diff --git a/sheaf/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/sheaf/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 834b504..75ed739 100644
--- a/sheaf/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/sheaf/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -131,6 +131,19 @@
                     android:host="notifications"
                     android:path="/redeem" />
             </intent-filter>
+            <!-- "Open Sheaf on phone" from the watch. The wear app fires this
+                 via RemoteActivityHelper when the user is stuck on the watch's
+                 "open on your phone to sign in" screen; it just brings the app
+                 to the foreground (the URL carries no redeem params, so
+                 captureRedemptionDeepLink ignores it). -->
+            <intent-filter android:autoVerify="false">
+                <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
+                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
+                <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
+                <data
+                    android:scheme="sheaf"
+                    android:host="open" />
+            </intent-filter>
             <!-- Verified App Link for the canonical domain. sheaf.sh hosts
                  /.well-known/assetlinks.json, so autoVerify lets these open
                  the app directly with no browser/chooser. Self-hosted
diff --git a/sheaf/app/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/ui/ampersandimport/AmpersandImportScreen.kt b/sheaf/app/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/ui/ampersandimport/AmpersandImportScreen.kt
index 1a40bc2..b45aa89 100644
--- a/sheaf/app/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/ui/ampersandimport/AmpersandImportScreen.kt
+++ b/sheaf/app/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/ui/ampersandimport/AmpersandImportScreen.kt
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ private fun FilePickSection(onPick: () -> Unit) {
         Text("Choose your Ampersand export to get started.", style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodyMedium, color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant)
         Button(onClick = onPick) { Text("Choose file") }
         Text(
-            "In Ampersand, open Settings → Import & export → Export, and save the " +
-                ".json file. Then select it here.",
+            "In Ampersand, open Settings → Import & export → Export your data to a JSON file (note: this is a different option to 'Export your data', which " +
+                "produces an incompatible file format), and save the .json file. Then select it here.",
             style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
             color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant.copy(alpha = 0.7f),
         )
diff --git a/sheaf/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/sheaf/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 4fd1bf3..2a1e711 100644
--- a/sheaf/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/sheaf/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ wearCompose = "1.4.1"
 wearTiles = "1.4.1"
 wearComplications = "1.3.0"
 playServicesWearable = "18.2.0"
+wearRemoteInteractions = "1.0.0"
 concurrentFutures = "1.1.0"
 room = "2.6.1"
 work = "2.9.1"
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ wear-tiles = { group = "androidx.wear.tiles", name = "tiles", version.ref = "wea
 wear-tiles-material = { group = "androidx.wear.tiles", name = "tiles-material", version.ref = "wearTiles" }
 wear-complications-data-source-ktx = { group = "androidx.wear.watchface", name = "watchface-complications-data-source-ktx", version.ref = "wearComplications" }
 play-services-wearable = { group = "com.google.android.gms", name = "play-services-wearable", version.ref = "playServicesWearable" }
+wear-remote-interactions = { group = "androidx.wear", name = "wear-remote-interactions", version.ref = "wearRemoteInteractions" }
 concurrent-futures = { group = "androidx.concurrent", name = "concurrent-futures-ktx", version.ref = "concurrentFutures" }
 kotlinx-coroutines-play-services = { group = "org.jetbrains.kotlinx", name = "kotlinx-coroutines-play-services", version.ref = "coroutines" }
 room-runtime = { group = "androidx.room", name = "room-runtime", version.ref = "room" }
diff --git a/sheaf/wear/build.gradle.kts b/sheaf/wear/build.gradle.kts
index ffbb237..5e3a732 100644
--- a/sheaf/wear/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/sheaf/wear/build.gradle.kts
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ dependencies {
     // Wearable Data Layer
     implementation(libs.play.services.wearable)
     implementation(libs.kotlinx.coroutines.play.services)
+    // Opening the companion app on the phone from the watch
+    implementation(libs.wear.remote.interactions)
 
