diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/a4-preview.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/a4-preview.tsx
index fcbfdca..38b1b5b 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/a4-preview.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/a4-preview.tsx
@@ -92,11 +92,8 @@ export function A4Preview() {
           ? stripPages.map((stripPhotos, page) => (
               <div
                 key={`strip-${stripPhotos[0]?.id ?? page}`}
-                className="flex flex-col gap-1"
+                className="relative"
               >
-                <span className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">
-                  {pageLabel(page)}
-                </span>
                 <StripPage
                   photos={stripPhotos}
                   width={width}
@@ -107,22 +104,18 @@ export function A4Preview() {
                   showCutMarks={showCutMarks}
                   editable
                 />
+                {pageLabel(page) && (
+                  <div className="absolute top-2 left-2">
+                    <PageBadge label={pageLabel(page)} />
+                  </div>
+                )}
               </div>
             ))
           : gridPages.map((slice, page) => (
               <div
                 key={`page-${slice.photos[0]?.id ?? page}`}
-                className="flex flex-col gap-1"
+                className="relative"
               >
-                <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
-                  <span className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">
-                    {pageLabel(page)}
-                  </span>
-                  <PageShapeToggle
-                    value={slice.shape}
-                    onChange={(shape) => setPageShape(page, shape)}
-                  />
-                </div>
                 <SheetPage
                   photos={slice.photos}
                   width={width}
@@ -138,6 +131,17 @@ export function A4Preview() {
                   showCameraLine={showCameraLine}
                   editable
                 />
+                {/* Screen-only controls float over the sheet's top margin so the
+                    sheet's top edge stays level with both sidebars. */}
+                <div className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 top-0 flex items-start justify-between gap-2 p-1">
+                  {pageLabel(page) ? <PageBadge label={pageLabel(page)} /> : <span />}
+                  <div className="pointer-events-auto">
+                    <PageShapeToggle
+                      value={slice.shape}
+                      onChange={(shape) => setPageShape(page, shape)}
+                    />
+                  </div>
+                </div>
               </div>
             ))}
       </div>
@@ -145,6 +149,19 @@ export function A4Preview() {
   );
 }
 
