diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8092d27..fdfdf7e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,12 +43,16 @@ no database, no data leaving your machine except the requests you send to Ollama
 **Capture & generate**
 
 - Drag & drop, file picker, **mobile camera capture** and **clipboard paste** (Ctrl/⌘+V)
-- **Phones get a 3-step flow** — notes → options → summary — with a progress bar and a
-  floating Back / Next bar above the tab bar. Step 1 is just *Add photos or files*,
-  *Camera* and a *Paste text instead* field (no drop zone on touch screens); step 2 keeps
-  folder, difficulty and activity count at their defaults and tucks the topic hint and
-  pasted notes behind one collapsed row; step 3 is a single summary line with **Freeze my
-  deck**. Going Back keeps every input. The desktop page is unchanged.
+- **Phones get a 3-step flow** — notes → options → summary — with a thin progress bar and
+  “1 / 3”. Step 1 leads with the step name as the headline, a formats/limits hint, one big
+  *Add photos or files* area plus *Camera* and *Paste text instead*, and a “nothing added
+  yet” placeholder that becomes the thumbnail/chip list. Next stays disabled until something
+  is added. Step 2 keeps folder, difficulty and count at their defaults with a helper under
+  each group and tucks the topic hint and pasted notes behind one collapsed row. Step 3 is a
+  real summary — thumbnails/chips, files, difficulty, activities and folder, each with an
+  *Edit* link back to its step. A flat Back/Cancel + Next/Freeze bar sits at the bottom above
+  the safe area (the tab bar hides inside the wizard), and it is portalled to `<body>` so the
+  screen entrance animation can never displace it. The desktop page is unchanged.
 - **Photos and documents**: JPG/PNG/WEBP/HEIC images plus **PDF, DOCX, PPTX, ODT/ODP/ODS, TXT, MD, CSV**
 - Documents are read **in the browser**: PDF text layers are extracted, scanned PDF pages are rendered
   as images for the vision model, DOCX/PPTX text, speaker notes and embedded images are pulled out.
@@ -92,8 +96,10 @@ no database, no data leaving your machine except the requests you send to Ollama
 - Two modes: **Just make it** returns the finished homework (the answer only, ready to copy), and
   **Explain how to make this homework** turns it into a guided walkthrough
 - On phones this is a **2-step flow**: the assignment first (same simplified input as the
-  deck flow), then the two mode cards under a short preview — tapping a card starts it
-  immediately, so there is no separate button. Desktop keeps the select-then-confirm layout.
+  deck flow, with its own step headline, formats hint, big add area and empty placeholder),
+  then the two mode cards under a short preview — tapping a card starts it immediately, so
+  there is no separate button. Step 1 starts with *Cancel* and the flat action bar matches
+  the deck wizard. Desktop keeps the select-then-confirm layout.
 - The guide is one step per screen in the same snap-feed feel as the study feed: what to do and
   why, **three progressive hints** per step (nudge → hint → the full answer), and a **checkpoint**
   built from the normal activity components and graded through `/api/grade`
@@ -954,6 +960,16 @@ Things I chose while building, with the reasoning:
     the same feature set the current `motion` import already pulls in. Verified with a
     4x-CPU-throttled mobile trace (no long tasks, CLS 0) and a reduced-motion run.
 
+38. **Wizard chrome lives outside the animated tree.** The step name is the headline, the
+    action bar is a flat full-width bar at the bottom (the tab bar hides inside the wizard),
+    and the bar is rendered through a React portal to `<body>`. That last part is a real bug
+    fix: the screen entrance animation puts a transform on the content wrapper, and a
+    transform on an ancestor becomes the containing block for `position: fixed`, so the bar
+    used to paint inside the content and jump to the viewport bottom a second later. It now
+    only fades in, pinned to the bottom from its first frame — verified by sampling its
+    position across the entrance (5 frames, 60–450ms) from the tab bar, the drawer and the
+    empty state, at 360/390, both themes, both languages and with reduced motion.
+
 14. **`gpt-oss:120b` does all content work — but it cannot read images** (`this model does not
     support image input`), so `VISION_MODEL` has to stay a multimodal model (`gemma4:31b-cloud`).
     Text-only inputs — pasted text, PDFs with a text layer, DOCX/PPTX/ODT — never touch the vision
diff --git a/app/create/page.tsx b/app/create/page.tsx
index 58a62f1..538505e 100644
--- a/app/create/page.tsx
+++ b/app/create/page.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { ApiKeyGate } from "@/components/ApiKeyGate";
 import { AppHeader } from "@/components/AppHeader";
 import { RouteTransition } from "@/components/RouteTransition";
 import { MobileSidebar, Sidebar, SidebarOffset } from "@/components/Sidebar";
-import { TabBar } from "@/components/TabBar";
 import { UploadScreen } from "@/components/UploadScreen";
 