     // Networking
     implementation(libs.okhttp.logging)
diff --git a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearAuthManager.kt b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearAuthManager.kt
index 74ba66b..933e1d2 100644
--- a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearAuthManager.kt
+++ b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearAuthManager.kt
@@ -47,17 +47,32 @@ class WearAuthManager(context: Context) {
         !secureString("access_token").isNullOrBlank() &&
         !secureString("base_url").isNullOrBlank()
 
-    private val _isAuthenticatedFlow = MutableStateFlow(isCredentialed())
-    val isAuthenticatedFlow: StateFlow<Boolean> = _isAuthenticatedFlow.asStateFlow()
+    // Auth state is a PROCESS-WIDE flow, not a per-instance one. The data-layer
+    // service, the activity, tiles and complications each build their own
+    // WearAuthManager over the same encrypted store; a per-instance flow meant
+    // the service applying a phone-pushed token updated only its own copy, so
+    // the login screen (observing the activity's copy) never saw it and the
+    // user had to leave and re-enter the screen. A shared flow means any
+    // instance's saveCredentials/clearCredentials updates the exact flow the UI
+    // collects. The signal-counter listener below stays as a belt for any write
+    // that bypasses this class.
+    val isAuthenticatedFlow: StateFlow<Boolean> = sharedAuthFlow.asStateFlow()
+
+    val isAuthenticated: Boolean get() = sharedAuthFlow.value
 
-    val isAuthenticated: Boolean get() = _isAuthenticatedFlow.value
+    init {
+        // Reconcile the shared flow with what's actually on disk for this
+        // (process-wide) store, so a freshly constructed manager reflects the
+        // current credential state.
+        sharedAuthFlow.value = isCredentialed()
+    }
 
     // React to credential writes from other instances (e.g. the data-layer
     // service handling a phone push) via the non-secret signal counter.
     private val signalListener =
         SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceChangeListener { _, key ->
             if (key == KEY_CREDS_VERSION) {
-                _isAuthenticatedFlow.value = isCredentialed()
+                sharedAuthFlow.value = isCredentialed()
             }
         }
 
@@ -83,7 +98,7 @@ class WearAuthManager(context: Context) {
         // Applying credentials means we're signed in again, so drop any manual
         // sign-out latch (a phone push or a manual watch login both land here).
         signal.edit().putBoolean(KEY_MANUALLY_SIGNED_OUT, false).apply()
-        _isAuthenticatedFlow.value = true
+        sharedAuthFlow.value = true
         notifyCredsChanged()
     }
 
@@ -114,7 +129,7 @@ class WearAuthManager(context: Context) {
             .remove("access_token")
             .remove("refresh_token")
             .apply()
-        _isAuthenticatedFlow.value = false
+        sharedAuthFlow.value = false
         notifyCredsChanged()
     }
 
@@ -185,6 +200,11 @@ class WearAuthManager(context: Context) {
     }
 
     private companion object {
+        // Process-wide auth state, shared across every WearAuthManager instance
+        // in the process so a credential write from one (e.g. the data-layer
+        // service) is observed by the others (e.g. the login screen).
+        val sharedAuthFlow = MutableStateFlow(false)
+
         const val TAG = "WearAuthManager"
         const val LEGACY_FILE = "wear_auth"
         const val SECURE_FILE = "wear_auth_secure"
diff --git a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearStore.kt b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearStore.kt
index c1bb338..ea913ab 100644
--- a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearStore.kt
+++ b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/data/WearStore.kt
@@ -9,6 +9,16 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
 
+/** Result of a [WearStore.switchFront] attempt, so callers can word the toast. */
+enum class SwitchOutcome {
+    /** The switch was applied (or captured offline and will land). */
+    SWITCHED,
+    /** An open front already had this exact member set; nothing to do. */
+    ALREADY_FRONTING,
+    /** A permanent client error the user should be told about. */
+    FAILED,
+}
+
 class WearStore(
     val apiClient: WearApiClient,
     private val context: Context,
@@ -137,22 +147,28 @@ class WearStore(
         }
     }
 
