diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index d8bf35b..3744843 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -39,12 +39,14 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "breadhelp"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.2.0"
 dependencies = [
  "async-channel",
  "bread-theme",
+ "gdk4",
  "glib",
  "gtk4",
+ "gtk4-layer-shell",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "toml 0.8.23",
@@ -260,6 +262,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "gdk-pixbuf",
  "gdk4-sys",
  "gio",
+ "gl",
  "glib",
  "libc",
  "pango",
@@ -323,6 +326,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "gl"
+version = "0.14.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a94edab108827d67608095e269cf862e60d920f144a5026d3dbcfd8b877fb404"
+dependencies = [
+ "gl_generator",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "gl_generator"
+version = "0.14.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1a95dfc23a2b4a9a2f5ab41d194f8bfda3cabec42af4e39f08c339eb2a0c124d"
+dependencies = [
+ "khronos_api",
+ "log",
+ "xml-rs",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "glib"
 version = "0.22.7"
@@ -452,6 +475,34 @@ dependencies = [
  "pango",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "gtk4-layer-shell"
+version = "0.8.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a4069987ff4793699511a251028cc336b438e46565b463f111250148d574752a"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "gdk4",
+ "glib",
+ "glib-sys",
+ "gtk4",
+ "gtk4-layer-shell-sys",
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "gtk4-layer-shell-sys"
+version = "0.6.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8f566a5ec5bcc454e7fcf2ab76930887ced5365afce12c1e5201bb296b95f1b9"
+dependencies = [
+ "gdk4-sys",
+ "glib-sys",
+ "gtk4-sys",
+ "libc",
+ "system-deps",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "gtk4-macros"
 version = "0.11.0"
@@ -511,6 +562,12 @@ version = "1.0.18"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "8f42a60cbdf9a97f5d2305f08a87dc4e09308d1276d28c869c684d7777685682"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "khronos_api"
+version = "3.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e2db585e1d738fc771bf08a151420d3ed193d9d895a36df7f6f8a9456b911ddc"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "libc"
 version = "0.2.186"
@@ -526,6 +583,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "log"
+version = "0.4.33"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0ceec5bc11778974d1bcb055b18002eba7f4b3518b6a0081b3af5f21666da9ad"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "memchr"
 version = "2.8.2"
@@ -1032,6 +1095,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "memchr",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "xml-rs"
+version = "0.8.28"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3ae8337f8a065cfc972643663ea4279e04e7256de865aa66fe25cec5fb912d3f"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "zmij"
 version = "1.0.21"
diff --git a/breadhelp/Cargo.toml b/breadhelp/Cargo.toml
index f43db76..d63710a 100644
--- a/breadhelp/Cargo.toml
+++ b/breadhelp/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 [package]
 name = "breadhelp"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.2.0"
 edition = "2021"
 
 [dependencies]
 gtk4 = { version = "0.11", features = ["v4_12"] }
+gdk4 = "0.11"
+gtk4-layer-shell = "0.8"
 glib = "0.22"
 # Shared ecosystem theming — same generated stylesheet bos-settings/breadbar/
 # breadbox/breadpad load, so this looks like part of the same desktop.
diff --git a/breadhelp/content/tours/onboarding.toml b/breadhelp/content/tours/onboarding.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..950258e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/breadhelp/content/tours/onboarding.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Live guided tour steps, walked by ui::tour. Phase A validation subset —
+# just enough to prove the spotlight/must-do engine end-to-end (breadbar's
+# plain observe-only highlight, breadbox's real openlayer detection) before
+# authoring the full app-by-app tour. See breadhelp-tour.lua for the
+# `--tour-event` ids this matches against.
+
+[[step]]
+id = "welcome"
+title = "Welcome to BOS"
+body = "This is a quick, hands-on tour of your desktop. Instead of just describing things, we'll point at the real thing on screen as we go. Press Next when you're ready."
+
+[[step]]
+id = "breadbar"
+title = "Breadbar"
+body = "This bar across the top of your screen always shows your workspace, the time, and quick status for network, volume, and battery. Click any icon on it to see more."
+target_namespace = "breadbar"
+
+[[step]]
+id = "breadbox"
+title = "Opening apps"
+body = "Everything in BOS opens from here. Press [Show Keybind]super + space[/Show Keybind] to open breadbox, then start typing an app's name and press Enter to launch it."
+target_namespace = "breadbox"
+launch = "breadbox"
+success_event = "layer-closed:breadbox"
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/cli.rs b/breadhelp/src/cli.rs
index 70c6a04..bb35833 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/cli.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/cli.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ pub struct Action {
     /// From a breadd Lua module (e.g. `breadhelp-suggest.lua`) reacting to a
     /// system event. Resolved to banner text by `services::breadd::resolve`.
     pub suggest: Option<String>,
+    /// From `breadhelp-tour.lua` forwarding a bread/Hyprland event (window
+    /// opened, layer opened, workspace changed, or a rebind-chained ping) as
+    /// a candidate "the user just did the thing" signal for the live tour.
+    /// Only acted on if a tour is currently waiting for this exact id —
+    /// see the crash-safety note on `ui::tour`.
+    pub tour_event: Option<String>,
 }
 
 pub fn parse(args: &[std::ffi::OsString]) -> Action {
@@ -31,6 +37,8 @@ pub fn parse(args: &[std::ffi::OsString]) -> Action {
             action.autostart = true;
         } else if arg == "--suggest" {
             action.suggest = it.next().and_then(|s| s.to_str()).map(str::to_string);
+        } else if arg == "--tour-event" {
+            action.tour_event = it.next().and_then(|s| s.to_str()).map(str::to_string);
         }
     }
     action
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/config.rs b/breadhelp/src/config.rs
index ad745c6..acdca4a 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/config.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/config.rs
@@ -119,6 +119,32 @@ impl State {
         self.save();
     }
 
+    /// Set the instant before `services::hyprland::rebind_temp` is called for
+    /// a tour step with no compositor-observable signal (e.g. the screenshot
+    /// step), cleared the instant after reverting. If breadhelp is killed
+    /// mid-step, this is how the next launch knows a keybind was left
+    /// pointing at a chained `--tour-event` ping and self-heals it before
+    /// the user can be surprised by a stray tour popup — see `ui::tour`.
+    pub fn pending_rebind(&self) -> Option<(String, String)> {
+        let key = self.doc.get("tour")?.get("pending_rebind_key")?.as_str()?.to_string();
+        let original = self.doc.get("tour")?.get("pending_rebind_original")?.as_str()?.to_string();
+        Some((key, original))
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_pending_rebind(&mut self, key: &str, original_bind_value: &str) {
+        self.doc["tour"]["pending_rebind_key"] = value(key);
+        self.doc["tour"]["pending_rebind_original"] = value(original_bind_value);
+        self.save();
+    }
+
+    pub fn clear_pending_rebind(&mut self) {
+        if let Some(table) = self.doc.get_mut("tour").and_then(|t| t.as_table_mut()) {
+            table.remove("pending_rebind_key");
+            table.remove("pending_rebind_original");
+        }
+        self.save();
+    }
+
     pub fn mode(&self) -> Mode {
         let s = self.doc.get("general").and_then(|t| t.get("mode")).and_then(|v| v.as_str()).unwrap_or("normal");
         Mode::from_str(s)
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/content/markdown.rs b/breadhelp/src/content/markdown.rs
index 332070b..c897c80 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/content/markdown.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/content/markdown.rs
@@ -135,6 +135,13 @@ fn render_spans(spans: &[Span], binds: &[Keybind]) -> gtk4::Widget {
                 let lbl = Label::new(None);
                 lbl.set_markup(&inline_markup(t));
                 lbl.set_wrap(true);
+                // `set_wrap` alone only wraps once something else constrains
+                // the label's allocated width (true inside guide_view's fixed-
+                // width scrolled pane) — a freestanding top-level window (the
+                // tour callout) has nothing to allocate against, so without
+                // this a long paragraph reports its unwrapped natural width
+                // and the whole window balloons to fit it.
+                lbl.set_max_width_chars(48);
                 lbl.set_xalign(0.0);
                 row.append(&lbl);
             }
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/content/mod.rs b/breadhelp/src/content/mod.rs
index 7f279a5..814c6c9 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/content/mod.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/content/mod.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 pub mod keybinds;
 pub mod markdown;
 pub mod meta;
+pub mod tour;
 pub mod troubleshoot;
 
