diff --git a/docs/plans/2026-05-29-017-feat-gui-token-live-scrape-plan.md b/docs/plans/2026-05-29-017-feat-gui-token-live-scrape-plan.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..820f42cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/2026-05-29-017-feat-gui-token-live-scrape-plan.md
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+---
+title: feat: GUI token sync and live append proof
+type: feat
+status: completed
+date: 2026-05-29
+origin: LFG — Settings.dat holds user token; prove incremental scrape works beyond bot-token 403 skips
+---
+
+# feat: GUI token sync and live append proof
+
+## Summary
+
+Sync `scrape.env` from DiscordChatExporter GUI `Settings.dat`, add `sync-token-from-gui.sh`, wire bootstrap to suggest it, and verify one live append-only scrape with grow-only proof.
+
+## Requirements
+
+| ID | Requirement |
+|----|-------------|
+| R1 | `sync-token-from-gui.sh` writes `scrape.env` from discovered GUI token |
+| R2 | Bootstrap mentions GUI sync when forbidden channels detected |
+| R3 | Live preflight succeeds with GUI token on at least one target |
+| R4 | `prove-incremental-append.sh` passes on one Documents target |
+| R5 | linux-x64 `docker-compose` wrapper delegates to source repo |
+
+## Implementation Units
+
+### U1. GUI token sync script
+
+**Files:** `scripts/sync-token-from-gui.sh`
+
+### U2. Bootstrap + linux-x64 wrapper
+
+**Files:** `scripts/bootstrap-recurring-scrape.sh`, `DiscordChatExporter.linux-x64/docker-compose.sh`
+
+### U3. Live verification (runtime)
+
+**Commands:** sync token, scrape one target, prove append
diff --git a/docs/recurring-scrape-operator-checklist.md b/docs/recurring-scrape-operator-checklist.md
index 8b2408d2..7ee2002c 100644
--- a/docs/recurring-scrape-operator-checklist.md
+++ b/docs/recurring-scrape-operator-checklist.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Use this after cloning or opening the **source** repo (`DiscordChatExporter`, no
 
 ## One-time setup
 
-1. `cp scrape.env.example scrape.env` and set `DISCORD_TOKEN` (user token recommended for guild history).
+1. `cp scrape.env.example scrape.env` and set `DISCORD_TOKEN`, or `./scripts/sync-token-from-gui.sh --force` (reads GUI `Settings.dat`).
 2. `./scripts/bootstrap-recurring-scrape.sh --dry-run` — confirm every **enabled** target has seeded JSON under `output_dir`.
 3. `./scripts/bootstrap-recurring-scrape.sh` — verify archives, build image, preflight Discord.
 4. `./scripts/run-documents-scrape.sh` — first incremental append-only scrape.
diff --git a/scripts/bootstrap-recurring-scrape.sh b/scripts/bootstrap-recurring-scrape.sh
index ca3fe81f..b2d81030 100755
--- a/scripts/bootstrap-recurring-scrape.sh
+++ b/scripts/bootstrap-recurring-scrape.sh
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ main() {
   if grep -q 'inaccessible, but .* seeded archive' "$preflight_log" \
     || grep -qiE 'failed: forbidden|Missing Access' "$preflight_log"; then
     printf '\nToken note: many channels returned forbidden. That usually means a bot token without message-history access.\n'
-    printf '  For live incremental downloads, put a user token in %s (see .docs/Token-and-IDs.md).\n' "$ENV_FILE"
+    printf '  For live incremental downloads, run: %s --force\n' "$REPO_ROOT/scripts/sync-token-from-gui.sh"
+    printf '  Or put a user token in %s (see .docs/Token-and-IDs.md).\n' "$ENV_FILE"
     printf '  Append-only archives are still safe: existing JSON is updated in place and never fully re-downloaded.\n'
   fi
   rm -f "$preflight_log"
diff --git a/scripts/sync-token-from-gui.sh b/scripts/sync-token-from-gui.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..a1546162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/sync-token-from-gui.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -Eeuo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd -P)
+REPO_ROOT="${DCE_REPO_ROOT:-$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/.." && pwd -P)}"
+ENV_FILE="${DCE_ENV_FILE:-$REPO_ROOT/scrape.env}"
+DISCOVER="$REPO_ROOT/scripts/discover-discord-token.sh"
+SETUP_AUTH="$REPO_ROOT/scripts/setup-scrape-auth.sh"
+FORCE=0
+
+usage() {
+  cat <<EOF
+Usage:
+  $(basename "$0") [--env-file PATH] [--force]
+
+Write scrape.env from the DiscordChatExporter GUI Settings.dat or other
+discovered token sources (see scripts/discover-discord-token.sh).
+
+Options:
+  --env-file PATH  Output env file (default: scrape.env)
+  --force          Overwrite existing scrape.env
+  --help           Show this help text
+EOF
+}
+
+die() {
+  printf 'ERROR: %s\n' "$*" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
+main() {
+  while (($#)); do
+    case "$1" in
+      --env-file)
+        [[ $# -ge 2 ]] || die "Missing value for --env-file."
+        ENV_FILE=$2
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+      --force)
+        FORCE=1
+        shift
+        ;;
+      --help|-h)
+        usage
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+      *)
+        die "Unknown option: $1"
+        ;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  [[ -x "$DISCOVER" ]] || die "Missing discover script: $DISCOVER"
+
+  if [[ -f "$ENV_FILE" && $FORCE -eq 0 ]]; then
+    die "$ENV_FILE already exists. Use --force to replace it from the GUI token."
+  fi
+
+  local token
+  token=$("$DISCOVER") || die "Could not discover a Discord token. Set DISCORDCHATEXPORTER_SETTINGS_PATH or export DISCORD_TOKEN."
+
+  DISCORD_TOKEN=$token "$SETUP_AUTH" --env-file "$ENV_FILE" --force
+  chmod 600 "$ENV_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true
+  printf 'Updated %s from discovered GUI/client token.\n' "$ENV_FILE"
+}
+
+main "$@"