diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
index 5da8ec46..527fab29 100644
--- a/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ VectorCraft is a clean-room, open-source, pure-Rust reimplementation of the Adob
 
 This file tracks **how far we are and what's left**. Time estimates are wall-clock hours of continuous Claude Opus 5.5 agent work (including builds and the CI gate), given both for **one agent** and for **4–6 parallel agents** on disjoint crates. They are counted from the remaining work (see [Parity estimate](#parity-estimate)), calibrated against measured throughput, and updated as work lands.
 
-_Last updated: 2026-10-08 (after M4.14–M4.98, M8.1–M8.20, M14.4–M14.7, the MCP prompts, resource templates, completions and logging, the 2026-10-07 issue fixes, the Layers panel rework and the 2026-10-08 community contributions: Pen and shape-tool modifiers, path editing, Layers, Artboards, Swatches/Brushes and dialogs, Japanese composition and PDF text, Hebrew/Arabic type, interface languages (Spanish among them), the font menu, saved selections, MCP and EPS, the missing-font export warning (#319), open paths in the Shape Builder (#374), PDF/`.ai` import keeping strokes live and hidden and nested layers (#372), per-corner Live Corners (#381), SVG type opening at the size it draws at (#396), the Wayland clipboard with copied-file paste (#398), ruler guides that can be selected, moved and deleted (#414), two batches of Preferences options that were stored but unused (#394), skeleton reads with `document.find` for large documents over MCP (#416) and anchors dragged with Direct Selection snapping to points, segments and smart guides, clipped SVG layers opening as clipping layers (#420), PDF/`.ai` layers read on pages of tens of millions of operators (#419), Document Color Mode putting RGB greys on the black plate on request and converting pattern tiles (#421) and movable dialogs with Offset Path's Joins dropdown (#423) and numeric fields scrubbed by dragging their label (#400), stroke weight presets in the stroke unit (#426), the Appearance panel's Opacity popup (#430), type on a path brackets, flip and Type on a Path Options that keep the type in place (#429), Layers rows dragged with a ghost and dropped on the trash or New Layer (#435), tool flyouts opening on a right or corner press (#436); see [Honest assessment](#honest-assessment-2026-10-05))._
+_Last updated: 2026-10-08 (after M4.14–M4.98, M8.1–M8.20, M14.4–M14.7, the MCP prompts, resource templates, completions and logging, the 2026-10-07 issue fixes, the Layers panel rework and the 2026-10-08 community contributions: Pen and shape-tool modifiers, path editing, Layers, Artboards, Swatches/Brushes and dialogs, Japanese composition and PDF text, Hebrew/Arabic type, interface languages (Spanish among them), the font menu, saved selections, MCP and EPS, the missing-font export warning (#319), open paths in the Shape Builder (#374), PDF/`.ai` import keeping strokes live and hidden and nested layers (#372), per-corner Live Corners (#381), SVG type opening at the size it draws at (#396), the Wayland clipboard with copied-file paste (#398), ruler guides that can be selected, moved and deleted (#414), two batches of Preferences options that were stored but unused (#394), skeleton reads with `document.find` for large documents over MCP (#416) and anchors dragged with Direct Selection snapping to points, segments and smart guides, clipped SVG layers opening as clipping layers (#420), PDF/`.ai` layers read on pages of tens of millions of operators (#419), Document Color Mode putting RGB greys on the black plate on request and converting pattern tiles (#421) and movable dialogs with Offset Path's Joins dropdown (#423) and numeric fields scrubbed by dragging their label (#400), stroke weight presets in the stroke unit (#426), the Appearance panel's Opacity popup (#430), type on a path brackets, flip and Type on a Path Options that keep the type in place (#429), Layers rows dragged with a ghost and dropped on the trash or New Layer (#435), tool flyouts opening on a right or corner press (#436), tool flyouts torn off into floating toolbars (#437); see [Honest assessment](#honest-assessment-2026-10-05))._
 
 ## Where we are
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ grade by behaviour against `plan/illustrator/`, not by whether a menu item exist
 - **UI:** Illustrator 2026 layout restyled to measured values:
   - Medium Dark theme, categorized and Advanced toolbars (a tool group's flyout opens on a right press, a long press or a press on its corner triangle), 35 pt document tabs, 33 pt panel tabs.