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/content/tour.rs b/breadhelp/src/content/tour.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d49709f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/breadhelp/src/content/tour.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+//! Live tour step loader — same shape of problem as `troubleshoot.rs`'s
+//! symptom trees: TOML data, not hardcoded Rust, so the tour can be edited
+//! without a rebuild. Fields are flat optionals rather than a tagged enum in
+//! the TOML itself (mirroring `SymptomOption::goto`'s plain-string encoding)
+//! to keep hand-authored `onboarding.toml` simple; `target()`/`success()`
+//! turn that into the richer shape `ui::tour` actually wants to match on.
+
+use std::path::Path;
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub enum Target {
+    /// A `gtk4-layer-shell` surface identified by namespace, e.g. "breadbox".
+    Namespace(String),
+    /// A plain toplevel window identified by its Wayland app-id/class.
+    WindowClass(String),
+    /// Pure-concept step — full-screen dim, centered callout, no spotlight.
+    None,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub enum Success {
+    /// Auto-advance when a `--tour-event <id>` matching this arrives.
+    Event(String),
+    /// Auto-advance after this many seconds if no event arrives first.
+    Timeout(u64),
+    /// Next button only — no event can signal this step's completion.
+    Manual,
+}
+
+#[derive(serde::Deserialize, Clone)]
+pub struct Step {
+    pub id: String,
+    pub title: String,
+    pub body: String,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub target_namespace: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub target_window_class: Option<String>,
+    /// Shell command run when the step starts, e.g. launching breadbox so
+    /// there's something to highlight. Skipped if the target is already
+    /// resolvable — several bread apps toggle-close on a second invocation
+    /// of the same command, so firing this unconditionally could close an
+    /// already-open instance instead of opening one.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub launch: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub success_event: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub success_timeout_seconds: Option<u64>,
+    /// A keybind combo (e.g. "super + shift + s") to temporarily rebind so
+    /// its original action still runs but is chained with a
+    /// `--tour-event <success_event>` ping — for steps whose action has no
+    /// compositor-observable signal at all (e.g. taking a screenshot).
+    /// Reverted the moment this step is left, and self-healed on the next
+    /// launch if breadhelp crashes mid-step — see `ui::tour`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub rebind_combo: Option<String>,
+}
+
+impl Step {
+    pub fn target(&self) -> Target {
+        if let Some(ns) = &self.target_namespace {
+            Target::Namespace(ns.clone())
+        } else if let Some(class) = &self.target_window_class {
+            Target::WindowClass(class.clone())
+        } else {
+            Target::None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn success(&self) -> Success {
+        if let Some(id) = &self.success_event {
+            Success::Event(id.clone())
+        } else if let Some(secs) = self.success_timeout_seconds {
+            Success::Timeout(secs)
+        } else {
+            Success::Manual
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(serde::Deserialize)]
+struct TourFile {
+    #[serde(rename = "step", default)]
+    steps: Vec<Step>,
+}
+
+const SYSTEM_TOUR_PATH: &str = "/usr/share/breadhelp/content/tours/onboarding.toml";
+
+pub fn load() -> Vec<Step> {
+    let Ok(text) = std::fs::read_to_string(Path::new(SYSTEM_TOUR_PATH)) else {
+        return Vec::new();
+    };
+    match toml::from_str::<TourFile>(&text) {
+        Ok(f) => f.steps,
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("breadhelp: {SYSTEM_TOUR_PATH} failed to parse: {e}");
+            Vec::new()
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/main.rs b/breadhelp/src/main.rs
index f4ba916..337863e 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/main.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/main.rs
@@ -30,5 +30,13 @@ fn main() {
         glib::ExitCode::SUCCESS
     });
 
+    // Best-effort revert of a tour step's temporarily-rebound keybind (see
+    // `ui::tour`'s crash-safety notes) on a clean exit — `rebind_temp` is a
+    // detached fire-and-forget `hyprctl` spawn, so it still completes even
+    // though this process is exiting right after.
+    app.connect_shutdown(|_| {
+        ui::tour::self_heal();
+    });
+
     app.run();
 }
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/services/hyprland.rs b/breadhelp/src/services/hyprland.rs
index 99b2e69..1060481 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/services/hyprland.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/services/hyprland.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::process::Command;
 
 /// Runtime-only rebind via `hyprctl keyword bind`: takes effect immediately
@@ -13,3 +14,83 @@ pub fn rebind_temp(bind_value: &str) {
         eprintln!("breadhelp: hyprctl rebind failed: {e}");
     }
 }
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+pub struct Client {
+    pub class: String,
+    pub at: (i32, i32),
+    pub size: (i32, i32),
+    /// Numeric monitor id — join against `monitors()` by `Monitor::id` for a name.
+    pub monitor: i32,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+pub struct Monitor {
+    pub id: i32,
+    pub name: String,
+    pub x: i32,
+    pub y: i32,
+    pub width: i32,
+    pub height: i32,
+    pub focused: bool,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct LayerClient {
+    pub namespace: String,
+    pub x: i32,
+    pub y: i32,
+    pub w: i32,
+    pub h: i32,
+    pub monitor: String,
+}
+
+fn query_json(cmd: &str) -> Option<serde_json::Value> {
+    let output = Command::new("hyprctl").args(["-j", cmd]).output().ok()?;
+    output.status.success().then(|| serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).ok()).flatten()
+}
+
+pub fn clients() -> Vec<Client> {
+    query_json("clients").and_then(|v| serde_json::from_value(v).ok()).unwrap_or_default()
+}
+
+pub fn monitors() -> Vec<Monitor> {
+    query_json("monitors").and_then(|v| serde_json::from_value(v).ok()).unwrap_or_default()
+}
+
+/// `hyprctl -j layers` nests surfaces as `{monitor_name: {levels: {level: [surface]}}}`
+/// with no fixed schema the `hyprland` crate or any sibling repo has a typed struct
+/// for, so this walks the `serde_json::Value` by hand instead of deriving `Deserialize`.
+pub fn layers() -> Vec<LayerClient> {
+    let Some(serde_json::Value::Object(by_monitor)) = query_json("layers") else {
+        return Vec::new();
+    };
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    for (monitor_name, monitor_val) in by_monitor {
+        let Some(levels) = monitor_val.get("levels").and_then(|v| v.as_object()) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        for entries in levels.values().filter_map(|v| v.as_array()) {
+            for entry in entries {
+                let fields = (
+                    entry.get("namespace").and_then(|v| v.as_str()),
+                    entry.get("x").and_then(|v| v.as_i64()),
+                    entry.get("y").and_then(|v| v.as_i64()),
+                    entry.get("w").and_then(|v| v.as_i64()),
+                    entry.get("h").and_then(|v| v.as_i64()),
+                );
+                if let (Some(namespace), Some(x), Some(y), Some(w), Some(h)) = fields {
+                    out.push(LayerClient {
+                        namespace: namespace.to_string(),
+                        x: x as i32,
+                        y: y as i32,
+                        w: w as i32,
+                        h: h as i32,
+                        monitor: monitor_name.clone(),
+                    });
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    out
+}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/theme.rs b/breadhelp/src/theme.rs
index 5c9a3ad..0f87d6f 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/theme.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/theme.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,32 @@ label.keybind-chip { \
 .dad-mode button { min-height: 44px; padding: 10px 18px; }\n\
 .beginner-mode button { min-height: 36px; }\n\
 .compact-mode .view-content { padding: 12px; }\n\
+/* ui::tour — mask strips dim everything except the spotlight cutout; the \
+   callout is a small floating card near (or, for no-target steps, centered \
+   over) the highlighted thing. The shared stylesheet's `window { \
+   background-color: @bg }` rule matches every GtkWindow including these — \
+   without this override GTK paints that opaque backdrop before the \
+   translucent mask box composites onto it, so the alpha never reaches the \
+   compositor and the \"dim\" reads as solid black. A class-qualified \
+   selector beats the shared rule's bare type selector on specificity \
+   regardless of stylesheet load order. */\n\
+window.tour-window { background-color: transparent; }\n\
+.tour-mask { background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); }\n\
+.tour-callout { \
+  background-color: @surface; \
+  color: @on-surface; \
+  border-radius: 12px; \
+  padding: 16px 20px; \
+}\n\
+.tour-callout label.title { font-weight: bold; font-size: 15px; }\n\
+/* The one payoff line in the whole tour — the user did the real thing and \
+   the compositor proved it — shouldn't read as the same throwaway meta \
+   text as the step counter. */\n\
+.tour-confirmed { color: @green; font-weight: bold; }\n\
+/* Extra top margin (on top of the callout's uniform 12px row gap) marks \
+   the \"Show me\" fallback as its own beat, not a continuation of the \
+   instructional paragraph above it. */\n\
+.tour-hint-row { margin-top: 8px; }\n\
 ";
 
 thread_local! {
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/home.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/home.rs
index 256fea6..f2c1152 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/ui/home.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/ui/home.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use gtk4::{
 };
 
 use crate::config::Mode;
-use crate::content::{keybinds::Keybind, ContentStore};
+use crate::content::keybinds::Keybind;
 
 use super::{keybind_viewer, troubleshoot_wizard};
 