 export const metadata = {
@@ -34,7 +33,6 @@ export default async function CreatePage({
               <UploadScreen />
             </RouteTransition>
           </div>
-          <TabBar />
         </main>
       </div>
     </ApiKeyGate>
diff --git a/app/globals.css b/app/globals.css
index 49638ab..cec1d36 100644
--- a/app/globals.css
+++ b/app/globals.css
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ body {
   .ice-blob { animation: none; }
 }
 
-/* Phones: fewer, softer blobs so the drift animation stays cheap. Unlayered
+  /* Phones: fewer, softer blobs so the drift animation stays cheap. Unlayered
    on purpose — layered rules would lose to the .ice-blob declarations above. */
 @media (max-width: 1023px) {
   .ice-blob-c,
@@ -339,11 +339,11 @@ body {
     --ice-orb-opacity: 0.42;
   }
   /* Phones: orbs hug the screen edges so they can never sit under the
-     content column's cards or primary buttons (the lower-right one used to
-     glow right behind the main CTAs). */
+     content column's cards or primary buttons. The lower-right orb still
+     read as a glow behind the wizard action bar, so phones drop it. */
   .ice-orb-1 { width: 96px; height: 96px; top: -44px; left: -48px; }
   .ice-orb-2 { width: 72px; height: 72px; top: 60%; left: -44px; }
-  .ice-orb-3 { width: 124px; height: 124px; bottom: 12vh; right: -84px; }
+  .ice-orb-3 { display: none; }
 }
 
 @layer components {
diff --git a/app/homework/page.tsx b/app/homework/page.tsx
index 2c4af0a..7e10e0c 100644
--- a/app/homework/page.tsx
+++ b/app/homework/page.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { AppHeader } from "@/components/AppHeader";
 import { HomeworkScreen } from "@/components/homework/HomeworkScreen";
 import { RouteTransition } from "@/components/RouteTransition";
 import { MobileSidebar, Sidebar, SidebarOffset } from "@/components/Sidebar";
-import { TabBar } from "@/components/TabBar";
 
 export const metadata = {
   title: "Make my homework",
@@ -34,7 +33,6 @@ export default async function HomeworkPage({
               <HomeworkScreen initialRecordId={typeof open === "string" ? open : undefined} />
             </RouteTransition>
           </div>
-          <TabBar />
         </main>
       </div>
     </ApiKeyGate>
diff --git a/components/UploadScreen.tsx b/components/UploadScreen.tsx
index ca7e5bf..008f332 100644
--- a/components/UploadScreen.tsx
+++ b/components/UploadScreen.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import { cn, uid } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { CameraIcon, ChevronDownIcon, FolderIcon, IceCubeIcon, PlusIcon, SnowflakeIcon, SparklesIcon, SunIcon } from "@/components/icons";
 import { SegmentedPill } from "@/components/SegmentedPill";
 import { Button, ProgressBar } from "@/components/ui";
+import { WizardActionBar } from "@/components/WizardActionBar";
 
 type Phase = "idle" | "preparing" | "loading" | "error";
 
@@ -492,18 +493,6 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
     </div>
   ) : null;
 
