diff --git a/frontend/src/components/DashboardChatInput.vue b/frontend/src/components/DashboardChatInput.vue
deleted file mode 100644
index 40a38d5f..00000000
--- a/frontend/src/components/DashboardChatInput.vue
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,413 +0,0 @@
-<script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, computed, nextTick } from "vue";
-import { apiGet, transcribeAudio } from "@/api/client";
-import { useVoiceRecorder } from "@/composables/useVoiceRecorder";
-import { useChatStore } from "@/stores/chat";
-import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settings";
-import type { Note } from "@/types/note";
-
-const emit = defineEmits<{
-  submit: [payload: { content: string; contextNoteId?: number }];
-}>();
-
-const store = useChatStore();
-
-const messageInput = ref("");
-const inputEl = ref<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
-
-// Note picker state
-const attachedNote = ref<{ id: number; title: string } | null>(null);
-const showNotePicker = ref(false);
-const noteSearchQuery = ref("");
-const noteSearchResults = ref<{ id: number; title: string }[]>([]);
-const noteSearchLoading = ref(false);
-let noteSearchTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
-
-function onSubmit() {
-  const content = messageInput.value.trim();
-  if (!content) return;
-  emit("submit", {
-    content,
-    contextNoteId: attachedNote.value?.id,
-  });
-  messageInput.value = "";
-  attachedNote.value = null;
-  resetTextareaHeight();
-}
-
-function onInputKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
-  if (e.key === "Enter" && !e.shiftKey) {
-    e.preventDefault();
-    onSubmit();
-  }
-}
-
-function autoResize() {
-  const el = inputEl.value;
-  if (!el) return;
-  el.style.height = "auto";
-  el.style.height = Math.min(el.scrollHeight, 120) + "px";
-}
-
-function resetTextareaHeight() {
-  const el = inputEl.value;
-  if (!el) return;
-  el.style.height = "auto";
-}
-
-// Note picker
-function toggleNotePicker() {
-  showNotePicker.value = !showNotePicker.value;
-  if (showNotePicker.value) {
-    noteSearchQuery.value = "";
-    noteSearchResults.value = [];
-    nextTick(() => {
-      const el = document.querySelector(
-        ".dashboard-chat .note-picker-search"
-      ) as HTMLInputElement;
-      el?.focus();
-    });
-  }
-}
-
-function onNoteSearchInput() {
-  if (noteSearchTimer) clearTimeout(noteSearchTimer);
-  noteSearchTimer = setTimeout(async () => {
-    const q = noteSearchQuery.value.trim();
-    if (!q) {
-      noteSearchResults.value = [];
-      return;
-    }
-    noteSearchLoading.value = true;
-    try {
-      const data = await apiGet<{ notes: Note[] }>(
-        `/api/notes?q=${encodeURIComponent(q)}&all=true&limit=5`
-      );
-      noteSearchResults.value = data.notes.map((n) => ({
-        id: n.id,
-        title: n.title,
-      }));
-    } catch {
-      noteSearchResults.value = [];
-    } finally {
-      noteSearchLoading.value = false;
-    }
-  }, 250);
-}
-
-function selectNote(note: { id: number; title: string }) {
-  attachedNote.value = note;
-  showNotePicker.value = false;
-}
-
-function removeAttachedNote() {
-  attachedNote.value = null;
-}
-
-function focus() {
-  inputEl.value?.focus();
-}
-
-// Voice PTT
-const settingsStore = useSettingsStore();
-const voiceEnabled = computed(() => settingsStore.voiceSttReady);
-const transcribingVoice = ref(false);
-const recorder = useVoiceRecorder();
-
-async function startPtt() {
-  if (!voiceEnabled.value || recorder.recording.value) return;
-  await recorder.startRecording();
-}
-
-async function stopPtt() {
-  if (!recorder.recording.value) return;
-  transcribingVoice.value = true;
-  try {
-    const blob = await recorder.stopRecording();
-    const { transcript } = await transcribeAudio(blob);
-    if (transcript.trim()) {
-      messageInput.value = (messageInput.value ? messageInput.value + " " : "") + transcript.trim();
-      await nextTick();
-      autoResize();
-    }
-  } catch { /* transcription failed silently */ } finally {
-    transcribingVoice.value = false;
-  }
-}
-
-defineExpose({ focus });
-</script>
-
-<template>
-  <div class="dashboard-chat">
-    <!-- Attached note pill -->
-    <div v-if="attachedNote" class="attached-note">
