diff --git a/Controls/DeveloperPanel.xaml b/Controls/DeveloperPanel.xaml
index 64774bf..020fb7f 100644
--- a/Controls/DeveloperPanel.xaml
+++ b/Controls/DeveloperPanel.xaml
@@ -7,15 +7,15 @@
          to a window or reference it from code that compiles in Release; the only host is
          OverlayHost.xaml.cs inside #if DEBUG. -->
     <StackPanel>
-        <TextBlock Text="Developer" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.Attention}" FontSize="11"
-                   FontWeight="SemiBold" Margin="0,10,0,2"/>
+        <TextBlock Text="Developer" Style="{StaticResource PropertyHeader}"
+                   Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.Attention}"/>
 
-        <CheckBox Margin="10,2,0,0" IsChecked="{Binding DeveloperMode, Mode=TwoWay}"
-                  Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurface}"
+        <CheckBox Style="{StaticResource PropertyPillCheck}" Margin="10,2,0,0"
+                  IsChecked="{Binding DeveloperMode, Mode=TwoWay}"
                   Content="Developer mode — all resolutions, output budget ignored"/>
 
         <TextBlock Text="Debug builds only. Overrides the free output profile (921,600 px / 30 fps). Never present in a release build."
-                   Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.Attention}" FontSize="10" TextWrapping="Wrap"
+                   Style="{StaticResource PropertyHint}" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.Attention}"
                    Margin="10,4,0,8"/>
     </StackPanel>
 </UserControl>
diff --git a/Controls/LeftPanel.xaml b/Controls/LeftPanel.xaml
index f5cd0b3..f6a5b91 100644
--- a/Controls/LeftPanel.xaml
+++ b/Controls/LeftPanel.xaml
@@ -315,10 +315,10 @@
                             <StackPanel Visibility="{Binding SelectedElement.IsDraggable, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}" Margin="0,0,0,8">
                                 <StackPanel Visibility="{Binding SelectedElement.IsChatBox, Converter={StaticResource InverseBoolToVis}}">
                                   <StackPanel Visibility="{Binding SelectedElement.IsBlur, Converter={StaticResource InverseBoolToVis}}">
-                                    <TextBlock Text="Opacity" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="11" Margin="0,0,0,2"/>
-                                    <DockPanel Margin="0,0,0,6">
-                                        <TextBlock x:Name="OpacityValueText" Text="100%" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="11"
-                                                   DockPanel.Dock="Right" VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="8,0,0,0" Width="32"/>
+                                    <TextBlock Text="Opacity" Style="{StaticResource PropertyHeader}"/>
+                                    <DockPanel Margin="10,0,0,6">
+                                        <TextBlock x:Name="OpacityValueText" Text="100%" Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}"
+                                                   DockPanel.Dock="Right" Margin="8,0,0,0" Width="32"/>
                                         <Slider x:Name="OpacitySlider" Width="120" Minimum="0" Maximum="1"
                                                 Value="{Binding SelectedElement.Opacity, Mode=TwoWay}"
                                                 ValueChanged="OpacitySlider_ValueChanged" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@
                                 <!-- The drag hint sits under the shape row — indented, so the
                                      parentage shows. -->
                                 <TextBlock Text="Drag to move · drag the corner dot to resize"
-                                           Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="10" Margin="10,2,0,0"/>
+                                           Style="{StaticResource PropertyHint}" Margin="10,2,0,0"/>
                             </StackPanel>
 
                             <!-- Webcam geometry (TASK 57): under the vertical tier the camera
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@
                             <StackPanel Visibility="{Binding SelectedElement.IsScoreboard, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}"
                                         IsEnabled="{Binding CanUseScoreboard}" Margin="0,0,0,8">
                                 <TextBlock Text="Sign in to YouTube to use the scoreboard."
-                                           Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="11" Margin="0,0,0,4"
+                                           Style="{StaticResource PropertyHint}" Margin="0,0,0,4"
                                            Visibility="{Binding CanUseScoreboard, Converter={StaticResource InverseBoolToVis}}"/>
                                 <!-- DEBUG builds only: prove the strip in the preview before a real
                                      stream. Absent from Release, not merely hidden by a flag. -->
@@ -500,21 +500,21 @@
                                           Visibility="{Binding IsDevelopmentBuild, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
                                     <!-- Dev-only affordances wear orange so a development control can never
                                          be mistaken for product. -->
-                                    <TextBlock Text="Simulate (dev)" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.Attention}" FontSize="12"/>
+                                    <TextBlock Text="Simulate (dev)" Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}"
+                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.Attention}"/>
                                 </CheckBox>
                                 <CheckBox Style="{StaticResource PropertyPillCheck}" Margin="0,0,0,4"
                                           Content="Show the scoreboard" IsChecked="{Binding ScoreboardEnabled, Mode=TwoWay}"
                                           ToolTip="Off hides the strip in every scene AND stops the channel polling."/>
-                                <TextBlock Text="Edge (socials take the other)" Style="{StaticResource PropertySubHeader}"/>
+                                <TextBlock Text="Edge (socials take the other)" Style="{StaticResource PropertyHeader}"/>
                                 <ComboBox Style="{StaticResource YtComboBox}" Height="24" FontSize="11" Margin="10,0,0,6"
                                           ItemsSource="{Binding ScoreboardEdgeOptions}"
                                           SelectedItem="{Binding ScoreboardEdge, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
 