   - Hint bar, contextual task bar, 19 dock panels with ≡ menus.
-  - Tool flyouts tear off: dragging the grab bar on a flyout's right side floats its group as a strip of tool buttons, moved by the same bar and put back in the toolbar by the × at its top. While a group floats, the presses that would open its flyout raise the strip instead. Floating strips are kept with the preferences.
+  - Tool flyouts tear off: dragging or clicking the tear-off bar on a flyout's right side (or releasing the long press over it) floats its group as a strip of tool buttons, moved by the same bar and put back in the toolbar by the × at its top (`window.floatTools`). While a group floats, the presses that would open its flyout raise the strip instead. Floating strips are kept with the preferences and in user workspaces. Not done: turning a strip vertical, docking it.
   - The dock's double arrow collapses Properties, Layers and Libraries to icons at the top of the icon column, popping out like the other icon panels, and expands them again (`window.collapseDock`, kept with the preferences and in saved workspaces). The icon column's own arrow (expanding the icon panels into a full column) is not done.
   - Localised UI: menus (in-window and native), panels, dialogs, toolbar and Preferences read from per-language catalogs (`crates/ui-egui/src/i18n`, see `docs/development.md`); Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Simplified Chinese (mainland), Japanese and Spanish ship complete, and Czech and Brazilian Portuguese cover every menu label (and more), with system-locale detection on macOS, Windows and Linux, a VectorCraft ▸ Language menu and a Language preference. Names are never translated (fonts and their styles, layers, artboards, saved presets, user libraries, custom workspaces, recent files, plug-ins).
   - Native macOS menu bar, vector tool cursors, a ⌘K command palette, middle-button panning with any tool.
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv
index 5f2f3882..0494f993 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv
@@ -607,3 +607,4 @@
 	Drag to move	Přetažením přesunete
 	Drag to float as a toolbar	Přetažením vytvoříte plovoucí panel nástrojů
 	Put back in the toolbar	Vrátit do panelu nástrojů
+	Float Tool Group	Plovoucí skupina nástrojů
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv
index 004ef688..767e2bd2 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv
@@ -3032,3 +3032,4 @@ axis	Both	Ambos
 	Drag to move	Arrastrar para mover
 	Drag to float as a toolbar	Arrastrar para flotar como barra de herramientas
 	Put back in the toolbar	Devolver a la barra de herramientas
+	Float Tool Group	Hacer flotar el grupo de herramientas
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv
index d0698f48..64a175d3 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv
@@ -3021,3 +3021,4 @@ axis	Both	両方
 	Drag to move	移動するにはドラッグ
 	Drag to float as a toolbar	ドラッグしてツールバーとして浮かせる
 	Put back in the toolbar	ツールバーに戻す
+	Float Tool Group	ツールグループをフローティング
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv
index e02af56a..8fa0ed2d 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv
@@ -2624,3 +2624,4 @@
 	Drag to move	Arraste para mover
 	Drag to float as a toolbar	Arraste para flutuar como barra de ferramentas
 	Put back in the toolbar	Devolver à barra de ferramentas
+	Float Tool Group	Flutuar Grupo de Ferramentas
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv
index 7517879a..c83b0cd9 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv
@@ -3278,3 +3278,4 @@ axis	Both	两者
 	Drag to move	拖动以移动
 	Drag to float as a toolbar	拖动使其浮动为工具栏
 	Put back in the toolbar	放回工具栏
+	Float Tool Group	浮动工具组
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv
index 87a7cf55..77f24eb8 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv
@@ -3052,3 +3052,4 @@ axis	Both	兩者
 	Drag to move	拖曳以移動
 	Drag to float as a toolbar	拖曳使其浮動為工具列
 	Put back in the toolbar	放回工具列
+	Float Tool Group	浮動工具組
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
index 3a4ba481..c4322a90 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
@@ -199,6 +199,12 @@ pub const UI_COMMANDS: &[(&str, &str, &str, &str)] = &[
