diff --git a/crates/qbz-qt/qml/controls/QbzSearchField.qml b/crates/qbz-qt/qml/controls/QbzSearchField.qml
index fc01332bf..45e41440a 100644
--- a/crates/qbz-qt/qml/controls/QbzSearchField.qml
+++ b/crates/qbz-qt/qml/controls/QbzSearchField.qml
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ Rectangle {
 
     property alias text: input.text
     property string placeholder: ""
+    /// The leading magnifier; off for hosts whose own toggle already shows one
+    /// (the sidebar's inline filters).
+    property bool showGlyph: true
+    /// Escape emptied the field and handed the keyboard back; a host that
+    /// folds the field away listens here.
+    signal escaped()
+    /// The clear cross scales with a short field (the sidebar's 22px rows).
+    readonly property int clearSize: Math.min(22, Math.max(16, height - 2))
     property int glyphSize: 14
     property int fontPx: 13
     property int sidePadding: 10
@@ -80,6 +88,7 @@ Rectangle {
     }
 
     QbzIcon {
+        visible: root.showGlyph
         name: "search"
         width: root.glyphSize
         height: root.glyphSize
@@ -92,7 +101,7 @@ Rectangle {
         QbzTextEditMenu { }
         anchors.left: parent.left
         anchors.right: clearSlot.left
-        anchors.leftMargin: root.sidePadding + root.glyphSize + 7
+        anchors.leftMargin: root.sidePadding + (root.showGlyph ? root.glyphSize + 7 : 0)
         anchors.rightMargin: 4
         height: parent.height
         color: theme.textPrimary
@@ -106,6 +115,7 @@ Rectangle {
         }
         Keys.onEscapePressed: function (event) {
             root.clearAndBlur()
+            root.escaped()
             event.accepted = true
         }
         Text {
@@ -124,19 +134,19 @@ Rectangle {
         id: clearSlot
         anchors.right: parent.right
         anchors.rightMargin: 5
-        width: input.text !== "" ? 22 : 0
+        width: input.text !== "" ? root.clearSize : 0
         height: parent.height
         visible: input.text !== ""
         Rectangle {
             anchors.centerIn: parent
-            width: 22
-            height: 22
-            radius: 11
+            width: root.clearSize
+            height: root.clearSize
+            radius: root.clearSize / 2
             color: clearArea.containsMouse ? theme.surfaceHover : "transparent"
             QbzIcon {
                 name: "x"
-                width: 12
-                height: 12
+                width: Math.round(root.clearSize * 0.55)
+                height: Math.round(root.clearSize * 0.55)
                 anchors.centerIn: parent
                 tintName: clearArea.containsMouse ? "textPrimary" : "muted"
             }
diff --git a/crates/qbz-qt/qml/shell/Sidebar.qml b/crates/qbz-qt/qml/shell/Sidebar.qml
index 3529ea280..06571b6ea 100644
--- a/crates/qbz-qt/qml/shell/Sidebar.qml
+++ b/crates/qbz-qt/qml/shell/Sidebar.qml
@@ -903,12 +903,10 @@ Rectangle {
                                 cursorShape: Qt.PointingHandCursor
                                 onClicked: {
                                     root.myqbzSearchOpen = !root.myqbzSearchOpen
-                                    if (!root.myqbzSearchOpen) {
-                                        myqbzSearchEdit.text = ""
-                                        root.myqbzSearch = ""
-                                    } else {
-                                        myqbzSearchEdit.forceActiveFocus()
-                                    }
+                                    if (!root.myqbzSearchOpen)
+                                        myqbzSearchEdit.clear()
+                                    else
+                                        myqbzSearchEdit.focusField()
                                 }
                             }
                         }
@@ -999,8 +997,11 @@ Rectangle {
                             onClicked: QbzShell.navigateTo("collections")
                         }
                     }
-                    // Inline search field (filters the tree client-side).
-                    Rectangle {
+                    // Inline search field (filters the tree client-side). The
+                    // shared search box: Escape empties it AND folds it away,
+                    // the cross empties it and keeps the caret.
+                    QbzSearchField {
+                        id: myqbzSearchEdit
                         visible: root.myqbzSearchOpen
                         anchors.left: myqbzBrandIcon.right
                         anchors.leftMargin: 8
