diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 04cb95c..3a93cb5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ Flat on purpose. Two module trees, one options file each, no hidden layers.
 │       ├── rofi.nix               #   launcher + nomarchy-menu (power, clip)
 │       ├── swaync.nix             #   notifications, same JSON
 │       ├── idle.nix               #   hyprlock + hypridle, same JSON
-│       └── yazi.nix               #   flagship TUI file manager + plugins
+│       ├── yazi.nix               #   flagship TUI file manager + plugins
+│       └── osd.nix                #   swayosd volume/brightness OSD
 ├── hosts/
 │   ├── default/                   # reference machine (thin: boot, user, hostname)
 │   └── live.nix                   # bootable live ISO (try the distro, no install)
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ examples: **[docs/OVERRIDES.md](docs/OVERRIDES.md)**.
 | `nomarchy.swaync.enable` | `true` | swaync notifications, themed |
 | `nomarchy.idle.enable` | `true` | hyprlock + hypridle (idle lock 5 min, display off 10, suspend 30) |
 | `nomarchy.yazi.enable` | `true` | yazi TUI file manager, themed + curated plugins |
+| `nomarchy.osd.enable` | `true` | swayosd on-screen display for volume/brightness/mute |
 | `nomarchy.ghostty.enable` | `true` | Nomarchy's Ghostty |
 | `nomarchy.btop.enable` | `true` | btop with per-theme colors |
 | `nomarchy.stylix.enable` | `true` | GTK/Qt/cursor theming |
@@ -302,7 +304,8 @@ close · `SUPER+1..9` workspaces · `Print` region screenshot.
   v1: `nomarchy.system.plymouth.*`, background tinted from the state file)
 - Installer round 2: multi-disk BTRFS RAID, impermanence, BIOS/legacy
   boot (v1 `nomarchy-install` is single-disk UEFI — see `pkgs/nomarchy-install`)
-- swayosd (volume/brightness OSD), launch-or-focus UX scripts
+- launch-or-focus UX scripts (swayosd volume/brightness OSD ships since v1:
+  `nomarchy.osd.*`, media keys drive `swayosd-client`, themed from the JSON)
 - **Distro branding, round 2:** `distroName = "Nomarchy"` ships
   (os-release `PRETTY_NAME`, systemd-boot entries, ISO menu label).
   Remaining: `isoImage.splashImage`/`grubTheme` art for the ISO boot
diff --git a/modules/home/default.nix b/modules/home/default.nix
index 4cefbfa..861e789 100644
--- a/modules/home/default.nix
+++ b/modules/home/default.nix
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     ./swaync.nix    # notification daemon, themed from the same JSON
     ./idle.nix      # hyprlock + hypridle, themed from the same JSON
     ./yazi.nix      # flagship TUI file manager, themed + plugins
+    ./osd.nix       # swayosd volume/brightness OSD, themed
   ];
 
   # Clipboard history (wl-paste watcher); browsed via the SUPER+CTRL+V
diff --git a/modules/home/hyprland.nix b/modules/home/hyprland.nix
index 1a57669..30fd8b1 100644
--- a/modules/home/hyprland.nix
+++ b/modules/home/hyprland.nix
@@ -161,19 +161,19 @@ in
         ", Print, exec, grim -g \"$(slurp)\" - | wl-copy"
       ] ++ workspaceBinds;
 
-      # Media keys: wpctl talks to wireplumber directly (no
-      # pipewire-pulse shim like pamixer); e = repeat, l = also on a
-      # locked screen — the standard flags for hardware keys.
+      # Media keys via swayosd-client: it performs the action AND shows
+      # the on-screen display (the nomarchy.osd module). e = repeat,
+      # l = also on a locked screen — the standard flags for hardware keys.
       bindel = [
-        ", XF86AudioRaiseVolume, exec, wpctl set-volume -l 1.5 @DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@ 5%+"
-        ", XF86AudioLowerVolume, exec, wpctl set-volume @DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@ 5%-"
-        ", XF86MonBrightnessUp, exec, brightnessctl set +5%"
-        ", XF86MonBrightnessDown, exec, brightnessctl set 5%-"
+        ", XF86AudioRaiseVolume, exec, swayosd-client --output-volume raise"
+        ", XF86AudioLowerVolume, exec, swayosd-client --output-volume lower"
+        ", XF86MonBrightnessUp, exec, swayosd-client --brightness raise"
+        ", XF86MonBrightnessDown, exec, swayosd-client --brightness lower"
       ];
 
