diff --git a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/BottomBarVisibility.kt b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/BottomBarVisibility.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..03943ea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/BottomBarVisibility.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package com.bitchat.watch.ui
+
+import androidx.compose.foundation.ScrollState
+import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.runtime.LaunchedEffect
+import androidx.compose.runtime.State
+import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
+import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
+import androidx.compose.runtime.snapshotFlow
+
+/**
+ * Scroll-aware bottom-bar visibility (typical dynamic-hide pattern): the bar hides while the
+ * user scrolls into history and reappears when they scroll back toward the newest messages.
+ * Always visible at the bottom (newest).
+ *
+ * Lists are normal (top-down) scrollables: value 0 = oldest, maxValue = newest (visual bottom).
+ */
+@Composable
+fun rememberBottomBarVisibility(scrollState: ScrollState): State<Boolean> {
+    val visible = remember { mutableStateOf(true) }
+    LaunchedEffect(scrollState) {
+        var last = 0
+        snapshotFlow { scrollState.value to scrollState.maxValue }.collect { (value, max) ->
+            val atNewest = max - value < 40
+            when {
+                atNewest -> visible.value = true
+                value < last - 24 -> visible.value = false // scrolling up into history
+                value > last + 24 -> visible.value = true  // back down toward newest
+            }
+            last = value
+        }
+    }
+    return visible
+}
diff --git a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/ChatScreen.kt b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/ChatScreen.kt
index a1b31a80..fbd47989 100644
--- a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/ChatScreen.kt
+++ b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/ChatScreen.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package com.bitchat.watch.ui
 
 import androidx.compose.foundation.clickable
+import androidx.compose.foundation.focusable
+import androidx.compose.foundation.verticalScroll
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Arrangement
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Row
@@ -8,6 +10,10 @@ import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxWidth
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.offset
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.size
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.Icons
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.filled.MailOutline
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.filled.People
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.LaunchedEffect
 import androidx.compose.runtime.collectAsState
@@ -18,14 +24,19 @@ import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
 import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
 import androidx.compose.ui.draw.alpha
+import androidx.compose.ui.focus.FocusRequester
+import androidx.compose.ui.focus.focusRequester
 import androidx.compose.ui.hapticfeedback.HapticFeedbackType
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalHapticFeedback
+import androidx.wear.compose.foundation.rotary.RotaryScrollableDefaults
+import androidx.wear.compose.foundation.rotary.rotaryScrollable
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.font.FontWeight
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextAlign
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextOverflow
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.sp
 import androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.items
+import androidx.wear.compose.material3.Icon
 import androidx.wear.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
 import androidx.wear.compose.material3.ScreenScaffold
 import androidx.wear.compose.material3.Text
@@ -53,7 +64,9 @@ fun ChatScreen(onOpenPeople: () -> Unit, onOpenTextInput: () -> Unit) {
     val unreadDms by WearChatState.unreadDms.collectAsState()
     val mesh = WearMeshService.peek()
     val myPeerID = mesh?.myPeerID ?: ""
-    val listState = androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.rememberLazyListState()
+    val scrollState = androidx.compose.foundation.rememberScrollState()
+    val rotaryFocus = remember { FocusRequester() }
+    LaunchedEffect(Unit) { rotaryFocus.requestFocus() }
     val palette = LocalBitchatPalette.current
     val haptics = LocalHapticFeedback.current
     var viewerPath by remember { mutableStateOf<String?>(null) }
@@ -68,71 +81,99 @@ fun ChatScreen(onOpenPeople: () -> Unit, onOpenTextInput: () -> Unit) {
             if (last != null && last.senderPeerID != myPeerID) {
                 haptics.performHapticFeedback(HapticFeedbackType.LongPress)
             }
-            // Keep the newest message visible (index 0 in reverse layout)
+            // Keep the newest message visible (bottom of a normal top-down scrollable)
             if (messages.isNotEmpty()) {
-                listState.animateScrollToItem(0)
+                scrollState.animateScrollTo(scrollState.maxValue)
             }
         }
         previousCount = messages.size
     }
 
-    androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
-        ScreenScaffold(scrollState = listState) {
-            // Bottom padding keeps the last message just above the action bar, so messages
-            // scroll all the way down to the buttons.
-            // LazyColumn + reverseLayout: newest message anchors at the bottom above the action
-            // bar; empty space collects at the top (ScalingLazyColumn center-anchors short
-            // content, which left an awkward gap above the buttons).
