publisher.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40df706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/backend/services/progress_publisher.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""WebSocket progress publisher – decouples task manager from WebSocket."""
+
+import json
+from typing import Dict, Set
+
+from fastapi import WebSocket
+
+# Active WebSocket connections
+active_connections: Dict[str, Set[WebSocket]] = {}
+
+
+def publish_progress(task_id: str, progress: int, message: str, status: str = "processing"):
+    if task_id not in active_connections:
+        return
+
+    data = {
+        "type": "progress",
+        "data": {
+            "task_id": task_id,
+            "status": status,
+            "progress": progress,
+            "message": message
+        }
+    }
+
+    to_remove = set()
+    for websocket in active_connections.get(task_id, set()):
+        try:
+            websocket.send_json(data)
+        except Exception:
+            to_remove.add(websocket)
+
+    for websocket in to_remove:
+        active_connections[task_id].discard(websocket)
+    if task_id in active_connections and not active_connections[task_id]:
+        del active_connections[task_id]
+
+
+def register_connection(task_id: str, websocket: WebSocket):
+    if task_id not in active_connections:
+        active_connections[task_id] = set()
+    active_connections[task_id].add(websocket)
+
+
+def unregister_connection(task_id: str, websocket: WebSocket):
+    if task_id in active_connections:
+        active_connections[task_id].discard(websocket)
+        if not active_connections[task_id]:
+            del active_connections[task_id]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/backend/services/splits.zip b/web/backend/services/splits.zip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d9f32c
Binary files /dev/null and b/web/backend/services/splits.zip differ
diff --git a/web/backend/services/splitter.py b/web/backend/services/splitter.py
index 826bc72..70eca14 100644
--- a/web/backend/services/splitter.py
+++ b/web/backend/services/splitter.py
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ from backend.models.response import TaskStatus
 
 def run_split_task(task_id: str, tracklist: List[TracklistEntry], options: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     try:
-        task_manager.update_task(task_id, progress=5, message="Initializing...")
+        task_manager.update_task_with_progress(
+            task_id, progress=5, message="Initializing..."
+        )
 
         input_path = FileManager.get_input_path(task_id)
         if not input_path or not input_path.exists():
@@ -63,24 +65,45 @@ def run_split_task(task_id: str, tracklist: List[TracklistEntry], options: Dict[
 
         from audio_splitter.core import split_audio
 
-        task_manager.update_task(task_id, progress=10, message="Starting split...")
+        # We need to track progress from the core.
+        # Since the core doesn't have a progress callback, we'll update progress
+        # based on track list size (approximate).
+        total_tracks = len(tracks)
+        progress_base = 10  # Starting progress after init
+
+        task_manager.update_task_with_progress(
+            task_id, progress=progress_base, message="Starting split..."
+        )
+
+        # Run the split
+        # The core prints progress to stdout, but we can't easily capture it.
+        # We'll update progress based on track count.
+        # For now, we'll report progress after the split completes.
+        # A more advanced implementation would capture stdout or add a callback.
 
         split_audio(str(input_path), str(output_dir), tracks, args)
 
+        # After split completes, get the output files
         output_files = FileManager.get_output_files(task_id)
 
-        task_manager.update_task(
+        task_manager.update_task_with_progress(
             task_id,
-            status=TaskStatus.DONE,
             progress=100,
             message="Split complete",
+            status=TaskStatus.DONE
+        )
+
+        # Add tracks to the task state
+        task_manager.update_task(
+            task_id,
             tracks=output_files
         )
 
     except Exception as e:
-        task_manager.update_task(
+        task_manager.update_task_with_progress(
             task_id,
+            progress=0,
+            message="Split failed",
             status=TaskStatus.ERROR,
-            error=str(e),
-            message="Split failed"
+            error=str(e)
         )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/backend/services/task_manager.py b/web/backend/services/task_manager.py
index fb11a4f..aabe245 100644
--- a/web/backend/services/task_manager.py
+++ b/web/backend/services/task_manager.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import time
 
 from backend.config import settings
 from backend.models.response import TaskStatus, TrackInfo
+from backend.services.progress_publisher import publish_progress
 
 
 class TaskManager:
@@ -33,8 +34,37 @@ class TaskManager:
         return task_id in self._tasks
 
     def get_status(self, task_id: str) -> dict:
+        """Get task status with datetime objects converted to ISO format."""
         with self._lock:
-            return self._tasks.get(task_id, {}).copy()
+            if task_id not in self._tasks:
+                return {}
+            # Return a copy with datetime objects converted to ISO strings
+            status = self._tasks[task_id].copy()
+            return self._prepare_status_for_serialization(status)
+
+    def _prepare_status_for_serialization(self, status: dict) -> dict:
+        """Convert datetime objects to ISO format strings for JSON serialization."""
+        serializable = {}
+        for key, value in status.items():
+            if isinstance(value, datetime):
+                serializable[key] = value.isoformat()
+            elif isinstance(value, list):
+                # Handle lists of objects (e.g., tracks)
+                serializable[key] = [
+                    {k: v.isoformat() if isinstance(v, datetime) else v for k, v in item.items()}
+                    if isinstance(item, dict)
+                    else item
+                    for item in value
+                ]
+            elif isinstance(value, dict):
+                # Recursively handle nested dicts
+                serializable[key] = {
+                    k: v.isoformat() if isinstance(v, datetime) else v
+                    for k, v in value.items()
+                }
+            else:
+                serializable[key] = value
+        return serializable
 
     def update_task(self, task_id: str, **kwargs) -> None:
         with self._lock:
@@ -42,6 +72,22 @@ class TaskManager:
                 self._tasks[task_id].update(kwargs)
                 self._tasks[task_id]["updated_at"] = datetime.now()
 
+    def update_task_with_progress(self, task_id: str, progress: int, message: str,
+                                   status: str = None, error: str = None) -> None:
+        update_kwargs = {
+            "progress": progress,
+            "message": message
+        }
+        if status:
+            update_kwargs["status"] = status
+        if error is not None:
+            update_kwargs["error"] = error
+
+        self.update_task(task_id, **update_kwargs)
+
+        # Publish progress via WebSocket
+        publish_progress(task_id, progress, message, status or "processing")
+
     def cleanup_old_tasks(self) -> None:
         now = datetime.now()
         timeout = timedelta(seconds=settings.cleanup_after_seconds)
diff --git a/web/requirements-web.txt b/web/requirements-web.txt
index a7351d4..2a4fd0a 100644
--- a/web/requirements-web.txt
+++ b/web/requirements-web.txt
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ python-multipart>=0.0.6
 aiofiles>=23.2.0
 pydantic>=2.5.0
 pydantic-settings>=2.0.0
-python-dotenv>=1.0.0
\ No newline at end of file
+python-dotenv>=1.0.0
+websockets>=12.0
\ No newline at end of file