diff --git a/setup/auto.ts b/setup/auto.ts
index 4dee7c8a0..ee5c3694c 100644
--- a/setup/auto.ts
+++ b/setup/auto.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ import { claudeCliAvailable, resolveTimezoneViaClaude } from './lib/tz-from-clau
 import * as setupLog from './logs.js';
 import { ensureAnswer, fail, runQuietChild, runQuietStep } from './lib/runner.js';
 import { emit as phEmit } from './lib/diagnostics.js';
-import { brandBold, brandChip, dimWrap, fitToWidth, wrapForGutter } from './lib/theme.js';
+import { brandBold, brandChip, dimWrap, fitToWidth, note, wrapForGutter } from './lib/theme.js';
 import { isValidTimezone } from '../src/timezone.js';
 
 const CLI_AGENT_NAME = 'Terminal Agent';
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
         );
       }
       if (notes.length > 0) {
-        p.note(notes.join('\n'), "What's left");
+        note(notes.join('\n'), "What's left");
       }
       // "What's left" is a soft failure — we don't abort like fail(), but the
       // user is still stuck and a fix is exactly what claude-assist is for.
@@ -467,11 +467,11 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
   ];
   const labelWidth = Math.max(...rows.map(([l]) => l.length));
   const nextSteps = rows.map(([l, c]) => `${k.cyan(l.padEnd(labelWidth))}  ${c}`).join('\n');
-  p.note(nextSteps, 'Try these');
+  note(nextSteps, 'Try these');
 
   // Always-on warning goes before the "check your DMs" directive so the
   // caveat doesn't land after the user's already looked away at their phone.
-  p.note(
+  note(
     wrapForGutter(
       "NanoClaw runs on this machine. It's only reachable while this computer is on and connected to the internet. For always-on availability, run it on a cloud VM — or keep this machine awake.",
       6,
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
     // that the welcome-message signal was too easy to miss. Use p.note so it
     // renders with a visible box, cyan-bold the directive line, and put it
     // as the last thing before outro.
-    p.note(`${brandBold('→')} ${k.bold(`Check your ${dmTarget} — your assistant is saying hi.`)}`, 'Go say hi');
+    note(`${brandBold('→')} ${k.bold(`Check your ${dmTarget} — your assistant is saying hi.`)}`, 'Go say hi');
     p.outro(k.green("You're set."));
   } else {
     p.outro(k.green("You're ready! Chat with `pnpm run chat hi`."));
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ function renderPingFailureNote(result: PingResult): void {
           'No reply from your assistant within 30 seconds. Check `logs/nanoclaw.log` for clues, then try `pnpm run chat hi`.',
           6,
         );
-  p.note(body, 'Skipping the first chat');
+  note(body, 'Skipping the first chat');
 }
 
 /**
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ function renderPingFailureNote(result: PingResult): void {
  * clearly optional.
  */
 async function runFirstChat(): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     wrapForGutter(
       [
         'Your assistant runs in a sandbox on this machine.',
diff --git a/setup/channels/discord.ts b/setup/channels/discord.ts
index 366868692..671d9202c 100644
--- a/setup/channels/discord.ts
+++ b/setup/channels/discord.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { brightSelect } from '../lib/bright-select.js';
 import { confirmThenOpen } from '../lib/browser.js';
 import { askOperatorRole } from '../lib/role-prompt.js';
 import { ensureAnswer, fail, runQuietChild } from '../lib/runner.js';
+import { note } from '../lib/theme.js';
 
 const DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME = 'Nano';
 const DISCORD_API = 'https://discord.com/api/v10';
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ async function askHasBotToken(): Promise<boolean> {
 
 async function walkThroughBotCreation(): Promise<void> {
   const url = 'https://discord.com/developers/applications';
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "You'll create a Discord bot in the Developer Portal. It's free and takes about a minute.",
       '',
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ function showTokenLocationReminder(hasExistingBot: boolean): void {
   // to find it — tokens in the Dev Portal aren't visible after first reveal,
   // and "Reset Token" issues a new one.
   if (hasExistingBot) {
-    p.note(
+    note(
       [
         "Where to find your bot token:",
         '',
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ async function walkThroughServerCreation(): Promise<void> {
   // the web client and rely on the + button being visible. The steps below
   // are the same whether they're in the desktop app or the browser.
   const url = 'https://discord.com/channels/@me';
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "A Discord server is just a private space for you and the bot. Free and takes 30 seconds.",
       '',
@@ -392,7 +393,7 @@ async function resolveOwnerUserId(
 }
 
 async function promptForUserIdWithDevMode(): Promise<string> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "To get your Discord user ID:",
       '',
@@ -430,7 +431,7 @@ async function promptInviteBot(
     `&scope=bot` +
     `&permissions=${INVITE_PERMISSIONS}`;
 