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ impl Home {
 }
 
 pub fn build(
-    store: &ContentStore,
     binds: &[Keybind],
     parent_window: &ApplicationWindow,
     initial_mode: Mode,
@@ -88,19 +87,19 @@ pub fn build(
     }
     vbox.append(&troubleshoot_btn);
 
-    let getting_started = store.guides_in("getting-started");
-    if !getting_started.is_empty() {
-        let heading = Label::new(Some("Getting Started"));
-        heading.add_css_class("section-header");
-        heading.set_xalign(0.0);
-        vbox.append(&heading);
-
-        for guide in getting_started.iter().take(3) {
-            let lbl = Label::new(Some(&format!("\u{2022} {}", guide.meta.title)));
-            lbl.set_xalign(0.0);
-            vbox.append(&lbl);
-        }
+    // The live guided tour (ui::tour) is the real hands-on onboarding now —
+    // a static text preview of the same guide titles Learn already lists
+    // was a fossil of the old in-window wizard and just duplicated Learn's
+    // sidebar. A single re-entry point is all this tab needs.
+    let replay_btn = Button::with_label("Replay the tour");
+    replay_btn.set_halign(Align::Start);
+    {
+        let parent = parent_window.clone();
+        replay_btn.connect_clicked(move |_| {
+            crate::ui::tour::restart(&WidgetExt::display(&parent));
+        });
     }
+    vbox.append(&replay_btn);
 
     vbox.append(&keybind_viewer::build(binds));
 
