diff --git a/packages/extension/e2e.mjs b/packages/extension/e2e.mjs
index ef75cbd..077024e 100644
--- a/packages/extension/e2e.mjs
+++ b/packages/extension/e2e.mjs
@@ -148,6 +148,28 @@
   const all = itemsAfter.items ?? itemsAfter;
   const recordingSummary = await api(`/api/reports/${all[0].share_token}`);
   const steps = recordingSummary.steps ?? [];
+  // keep a step screenshot around for manual inspection: the recorder bar
+  // must not appear in it (plugin UI is hidden during captures)
+  const shotStep = steps.find((s) => s.screenshot_attachment_id != null);
+  if (shotStep) {
+    // steps reference the attachment row id; the files route wants the file id
+    const attachment = (recordingSummary.attachments ?? []).find((a) => a.id === shotStep.screenshot_attachment_id);
+    const fileId = attachment?.file_id ?? shotStep.screenshot_attachment_id;
+    const fileResponse = await fetch(
+      `${SERVER}/api/reports/by-token/${all[0].share_token}/files/${fileId}`
+    );
+    if (!fileResponse.ok) {
+      console.log(
+        "step screenshot fetch failed:",
+        fileResponse.status,
+        JSON.stringify({ attachments: recordingSummary.attachments?.map((a) => a.file_id), steps: steps.map((s) => s.screenshot_attachment_id) })
+      );
+    } else {
+      const { writeFile } = await import("node:fs/promises");
+      await writeFile("/tmp/ltt-shots/23-step-screenshot.png", Buffer.from(await fileResponse.arrayBuffer()));
+      console.log("step screenshot saved for inspection");
+    }
+  }
   console.log(
     "recording:",
     JSON.stringify({
diff --git a/packages/extension/src/background/index.ts b/packages/extension/src/background/index.ts
index b43ad29..f6f12c0 100644
--- a/packages/extension/src/background/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension/src/background/index.ts
@@ -51,10 +51,23 @@
   return buffer;
 }
 
+async function setUiHidden(tabId: number, hidden: boolean): Promise<void> {
+  // content script may be absent (chrome-internal pages) — ignore failures
+  await browser.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { type: "set_ui_hidden", hidden }).catch(() => {});
+}
+
 async function captureVisibleTab(tabId: number): Promise<string> {
-  // the first argument of captureVisibleTab is a *window* id
   const tab = await browser.tabs.get(tabId);
-  return (await browser.tabs.captureVisibleTab(tab.windowId ?? undefined, { format: "png" })) as string;
+  // hide the plugin's own UI so it never lands in the screenshot
+  await setUiHidden(tabId, true);
+  try {
+    // let the compositor repaint the page without the overlay
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 150));
+    // the first argument of captureVisibleTab is a *window* id
+    return (await browser.tabs.captureVisibleTab(tab.windowId ?? undefined, { format: "png" })) as string;
+  } finally {
+    await setUiHidden(tabId, false);
+  }
 }
 
 async function captureForEvent(tabId: number, eventIndex: number): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/packages/extension/src/content/index.ts b/packages/extension/src/content/index.ts
index a05f18f..2652bec 100644
--- a/packages/extension/src/content/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension/src/content/index.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import type { ElementContext } from "@ltt/shared";
 import { mountOverlay } from "./overlay/mount";
 import { buildElementContext, collectEnvironment } from "../lib/selector";
+import { pushUiHidden, popUiHidden } from "./uiVisibility";
 
 let overlay: ReturnType<typeof mountOverlay> | null = null;
 
@@ -124,6 +125,13 @@
       return true;
     }
 
+    case "set_ui_hidden":
+      // the background hides all plugin UI while it grabs a screenshot
+      if (Boolean(msg.hidden)) pushUiHidden();
+      else popUiHidden();
+      sendResponse({ ok: true });
+      return true;
+
     default:
       return true;
   }
diff --git a/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/NoteComposer.vue b/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/NoteComposer.vue
index 2eb65f7..677624e 100644
--- a/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/NoteComposer.vue
+++ b/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/NoteComposer.vue
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   gap: 10px;
-  width: min(920px, calc(100vw - 48px));
+  width: min(1100px, calc(100vw - 32px));
   max-height: calc(100vh - 48px);
   overflow-y: auto;
   padding: 16px;
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@
 }
 /* big drawing area: the whole screenshot visible at once, canvas contain-fit */
 .composer-screenshot :deep(.annotation-canvas-wrap) {
-  height: 55vh;
+  height: 62vh;
 }
 .composer-placeholder {
   padding: 40px;
diff --git a/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/RegionSelector.vue b/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/RegionSelector.vue
index d67fdee..a8c20c2 100644
--- a/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/RegionSelector.vue
+++ b/packages/extension/src/content/overlay/RegionSelector.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { onMounted, onUnmounted, ref } from "vue";
 import browser from "webextension-polyfill";
+import { pushUiHidden, popUiHidden } from "../uiVisibility";
 