-  const phoneSummary = [
-    text.trim() ? t("upload.summaryText") : "",
-    images.length > 0 ? plural(images.length, "upload.photoCount") : "",
-    documents.length > 0 ? plural(documents.length, "upload.docSummary") : "",
-    t(difficulty === "easy" ? "upload.easy" : difficulty === "hard" ? "upload.hard" : "upload.medium"),
-    plural(count, "deck.activities"),
-    folderId === UNORGANIZED_ID
-      ? t("common.unorganized")
-      : (sortedFolders.find((folder) => folder.id === folderId)?.name ?? t("common.unorganized")),
-  ]
-    .filter(Boolean)
-    .join(" · ");
   const phoneHelper = documentsBusy
     ? t("upload.readingDocs")
     : hasContent
@@ -514,6 +503,31 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
   if (isPhone) {
     const stepLabel =
       step === 1 ? t("upload.phone.notes") : step === 2 ? t("upload.phone.options") : t("upload.phone.summary");
+    const stepDesc =
+      step === 1
+        ? t("upload.phone.notesDesc", { images: MAX_IMAGES, documents: MAX_DOCUMENTS })
+        : step === 2
+          ? t("upload.phone.optionsDesc")
+          : t("upload.phone.summaryDesc");
+    const filesSummary =
+      images.length > 0 || documents.length > 0
+        ? [
+            images.length > 0 ? plural(images.length, "upload.photoCount") : "",
+            documents.length > 0 ? plural(documents.length, "upload.docSummary") : "",
+          ]
+            .filter(Boolean)
+            .join(" · ")
+        : t("upload.summaryText");
+    const difficultyLabel =
+      difficulty === "easy" ? t("upload.easy") : difficulty === "hard" ? t("upload.hard") : t("upload.medium");
+    const folderLabel =
+      folderId === UNORGANIZED_ID
+        ? t("common.unorganized")
+        : (sortedFolders.find((folder) => folder.id === folderId)?.name ?? t("common.unorganized"));
+    const editStep = (target: 1 | 2 | 3) => {
+      setStepDir(target < step ? -1 : 1);
+      setStep(target);
+    };
     const fileInput = (
       <input
         ref={fileInputRef}
@@ -542,37 +556,35 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
     );
 
     return (
-      <div className="relative pb-24">
-        <section className="space-y-1.5">
-          <h1 className="text-[24px] font-semibold leading-tight tracking-[-0.02em] text-[var(--text)]">
-            {t("upload.title")}
-          </h1>
-          <p className="text-[14px] text-frost-600 dark:text-frost-300">{t("upload.introShort")}</p>
-        </section>
-
+      <div className="relative">
         {errorCard}
 
-        {/* step indicator */}
-        <div className="mt-5 space-y-2">
-          <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-3 text-[12px] font-semibold text-[var(--text-subtle)]">
-            <h2 className="min-w-0 truncate">{stepLabel}</h2>
-            <span className="shrink-0 tabular-nums">{t("common.stepOf", { n: step, total: 3 })}</span>
-          </div>
+        {/* progress: thin bar + “1 / 3” */}
+        <div className="mt-1 flex items-center gap-3">
           <div
             role="progressbar"
             aria-label={stepLabel}
             aria-valuemin={1}
             aria-valuemax={3}
             aria-valuenow={step}
-            className="h-1 overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-[var(--surface-sunken)]"
+            className="h-1 flex-1 overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-[var(--surface-sunken)]"
           >
             <div
               className="grad-ice h-full rounded-full transition-[width] duration-300 motion-reduce:transition-none"
               style={{ width: `${(step / 3) * 100}%` }}
             />
           </div>
+          <span className="shrink-0 text-[11px] font-semibold tabular-nums text-[var(--text-subtle)]">
+            {t("common.stepOf", { n: step, total: 3 })}
+          </span>
         </div>
 