-            androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.LazyColumn(
-                state = listState,
-                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
-                reverseLayout = true,
-                contentPadding = androidx.compose.foundation.layout.PaddingValues(
-                    top = 40.dp,
-                    bottom = 56.dp
-                )
-            ) {
-                items(messages.asReversed(), key = { it.id }) { message ->
-                    MessageItem(
-                        message = message,
-                        myPeerID = myPeerID,
-                        onOpenImage = { viewerPath = it }
-                    )
-                }
-                if (messages.isEmpty()) {
-                    item {
-                        Text(
-                            text = "no messages yet\nsay hi to the mesh",
-                            style = ChatVisualTokens.SystemActionStyle,
-                            color = palette.textTertiary,
-                            textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
-                            modifier = Modifier
-                                .fillMaxWidth()
-                                .padding(vertical = 16.dp)
-                        )
+    val buttonsVisible = rememberBottomBarVisibility(scrollState)
+    val headerExpanded = scrollState.maxValue - scrollState.value > 60
+
+    Column(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+        // Sticky header
+        ChatHeader(
+            peerCount = peers.size,
+            unreadDms = unreadDms.values.sum(),
+            expanded = headerExpanded,
+            onOpenPeople = onOpenPeople
+        )
+        androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box(
+            modifier = Modifier
+                .fillMaxSize()
+                .weight(1f)
+        ) {
+            // Normal top-down scrollable (natural rotary direction + ScreenScaffold scrollbar).
+            // BottomCenter alignment anchors short content to the bottom above the action bar;
+            // empty space collects at the top instead of a gap above the buttons.
+            ScreenScaffold(scrollState = scrollState) {
+                androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box(
+                    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
+                    contentAlignment = Alignment.BottomCenter
+                ) {
+                    Column(
+                        modifier = Modifier
+                            .fillMaxWidth()
+                            .padding(bottom = 56.dp)
+                            .rotaryScrollable(
+                                RotaryScrollableDefaults.behavior(scrollState),
+                                rotaryFocus
+                            )
+                            .focusRequester(rotaryFocus)
+                            .focusable()
+                            .verticalScroll(scrollState)
+                    ) {
+                        if (messages.isEmpty()) {
+                            Text(
+                                text = "no messages yet\nsay hi to the mesh",
+                                style = ChatVisualTokens.SystemActionStyle,
+                                color = palette.textTertiary,
+                                textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
+                                modifier = Modifier
+                                    .fillMaxWidth()
+                                    .padding(vertical = 16.dp)
+                            )
+                        }
+                        messages.forEach { message ->
+                            MessageItem(
+                                message = message,
+                                myPeerID = myPeerID,
+                                onOpenImage = { viewerPath = it }
+                            )
+                        }
                     }
                 }
-                item {
-                    ChatHeader(
-                        peerCount = peers.size,
-                        unreadDms = unreadDms.values.sum(),
-                        onOpenPeople = onOpenPeople
-                    )
-                }
             }
+
+            // Scroll-aware action bar: hides while scrolling into history, returns when
+            // scrolling back toward the newest messages.
+            androidx.compose.animation.AnimatedVisibility(
+                visible = buttonsVisible.value,
+                modifier = Modifier.align(Alignment.BottomCenter),
+                enter = androidx.compose.animation.slideInVertically(
+                    initialOffsetY = { it },
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                ) + androidx.compose.animation.fadeIn(
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                ),
+                exit = androidx.compose.animation.slideOutVertically(
+                    targetOffsetY = { it },
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                ) + androidx.compose.animation.fadeOut(
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                )
+            ) {
+                ChatActionBar(
+                    onKeyboard = onOpenTextInput,
+                    voice = voice,
+                    modifier = Modifier.padding(bottom = 10.dp)
+                )
+            }
+
+            VoiceRecordOverlay(voice)
         }
-
-        // Always-visible action bar (the framework's edgeButton slot auto-hides on scroll,
-        // which would make push-to-talk unreachable mid-conversation).
-        ChatActionBar(
-            onKeyboard = onOpenTextInput,
-            voice = voice,
-            modifier = Modifier
-                .align(Alignment.BottomCenter)
-                .padding(bottom = 10.dp)
-        )
-
-        VoiceRecordOverlay(voice)
     }
 
     viewerPath?.let { path ->
@@ -141,33 +182,72 @@ fun ChatScreen(onOpenPeople: () -> Unit, onOpenTextInput: () -> Unit) {
 }
 
 @Composable
-private fun ChatHeader(peerCount: Int, unreadDms: Int, onOpenPeople: () -> Unit) {
+private fun ChatHeader(
+    peerCount: Int,
+    unreadDms: Int,
+    expanded: Boolean,
+    onOpenPeople: () -> Unit
+) {
+    // Collapsing header: dense (small title, tiny icons) at the newest messages so the chat
+    // gets maximum space; scales up smoothly when the user scrolls into history.