       bindl = [
-        ", XF86AudioMute, exec, wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@ toggle"
-        ", XF86AudioMicMute, exec, wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_AUDIO_SOURCE@ toggle"
+        ", XF86AudioMute, exec, swayosd-client --output-volume mute-toggle"
+        ", XF86AudioMicMute, exec, swayosd-client --input-volume mute-toggle"
         ", XF86AudioPlay, exec, playerctl play-pause"
         ", XF86AudioPause, exec, playerctl play-pause"
         ", XF86AudioNext, exec, playerctl next"
diff --git a/modules/home/options.nix b/modules/home/options.nix
index 34c0432..64ccf49 100644
--- a/modules/home/options.nix
+++ b/modules/home/options.nix
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
     swaync.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "swaync notifications, themed from the state file" // { default = true; };
     idle.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "hyprlock + hypridle (idle lock, display off, suspend)" // { default = true; };
     yazi.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "the yazi TUI file manager, themed with a curated plugin set" // { default = true; };
+    osd.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "swayosd on-screen display for volume/brightness/mute" // { default = true; };
     ghostty.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Nomarchy's Ghostty configuration" // { default = true; };
     btop.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "btop with the per-theme nomarchy theme" // { default = true; };
     stylix.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Stylix theming for the long tail of apps (GTK, Qt, cursors)" // { default = true; };
diff --git a/modules/home/osd.nix b/modules/home/osd.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df82ed1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/home/osd.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# swayosd — on-screen display for volume / brightness / mute (and caps
+# lock). The media keys drive it via swayosd-client (it performs the
+# action AND shows the OSD), so changing volume or brightness gives the
+# visual feedback that bare wpctl/brightnessctl didn't. Themed from
+# theme-state.json. Brightness needs the backlight udev rule shipped
+# system-side (modules/nixos/default.nix → services.udev.packages).
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+  cfg = config.nomarchy;
+  t = cfg.theme;
+  c = t.colors;
+
+  style = pkgs.writeText "swayosd-style.css" ''
+    window#osd {
+      border-radius: ${toString t.ui.rounding}px;
+      border: ${toString t.ui.borderSize}px solid ${c.accent};
+      background: alpha(${c.base}, 0.92);
+    }
+    window#osd #container { margin: 16px; }
+    window#osd image,
+    window#osd label { color: ${c.text}; }
+    window#osd progressbar:disabled,
+    window#osd image:disabled { opacity: 0.5; }
+    window#osd progressbar,
+    window#osd segmentedprogress {
+      min-height: 8px;
+      border-radius: 999px;
+      background: transparent;
+      border: none;
+    }
+    window#osd trough,
+    window#osd segment {
+      min-height: inherit;
+      border-radius: inherit;
+      border: none;
+      background: ${c.surface};
+    }
+    window#osd progress,
+    window#osd segment.active {
+      min-height: inherit;
+      border-radius: inherit;
+      border: none;
+      background: ${c.accent};
+    }
+  '';
+in
+{
+  config = lib.mkIf cfg.osd.enable {
+    services.swayosd = {
+      enable = true;
+      stylePath = style;
+    };
+  };
+}
diff --git a/modules/nixos/default.nix b/modules/nixos/default.nix
index 286b1bb..4e0b62b 100644
--- a/modules/nixos/default.nix
+++ b/modules/nixos/default.nix
@@ -189,6 +189,11 @@ in
     # Don't let boot entries fill the ESP over the years.
     boot.loader.systemd-boot.configurationLimit = lib.mkDefault 10;
 
+    # Backlight udev rule (chgrp video + g+w on /sys/class/backlight) so
+    # the desktop's swayosd brightness control works for video-group
+    # users without root. Harmless baseline even if the OSD is disabled.
+    services.udev.packages = [ pkgs.swayosd ];
+
     # ── Nix itself ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
     nix = {
       settings = {