diff --git a/apps/effectcraft/src/native_menu.rs b/apps/effectcraft/src/native_menu.rs
index 9db2ffe76..c3b142c5f 100644
--- a/apps/effectcraft/src/native_menu.rs
+++ b/apps/effectcraft/src/native_menu.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 //! [`effectcraft_ui_egui::native_menu`]'s spec of the engine's After Effects menu tree.
 //!
 //! Each frame [`NativeBar::update`] runs menu activations (the same command ids as the in-window
-//! bar), and when [`native_menu::state_key`] changed it rebuilds the spec and pushes labels,
-//! enabled and check state into the existing items; a structural change (Open Recent, a new
-//! shortcut preset) rebuilds the menu. Settings ▸ Appearance ▸ Use In-Window Menu Bar on macOS
-//! swaps back to the in-window bar.
+//! bar), and when [`native_menu::state_key`] or whether a text field has the keyboard changed it
+//! rebuilds the spec and pushes labels, enabled and check state into the existing items; a
+//! structural change (Open Recent, a new shortcut preset) rebuilds the menu. Settings ▸
+//! Appearance ▸ Use In-Window Menu Bar on macOS swaps back to the in-window bar.
 
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, channel};
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub struct NativeBar {
     items: HashMap<String, CheckMenuItem>,
     spec: NativeMenu,
     structure: u64,
-    state: Option<u64>,
+    state: Option<(u64, bool)>,
     events: Receiver<MenuEvent>,
     /// The in-window-bar setting last applied (None: not yet).
     in_window: Option<bool>,
@@ -67,12 +67,13 @@ impl NativeBar {
         if in_window {
             return;
         }
-        let key = native_menu::state_key(app);
+        // While a text field has the keyboard, the Edit items it takes stay enabled.
+        let key = (native_menu::state_key(app), native_menu::text_field_window(ctx).is_some());
         if self.state == Some(key) && self.menu.is_some() {
             return;
         }
         self.state = Some(key);
-        let spec = native_menu::build(app);
+        let spec = native_menu::build_now(app, ctx);
         let structure = spec.structure();
         if self.menu.is_none() || structure != self.structure {
             self.install(&spec);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/native_menu.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/native_menu.rs
index d7d4cb965..9288ec4e1 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/native_menu.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/native_menu.rs
@@ -126,6 +126,27 @@ impl NativeMenu {
     }
 }
 
+/// The native menu spec as the menu bar shows it now: [`build`], with the Edit items a text field
+/// takes ([`edits_text`]) enabled while one has the keyboard ([`text_field_window`]). Paste
+/// otherwise follows the project clipboard and would be greyed out with nothing copied there,
+/// while the field can paste.
+pub fn build_now(app: &EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) -> NativeMenu {
+    fn enable(nodes: &mut [NativeNode]) {
+        for node in nodes {
+            match node {
+                NativeNode::Item(item) if edits_text(&item.command) => item.enabled = true,
+                NativeNode::Submenu { children, .. } => enable(children),
+                _ => {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    let mut menu = build(app);
+    if text_field_window(ctx).is_some() {
+        enable(&mut menu.menus);
+    }
+    menu
+}
+
 /// Build the native menu spec for the app's current state.
 pub fn build(app: &EffectcraftApp) -> NativeMenu {
     fn rec(app: &EffectcraftApp, nodes: &[MenuNode], path: &str, out: &mut Vec<NativeNode>) {
@@ -332,9 +353,23 @@ pub fn state_key(app: &EffectcraftApp) -> u64 {
     h.finish()
 }
 
-/// Commands that act on a focused text field instead (Edit menu while typing): the egui event to
-/// send in their place.
-fn text_field_event(command: &str, clipboard: Option<String>) -> Option<Vec<egui::Event>> {
+/// The window whose text field has the keyboard: a floating panel's own OS window, or the main
+/// window, where any widget that holds the keyboard counts (the Viewer's text editor is not an
+/// egui text field).
+pub fn text_field_window(ctx: &egui::Context) -> Option<egui::ViewportId> {
+    craft_ui::docking::typing_window(ctx).or_else(|| ctx.egui_wants_keyboard_input().then_some(egui::ViewportId::ROOT))
+}
+
+/// Whether a focused text field takes the menu command `command` ([`activate`]): the native menu
+/// keeps such items enabled while one has the keyboard, whatever the project allows.