+    val spec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween<androidx.compose.ui.unit.Dp>(
+        BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS
+    )
+    val iconSize by androidx.compose.animation.core.animateDpAsState(
+        targetValue = if (expanded) 16.dp else 11.dp, animationSpec = spec, label = "hdrIcon"
+    )
+    val titleSize by androidx.compose.animation.core.animateDpAsState(
+        targetValue = if (expanded) 15.dp else 11.dp, animationSpec = spec, label = "hdrTitle"
+    )
+    val vPadding by androidx.compose.animation.core.animateDpAsState(
+        targetValue = if (expanded) 6.dp else 1.dp, animationSpec = spec, label = "hdrPad"
+    )
+
     Row(
         modifier = Modifier
             .fillMaxWidth()
-            .padding(horizontal = 8.dp),
+            .padding(horizontal = 8.dp, vertical = vPadding),
         horizontalArrangement = Arrangement.Center,
         verticalAlignment = Alignment.CenterVertically
     ) {
         Text(
             text = "bitchat",
             style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleSmall,
+            fontSize = with(androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalDensity.current) { titleSize.toSp() },
             fontWeight = FontWeight.Bold,
             color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary
         )
-        Text(
-            text = "  ·  $peerCount online >",
-            style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
-            color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary,
-            modifier = Modifier.clickable { onOpenPeople() }
-        )
-        if (unreadDms > 0) {
-            Text(
-                text = "  ·  $unreadDms new",
-                style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
-                color = LocalBitchatPalette.current.accentOrange,
-                modifier = Modifier.clickable { onOpenPeople() }
+        Row(
+            verticalAlignment = Alignment.CenterVertically,
+            modifier = Modifier
+                .padding(start = 8.dp)
+                .clickable { onOpenPeople() }
+        ) {
+            Icon(
+                imageVector = Icons.Filled.People,
+                contentDescription = "people",
+                tint = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary,
+                modifier = Modifier.size(iconSize)
             )
+            Text(
+                text = "$peerCount",
+                style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
+                fontSize = with(androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalDensity.current) {
+                    (iconSize.value * 0.85f).dp.toSp()
+                },
+                color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary,
+                modifier = Modifier.padding(start = 2.dp)
+            )
+            if (unreadDms > 0) {
+                Icon(
+                    imageVector = Icons.Filled.MailOutline,
+                    contentDescription = "$unreadDms unread messages",
+                    tint = LocalBitchatPalette.current.accentOrange,
+                    modifier = Modifier
+                        .padding(start = 5.dp)
+                        .size(iconSize)
+                )
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/DmScreen.kt b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/DmScreen.kt
index 72c3b315..e4f7bb2d 100644
--- a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/DmScreen.kt
+++ b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/DmScreen.kt
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 package com.bitchat.watch.ui
 
+import androidx.compose.foundation.focusable
+import androidx.compose.foundation.verticalScroll
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Arrangement
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Row
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxWidth
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.size
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.DisposableEffect
 import androidx.compose.runtime.LaunchedEffect
@@ -15,8 +19,11 @@ import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
 import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.focus.focusRequester
 import androidx.compose.ui.hapticfeedback.HapticFeedbackType
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalHapticFeedback
+import androidx.wear.compose.foundation.rotary.RotaryScrollableDefaults
+import androidx.wear.compose.foundation.rotary.rotaryScrollable
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.font.FontWeight
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextAlign
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
@@ -27,6 +34,7 @@ import androidx.wear.compose.material3.Text
 import com.bitchat.android.services.AppStateStore
 import com.bitchat.watch.mesh.WearMeshService
 import com.bitchat.watch.ui.media.FullScreenImageViewer
+import com.bitchat.watch.ui.theme.BitchatMotion
 import com.bitchat.watch.ui.theme.ChatVisualTokens
 import com.bitchat.watch.ui.theme.LocalBitchatPalette
 import com.bitchat.watch.ui.theme.colorForPeer
@@ -38,7 +46,9 @@ fun DmScreen(peerID: String, onOpenTextInput: () -> Unit) {
     val mesh = WearMeshService.peek()
     val myPeerID = mesh?.myPeerID ?: ""
     val palette = LocalBitchatPalette.current
-    val listState = androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.rememberLazyListState()
+    val scrollState = androidx.compose.foundation.rememberScrollState()
+    val rotaryFocus = remember { androidx.compose.ui.focus.FocusRequester() }
+    LaunchedEffect(Unit) { rotaryFocus.requestFocus() }
     val haptics = LocalHapticFeedback.current
     var viewerPath by remember { mutableStateOf<String?>(null) }
     val voice = rememberVoiceNoteController { path ->
@@ -73,78 +83,125 @@ fun DmScreen(peerID: String, onOpenTextInput: () -> Unit) {
