diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0c5af9b..c1e8fcc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -186,6 +186,8 @@ Terebi reports facts, not watched status. A consumer such as Tubular decides com
 
 The layout follows [IINA's video-first window](https://iina.io/img/screenshot.png) and the supplied screenshots: a 32-point frosted titlebar with native traffic lights and file icon, plus a dark frosted 440 × 68-point floating controller. AppKit materials blur the video beneath the chrome; muted icons, an orange volume track, a narrow seek thumb, and zero-padded time labels follow the reference. Shared vertical padding and an optical offset for symbol/slider insets balance the controller's visible top and bottom margins in both play and pause states. The controller starts centered with a four-percent bottom inset and keeps its relative position when the window changes size.
 
+The empty player uses the same HUD-glass material, 12-point rounded corners, and muted icon/text palette in a centered welcome card. File and YouTube opening actions share a consistently sized row; the card fits the 400 × 240-point minimum window, and the full window still accepts media-file and YouTube-link drops.
+
 Opening video fits the window to its display aspect ratio, including non-square pixels, and constrains subsequent window resizing. Fullscreen retains the normal letterboxed renderer; audio-only playback and close release the aspect constraint. Extreme ratios that cannot fit both the screen and usable controls keep a freely resizable letterboxed window.
 
 **Compact mode** uses the same window, Metal view, and playback session—not a second window or macOS system PiP. Use the PiP-shaped button in the normal playback controls, **⌃⌘P**, or **Playback Actions → Enter Compact Mode**. The compact-mode button replaces the fullscreen button; fullscreen remains available through its menu, keyboard shortcuts, and double-clicking normal-mode video. Compact mode starts at the current screen's top-right corner with a 16-point inset and a preferred width of 320 points, preserving display aspect where usable screen bounds and the 160 × 90-point minimum allow; extreme ratios retain letterboxing. Compact mode floats above ordinary windows, joins all Spaces, and is configured to join eligible other-app fullscreen spaces and Stage Manager sets. Small hover controls provide play/pause, restore, and Playback Actions; keyboard playback controls remain available.
diff --git a/Sources/App/TerebiApp.swift b/Sources/App/TerebiApp.swift
index 45c81f8..b9a759e 100644
--- a/Sources/App/TerebiApp.swift
+++ b/Sources/App/TerebiApp.swift
@@ -1420,17 +1420,52 @@ private struct PlayerContent: View {
                     }
                     .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity)
                 } else if model.fileName == nil {
-                    VStack(spacing: 14) {
-                        Image(systemName: "play.rectangle").font(.system(size: 56, weight: .ultraLight))
-                            .foregroundStyle(.white.opacity(0.65))
-                        Text("terebi").font(.system(size: 22, weight: .medium))
-                        Text("Drop a media file or YouTube link here").font(.callout).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
-                        Button("Open File…", action: model.openPanel)
-                            .buttonStyle(.bordered).controlSize(.large).disabled(!model.canOpen)
-                        Button("Open YouTube URL…", action: model.openYouTubePanel)
-                            .buttonStyle(.bordered).disabled(!model.canOpen)
+                    VStack(spacing: 18) {
+                        HStack(spacing: 12) {
+                            Image(systemName: "play.rectangle.fill")
+                                .font(.system(size: 28))
+                                .frame(width: 40, height: 40)
+                                .foregroundStyle(.white.opacity(0.6))
+                                .accessibilityHidden(true)
+                            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 4) {
+                                Text("terebi").font(.system(size: 20, weight: .semibold))
+                                    .foregroundStyle(.white.opacity(0.85))
+                                Text("Open media to get started")
+                                    .font(.callout)
+                                    .foregroundStyle(.white.opacity(0.6))
+                            }
+                            Spacer(minLength: 0)
+                        }
+                        HStack(spacing: 0) {
+                            Button(action: model.openPanel) {
+                                Label("Open File…", systemImage: "doc")
+                                    .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, minHeight: 40)
+                                    .contentShape(Rectangle())
+                            }
+                            Divider().frame(height: 20).accessibilityHidden(true)
+                            Button(action: model.openYouTubePanel) {
+                                Label("YouTube URL…", systemImage: "link")
+                                    .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, minHeight: 40)
+                                    .contentShape(Rectangle())
+                            }
+                            .accessibilityLabel("Open YouTube URL…")
+                        }
+                        .font(.system(size: 13, weight: .medium))
+                        .foregroundStyle(.white.opacity(0.85))
+                        .imageScale(.large)
+                        .buttonStyle(.plain)
+                        .disabled(!model.canOpen)
+                        .background(.white.opacity(0.06), in: RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 8))
+                        Text("Drop a media file or YouTube link here")
+                            .font(.system(size: 12))
+                            .foregroundStyle(.white.opacity(0.6))
+                            .multilineTextAlignment(.center)
                     }
+                    .padding(20)
+                    .frame(width: min(440, geometry.size.width - 48))
+                    .background(PlayerGlass().clipShape(RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12)).allowsHitTesting(false))
                     .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity)
+                    .padding(.top, 32)
                 } else if !model.state.has_video && model.state.has_audio {
                     VStack(spacing: 16) {
                         Image(systemName: "waveform").font(.system(size: 64, weight: .ultraLight))