diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index cc5746b1..ece6ae89 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/NYTimes/gziphandler v1.1.1
 	github.com/bep/godartsass/v2 v2.5.0
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.3.0
+	github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi v0.11.7
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/term v0.2.2
 	github.com/evanw/esbuild v0.28.1
 	github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql v1.10.0
@@ -50,7 +51,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/charmbracelet/colorprofile v0.4.3 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/harmonica v0.2.0 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/ultraviolet v0.0.0-20260205113103-524a6607adb8 // indirect
-	github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi v0.11.7 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/exp/ordered v0.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/exp/strings v0.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/termios v0.1.1 // indirect
diff --git a/internal/devtui/model_view.go b/internal/devtui/model_view.go
index 1166355b..0559f359 100644
--- a/internal/devtui/model_view.go
+++ b/internal/devtui/model_view.go
@@ -84,12 +84,12 @@ func (m Model) renderDashboardFooter() string {
 		shortcuts := []tui.Shortcut{
 			{Key: "↑/↓", Label: "Navigate"},
 			{Key: "enter", Label: "Select source"},
-			{Key: "pgup/pgdn", Label: "Scroll"},
-			{Key: "f", Label: "Follow"},
+			{Key: "pgup/pgdn", Label: "Scroll logs"},
+			{Key: "f", Label: "Follow logs"},
 			{Key: "tab", Label: "Next tab"},
 			{Key: "ctrl+c", Label: "Exit"},
 		}
-		return tui.ShortcutBar(shortcuts...)
+		return tui.ShortcutBarFit(m.width, shortcuts...)
 	}
 
 	if m.activeTab == tabConfig {
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func (m Model) renderDashboardFooter() string {
 			{Key: "tab", Label: "Next tab"},
 			{Key: "ctrl+c", Label: "Exit"},
 		}
-		return tui.ShortcutBar(shortcuts...)
+		return tui.ShortcutBarFit(m.width, shortcuts...)
 	}
 
 	if m.activeTab == tabOverview {
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ func (m Model) renderDashboardFooter() string {
 			{Key: "tab", Label: "Next tab"},
 			{Key: "ctrl+c", Label: "Exit"},
 		}
-		return tui.ShortcutBar(shortcuts...)
+		return tui.ShortcutBarFit(m.width, shortcuts...)
 	}
 
-	return tui.ShortcutBar(
+	return tui.ShortcutBarFit(m.width,
 		tui.Shortcut{Key: "ctrl+p", Label: "Commands"},
 		tui.Shortcut{Key: "tab", Label: "Next tab"},
 		tui.Shortcut{Key: "ctrl+c", Label: "Exit"},
diff --git a/internal/tui/shortcuts.go b/internal/tui/shortcuts.go
index 28637ad3..1a119519 100644
--- a/internal/tui/shortcuts.go
+++ b/internal/tui/shortcuts.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package tui
 
 import (
 	"charm.land/lipgloss/v2"
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi"
 )
 
 // Shortcut describes a single keyboard shortcut to display in a footer bar.
@@ -27,11 +28,33 @@ func ShortcutBadge(key, label string) string {
 
 // ShortcutBar joins multiple shortcuts into a horizontal bar separated by dividers.
 func ShortcutBar(shortcuts ...Shortcut) string {
+	return shortcutBar("  │  ", shortcuts)
+}
+
+// ShortcutBarFit renders a shortcut bar that stays on a single row within
+// maxWidth: it falls back to narrower separators when the default bar is too
+// wide and truncates with an ellipsis as a last resort. A maxWidth <= 0 means
+// unconstrained.
+func ShortcutBarFit(maxWidth int, shortcuts ...Shortcut) string {
+	bar := shortcutBar("  │  ", shortcuts)
+	if maxWidth <= 0 || lipgloss.Width(bar) <= maxWidth {
+		return bar
+	}
+
+	bar = shortcutBar(" │ ", shortcuts)
+	if lipgloss.Width(bar) <= maxWidth {
+		return bar
+	}
+
+	return ansi.Truncate(bar, maxWidth, "…")
+}
+
+func shortcutBar(separator string, shortcuts []Shortcut) string {
 	if len(shortcuts) == 0 {
 		return ""
 	}
 
-	sep := lipgloss.NewStyle().Foreground(BorderColor).Render("  │  ")
+	sep := lipgloss.NewStyle().Foreground(BorderColor).Render(separator)
 	result := ShortcutBadge(shortcuts[0].Key, shortcuts[0].Label)
 	for _, s := range shortcuts[1:] {
 		result += sep + ShortcutBadge(s.Key, s.Label)
diff --git a/internal/tui/shortcuts_test.go b/internal/tui/shortcuts_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0c270cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tui/shortcuts_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package tui
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"charm.land/lipgloss/v2"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func instanceTabShortcuts() []Shortcut {
+	return []Shortcut{
+		{Key: "↑/↓", Label: "Navigate"},
+		{Key: "enter", Label: "Select source"},
+		{Key: "pgup/pgdn", Label: "Scroll logs"},
+		{Key: "f", Label: "Follow logs"},
+		{Key: "tab", Label: "Next tab"},
+		{Key: "ctrl+c", Label: "Exit"},
+	}
+}
+
+func TestShortcutBarFit_UnconstrainedMatchesShortcutBar(t *testing.T) {
+	shortcuts := instanceTabShortcuts()
+
+	assert.Equal(t, ShortcutBar(shortcuts...), ShortcutBarFit(0, shortcuts...))
+	assert.Equal(t, ShortcutBar(shortcuts...), ShortcutBarFit(500, shortcuts...))
+}
+
+func TestShortcutBarFit_NarrowSeparatorsOn120Columns(t *testing.T) {
+	shortcuts := instanceTabShortcuts()
+	assert.Greater(t, lipgloss.Width(ShortcutBar(shortcuts...)), 120)
+
+	bar := ShortcutBarFit(120, shortcuts...)
+
+	assert.LessOrEqual(t, lipgloss.Width(bar), 120)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, lipgloss.Height(bar))
+	// All shortcuts survive; only the separators shrink.
+	assert.Contains(t, bar, "Follow logs")
+	assert.Contains(t, bar, "Exit")
+}
+
+func TestShortcutBarFit_TruncatesWhenNothingFits(t *testing.T) {
+	shortcuts := instanceTabShortcuts()
+
+	bar := ShortcutBarFit(40, shortcuts...)
+
+	assert.LessOrEqual(t, lipgloss.Width(bar), 40)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, lipgloss.Height(bar))
+	assert.True(t, strings.Contains(bar, "…"))
+}