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/mod.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/mod.rs
index 87c82db..8374aab 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ pub mod home;
 pub mod keybind_viewer;
 pub mod learn;
 pub mod modes;
-pub mod onboarding;
 pub mod tabs;
+pub mod tour;
 pub mod troubleshoot_wizard;
 pub mod window;
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/onboarding/mod.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/onboarding/mod.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index fca6c57..0000000
--- a/breadhelp/src/ui/onboarding/mod.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,196 +0,0 @@
-mod steps;
-
-use std::cell::Cell;
-use std::rc::Rc;
-
-use gtk4::prelude::*;
-use gtk4::{Align, Box as GBox, Button, Label, Orientation, Stack, StackTransitionType};
-
-use crate::config::State;
-use steps::Step;
-
-/// The onboarding tour: a `Stack` of step pages (plain `gtk4::Stack` with a
-/// slide transition, not `Adw.Carousel` — no libadwaita dependency exists
-/// anywhere in this ecosystem, and introducing one for a 7-step tour isn't
-/// justified) with a Back/Skip/Next nav bar and a step-dots progress
-/// indicator. The caller places `root` in an `Overlay` above the normal
-/// tabbed content and toggles its visibility; `goto` lets a forced restart
-/// (`breadhelp --onboard` while already running) jump back to step 0 without
-/// rebuilding the widget tree.
-pub struct Onboarding {
-    pub root: GBox,
-    stack: Stack,
-    dots: Vec<Label>,
-    current: Rc<Cell<usize>>,
-}
-
-impl Onboarding {
-    pub fn goto(&self, step: usize) {
-        let steps = steps::steps();
-        let step = step.min(steps.len() - 1);
-        self.current.set(step);
-        self.stack.set_visible_child_name(&step.to_string());
-        update_dots(&self.dots, step);
-    }
-}
-
-pub fn build(on_finish: impl Fn() + 'static) -> Onboarding {
-    let root = GBox::new(Orientation::Vertical, 16);
-    root.add_css_class("view-content");
-    // GTK4's built-in "background" class paints the theme's opaque default
-    // background — needed since this sits in an `Overlay` above the tabs.
-    root.add_css_class("background");
-    root.set_vexpand(true);
-    root.set_hexpand(true);
-
-    let all_steps = steps::steps();
-
-    let stack = Stack::new();
-    stack.set_transition_type(StackTransitionType::SlideLeftRight);
-    stack.set_vexpand(true);
-    stack.set_valign(Align::Center);
-    for (i, step) in all_steps.iter().enumerate() {
-        stack.add_named(&build_step_page(step), Some(&i.to_string()));
-    }
-
-    let dots_row = GBox::new(Orientation::Horizontal, 6);
-    dots_row.set_halign(Align::Center);
-    let dots: Vec<Label> = all_steps
-        .iter()
-        .map(|_| {
-            let dot = Label::new(Some("\u{25CF}"));
-            dot.add_css_class("dim-label");
-            dots_row.append(&dot);
-            dot
-        })
-        .collect();
-
-    let start_step = (State::load().onboarding_step() as usize).min(all_steps.len() - 1);
-    let current = Rc::new(Cell::new(start_step));
-    stack.set_visible_child_name(&start_step.to_string());
-    update_dots(&dots, start_step);
-
-    let nav = GBox::new(Orientation::Horizontal, 8);
-    nav.set_halign(Align::Fill);
-
-    let skip_btn = Button::with_label("Skip");
-    let back_btn = Button::with_label("Back");
-    back_btn.set_sensitive(start_step > 0);
-    let next_btn = Button::with_label(if start_step + 1 == all_steps.len() { "Finish" } else { "Next" });
-    next_btn.add_css_class("suggested-action");
-
-    let spacer = GBox::new(Orientation::Horizontal, 0);
-    spacer.set_hexpand(true);
-
-    nav.append(&skip_btn);
-    nav.append(&spacer);
-    nav.append(&back_btn);
-    nav.append(&next_btn);
-
-    let on_finish = Rc::new(on_finish);
-
-    back_btn.connect_clicked({
-        let current = current.clone();
-        let stack = stack.clone();
-        let dots = dots.clone();
-        let next_btn = next_btn.clone();
-        let back_btn = back_btn.clone();
-        let total = all_steps.len();
-        move |_| {
-            let i = current.get();
-            if i == 0 {
-                return;
-            }
-            let new = i - 1;
-            current.set(new);
-            stack.set_visible_child_name(&new.to_string());
-            update_dots(&dots, new);
-            back_btn.set_sensitive(new > 0);
-            next_btn.set_label(if new + 1 == total { "Finish" } else { "Next" });
-            let mut state = State::load();
-            state.set_onboarding_step(new as i64);
-        }
-    });
-
-    next_btn.connect_clicked({
-        let current = current.clone();
-        let stack = stack.clone();
-        let dots = dots.clone();
-        let back_btn = back_btn.clone();
-        let next_btn = next_btn.clone();
-        let total = all_steps.len();
-        let on_finish = on_finish.clone();
-        move |_| {
-            let i = current.get();
-            if i + 1 >= total {
-                let mut state = State::load();
-                state.set_onboarding_completed(true);
-                on_finish();
-                return;
-            }
-            let new = i + 1;
-            current.set(new);
-            stack.set_visible_child_name(&new.to_string());
-            update_dots(&dots, new);
-            back_btn.set_sensitive(true);
-            next_btn.set_label(if new + 1 == total { "Finish" } else { "Next" });
-            let mut state = State::load();
-            state.set_onboarding_step(new as i64);
-        }
-    });
-
-    skip_btn.connect_clicked({
-        let on_finish = on_finish.clone();
-        move |_| {
-            let mut state = State::load();
-            state.set_onboarding_completed(true);
-            on_finish();
-        }
-    });
-
-    root.append(&stack);
-    root.append(&dots_row);
-    root.append(&nav);
-
-    Onboarding { root, stack, dots, current }
-}
-
-fn build_step_page(step: &Step) -> gtk4::Widget {
-    let vbox = GBox::new(Orientation::Vertical, 12);
-    vbox.set_valign(Align::Center);
-    vbox.set_halign(Align::Center);
-    vbox.set_margin_start(40);
-    vbox.set_margin_end(40);
-
-    let title = Label::new(Some(step.title));
-    title.add_css_class("title");
-    title.set_wrap(true);
-    title.set_justify(gtk4::Justification::Center);
-    vbox.append(&title);
-
-    let body = Label::new(Some(step.body));
-    body.set_wrap(true);
-    body.set_justify(gtk4::Justification::Center);
-    body.set_max_width_chars(56);
-    vbox.append(&body);
-
-    if let Some(cmd) = step.demo_cmd {
-        let try_btn = Button::with_label("Try it");
-        let cmd = cmd.to_string();
-        try_btn.connect_clicked(move |_| crate::services::exec::run(&cmd));
-        try_btn.set_halign(Align::Center);
-        vbox.append(&try_btn);
-    }
-
-    vbox.upcast()
-}
-
-fn update_dots(dots: &[Label], active: usize) {
-    for (i, dot) in dots.iter().enumerate() {
-        if i == active {
-            dot.remove_css_class("dim-label");
-        } else {
-            dot.add_css_class("dim-label");
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/onboarding/steps.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/onboarding/steps.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index ac34288..0000000
--- a/breadhelp/src/ui/onboarding/steps.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,51 +0,0 @@
-pub struct Step {
-    pub title: &'static str,
-    pub body: &'static str,
-    /// What the step's "Try it" button runs, if any.
-    pub demo_cmd: Option<&'static str>,
-}
-
-pub fn steps() -> &'static [Step] {
-    &[
-        Step {
-            title: "Welcome to BOS",
-            body: "You're running a complete Hyprland desktop with the bread ecosystem preinstalled. This quick tour covers the essentials — skip any time, and reopen it later with `breadhelp --onboard`.",
-            demo_cmd: None,
-        },
-        Step {
-            title: "The SUPER key",
-            body: "SUPER (the Windows/Cmd key) is how almost everything starts in BOS. Hold it down, then press another key.",
-            demo_cmd: None,
-        },
-        Step {
-            title: "Essential keybinds",
-            body: "SUPER + Space opens the app launcher. SUPER + Return opens a terminal. SUPER + / always shows the full keybind cheatsheet, right here in this app.",
-            demo_cmd: Some("breadbox"),
-        },
-        Step {
-            title: "Opening apps",
-            body: "breadbox (launcher), breadpad (notes), breadman (tasks), and BOS Settings are all one SUPER shortcut away.",
-            demo_cmd: Some("bos-settings"),
-        },
-        Step {
-            title: "Make it yours",
-            body: "Pick a wallpaper and the whole desktop recolors itself — bar, launcher, notes, and this help center all pick up the same palette.",
-            demo_cmd: Some("breadpaper"),
-        },
-        Step {
-            title: "Internet & updates",
-            body: "bos-update refreshes both the system and the bread ecosystem in one go.",
-            demo_cmd: Some("bos-update"),
-        },
-        Step {
-            title: "Backups & safety",
-            body: "Every package change snapshots your system automatically. If an update breaks something, roll it back from BOS Settings or pick a snapshot right from the GRUB menu at boot.",
-            demo_cmd: None,
-        },
-        Step {
-            title: "You're ready!",
-            body: "That's everything to get started. Press SUPER + / any time you forget a shortcut.",
-            demo_cmd: None,
-        },
-    ]
-}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/callout.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/callout.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2368ca1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/callout.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+//! The floating explanation bubble: title/body (rendered through the same
+//! constrained markdown subset guides use, so `[Show Keybind]`/`[Run]` tags
+//! work here too), dot progress, Back/Next. Positioned just below (or, if
+//! that would run off the bottom of the screen, above) the spotlighted
+//! target; a `Target::None` step gets no anchors at all, which wlr-layer-
