diff --git a/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Editor.tsx b/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Editor.tsx
index 635c0f3..7c905cc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Editor.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Editor.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { search, searchKeymap } from '@codemirror/search';
 import { closeBrackets } from '@codemirror/autocomplete';
 import { getPost, savePost, deletePost, getAssets, uploadAsset, ApiError } from '../../../lib/api';
 import type { Asset } from '../../../lib/types';
-import { confirmDialog } from '../../../lib/confirm';
+import { confirmDialog, notify } from '../../../lib/confirm';
 
 const AssetManager = lazy(() => import('./AssetManager'));
 
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ export default function Editor({ editSlug }: Props) {
   const [tagsInput, setTagsInput] = useState('');
   const [draft, setDraft] = useState(false);
   const [originalSlug, setOriginalSlug] = useState(editSlug || '');
-  const [alert, setAlert] = useState<{ msg: string; type: 'success' | 'error' } | null>(null);
   const [showModal, setShowModal] = useState(false);
   const [showPreview, setShowPreview] = useState(false);
   const [mobileView, setMobileView] = useState<'edit' | 'preview'>('edit');
@@ -111,9 +110,7 @@ export default function Editor({ editSlug }: Props) {
   }
 
   function showAlertMsg(msg: string, type: 'success' | 'error') {
-    setAlert({ msg, type });
-    window.scrollTo({ top: 0, behavior: 'smooth' });
-    setTimeout(() => setAlert(null), 5000);
+    notify(msg, type);
   }
 
   const updatePreview = useCallback(async () => {
@@ -410,13 +407,6 @@ export default function Editor({ editSlug }: Props) {
 
   return (
     <>
-      {alert && (
-        <div className={`p-4 rounded-lg mb-6 text-sm font-semibold text-center backdrop-blur-sm shadow-lg ${
-          alert.type === 'success' ? 'bg-green/15 border border-green/30' : 'bg-red/15 border border-red/30'
-        }`} style={{ color: 'var(--text)' }}>
-          {alert.msg}
-        </div>
-      )}
 
       {/* Actions bar */}
       <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-4 mb-6">
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Settings.tsx b/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Settings.tsx
index 5c391ee..894702c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Settings.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/react/admin/Settings.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { getConfig, updateConfig, ApiError } from '../../../lib/api';
+import { notify } from '../../../lib/confirm';
 import type { SiteConfig, ContactLink } from '../../../lib/types';
 
 const CONTACT_KINDS: { value: string; label: string; placeholder: string }[] = [
@@ -13,8 +14,6 @@ const CONTACT_KINDS: { value: string; label: string; placeholder: string }[] = [
 
 export default function Settings() {
   const [config, setConfig] = useState<Partial<SiteConfig>>({});
-  const [alert, setAlert] = useState<{ msg: string; type: 'success' | 'error' } | null>(null);
-
   useEffect(() => {
     getConfig()
       .then(setConfig)
@@ -22,8 +21,7 @@ export default function Settings() {
   }, []);
 
   function showAlert(msg: string, type: 'success' | 'error') {
-    setAlert({ msg, type });
-    setTimeout(() => setAlert(null), 5000);
+    notify(msg, type);
   }
 
   function update<K extends keyof SiteConfig>(key: K, value: SiteConfig[K]) {
@@ -62,19 +60,6 @@ export default function Settings() {
 
   return (
     <form onSubmit={handleSubmit} className="space-y-10">
-      {alert && (
-        <div
-          className={`p-4 text-sm font-display italic text-center border ${
-            alert.type === 'success'
-              ? 'bg-[var(--green)]/15 text-[var(--green)] border-[var(--green)]/30'
-              : 'bg-[var(--red)]/15 text-[var(--red)] border-[var(--red)]/30'
-          }`}
-          style={{ borderRadius: 1 }}
-        >
-          {alert.msg}
-        </div>
-      )}
-
       <section className="space-y-6">
         <h2 className="font-display italic text-2xl text-[var(--text)] border-l-2 border-[var(--mauve)] pl-4">Identity</h2>
         <div className="grid md:grid-cols-2 gap-6">
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/confirm.ts b/frontend/src/lib/confirm.ts
index a7f81aa..cb4dfb5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/confirm.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/confirm.ts
@@ -117,15 +117,22 @@ export function confirmDialog(opts: ConfirmOptions): Promise<boolean> {
   });
 }
 