-      <span class="attached-note-pill">
-        {{ attachedNote.title }}
-        <button class="attached-note-remove" aria-label="Remove attached note" @click="removeAttachedNote">
-          &times;
-        </button>
-      </span>
-    </div>
-
-    <div class="chat-input-bar">
-      <div class="note-picker-wrapper">
-        <button
-          class="btn-attach"
-          @click="toggleNotePicker"
-          :disabled="!store.chatReady"
-          title="Attach a note"
-        >
-          <svg
-            width="18"
-            height="18"
-            viewBox="0 0 24 24"
-            fill="none"
-            stroke="currentColor"
-            stroke-width="2"
-            stroke-linecap="round"
-            stroke-linejoin="round"
-          >
-            <path
-              d="M21.44 11.05l-9.19 9.19a6 6 0 01-8.49-8.49l9.19-9.19a4 4 0 015.66 5.66l-9.2 9.19a2 2 0 01-2.83-2.83l8.49-8.48"
-            />
-          </svg>
-        </button>
-
-        <div v-if="showNotePicker" class="note-picker-dropdown">
-          <input
-            class="note-picker-search"
-            v-model="noteSearchQuery"
-            @input="onNoteSearchInput"
-            placeholder="Search notes..."
-          />
-          <div class="note-picker-results">
-            <div
-              v-for="note in noteSearchResults"
-              :key="note.id"
-              class="note-picker-item"
-              @click="selectNote(note)"
-            >
-              {{ note.title || "Untitled" }}
-            </div>
-            <div v-if="noteSearchLoading" class="note-picker-empty">
-              Searching...
-            </div>
-            <div
-              v-else-if="noteSearchQuery && !noteSearchResults.length"
-              class="note-picker-empty"
-            >
-              No notes found
-            </div>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-
-      <textarea
-        ref="inputEl"
-        v-model="messageInput"
-        @keydown="onInputKeydown"
-        @input="autoResize"
-        :placeholder="
-          !store.chatReady ? 'Chat unavailable'
-          : store.streaming ? 'Type to queue… (Enter to queue)'
-          : 'Start a new chat… (Enter to send)'
-        "
-        :disabled="!store.chatReady"
-        rows="1"
-      ></textarea>
-
-      <button
-        v-if="voiceEnabled && recorder.isSupported"
-        class="btn-attach btn-mic-ptt"
-        :class="{ 'mic-recording': recorder.recording.value, 'mic-transcribing': transcribingVoice }"
-        @mousedown.prevent="startPtt"
-        @mouseup.prevent="stopPtt"
-        @touchstart.prevent="startPtt"
-        @touchend.prevent="stopPtt"
-        :disabled="transcribingVoice || !store.chatReady"
-        :title="recorder.recording.value ? 'Release to send' : 'Hold to speak'"
-        aria-label="Push to talk"
-      >
-        <svg v-if="!transcribingVoice" width="17" height="17" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
-          <path d="M12 14c1.66 0 3-1.34 3-3V5c0-1.66-1.34-3-3-3S9 3.34 9 5v6c0 1.66 1.34 3 3 3zm-1-9c0-.55.45-1 1-1s1 .45 1 1v6c0 .55-.45 1-1 1s-1-.45-1-1V5zm6 6c0 2.76-2.24 5-5 5s-5-2.24-5-5H5c0 3.53 2.61 6.43 6 6.92V21h2v-3.08c3.39-.49 6-3.39 6-6.92h-2z"/>
-        </svg>
-        <svg v-else width="17" height="17" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
-          <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="8" opacity="0.35"/>
-          <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="4"/>
-        </svg>
-      </button>
-
-      <button
-        class="btn-send"
-        @click="onSubmit"
-        :disabled="!messageInput.trim() || !store.chatReady"
-      >
-        &uarr;
-      </button>
-    </div>
-  </div>
-</template>
-
-<style scoped>
-.dashboard-chat {
-  margin-top: 0.75rem;
-}
-
-.attached-note {
-  padding: 0.25rem 0;
-}
-.attached-note-pill {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.25rem;
-  background: var(--color-primary);
-  color: #fff;
-  border-radius: 12px;
-  padding: 0.2rem 0.5rem;
-  font-size: 0.8rem;
-}
-.attached-note-remove {
-  background: none;
-  border: none;
-  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);
-  cursor: pointer;
-  font-size: 1rem;
-  line-height: 1;
-  padding: 0 0.15rem;
-}
-.attached-note-remove:hover {
