diff --git a/src/App.css b/src/App.css
index 702340e..60dc3d9 100644
--- a/src/App.css
+++ b/src/App.css
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@
   color: #777;
   font-size: 11px;
 }
+.layout-info .idle-info {
+  color: #d96060;
+}
 
 .pane-wrap {
   flex: 1 1 auto;
diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index f5fc214..51d0c7c 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -239,6 +239,19 @@ export default function App() {
     setNotifications((ns) => ns.filter((n) => n.id !== id));
   }, []);
 
+  // ---- per-pane idle aggregation (replaces toast spam) --------------------
+  const [idleLeafIds, setIdleLeafIds] = useState<Set<NodeId>>(() => new Set());
+  const reportLeafIdle = useCallback((leafId: NodeId, idle: boolean) => {
+    setIdleLeafIds((prev) => {
+      if (idle && prev.has(leafId)) return prev;
+      if (!idle && !prev.has(leafId)) return prev;
+      const next = new Set(prev);
+      if (idle) next.add(leafId);
+      else next.delete(leafId);
+      return next;
+    });
+  }, []);
+
   // ---- header-drag swap ---------------------------------------------------
   const [dragSourceId, setDragSourceId] = useState<NodeId | null>(null);
   const [dragOverId, setDragOverId] = useState<NodeId | null>(null);
@@ -283,6 +296,7 @@ export default function App() {
       beginHeaderDrag,
       setHeaderDragOver,
       endHeaderDrag,
+      reportLeafIdle,
     }),
     [
       activeLeafId,
@@ -301,6 +315,7 @@ export default function App() {
       beginHeaderDrag,
       setHeaderDragOver,
       endHeaderDrag,
+      reportLeafIdle,
     ],
   );
 
@@ -443,6 +458,12 @@ export default function App() {
 
         <span className="layout-info">
           {leafCount(tree)} pane{leafCount(tree) === 1 ? "" : "s"}
+          {idleLeafIds.size > 0 && (
+            <span className="idle-info" title="Panes that haven't produced output recently">
+              {" · "}
+              {idleLeafIds.size} idle
+            </span>
+          )}
         </span>
       </header>
 
diff --git a/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.css b/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.css
index fede6ce..390de89 100644
--- a/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.css
+++ b/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.css
@@ -17,6 +17,20 @@
 .leaf.active.broadcasting {
   border-color: #ffb840;
 }
+.leaf.idle {
+  border-color: #c84040;
+}
+/* active / broadcasting beats idle visually — when you're focused on a
+   pane (active), the blue tells you "you're here"; idle is implied. */
+.leaf.active.idle {
+  border-color: #5a8cd8;
+}
+.leaf.broadcasting.idle {
+  border-color: #e09838;
+}
+.leaf.active.broadcasting.idle {
+  border-color: #ffb840;
+}
 .leaf.drag-source {
   opacity: 0.4;
 }
@@ -154,6 +168,7 @@
 }
 .pane-status.ok { color: #6c6; }
 .pane-status.err { color: #d66; }
+.pane-status.idle { color: #d96060; }
 
 .pane-actions {
   display: flex;
diff --git a/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.tsx b/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.tsx
index 62a1996..f98dfa6 100644
--- a/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.tsx
+++ b/src/lib/layout/LeafPane.tsx
@@ -79,27 +79,33 @@ export default function LeafPane({ leaf }: { leaf: LeafNode }) {
   }, [distroOpen]);
 
   // ---- idle detection ----------------------------------------------------
+  // Local boolean for the red border + status text on this pane; reported
+  // up to App via orch.reportLeafIdle for the titlebar's "N idle" badge.
   const lastDataTimeRef = useRef(Date.now());
-  const notifiedThisIdleRef = useRef(false);
+  const [isIdle, setIsIdle] = useState(false);
   const onDataReceived = useCallback(() => {
     lastDataTimeRef.current = Date.now();
-    notifiedThisIdleRef.current = false;
-  }, []);
+    setIsIdle((cur) => {
+      if (cur) orch.reportLeafIdle(leaf.id, false);
+      return false;
+    });
+  }, [orch.reportLeafIdle, leaf.id]);
   useEffect(() => {
     const id = window.setInterval(() => {
-      if (notifiedThisIdleRef.current) return;
       const dt = Date.now() - lastDataTimeRef.current;
-      if (dt >= IDLE_THRESHOLD_MS) {
-        notifiedThisIdleRef.current = true;
-        const name = leaf.label ?? leaf.distro ?? "pane";
-        orch.notify(`${name} is idle`);
-      }
+      const nowIdle = dt >= IDLE_THRESHOLD_MS;
+      setIsIdle((cur) => {
+        if (cur === nowIdle) return cur;
+        orch.reportLeafIdle(leaf.id, nowIdle);
+        return nowIdle;
+      });
     }, 1000);
     return () => clearInterval(id);
-    // Depend on the stable notify function, not the whole orch object.
-    // orch is recreated every time activeLeafId/distros change; depending
-    // on it would tear down and rebuild this interval on every click.
-  }, [leaf.label, leaf.distro, orch.notify]);
+  }, [leaf.id, orch.reportLeafIdle]);
+  // Clear from the app-level idle set when this pane unmounts.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    return () => orch.reportLeafIdle(leaf.id, false);
+  }, [leaf.id, orch.reportLeafIdle]);
 
   // ---- broadcast ---------------------------------------------------------
   const onTerminalInput = useCallback(
@@ -229,7 +235,7 @@ export default function LeafPane({ leaf }: { leaf: LeafNode }) {
 
   return (
     <div
-      className={`leaf${isActive ? " active" : ""}${isBroadcasting ? " broadcasting" : ""}${isDragSource ? " drag-source" : ""}${isDragTarget ? " drag-target" : ""}`}
+      className={`leaf${isActive ? " active" : ""}${isBroadcasting ? " broadcasting" : ""}${isIdle ? " idle" : ""}${isDragSource ? " drag-source" : ""}${isDragTarget ? " drag-target" : ""}`}
       role="group"
       aria-label={`Terminal pane: ${leaf.label ?? leaf.distro ?? "unnamed"}`}
       data-leaf-id={leaf.id}
@@ -305,7 +311,13 @@ export default function LeafPane({ leaf }: { leaf: LeafNode }) {
           📡
         </button>
 
-        <span className={`pane-status ${statusOk ? "ok" : "err"}`}>{status}</span>
+        {isIdle && statusOk ? (
+          <span className="pane-status idle" title={`No output for ${IDLE_THRESHOLD_MS / 1000}s+`}>
+            idle
+          </span>
+        ) : (
+          <span className={`pane-status ${statusOk ? "ok" : "err"}`}>{status}</span>
+        )}
 
         <span className="pane-actions">
           <button
diff --git a/src/lib/layout/orchestration.tsx b/src/lib/layout/orchestration.tsx
index bb80863..058ad5c 100644
--- a/src/lib/layout/orchestration.tsx
+++ b/src/lib/layout/orchestration.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ export interface Orchestration {
   beginHeaderDrag: (leafId: NodeId) => void;
   setHeaderDragOver: (leafId: NodeId | null) => void;
   endHeaderDrag: (commitSwap: boolean) => void;
+
+  // Per-leaf idle reporting. LeafPanes call reportLeafIdle when their
+  // own quiet-state crosses the threshold; App aggregates so the titlebar
+  // can show an "N idle" count without spamming toast notifications.
+  reportLeafIdle: (leafId: NodeId, idle: boolean) => void;
 }
 
 const OrchestrationContext = createContext<Orchestration | null>(null);