+function PageBadge({ label }: { label: string }) {
+  return (
+    <span className="pointer-events-auto rounded-md bg-white/40 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-xs text-neutral-500 ring-1 ring-black/5 backdrop-blur-md">
+      {label}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Collapses to a single glassy icon of the current shape so it stays out of the
+ * way of the sheet's margin guide; reveals the full selector on hover or focus
+ * (focus covers touch, where there's no hover).
+ */
 function PageShapeToggle({
   value,
   onChange,
@@ -152,31 +169,51 @@ function PageShapeToggle({
   value: Orientation;
   onChange: (shape: Orientation) => void;
 }) {
+  const CurrentIcon = SHAPE_ICONS[value];
+  const glass =
+    "rounded-md bg-white/40 ring-1 ring-black/5 backdrop-blur-md";
   return (
-    <div className="flex gap-0.5">
-      {FRAME_SHAPES.map(({ id, label }) => {
-        const Icon = SHAPE_ICONS[id];
-        const active = value === id;
-        return (
-          <Tooltip key={id}>
-            <TooltipTrigger asChild>
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                aria-label={`${label} frames on this page`}
-                aria-pressed={active}
-                onClick={() => onChange(id)}
-                className={cn(
-                  "text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground flex size-6 items-center justify-center rounded",
-                  active && "bg-accent text-foreground",
-                )}
-              >
-                <Icon className="size-3.5" />
-              </button>
-            </TooltipTrigger>
-            <TooltipContent>{label} frames on this page</TooltipContent>
-          </Tooltip>
-        );
-      })}
+    <div className="group/shape relative flex justify-end">
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        aria-label="Change page frame shape"
+        className={cn(
+          "flex size-5 items-center justify-center text-neutral-500 transition-opacity group-hover/shape:pointer-events-none group-hover/shape:opacity-0 group-focus-within/shape:pointer-events-none group-focus-within/shape:opacity-0",
+          glass,
+        )}
+      >
+        <CurrentIcon className="size-3" />
+      </button>
+      <div
+        className={cn(
+          "pointer-events-none absolute top-0 right-0 flex gap-0.5 p-0.5 opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover/shape:pointer-events-auto group-hover/shape:opacity-100 group-focus-within/shape:pointer-events-auto group-focus-within/shape:opacity-100",
+          glass,
+        )}
+      >
+        {FRAME_SHAPES.map(({ id, label }) => {
+          const Icon = SHAPE_ICONS[id];
+          const active = value === id;
+          return (
+            <Tooltip key={id}>
+              <TooltipTrigger asChild>
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  aria-label={`${label} frames on this page`}
+                  aria-pressed={active}
+                  onClick={() => onChange(id)}
+                  className={cn(
+                    "flex size-5 items-center justify-center rounded text-neutral-500 transition-colors hover:bg-black/5 hover:text-neutral-900",
+                    active && "bg-black/10 text-neutral-900",
+                  )}
+                >
+                  <Icon className="size-3" />
+                </button>
+              </TooltipTrigger>
+              <TooltipContent>{label} frames on this page</TooltipContent>
+            </Tooltip>
+          );
+        })}
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/options-panel.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/options-panel.tsx
index ef9c6d3..7e28c84 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/options-panel.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/options-panel.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { type ReactNode, useState } from "react";
-import { Minus, Plus } from "lucide-react";
+import { FileDown, Minus, Plus } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
@@ -335,8 +335,9 @@ export function OptionsPanel() {
       <Button
         disabled={isExporting || photos.length === 0}
         onClick={() => void handleExport()}
-        className="w-full"
+        className="w-full gap-2"
       >
+        <FileDown className="size-4" />
         {isExporting ? "Preparing…" : "Export PDF"}
       </Button>
     </div>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/photo-sidebar.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/photo-sidebar.tsx
index 379aaf4..0902ec6 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/photo-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/photo-sidebar.tsx
@@ -10,12 +10,15 @@ const ACCEPT =
   'image/jpeg,image/png,image/webp,image/heic,image/heif,.jpg,.jpeg,.png,.webp,.heic,.heif'
 
 /**
- * Left rail: an "Add photos" button on top, the reorderable strip below.
+ * Left rail: the reorderable photo strip, with an "Add photos" button pinned
+ * to the bottom. The button only appears once there's at least one photo —
+ * before that, the centre empty-state hero carries the add action.
  * Dragging a file anywhere over the app reveals a square drop pad here, with
  * the strip blurred behind it — and a drop is accepted wherever it lands.
  */
 export function PhotoSidebar() {
   const addFiles = usePhotoStore((state) => state.addFiles)
+  const hasPhotos = usePhotoStore((state) => state.photos.length > 0)
   const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null)
 
   const onFiles = useCallback((files: File[]) => addFiles(files), [addFiles])
@@ -36,17 +39,21 @@ export function PhotoSidebar() {
         }}
       />
 
-      <Button
-        type="button"
-        onClick={() => inputRef.current?.click()}
-        className="w-full gap-2"
-      >
-        <ImagePlus className="size-4" />
-        Add photos
-      </Button>
-
       <PhotoStrip />
 
+      {hasPhotos && (
+        <div className="mt-auto pt-2 lg:sticky lg:bottom-4">
+          <Button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => inputRef.current?.click()}
+            className="w-full gap-2 shadow-sm"
+          >
+            <ImagePlus className="size-4" />
+            Add photos
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
       {dragging && (
         <div className="bg-background/70 absolute inset-0 z-30 flex items-center justify-center rounded-lg backdrop-blur-sm">
           <div className="border-ring text-muted-foreground flex aspect-square w-full max-w-[220px] flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-xl border-2 border-dashed text-center">