-    suspend fun switchFront(memberIds: List<String>, replaceFronts: Boolean? = null): Boolean {
+    suspend fun switchFront(memberIds: List<String>, replaceFronts: Boolean? = null): SwitchOutcome {
         error.value = null
         // Try the direct API path first. Common case; succeeds when the
         // watch has its own network.
         runCatching { apiClient.createFront(memberIds, replaceFronts) }
             .onSuccess {
                 loadAll()
-                return true
+                return SwitchOutcome.SWITCHED
             }
             .onFailure { e ->
-                // A permanent client error (deleted member, bad payload) will
-                // never succeed on replay, so don't queue it or report success:
-                // surface it instead of silently dropping the switch on the floor.
-                if (e is WearApiException && isPermanentSwitchError(e.code)) {
-                    error.value = "Couldn't switch front (error ${e.code})"
-                    return false
+                if (e is WearApiException) {
+                    // 409 = an open front already has this exact member set. The
+                    // state the user wanted already holds, so this isn't a
+                    // failure; say so specifically instead of "switch failed".
+                    if (e.code == 409) return SwitchOutcome.ALREADY_FRONTING
+                    // Any other permanent client error (deleted member, bad
+                    // payload) will never succeed on replay, so don't queue it or
+                    // report success: surface it instead of dropping the switch.
+                    if (isPermanentSwitchError(e.code)) {
+                        error.value = "Couldn't switch front (error ${e.code})"
+                        return SwitchOutcome.FAILED
+                    }
                 }
             }
         // Direct call failed (most often: watch is offline). Two
@@ -170,11 +186,10 @@ class WearStore(
         if (!WearSwitchQueue.sendToPhone(context, queued)) {
             WearSwitchQueue.enqueue(context, queued)
         }
-        // Report success either way: the user pressed switch, the
-        // system has captured it, and it will land — surfacing a
-        // transient "network failed" they can't act on would be
-        // worse UX than the rare lost-on-floor case below.
-        return true
+        // Report a switch either way: the user pressed switch, the system has
+        // captured it, and it will land. Surfacing a transient "network failed"
+        // they can't act on would be worse UX than the rare lost-on-floor case.
+        return SwitchOutcome.SWITCHED
     }
 
     suspend fun createMember(name: String, displayName: String?, pronouns: String?): WearMember {
diff --git a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/SwitchScreen.kt b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/SwitchScreen.kt
index f52436e..be9f3fd 100644
--- a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/SwitchScreen.kt
+++ b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/SwitchScreen.kt
@@ -65,10 +65,12 @@ fun SwitchScreen(navController: NavController) {
     // one-shot override for this switch and doesn't change the saved default.
     var endExisting by remember(endExistingDefault) { mutableStateOf(endExistingDefault) }
     var isSwitching by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
-    var switched by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
+    // Non-null once a switch attempt resolved to a "done" state: the confirm
+    // text to flash before popping (either "Switched!" or "Already fronting").
+    var confirmText by remember { mutableStateOf<String?>(null) }
 
-    LaunchedEffect(switched) {
-        if (switched) {
+    LaunchedEffect(confirmText) {
+        if (confirmText != null) {
             delay(1000)
             navController.popBackStack()
         }
@@ -90,10 +92,10 @@ fun SwitchScreen(navController: NavController) {
                     CircularProgressIndicator()
                 }
             }
-            switched -> {
+            confirmText != null -> {
                 Box(Modifier.fillMaxSize(), contentAlignment = Alignment.Center) {
                     Text(
-                        text = "Switched!",
+                        text = confirmText!!,
                         style = MaterialTheme.typography.title3,
                         color = MaterialTheme.colors.secondary,
                     )
@@ -187,9 +189,14 @@ fun SwitchScreen(navController: NavController) {
                         onClick = {
                             isSwitching = true
                             scope.launch {
-                                val ok = store.switchFront(selected.toList(), endExisting)
+                                val outcome = store.switchFront(selected.toList(), endExisting)
                                 isSwitching = false
-                                if (ok) switched = true
+                                confirmText = when (outcome) {
+                                    systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.SwitchOutcome.SWITCHED -> "Switched!"
+                                    systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.SwitchOutcome.ALREADY_FRONTING -> "Already fronting"
+                                    // Failure: store.error drives the banner; stay on the screen.
+                                    systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.SwitchOutcome.FAILED -> null
+                                }
                             }
                         },
                         // Mint-green commit accent so the action chip reads
diff --git a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/WearNavigation.kt b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/WearNavigation.kt
index 1feb8db..02bc1d8 100644
--- a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/WearNavigation.kt
+++ b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/presentation/WearNavigation.kt
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
 import androidx.compose.runtime.staticCompositionLocalOf
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
+import android.content.Context
+import android.content.Intent
+import android.net.Uri
+import android.widget.Toast
+import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
+import androidx.wear.remote.interactions.RemoteActivityHelper
 import androidx.navigation.NavType
 import androidx.navigation.navArgument
 import androidx.wear.compose.foundation.lazy.ScalingLazyColumn
@@ -33,6 +40,27 @@ import systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.WearAuthManager
 import systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.WearSettingsStore
 import systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.WearStore
 