+//! shell/gtk4-layer-shell centers on the monitor by convention.
+
+use gtk4::prelude::*;
+use gtk4::{Box as GBox, Button, Label, Orientation, Window};
+use gtk4_layer_shell::{Edge, KeyboardMode, Layer, LayerShell};
+
+use crate::content::keybinds::Keybind;
+use crate::content::markdown;
+use crate::content::tour::Step;
+
+use super::target::Rect;
+
+pub struct Callout {
+    pub window: Window,
+    pub back_btn: Button,
+    pub next_btn: Button,
+    pub skip_btn: Button,
+    pub demo_btn: Option<Button>,
+}
+
+const CALLOUT_WIDTH: i32 = 360;
+/// Rough height estimate used only to decide "does this fit below the
+/// target" before the widget has actually been laid out — doesn't need to
+/// be exact, just enough to avoid running off the bottom of the screen.
+const ESTIMATED_HEIGHT: i32 = 220;
+
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+pub fn build(
+    monitor: &gdk4::Monitor,
+    rect: Option<Rect>,
+    monitor_size: (i32, i32),
+    step: &Step,
+    binds: &[Keybind],
+    step_index: usize,
+    total: usize,
+    is_last: bool,
+    confirmed: bool,
+    show_demo: bool,
+) -> Callout {
+    let window = Window::new();
+    window.set_decorated(false);
+    window.add_css_class("tour-window");
+    window.init_layer_shell();
+    window.set_layer(Layer::Overlay);
+    window.set_keyboard_mode(KeyboardMode::OnDemand);
+    window.set_monitor(Some(monitor));
+
+    if let Some(rect) = rect {
+        let (mon_w, mon_h) = monitor_size;
+        window.set_anchor(Edge::Left, true);
+        window.set_anchor(Edge::Top, true);
+        let margin_left = (rect.x).clamp(20, (mon_w - CALLOUT_WIDTH - 20).max(20));
+        let below = rect.y + rect.h + 12;
+        let margin_top = if below + ESTIMATED_HEIGHT <= mon_h {
+            below
+        } else {
+            (rect.y - 12 - ESTIMATED_HEIGHT).max(20)
+        };
+        window.set_margin(Edge::Left, margin_left);
+        window.set_margin(Edge::Top, margin_top);
+    }
+    // No anchors for a `Target::None` step — left to the compositor, which
+    // centers unanchored layer surfaces.
+
+    let root = GBox::new(Orientation::Vertical, 12);
+    root.add_css_class("tour-callout");
+    root.set_size_request(CALLOUT_WIDTH, -1);
+
+    let title = Label::new(Some(&step.title));
+    title.add_css_class("title");
+    title.set_xalign(0.0);
+    title.set_wrap(true);
+    root.append(&title);
+
+    let body = markdown::render(&markdown::parse(&step.body), binds);
+    root.append(&body);
+
+    if confirmed {
+        let done = Label::new(Some("\u{2713} Nice work — click Next to continue."));
+        done.add_css_class("tour-confirmed");
+        done.set_xalign(0.0);
+        root.append(&done);
+    }
+
+    let demo_btn = if show_demo {
+        let hint_row = GBox::new(Orientation::Horizontal, 8);
+        hint_row.add_css_class("tour-hint-row");
+        let hint_label = Label::new(Some("Still there?"));
+        hint_label.add_css_class("dim-label");
+        hint_label.set_hexpand(true);
+        hint_label.set_xalign(0.0);
+        let btn = Button::with_label("Show me");
+        hint_row.append(&hint_label);
+        hint_row.append(&btn);
+        root.append(&hint_row);
+        Some(btn)
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
+    // Text only, not a dot row too — a separate row of dots next to this
+    // said the identical thing twice with no added legibility.
+    let counter = Label::new(Some(&format!("Step {} of {total}", step_index + 1)));
+    counter.add_css_class("dim-label");
+    counter.set_xalign(0.0);
+    root.append(&counter);
+
+    let nav = GBox::new(Orientation::Horizontal, 8);
+    let skip_btn = Button::with_label("Skip tour");
+    skip_btn.add_css_class("flat");
+    let back_btn = Button::with_label("Back");
+    back_btn.set_sensitive(step_index > 0);
+    let spacer = GBox::new(Orientation::Horizontal, 0);
+    spacer.set_hexpand(true);
+    let next_btn = Button::with_label(if is_last { "Finish" } else { "Next" });
+    next_btn.add_css_class("suggested-action");
+    nav.append(&skip_btn);
+    nav.append(&spacer);
+    nav.append(&back_btn);
+    nav.append(&next_btn);
+    root.append(&nav);
+
+    window.set_child(Some(&root));
+    window.present();
+    if confirmed {
+        next_btn.grab_focus();
+    }
+
+    Callout { window, back_btn, next_btn, skip_btn, demo_btn }
+}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/mask.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/mask.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ae8059
--- /dev/null
+++ b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/mask.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+//! The spotlight: up to 4 `Layer::Overlay` strip windows (top/bottom/left/
+//! right) sized to leave a target's bounding box as a real gap with no
+//! surface over it at all — gtk4-layer-shell has no click-through/input-
+//! region API (confirmed in its own docs), so the only way to let pointer
+//! input reach the real UI underneath is to literally not cover it with
+//! anything. A `Target::None` step instead gets one full-screen dim window,
+//! since there's nothing to leave a gap around.
+
+use gtk4::prelude::*;
+use gtk4::{Box as GBox, Window};
+use gtk4_layer_shell::{Edge, KeyboardMode, Layer, LayerShell};
+
+use super::target::Rect;
+
+fn new_mask_window(monitor: &gdk4::Monitor) -> Window {
+    let window = Window::new();
+    window.set_decorated(false);
+    window.add_css_class("tour-window");
+    window.init_layer_shell();
+    window.set_layer(Layer::Overlay);
+    window.set_keyboard_mode(KeyboardMode::None);
+    window.set_monitor(Some(monitor));
+    let dim = GBox::new(gtk4::Orientation::Vertical, 0);
+    dim.add_css_class("tour-mask");
+    dim.set_hexpand(true);
+    dim.set_vexpand(true);
+    window.set_child(Some(&dim));
+    window
+}
+
+/// One dim window covering the whole monitor — used for `Target::None` steps.
+pub fn full_screen(monitor: &gdk4::Monitor) -> Vec<Window> {
+    let window = new_mask_window(monitor);
+    for edge in [Edge::Top, Edge::Bottom, Edge::Left, Edge::Right] {
+        window.set_anchor(edge, true);
+    }
+    window.present();
+    vec![window]
+}
+
+/// The 4-strip letterbox around `rect`, in monitor-local coordinates.
+/// `monitor_size` is `(width, height)` from `gdk4::Monitor::geometry()`.
+pub fn around(monitor: &gdk4::Monitor, rect: Rect, monitor_size: (i32, i32)) -> Vec<Window> {
+    let (mon_w, mon_h) = monitor_size;
+    let mut windows = Vec::new();
+
+    let top_h = rect.y;
+    if top_h > 0 {
+        let w = new_mask_window(monitor);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Top, true);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Left, true);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Right, true);
+        w.set_default_size(-1, top_h);
+        w.present();
+        windows.push(w);
+    }
+
+    let bottom_h = mon_h - (rect.y + rect.h);
+    if bottom_h > 0 {
+        let w = new_mask_window(monitor);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Bottom, true);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Left, true);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Right, true);
+        w.set_default_size(-1, bottom_h);
+        w.present();
+        windows.push(w);
+    }
+
+    let left_w = rect.x;
+    if left_w > 0 {
+        let w = new_mask_window(monitor);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Left, true);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Top, true);
+        w.set_margin(Edge::Top, rect.y);
+        w.set_default_size(left_w, rect.h);
+        w.present();
+        windows.push(w);
+    }
+
+    let right_w = mon_w - (rect.x + rect.w);
+    if right_w > 0 {
+        let w = new_mask_window(monitor);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Right, true);
+        w.set_anchor(Edge::Top, true);
+        w.set_margin(Edge::Top, rect.y);
+        w.set_default_size(right_w, rect.h);
+        w.present();
+        windows.push(w);
+    }
+
+    windows
+}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/mod.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8112a9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,456 @@
+//! The live guided tour: a screen-wide overlay (layer-shell mask strips +
+//! a floating callout, see `mask`/`callout`) that walks the user through
+//! real on-screen components instead of describing them in a window of
+//! breadhelp's own. Replaces the old in-window `Onboarding` wizard.
+//!
+//! Steps are user-paced, so the engine always tears down and rebuilds the 5
+//! layer-shell windows on every transition rather than repositioning them in
+//! place — simpler and cheap enough at this frequency.
+
+mod callout;
+mod mask;
+mod target;
+
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use gtk4::prelude::*;
+use gtk4::Window;
+
+use crate::config::State;
+use crate::content::keybinds::{self, Keybind};
+use crate::content::tour::{self, Step, Success};
+use crate::services::{exec, hyprland};
+
+use callout::Callout;
+
+/// How long a step with no detected target waits before offering a "Show
+/// me" fallback button. Deliberately NOT a timer that fires the demo
+/// automatically — an auto-fired demo can't be told apart from the user's
+/// own keypress from their side, silently teaching them nothing while
+/// looking like it worked. The button preserves that the user chose it.
+const HINT_DELAY_SECS: u32 = 10;
+const WATCH_POLL_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_millis(400);
+
+struct TourState {
+    steps: Vec<Step>,
+    binds: Vec<Keybind>,
+    display: gdk4::Display,
+    index: usize,
+    masks: Vec<Window>,
+    callout: Option<Callout>,
+    poll_source: Option<glib::SourceId>,
+    timeout_source: Option<glib::SourceId>,
+    hint_source: Option<glib::SourceId>,
+    /// Whether the current step's `success_event` has already fired. Doesn't
+    /// auto-advance — just switches the callout into a "done, click Next
+    /// when ready" state, so the user actually has time to read the step
+    /// instead of it vanishing the instant the target event arrives.
+    confirmed: bool,
+    /// Whether the "Show me" fallback button has appeared for this step yet
+    /// (see `HINT_DELAY_SECS`).
+    hint_visible: bool,
+}
+
+thread_local! {