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       `@${botUsername} needs to share a server with you before it can DM you.`,
       '',
diff --git a/setup/channels/imessage.ts b/setup/channels/imessage.ts
index d8b129fa8..387f6b268 100644
--- a/setup/channels/imessage.ts
+++ b/setup/channels/imessage.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import * as setupLog from '../logs.js';
 import { brightSelect } from '../lib/bright-select.js';
 import { askOperatorRole } from '../lib/role-prompt.js';
 import { ensureAnswer, fail, runQuietChild } from '../lib/runner.js';
-import { wrapForGutter } from '../lib/theme.js';
+import { note, wrapForGutter } from '../lib/theme.js';
 
 const DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME = 'Nano';
 
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ async function walkThroughFullDiskAccess(): Promise<void> {
   }
   const nodeDir = path.dirname(nodePath);
 
-  p.note(
+  note(
     wrapForGutter(
       [
         `iMessage needs Full Disk Access granted to the Node binary:`,
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ async function walkThroughFullDiskAccess(): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 async function collectRemoteCreds(): Promise<RemoteCreds> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "Photon is a separate service that owns an iMessage account and",
       "exposes it over HTTP. NanoClaw will talk to it via its API.",
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ async function collectRemoteCreds(): Promise<RemoteCreds> {
 }
 
 async function askOperatorHandle(): Promise<string> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "What phone number or email do you iMessage with?",
       "That's where your assistant will send its welcome message.",
diff --git a/setup/channels/signal.ts b/setup/channels/signal.ts
index 9e54cb971..4e1cbfb6e 100644
--- a/setup/channels/signal.ts
+++ b/setup/channels/signal.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import {
   writeStepEntry,
 } from '../lib/runner.js';
 import { askOperatorRole } from '../lib/role-prompt.js';
+import { note } from '../lib/theme.js';
 
 const DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME = 'Nano';
 
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ async function ensureSignalCli(): Promise<void> {
   if (!probe.error && probe.status === 0) return;
 
   if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
-    p.note(
+    note(
       [
         "NanoClaw talks to Signal through signal-cli, which isn't installed yet.",
         '',
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@ async function ensureSignalCli(): Promise<void> {
       'signal-cli not found',
     );
   } else {
-    p.note(
+    note(
       [
         "NanoClaw talks to Signal through signal-cli, which isn't installed yet.",
         '',
diff --git a/setup/channels/slack.ts b/setup/channels/slack.ts
index 6d1ff5628..4ee59734f 100644
--- a/setup/channels/slack.ts
+++ b/setup/channels/slack.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import * as setupLog from '../logs.js';
 import { confirmThenOpen } from '../lib/browser.js';
 import { askOperatorRole } from '../lib/role-prompt.js';
 import { ensureAnswer, fail, runQuietChild } from '../lib/runner.js';
-import { wrapForGutter } from '../lib/theme.js';
+import { note, wrapForGutter } from '../lib/theme.js';
 
 const SLACK_API = 'https://slack.com/api';
 const SLACK_APPS_URL = 'https://api.slack.com/apps';
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ export async function runSlackChannel(displayName: string): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 async function walkThroughAppCreation(): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "You'll create a Slack app that the assistant talks through.",
       "Free and stays inside the workspaces you pick.",
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ async function validateSlackToken(token: string): Promise<WorkspaceInfo> {
 }
 
 async function collectSlackUserId(): Promise<string> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "To get your Slack member ID:",
       '',
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ async function resolveAgentName(): Promise<string> {
 }
 
 function showPostInstallChecklist(info: WorkspaceInfo): void {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     wrapForGutter(
       [
         `Your agent is wired to Slack and a welcome DM is on its way.`,
diff --git a/setup/channels/teams.ts b/setup/channels/teams.ts
index fb4d878de..e4120867b 100644
--- a/setup/channels/teams.ts
+++ b/setup/channels/teams.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import {
 } from '../lib/claude-handoff.js';
 import { ensureAnswer, fail, runQuietChild } from '../lib/runner.js';
 import { buildTeamsAppPackage } from '../lib/teams-manifest.js';
+import { note } from '../lib/theme.js';
 import * as setupLog from '../logs.js';
 