     ("window.toolbar", "Tools", "", "{}"),
     ("window.toolbarColumns", "Toolbar: Single/Double Column", "", "{}"),
     ("window.toolbarAdvanced", "Toolbar: Advanced / Basic", "", "{}"),
+    (
+        "window.floatTools",
+        "Float Tool Group",
+        "",
+        "{tool: id, floating?: bool} float the toolbar group holding `tool` (in the current Basic or Advanced layout) as its own strip of tool buttons (true), put it back in the toolbar (false) or toggle (omitted), as dragging or clicking a flyout's tear-off bar and the strip's × do; returns the new state",
+    ),
     ("window.taskBar", "Contextual Task Bar", "", "{}"),
     ("window.dock", "Panels", "Tab", "{} show/hide all panels"),
     ("window.panel", "Show Panel", "", "{panel: id} e.g. layers, swatches, stroke (case-insensitive; display labels like \"Layers\" work too)"),
@@ -980,6 +986,15 @@ pub fn run_ui_command(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, id: &str, p: &Value) -> Option<R
         "window.toolbar" => flag(&mut app.ui.toolbar),
         "window.toolbarColumns" => flag(&mut app.ui.toolbar_double),
         "window.toolbarAdvanced" => flag(&mut app.ui.toolbar_advanced),
+        "window.floatTools" => {
+            let floating = match p.get("floating") {
+                None | Some(Value::Null) => None,
+                Some(Value::Bool(b)) => Some(*b),
+                Some(_) => return Some(Err("floating must be true or false".into())),
+            };
+            let Some(tool) = s("tool") else { return Some(Err("tool (a tool id) is required".into())) };
+            crate::toolbar::float_group(app, &tool, floating).map(Value::Bool)
+        }
         "window.taskBar" => flag(&mut app.ui.task_bar),
         "window.dock" => {
             let on = !(app.ui.dock && app.ui.toolbar);
@@ -1302,6 +1317,10 @@ pub fn checked(app: &VectorcraftApp, id: &str, p: &Value) -> Option<bool> {
         "window.control" => app.ui.control_bar,
         "window.toolbar" => app.ui.toolbar,
         "window.toolbarAdvanced" => app.ui.toolbar_advanced,
+        "window.floatTools" => {
+            let tool = p.get("tool").and_then(Value::as_str).unwrap_or("");
+            app.ui.floating_flyouts.iter().any(|f| f.tools.iter().any(|id| id == tool))
+        }
         "window.taskBar" => app.ui.task_bar,
         "window.panel" => {
             let panel = p.get("panel").and_then(Value::as_str).unwrap_or("");
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/state.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/state.rs
index 53a2e841..899e6e33 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/state.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/state.rs
@@ -392,6 +392,12 @@ impl UiState {
         if self.group_tool.len() != vectorcraft_tools::TOOL_GROUPS.len() {
             self.group_tool = UiState::default().group_tool;
         }
+        // One strip per group, of known tools (a hand-edited preferences file).
+        let mut seen = std::collections::BTreeSet::new();
+        self.floating_flyouts.retain_mut(|f| {
+            f.tools.retain(|id| vectorcraft_tools::tool_info(id).is_some());
+            f.tools.first().is_some_and(|k| seen.insert(k.clone()))
+        });
         self
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/toolbar.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/toolbar.rs
index ddd956dd..3eec7513 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/toolbar.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/toolbar.rs
@@ -382,6 +382,31 @@ fn bottom_controls(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui, t: &Tokens) {
     let _ = t;
 }
 
+/// Where `window.floatTools` puts a strip (the next one a row lower), right of the toolbar; it's
+/// kept on screen and moved by its bar.
+const FLOAT_AT: [f32; 2] = [90.0, 100.0];
+
+/// Float the toolbar group (of the current layout) holding `tool` as a strip of tool buttons, put
+/// it back in the toolbar, or toggle (`floating` omitted), as a flyout's tear-off bar and the
+/// strip's × do (`window.floatTools`). Returns the new state.