+    static STATE: RefCell<Option<TourState>> = const { RefCell::new(None) };
+}
+
+/// Begin the tour from wherever `state.toml`'s `onboarding.step` left off —
+/// the every-login autostart's genuine-first-run trigger.
+pub fn start(display: &gdk4::Display) {
+    self_heal();
+    let steps = tour::load();
+    if steps.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let start_index = (State::load().onboarding_step() as usize).min(steps.len() - 1);
+    STATE.with(|cell| {
+        *cell.borrow_mut() = Some(TourState {
+            steps,
+            binds: keybinds::load(),
+            display: display.clone(),
+            index: 0,
+            masks: Vec::new(),
+            callout: None,
+            poll_source: None,
+            timeout_source: None,
+            hint_source: None,
+            confirmed: false,
+            hint_visible: false,
+        });
+    });
+    enter_step(start_index);
+}
+
+/// `breadhelp --onboard` — restart from step 0 regardless of prior progress.
+pub fn restart(display: &gdk4::Display) {
+    let mut state = State::load();
+    state.set_onboarding_completed(false);
+    state.set_onboarding_step(0);
+    start(display);
+}
+
+/// Reverts a keybind left rebound by a crashed previous run before it can
+/// surprise the user (e.g. popping breadhelp open on a later, unrelated
+/// press) — see `config::State::pending_rebind`. Safe to call any time,
+/// including when nothing is pending.
+pub fn self_heal() {
+    revert_pending_rebind();
+}
+
+/// A `--tour-event <id>` arrived, forwarded by `breadhelp-tour.lua` over the
+/// same D-Bus argv-forwarding `--suggest` already uses. Hard no-op unless
+/// the active tour's current step is actually waiting for this exact id —
+/// a stray/late event must never be able to do anything visible. Does NOT
+/// auto-advance to the next step — it confirms the current one (so the
+/// callout can show a "done" state) and leaves moving on to an explicit
+/// Next click, since jumping topics the instant the target event fires
+/// gives the user no time to actually read anything about it.
+pub fn on_tour_event(id: &str) {
+    let hit = STATE.with(|cell| {
+        let mut borrow = cell.borrow_mut();
+        let Some(state) = borrow.as_mut() else { return None };
+        // Only a *visibly* confirmed step blocks a re-fire. `confirmed` gets
+        // set below, before `render_step` runs, so that render actually
+        // paints the "done" state instead of the stale pre-confirmation one
+        // — but that means a step whose render silently no-ops (e.g. the
+        // near-fullscreen suppression branch racing a `closelayer` event)
+        // would otherwise latch `confirmed = true` with no callout to show
+        // for it, permanently blocking every later retry. Checking
+        // `callout.is_some()` alongside `confirmed` is what actually
+        // prevents that: a confirmed-but-invisible step is not treated as
+        // handled, so a later duplicate event gets another chance.
+        if state.confirmed && state.callout.is_some() {
+            return None;
+        }
+        let matches = matches!(&state.steps[state.index].success(), Success::Event(e) if e == id);
+        if !matches {
+            return None;
+        }
+        state.confirmed = true;
+        Some((state.index, state.steps[state.index].clone(), state.binds.clone(), state.steps.len()))
+    });
+    if let Some((index, step, binds, total)) = hit {
+        // force_no_target=true: we already have authoritative confirmation
+        // from the real compositor event that fired this — see the comment
+        // in `render_step` on why re-querying live state here is unsafe.
+        render_step(index, &step, &binds, index + 1 >= total, true);
+    }
+}
+
+fn go_next() {
+    let next = STATE.with(|cell| cell.borrow().as_ref().map(|s| (s.index + 1, s.steps.len())));
+    let Some((next_index, total)) = next else { return };
+    if next_index >= total {
+        finish();
+    } else {
+        enter_step(next_index);
+    }
+}
+
+fn go_back() {
+    let index = STATE.with(|cell| cell.borrow().as_ref().map(|s| s.index));
+    let Some(index) = index else { return };
+    if index > 0 {
+        enter_step(index - 1);
+    }
+}
+
+fn finish() {
+    revert_pending_rebind();
+    teardown_visuals();
+    let mut state = State::load();
+    state.set_onboarding_completed(true);
+    STATE.with(|cell| *cell.borrow_mut() = None);
+}
+
+fn teardown_visuals() {
+    STATE.with(|cell| {
+        if let Some(state) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+            if let Some(id) = state.poll_source.take() {
+                id.remove();
+            }
+            if let Some(id) = state.timeout_source.take() {
+                id.remove();
+            }
+            if let Some(id) = state.hint_source.take() {
+                id.remove();
+            }
+        }
+    });
+    clear_visuals();
+}
+
+/// Just the mask + callout windows — never touches `poll_source`/
+/// `timeout_source`, so this is safe to call from inside their own
+/// still-executing callbacks (unlike `teardown_visuals`).
+fn clear_visuals() {
+    STATE.with(|cell| {
+        if let Some(state) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+            for w in state.masks.drain(..) {
+                w.close();
+            }
+            if let Some(c) = state.callout.take() {
+                c.window.close();
+            }
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+fn enter_step(index: usize) {
+    revert_pending_rebind();
+    teardown_visuals();
+
+    let (step, binds, total) = STATE.with(|cell| {
+        let mut borrow = cell.borrow_mut();
+        let state = borrow.as_mut().expect("enter_step called with no active tour");
+        state.index = index;
+        state.confirmed = false;
+        state.hint_visible = false;
+        (state.steps[index].clone(), state.binds.clone(), state.steps.len())
+    });
+
+    let mut cfg = State::load();
+    cfg.set_onboarding_step(index as i64);
+
+    render_step(index, &step, &binds, index + 1 >= total, false);
+
+    // Watch for the target appearing from the user's OWN action (pressing
+    // the real shortcut) — never fire `launch` here. A step that teaches a
+    // shortcut only actually teaches it if the user is the one who presses
+    // it; see `HINT_DELAY_SECS` for the deliberate, user-initiated fallback.
+    if !target::is_resolved(&step.target()) {
+        schedule_poll(index);
+        if step.launch.is_some() {
+            schedule_hint(index);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if step.rebind_combo.is_some() {
+        apply_rebind_for_step(&step, &binds);
+    }
+
+    if let Success::Timeout(secs) = step.success() {
+        let source = glib::timeout_add_seconds_local(secs as u32, move || {
+            let still_current = STATE.with(|cell| cell.borrow().as_ref().map(|s| s.index)) == Some(index);
+            // Clear our own handle before advancing rather than letting
+            // `teardown_visuals` call `.remove()` on us — this closure is
+            // already mid-dispatch and about to return `Break`, and self-
+            // removing via `SourceId::remove()` from inside your own
+            // callback is a GLib footgun (can log a spurious critical).
+            STATE.with(|cell| {
+                if let Some(s) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+                    s.timeout_source = None;
+                }
+            });
+            if still_current {
+                go_next();
+            }
+            glib::ControlFlow::Break
+        });
+        STATE.with(|cell| {
+            if let Some(s) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+                s.timeout_source = Some(source);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+/// Watches for the step's target appearing — from the user's own real
+/// keypress, or from clicking "Show me" (see `schedule_hint`), the poll
+/// doesn't care which. Runs for as long as the step stays current; there's
+/// no attempt cap because we're waiting on the user, not a fast-launching
+/// process, and Next is always available as a manual escape hatch anyway.
+fn schedule_poll(index: usize) {
+    let source = glib::timeout_add_local(WATCH_POLL_INTERVAL, move || {
+        let still_current = STATE.with(|cell| cell.borrow().as_ref().map(|s| s.index)) == Some(index);
+        if !still_current {
+            return glib::ControlFlow::Break;
+        }
+        let (step, binds, total) = STATE.with(|cell| {
+            let borrow = cell.borrow();
+            let s = borrow.as_ref().unwrap();
+            (s.steps[index].clone(), s.binds.clone(), s.steps.len())
+        });
+        if target::is_resolved(&step.target()) {
+            render_step(index, &step, &binds, index + 1 >= total, false);
+            clear_poll_source();
+        } else {
+            schedule_poll(index);
+        }
+        glib::ControlFlow::Break
+    });
+    STATE.with(|cell| {
+        if let Some(s) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+            s.poll_source = Some(source);
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+fn clear_poll_source() {
+    STATE.with(|cell| {
+        if let Some(s) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+            s.poll_source = None;
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+/// After `HINT_DELAY_SECS` with no target detected, reveals the "Show me"
+/// fallback button by re-rendering the step with `hint_visible` set.
+fn schedule_hint(index: usize) {
+    let source = glib::timeout_add_seconds_local(HINT_DELAY_SECS, move || {
+        // Clear our own handle first — see the self-removal note on the
+        // Timeout branch in `enter_step`, same footgun applies here.
+        STATE.with(|cell| {
+            if let Some(s) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+                s.hint_source = None;
+            }
+        });
+        let should_show = STATE.with(|cell| {
+            let borrow = cell.borrow();
+            borrow.as_ref().map(|s| s.index == index && !s.confirmed).unwrap_or(false)
+        });
+        if should_show {
+            let (step, binds, total) = STATE.with(|cell| {
+                let mut borrow = cell.borrow_mut();
+                let s = borrow.as_mut().unwrap();