 const CHANNEL = 'teams';
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ export async function runTeamsChannel(_displayName: string): Promise<void> {
 // ─── step: intro / prereqs ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 function printIntro(): void {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       'Setting up Teams is more involved than the other channels — about',
       '7 steps across the Azure portal and Teams admin.',
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ function printIntro(): void {
 }
 
 async function confirmPrereqs(args: { collected: Collected; completed: string[] }): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       'Before we start, confirm you have:',
       '',
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ async function confirmPrereqs(args: { collected: Collected; completed: string[]
 // ─── step: public URL ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 async function stepPublicUrl(args: { collected: Collected; completed: string[] }): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "Azure Bot Service delivers messages to an HTTPS endpoint you",
       "control. The endpoint needs to reach this machine's webhook",
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ async function stepAppRegistration(args: {
   collected: Collected;
   completed: string[];
 }): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       `1. In ${AZURE_PORTAL_URL}, search "App registrations" → "New registration"`,
       '2. Name it (e.g. "NanoClaw")',
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@ async function stepClientSecret(args: {
   collected: Collected;
   completed: string[];
 }): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       `1. In your app registration, open "Certificates & secrets"`,
       '2. Click "New client secret"',
@@ -328,7 +329,7 @@ async function stepAzureBot(args: {
     `  --appid ${args.collected.appId} \\\n` +
     `  ${tenantFlag}--endpoint "${endpoint}"`;
 
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       `In ${AZURE_PORTAL_URL}, search "Azure Bot" → Create.`,
       '',
@@ -365,7 +366,7 @@ async function stepEnableTeamsChannel(args: {
   collected: Collected;
   completed: string[];
 }): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       '1. Open your Azure Bot resource → Channels',
       '2. Click Microsoft Teams → Accept terms → Apply',
@@ -435,7 +436,7 @@ async function stepSideload(args: {
   completed: string[];
   zipPath: string;
 }): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       '1. Open Microsoft Teams',
       '2. Go to Apps → Manage your apps → Upload an app',
@@ -501,7 +502,7 @@ async function finishWithHandoff(
   collected: Collected,
   completed: string[],
 ): Promise<void> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       'The Teams adapter is live and the service is running.',
       '',
@@ -530,7 +531,7 @@ async function finishWithHandoff(
   );
 
   if (choice === 'self') {
-    p.note(
+    note(
       [
         '  1. Find your bot in Teams (search by name, or via the sideloaded',
         '     app) and send it a message ("hi" is fine)',
diff --git a/setup/channels/telegram.ts b/setup/channels/telegram.ts
index df97fcff1..3a86a5f67 100644
--- a/setup/channels/telegram.ts
+++ b/setup/channels/telegram.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import {
   spawnStep,
   writeStepEntry,
 } from '../lib/runner.js';
-import { brandBold } from '../lib/theme.js';
+import { brandBold, note } from '../lib/theme.js';
 
 const DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME = 'Nano';
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export async function runTelegramChannel(displayName: string): Promise<void> {
   // installed, or the bot's web profile if not. tg://resolve?domain= is
   // more direct but silently fails when the scheme isn't registered.
   const botUrl = `https://t.me/${botUsername}`;
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       `Opening @${botUsername} in Telegram so it's ready when the pairing code shows up.`,
       '',
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export async function runTelegramChannel(displayName: string): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 async function collectTelegramToken(): Promise<string> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "Your assistant talks to you through a Telegram bot you create.",
       "Here's how:",
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ async function runPairTelegram(): Promise<
         } else {
           stopSpinner("Old code expired. Here's a fresh one.");
         }
-        p.note(formatCodeCard(block.fields.CODE ?? '????'), 'Secret code');
+        note(formatCodeCard(block.fields.CODE ?? '????'), 'Secret code');
         s.start('Waiting for you to send the code from Telegram…');
         spinnerActive = true;
       } else if (block.type === 'PAIR_TELEGRAM_ATTEMPT') {
diff --git a/setup/channels/whatsapp.ts b/setup/channels/whatsapp.ts
index 85c98663a..eb487cbfe 100644
--- a/setup/channels/whatsapp.ts
+++ b/setup/channels/whatsapp.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ import {
   writeStepEntry,
 } from '../lib/runner.js';
 import { askOperatorRole } from '../lib/role-prompt.js';
-import { brandBold } from '../lib/theme.js';
+import { brandBold, note } from '../lib/theme.js';
 