+pub fn float_group(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, tool: &str, floating: Option<bool>) -> Result<bool, String> {
+    let Some((_, group)) = slots(app).into_iter().find(|(_, s)| s.len() > 1 && s.contains(&tool)) else {
+        return Err(format!("{tool} isn't in a toolbar group of several tools"));
+    };
+    let key = group.first().copied().unwrap_or_default();
+    let was = is_floating(app, key);
+    let on = floating.unwrap_or(!was);
+    if on && !was {
+        let n = app.ui.floating_flyouts.len() as f32;
+        let tools = group.iter().map(|id| id.to_string()).collect();
+        app.ui.floating_flyouts.push(crate::state::FloatingFlyout { tools, pos: [FLOAT_AT[0], FLOAT_AT[1] + n * (PITCH + 12.0)] });
+        app.ui.flyout = None;
+    } else if !on {
+        app.ui.floating_flyouts.retain(|f| f.tools.first().is_none_or(|k| k != key));
+    }
+    Ok(on)
+}
+
 /// Whether the group whose first tool is `key` floats as its own panel.
 fn is_floating(app: &VectorcraftApp, key: &str) -> bool {
     app.ui.floating_flyouts.iter().any(|f| f.tools.first().is_some_and(|k| k == key))
@@ -420,8 +445,8 @@ struct FlyoutInput {
 }
 
 /// A flyout's tool rows (a floating flyout's strip of tool buttons) with the grab bar down their
-/// right side; a floating flyout's bar has a × at its top. The bar's id is the group's, so a drag that tears a flyout off carries on moving
-/// the floating flyout it becomes.
+/// right side; a floating flyout's bar has a × at its top. The bar's id is the group's, so a drag
+/// that tears a flyout off carries on moving the floating flyout it becomes.
 fn flyout_body(ui: &mut Ui, t: &Tokens, active: &str, tools: &[String], floating: bool) -> FlyoutInput {
     let mut out = FlyoutInput::default();
     let key = tools.first().map_or("", String::as_str);
@@ -546,20 +571,22 @@ fn flyout(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
     let anchor: egui::Rect =
         ctx.data(|d| d.get_temp(egui::Id::new("flyout-anchor"))).unwrap_or(egui::Rect::from_min_size(pos2(40.0, 100.0), vec2(32.0, 32.0)));
     let t = Tokens::get(ctx);
-    let active = app.session.tool_id().to_string();
+    let active = app.session.tool_id();
     let mut input = FlyoutInput::default();
     let resp = egui::Area::new(egui::Id::new("tool-flyout")).order(egui::Order::Foreground).fixed_pos(anchor.right_top() + vec2(8.0, -1.0)).show(
         ctx,
         |ui| {
-            flyout_frame(&t, false).show(ui, |ui| input = flyout_body(ui, &t, &active, &tools, false));
+            flyout_frame(&t, false).show(ui, |ui| input = flyout_body(ui, &t, active, &tools, false));
         },
     );
-    // Dragging the bar tears the flyout off: it floats where the drag puts it.
-    if input.bar.is_some_and(|b| b.dragged())
-        && let Some(d) = press_travel(ctx).filter(|d| d.length() > TEAR)
-    {
+    // Dragging the bar tears the flyout off, and so does releasing a press over it (a click, or the
+    // end of the long press that opened the flyout): it floats where the pointer is.
+    let at = ctx.input(|i| i.pointer.interact_pos());
+    let released_on_bar = input.bar.as_ref().is_some_and(|b| ctx.input(|i| i.pointer.primary_released()) && at.is_some_and(|p| b.rect.contains(p)));
+    let dragged_off = input.bar.as_ref().is_some_and(egui::Response::dragged) && press_travel(ctx).is_some_and(|d| d.length() > TEAR);
+    if released_on_bar || dragged_off {
         // The strip is far narrower than the flyout: it floats with its bar under the pointer.