+        {/* the step name is the headline; the page title lives in the chrome */}
+        <h1 className="mt-4 text-[26px] font-semibold leading-tight tracking-[-0.02em] text-[var(--text)]">
+          {stepLabel}
+        </h1>
+        <p className="mt-1 text-[14px] text-frost-600 dark:text-frost-300">{stepDesc}</p>
+
         <motion.div
           key={step}
           initial="initial"
@@ -582,24 +594,35 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
         >
           {step === 1 ? (
             <div className="space-y-3">
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                onClick={() => fileInputRef.current?.click()}
+                className="press flex min-h-32 w-full flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-3xl border-2 border-dashed border-[var(--glass-border)] bg-[var(--surface-strong)] px-4 py-6 text-center transition hover:border-accent-400"
+              >
+                <span
+                  aria-hidden
+                  className="grid size-12 place-items-center rounded-2xl bg-[var(--surface-sunken)] text-accent-600 dark:text-accent-200"
+                >
+                  <PlusIcon className="size-6" />
+                </span>
+                <span className="text-[15px] font-semibold text-[var(--text)]">{t("upload.addPhotosFiles")}</span>
+              </button>
+
               <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2">
-                <Button variant="secondary" size="lg" className="touch-target" onClick={() => fileInputRef.current?.click()}>
-                  <FolderIcon className="size-4" /> {t("upload.addPhotosFiles")}
-                </Button>
                 <Button variant="secondary" size="lg" className="touch-target" onClick={() => cameraInputRef.current?.click()}>
                   <CameraIcon className="size-4" /> {t("upload.camera")}
                 </Button>
+                <Button
+                  variant="secondary"
+                  size="lg"
+                  className="touch-target"
+                  aria-expanded={pasteOpen || text.trim().length > 0}
+                  onClick={() => setPasteOpen((value) => !value)}
+                >
+                  {t("upload.pasteInstead")}
+                </Button>
               </div>
-
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                onClick={() => setPasteOpen((value) => !value)}
-                aria-expanded={pasteOpen}
-                className="text-[13px] font-semibold text-accent-700 dark:text-accent-200"
-              >
-                {t("upload.pasteInstead")}
-              </button>
-              {pasteOpen ? (
+              {pasteOpen || text.trim().length > 0 ? (
                 <textarea
                   value={text}
                   onChange={(event) => setText(event.target.value)}
@@ -662,7 +685,11 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
                     </li>
                   ))}
                 </ul>
-              ) : null}
+              ) : (
+                <p className="rounded-2xl border border-dashed border-[var(--hairline)] px-4 py-3 text-center text-[12.5px] text-[var(--text-subtle)]">
+                  {t("upload.nothingAdded")}
+                </p>
+              )}
 
               {documents
                 .filter((entry) => entry.status === "error")
@@ -687,10 +714,22 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
           ) : null}
 
           {step === 2 ? (
-            <div className="space-y-4">
-              {folderPicker}
-              {difficultyPicker}
-              {countPicker}
+            <div className="space-y-5">
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                {folderPicker}
+                <p className="text-[12px] text-[var(--text-subtle)]">{t("upload.phone.folderHelp")}</p>
+              </div>
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <p className="text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-[var(--text-subtle)]">
+                  {t("upload.difficultyAria")}
+                </p>
+                {difficultyPicker}
+                <p className="text-[12px] text-[var(--text-subtle)]">{t("upload.phone.difficultyHelp")}</p>
+              </div>
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                {countPicker}
+                <p className="text-[12px] text-[var(--text-subtle)]">{t("upload.phone.activitiesHelp")}</p>
+              </div>
               <details className="group rounded-2xl border border-[var(--hairline)] bg-[var(--surface-sunken)] p-3">
                 <summary className="flex cursor-pointer list-none items-center gap-2 text-[13px] font-semibold text-[var(--text)] [&::-webkit-details-marker]:hidden">
                   <ChevronDownIcon className="size-4 shrink-0 transition-transform group-open:rotate-180" />
@@ -734,16 +773,82 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
           ) : null}
 
