diff --git a/src/components/AddPageMenu.tsx b/src/components/AddPageMenu.tsx
index f66555c..0b6f8da 100644
--- a/src/components/AddPageMenu.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AddPageMenu.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { PAGE_TYPES } from "../model/book";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
 interface AddPageMenuProps {
@@ -44,12 +45,13 @@ export function AddPageMenu({ onAdd, onAddPart }: AddPageMenuProps) {
     popRef.current?.querySelector<HTMLElement>(".add-page-item")?.focus();
   }, [open]);
 
+  useEscapeLayer(open, () => {
+    setOpen(false);
+    btnRef.current?.focus();
+  });
+
   const onMenuKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
-    if (e.key === "Escape") {
-      e.preventDefault();
-      setOpen(false);
-      btnRef.current?.focus();
-    } else if (e.key === "ArrowDown" || e.key === "ArrowUp") {
+    if (e.key === "ArrowDown" || e.key === "ArrowUp") {
       e.preventDefault();
       const items = Array.from(popRef.current?.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".add-page-item") ?? []);
       const idx = items.indexOf(document.activeElement as HTMLElement);
diff --git a/src/components/BackupSettings.tsx b/src/components/BackupSettings.tsx
index 0d48a2c..321cec3 100644
--- a/src/components/BackupSettings.tsx
+++ b/src/components/BackupSettings.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 import { ConfirmDialog } from "./ConfirmDialog";
 import { useBackup } from "../store/useBackup";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { formatBackupTime, gdriveListBackups } from "../backup";
 
 export function BackupSettings() {
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ export function BackupSettings() {
     };
   }, [open, connected, lastBackup]);
 
+  useEscapeLayer(open, close);
+
   if (!open) return null;
 
   return (
diff --git a/src/components/ConfirmDialog.tsx b/src/components/ConfirmDialog.tsx
index dff4f25..5c5fff1 100644
--- a/src/components/ConfirmDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ConfirmDialog.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
 interface ConfirmDialogProps {
@@ -14,17 +15,10 @@ export function ConfirmDialog({ title, message, confirmLabel = "Delete", onConfi
 
   useEffect(() => {
     confirmRef.current?.focus();
-    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-      if (e.key === "Escape") {
-        e.preventDefault();
-        onClose();
-      }
-    };
-    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, []);
 
+  useEscapeLayer(true, onClose);
+
   return (
     <div className="overlay" onClick={onClose}>
       <div className="panel panel-confirm" onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
diff --git a/src/components/EditorView.tsx b/src/components/EditorView.tsx
index 7c1e05c..fa9c33a 100644
--- a/src/components/EditorView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/EditorView.tsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { useWidth } from "../store/useWidth";
 import { WIDTH_OPTIONS } from "../width";
 import { bodyNumber, chapterKind, partNumber, partRoman } from "../model/book";
 import { saveBook } from "../library";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { isDesktop } from "../ipc";
 import { useCompact } from "../useMedia";
 import { issueSignature, rememberWord, runProof } from "../proofing";
@@ -59,6 +60,10 @@ export function EditorView() {
   const [findOpen, setFindOpen] = useState(false);
   const [findExpanded, setFindExpanded] = useState(false);
   const [proofPopover, setProofPopover] = useState<{ issue: ProofIssue; coords: ProofCoords } | null>(null);
+  const [escArmed, setEscArmed] = useState(false);
+  const escArmedRef = useRef(false);
+  escArmedRef.current = escArmed;
+  const escTimer = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined>(undefined);
 
   const spelling = useProofing((s) => s.spelling);
   const grammar = useProofing((s) => s.grammar);
@@ -84,6 +89,25 @@ export function EditorView() {
     setDock(false);
   };
 
+  useEscapeLayer(true, () => {
+    clearTimeout(escTimer.current);
+    if (escArmedRef.current) {
+      setEscArmed(false);
+      useBook.getState().closeBook();
+      return;
+    }
+    (document.activeElement as HTMLElement | null)?.blur();
+    setEscArmed(true);
+    escTimer.current = setTimeout(() => setEscArmed(false), 1500);
+  });
+  useEscapeLayer(isCompact && (sidebarOpen || dock), closeDrawers);
+  useEscapeLayer(widthOpen, () => setWidthOpen(false));
+  useEscapeLayer(exportOpen, () => setExportOpen(false));
+  useEscapeLayer(moreOpen, () => setMoreOpen(false));
+  useEscapeLayer(!!proofPopover, () => setProofPopover(null));
+
+  useEffect(() => () => clearTimeout(escTimer.current), []);
+
   const openFind = useCallback((expanded: boolean) => {
     setFindExpanded(expanded);
     setFindOpen(true);
@@ -173,19 +197,6 @@ export function EditorView() {
     };
   }, []);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!widthOpen && !exportOpen && !moreOpen) return;
-    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-      if (e.key === "Escape") {
-        setWidthOpen(false);
-        setExportOpen(false);
-        setMoreOpen(false);
-      }
-    };
-    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-  }, [widthOpen, exportOpen, moreOpen]);
-
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!notice) return;
     const timer = setTimeout(() => setNotice(null), 4000);
@@ -480,6 +491,12 @@ export function EditorView() {
         />
       )}
 