+                s.hint_visible = true;
+                (s.steps[index].clone(), s.binds.clone(), s.steps.len())
+            });
+            render_step(index, &step, &binds, index + 1 >= total, false);
+        }
+        glib::ControlFlow::Break
+    });
+    STATE.with(|cell| {
+        if let Some(s) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+            s.hint_source = Some(source);
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+/// The "Show me" button's click handler — the only place `launch` is ever
+/// fired, and only because the user explicitly asked for it.
+fn trigger_demo() {
+    let launch = STATE.with(|cell| {
+        let borrow = cell.borrow();
+        borrow.as_ref().and_then(|s| s.steps[s.index].launch.clone())
+    });
+    if let Some(cmd) = launch {
+        exec::run(&cmd);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Marks the tour done without finishing every step — same end state as
+/// completing it normally (won't auto-relaunch on next login), just
+/// reachable at any point via the callout's low-emphasis "Skip tour".
+fn skip_tour() {
+    finish();
+}
+
+/// Builds the mask + callout for `step` and installs them, tearing down
+/// whatever was there before — called once immediately in `enter_step`
+/// (usually with no target yet) and again by `schedule_poll` once a
+/// `launch`ed app's window/layer actually appears.
+fn render_step(index: usize, step: &Step, binds: &[Keybind], is_last: bool, force_no_target: bool) {
+    let (display, total, confirmed, hint_visible) = STATE.with(|cell| {
+        let borrow = cell.borrow();
+        let s = borrow.as_ref().unwrap();
+        (s.display.clone(), s.steps.len(), s.confirmed, s.hint_visible)
+    });
+
+    // `force_no_target` is set by `on_tour_event`'s confirmation path: a
+    // fresh `hyprctl -j layers` query right after a real `closelayer` event
+    // has been observed to still report the surface as present — Hyprland's
+    // event and its own layer-list snapshot aren't tightly ordered — which
+    // re-triggers the near-fullscreen suppression below and drops the
+    // confirmed callout right back into invisible limbo. `on_tour_event`
+    // already has authoritative confirmation the target is gone from the
+    // real compositor event itself, so that path skips re-querying live
+    // state entirely rather than trusting a `hyprctl` snapshot that may not
+    // have caught up yet.
+    let resolved = if force_no_target { None } else { target::resolve(&step.target(), &display) };
+    let monitor = resolved.as_ref().map(|r| r.monitor.clone()).or_else(|| target::focused_monitor(&display));
+    let Some(monitor) = monitor else { return };
+    let geo = monitor.geometry();
+    let monitor_size = (geo.width(), geo.height());
+    let rect = resolved.map(|r| r.rect);
+
+    // breadbox/breadclip/breadsearch anchor all 4 edges as fullscreen click-
+    // catchers — their visible launcher panel is small, but the surface
+    // hyprctl reports covers the whole monitor, and that surface owns all
+    // pointer input while it's open. A callout drawn now would be buried
+    // underneath it with no way to click Back/Next. The instructional
+    // callout already showed (with working buttons) before the app opened;
+    // once it's confirmed up, get out of the way entirely until it closes.
+    // A step whose target resolves this way should key `success_event` off
+    // the surface *closing* (e.g. `layer-closed:breadbox`), not opening —
+    // by the time that fires the surface is already gone, so `confirmed`'s
+    // re-render lands on a normal (non-fullscreen) target and is clickable.
+    if let Some(r) = rect {
+        if is_near_fullscreen(r, monitor_size) {
+            // Just the visuals, not `teardown_visuals()` — this can run from
+            // inside `schedule_poll`'s own still-executing closure, and that
+            // function also cancels `poll_source` via `SourceId::remove()`,
+            // which must never be called on a source's own in-progress
+            // dispatch (see the identical self-removal note in `enter_step`).
+            clear_visuals();
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    let masks = match rect {
+        Some(r) => mask::around(&monitor, r, monitor_size),
+        None => mask::full_screen(&monitor),
+    };
+
+    // Only worth offering "Show me" while the target genuinely isn't up yet
+    // — once `rect` resolves, the user can plainly see it themselves.
+    let show_demo = hint_visible && !confirmed && rect.is_none() && step.launch.is_some();
+
+    let callout = callout::build(&monitor, rect, monitor_size, step, binds, index, total, is_last, confirmed, show_demo);
+    callout.back_btn.connect_clicked(|_| go_back());
+    callout.next_btn.connect_clicked(|_| go_next());
+    callout.skip_btn.connect_clicked(|_| skip_tour());
+    if let Some(btn) = &callout.demo_btn {
+        btn.connect_clicked(|_| trigger_demo());
+    }
+
+    clear_visuals();
+    STATE.with(|cell| {
+        if let Some(s) = cell.borrow_mut().as_mut() {
+            s.masks = masks;
+            s.callout = Some(callout);
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+/// breadbox/breadclip/breadsearch anchor all 4 edges as fullscreen click-
+/// catchers, so their reported surface geometry is the whole monitor even
+/// though the visible launcher panel is small.
+fn is_near_fullscreen(rect: target::Rect, monitor_size: (i32, i32)) -> bool {
+    let (mon_w, mon_h) = monitor_size;
+    rect.w * 10 >= mon_w * 9 && rect.h * 10 >= mon_h * 9
+}
+
+fn apply_rebind_for_step(step: &Step, binds: &[Keybind]) {
+    let (Some(combo), Some(event_id)) = (&step.rebind_combo, &step.success_event) else { return };
+    let Some(kb) = keybinds::find(binds, combo) else { return };
+    let Some(raw) = &kb.raw else { return };
+    let Some(command) = raw.strip_prefix("exec,") else { return };
+    let mods_key = keybinds::to_hypr_mods_key(&kb.combo);
+    let original_bind_value = format!("{mods_key},{raw}");
+    let escaped = command.replace('\'', "'\\''");
+    let chained_bind_value = format!("{mods_key},exec,sh -c '{escaped} ; breadhelp --tour-event {event_id}'");
+    let mut cfg = State::load();
+    cfg.set_pending_rebind(&mods_key, &original_bind_value);
+    hyprland::rebind_temp(&chained_bind_value);
+}
+
+fn revert_pending_rebind() {
+    let mut cfg = State::load();
+    if let Some((_key, original)) = cfg.pending_rebind() {
+        hyprland::rebind_temp(&original);
+    }
+    cfg.clear_pending_rebind();
+}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/target.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/target.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a7d82d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/breadhelp/src/ui/tour/target.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+//! Resolves a `content::tour::Target` to a screen rect + the `gdk4::Monitor`
+//! it's on, via `services::hyprland`'s `hyprctl -j` snapshots. `hyprctl -j
+//! clients` reports a window's monitor as a numeric id, while GDK/Wayland
+//! only exposes a monitor's connector name — `hyprctl -j monitors` is the
+//! join between the two (`Client::monitor == Monitor::id`, then match
+//! `Monitor::name` against `gdk4::Monitor::connector()`).
+
+use gdk4::prelude::*;
+
+use crate::content::tour::Target;
+use crate::services::hyprland;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+pub struct Rect {
+    pub x: i32,
+    pub y: i32,
+    pub w: i32,
+    pub h: i32,
+}
+
+pub struct Resolved {
+    pub rect: Rect,
+    pub monitor: gdk4::Monitor,
+}
+
+/// `None` means the target isn't on screen (app not launched yet, or a
+/// pure-concept `Target::None` step with no spotlight at all).
+pub fn resolve(target: &Target, display: &gdk4::Display) -> Option<Resolved> {
+    let (rect, monitor_name) = match target {
+        Target::None => return None,
+        Target::Namespace(ns) => {
+            let layer = hyprland::layers().into_iter().find(|l| &l.namespace == ns)?;
+            (Rect { x: layer.x, y: layer.y, w: layer.w, h: layer.h }, layer.monitor)
+        }
+        Target::WindowClass(class) => {
+            let client = hyprland::clients().into_iter().find(|c| c.class.eq_ignore_ascii_case(class))?;
+            let name = hyprland::monitors().into_iter().find(|m| m.id == client.monitor)?.name;
+            (Rect { x: client.at.0, y: client.at.1, w: client.size.0, h: client.size.1 }, name)
+        }
+    };
+    let monitor = find_gdk_monitor(display, &monitor_name)?;
+    Some(Resolved { rect, monitor })
+}
+
+fn find_gdk_monitor(display: &gdk4::Display, name: &str) -> Option<gdk4::Monitor> {
+    display.monitors().iter::<gdk4::Monitor>().filter_map(|m| m.ok()).find(|m| m.connector().as_deref() == Some(name))
+}
+
+/// Falls back to this when a step has no target (nothing to resolve a
+/// monitor from) or a `launch`ed target never appeared — the tour should
+/// still show up on whichever output the user is actually looking at.
+pub fn focused_monitor(display: &gdk4::Display) -> Option<gdk4::Monitor> {
+    let name = hyprland::monitors().into_iter().find(|m| m.focused)?.name;
+    find_gdk_monitor(display, &name)
+}
+
+/// Whether `target` is currently resolvable on screen — checked before
+/// firing a step's `launch` command, since breadbox/breadclip/breadsearch
+/// toggle-close on a second invocation of the same command; unconditionally
+/// launching would close an already-open instance instead of opening one.
+pub fn is_resolved(target: &Target) -> bool {
+    match target {
+        Target::None => true,
+        Target::Namespace(ns) => hyprland::layers().iter().any(|l| &l.namespace == ns),
+        Target::WindowClass(class) => hyprland::clients().iter().any(|c| c.class.eq_ignore_ascii_case(class)),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/breadhelp/src/ui/window.rs b/breadhelp/src/ui/window.rs
index 5ffc032..85aa86e 100644
--- a/breadhelp/src/ui/window.rs
+++ b/breadhelp/src/ui/window.rs
@@ -2,21 +2,19 @@ use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
 use gtk4::prelude::*;
-use gtk4::{Application, ApplicationWindow, Box as GBox, Orientation, Overlay, Stack, StackTransitionType};
+use gtk4::{Application, ApplicationWindow, Box as GBox, Orientation, Stack, StackTransitionType};
 