           {step === 3 ? (
-            <div className="space-y-2">
-              <p className="text-[16px] font-semibold leading-relaxed text-[var(--text)]">{phoneSummary}</p>
+            <div className="space-y-4">
+              {images.length > 0 || documents.length > 0 ? (
+                <ul className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+                  {images.map((image) => (
+                    <li key={image.id}>
+                      {/* eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element */}
+                      <img
+                        src={image.dataUrl}
+                        alt=""
+                        className="size-12 rounded-xl border border-[var(--hairline)] object-cover"
+                      />
+                    </li>
+                  ))}
+                  {documents.map((entry) => (
+                    <li
+                      key={entry.id}
+                      className="inline-flex max-w-full items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full border border-[var(--hairline)] bg-[var(--surface-strong)] px-2.5 py-1.5"
+                    >
+                      <span className="rounded-md bg-[var(--surface-sunken)] px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-bold uppercase text-[var(--text-muted)]">
+                        {KIND_LABELS[entry.kind]}
+                      </span>
+                      <span className="max-w-32 truncate text-[12.5px] font-medium text-[var(--text)]" title={entry.name}>
+                        {entry.name}
+                      </span>
+                    </li>
+                  ))}
+                </ul>
+              ) : null}
+
+              <dl className="overflow-hidden rounded-2xl border border-[var(--hairline)] bg-[var(--surface-sunken)] px-3">
+                {[
+                  { label: t("upload.summary.files"), value: filesSummary, target: 1 as const },
+                  { label: t("upload.difficultyAria"), value: difficultyLabel, target: 2 as const },
+                  { label: t("upload.activities"), value: plural(count, "deck.activities"), target: 2 as const },
+                  { label: t("upload.summary.folder"), value: folderLabel, target: 2 as const },
+                ].map((row, index) => (
+                  <div
+                    key={row.label}
+                    className={cn(
+                      "flex items-center justify-between gap-3 py-2.5",
+                      index > 0 && "border-t border-[var(--hairline-soft)]",
+                    )}
+                  >
+                    <dt className="shrink-0 text-[12px] text-[var(--text-subtle)]">{row.label}</dt>
+                    <dd className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
+                      <span className="truncate text-[13px] font-medium text-[var(--text)]">{row.value}</span>
+                      <button
+                        type="button"
+                        onClick={() => editStep(row.target)}
+                        className="shrink-0 text-[12px] font-semibold text-accent-700 dark:text-accent-200"
+                      >
+                        {t("common.edit")}
+                      </button>
+                    </dd>
+                  </div>
+                ))}
+              </dl>
+
               <p className="text-[12.5px] text-[var(--text-subtle)]">{phoneHelper}</p>
             </div>
           ) : null}
         </motion.div>
 
-        {/* Fixed step bar, floating just above the tab bar. */}
-        <div className="fixed inset-x-0 bottom-[calc(env(safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+4.6rem)] z-20 px-4">
-          <div className="glass-panel mx-auto flex max-w-3xl items-center gap-2 p-2">
+        {/* The action bar is portalled to <body> — never inside the animated
+            content wrapper, where a transform would break position: fixed. */}
+        <WizardActionBar>
+          {step === 1 ? (
+            <Button
+              variant="secondary"
+              size="lg"
+              className="touch-target flex-1"
+              onClick={() => router.push("/")}
+            >
+              {t("common.cancel")}
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
             <Button
               variant="secondary"
               size="lg"
@@ -752,28 +857,28 @@ export function UploadScreen() {
                 setStepDir(-1);
                 setStep((value) => Math.max(1, value - 1));
               }}
-              disabled={step === 1}
             >
               {t("common.back")}
             </Button>
-            {step < 3 ? (
-              <Button
-                size="lg"
-                className="touch-target flex-[1.5]"
-                onClick={() => {
-                  setStepDir(1);
-                  setStep((value) => Math.min(3, value + 1));
-                }}
-              >
-                {t("common.next")}
-              </Button>
-            ) : (
-              <Button size="lg" className="touch-target flex-[1.5]" onClick={() => void generate()} disabled={!canGenerate}>
-                <SparklesIcon className="size-5" /> {t("upload.freezeDeck")}
-              </Button>
-            )}
-          </div>
-        </div>
+          )}
+          {step < 3 ? (
+            <Button
+              size="lg"
+              className="touch-target flex-[1.5]"
+              onClick={() => {
+                setStepDir(1);
+                setStep((value) => Math.min(3, value + 1));
+              }}
+              disabled={!hasContent || documentsBusy}
+            >
+              {t("common.next")}
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
+            <Button size="lg" className="touch-target flex-[1.5]" onClick={() => void generate()} disabled={!canGenerate}>
+              <SparklesIcon className="size-5" /> {t("upload.freezeDeck")}
+            </Button>
+          )}
+        </WizardActionBar>
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/components/WizardActionBar.tsx b/components/WizardActionBar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b21677
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/WizardActionBar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { motion, useReducedMotion } from "framer-motion";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+
+/**
+ * The wizard's Back / Next bar.
+ *
+ * Portalled to <body> on purpose: the page content animates its entrance with
+ * a transform, and a transform on an ancestor turns it into the containing
+ * block for `position: fixed` — the bar would briefly render inside the
+ * content and then jump to the viewport bottom. Rendering it outside every
+ * animated wrapper (and only fading it in, never transforming it) keeps it
+ * pinned to the bottom edge from the first frame.
+ *
+ * Flat, full-width and above the safe area. The wizard pages hide the tab
+ * bar, so this is the only bottom chrome while the flow is open.
+ */
+export function WizardActionBar({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+  const [mounted, setMounted] = useState(false);
+  const reduceMotion = useReducedMotion();
+
+  useEffect(() => setMounted(true), []);
+  if (!mounted) return null;
+
+  return createPortal(
+    <motion.div
+      initial={reduceMotion ? false : { opacity: 0 }}
+      animate={{ opacity: 1 }}
+      transition={{ duration: 0.2, ease: "easeOut" }}
+      className="fixed inset-x-0 bottom-0 z-40 border-t border-[var(--hairline)] bg-[color-mix(in_oklab,var(--page)_92%,transparent)] px-4 pb-safe pt-2 backdrop-blur-lg sm:hidden"
+      data-wizard-bar
+    >
+      <div className="mx-auto flex w-full max-w-3xl items-center gap-2">{children}</div>
+    </motion.div>,
+    document.body,
+  );
+}
diff --git a/components/homework/HomeworkInput.tsx b/components/homework/HomeworkInput.tsx
index 5aaa2e9..4e28de4 100644
--- a/components/homework/HomeworkInput.tsx
+++ b/components/homework/HomeworkInput.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { motion, useReducedMotion } from "framer-motion";
+import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
 import { CameraIcon, FolderIcon, PlayIcon, PlusIcon, SparklesIcon } from "@/components/icons";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui";
+import { WizardActionBar } from "@/components/WizardActionBar";
 import {
   DOCUMENT_ACCEPT_ATTR,
   documentsToText,
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ export function HomeworkInput({
   onDelete: (id: string) => void;
 }) {
   const { t, plural } = useI18n();
+  const router = useRouter();
   const fileInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
   const cameraInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
   const [step, setStep] = useState(1);
@@ -206,37 +209,41 @@ export function HomeworkInput({
       : fileSummary || t("homework.source.need");
     const showPaste = pasteOpen || text.trim().length > 0;
 