-  color: #fff;
-}
-
-.chat-input-bar {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.5rem;
-  padding: 0.5rem 0.5rem 0.5rem 0.75rem;
-  background: var(--color-input-bar-bg);
-  border-radius: 20px;
-  box-shadow: 0 2px 12px var(--color-shadow);
-}
-
-.chat-input-bar textarea {
-  flex: 1;
-  resize: none;
-  padding: 0.4rem 0.5rem;
-  border: none;
-  border-radius: 12px;
-  font-family: inherit;
-  font-size: 0.95rem;
-  background: transparent;
-  color: var(--color-input-bar-text);
-  outline: none;
-  max-height: 120px;
-  overflow-y: auto;
-}
-.chat-input-bar textarea::placeholder {
-  color: var(--color-input-bar-placeholder);
-}
-.chat-input-bar textarea:disabled {
-  opacity: 0.5;
-}
-
-/* Note picker */
-.note-picker-wrapper {
-  position: relative;
-}
-.btn-attach {
-  background: none;
-  border: none;
-  cursor: pointer;
-  color: var(--color-input-bar-text);
-  opacity: 0.6;
-  padding: 0.25rem;
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-}
-.btn-attach:hover {
-  opacity: 1;
-}
-.btn-attach:disabled {
-  opacity: 0.3;
-  cursor: default;
-}
-.note-picker-dropdown {
-  position: absolute;
-  bottom: calc(100% + 8px);
-  left: 0;
-  width: 280px;
-  background: var(--color-bg-card);
-  border: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-  border-radius: var(--radius-md);
-  box-shadow: 0 4px 16px var(--color-shadow);
-  z-index: 10;
-  overflow: hidden;
-}
-.note-picker-search {
-  width: 100%;
-  padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
-  border: none;
-  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-  background: transparent;
-  color: var(--color-text);
-  font-size: 0.9rem;
-  outline: none;
-  font-family: inherit;
-  box-sizing: border-box;
-}
-.note-picker-results {
-  max-height: 200px;
-  overflow-y: auto;
-}
-.note-picker-item {
-  padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
-  cursor: pointer;
-  font-size: 0.9rem;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  text-overflow: ellipsis;
-  white-space: nowrap;
-}
-.note-picker-item:hover {
-  background: var(--color-bg-secondary);
-}
-.note-picker-empty {
-  padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
-  color: var(--color-text-muted);
-  font-size: 0.85rem;
-}
-
-.btn-send {
-  width: 34px;
-  min-width: 34px;
-  height: 34px;
-  padding: 0;
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-  background: var(--color-primary);
-  color: #fff;
-  border: none;
-  border-radius: 50%;
-  cursor: pointer;
-  font-size: 1.1rem;
-  flex-shrink: 0;
-}
-.btn-send:disabled {
-  opacity: 0.35;
-  cursor: default;
-}
-
-.btn-mic-ptt {
-  transition: color 0.15s, opacity 0.15s;
-}
-.btn-mic-ptt.mic-recording {
-  color: #ef4444;
-  opacity: 1;
-}
-.btn-mic-ptt.mic-transcribing {
-  color: var(--color-primary);
-  opacity: 1;
-}
-</style>
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue b/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue
index 8b20de29..789fb08f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue
@@ -1,19 +1,17 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, computed, onMounted, onUnmounted } from "vue";
+import { ref, onMounted, onUnmounted } from "vue";
 import { apiGet, listEvents } from "@/api/client";
 import { useBackgroundRefresh } from "@/composables/useBackgroundRefresh";
 import { milestoneColor } from "@/utils/palette";
 import { fmtRelativeDateTime } from "@/utils/dateFormat";
 import type { Note } from "@/types/note";
 import type { Task, TaskListResponse, TaskStatus } from "@/types/task";
-import type { ToolCallRecord, Message } from "@/types/chat";
 import type { EventEntry } from "@/api/client";
 import NoteCard from "@/components/NoteCard.vue";
 import TaskCard from "@/components/TaskCard.vue";
 import StatusBadge from "@/components/StatusBadge.vue";
 import PriorityBadge from "@/components/PriorityBadge.vue";
-import ToolCallCard from "@/components/ToolCallCard.vue";
-import DashboardChatInput from "@/components/DashboardChatInput.vue";
+import ChatPanel from "@/components/ChatPanel.vue";
 import EventSlideOver from "@/components/EventSlideOver.vue";
 import { useTasksStore } from "@/stores/tasks";
 import { useChatStore } from "@/stores/chat";
@@ -157,7 +155,7 @@ onMounted(async () => {
   loading.value = false;
 