+/**
+ * Ask the paired phone to open the Sheaf app. Uses RemoteActivityHelper (a
+ * system-mediated remote start, so it isn't blocked by the phone's background-
+ * activity-launch limits) with a `sheaf://open` deep link the phone app
+ * registers. Toasts if the phone can't be reached.
+ */
+private fun openSheafOnPhone(context: Context) {
+    val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW)
+        .addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_BROWSABLE)
+        .setData(Uri.parse("sheaf://open"))
+    val future = RemoteActivityHelper(context).startRemoteActivity(intent)
+    future.addListener(
+        {
+            runCatching { future.get() }.onFailure {
+                Toast.makeText(context, "Couldn't reach your phone", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
+            }
+        },
+        ContextCompat.getMainExecutor(context),
+    )
+}
+
 val LocalWearStore    = staticCompositionLocalOf<WearStore> { error("No WearStore") }
 val LocalWearAuth     = staticCompositionLocalOf<WearAuthManager> { error("No WearAuthManager") }
 val LocalWearSettings = staticCompositionLocalOf<WearSettingsStore> { error("No WearSettingsStore") }
@@ -64,6 +92,7 @@ fun WearNavigation(
     }
 
     if (!isAuthenticated) {
+        val context = LocalContext.current
         var showLogin by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
         if (showLogin) {
             WearLoginScreen(
@@ -89,11 +118,19 @@ fun WearNavigation(
                             style = MaterialTheme.typography.body1,
                         )
                     }
+                    item {
+                        Chip(
+                            label = { Text("Open on phone") },
+                            onClick = { openSheafOnPhone(context) },
+                            colors = ChipDefaults.primaryChipColors(),
+                            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth(),
+                        )
+                    }
                     item {
                         Chip(
                             label = { Text("Retry Sync") },
                             onClick = onRequestSync,
-                            colors = ChipDefaults.primaryChipColors(),
+                            colors = ChipDefaults.secondaryChipColors(),
                             modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth(),
                         )
                     }
diff --git a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/tile/QuickSwitchTrampolineActivity.kt b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/tile/QuickSwitchTrampolineActivity.kt
index 6851ae0..233784b 100644
--- a/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/tile/QuickSwitchTrampolineActivity.kt
+++ b/sheaf/wear/src/main/java/systems/lupine/sheaf/wear/tile/QuickSwitchTrampolineActivity.kt
@@ -89,8 +89,11 @@ class QuickSwitchTrampolineActivity : ComponentActivity() {
         val store = WearStore(api, applicationContext)
 
         lifecycleScope.launch {
-            val ok = store.switchFront(selected, replaceFronts = endExisting)
-            val msg = if (ok) "Switched to $name" else "Switch failed"
+            val msg = when (store.switchFront(selected, replaceFronts = endExisting)) {
+                systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.SwitchOutcome.SWITCHED -> "Switched to $name"
+                systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.SwitchOutcome.ALREADY_FRONTING -> "$name already fronting"
+                systems.lupine.sheaf.wear.data.SwitchOutcome.FAILED -> "Switch failed"
+            }
             Toast.makeText(applicationContext, msg, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
             // Always reset transient state on commit attempts. If the call
             // failed the user can re-pick; leaving the selection sticky