+pub fn edits_text(command: &str) -> bool {
+    text_field_event(command).is_some()
+}
+
+/// Commands that act on a focused text field instead (Edit menu while typing): the egui events
+/// to send in their place. Paste is a Cmd+V press, which the field's window turns into a request
+/// for the clipboard text.
+fn text_field_event(command: &str) -> Option<Vec<egui::Event>> {
     let key = |k: egui::Key, shift: bool| egui::Event::Key {
         key: k,
         physical_key: None,
@@ -345,7 +380,7 @@ fn text_field_event(command: &str, clipboard: Option<String>) -> Option<Vec<egui
     Some(match command {
         "edit.copy" => vec![egui::Event::Copy],
         "edit.cut" => vec![egui::Event::Cut],
-        "edit.paste" => vec![egui::Event::Paste(clipboard?)],
+        "edit.paste" => vec![key(egui::Key::V, false)],
         "edit.selectAll" => vec![key(egui::Key::A, false)],
         "edit.undo" => vec![key(egui::Key::Z, false)],
         "edit.redo" => vec![key(egui::Key::Z, true)],
@@ -353,8 +388,43 @@ fn text_field_event(command: &str, clipboard: Option<String>) -> Option<Vec<egui
     })
 }
 
+/// Hand a text field's Edit command to the window `window` whose field has the keyboard. The
+/// main window gets the clipboard text itself and the events through the synthetic queue; a
+/// floating panel's OS window gets each key pressed and released, and asks for the clipboard
+/// text on Cmd+V (`craft_ui::docking::send_keys`).
+fn send_to_text_field(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, window: egui::ViewportId, events: Vec<egui::Event>) {
+    if window == egui::ViewportId::ROOT {
+        for event in events {
+            match event {
+                egui::Event::Key { key: egui::Key::V, .. } => {
+                    if let Some(text) = app.hooks.clipboard_text.as_ref().and_then(|f| f()) {
+                        app.synthetic.push(egui::Event::Paste(text));
+                    }
+                }
+                event => app.synthetic.push(event),
+            }
+        }
+        ctx.request_repaint();
+        return;
+    }
+    let events = events
+        .into_iter()
+        .flat_map(|event| {
+            let release = match &event {
+                egui::Event::Key { key, physical_key, modifiers, .. } => {
+                    Some(egui::Event::Key { key: *key, physical_key: *physical_key, pressed: false, repeat: false, modifiers: *modifiers })
+                }
+                _ => None,
+            };
+            std::iter::once(event).chain(release)
+        })
+        .collect();
+    craft_ui::docking::send_keys(ctx, window, events);
+}
+
 /// Run a native menu item (by id) the way the in-window menu bar does. While a text field has
-/// the keyboard, Edit ▸ Cut/Copy/Paste/Select All/Undo/Redo edit the text instead.
+/// the keyboard ([`text_field_window`]), Edit ▸ Cut/Copy/Paste/Select All/Undo/Redo edit the
+/// text instead.
 pub fn activate(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, menu: &NativeMenu, id: &str) -> Result<Value, String> {
     let item = menu.find(id).ok_or_else(|| format!("no native menu item `{id}`"))?;
     let (command, params) = (item.command.clone(), item.params.clone());
@@ -369,13 +439,12 @@ pub fn activate(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, menu: &NativeMenu
         ctx.request_repaint();
         return Ok(Value::Null);
     }
-    if ctx.egui_wants_keyboard_input() {
-        let clip = if command == "edit.paste" { app.hooks.clipboard_text.as_ref().and_then(|f| f()) } else { None };
-        if let Some(events) = text_field_event(&command, clip) {
-            app.synthetic.extend(events);
-            ctx.request_repaint();
-            return Ok(Value::Null);
-        }
+    // The menu bar takes the Edit menu's key equivalents before any window sees them: while a
+    // text field has the keyboard, in the main window or a floating panel's own window, the
+    // field gets the key and the project command does not run.
+    if let (Some(window), Some(events)) = (text_field_window(ctx), text_field_event(&command)) {
+        send_to_text_field(app, ctx, window, events);
+        return Ok(Value::Null);
     }
     let params = if params.is_null() { json!({}) } else { params };
     let (command, params) = crate::menus::menu_choice(app, command, params);
@@ -663,8 +732,7 @@ mod tests {
         activate(&mut app, &ctx, &spec, &id).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(app.session.active_comp().unwrap().layers.len(), n + 1);
         assert!(activate(&mut app, &ctx, &spec, "m.999").is_err());
-        assert!(text_field_event("edit.copy", None).is_some());
-        assert!(text_field_event("edit.paste", None).is_none());
-        assert!(text_field_event("layer.newNull", None).is_none());
+        assert!(edits_text("edit.copy") && edits_text("edit.paste"));
+        assert!(!edits_text("layer.newNull"));
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/main.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/main.rs
index b5492c1b5..6b4c08912 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/main.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/main.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! The crate's integration tests, one binary (each module is a former `tests/<name>.rs`).
