diff --git a/ui/goose2/scripts/check-file-sizes.mjs b/ui/goose2/scripts/check-file-sizes.mjs
index 9d2b3c4b..15460b7e 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/scripts/check-file-sizes.mjs
+++ b/ui/goose2/scripts/check-file-sizes.mjs
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ const EXCEPTIONS = {
     justification:
       "Voice dictation send/stop guards, attachment handling, and mention/picker coordination still share one chat composer component.",
   },
+  "src/features/chat/ui/MessageBubble.tsx": {
+    limit: 520,
+    justification:
+      "Bubble rendering still owns assistant identity, grouped tool output, attachments, and the inline actions tray pending a later extraction pass.",
+  },
   "src/features/chat/ui/__tests__/ChatInput.test.tsx": {
     limit: 520,
     justification:
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/MessageBubble.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/MessageBubble.tsx
index 6363f98c..e82b45bf 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/MessageBubble.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/MessageBubble.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-import { useState, memo } from "react";
+import { memo } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import {
   Copy,
   Check,
   RotateCcw,
   Pencil,
-  User,
   FileText,
   FolderClosed,
 } from "lucide-react";
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ import { openPath } from "@tauri-apps/plugin-opener";
 import { cn } from "@/shared/lib/cn";
 import { useLocaleFormatting } from "@/shared/i18n";
 import { useAgentStore } from "@/features/agents/stores/agentStore";
+import { useCopyToClipboard } from "@/hooks/use-copy-to-clipboard";
 import { getCatalogEntry } from "@/features/providers/providerCatalog";
 import {
   getProviderIcon,
@@ -281,20 +281,25 @@ function renderContentBlock(
   }
 }
 
-function CopyAction({ text }: { text: string }) {
+function CopyAction({
+  copied,
+  onCopy,
+}: {
+  copied: boolean;
+  onCopy: () => void;
+}) {
   const { t } = useTranslation(["chat", "common"]);
-  const [copied, setCopied] = useState(false);
-
-  const handleCopy = () => {
-    navigator.clipboard.writeText(text);
-    setCopied(true);
-    setTimeout(() => setCopied(false), 2000);
-  };
 
   return (
     <MessageAction
+      size="xs"
+      variant="ghost-light"
+      className={cn(
+        "text-muted-foreground",
+        copied && "bg-accent text-foreground hover:bg-accent active:bg-accent",
+      )}
       tooltip={copied ? t("message.copied") : t("common:actions.copy")}
-      onClick={handleCopy}
+      onClick={onCopy}
     >
       {copied ? <Check className="size-3.5" /> : <Copy className="size-3.5" />}
     </MessageAction>
@@ -316,6 +321,7 @@ export const MessageBubble = memo(function MessageBubble({
       ? state.getPersonaById(message.metadata.personaId)
       : undefined,
   );
+  const { isCopied: isCopyConfirmed, copyToClipboard } = useCopyToClipboard();
   const personaAvatarUrl = useAvatarSrc(persona?.avatar);
 
   const textContent = content
@@ -356,26 +362,31 @@ export const MessageBubble = memo(function MessageBubble({
       (assistantDisplayName || personaAvatarUrl || assistantProviderIcon),
   );
   const messageAttachments = message.metadata?.attachments ?? [];
+  const timestamp = (
+    <span
+      data-role="message-timestamp"
+      className="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap px-1 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground"
+    >
+      {formatDate(created, {
+        hour: "2-digit",
+        minute: "2-digit",
+      })}
+    </span>
+  );
 