                 haptics.performHapticFeedback(HapticFeedbackType.LongPress)
             }
             if (messages.isNotEmpty()) {
-                listState.animateScrollToItem(0)
+                scrollState.animateScrollTo(scrollState.maxValue)
             }
         }
         previousCount = messages.size
     }
 
-    androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
-        ScreenScaffold(scrollState = listState) {
-            androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.LazyColumn(
-                state = listState,
-                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
-                reverseLayout = true,
-                contentPadding = androidx.compose.foundation.layout.PaddingValues(
-                    top = 40.dp,
-                    bottom = 56.dp
-                )
-            ) {
-                items(messages.asReversed(), key = { it.id }) { message ->
-                    MessageItem(
-                        message = message,
-                        myPeerID = myPeerID,
-                        onOpenImage = { viewerPath = it }
-                    )
-                }
-                if (messages.isEmpty()) {
-                    item {
-                        Text(
-                            text = if (sessionEstablished) "encrypted channel ready\nsay hi"
-                            else "setting up encryption…",
-                            style = ChatVisualTokens.SystemActionStyle,
-                            color = palette.textTertiary,
-                            textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
-                            modifier = Modifier
-                                .fillMaxWidth()
-                                .padding(vertical = 16.dp)
-                        )
-                    }
-                }
-                item {
-                    Row(
+    val buttonsVisible = rememberBottomBarVisibility(scrollState)
+    val headerExpanded = scrollState.maxValue - scrollState.value > 60
+    val headerIconSize by androidx.compose.animation.core.animateDpAsState(
+        targetValue = if (headerExpanded) 16.dp else 11.dp,
+        animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS),
+        label = "dmHdrIcon"
+    )
+    val headerTitleSize by androidx.compose.animation.core.animateDpAsState(
+        targetValue = if (headerExpanded) 15.dp else 11.dp,
+        animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS),
+        label = "dmHdrTitle"
+    )
+    val headerVPadding by androidx.compose.animation.core.animateDpAsState(
+        targetValue = if (headerExpanded) 6.dp else 1.dp,
+        animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS),
+        label = "dmHdrPad"
+    )
+
+    Column(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+        // Sticky collapsing header: nickname + Noise lock (grey open → orange pulse → green)
+        Row(
+            modifier = Modifier
+                .fillMaxWidth()
+                .padding(horizontal = 8.dp, vertical = headerVPadding),
+            horizontalArrangement = Arrangement.Center,
+            verticalAlignment = Alignment.CenterVertically
+        ) {
+            Text(
+                text = nickname,
+                style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleSmall,
+                fontSize = with(androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalDensity.current) {
+                    headerTitleSize.toSp()
+                },
+                fontWeight = FontWeight.Bold,
+                color = colorForPeer(nickname + peerID, palette)
+            )
+            NoiseLockIcon(
+                state = if (sessionEstablished) NoiseSessionUiState.Established
+                else NoiseSessionUiState.Handshaking,
+                size = headerIconSize,
+                modifier = Modifier.padding(start = 5.dp)
+            )
+        }
+        androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box(
+            modifier = Modifier
+                .fillMaxSize()
+                .weight(1f)
+        ) {
+            ScreenScaffold(scrollState = scrollState) {
+                androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box(
+                    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
+                    contentAlignment = Alignment.BottomCenter
+                ) {
+                    Column(
                         modifier = Modifier
                             .fillMaxWidth()
-                            .padding(horizontal = 8.dp),
-                        horizontalArrangement = Arrangement.Center,
-                        verticalAlignment = Alignment.CenterVertically
+                            .padding(bottom = 56.dp)
+                            .rotaryScrollable(
+                                RotaryScrollableDefaults.behavior(scrollState),
+                                rotaryFocus
+                            )
+                            .focusRequester(rotaryFocus)
+                            .focusable()
+                            .verticalScroll(scrollState)
                     ) {
-                        Text(
-                            text = nickname,
-                            style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleSmall,
-                            fontWeight = FontWeight.Bold,
-                            color = colorForPeer(nickname + peerID, palette)
-                        )
-                        Text(
-                            text = if (sessionEstablished) "  ·  noise ✓" else "  ·  handshaking…",
-                            style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
-                            color = if (sessionEstablished) MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary
-                            else palette.textTertiary
-                        )
+                        if (messages.isEmpty()) {
