diff --git a/src/components/AiChatWidget.astro b/src/components/AiChatWidget.astro
index 4c497458d..3ee68d039 100644
--- a/src/components/AiChatWidget.astro
+++ b/src/components/AiChatWidget.astro
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
       <!-- Floating popup icon (shown in sidebar mode) -->
       <svg id="ai-sb-undock" class="w-3.5 h-3.5 hidden" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><rect x="4" y="4" width="12" height="12" rx="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" /><path d="M20 8v12a2 2 0 01-2 2H8" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" /></svg>
     </button>
+    <button id="ai-minimize-btn" class="p-1 rounded-md text-[var(--color-text-muted)] hover:text-[var(--color-text-primary)] hover:bg-[var(--color-bg-hover)] transition-colors cursor-pointer" title="Minimize" aria-label="Minimize AI chat">
+      <svg class="w-3.5 h-3.5" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><path d="M5 12h14" stroke-linecap="round" /></svg>
+    </button>
     <button id="ai-fullscreen-btn" class="p-1 rounded-md text-[var(--color-text-muted)] hover:text-[var(--color-text-primary)] hover:bg-[var(--color-bg-hover)] transition-colors cursor-pointer" title="Toggle fullscreen">
       <svg id="ai-fs-expand" class="w-3.5 h-3.5" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><path d="M15 3h6v6M9 21H3v-6M21 3l-7 7M3 21l7-7" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" /></svg>
       <svg id="ai-fs-shrink" class="w-3.5 h-3.5 hidden" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><path d="M4 14h6v6M20 10h-6V4M14 10l7-7M3 21l7-7" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" /></svg>
@@ -127,6 +130,11 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
   </div>
 </div>
 
+<button id="ai-restore-chip" type="button" class="hidden fixed z-50 items-center gap-2 rounded-full border border-[var(--color-border-default)] px-3 py-2 text-xs font-medium text-[var(--color-text-primary)] shadow-lg cursor-pointer" style="background:#161616;bottom:24px;right:24px;min-height:44px;min-width:44px;" aria-label="Restore AI chat" title="Restore AI chat">
+  <svg class="w-3.5 h-3.5" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><path d="M4 14h6v6M20 10h-6V4M14 10l7-7M3 21l7-7" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" /></svg>
+  <span>Restore AI chat</span>
+</button>
+
 <script is:inline>
 (function() {
   function setupWidget() {
@@ -150,6 +158,8 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
     var quickBtns = document.querySelectorAll('.ai-wq');
 
     var sidebarBtn = document.getElementById('ai-sidebar-btn');
+    var minimizeBtn = document.getElementById('ai-minimize-btn');
+    var restoreChip = document.getElementById('ai-restore-chip');
     var resizeTop = document.getElementById('ai-resize-top');
     var resizeLeft = document.getElementById('ai-resize-left');
 
@@ -248,6 +258,7 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
 
     // Restore state from sessionStorage (persists across Astro page navigations)
     var isOpen = sessionStorage.getItem('ai-chat-open') === 'true';
+    var isMinimized = sessionStorage.getItem('ai-chat-minimized') === 'true';
     var conversationHistory = [];
     try {
       var stored = sessionStorage.getItem('ai-chat-history');
@@ -256,7 +267,19 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
 
     function saveState() {
       sessionStorage.setItem('ai-chat-open', isOpen ? 'true' : 'false');
+      sessionStorage.setItem('ai-chat-minimized', isMinimized ? 'true' : 'false');
       sessionStorage.setItem('ai-chat-history', JSON.stringify(conversationHistory.slice(-20)));
+      if (input) sessionStorage.setItem('ai-chat-draft', input.value);
+    }
+    function syncRestoreChip() {
+      if (!restoreChip) return;
+      if (isMinimized && !isOpen) {
+        restoreChip.classList.remove('hidden');
+        restoreChip.classList.add('flex');
+      } else {
+        restoreChip.classList.add('hidden');
+        restoreChip.classList.remove('flex');
+      }
     }
     function saveMessagesHtml() {
       if (messagesEl) {
@@ -460,7 +483,9 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
 
     function open() {
       isOpen = true;
+      isMinimized = false;
       saveState();
+      syncRestoreChip();
       applyDefault();
       // Lazy-load chat dependencies (marked.js, highlight.js, Turnstile) — await before allowing messages
       if (typeof window.loadChatDeps === 'function') {
@@ -477,10 +502,38 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
       if (input) setTimeout(function() { input.focus(); }, 100);
     }
 