-        let at = ctx.input(|i| i.pointer.interact_pos()).unwrap_or(resp.response.rect.min + d);
+        let at = at.unwrap_or(resp.response.rect.right_center());
         // (Past the frame's 1 pt border.)
         let grab = vec2(1.0 + strip_width(&tools) - BAR / 2.0, 1.0 + CLOSE + 4.0);
         let p = at - grab;
@@ -582,13 +609,16 @@ fn flyout(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
 
 /// The flyouts torn off the toolbar, each floating where its bar was dragged; its × puts it back.
 fn floating(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
+    if app.ui.floating_flyouts.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
     let t = Tokens::get(ctx);
     let screen = ctx.content_rect();
     let now = ctx.input(|i| i.time);
-    let active = app.session.tool_id().to_string();
+    let active = app.session.tool_id();
     let mut chosen = None;
     let mut closed = None;
-    for (k, f) in app.ui.floating_flyouts.clone().into_iter().enumerate() {
+    for (k, f) in app.ui.floating_flyouts.iter_mut().enumerate() {
         let Some(key) = f.tools.first() else { continue };
         let id = floating_area(key);
         let since = ctx.data(|d| d.get_temp::<f64>(id)).map(|t0| now - t0);
@@ -603,19 +633,18 @@ fn floating(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
         let pos = pos2(x.min(screen.right() - size.x).max(screen.left()), y.min(screen.bottom() - size.y).max(screen.top()));
         let mut input = FlyoutInput::default();
         egui::Area::new(id).order(egui::Order::Middle).fixed_pos(pos).show(ctx, |ui| {
-            flyout_frame(&t, flash).show(ui, |ui| input = flyout_body(ui, &t, &active, &f.tools, true));
+            flyout_frame(&t, flash).show(ui, |ui| input = flyout_body(ui, &t, active, &f.tools, true));
         });
         // Dragging the bar keeps the flyout where the pointer holds it (by an offset rather than
         // each frame's motion, which a just torn-off flyout's first, unseen frame would drop).
         let grab = grab_id(key);
         if ctx.is_being_dragged(bar_id(key))
             && let Some(at) = ctx.input(|i| i.pointer.interact_pos())
-            && let Some(slot) = app.ui.floating_flyouts.get_mut(k)
         {
             let off = ctx.data_mut(|m| *m.get_temp_mut_or_insert_with(grab, || at - pos));
             let p = at - off;
             if p.x.is_finite() && p.y.is_finite() {
-                slot.pos = [p.x, p.y];
+                f.pos = [p.x, p.y];
             }
         } else if !ctx.input(|i| i.pointer.any_down()) {
             ctx.data_mut(|m| m.remove::<egui::Vec2>(grab));
@@ -1005,14 +1034,87 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn a_click_on_a_flyouts_bar_doesnt_tear_it_off() {
+    fn a_click_on_a_flyouts_bar_tears_it_off() {
         let mut app = VectorcraftApp::new(Session::new(), Default::default());
         let ctx = egui::Context::default();
         let at = shapes_button(&mut app, &ctx).center();
         click(&mut app, &ctx, 1.0, at, PointerButton::Secondary);
         let menu = ctx.memory(|m| m.area_rect(egui::Id::new("tool-flyout"))).unwrap();
-        click(&mut app, &ctx, 2.0, pos2(menu.right() - BAR / 2.0, menu.center().y), PointerButton::Primary);
-        assert!(app.ui.flyout.is_some() && app.ui.floating_flyouts.is_empty());
+        let bar = pos2(menu.right() - BAR / 2.0, menu.center().y);
+        click(&mut app, &ctx, 2.0, bar, PointerButton::Primary);
+        frame(&mut app, &ctx, 2.2, vec![]);
+        assert_eq!(app.ui.flyout, None);
+        assert_eq!(app.ui.floating_flyouts.iter().map(|f| f.tools[0].as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(), ["rectangle"]);
+        let float = ctx.memory(|m| m.area_rect(floating_area("rectangle"))).expect("the floating flyout is shown");
+        assert!(float.contains(bar), "its bar is under the pointer: {float:?}");
+        assert_eq!(app.session.tool_id(), "selection", "no tool picked");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn releasing_a_long_press_over_the_flyouts_bar_tears_it_off() {
+        let mut app = VectorcraftApp::new(Session::new(), Default::default());
+        let ctx = egui::Context::default();
+        let at = shapes_button(&mut app, &ctx).center();
+        let b = |pos, pressed| Event::PointerButton { pos, button: PointerButton::Primary, pressed, modifiers: Default::default() };
+        frame(&mut app, &ctx, 1.0, vec![Event::PointerMoved(at), b(at, true)]);