                                 <DockPanel Margin="10,0,0,6">
-                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Left" Text="Scroll speed" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}"
-                                               FontSize="11" Width="76" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
-                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="56" TextAlignment="Right" FontSize="11"
-                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Left" Text="Scroll speed" Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}" Width="76"/>
+                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="56" TextAlignment="Right"
+                                               Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}"
                                                Text="{Binding ScoreboardScrollSpeed, StringFormat={}{0:0} px/s}"/>
                                     <Slider Minimum="20" Maximum="200" SmallChange="10" LargeChange="40"
                                             Value="{Binding ScoreboardScrollSpeed, Mode=TwoWay}" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@
                                               IsChecked="{Binding ScoreboardShowLastGift, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
                                 </WrapPanel>
 
-                                <TextBlock Text="Text colour" Style="{StaticResource PropertySubHeader}"/>
+                                <TextBlock Text="Text colour" Style="{StaticResource PropertyHeader}"/>
                                 <ComboBox Style="{StaticResource YtComboBox}" Height="24" FontSize="11" Margin="10,0,0,6"
                                           ItemsSource="{Binding ScoreboardColorOptions}" DisplayMemberPath="Name"
                                           SelectedValuePath="Hex" SelectedValue="{Binding ScoreboardTextColor, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
@@ -551,20 +551,18 @@
                                           ItemsSource="{Binding ScoreboardColorOptions}" DisplayMemberPath="Name"
                                           SelectedValuePath="Hex" SelectedValue="{Binding ScoreboardBackgroundColor, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
                                 <DockPanel Margin="10,0,0,6">
-                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Left" Text="Opacity" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}"
-                                               FontSize="11" Width="60" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
-                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="42" TextAlignment="Right" FontSize="11"
-                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Left" Text="Opacity" Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}" Width="60"/>
+                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="42" TextAlignment="Right"
+                                               Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}"
                                                Text="{Binding ScoreboardBackgroundOpacity, StringFormat={}{0:P0}}"/>
                                     <Slider Minimum="0" Maximum="1" SmallChange="0.05" LargeChange="0.1"
                                             Value="{Binding ScoreboardBackgroundOpacity, Mode=TwoWay}" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                                 </DockPanel>
 
                                 <DockPanel Margin="10,0,0,0">
-                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Left" Text="Text size" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}"
-                                               FontSize="11" Width="60" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
-                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="56" TextAlignment="Right" FontSize="11"
-                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Left" Text="Text size" Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}" Width="60"/>
+                                    <TextBlock DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="56" TextAlignment="Right"
+                                               Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}"
                                                Text="{Binding ScoreboardFontSizeLabel}"/>
                                     <Slider Minimum="14" Maximum="24" SmallChange="1" LargeChange="2" TickFrequency="1" IsSnapToTickEnabled="True"
                                             Value="{Binding ScoreboardFontSize, Mode=TwoWay}" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
@@ -573,8 +571,8 @@
 
