diff --git a/extension/src/popup/components/setup-wizard.ts b/extension/src/popup/components/setup-wizard.ts
index c571477..9d1f887 100644
--- a/extension/src/popup/components/setup-wizard.ts
+++ b/extension/src/popup/components/setup-wizard.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,17 @@ let wizardConfig: Partial<VaultConfig> = {
 let wizardImageBase64: string | null = null;
 
 export function renderSetupWizard(app: HTMLElement): void {
+  // Check if image is already in storage (e.g. pushed by init wizard).
+  if (!wizardImageBase64) {
+    chrome.storage.local.get(['imageBase64'], (result: Record<string, string>) => {
+      if (result.imageBase64) {
+        wizardImageBase64 = result.imageBase64;
+        // Re-render now that we have the image.
+        renderSetupWizard(app);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   const state = getState();
 
   // Progress bar.
@@ -120,66 +131,46 @@ function attachStep0Listeners(): void {
   });
 }
 
-// --- Step 1: Reference image upload ---
+// --- Step 1: Reference image ---
+//
+// Chrome closes the popup when a file picker steals focus, which makes
+// in-popup file uploads unreliable. Instead we check if an image is
+// already in chrome.storage.local (pushed by the init wizard or a
+// previous setup). If not, we link the user to the full-page setup.html
+// where the file picker works without focus issues.
 
 function renderStep1(): string {
+  if (wizardImageBase64) {
+    // Image already loaded (from storage or previous attempt).
+    return `
+      <div class="wizard-step">
+        <h3>reference image</h3>
+        <p class="secondary" style="margin-bottom:12px;">✓ reference image loaded</p>
+        <div class="form-actions" style="margin-top:16px;">
+          <button class="btn" id="back-btn">back</button>
+          <button class="btn btn-primary" id="next-btn">next</button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    `;
+  }
+
   return `
     <div class="wizard-step">
       <h3>reference image</h3>
       <p class="muted" style="margin-bottom:12px;">
-        Upload the JPEG that contains your embedded secret.
-        This is the second factor for vault decryption.
+        No reference image found. Use the full-page setup wizard to
+        upload your reference image — file pickers don't work reliably
+        in the popup.
       </p>
-      <div class="file-drop ${wizardImageBase64 ? 'has-file' : ''}" id="file-drop">
-        <input type="file" id="file-input" accept="image/jpeg" style="display:none;">
-        ${wizardImageBase64
-          ? '<p class="secondary">image loaded</p>'
-          : '<p class="secondary">click to select JPEG</p>'}
-      </div>
       <div class="form-actions" style="margin-top:16px;">
         <button class="btn" id="back-btn">back</button>
-        <button class="btn btn-primary" id="next-btn" ${!wizardImageBase64 ? 'disabled' : ''}>next</button>
+        <button class="btn btn-primary" id="open-setup-btn">open setup page</button>
       </div>
     </div>
   `;
 }
 
 function attachStep1Listeners(): void {
-  const fileDrop = document.getElementById('file-drop')!;
-  const fileInput = document.getElementById('file-input') as HTMLInputElement;
-
-  fileDrop.addEventListener('click', () => fileInput.click());
-
-  fileInput.addEventListener('change', () => {
-    const file = fileInput.files?.[0];
-    if (!file) return;
-
-    const reader = new FileReader();
-    reader.onload = () => {
-      try {
-        const result = reader.result as string;
-        // Remove the data:image/jpeg;base64, prefix.
-        const base64 = result.split(',')[1] ?? result;
-        wizardImageBase64 = base64;
-        // Update UI without a full re-render to avoid resetting file input state.
-        const dropEl = document.getElementById('file-drop');
-        if (dropEl) {
-          dropEl.classList.add('has-file');
-          const p = dropEl.querySelector('p');
-          if (p) p.textContent = `image loaded (${(file.size / 1024).toFixed(0)} KB)`;
-        }
-        const nextBtn = document.getElementById('next-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
-        if (nextBtn) nextBtn.disabled = false;
-      } catch (err) {
-        setState({ error: `Failed to read image: ${err}` });
-      }
-    };
-    reader.onerror = () => {
-      setState({ error: 'Failed to read image file' });
-    };
-    reader.readAsDataURL(file);
-  });
-
   document.getElementById('back-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
     wizardStep = 0;
     setState({ error: null });
@@ -190,6 +181,12 @@ function attachStep1Listeners(): void {
     wizardStep = 2;
     setState({ error: null });
   });
+
+  document.getElementById('open-setup-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    // Open the full-page setup wizard in a new tab.
+    chrome.tabs.create({ url: chrome.runtime.getURL('setup.html') });
+    window.close();
+  });
 }
 
 // --- Step 2: Test unlock ---