 
+mod native_menu_text_keys;
 mod render_queue_snapshot;
 mod shared_docking_ui;
 mod ui_3d;
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/native_menu_text_keys.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/native_menu_text_keys.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d740c6b46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/native_menu_text_keys.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+//! The macOS menu bar takes the Edit menu's key equivalents before any window sees them: while a
+//! text field has the keyboard, in a docked panel or a floating panel's own OS window, they edit
+//! the field and leave the project alone, and the items stay enabled.
+
+use effectcraft_engine::Session;
+use effectcraft_ui_egui::EffectcraftApp;
+use effectcraft_ui_egui::{menus, native_menu};
+use egui::{Event, Modifiers, PointerButton, Pos2, ViewportCommand, ViewportId, ViewportInfo, pos2, vec2};
+use egui_kittest::Harness;
+use serde_json::json;
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::rc::Rc;
+
+fn app() -> EffectcraftApp {
+    let mut s = Session::default();
+    s.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": "Main", "width": 320, "height": 180, "duration": 4})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("layer.newSolid", json!({"name": "Solid", "color": "#406080"})).unwrap();
+    let mut app = EffectcraftApp::new(s);
+    app.ui.start_screen = false;
+    app.hooks.clipboard_text = Some(Box::new(|| Some("pasted".into())));
+    app
+}
+
+/// What the Edit commands would change in the project.
+fn project(app: &EffectcraftApp) -> (u64, usize, usize, usize) {
+    let s = &app.session;
+    (s.revision, s.state.clipboard.len(), s.history.undo.len(), s.history.redo.len())
+}
+
+/// Choose the native menu item that runs `command`, then deliver what it queued for the main
+/// window (kittest does not call `raw_input_hook`).
+fn menu(h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, command: &str) {
+    let spec = native_menu::build(h.state());
+    let id = spec.items().into_iter().find(|i| i.command == command).unwrap().id.clone();
+    let ctx = h.ctx.clone();
+    native_menu::activate(h.state_mut(), &ctx, &spec, &id).unwrap();
+    for _ in 0..3 {
+        let mut raw = egui::RawInput::default();
+        eframe::App::raw_input_hook(h.state_mut(), &ctx, &mut raw);
+        h.input_mut().events.extend(raw.events);
+        h.step();
+        h.state_mut().mark_synthetic_applied();
+    }
+    h.run_steps(2);
+}
+
+/// Whether the menu bar shows `command`'s item enabled now, and whether the project alone would.
+fn enabled(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, command: &str) -> (bool, bool) {
+    let find = |menu: native_menu::NativeMenu| menu.items().into_iter().find(|i| i.command == command).unwrap().enabled;
+    (find(native_menu::build_now(h.state(), &h.ctx)), find(native_menu::build(h.state())))
+}
+
+fn center(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, id: &str) -> Pos2 {
+    let e = h.state().auto.find(id).unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("no {id}")).clone();
+    pos2(e.rect[0] + e.rect[2] / 2.0, e.rect[1] + e.rect[3] / 2.0)
+}
+
+fn click(h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, at: Pos2, window: Option<&Host>) {
+    let send = |h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, event: Event| match window {
+        Some(host) => to_window(host, event),
+        None => h.input_mut().events.push(event),
+    };
+    send(h, Event::PointerMoved(at));
+    h.step();
+    for pressed in [true, false] {
+        send(h, Event::PointerButton { pos: at, button: PointerButton::Primary, pressed, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+        h.step();
+    }
+}
+
+/// Stand-in OS windows for floating panels: each runs its own pass with its own input, and
+/// asking one for the clipboard text gives it "pasted".
