diff --git a/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts b/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts
index 35e227e..7037730 100644
--- a/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts
+++ b/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
   @state()
   accessor jumpReturnSlideId: string | null = null;
 
+  /**
+   * Target-input click-to-edit state. The target value is set once at
+   * the start of a talk and rarely touched after; rendering an always-
+   * visible form field for it added permanent chrome clutter. When
+   * false the target reads as a small button showing the current
+   * value; click flips this to true and the button is replaced by an
+   * autofocused input. Blur or Enter commits and flips back; Escape
+   * discards.
+   */
+  @state()
+  accessor targetEditing = false;
+
   /**
    * Previous overview state, used in updated() to detect transitions
    * and re-anchor the scroll position to the current slide (the
@@ -114,6 +126,11 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
    */
   #prevOverview = false;
 
+  /** Ref for the target-edit input so we can focus on flip-to-edit. */
+  #targetInputRef = createRef<HTMLInputElement>();
+  /** Previous targetEditing state, used to fire focus on the entry edge. */
+  #prevTargetEditing = false;
+
   @property({ type: String })
   accessor uuid: string = "";
 
@@ -420,71 +437,127 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
       font-style: italic;
     }
 
+    /* Three deliberate groups separated by hairline borders, mirroring
+       the audience toolbar's toolset language. Time on the left,
+       navigation centered ergonomically and visually, status + exit on
+       the right. */
     .chrome {
       grid-column: 1 / -1;
       grid-row: 2;
-      display: grid;
-      grid-template-columns: 1fr auto 1fr;
-      align-items: center;
-      gap: ${dimension("space.md")};
-      padding: ${dimension("space.sm")} ${dimension("space.md")};
+      display: flex;
+      align-items: stretch;
+      padding: ${dimension("space.xs")} 0;
       background: ${color("overlay")};
       border-radius: ${dimension("radius.md")};
       font-family: ${fontFamily("mono")};
       font-variation-settings: "MONO" 1;
+      overflow: hidden;
     }
 
-    .chrome-left,
-    .chrome-center,
-    .chrome-right {
+    .chrome-group {
       display: flex;
       align-items: center;
       gap: ${dimension("space.md")};
+      padding: 0 ${dimension("space.md")};
+      min-width: 0;
     }
 
-    .chrome-right {
+    .chrome-group + .chrome-group {
+      border-left: 1px solid ${color("highlight.med")};
+    }
+
+    .chrome-group.time {
+      flex: 1 1 auto;
+      justify-content: flex-start;
+    }
+
+    .chrome-group.nav {
+      flex: 0 0 auto;
+      justify-content: center;
+    }
+
+    .chrome-group.status {
+      flex: 1 1 auto;
       justify-content: flex-end;
-      color: ${color("subtle")};
     }
 
-    .elapsed {
-      font-size: 1.8rem;
-      color: ${color("text")};
+    /* Two-line dashboard cell: small uppercase mono label above a
+       larger tabular-numeral value. Labels disambiguate the four time
+       displays so a presenter can identify each at a glance instead
+       of having to watch them tick. Reading-color stays Text on the
+       primary value (Elapsed); supporting values fade to Subtle and
+       Muted, in order of relevance. */
+    .time-cell {
+      display: flex;
+      flex-direction: column;
+      align-items: flex-start;
+      gap: 0.1em;
+      line-height: 1;
+    }
+
+    .time-label {
+      font-size: 0.65rem;
+      letter-spacing: ${dimension("tracking.wide")};
+      text-transform: uppercase;
+      color: ${color("muted")};
+      font-weight: 500;
+    }
+
+    .time-value {
+      font-size: 1.3rem;
+      font-feature-settings: "tnum";
       letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+      color: ${color("text")};
     }
 
-    .countdown {
-      font-size: 1.4rem;
+    .time-value.muted {
       color: ${color("subtle")};
-      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
     }
 
-    .countdown.over {
+    .time-value.danger {
       color: ${color("danger")};
     }
 
-    .countdown-input {
+    /* Click-to-edit target affordance. The default state reads as a
+       value that happens to be interactive; pointer cursor and hover
+       state signal editability, the tooltip names the action. */
+    button.time-target-button {
       all: unset;
-      width: 5ch;
+      cursor: pointer;
+      font-size: 1.3rem;
       font-family: inherit;
       font-variation-settings: "MONO" 1;
+      font-feature-settings: "tnum";
+      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
       color: ${color("subtle")};
-      background: transparent;
-      border-bottom: 1px solid ${color("highlight.med")};
-      padding: 0 0.25em;
-      text-align: center;
+      padding: 0;
+      transition: color ${duration("quick")} ${cubicBezier("out-quart")};
     }
 
-    .countdown-input:focus {
-      border-bottom-color: ${color("link")};
+    button.time-target-button:hover,
+    button.time-target-button:focus-visible {
       color: ${color("text")};
     }
 