                             <!-- Countdown config -->
                             <StackPanel Visibility="{Binding SelectedElement.IsCountdown, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}" Margin="0,0,0,8">
-                                <TextBlock Text="Timer (minutes)" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="11" Margin="0,0,0,2"/>
-                                <DockPanel Margin="0,0,0,6">
+                                <TextBlock Text="Timer (minutes)" Style="{StaticResource PropertyHeader}"/>
+                                <DockPanel Margin="10,0,0,6">
                                     <Button DockPanel.Dock="Right" Style="{StaticResource IconButton}"
                                             Width="22" Height="22" Margin="4,0,0,0"
                                             Click="CountdownAccept_Click">
@@ -613,8 +611,8 @@
                                     <TextBox Text="{Binding SelectedElement.Height, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged, StringFormat=F0}"
                                              Style="{StaticResource YtTextBoxCompact}"/>
                                 </DockPanel>
-                                <TextBlock Text="URI" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="11" Margin="0,0,0,2"/>
-                                <DockPanel>
+                                <TextBlock Text="URI" Style="{StaticResource PropertyHeader}"/>
+                                <DockPanel Margin="10,0,0,0">
                                     <Button DockPanel.Dock="Right" Style="{StaticResource IconButton}"
                                             Width="22" Height="22" Margin="4,0,0,0" IsTabStop="False"
                                             Click="WebAccept_Click">
@@ -852,7 +850,7 @@
                             <!-- Background properties -->
                             <StackPanel Margin="0,8,0,0"
                                         Visibility="{Binding SelectedElement.IsBackground, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
-                                <TextBlock Text="Background" Style="{StaticResource SubHeader}"/>
+                                <TextBlock Text="Background" Style="{StaticResource PropertyHeader}"/>
                                 <StackPanel Margin="4,0,0,0">
                                     <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Margin="0,0,0,8">
                                         <TextBlock Text="Use default background:" Style="{StaticResource PropertyFieldLabel}"/>
diff --git a/Themes/Controls.xaml b/Themes/Controls.xaml
index 606135e..ae52697 100644
--- a/Themes/Controls.xaml
+++ b/Themes/Controls.xaml
@@ -147,9 +147,11 @@
          (the guard test in ytLive.Tests/PropertiesStyleTests.cs enforces it). -->
     <!-- ═══ Property-panel typography (2026-11-01) ═══
          One hierarchy for every properties section, so no panel invents its own:
-           PropertyHeader    — the category (bright, 11px, semibold)
-           PropertySubHeader — a field label inside it (dim, 10px, indented)
-           PropertyHint      — the explanatory sentence under a control (dim, 10px, wrapped)
+           PropertyHeader     — the heading of a group (bright, 11px, semibold)
+           PropertyFieldLabel — the label in a row with its control (dim, 10px, semibold)
+           PropertyHint       — the explanatory sentence under a control (dim, 10px, wrapped)
+         ONE heading rank: a group is never sometimes a header and sometimes a sub-header, which
+         is what put Ticker out of step with Geometry (creator ruling, 2026-11-01).
          Colour does the grouping: bright for the thing you are editing, dim for its labels and
          help. No new palette entries; these are the existing OnSurface / OnSurfaceVariant tokens. -->
     <Style x:Key="PropertyHeader" TargetType="TextBlock">
@@ -159,18 +161,9 @@
         <Setter Property="Margin" Value="0,0,0,6"/>
     </Style>
 
-    <!-- Sub-headings sit FLUSH LEFT, level with the category header; it is their smaller size and
-         dimmer colour that make them subordinate, not an indent. Only the controls indent. -->
-    <Style x:Key="PropertySubHeader" TargetType="TextBlock">
-        <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}"/>
-        <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="10"/>
-        <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="SemiBold"/>
-        <Setter Property="Margin" Value="0,6,0,3"/>
-    </Style>
-
-    <!-- A field label that sits in a row with its control (DockPanel.Dock="Left", fixed Width).
-         Same typography as PropertySubHeader, but vertically centred and marginless so the rows
-         stay on a grid. -->
+    <!-- A field label that sits in a row with its control (DockPanel.Dock="Left", fixed Width),
+         or a value readout beside a slider. Vertically centred and marginless so the rows stay on
+         a grid. -->
     <Style x:Key="PropertyFieldLabel" TargetType="TextBlock">
         <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}"/>
         <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="10"/>
diff --git a/ytLive.Tests/PropertiesStyleTests.cs b/ytLive.Tests/PropertiesStyleTests.cs
index 04e5e7b..0c10c67 100644
--- a/ytLive.Tests/PropertiesStyleTests.cs
+++ b/ytLive.Tests/PropertiesStyleTests.cs
@@ -43,9 +43,17 @@ public class PropertiesStyleTests
                 AssertStyled(combo, "YtComboBox",
                     $"{where}: a ComboBox is not styled with YtComboBox — it renders with the light system template");
 
+            // Every check box is a pill switch (creator ruling, 2026-11-01: "all checkboxes as
+            // pill switches"), so PropertyPillCheck is the theme style that matters here; YtCheckBox
+            // is still accepted where a plain box is deliberate.
             foreach (var check in doc.Descendants().Where(e => e.Name.LocalName == "CheckBox"))
-                AssertStyled(check, "YtCheckBox",
-                    $"{where}: a CheckBox is not styled with YtCheckBox — it renders with the light system template");
+            {
+                var style = (string?)check.Attribute("Style") ?? string.Empty;
+                Assert.True(
+                    style.Contains("PropertyPillCheck", StringComparison.Ordinal)
+                    || style.Contains("YtCheckBox", StringComparison.Ordinal),
+                    $"{where}: a CheckBox carries no theme style — it renders with the light system template");
+            }
         }
 
         // 3. Every field in the properties panel carries the compact theme style and paints