 use crate::cli::Action;
 use crate::config::State;
 use crate::content::{keybinds, ContentStore};
 
 use super::home::Home;
-use super::onboarding::{self, Onboarding};
-use super::{ask, learn, modes, tabs};
+use super::{ask, learn, modes, tabs, tour};
 
 const DEFAULT_TAB: &str = "home";
 
 struct Handle {
     window: ApplicationWindow,
-    onboarding: Onboarding,
     home: Home,
 }
 
@@ -39,14 +37,15 @@ pub fn present(app: &Application, action: Action) {
         }
         let cell_ref = cell.borrow();
         let handle = cell_ref.as_ref().unwrap();
+        let display = WidgetExt::display(&handle.window);
 
         if action.force_onboard {
-            let mut state = State::load();
-            state.set_onboarding_completed(false);
-            state.set_onboarding_step(0);
-            handle.onboarding.goto(0);
-            handle.onboarding.root.set_visible(true);
-            handle.window.present();
+            tour::restart(&display);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if let Some(id) = &action.tour_event {
+            tour::on_tour_event(id);
             return;
         }
 
@@ -64,8 +63,12 @@ pub fn present(app: &Application, action: Action) {
         }
 
         // Every-login autostart builds the window (so the app is ready to
-        // respond to SUPER+/ instantly) but must only pop it open on a
-        // genuine first run — not on every subsequent login.
+        // respond to SUPER+/ instantly) but only starts the tour / pops the
+        // window open on a genuine first run — never on later logins.
+        if action.autostart && !State::load().onboarding_completed() {
+            tour::start(&display);
+            return;
+        }
         let silent_autostart = action.autostart && State::load().onboarding_completed();
         if !silent_autostart {
             handle.window.present();
@@ -74,6 +77,12 @@ pub fn present(app: &Application, action: Action) {
 }
 
 fn build(app: &Application) -> Handle {
+    // First thing on every cold start: revert any keybind a previous,
+    // crashed run may have left temporarily rebound mid tour-step (see
+    // `ui::tour`'s crash-safety notes) before the user could be surprised
+    // by it firing again.
+    tour::self_heal();
+
     let window = ApplicationWindow::builder()
         .application(app)
         .title("BOS Help")
@@ -94,7 +103,7 @@ fn build(app: &Application) -> Handle {
     stack.set_vexpand(true);
     stack.set_transition_type(StackTransitionType::SlideLeftRight);
 
-    let home = super::home::build(&store, &binds, &window, state.mode(), {
+    let home = super::home::build(&binds, &window, state.mode(), {
         let window = window.clone();
         move |mode| {
             modes::apply(&window, mode);
@@ -113,30 +122,14 @@ fn build(app: &Application) -> Handle {
     content_vbox.append(&switcher);
     content_vbox.append(&stack);
 
-    let overlay = Overlay::new();
-    overlay.set_child(Some(&content_vbox));
-
-    // The on_finish closure needs to hide the onboarding widget once it's
-    // built, but the widget doesn't exist until `onboarding::build` returns —
-    // so it closes over a cell filled in right after.
-    let hide_target: Rc<RefCell<Option<GBox>>> = Rc::new(RefCell::new(None));
-    let hide_target_for_closure = hide_target.clone();
-    let ob = onboarding::build(move || {
-        if let Some(w) = hide_target_for_closure.borrow().as_ref() {
-            w.set_visible(false);
-        }
-    });
-    *hide_target.borrow_mut() = Some(ob.root.clone());
-
-    ob.root.set_visible(!state.onboarding_completed());
-    overlay.add_overlay(&ob.root);
-
-    window.set_child(Some(&overlay));
+    window.set_child(Some(&content_vbox));
     // Deliberately not presented here — `present()` (the caller) decides
     // whether this initial build should actually be shown (see
     // `silent_autostart` above), so a from-cold every-login autostart with
     // onboarding already complete builds a ready-but-hidden window instead
-    // of flashing it open.
+    // of flashing it open. On a genuine first run, the tour overlay runs
+    // independently of this window (see `tour::start`) — it never needs to
+    // be shown at all until the user explicitly opens it later.
 
-    Handle { window, onboarding: ob, home }
+    Handle { window, home }
 }
diff --git a/iso/airootfs/etc/skel/.config/bread/modules/breadhelp-tour.lua b/iso/airootfs/etc/skel/.config/bread/modules/breadhelp-tour.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7233064
--- /dev/null
+++ b/iso/airootfs/etc/skel/.config/bread/modules/breadhelp-tour.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+-- breadhelp-tour — forwards bread/Hyprland events the live guided tour
+-- (breadhelp's ui::tour) uses to detect "the user actually did the thing"
+-- and auto-advance a step. Always forwards; breadhelp's `--tour-event`
+-- handler is a hard no-op unless a tour is currently waiting for that exact
+-- id, so this module doesn't need to know whether a tour is even running.
+--
+-- `bread.window.opened`/`bread.workspace.changed` are already normalized by
+-- breadd. Layer-surface opens/closes (breadbox, breadclip, breadsearch) are
+-- NOT normalized — `openlayer`/`closelayer` fall through to the generic
+-- `bread.hyprland.event` topic, which `on_raw` filters by raw kind.
+--
+-- Fullscreen click-catcher launchers (breadbox et al.) report their surface
+-- as covering the whole monitor while open, so the tour can't safely show a
+-- clickable callout at the same time — a step targeting one of these should
+-- key its success on the *close* event (implying the user picked something
+-- and it dismissed), not the open event, so the callout only ever reappears
+-- once the launcher's surface is already gone and input contention is moot.
+
+local M = bread.module({ name = "breadhelp-tour", version = "1.0.0" })
+
+function M.on_load()
+    bread.on("bread.window.opened", function(event)
+        bread.exec("breadhelp --tour-event window:" .. event.data.class)
+    end)
+
+    bread.on("bread.workspace.changed", function(event)
+        bread.exec("breadhelp --tour-event workspace-changed")
+    end)
+
+    bread.hyprland.on_raw("openlayer", function(event)
+        bread.exec("breadhelp --tour-event layer:" .. event.data.data)
+    end)
+
+    bread.hyprland.on_raw("closelayer", function(event)
+        bread.exec("breadhelp --tour-event layer-closed:" .. event.data.data)
+    end)
+end
+
+return M
diff --git a/packaging/arch/breadhelp/PKGBUILD b/packaging/arch/breadhelp/PKGBUILD
index f454b9f..367b815 100644
--- a/packaging/arch/breadhelp/PKGBUILD
+++ b/packaging/arch/breadhelp/PKGBUILD
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ license=('MIT')
 # default -flto=auto emits GCC LTO bitcode the Rust (lld) link cannot read,
 # causing undefined-symbol errors. Disable LTO.
 options=(!lto !debug)
-depends=('gtk4' 'glib2' 'hicolor-icon-theme')
+depends=('gtk4' 'glib2' 'gtk4-layer-shell' 'hicolor-icon-theme')
 optdepends=(
   'snapper: create-backup one-click fix'
 )