 const DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME = 'Nano';
 const AUTH_CREDS_PATH = path.join(process.cwd(), 'store', 'auth', 'creds.json');
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ async function askAuthMethod(): Promise<AuthMethod> {
 }
 
 async function askPhoneNumber(): Promise<string> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "Enter your phone number the way WhatsApp expects it:",
       '',
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ async function runWhatsAppAuth(
       } else if (block.type === 'WHATSAPP_AUTH_PAIRING_CODE') {
         const code = block.fields.CODE ?? '????';
         stopSpinner('Your pairing code is ready.');
-        p.note(formatPairingCard(code), 'Pairing code');
+        note(formatPairingCard(code), 'Pairing code');
         s.start('Waiting for you to enter the code…');
         spinnerActive = true;
       } else if (block.type === 'WHATSAPP_AUTH') {
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ async function restartService(): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 async function askChatPhone(authedPhone: string): Promise<string> {
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       `Authenticated with ${k.cyan('+' + authedPhone)}.`,
       '',
diff --git a/setup/lib/claude-assist.ts b/setup/lib/claude-assist.ts
index 1651a9c12..48c760e29 100644
--- a/setup/lib/claude-assist.ts
+++ b/setup/lib/claude-assist.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import * as p from '@clack/prompts';
 import k from 'kleur';
 
 import { ensureAnswer } from './runner.js';
-import { fitToWidth } from './theme.js';
+import { fitToWidth, note } from './theme.js';
 
 export interface AssistContext {
   stepName: string;
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export async function offerClaudeAssist(
     return false;
   }
 
-  p.note(
+  note(
     `${parsed.reason}\n\n${k.cyan('$')} ${parsed.command}`,
     "Claude's suggestion",
   );
diff --git a/setup/lib/claude-handoff.ts b/setup/lib/claude-handoff.ts
index 9c931f25a..3a0c2194c 100644
--- a/setup/lib/claude-handoff.ts
+++ b/setup/lib/claude-handoff.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import { execSync, spawn } from 'child_process';
 import * as p from '@clack/prompts';
 import k from 'kleur';
 
+import { note } from './theme.js';
+
 export interface HandoffContext {
   /** Channel this handoff is happening in (e.g., 'teams'). */
   channel: string;
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ export async function offerClaudeHandoff(ctx: HandoffContext): Promise<boolean>
 
   const systemPrompt = buildSystemPrompt(ctx);
 
-  p.note(
+  note(
     [
       "I'm handing you off to Claude in interactive mode.",
       "It has the context of where you are in setup.",
diff --git a/setup/lib/theme.ts b/setup/lib/theme.ts
index 35b5ca343..f30ebe663 100644
--- a/setup/lib/theme.ts
+++ b/setup/lib/theme.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
  *   - COLORTERM truecolor/24bit  → 24-bit ANSI (exact brand cyan)
  *   - Otherwise                  → kleur's 16-color cyan (closest fallback)
  */
+import * as p from '@clack/prompts';
 import k from 'kleur';
 
 const USE_ANSI = Boolean(process.stdout.isTTY) && !process.env.NO_COLOR;
@@ -68,6 +69,19 @@ export function dimWrap(text: string, gutter: number): string {
   return wrapForGutter(text, gutter);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Wrap clack's `p.note` with the dim formatter disabled. By default
+ * clack renders note bodies through `styleText("dim", …)`, which the
+ * project's prose-readability stance (see `dimWrap` above) explicitly
+ * rejects. Pass-through formatter keeps body text at the terminal's
+ * regular weight; pre-styled segments (chips, bold, brand color) come
+ * through unfaded.
+ */
+const passthroughFormat = (s: string): string => s;
+export function note(message: string, title?: string): void {
+  p.note(message, title, { format: passthroughFormat });
+}
+
 const ANSI_RE = /\x1b\[[0-9;]*m/g;
 
 function visibleLength(s: string): number {