+    .time-target-input {
+      all: unset;
+      width: 5ch;
+      font-family: inherit;
+      font-variation-settings: "MONO" 1;
+      font-feature-settings: "tnum";
+      font-size: 1.3rem;
+      color: ${color("text")};
+      background: transparent;
+      border-bottom: 1px solid ${color("link")};
+      padding: 0 0.1em;
+      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+    }
+
     button.chrome-button {
       all: unset;
       cursor: pointer;
       color: ${color("subtle")};
-      padding: 0.25em 0.5em;
+      padding: 0.35em 0.5em;
       border-radius: ${dimension("radius.sm")};
       display: inline-flex;
       align-items: center;
@@ -496,32 +569,26 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
       color: ${color("text")};
     }
 
-    /* Exit button: separated from the timer controls by a hairline rule
-       so it reads as a distinct affordance, not part of the timer group. */
-    button.chrome-button.exit {
-      margin-left: ${dimension("space.xs")};
-      padding: 0.35em 0.45em;
-      border-left: 1px solid ${color("highlight.med")};
-      border-radius: 0;
-      padding-left: ${dimension("space.sm")};
-    }
-
-    button.chrome-button.exit:hover {
-      background: transparent;
-      color: ${color("text")};
-    }
-
-    button.chrome-button.exit svg {
-      display: block;
-    }
-
+    /* Counter is single-line and width-stable, so navigation doesn't
+       reflow mid-talk and the eye locks onto a fixed position when
+       scanning slide progress. */
     .slide-counter {
       color: ${color("text")};
       font-size: 1rem;
+      font-feature-settings: "tnum";
+      white-space: nowrap;
+      min-width: 5ch;
+      text-align: center;
     }
 
-    .clock {
-      font-size: 1rem;
+    /* Reserve a fixed width for jumpback so the nav row doesn't
+       reflow when a return slide is set or consumed. The button
+       appears in place rather than pushing siblings sideways. */
+    .jumpback-slot {
+      display: inline-flex;
+      align-items: center;
+      justify-content: center;
+      min-width: 3em;
     }
 
