diff --git a/web/src/structured.test.ts b/web/src/structured.test.ts
index 937d230..e497b34 100644
--- a/web/src/structured.test.ts
+++ b/web/src/structured.test.ts
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ describe("structured connection: reconnection/error/loading", () => {
     });
 
     const transcript = conn.el.querySelector(".structured-rows")!;
-    expect(transcript.textContent).toBe("Younew");
+    expect(transcript.textContent).toBe("new");
     expect(transcript.querySelector('[data-row-id="plan"]')).toBeNull();
     expect(conn.el.querySelector(".structured-rail")).toBeNull();
     conn.dispose();
diff --git a/web/src/structuredRender.test.ts b/web/src/structuredRender.test.ts
index 93e09e8..d0c5c9e 100644
--- a/web/src/structuredRender.test.ts
+++ b/web/src/structuredRender.test.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ describe("buildTranscriptRow: user/agent/thought", () => {
     );
     expect(el.className).toContain("st-row-user");
     expect(el.textContent).toContain("hi <b>there</b>");
+    expect(el.querySelector(".st-who")).toBeNull();
     // never actual markup from user input
     expect(el.querySelector("b")).toBeNull();
   });
@@ -61,12 +62,11 @@ describe("buildTranscriptRow: user/agent/thought", () => {
     const el = buildTranscriptRow(
       row("agent_text", { content: { type: "text", text: "copy **this** exactly" } }),
     );
-    const body = el.querySelector<HTMLElement>(".st-body")!;
-    expect(body.getAttribute("role")).toBe("button");
-    body.click();
+    expect(el.getAttribute("role")).toBe("button");
+    el.click();
     await Promise.resolve();
     expect(writeText).toHaveBeenCalledWith("copy **this** exactly");
-    body.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: "Enter", bubbles: true }));
+    el.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: "Enter", bubbles: true }));
     await Promise.resolve();
     expect(writeText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
diff --git a/web/src/structuredRender.ts b/web/src/structuredRender.ts
index 640022c..bb12fa1 100644
--- a/web/src/structuredRender.ts
+++ b/web/src/structuredRender.ts
@@ -175,21 +175,17 @@ function buildContentRow(row: TranscriptRow, variant: "user" | "agent" | "though
   const wrap = el("div", `st-row st-row-${variant}`);
   const body = el("div", "st-body");
   if (variant === "user") {
-    const who = el("div", "st-who");
-    who.textContent = "You";
-    body.appendChild(who);
     const line = el("div", "st-user-text");
     line.textContent = text;
-    makeCopyable(line, text, "message");
     body.appendChild(line);
   } else if (variant === "agent") {
     renderProse(body, text);
-    makeCopyable(body, text, "response");
   } else {
     body.textContent = text;
-    makeCopyable(body, text, "thought");
   }
   wrap.appendChild(body);
+  const label = variant === "user" ? "message" : variant === "agent" ? "response" : "thought";
+  makeCopyable(wrap, text, label);
   return wrap;
 }
 
@@ -404,8 +400,8 @@ function buildPlainRow(row: TranscriptRow): HTMLElement {
   const wrap = el("div", "st-row st-row-notice");
   const body = el("div", "st-body");
   body.textContent = `[${row.kind}]`;
-  makeCopyable(body, body.textContent, "notice");
   wrap.appendChild(body);
+  makeCopyable(wrap, body.textContent, "notice");
   return wrap;
 }
 
diff --git a/web/src/styles.css b/web/src/styles.css
index 211c91a..c3c3122 100644
--- a/web/src/styles.css
+++ b/web/src/styles.css
@@ -2203,10 +2203,8 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
 }
 
 .structured-rows {
-  padding: var(--sp-3);
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
-  gap: var(--sp-3);
   min-width: 0;
 }
 
@@ -2214,6 +2212,7 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
 .st-row {
   display: flex;
   gap: var(--sp-3);
+  padding: var(--sp-3);
   min-width: 0;
 }
 
@@ -2222,20 +2221,22 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
   min-width: 0;
 }
 
-/* user turn: the only tinted block besides the approval — an accent rail,
-   never a full border, so it still reads lighter than the approval card. */
+/* User turns read as compact chat bubbles while the padded row remains the
+   full hover/copy target. */
 .st-row-user {
-  border-left: 2px solid var(--accent);
-  background: var(--surface-2);
-  padding: var(--sp-3);
+  justify-content: flex-end;
 }
 
-.st-who {
-  font-size: var(--fs-11);
-  letter-spacing: 0.1em;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
-  color: var(--faint);
-  margin-bottom: var(--sp-1);
+.st-row-user .st-body {
+  flex: 0 1 auto;
+  max-width: min(86%, 72ch);
+  padding: var(--sp-2) var(--sp-3);
+  border-radius: var(--r-2);
+  background: var(--surface-3);
+}
+
+.st-row-user:hover {
+  background: var(--surface-2);
 }
 
 .st-user-text {
@@ -2322,6 +2323,7 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
 
 /* tool rows: bordered, compact, deliberately not lifted */
 .st-tool {
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
   border: 1px solid var(--border);
   border-radius: var(--r-2);
   min-width: 0;
@@ -2346,6 +2348,11 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
   background: var(--surface-2);
 }
 
+.st-row-tool:hover,
+.st-row-approval:hover {
+  background: var(--surface-2);
+}
+
 .st-tool-glyph {
   width: 16px;
   flex: 0 0 auto;
@@ -2436,6 +2443,12 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
   border: 1px solid var(--border);
   border-radius: var(--r-2);
   background: color-mix(in oklab, var(--surface-2) 55%, transparent);
+  padding: var(--sp-2) var(--sp-3);
+  transition: background var(--dur-fast) var(--ease-out);
+}
+
+.st-tool-group:hover {
+  background: var(--surface-2);
 }
 
 .st-tool-group-head {
@@ -2449,7 +2462,7 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: var(--sp-2);
-  padding: var(--sp-2) var(--sp-3);
+  padding: 0;
   min-width: 0;
 }
 
@@ -2481,10 +2494,9 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
 }
 
 .st-tool-group-body {
-  padding: 0 var(--sp-2) var(--sp-2);
+  padding-top: var(--sp-2);
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
-  gap: var(--sp-2);
 }
 
 .st-tool-group-body[hidden] {