-/** Transient bottom-center toast. Replaces window.alert for failures. */
+/** Transient hovering toast at the top of the viewport. Replaces
+ *  window.alert and the old inline save banners. */
 export function notify(message: string, tone: 'error' | 'success' = 'error') {
   document.querySelector('.toast[data-notify]')?.remove();
   const el = document.createElement('div');
-  el.className = `toast${tone === 'error' ? ' toast--error' : ''}`;
+  el.className = `toast toast--${tone}`;
   el.dataset.notify = '';
   el.setAttribute('role', tone === 'error' ? 'alert' : 'status');
   el.textContent = message;
-  el.addEventListener('click', () => el.remove());
+
+  const dismiss = () => {
+    if (el.classList.contains('toast--out')) return;
+    el.classList.add('toast--out');
+    window.setTimeout(() => el.remove(), 220);
+  };
+  el.addEventListener('click', dismiss);
   document.body.appendChild(el);
-  window.setTimeout(() => el.remove(), 4500);
+  window.setTimeout(dismiss, 4500);
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/global.css b/frontend/src/styles/global.css
index 16f38d3..e4b4c0e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/global.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/global.css
@@ -1360,7 +1360,7 @@ select.topbar-control.theme-select {
 /* Toast */
 .toast {
   position: fixed;
-  bottom: 1.5rem;
+  top: 1.25rem;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translateX(-50%);
   background: var(--mantle);
@@ -1368,17 +1368,34 @@ select.topbar-control.theme-select {
   color: var(--rosewater);
   padding: 0.65rem 1.1rem;
   border-radius: 1px;
-  box-shadow: 0 12px 30px -10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.45);
+  box-shadow: 0 14px 34px -12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.55);
   font-family: var(--font-display);
   font-style: italic;
   font-size: 0.9rem;
   z-index: 200;
-  animation: toast-in 0.2s ease;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  animation: toast-in 0.22s cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.7, 0.2, 1);
 }
 @keyframes toast-in {
-  from { opacity: 0; transform: translate(-50%, 8px); }
+  from { opacity: 0; transform: translate(-50%, -10px); }
   to   { opacity: 1; transform: translate(-50%, 0); }
 }
+.toast--out {
+  animation: toast-out 0.2s ease forwards;
+}
+@keyframes toast-out {
+  from { opacity: 1; transform: translate(-50%, 0); }
+  to   { opacity: 0; transform: translate(-50%, -10px); }
+}
+/* Success variant — parallels .toast--error. */
+.toast--success {
+  border-left: 3px solid var(--green);
+  color: var(--rosewater);
+}
+.toast--success::before {
+  content: "✓ ";
+  color: var(--green);
+}
 
 /* Salon grid spans driven by --col-span custom prop (avoids Tailwind dynamic class issue). */
 @media (min-width: 768px) {
@@ -2023,7 +2040,7 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
     0 0 10px var(--sky),
     0 -3px 0 color-mix(in srgb, var(--mauve) 70%, transparent),
     0 3px 0 color-mix(in srgb, var(--teal) 60%, transparent);
-  animation: cs-tear 8.5s steps(1, jump-none) infinite;
+  animation: cs-tear 8.5s linear infinite;
 }
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-tear::after {
   content: "";
@@ -2046,7 +2063,7 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   -webkit-mask: var(--cs-corner) center / contain no-repeat;
   mask: var(--cs-corner) center / contain no-repeat;
   filter: drop-shadow(0 0 5px color-mix(in srgb, var(--sky) 45%, transparent));
-  animation: cs-flicker 7s steps(1, jump-none) infinite;
+  animation: cs-flicker 7s linear infinite;
 }
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--tl { top: 0;    left: 0;  }
 .cybersigil .cs-fx-corner--tr { top: 0;    right: 0; transform: scaleX(-1); animation-delay: -1.7s; }
@@ -2118,7 +2135,8 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
 