@@ -1009,28 +1010,12 @@ Rectangle {
                         anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
                         height: 22
                         radius: 4
-                        color: (theme.ambientOn ? theme.surfaceElevatedA50 : theme.surfaceElevated)
-                        border.width: 1
-                        border.color: theme.borderSubtle
-                        TextInput {
-                            QbzTextEditMenu { }
-                            id: myqbzSearchEdit
-                            anchors.fill: parent
-                            anchors.leftMargin: 6
-                            color: theme.textPrimary
-                            font.pixelSize: 12
-                            verticalAlignment: Text.AlignVCenter
-                            clip: true
-                            onTextEdited: root.myqbzSearch = text
-                            Text {
-                                visible: myqbzSearchEdit.text === ""
-                                anchors.fill: parent
-                                text: QbzSession.tr("Search My QBZ", QbzSession.trRev)
-                                color: theme.textMuted
-                                font.pixelSize: 12
-                                verticalAlignment: Text.AlignVCenter
-                            }
-                        }
+                        showGlyph: false
+                        sidePadding: 6
+                        fontPx: 12
+                        placeholder: QbzSession.tr("Search My QBZ", QbzSession.trRev)
+                        onEdited: function (text) { root.myqbzSearch = text }
+                        onEscaped: root.myqbzSearchOpen = false
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -1280,34 +1265,21 @@ Rectangle {
                 font.letterSpacing: 1
                 verticalAlignment: Text.AlignVCenter
             }
-            // Inline search input (filters entries, recursive).
-            Rectangle {
+            // Inline search input (filters entries, recursive). The shared
+            // search box: Escape empties it AND folds it back into the title,
+            // the cross empties it and keeps the caret.
+            QbzSearchField {
+                id: searchEdit
                 visible: root.searchOpen
                 width: parent.width - 4 * 26
                 height: 22
                 radius: 4
-                color: (theme.ambientOn ? theme.surfaceElevatedA50 : theme.surfaceElevated)
-                border.width: 1
-                border.color: theme.borderSubtle
-                TextInput {
-                    QbzTextEditMenu { }
-                    id: searchEdit
-                    anchors.fill: parent
-                    anchors.leftMargin: 6
-                    color: theme.textPrimary
-                    font.pixelSize: 12
-                    verticalAlignment: Text.AlignVCenter
-                    clip: true
-                    onTextEdited: QbzShell.sidebarSearch(text)
-                    Text {
-                        visible: searchEdit.text === ""
-                        anchors.fill: parent
-                        text: QbzSession.tr("Search playlists", QbzSession.trRev)
-                        color: theme.textMuted
-                        font.pixelSize: 12
-                        verticalAlignment: Text.AlignVCenter
-                    }
-                }
+                showGlyph: false
+                sidePadding: 6
+                fontPx: 12
+                placeholder: QbzSession.tr("Search playlists", QbzSession.trRev)
+                onEdited: function (text) { QbzShell.sidebarSearch(text) }
+                onEscaped: root.searchOpen = false
             }
 
             // Search toggle.
@@ -1330,12 +1302,10 @@ Rectangle {
                     cursorShape: Qt.PointingHandCursor
                     onClicked: {
                         root.searchOpen = !root.searchOpen
-                        if (!root.searchOpen) {
-                            searchEdit.text = ""
-                            QbzShell.sidebarSearch("")
-                        } else {
-                            searchEdit.forceActiveFocus()
-                        }
+                        if (!root.searchOpen)
+                            searchEdit.clear()
+                        else
+                            searchEdit.focusField()
                     }
                 }
             }