diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
index 6b5033e0..34a38a2d 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ mod tests_activity;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests_album_picker;
 #[cfg(test)]
+mod tests_copy_paste_dialogs;
+#[cfg(test)]
 mod tests_crop_rotate;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests_curve;
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/dialogs.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/dialogs.rs
index aa287c95..99275e4b 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/dialogs.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/dialogs.rs
@@ -77,6 +77,16 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
     });
     let mut close = false;
     let mut confirm = false;
+    // Return presses OK in a dialog without a text field of its own (Lightroom's default button);
+    // a widget that has the keyboard focus (a text field, a button or checkbox reached with Tab)
+    // takes Return itself. Consumed before the dialog is drawn, so nothing else sees it too.
+    if return_confirms(&dlg)
+        && ctx.memory(|m| m.focused().is_none())
+        && !egui::Popup::is_any_open(ctx)
+        && ctx.input_mut(|i| i.consume_key(egui::Modifiers::NONE, egui::Key::Enter))
+    {
+        confirm = true;
+    }
     let title: String = match &dlg {
         Dialog::TextPrompt { title, .. } => title.as_str(),
         Dialog::NewAlbum { folder: true, .. } => "Create Folder",
@@ -1556,6 +1566,12 @@ fn choices<V: PartialEq + Copy>(ui: &mut egui::Ui, label: &str, id: &str, option
     });
 }
 
+/// Dialogs that Return confirms with nothing focused (those with text fields confirm from the
+/// field: `dialog_field`).
+fn return_confirms(dlg: &Dialog) -> bool {
+    matches!(dlg, Dialog::CopySettings { .. } | Dialog::PasteSettings { .. })
+}
+
 /// A dialog's one text field: it keeps the focus (except while its own menu has it) and opens
 /// with its text selected, so typing replaces it. True when Return confirms the dialog; Esc
 /// cancels the dialog (`show`). Taking the focus back with a bare `TextEdit` every frame hid the
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_copy_paste_dialogs.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_copy_paste_dialogs.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5a8bf4ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests_copy_paste_dialogs.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+//! Return presses OK in Copy Settings (⇧⌘C) and Paste Selected Settings (⇧⌘V); Esc cancels (#735).
+
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use lightcraft_catalog::PhotoId;
+use serde_json::{Value, json};
+
+use crate::LightcraftApp;
+use crate::headless::Headless;
+use crate::state::Dialog;
+
+const SETTLE: Duration = Duration::from_secs(120);
+const T: Duration = Duration::from_secs(10);
+
+/// The demo library with an edited first photo selected; returns the first two photos' ids.
+fn edited() -> (Headless, [u64; 2]) {
+    let services = crate::Services { png: None, ..Default::default() };
+    let mut app = LightcraftApp::new(lightcraft_engine::Session::with_demo(), services);
+    app.ui.view = crate::state::ViewMode::PhotoGrid;
+    let mut h = Headless::new(app, [1200.0, 900.0], 1.0);
+    let ids: Vec<u64> = h.app.session.visible_cloned().iter().take(2).map(|p| p.0).collect();
+    let ids = [ids[0], ids[1]];
+    exec(&mut h, "library.select", json!({"ids": [ids[0]]}));
+    exec(&mut h, "develop.set", json!({"values": {"light.exposure": 1.0, "color.vibrance": 30}}));
+    (h, ids)
+}
+
+fn exec(h: &mut Headless, command: &str, params: Value) {
+    let r = h.request("engine.execute", json!({"command": command, "params": params}), T);
+    assert_eq!(r["ok"], true, "{command}: {r}");
+}
+
+fn key(h: &mut Headless, k: Value) {
+    let r = h.request("ui.key", k.clone(), T);
+    assert_eq!(r["ok"], true, "{k}: {r}");
+    h.settle(SETTLE);
+}
+
+fn copy_dialog(h: &mut Headless) {
+    key(h, json!({"key": "C", "cmd": true, "shift": true}));
+    assert!(matches!(h.app.ui.dialog, Some(Dialog::CopySettings { .. })), "dialog not open: {:?}", h.app.ui.dialog);
+}
+
+/// Copies light and colour from the first photo, selects the second and opens ⇧⌘V.