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(
-        "group flex px-4 py-1",
+        "flex px-4 py-1",
         "animate-in fade-in duration-200 motion-reduce:animate-none",
         isUser ? "ml-auto flex-row-reverse gap-3" : "flex-row",
       )}
       data-role={isUser ? "user-message" : "assistant-message"}
     >
-      {isUser ? (
-        <div className="flex h-7 w-7 shrink-0 self-start -mt-1 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-accent">
-          <User size={14} className="text-muted-foreground" />
-        </div>
-      ) : null}
-
       <div
         className={cn(
-          "min-w-0 flex flex-col gap-1",
-          isUser ? "max-w-[80%] items-end" : "max-w-[85%] items-start",
+          "group relative min-w-0 flex flex-col gap-1 pb-8",
+          isUser ? "max-w-[640px] items-end" : "max-w-[85%] items-start",
         )}
       >
         {showAssistantIdentity ? (
@@ -406,7 +417,10 @@ export const MessageBubble = memo(function MessageBubble({
         {/* biome-ignore lint/a11y/useKeyWithClickEvents: delegated link handler */}
         {/* biome-ignore lint/a11y/noStaticElementInteractions: delegated link handler */}
         <div
-          className="w-full min-w-0 text-[13px] leading-relaxed"
+          className={cn(
+            "w-full min-w-0 text-[13px] leading-relaxed",
+            isUser && "rounded-2xl bg-muted p-3",
+          )}
           onClick={handleContentClick}
         >
           {messageAttachments.length > 0 && (
@@ -447,32 +461,51 @@ export const MessageBubble = memo(function MessageBubble({
           )}
         </div>
 
-        {/* Hover actions + timestamp */}
-        <MessageActions className="opacity-0 transition-opacity duration-150 group-hover:opacity-100">
-          {textContent && <CopyAction text={textContent} />}
-          {!isUser && onRetryMessage && (
-            <MessageAction
-              tooltip={t("common:actions.retry")}
-              onClick={() => onRetryMessage(message.id)}
-            >
-              <RotateCcw className="size-3.5" />
-            </MessageAction>
+        <div
+          data-role="message-actions"
+          data-copy-confirmed={isCopyConfirmed ? "true" : "false"}
+          className={cn(
+            "absolute bottom-0 transition-opacity duration-150 ease-out",
+            "opacity-0 pointer-events-none",
+            "group-hover:animate-in group-hover:slide-in-from-top-2 group-hover:opacity-100 group-hover:pointer-events-auto",
+            "group-focus-within:animate-in group-focus-within:slide-in-from-top-2 group-focus-within:opacity-100 group-focus-within:pointer-events-auto",
+            isCopyConfirmed && "opacity-100 pointer-events-auto",
+            isUser ? "right-0" : "left-0",
           )}
-          {isUser && onEditMessage && (
-            <MessageAction
-              tooltip={t("common:actions.edit")}
-              onClick={() => onEditMessage(message.id)}
-            >
-              <Pencil className="size-3.5" />
-            </MessageAction>
-          )}
-          <span className="px-1 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
-            {formatDate(created, {
-              hour: "2-digit",
-              minute: "2-digit",
-            })}
-          </span>
-        </MessageActions>
+        >
+          <MessageActions className="pt-0">
+            {isUser && timestamp}
+            {textContent && (
+              <CopyAction
+                copied={isCopyConfirmed}
+                onCopy={() => copyToClipboard(textContent)}
+              />
+            )}
+            {!isUser && onRetryMessage && (
+              <MessageAction
+                size="xs"
+                variant="ghost-light"
+                className="text-muted-foreground"
+                tooltip={t("common:actions.retry")}
+                onClick={() => onRetryMessage(message.id)}
+              >
+                <RotateCcw className="size-3.5" />
+              </MessageAction>
+            )}
+            {isUser && onEditMessage && (
+              <MessageAction
+                size="xs"
+                variant="ghost-light"
+                className="text-muted-foreground"
+                tooltip={t("common:actions.edit")}
+                onClick={() => onEditMessage(message.id)}
+              >
+                <Pencil className="size-3.5" />
+              </MessageAction>
+            )}
+            {!isUser && timestamp}
+          </MessageActions>
+        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/__tests__/MessageBubble.test.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/__tests__/MessageBubble.test.tsx
index 51bcf5d5..85cd06b0 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/__tests__/MessageBubble.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/features/chat/ui/__tests__/MessageBubble.test.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
-import { beforeEach, describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
-import { render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import { act, fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
 import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
 import { MessageBubble } from "../MessageBubble";
 import { useAgentStore } from "@/features/agents/stores/agentStore";
 import type { Message } from "@/shared/types/messages";
 import { openPath } from "@tauri-apps/plugin-opener";
+const mockWriteText = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+vi.mock("@tauri-apps/plugin-opener", () => ({
+  openPath: vi.fn(),
+}));
 
 // ── helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -37,6 +41,17 @@ describe("MessageBubble", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     useAgentStore.setState({ personas: [] });
     vi.mocked(openPath).mockClear();
+    mockWriteText.mockClear();
+    Object.defineProperty(navigator, "clipboard", {
+      configurable: true,
+      value: {
+        writeText: mockWriteText,
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
   });
 
   it("renders user message with correct alignment", () => {
@@ -66,6 +81,18 @@ describe("MessageBubble", () => {
     expect(screen.getByText("hello world")).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it("renders user text inside a muted bubble shell", () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <MessageBubble message={userMessage("hello world")} />,
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      container.querySelector(
+        '[data-role="user-message"] .rounded-2xl.bg-muted',
+      ),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it("renders multiple content blocks", () => {
     const msg = assistantMessage([
       { type: "text", text: "first block" },
@@ -76,16 +103,105 @@ describe("MessageBubble", () => {
     expect(screen.getByText("second block")).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it("shows action buttons on hover (retry for assistant)", () => {
+  it("renders a reserved actions tray for assistant messages", () => {
     const onRetryMessage = vi.fn();
-    render(
+    const { container } = render(
       <MessageBubble
         message={assistantMessage([{ type: "text", text: "response" }])}
         onRetryMessage={onRetryMessage}
       />,
     );
-    const retryBtn = screen.getByRole("button", { name: /retry/i });
-    expect(retryBtn).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    expect(
+      container.querySelector('[data-role="assistant-message"] .pb-8'),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(
+      container.querySelector(
+        '[data-role="assistant-message"] [data-role="message-actions"]',
+      ),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /retry/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the action tray timestamp on one line", () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <MessageBubble
+        message={assistantMessage([{ type: "text", text: "response" }])}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const timestamp = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-role="assistant-message"] [data-role="message-timestamp"]',
+    );
+    expect(timestamp).toHaveClass("whitespace-nowrap");
+    expect(timestamp).toHaveClass("shrink-0");
+  });
+
+  it("anchors assistant and user actions on opposite sides of the timestamp", () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <>
+        <MessageBubble
+          message={assistantMessage([{ type: "text", text: "response" }])}
+          onRetryMessage={vi.fn()}
+        />
+        <MessageBubble message={userMessage("draft")} onEditMessage={vi.fn()} />
+      </>,
+    );
+
+    const assistantActions = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-role="assistant-message"] [data-role="message-actions"]',
+    );
+    const userActions = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-role="user-message"] [data-role="message-actions"]',
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      Array.from(assistantActions?.firstElementChild?.children ?? []).map(
+        (element) => element.tagName,
+      ),
+    ).toEqual(["BUTTON", "BUTTON", "SPAN"]);
+    expect(
+      Array.from(userActions?.firstElementChild?.children ?? []).map(
+        (element) => element.tagName,
+      ),
+    ).toEqual(["SPAN", "BUTTON", "BUTTON"]);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps copy confirmation visible until it resets", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const { container } = render(
+      <MessageBubble
+        message={assistantMessage([{ type: "text", text: "response" }])}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const actions = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-role="assistant-message"] [data-role="message-actions"]',
+    );
+    expect(actions).toHaveAttribute("data-copy-confirmed", "false");
+    const copyButton = screen.getByRole("button", { name: /copy/i });
+    expect(copyButton).not.toHaveClass("bg-accent");
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      fireEvent.click(copyButton);
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(mockWriteText).toHaveBeenCalledWith("response");
+    expect(actions).toHaveAttribute("data-copy-confirmed", "true");
+    expect(copyButton).toHaveClass("bg-accent");
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1999);
+    });
+    expect(actions).toHaveAttribute("data-copy-confirmed", "true");
+    expect(copyButton).toHaveClass("bg-accent");
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1);
+    });
+    expect(actions).toHaveAttribute("data-copy-confirmed", "false");
+    expect(copyButton).not.toHaveClass("bg-accent");
   });
 
   it("renders tool request content as ToolCallCard", () => {