-    return (
-      <div className="relative pb-24">
-        <section className="space-y-1.5">
-          <h1 className="text-[24px] font-semibold leading-tight tracking-[-0.02em] text-[var(--text)]">
-            {t("homeworkHeroTitle")}
-          </h1>
-          <p className="text-[14px] text-frost-600 dark:text-frost-300">{t("homework.subtitle")}</p>
-        </section>
+    const stepDesc =
+      step === 1
+        ? t("upload.phone.notesDesc", { images: 8, documents: 6 })
+        : t("homework.phone.modeDesc");
 
+    return (
+      <div className="relative">
         {errorCard}
 
-        <div className="mt-5 space-y-2">
-          <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-3 text-[12px] font-semibold text-[var(--text-subtle)]">
-            <h2 className="min-w-0 truncate">{stepLabel}</h2>
-            <span className="shrink-0 tabular-nums">{t("common.stepOf", { n: step, total: 2 })}</span>
-          </div>
+        {/* progress: thin bar + “1 / 2” */}
+        <div className="mt-1 flex items-center gap-3">
           <div
             role="progressbar"
             aria-label={stepLabel}
             aria-valuemin={1}
             aria-valuemax={2}
             aria-valuenow={step}
-            className="h-1 overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-[var(--surface-sunken)]"
+            className="h-1 flex-1 overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-[var(--surface-sunken)]"
           >
             <div
               className="grad-ice h-full rounded-full transition-[width] duration-300 motion-reduce:transition-none"
               style={{ width: `${(step / 2) * 100}%` }}
             />
           </div>
+          <span className="shrink-0 text-[11px] font-semibold tabular-nums text-[var(--text-subtle)]">
+            {t("common.stepOf", { n: step, total: 2 })}
+          </span>
         </div>
 