+      {escArmed && (
+        <div className="esc-hint">
+          Press <kbd>Esc</kbd> again for All books
+        </div>
+      )}
+
       {settingsOpen && <Settings onClose={() => setSettingsOpen(false)} onSave={saveNow} />}
       {exporting && (
         <div className="export-overlay">
diff --git a/src/components/ExportPreview.tsx b/src/components/ExportPreview.tsx
index 00fc221..112f427 100644
--- a/src/components/ExportPreview.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ExportPreview.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { useExportPreview } from "../store/useExportPreview";
 import { bookToPdfInputs, unsupportedScripts } from "../export/typst";
 import { compilePdf } from "../ipc";
 import { saveBytes } from "../project";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
 pdfjs.GlobalWorkerOptions.workerSrc = workerUrl;
@@ -81,13 +82,7 @@ function ExportPreviewModal() {
     };
   }, [book]);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-      if (e.key === "Escape") close();
-    };
-    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-  }, [close]);
+  useEscapeLayer(true, close);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const el = panelRef.current;
diff --git a/src/components/FindBar.tsx b/src/components/FindBar.tsx
index e6ed10d..a36b192 100644
--- a/src/components/FindBar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/FindBar.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { Editor as TiptapEditor } from "@tiptap/react";
 import { buildRegex, getSearchState } from "../editor/search";
 import { countMatches, replaceInContent } from "../search-book";
 import { useBook } from "../store/useBook";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
 interface FindBarProps {
@@ -95,6 +96,8 @@ export function FindBar({ editor, open, initialExpanded, onClose }: FindBarProps
     };
   }, [editor, pendingNav, activeChapterId]);
 
+  useEscapeLayer(open, onClose);
+
   if (!open || !editor) return null;
 
   const before = jsonCounts.slice(0, Math.max(0, activeIdx)).reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0);
@@ -163,9 +166,6 @@ export function FindBar({ editor, open, initialExpanded, onClose }: FindBarProps
     if (e.key === "Enter") {
       e.preventDefault();
       e.shiftKey ? prev() : next();
-    } else if (e.key === "Escape") {
-      e.preventDefault();
-      onClose();
     }
   };
 
@@ -256,9 +256,6 @@ export function FindBar({ editor, open, initialExpanded, onClose }: FindBarProps
                 if (e.key === "Enter") {
                   e.preventDefault();
                   replaceOne();
-                } else if (e.key === "Escape") {
-                  e.preventDefault();
-                  onClose();
                 }
               }}
             />
diff --git a/src/components/RowMenu.tsx b/src/components/RowMenu.tsx
index f93c56e..4287f95 100644
--- a/src/components/RowMenu.tsx
+++ b/src/components/RowMenu.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
 interface RowMenuProps {
@@ -38,12 +39,13 @@ export function RowMenu({ label, onDuplicate, onDelete, onToggleTitle, titleHidd
     popRef.current?.querySelector<HTMLElement>(".row-menu-item")?.focus();
   }, [open]);
 
+  useEscapeLayer(open, () => {
+    setOpen(false);
+    btnRef.current?.focus();
+  });
+
   const onMenuKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
-    if (e.key === "Escape") {
-      e.preventDefault();
-      setOpen(false);
-      btnRef.current?.focus();
-    } else if (e.key === "ArrowDown" || e.key === "ArrowUp") {
+    if (e.key === "ArrowDown" || e.key === "ArrowUp") {
       e.preventDefault();
       const items = Array.from(popRef.current?.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".row-menu-item") ?? []);
       const idx = items.indexOf(document.activeElement as HTMLElement);
diff --git a/src/components/Settings.tsx b/src/components/Settings.tsx
index 9541f2c..e09ab63 100644
--- a/src/components/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Settings.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   fontStack,
   pairingFor,
 } from "../model/fonts";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
 const LANGUAGES = [
@@ -94,16 +95,7 @@ export function Settings({ onClose, onSave }: { onClose: () => void; onSave: ()
     });
   }, []);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-      if (e.key === "Escape") {
-        e.preventDefault();
-        onClose();
-      }
-    };
-    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
-  }, [onClose]);
+  useEscapeLayer(true, onClose);
 