+    function minimize() {
+      if (!isOpen) return;
+      var remembered = isFullscreen ? 'fullscreen' : (isSidebar ? 'sidebar' : 'popup');
+      if (isSidebar) exitSidebar();
+      if (isFullscreen) exitFullscreen();
+      sessionStorage.setItem('ai-chat-restore-mode', remembered);
+      isOpen = false;
+      isMinimized = true;
+      saveState();
+      saveMessagesHtml();
+      popup.style.opacity = '0';
+      popup.style.transform = 'translateY(8px) scale(0.97)';
+      setTimeout(function() { popup.classList.add('hidden'); popup.classList.remove('flex'); popup.style.transition = ''; }, 200);
+      syncRestoreChip();
+      if (restoreChip) restoreChip.focus();
+    }
+
+    function restore() {
+      isMinimized = false;
+      var mode = sessionStorage.getItem('ai-chat-restore-mode') || 'popup';
+      open();
+      if (mode === 'sidebar' && window.innerWidth >= 768) enterSidebar();
+      else if (mode === 'fullscreen') enterFullscreen();
+      saveState();
+    }
+
     function close() {
       if (isFullscreen) exitFullscreen();
       isOpen = false;
+      isMinimized = false;
       saveState();
+      syncRestoreChip();
       popup.style.opacity = '0';
       popup.style.transform = 'translateY(8px) scale(0.97)';
       setTimeout(function() { popup.classList.add('hidden'); popup.classList.remove('flex'); popup.style.transition = ''; }, 200);
@@ -591,20 +644,32 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
       if (isFullscreen) exitFullscreen();
       isSidebar ? exitSidebar() : enterSidebar();
     });
-    if (newChatBtn) newChatBtn.addEventListener('click', resetChat);
+    if (newChatBtn) newChatBtn.addEventListener('click', function() {
+      isMinimized = false;
+      sessionStorage.removeItem('ai-chat-draft');
+      if (input) input.value = '';
+      resetChat();
+      syncRestoreChip();
+    });
+    if (minimizeBtn) minimizeBtn.addEventListener('click', minimize);
+    if (restoreChip) restoreChip.addEventListener('click', restore);
     // Stop button kept for backward compat but send button is primary stop
     if (stopBtn) stopBtn.addEventListener('click', function() { if (currentAbortController) currentAbortController.abort(); });
 
-    window.openAiChat = function() { if (!isOpen) open(); };
+    window.openAiChat = function() {
+      if (isMinimized) restore();
+      else if (!isOpen) open();
+    };
     window._openAiChatInner = function() { if (!isOpen) open(); };
     window.closeAiChat = function() { if (isSidebar) exitSidebar(); if (isOpen) close(); };
 
     document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e) {
-      if (e.key === 'Escape' && isOpen) {
-        if (isFullscreen) exitFullscreen();
-        else if (isSidebar) { exitSidebar(); close(); }
-        else close();
-      }
+      if (e.key !== 'Escape' || !isOpen) return;
+      if (isFullscreen) { exitFullscreen(); return; }
+      var focusInside = popup.contains(document.activeElement);
+      if (!focusInside) return;
+      // minimize() records sidebar mode before undocking, so Restore re-docks
+      minimize();
     });
 
     // --- Resize (corner + top edge + left edge) ---
@@ -677,7 +742,9 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
         messagesEl.scrollTop = messagesEl.scrollHeight;
       }
       // Restore open state and mode
-      if (isOpen) {
+      if (isMinimized) {
+        syncRestoreChip();
+      } else if (isOpen) {
         var savedMode = sessionStorage.getItem('ai-chat-mode');
         if (savedMode === 'sidebar') {
           enterSidebar();
@@ -689,6 +756,8 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
         popup.style.opacity = '1';
         popup.style.transform = 'translateY(0) scale(1)';
       }
+      var savedDraft = sessionStorage.getItem('ai-chat-draft');
+      if (input && savedDraft) input.value = savedDraft;
     })();
 
     // ===========================================================
@@ -728,9 +797,10 @@ const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '';
       // Add user message
       addUserMsg(msg);
       conversationHistory.push({ role: 'user', content: msg });
-      saveState();
+      // Clear before saving so the sent text is not kept as the unsent draft
       input.value = '';
       input.style.height = 'auto';
+      saveState();
 
       // Create message group for assistant response
       var msgGroup = document.createElement('div');