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct Windows {
+    window: Option<ViewportId>,
+    events: HashMap<ViewportId, Vec<Event>>,
+}
+
+type Host = Rc<RefCell<Windows>>;
+
+fn to_window(host: &Host, event: Event) {
+    let mut host = host.borrow_mut();
+    let Some(window) = host.window else { panic!("no floating panel window") };
+    host.events.entry(window).or_default().push(event);
+}
+
+fn native_windows(h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>) -> Host {
+    let host = Host::default();
+    let shared = host.clone();
+    egui::Context::set_immediate_viewport_renderer(move |ctx, mut viewport| {
+        let id = viewport.ids.this;
+        let size = viewport.builder.inner_size.unwrap_or(vec2(400.0, 300.0));
+        let time = ctx.input(|i| i.time);
+        let events = {
+            let mut host = shared.borrow_mut();
+            host.window = Some(id);
+            host.events.remove(&id).unwrap_or_default()
+        };
+        let viewports = [(ViewportId::ROOT, false), (id, true)]
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|(id, focused)| (id, ViewportInfo { focused: Some(focused), native_pixels_per_point: Some(1.0), ..Default::default() }))
+            .collect();
+        let input = egui::RawInput {
+            viewport_id: id,
+            viewports,
+            screen_rect: Some(egui::Rect::from_min_size(Pos2::ZERO, size)),
+            events,
+            focused: true,
+            time: Some(time),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        let mut full = ctx.run_ui(input, |ui| (viewport.viewport_ui_cb)(ui));
+        full.textures_delta.clear();
+        if full.viewport_output.get(&id).is_some_and(|out| out.commands.contains(&ViewportCommand::RequestPaste)) {
+            shared.borrow_mut().events.entry(id).or_default().push(Event::Paste("pasted".into()));
+        }
+    });
+    h.ctx.set_embed_viewports(false);
+    // A main window that reports its place: not Wayland, where floating panels stay in it.
+    let screen = h.ctx.content_rect();
+    h.input_mut().viewports.entry(ViewportId::ROOT).or_default().outer_rect = Some(screen);
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let window = host.borrow().window.expect("the floating panel opens in an OS window of its own");
+    // That window has the keyboard.
+    let input = h.input_mut();
+    input.focused = false;
+    for (id, focused) in [(ViewportId::ROOT, false), (window, true)] {
+        input.viewports.entry(id).or_default().focused = Some(focused);
+    }
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    host
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn edit_menu_keys_edit_a_text_field_in_a_panel_window() {
+    let mut app = app();
+    menus::invoke(&mut app, &egui::Context::default(), "window.panelWindow", json!({"panel": "Project", "window": true})).unwrap();
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(vec2(1600.0, 1000.0)).build_eframe(|_| app);
+    h.ctx.set_os(egui::os::OperatingSystem::Mac);
+    let host = native_windows(&mut h);
+    let at = center(&h, "project.search");
+    click(&mut h, at, Some(&host));
+    to_window(&host, Event::Text("abc".into()));
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let window = host.borrow().window.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "abc");
+    assert!(!h.ctx.egui_wants_keyboard_input(), "the main window has no focused widget");
+    assert_eq!(native_menu::text_field_window(&h.ctx), Some(window));
+    assert_eq!(enabled(&h, "edit.paste"), (true, false), "Paste stays enabled with nothing copied in the project");
+    let before = project(h.state());
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.selectAll");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.cut");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "", "Select All and Cut act on the field");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.paste");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "pasted");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.undo");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "", "Undo undoes the paste");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.copy");
+    assert_eq!(project(h.state()), before, "the project is untouched");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn edit_menu_keys_edit_a_docked_text_field() {
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(vec2(1600.0, 1000.0)).build_eframe(|_| app());
+    h.ctx.set_os(egui::os::OperatingSystem::Mac);
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let at = center(&h, "project.search");
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::PointerMoved(at));
+    h.step();
+    for pressed in [true, false] {
+        h.input_mut().events.push(Event::PointerButton { pos: at, button: PointerButton::Primary, pressed, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+        h.step();
+    }
+    h.input_mut().events.push(Event::Text("abc".into()));
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "abc");
+    assert_eq!(native_menu::text_field_window(&h.ctx), Some(ViewportId::ROOT));
+    assert_eq!(enabled(&h, "edit.paste"), (true, false), "Paste stays enabled with nothing copied in the project");
+    let before = project(h.state());
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.selectAll");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.cut");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "", "Select All and Cut act on the field");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.paste");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "pasted");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.undo");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.project_search, "", "Undo undoes the paste");
+    menu(&mut h, "edit.copy");
+    assert_eq!(project(h.state()), before, "the project is untouched");
+}