 /**
  * Pre-composer screenshot step: captures the pristine page (before any dim
@@ -113,7 +114,6 @@
 
 async function takeWholePage() {
   if (!rawCapture) return;
-  const host = document.getElementById("ltt-overlay-host");
   const doc = document.documentElement;
   const pageHeight = Math.max(doc.scrollHeight, document.body?.scrollHeight ?? 0);
   const viewportH = window.innerHeight;
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
   phase.value = "stitching";
   hint.value = "Захват полной страницы…";
   try {
-    const dataUrl = await captureFullPage(host, pageHeight, viewportH);
+    const dataUrl = await captureFullPage(pageHeight, viewportH);
     emit("confirm", dataUrl);
   } catch (err) {
     error.value = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
@@ -136,11 +136,12 @@
   }
 }
 
-async function captureFullPage(host: HTMLElement | null, pageHeight: number, viewportH: number): Promise<string> {
+async function captureFullPage(pageHeight: number, viewportH: number): Promise<string> {
   const scrollY0 = window.scrollY;
   const scrollX0 = window.scrollX;
-  // hide the overlay and fixed/sticky chrome so they don't repeat in every tile
-  if (host) host.style.display = "none";
+  // keep the overlay (and fixed/sticky page chrome) out of every tile; the
+  // refcount keeps it hidden even though each capture hides/unhides too
+  pushUiHidden();
   const hidden = hideFixedElements();
 
   const dpr = window.devicePixelRatio || 1;
@@ -153,8 +154,8 @@
     }
   } finally {
     window.scrollTo(scrollX0, scrollY0);
-    if (host) host.style.display = "";
     restoreFixedElements(hidden);
+    popUiHidden();
   }
 
   const first = tiles[0].image;
diff --git a/packages/extension/src/content/uiVisibility.ts b/packages/extension/src/content/uiVisibility.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58ba70d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/extension/src/content/uiVisibility.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/**
+ * Refcounted hiding of the whole overlay (the shadow-DOM host) so that
+ * screenshots never contain the plugin's own UI. The background hides the
+ * overlay around every captureVisibleTab call; the region selector keeps it
+ * hidden for the whole full-page stitch. With the counter, nested hides
+ * (region selector + per-tile capture) never unhide early.
+ */
+
+let hideCount = 0;
+
+function hostElement(): HTMLElement | null {
+  return document.getElementById("ltt-overlay-host");
+}
+
+function sync(): void {
+  const host = hostElement();
+  if (host) host.style.display = hideCount > 0 ? "none" : "";
+}
+
+/** Hides all overlay UI until the matching popUiHidden(). */
+export function pushUiHidden(): void {
+  hideCount++;
+  sync();
+}
+
+/** Undoes one pushUiHidden(); the overlay reappears at zero. */
+export function popUiHidden(): void {
+  hideCount = Math.max(0, hideCount - 1);
+  sync();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/AnnotationEditor.vue b/packages/ui/src/AnnotationEditor.vue
index ae2c79e..cee4ebe 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/AnnotationEditor.vue
+++ b/packages/ui/src/AnnotationEditor.vue
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
       <div class="annotation-toolbar-group">
         <label class="annotation-width-label">
           Size
-          <input v-model.number="strokeWidth" type="range" min="1" max="12" step="1" />
+          <input v-model.number="strokeWidth" type="range" min="1" max="20" step="1" />
         </label>
         <button type="button" class="annotation-tool" title="Undo" @click="undo">
           <i class="ph ph-arrow-counter-clockwise" />
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/ScreenshotViewer.vue b/packages/ui/src/ScreenshotViewer.vue
index f6827b9..7a34a75 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/ScreenshotViewer.vue
+++ b/packages/ui/src/ScreenshotViewer.vue
@@ -343,28 +343,34 @@
   border-color: var(--color-accent, #7aa2f7);
 }
 
-/* fullscreen editing overlay: big canvas, toolbar stays above it */
+/* fullscreen editing overlay: canvas takes the whole window, toolbar and
+   action buttons float above it so nothing steals canvas space */
 .editor-overlay {
   position: fixed;
   inset: 0;
   z-index: 1000;
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  gap: 12px;
-  padding: 16px;
   background: rgba(10, 11, 16, 0.96);
 }
 .editor-bar {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 12px;
+  right: 12px;
+  z-index: 2;
   display: flex;
-  justify-content: flex-end;
   gap: 8px;
 }
 .editor-stage {
-  flex: 1;
-  min-height: 0;
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0;
   display: flex;
   align-items: stretch;
 }
+.editor-stage :deep(.annotation-toolbar) {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 12px;
+  left: 12px;
+  z-index: 2;
+}
 
 .lightbox {
   position: fixed;
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/shapeDraw.ts b/packages/ui/src/shapeDraw.ts
index f86df71..26d736f 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/shapeDraw.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/shapeDraw.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
     }
     case "text": {
       if (!shape.text || !shape.pos) break;
-      const fontSize = Math.max(shape.strokeWidth * 5, 14);
+      const fontSize = Math.max(shape.strokeWidth * 12, 24);
       c.font = `bold ${fontSize}px "IBM Plex Mono", monospace`;
       c.save();
       c.shadowColor = "rgba(0,0,0,0.8)";