diff --git a/src/specify_cli/_console.py b/src/specify_cli/_console.py
index 85229e4c5c..33bd70f77f 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/_console.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/_console.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import sys
 from collections.abc import Callable
 
 import readchar
@@ -192,7 +193,8 @@ def create_selection_panel():
 
     def run_selection_loop():
         nonlocal selected_key, selected_index
-        with Live(create_selection_panel(), console=console, transient=True, auto_refresh=False) as live:
+        _transient = sys.platform != "win32"
+        with Live(create_selection_panel(), console=console, transient=_transient, auto_refresh=False) as live:
             while True:
                 try:
                     key = get_key()
diff --git a/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py b/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py
index 227f0f975e..76514caa82 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py
@@ -381,8 +381,12 @@ def init(
         ]:
             tracker.add(key, label)
 
+        # Disable transient mode on Windows: PowerShell 5.1's legacy console
+        # hangs when Rich tries to restore cursor state via VT escape sequences.
+        _transient = sys.platform != "win32"
+
         with Live(
-            tracker.render(), console=console, refresh_per_second=8, transient=True
+            tracker.render(), console=console, refresh_per_second=8, transient=_transient
         ) as live:
             tracker.attach_refresh(lambda: live.update(tracker.render()))
             try:
@@ -652,7 +656,8 @@ def init(
             finally:
                 pass
 
-        console.print(tracker.render())
+        if _transient:
+            console.print(tracker.render())
         console.print("\n[bold green]Project ready.[/bold green]")
 
         agent_config = AGENT_CONFIG.get(selected_ai)
diff --git a/tests/test_live_transient_windows.py b/tests/test_live_transient_windows.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b79c3be88f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_live_transient_windows.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+"""Tests for Rich Live transient=False on Windows (GitHub issue #2927).
+
+PowerShell 5.1's legacy console host does not support VT escape sequences
+reliably.  Rich's ``Live(transient=True)`` attempts cursor restoration on
+exit, which hangs indefinitely on that console.  The fix disables transient
+mode when ``sys.platform == "win32"``.
+
+These tests patch ``sys.platform`` and intercept the ``Live`` constructor
+to verify the correct ``transient`` value reaches Rich.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _console.py — Live in the select_with_arrows helper
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def _invoke_select_with_arrows(platform: str) -> bool:
+    """Patch sys.platform and Live, invoke select_with_arrows, return transient kwarg."""
+    captured = {}
+
+    mock_live_instance = MagicMock()
+    mock_live_instance.__enter__ = MagicMock(return_value=mock_live_instance)
+    mock_live_instance.__exit__ = MagicMock(return_value=False)
+
+    def fake_live(*args, **kwargs):
+        captured.update(kwargs)
+        return mock_live_instance
+
+    # Patch readchar so the loop immediately returns "enter"
+    import readchar
+
+    with (
+        patch("sys.platform", platform),
+        patch("specify_cli._console.Live", side_effect=fake_live),
+        patch("specify_cli._console.readchar.readkey", return_value=readchar.key.ENTER),
+    ):
+        from specify_cli._console import select_with_arrows
+
+        select_with_arrows({"a": "Option A", "b": "Option B"}, "Pick one", "a")
+
+    return captured["transient"]
+
+
+class TestSelectWithArrowsLiveTransient:
+    """Verify that select_with_arrows passes transient=False on Windows."""
+
+    def test_transient_false_on_windows(self):
+        assert _invoke_select_with_arrows("win32") is False
+
+    def test_transient_true_on_linux(self):
+        assert _invoke_select_with_arrows("linux") is True
+
+    def test_transient_true_on_macos(self):
+        assert _invoke_select_with_arrows("darwin") is True
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# init.py — verify source contains the platform guard (regression check)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestSourceContainsPlatformGuard:
+    """Ensure the platform guard feeds into the Live() transient kwarg."""
+
+    # Single DOTALL regex: _transient assigned from win32 check, then used in Live()
+    _GUARD_RE = r"_transient\s*=\s*sys\.platform\s*!=\s*['\"]win32['\"].*Live\(.*transient\s*=\s*_transient"
+
+    def test_init_has_win32_guard(self):
+        """init.py must assign _transient from platform check and pass it to Live."""
+        import re
+
+        init_src = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "src" / "specify_cli" / "commands" / "init.py"
+        content = init_src.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert re.search(self._GUARD_RE, content, re.DOTALL)
+
+    def test_console_has_win32_guard(self):
+        """_console.py must assign _transient from platform check and pass it to Live."""
+        import re
+
+        console_src = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "src" / "specify_cli" / "_console.py"
+        content = console_src.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert re.search(self._GUARD_RE, content, re.DOTALL)
+        assert re.search(r"transient\s*=\s*_transient", content)
+        assert "transient=_transient" in content