+                            Text(
+                                text = if (sessionEstablished) "encrypted channel ready\nsay hi"
+                                else "setting up encryption…",
+                                style = ChatVisualTokens.SystemActionStyle,
+                                color = palette.textTertiary,
+                                textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
+                                modifier = Modifier
+                                    .fillMaxWidth()
+                                    .padding(vertical = 16.dp)
+                            )
+                        }
+                        messages.forEach { message ->
+                            MessageItem(
+                                message = message,
+                                myPeerID = myPeerID,
+                                onOpenImage = { viewerPath = it }
+                            )
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
+
+            androidx.compose.animation.AnimatedVisibility(
+                visible = buttonsVisible.value,
+                modifier = Modifier.align(Alignment.BottomCenter),
+                enter = androidx.compose.animation.slideInVertically(
+                    initialOffsetY = { it },
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                ) + androidx.compose.animation.fadeIn(
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                ),
+                exit = androidx.compose.animation.slideOutVertically(
+                    targetOffsetY = { it },
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                ) + androidx.compose.animation.fadeOut(
+                    animationSpec = androidx.compose.animation.core.tween(BitchatMotion.STANDARD_MS)
+                )
+            ) {
+                ChatActionBar(
+                    onKeyboard = onOpenTextInput,
+                    voice = voice,
+                    modifier = Modifier.padding(bottom = 10.dp)
+                )
+            }
+
+            VoiceRecordOverlay(voice)
         }
-
-        ChatActionBar(
-            onKeyboard = onOpenTextInput,
-            voice = voice,
-            modifier = Modifier
-                .align(Alignment.BottomCenter)
-                .padding(bottom = 10.dp)
-        )
-
-        VoiceRecordOverlay(voice)
     }
 
     viewerPath?.let { path ->
diff --git a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/NoiseLockIcon.kt b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/NoiseLockIcon.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a4bc6b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/NoiseLockIcon.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package com.bitchat.watch.ui
+
+import androidx.compose.animation.animateColorAsState
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.FastOutSlowInEasing
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.RepeatMode
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.animateFloat
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.infiniteRepeatable
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.rememberInfiniteTransition
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.tween
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.size
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.Icons
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.filled.Lock
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.filled.LockOpen
+import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
+import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.draw.alpha
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
+import androidx.wear.compose.material3.Icon
+import androidx.wear.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
+import com.bitchat.watch.ui.theme.LocalBitchatPalette
+
+enum class NoiseSessionUiState { Idle, Handshaking, Established }
+
+/**
+ * Noise session lock icon, same visual language as the phone's NoiseSessionIcon: quiet grey
+ * open lock when idle, orange open lock with a soft pulse while the handshake is in flight,
+ * green closed lock once established. Tint and glyph transitions land together.
+ */
+@Composable
+fun NoiseLockIcon(
+    state: NoiseSessionUiState,
+    modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
+    size: androidx.compose.ui.unit.Dp = 13.dp
+) {
+    val palette = LocalBitchatPalette.current
+    val colorScheme = MaterialTheme.colorScheme
+
+    val targetTint = when (state) {
+        NoiseSessionUiState.Handshaking -> palette.accentOrange
+        NoiseSessionUiState.Established -> colorScheme.primary
+        NoiseSessionUiState.Idle -> colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant
+    }
+    val tint by animateColorAsState(
+        targetValue = targetTint,
+        animationSpec = tween(480, easing = FastOutSlowInEasing),
+        label = "noiseLockTint"
+    )
+
+    val pulseAlpha = if (state == NoiseSessionUiState.Handshaking) {
+        val transition = rememberInfiniteTransition(label = "noiseLockPulse")
+        transition.animateFloat(
+            initialValue = 0.45f,
+            targetValue = 1f,
+            animationSpec = infiniteRepeatable(
+                animation = tween(600, easing = FastOutSlowInEasing),
+                repeatMode = RepeatMode.Reverse
+            ),
+            label = "noiseLockPulseAlpha"
+        ).value
+    } else 1f
+
+    Icon(
+        imageVector = if (state == NoiseSessionUiState.Established) Icons.Filled.Lock
+        else Icons.Filled.LockOpen,
+        contentDescription = when (state) {
+            NoiseSessionUiState.Handshaking -> "handshake in progress"
+            NoiseSessionUiState.Established -> "encrypted"
+            NoiseSessionUiState.Idle -> "not encrypted yet"
+        },
+        tint = tint,
+        modifier = modifier
+            .size(size)
+            .alpha(pulseAlpha)
+    )
+}