+        {/* the step name is the headline; the page title lives in the chrome */}
+        <h1 className="mt-4 text-[26px] font-semibold leading-tight tracking-[-0.02em] text-[var(--text)]">
+          {stepLabel}
+        </h1>
+        <p className="mt-1 text-[14px] text-frost-600 dark:text-frost-300">{stepDesc}</p>
+
         <motion.div
           key={step}
           initial="initial"
@@ -246,15 +253,21 @@ export function HomeworkInput({
         >
           {step === 1 ? (
             <div className="space-y-3">
-              <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2">
-                <Button
-                  variant="secondary"
-                  size="lg"
-                  className="touch-target"
-                  onClick={() => fileInputRef.current?.click()}
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                onClick={() => fileInputRef.current?.click()}
+                className="press flex min-h-32 w-full flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-3xl border-2 border-dashed border-[var(--glass-border)] bg-[var(--surface-strong)] px-4 py-6 text-center transition hover:border-accent-400"
+              >
+                <span
+                  aria-hidden
+                  className="grid size-12 place-items-center rounded-2xl bg-[var(--surface-sunken)] text-accent-600 dark:text-accent-200"
                 >
-                  <FolderIcon className="size-4" /> {t("homework.source.add")}
-                </Button>
+                  <PlusIcon className="size-6" />
+                </span>
+                <span className="text-[15px] font-semibold text-[var(--text)]">{t("homework.source.add")}</span>
+              </button>
+
+              <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2">
                 <Button
                   variant="secondary"
                   size="lg"
@@ -263,16 +276,16 @@ export function HomeworkInput({
                 >
                   <CameraIcon className="size-4" /> {t("upload.camera")}
                 </Button>
+                <Button
+                  variant="secondary"
+                  size="lg"
+                  className="touch-target"
+                  aria-expanded={showPaste}
+                  onClick={() => setPasteOpen((value) => !value)}
+                >
+                  {t("upload.pasteInstead")}
+                </Button>
               </div>
-
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                onClick={() => setPasteOpen((value) => !value)}
-                aria-expanded={showPaste}
-                className="text-[13px] font-semibold text-accent-700 dark:text-accent-200"
-              >
-                {t("upload.pasteInstead")}
-              </button>
               {showPaste ? (
                 <textarea
                   id="homework-assignment-phone"
@@ -345,6 +358,12 @@ export function HomeworkInput({
                 </ul>
               ) : null}
 
+              {intake.images.length === 0 && intake.documents.length === 0 ? (
+                <p className="rounded-2xl border border-dashed border-[var(--hairline)] px-4 py-3 text-center text-[12.5px] text-[var(--text-subtle)]">
+                  {t("upload.nothingAdded")}
+                </p>
+              ) : null}
+
               {intake.documents
                 .filter((entry) => entry.status === "error")
                 .map((entry) => (
@@ -391,9 +410,19 @@ export function HomeworkInput({
 
         <HomeworkHistory records={history} onOpen={onOpen} onDelete={onDelete} />
 
-        {/* Fixed step bar, floating just above the tab bar. */}
-        <div className="fixed inset-x-0 bottom-[calc(env(safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+4.6rem)] z-20 px-4">
-          <div className="glass-panel mx-auto flex max-w-3xl items-center gap-2 p-2">
+        {/* The action bar is portalled to <body> — never inside the animated
+            content wrapper, where a transform would break position: fixed. */}
+        <WizardActionBar>
+          {step === 1 ? (
+            <Button
+              variant="secondary"
+              size="lg"
+              className="touch-target flex-1"
+              onClick={() => router.push("/")}
+            >
+              {t("common.cancel")}
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
             <Button
               variant="secondary"
               size="lg"
@@ -402,25 +431,24 @@ export function HomeworkInput({
                 setStepDir(-1);
                 setStep(1);
               }}
-              disabled={step === 1}
             >
               {t("common.back")}
             </Button>
-            {step === 1 ? (
-              <Button
-                size="lg"
-                className="touch-target flex-[1.5]"
-                onClick={() => {
-                  setStepDir(1);
-                  setStep(2);
-                }}
-                disabled={!canSubmit}
-              >
-                {t("common.next")}
-              </Button>
-            ) : null}
-          </div>
-        </div>
+          )}
+          {step === 1 ? (
+            <Button
+              size="lg"
+              className="touch-target flex-[1.5]"
+              onClick={() => {
+                setStepDir(1);
+                setStep(2);
+              }}
+              disabled={!canSubmit}
+            >
+              {t("common.next")}
+            </Button>
+          ) : null}
+        </WizardActionBar>
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/lib/i18n-dict.ts b/lib/i18n-dict.ts
index 440cd4b..da77551 100644
--- a/lib/i18n-dict.ts
+++ b/lib/i18n-dict.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ const en: Record<string, string> = {
   "common.next": "Next",
   "common.more": "More",
   "common.less": "Less",
+  "common.edit": "Edit",
   "common.stepOf": "{n} / {total}",
 