   // Focus chat input after data loads
-  chatInputRef.value?.focus();
+  chatPanelRef.value?.focus();
   loadProjects();
 
 });
@@ -216,10 +214,10 @@ function onStatusToggle(id: number, status: TaskStatus) {
 
 // ─── Chat widget ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-const chatInputRef = ref<{ focus: () => void } | null>(null);
+const chatPanelRef = ref<InstanceType<typeof ChatPanel> | null>(null);
 
 function onFocusChatShortcut() {
-  chatInputRef.value?.focus();
+  chatPanelRef.value?.focus();
 }
 
 onMounted(() => {
@@ -235,16 +233,6 @@ chatStore.fetchStatus().then(() => {
   if (chatStore.defaultModel) chatStore.warmModel(chatStore.defaultModel);
 });
 
-const dashboardConvId = ref<number | null>(null);
-const dashboardDone = ref(false);
-const dashboardQuery = ref("");
-const dashboardFinalContent = ref("");
-const dashboardFinalToolCalls = ref<ToolCallRecord[]>([]);
-
-const isConversational = computed(
-  () => dashboardDone.value && dashboardFinalToolCalls.value.length === 0
-);
-
 const QUICK_ACTIONS = [
   "What's due today?",
   "Events this week?",
@@ -252,38 +240,8 @@ const QUICK_ACTIONS = [
   "My high priority tasks?",
 ];
 
-async function onChatSubmit(payload: { content: string; contextNoteId?: number }) {
-  dashboardConvId.value = null;
-  dashboardDone.value = false;
-  dashboardFinalContent.value = "";
-  dashboardFinalToolCalls.value = [];
-  dashboardQuery.value = payload.content;
-
-  const conv = await chatStore.createConversation();
-  await chatStore.fetchConversation(conv.id);
-  dashboardConvId.value = conv.id;
-
-  await chatStore.sendMessage(payload.content, payload.contextNoteId);
-
-  const msgs = chatStore.currentConversation?.messages ?? [];
-  const lastAssistant = [...msgs]
-    .reverse()
-    .find((m: Message) => m.role === "assistant");
-  dashboardFinalContent.value = lastAssistant?.content ?? "";
-  dashboardFinalToolCalls.value = (lastAssistant?.tool_calls ?? []) as ToolCallRecord[];
-  dashboardDone.value = true;
-}
-
 async function onQuickAction(query: string) {
-  await onChatSubmit({ content: query });
-}
-
-function clearDashboardResponse() {
-  dashboardConvId.value = null;
-  dashboardDone.value = false;
-  dashboardQuery.value = "";
-  dashboardFinalContent.value = "";
-  dashboardFinalToolCalls.value = [];
+  await chatPanelRef.value?.send(query);
 }
 
 // ─── Upcoming events slide-over ───────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -324,38 +282,9 @@ function formatUpcomingTime(event: EventEntry): string {
           @click="onQuickAction(q)"
         >{{ q }}</button>
       </div>
-      <DashboardChatInput ref="chatInputRef" @submit="onChatSubmit" />
+      <ChatPanel ref="chatPanelRef" variant="widget" />
     </section>
 