 /* Nameplate = the system handle. `> ` prompt + live block caret. */
 .cybersigil .nameplate-title::before {
-  content: "> ";
+  content: ">";
+  margin-right: 0.4em;
   color: var(--sky);
   -webkit-text-fill-color: var(--sky);
 }
@@ -2131,7 +2149,7 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   vertical-align: -0.12em;
   background: var(--mauve);
   box-shadow: 0 0 8px color-mix(in srgb, var(--mauve) 70%, transparent);
-  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(1, jump-none) infinite;
+  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(2, jump-none) infinite;
 }
 .cybersigil .nameplate-subtitle {
   font-family: var(--font-sans);
@@ -2535,7 +2553,7 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
 .cybersigil .back-link::after {
   content: "_";
   margin-left: -0.1em;
-  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(1, jump-none) infinite;
+  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(2, jump-none) infinite;
 }
 .cybersigil .back-link:hover,
 .cybersigil .back-link:focus-visible {
@@ -2569,7 +2587,7 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   content: "_";
   margin-left: 0.18em;
   opacity: 0.85;
-  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(1, jump-none) infinite;
+  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(2, jump-none) infinite;
 }
 /* Icon-only / collapsed controls have no room for the `>` prompt + blink
  * caret — they overflow the 2rem square on phones. Drop the pseudo when
@@ -2845,7 +2863,7 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   content: "_";
   color: var(--mauve);
   font-family: var(--font-sans);
-  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(1, jump-none) infinite;
+  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(2, jump-none) infinite;
 }
 .cybersigil .search-result [class*="line-clamp"] {
   font-family: var(--font-sans) !important;
@@ -2916,7 +2934,7 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
 .cybersigil .asset-drop-title::after {
   content: "_";
   color: var(--mauve);
-  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(1, jump-none) infinite;
+  animation: cs-blink 1.05s steps(2, jump-none) infinite;
 }
 
 .cybersigil .asset-empty {
@@ -3006,6 +3024,41 @@ html.cybersigil body::after {
   text-shadow: -1px 0 0 var(--sky), 1px 0 0 var(--mauve);
 }
 
+/* Toast — a terminal status line printed at the top of the tube. */
+.cybersigil .toast {
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--crust) 92%, transparent);
+  border: 1px solid var(--sky);
+  border-radius: 0;
+  color: var(--sky);
+  font-family: var(--font-sans);
+  font-style: normal;
+  font-size: 0.74rem;
+  letter-spacing: 0.12em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  box-shadow:
+    3px 3px 0 0 var(--mauve),
+    0 0 22px -6px color-mix(in srgb, var(--sky) 45%, transparent);
+}
+.cybersigil .toast--success {
+  border-color: var(--sky);
+  color: var(--sky);
+}
+.cybersigil .toast--success::before {
+  content: "> OK\00a0\00a0";
+  color: var(--sky);
+}
+.cybersigil .toast--error {
+  border-color: var(--red);
+  color: var(--red);
+  box-shadow:
+    3px 3px 0 0 var(--mauve),
+    0 0 22px -6px color-mix(in srgb, var(--red) 50%, transparent);
+}
+.cybersigil .toast--error::before {
+  content: "> ERR\00a0\00a0";
+  color: var(--red);
+}
+
 /* ─── Theme keyframes ─── */
 @keyframes cs-blink {
   0%, 49%  { opacity: 1; }