   /* header ---------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ const en: Record<string, string> = {
   "homework.subtitle": "Paste it, photograph it or add a file — then pick how I should help.",
   "homework.phone.assignment": "The assignment",
   "homework.phone.mode": "How should I help?",
+  "homework.phone.modeDesc": "Pick how I should help with this assignment.",
   "homework.phone.preview": "Assignment preview",
   "homework.phone.startHint": "Tap a card to start.",
   "homework.source.title": "1. The assignment",
@@ -327,8 +329,17 @@ const en: Record<string, string> = {
   "upload.pasteInstead": "Paste text instead",
   "upload.focusExtra": "Add a focus or extra notes (optional)",
   "upload.phone.notes": "Your notes",
+  "upload.phone.notesDesc": "Photos, PDF, Word or text — up to {images} photos and {documents} files.",
   "upload.phone.options": "Options",
+  "upload.phone.optionsDesc": "Everything has a sensible default — change what you like.",
   "upload.phone.summary": "Ready to freeze",
+  "upload.phone.summaryDesc": "Check what goes in, then freeze.",
+  "upload.phone.difficultyHelp": "How deep the questions go.",
+  "upload.phone.activitiesHelp": "How many activities to build.",
+  "upload.phone.folderHelp": "Where the deck lands in your library.",
+  "upload.nothingAdded": "Nothing added yet",
+  "upload.summary.files": "Files",
+  "upload.summary.folder": "Folder",
   "upload.summaryText": "Text",
   "upload.photoCount.one": "{n} photo",
   "upload.photoCount.few": "{n} photos",
@@ -707,6 +718,7 @@ const cs: Record<string, string> = {
   "common.next": "Další",
   "common.more": "Více",
   "common.less": "Méně",
+  "common.edit": "Upravit",
   "common.stepOf": "{n} / {total}",
 
   /* header ---------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -804,6 +816,7 @@ const cs: Record<string, string> = {
   "homework.subtitle": "Vlož ho, vyfoť nebo přidej soubor — a vyber, jak ti mám pomoct.",
   "homework.phone.assignment": "Zadání",
   "homework.phone.mode": "Jak ti mám pomoct?",
+  "homework.phone.modeDesc": "Vyber, jak ti s tímto zadáním pomůžu.",
   "homework.phone.preview": "Náhled zadání",
   "homework.phone.startHint": "Klepni na kartu a začnu.",
   "homework.source.title": "1. Zadání",
@@ -945,8 +958,17 @@ const cs: Record<string, string> = {
   "upload.pasteInstead": "Místo toho vložit text",
   "upload.focusExtra": "Přidat zaměření nebo poznámky navíc (nepovinné)",
   "upload.phone.notes": "Tvoje poznámky",
+  "upload.phone.notesDesc": "Fotky, PDF, Word nebo text — až {images} fotek a {documents} souborů.",
   "upload.phone.options": "Možnosti",
+  "upload.phone.optionsDesc": "Vše má rozumné výchozí hodnoty — změň, co chceš.",
   "upload.phone.summary": "Připraveno ke zmrazení",
+  "upload.phone.summaryDesc": "Zkontroluj, co se použije, a zmraz.",
+  "upload.phone.difficultyHelp": "Jak hluboko otázky jdou.",
+  "upload.phone.activitiesHelp": "Kolik aktivit se vytvoří.",
+  "upload.phone.folderHelp": "Kam se sada v knihovně zařadí.",
+  "upload.nothingAdded": "Zatím nic přidáno",
+  "upload.summary.files": "Soubory",
+  "upload.summary.folder": "Složka",
   "upload.summaryText": "Text",
   "upload.photoCount.one": "{n} fotka",
   "upload.photoCount.few": "{n} fotky",
diff --git a/public/sw.js b/public/sw.js
index 391f25f..35a36bb 100644
--- a/public/sw.js
+++ b/public/sw.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  *
  * Bumping CACHE_VERSION is how a new deploy invalidates old assets.
  */
-const CACHE_VERSION = "freezmo-v21";
+const CACHE_VERSION = "freezmo-v22";
 const SHELL_CACHE = `${CACHE_VERSION}-shell`;
 const ASSET_CACHE = `${CACHE_VERSION}-assets`;