   if (!book) return null;
 
diff --git a/src/components/UpdateDialog.tsx b/src/components/UpdateDialog.tsx
index ea34996..69c84b2 100644
--- a/src/components/UpdateDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/UpdateDialog.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useUpdater } from "../store/useUpdater";
 import { installUpdate, dismissUpdate } from "../updater";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
 const TITLES: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -19,9 +20,11 @@ export function UpdateDialog() {
   const total = useUpdater((s) => s.total);
   const error = useUpdater((s) => s.error);
 
+  const busy = phase === "downloading" || phase === "installing";
+  useEscapeLayer(phase !== "idle" && !busy, dismissUpdate);
+
   if (phase === "idle") return null;
 
-  const busy = phase === "downloading" || phase === "installing";
   const pct = total > 0 ? Math.min(100, Math.round((downloaded / total) * 100)) : 0;
   const close = busy ? undefined : dismissUpdate;
 
diff --git a/src/editor/FloatingToolbar.tsx b/src/editor/FloatingToolbar.tsx
index fd698c9..9b3517a 100644
--- a/src/editor/FloatingToolbar.tsx
+++ b/src/editor/FloatingToolbar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useReducer, useRef, useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
 import type { Editor } from "@tiptap/react";
 import { Icon } from "../components/Icon";
+import { useEscapeLayer } from "../escape";
 import type { Alignment } from "./align";
 
 const ALIGN_ICONS: Record<Alignment, string> = {
@@ -67,6 +68,12 @@ export function FloatingToolbar({ editor }: { editor: Editor | null }) {
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [editor, linkOpen]);
 
+  useEscapeLayer(linkOpen, () => {
+    setLinkOpen(false);
+    editor?.commands.focus();
+  });
+  useEscapeLayer(alignOpen, () => setAlignOpen(false));
+
   if (!editor) return null;
 
   const insertImage = async (file: File) => {
@@ -158,9 +165,6 @@ export function FloatingToolbar({ editor }: { editor: Editor | null }) {
                   if (e.key === "Enter") {
                     e.preventDefault();
                     applyLink();
-                  } else if (e.key === "Escape") {
-                    e.preventDefault();
-                    setLinkOpen(false);
                   }
                 }}
               />
diff --git a/src/escape.ts b/src/escape.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f32893
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/escape.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+
+type Handler = () => void;
+
+const layers: Handler[] = [];
+let bound = false;
+
+function onKeyDown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
+  if (e.key !== "Escape" || e.isComposing || e.defaultPrevented) return;
+  const top = layers[layers.length - 1];
+  if (!top) return;
+  e.preventDefault();
+  e.stopPropagation();
+  top();
+}
+
+function pushLayer(handler: Handler): () => void {
+  if (!bound) {
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKeyDown, true);
+    bound = true;
+  }
+  layers.push(handler);
+  return () => {
+    const i = layers.lastIndexOf(handler);
+    if (i !== -1) layers.splice(i, 1);
+  };
+}
+
+export function useEscapeLayer(active: boolean, onEscape: () => void): void {
+  const latest = useRef(onEscape);
+  latest.current = onEscape;
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!active) return;
+    return pushLayer(() => latest.current());
+  }, [active]);
+}
diff --git a/src/styles/app.css b/src/styles/app.css
index 030071e..2c71460 100644
--- a/src/styles/app.css
+++ b/src/styles/app.css
@@ -2096,6 +2096,32 @@ body.resizing .sidebar {
   }
 }
 
+.esc-hint {
+  position: fixed;
+  top: 54px;
+  left: 50%;
+  z-index: 30;
+  padding: 7px 14px;
+  font-family: var(--font-ui);
+  font-size: var(--t-2);
+  color: var(--ink-soft);
+  background: var(--glass);
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
+  border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow-pop);
+  pointer-events: none;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  animation: find-drop 140ms var(--ease);
+}
+
+.esc-hint kbd {
+  font-family: var(--font-ui);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: var(--ink);
+}
+
 .find-expand {
   flex: none;
   width: 20px;