diff --git a/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts b/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts
index f0e72be..0460c7c 100644
--- a/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts
+++ b/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export function renderItemForm(app: HTMLElement, mode: 'add' | 'edit'): void {
   const type: ItemType = existing?.type ?? state.newType ?? 'login';
 
   switch (type) {
-    case 'login':       return login.renderForm(app, mode, existing, { surface: isInTab() ? 'fullscreen' : 'popup' });
+    case 'login':       return login.renderForm(app, mode, existing, { surface: isInTab() ? 'fullscreen' : 'popup', externalActions: isInTab() });
     case 'secure_note': return secureNote.renderForm(app, mode, existing);
     case 'identity':    return identity.renderForm(app, mode, existing);
     case 'card':        return card.renderForm(app, mode, existing);
diff --git a/extension/src/popup/components/types/login.ts b/extension/src/popup/components/types/login.ts
index f923bb6..f21bef7 100644
--- a/extension/src/popup/components/types/login.ts
+++ b/extension/src/popup/components/types/login.ts
@@ -358,12 +358,10 @@ export function renderForm(
 
       ${renderSectionsEditor(sectionsDraft, sectionsExpanded)}
       ${isInTab() ? renderAttachmentsDisclosure({ itemId: existing?.id ?? '', attachments: attachmentsDraft, mode: 'edit' }) : ''}
-      ${externalActions ? '' : `
-      <div class="form-actions">
+      <div class="form-actions" ${externalActions ? 'hidden' : ''}>
         <button class="btn" id="cancel-btn">cancel</button>
         <button class="btn btn-primary" id="save-btn">${state.loading ? '<span class="spinner"></span>' : 'save'}</button>
       </div>
-      `}
     </div>
   `;
 
diff --git a/extension/src/vault/vault.css b/extension/src/vault/vault.css
index 299d3c1..a507dbd 100644
--- a/extension/src/vault/vault.css
+++ b/extension/src/vault/vault.css
@@ -1605,3 +1605,39 @@ textarea {
   padding-bottom: 6px;
   margin-bottom: 12px;
 }
+
+/* Phase 2B: sticky save bar + scrollable form pane */
+.form-pane {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  height: 100%;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+.form-scroll {
+  flex: 1;
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  padding: 20px 24px;
+}
+.sticky-save-bar {
+  position: sticky;
+  bottom: 0;
+  background: rgba(17, 22, 30, 0.7);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--border-mid);
+  padding: 12px 24px;
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: flex-end;
+  gap: 8px;
+  z-index: 10;
+}
+.sticky-save-bar::before {
+  content: '';
+  position: absolute;
+  top: -24px;
+  left: 0;
+  right: 0;
+  height: 24px;
+  background: linear-gradient(to top, rgba(17, 22, 30, 0.7), transparent);
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
diff --git a/extension/src/vault/vault.ts b/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
index f90449e..4f0bb92 100644
--- a/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
+++ b/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
@@ -415,6 +415,71 @@ async function selectItem(id: ItemId): Promise<void> {
   }
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Platform-aware save hint
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+const isMac = navigator.platform.toLowerCase().includes('mac');
+const SAVE_HINT = isMac ? '⌘+S to save' : 'Ctrl+S to save';
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Fullscreen form wrapper — sticky save bar + scrollable content + header
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+function renderFormWrapped(app: HTMLElement, mode: 'add' | 'edit'): void {
+  const itemType = state.selectedItem?.type ?? state.newType ?? 'login';
+  const typeLabel = itemType.replace('_', ' ');
+  const titleText = mode === 'add' ? `new ${typeLabel}` : `edit ${typeLabel}`;
+  const wrapper = document.createElement('div');
+  wrapper.className = 'form-pane';
+  wrapper.innerHTML = `
+    <div class="fullscreen-form-header">
+      <div>
+        <div class="title">${titleText}</div>
+        <div class="sub" id="form-dirty-sub">no changes</div>
+      </div>
+      <div class="hint">${SAVE_HINT}</div>
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-scroll" id="form-scroll"></div>
+    <div class="sticky-save-bar">
+      <button class="btn-secondary" id="form-cancel">cancel</button>
+      <button class="btn-primary" id="form-save">save</button>
+    </div>
+  `;
+  // Remove pane padding so form-pane can fill height cleanly
+  app.style.padding = '0';
+  app.style.overflow = 'hidden';
+  app.replaceChildren(wrapper);
+
+  const scrollEl = wrapper.querySelector('#form-scroll') as HTMLElement;
+  renderItemForm(scrollEl, mode);
+
+  const subEl = wrapper.querySelector('#form-dirty-sub') as HTMLElement;
+  let isDirty = false;
+  const markDirty = () => {
+    if (isDirty) return;
+    isDirty = true;
+    subEl.textContent = 'unsaved · esc to cancel';
+  };
+  const markClean = () => {
+    isDirty = false;
+    subEl.textContent = 'no changes';
+  };
+  scrollEl.addEventListener('input', markDirty, true);
+  scrollEl.addEventListener('change', markDirty, true);
+
+  wrapper.querySelector('#form-cancel')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    markClean();
+    (scrollEl.querySelector('#cancel-btn') as HTMLButtonElement | null)?.click();
+  });
+  wrapper.querySelector('#form-save')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    markClean();
+    (scrollEl.querySelector('#save-btn') as HTMLButtonElement | null)?.click();
+  });
+}
+
+export const __test__ = { renderFormWrapped };
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Pane rendering — delegates to shared popup components
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -453,10 +518,16 @@ function renderPane(): void {
       // set by the type-selection click handler (which calls setState →
       // renderPane before the URL hash has been updated to include the type).
       state.newType = (route.type as ItemType) ?? state.newType ?? null;
-      renderItemForm(pane, 'add');
+      // Use the form wrapper (sticky bar + header) when a type is already chosen.
+      // Without a type the type-selection screen renders — no sticky bar needed.
+      if (state.newType) {
+        renderFormWrapped(pane, 'add');
+      } else {
+        renderItemForm(pane, 'add');
+      }
       break;
     case 'edit':
-      renderItemForm(pane, 'edit');
+      renderFormWrapped(pane, 'edit');
       break;
     case 'trash':
       renderTrash(pane);