     /* In presenter mode, slides are projected into named slots as
@@ -902,6 +969,22 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
         }
       });
     }
+    // Target click-to-edit: focus and select the input on the entry
+    // edge so the user can start typing immediately. autofocus is
+    // unreliable for elements added to the DOM after page load, so
+    // drive it explicitly off the state transition.
+    if (this.#prevTargetEditing !== this.targetEditing) {
+      this.#prevTargetEditing = this.targetEditing;
+      if (this.targetEditing) {
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+          const input = this.#targetInputRef.value;
+          if (input) {
+            input.focus();
+            input.select();
+          }
+        });
+      }
+    }
     this.#syncSlots();
     this.#syncNotesContent();
   }
@@ -1163,10 +1246,17 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Presenter chrome strip: timer on the left, navigation in the
-   * middle, target/clock/exit on the right. Reused between the
-   * normal presenter layout and presenter-overview mode so the
-   * overview keeps the navigation strip the presenter is used to.
+   * Presenter chrome strip: three hairline-separated groups echoing
+   * the audience toolbar's toolset language. Time on the left
+   * (elapsed, countdown, target, controls), navigation centered
+   * (prev/counter/next plus overview and a reserved-space jumpback),
+   * status + exit on the right (wall clock, exit). Each clock cell
+   * carries a small uppercase label so the four numbers don't read
+   * as an undifferentiated row of digits.
+   *
+   * Reused between the normal presenter layout and presenter-
+   * overview mode so the overview keeps the navigation strip the
+   * presenter is used to.
    */
   #renderChrome() {
     const total = this.slides.length;
@@ -1180,18 +1270,57 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
     const returnLabel = returnSlideIndex >= 0
       ? String(returnSlideIndex + 1)
       : "";
+    const targetText = this.#targetAsString();
     return html`
       <div class="chrome">
-        <div class="chrome-left">
-          <span class="elapsed">${this.#formatMs(elapsed)}</span>
+        <div class="chrome-group time" role="group" aria-label="Time">
+          <div class="time-cell">
+            <span class="time-label">Elapsed</span>
+            <span class="time-value">${this.#formatMs(elapsed)}</span>
+          </div>
           ${
       remaining !== null
-        ? html`<span class="countdown ${remaining < 0 ? "over" : ""}"
-              >${this.#formatMs(remaining)}</span>`
+        ? html`<div class="time-cell">
+              <span class="time-label">Left</span>
+              <span
+                class="time-value ${remaining < 0 ? "danger" : "muted"}"
+              >${this.#formatMs(remaining)}</span>
+            </div>`
         : nothing
     }
+          <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#toggleTimer}
+            aria-label=${this.timerRunning ? "Pause timer" : "Start timer"}
+            title=${this.timerRunning ? "Pause timer" : "Start timer"}
+            >${this.timerRunning ? "❚❚" : "▶"}</button>
+          <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#resetTimer}
+            aria-label="Reset timer"
+            title="Reset timer">↺</button>
+          <div class="time-cell">
+            <span class="time-label">Target</span>
+            ${
+      this.targetEditing
+        ? html`<input
+                ${ref(this.#targetInputRef)}
+                class="time-target-input"
+                type="text"
+                .value=${targetText}
+                placeholder="40:00"
+                aria-label="Talk duration in minutes and seconds"
+                @blur=${this.#commitTargetEdit}
+                @keydown=${this.#onTargetKeydown}
+              />`
+        : html`<button
+                class="time-target-button"
+                type="button"
+                @click=${this.#startTargetEdit}
+                aria-label="Set talk duration"
+                title="Click to set talk duration"
+              >${targetText || "—:—"}</button>`
+    }
+          </div>
         </div>
-        <div class="chrome-center">
+
+        <div class="chrome-group nav" role="group" aria-label="Navigate">
           <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#prev}
             aria-label="Previous slide">◀</button>
           <span
@@ -1199,9 +1328,7 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
             aria-live="polite"
             aria-atomic="true"
             aria-label="Slide ${this.currentIndex + 1} of ${total}"
-          >
-            ${this.currentIndex + 1} / ${total}
-          </span>
+          >${this.currentIndex + 1} / ${total}</span>
           <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#next}
             aria-label="Next slide">▶</button>
           <button
@@ -1221,49 +1348,37 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
               <path d="M19 13a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v4a2 2 0 0 1 -2 2h-4a2 2 0 0 1 -2 -2v-4a2 2 0 0 1 2 -2z" />
             </svg>
           </button>
-          ${
+          <span class="jumpback-slot">
+            ${
       canJumpBack
         ? html`<button
-            class="chrome-button jumpback"
-            @click=${this.#jumpBack}
-            aria-label="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
-            title="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
-          >
-            <svg
-              xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
-              width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
-              stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
-              stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
+              class="chrome-button jumpback"
+              @click=${this.#jumpBack}
+              aria-label="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
+              title="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
             >
-              <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
-              <path d="M9 14l-4 -4l4 -4" />
-              <path d="M5 10h11a4 4 0 1 1 0 8h-1" />
-            </svg>
-            <span class="jumpback-label">${returnLabel}</span>
-          </button>`
+              <svg
+                xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+                width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
+                stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
+                stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
+              >
+                <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
+                <path d="M9 14l-4 -4l4 -4" />
+                <path d="M5 10h11a4 4 0 1 1 0 8h-1" />
+              </svg>
+              <span class="jumpback-label">${returnLabel}</span>
+            </button>`
         : nothing
     }
+          </span>
         </div>
-        <div class="chrome-right">
-          <label>
-            target
-            <input
-              class="countdown-input"
-              type="text"
-              .value=${this.#targetAsString()}
-              placeholder="40:00"
-              @change=${this.#onTargetChange}
-              @keydown=${this.#onTargetKeydown}
-            />
-          </label>
-          <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#toggleTimer}
-            aria-label=${this.timerRunning ? "Pause timer" : "Start timer"}
-            title=${this.timerRunning ? "Pause timer" : "Start timer"}
-            >${this.timerRunning ? "❚❚" : "▶"}</button>
-          <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#resetTimer}
-            aria-label="Reset timer"
-            title="Reset timer">↺</button>
-          <span class="clock">${this.#formatClock()}</span>
+
+        <div class="chrome-group status" role="group" aria-label="Status">
+          <div class="time-cell">
+            <span class="time-label">Clock</span>
+            <span class="time-value muted">${this.#formatClock()}</span>
+          </div>
           <button class="chrome-button exit" @click=${this.#exit}
             aria-label="Exit presenter mode (Esc)"
             title="Exit presenter mode (Esc)">
@@ -1304,8 +1419,20 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
     }
   };
 
-  #onTargetChange = (e: Event) => {
+  #startTargetEdit = () => {
+    this.targetEditing = true;
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Commit the input's current value as the countdown target and exit
+   * edit mode. Empty value clears the target (back to count-up only);
+   * an `M` or `MM:SS` shape parses; anything else is dropped silently
+   * (the user typed garbage, just close the editor without changing
+   * state). Called on blur and on Enter (via #onTargetKeydown).
+   */
+  #commitTargetEdit = (e: Event) => {
     const value = (e.target as HTMLInputElement).value.trim();
+    this.targetEditing = false;
     if (!value) {
       this.presentation.send({ type: "timer.setTarget", ms: null });
       return;
@@ -1321,7 +1448,17 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
   };
 
   #onTargetKeydown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-    if (e.key === "Enter") (e.target as HTMLInputElement).blur();
+    if (e.key === "Enter") {
+      // Blur fires #commitTargetEdit.
+      (e.target as HTMLInputElement).blur();
+    } else if (e.key === "Escape") {
+      // Discard: exit edit mode without firing the blur handler. We
+      // can't preventDefault Escape's focus loss, so flip the state
+      // first then remove the listener path by setting value back to
+      // its committed form (the input will re-render as a button on
+      // the next paint).
+      this.targetEditing = false;
+    }
   };
 
   // ─── Drawing ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────