+fn paste_dialog(h: &mut Headless, ids: [u64; 2]) {
+    exec(h, "develop.copy", json!({"groups": ["light", "color"]}));
+    exec(h, "library.select", json!({"ids": [ids[1]]}));
+    key(h, json!({"key": "V", "cmd": true, "shift": true}));
+    assert!(matches!(h.app.ui.dialog, Some(Dialog::PasteSettings { .. })), "dialog not open: {:?}", h.app.ui.dialog);
+}
+
+fn exposure(h: &Headless, id: u64) -> f64 {
+    h.app.session.develop_of(PhotoId(id)).map(|d| d.light.exposure).unwrap_or_default()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn return_copies_the_chosen_settings() {
+    let (mut h, _) = edited();
+    copy_dialog(&mut h);
+    assert!(h.app.session.clipboard.is_none());
+    key(&mut h, json!({"key": "Enter"}));
+    assert!(h.app.ui.dialog.is_none(), "Return closes the dialog");
+    assert!(h.app.session.clipboard.is_some(), "Return copies the settings");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn escape_closes_copy_settings_without_copying() {
+    let (mut h, _) = edited();
+    copy_dialog(&mut h);
+    key(&mut h, json!({"key": "Escape"}));
+    assert!(h.app.ui.dialog.is_none(), "Esc closes the dialog");
+    assert!(h.app.session.clipboard.is_none(), "Esc copies nothing");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn return_pastes_into_the_selected_photos() {
+    let (mut h, ids) = edited();
+    paste_dialog(&mut h, ids);
+    key(&mut h, json!({"key": "Enter"}));
+    assert!(h.app.ui.dialog.is_none(), "Return closes the dialog");
+    assert_eq!(exposure(&h, ids[1]), 1.0, "Return pastes the settings");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn escape_closes_paste_settings_without_pasting() {
+    let (mut h, ids) = edited();
+    paste_dialog(&mut h, ids);
+    key(&mut h, json!({"key": "Escape"}));
+    assert!(h.app.ui.dialog.is_none(), "Esc closes the dialog");
+    assert_eq!(exposure(&h, ids[1]), 0.0, "Esc pastes nothing");
+}
diff --git a/docs/parity.md b/docs/parity.md
index d0bdc35c..f34ca3cd 100644
--- a/docs/parity.md
+++ b/docs/parity.md
@@ -572,8 +572,8 @@ visible menu bar yet: the menu model is only exposed through the control channel
 | MENU-EDIT-UNDO | Undo | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:edit.undo` | label does not name the step |
 | MENU-EDIT-REDO | Redo | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:edit.redo` | |
 | MENU-EDIT-COPYPASTE | Copy / paste (edit settings) | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:develop.copy`, `cmd:develop.paste` | |
-| MENU-EDIT-CHOOSECOPY | Choose Edit Settings to Copy… | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:dialog.copySettings` | |
-| MENU-EDIT-PASTESELECTED | Paste Selected Settings | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:dialog.pasteSettings`, `cmd:develop.paste` (`groups`) | checklist prefilled with the copied groups; only copied groups can be pasted |
+| MENU-EDIT-CHOOSECOPY | Choose Edit Settings to Copy… | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:dialog.copySettings` | Return copies, Esc cancels |
+| MENU-EDIT-PASTESELECTED | Paste Selected Settings | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:dialog.pasteSettings`, `cmd:develop.paste` (`groups`) | checklist prefilled with the copied groups; only copied groups can be pasted; Return pastes, Esc cancels |
 | MENU-EDIT-SELECTALL | Select All | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:library.selectAll` | |
 | MENU-EDIT-SELECTNONE | Select None | P0 | ✅ | `cmd:library.selectNone` | |
 | MENU-EDIT-SELECTBY | Select by flag / rating | P1 | ✅ | `cmd:library.selectBy` | Edit → Select by: picks, rejects, unflagged, ★…★★★★★ and higher, unrated, colour labels; `add` extends the selection |
diff --git a/docs/whats-new.md b/docs/whats-new.md
index fb1fd316..c9c34b8a 100644
--- a/docs/whats-new.md
+++ b/docs/whats-new.md
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@
 - Shortcuts are editable: Help ▸ Keyboard Shortcuts (⌘/) lists every command with a search box; click a shortcut and
   press the new keys (Esc cancels), × removes it, ↺ restores the original, Reset All undoes every change. A key that
   belonged to another command moves to the new one. Menus show the new keys; agents use `app.setShortcut`.
+- Return presses OK in Choose Edit Settings to Copy (⇧⌘C) and Paste Selected Settings (⇧⌘V), and Esc cancels them
+  (issue #735).
 
 ### RAW decoding
 - Olympus ORF raws get the starting look fitted to the camera's own JPEG too, instead of opening flat and grey (the