-    <!-- ── Inline response ────────────────────────────────────── -->
-    <div v-if="dashboardConvId" class="dashboard-response">
-      <div class="dashboard-response-query">{{ dashboardQuery }}</div>
-      <div v-if="chatStore.streaming && chatStore.streamingToolCalls.length" class="dashboard-tool-calls">
-        <ToolCallCard v-for="(tc, i) in chatStore.streamingToolCalls" :key="i" :tool-call="tc" />
-      </div>
-      <div v-else-if="dashboardDone && dashboardFinalToolCalls.length" class="dashboard-tool-calls">
-        <ToolCallCard v-for="(tc, i) in dashboardFinalToolCalls" :key="i" :tool-call="tc" />
-      </div>
-      <div v-if="chatStore.streaming" class="dashboard-response-text streaming">
-        <div v-if="chatStore.streamingStatus && !chatStore.streamingContent" class="dashboard-status-line">
-          <span class="dashboard-status-dot"></span>{{ chatStore.streamingStatus }}
-        </div>
-        <span v-else-if="chatStore.streamingContent">{{ chatStore.streamingContent }}</span>
-        <span v-else class="thinking-dots">...</span>
-      </div>
-      <div v-else-if="dashboardDone && dashboardFinalContent" class="dashboard-response-text">
-        {{ dashboardFinalContent }}
-      </div>
-      <div class="dashboard-response-actions" :class="{ conversational: isConversational }">
-        <router-link
-          :to="`/chat/${dashboardConvId}`"
-          class="btn-open-chat"
-          :class="{ prominent: isConversational }"
-        >{{ isConversational ? 'Continue the conversation →' : 'Think it through in Chat →' }}</router-link>
-        <button class="btn-clear-response" @click="clearDashboardResponse">Clear</button>
-      </div>
-    </div>
-
     <!-- ── Upcoming events ────────────────────────────────────── -->
     <div v-if="!loading && upcomingEvents.length" class="upcoming-events-section">
       <div class="section-header">
@@ -608,92 +537,6 @@ function formatUpcomingTime(event: EventEntry): string {
 }
 .quick-action-chip:disabled { opacity: 0.4; cursor: default; }
 
-/* ─── Inline response ────────────────────────────────────────── */
-.dashboard-response {
-  max-width: 720px;
-  margin: 0 auto 1.5rem;
-  padding: 0.75rem 1rem;
-  background: var(--color-bg-card);
-  border-left: 2px solid var(--color-primary);
-  border-radius: var(--radius-md);
-  box-shadow: var(--color-bubble-asst-shadow);
-}
-.dashboard-response-query {
-  font-size: 0.8rem;
-  font-weight: 600;
-  color: var(--color-text-muted);
-  margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
-}
-.dashboard-tool-calls {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  gap: 0.35rem;
-  margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
-}
-.dashboard-response-text {
-  font-size: 0.9rem;
-  line-height: 1.55;
-  white-space: pre-wrap;
-  word-break: break-word;
-}
-.dashboard-response-text.streaming { color: var(--color-text-muted); }
-.thinking-dots { display: inline-block; animation: blink 1.2s infinite; }
-.dashboard-status-line {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.4rem;
-  font-style: italic;
-}
-.dashboard-status-dot {
-  display: inline-block;
-  width: 6px;
-  height: 6px;
-  border-radius: 50%;
-  background: var(--color-primary);
-  animation: blink 1.2s infinite;
-  flex-shrink: 0;
-}
-@keyframes blink {
-  0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
-  50% { opacity: 0.3; }
-}
-.dashboard-response-actions {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.75rem;
-  margin-top: 0.75rem;
-  padding-top: 0.5rem;
-}
-.btn-open-chat {
-  font-size: 0.85rem;
-  color: var(--color-primary);
-  text-decoration: none;
-  font-weight: 500;
-}
-.btn-open-chat:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
-.btn-open-chat.prominent {
-  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #6366f1, #4f46e5);
-  color: #fff;
-  padding: 0.35rem 0.85rem;
-  border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
-  font-size: 0.9rem;
-  box-shadow: 0 1px 6px rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.25);
-}
-.btn-open-chat.prominent:hover {
-  text-decoration: none;
-  box-shadow: 0 3px 12px rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.45);
-  filter: brightness(1.08);
-}
-.btn-clear-response {
-  font-size: 0.8rem;
-  color: var(--color-text-muted);
-  background: none;
-  border: none;
-  cursor: pointer;
-  padding: 0;
-}
-.btn-clear-response:hover { color: var(--color-text); }
-
 /* ─── Skeleton loading ───────────────────────────────────────── */
 .skeleton-hero {
   height: 180px;