+        frame(&mut app, &ctx, 1.0 + LONG_PRESS + 0.01, vec![]);
+        frame(&mut app, &ctx, 1.45, vec![]);
+        let menu = ctx.memory(|m| m.area_rect(egui::Id::new("tool-flyout"))).expect("the long press opens the flyout");
+        let bar = pos2(menu.right() - BAR / 2.0, menu.center().y);
+        frame(&mut app, &ctx, 1.5, vec![Event::PointerMoved(bar)]);
+        frame(&mut app, &ctx, 1.55, vec![b(bar, false)]);
+        frame(&mut app, &ctx, 1.6, vec![]);
+        assert_eq!((app.ui.flyout, app.ui.floating_flyouts.len(), app.session.tool_id()), (None, 1, "selection"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn window_float_tools_floats_and_puts_back_a_group() {
+        let mut app = VectorcraftApp::new(Session::new(), Default::default());
+        let check = |app: &VectorcraftApp| crate::menus::checked(app, "window.floatTools", &json!({"tool": "star"}));
+        assert_eq!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "star"})).unwrap(), json!(true));
+        let [f] = app.ui.floating_flyouts.as_slice() else { panic!("one strip: {:?}", app.ui.floating_flyouts) };
+        assert_eq!(f.tools.first().map(String::as_str), Some("rectangle"), "the Basic toolbar's Shapes group");
+        assert_eq!(check(&app), Some(true));
+        // Already floating: stays where it is.
+        app.ui.floating_flyouts[0].pos = [300.0, 400.0];
+        assert_eq!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "rectangle", "floating": true})).unwrap(), json!(true));
+        assert_eq!(app.ui.floating_flyouts.iter().map(|f| f.pos).collect::<Vec<_>>(), [[300.0, 400.0]]);
+        // Omitted toggles it back.
+        assert_eq!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "star"})).unwrap(), json!(false));
+        assert!(app.ui.floating_flyouts.is_empty() && check(&app) == Some(false));
+        assert_eq!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "pen", "floating": false})).unwrap(), json!(false));
+        // A tool alone in its slot, an unknown tool, a bad flag.
+        assert!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "ellipse"})).is_err());
+        assert!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "nope"})).is_err());
+        assert!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({})).is_err());
+        assert!(app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "pen", "floating": "yes"})).is_err());
+        assert!(app.ui.floating_flyouts.is_empty());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn workspaces_keep_floating_flyouts_and_reset_puts_them_back() {
+        let mut app = VectorcraftApp::new(Session::new(), Default::default());
+        app.run("window.floatTools", json!({"tool": "pen"})).unwrap();
+        app.run("window.workspace.new", json!({"name": "Strips"})).unwrap();
+        app.run("window.workspace", json!({"name": "Essentials"})).unwrap();
+        assert!(app.ui.floating_flyouts.is_empty(), "the built-in workspaces float none");
+        app.run("window.workspace", json!({"name": "Strips"})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(app.ui.floating_flyouts.iter().map(|f| f.tools[0].as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(), ["pen"]);
+        // Workspaces saved before floating strips load without any.
+        let mut old = serde_json::to_value(crate::workspaces::Workspace::default()).unwrap();
+        old.as_object_mut().unwrap().remove("floatingFlyouts");
+        assert!(serde_json::from_value::<crate::workspaces::Workspace>(old).unwrap().floating_flyouts.is_empty());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn loaded_floating_flyouts_keep_known_tools_one_strip_per_group() {
+        let f = |tools: &[&str]| crate::state::FloatingFlyout { tools: tools.iter().map(|s| s.to_string()).collect(), pos: [0.0, 0.0] };
+        let ui = crate::state::UiState {
+            floating_flyouts: vec![f(&["pen", "nope", "addAnchor"]), f(&["pen", "addAnchor"]), f(&["nope"]), f(&[])],
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        let ui = ui.sanitized();
+        assert_eq!(ui.floating_flyouts.iter().map(|f| f.tools.join(",")).collect::<Vec<_>>(), ["pen,addAnchor"]);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/workspaces.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/workspaces.rs
index e4ab999d..3a9af4fa 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/workspaces.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/workspaces.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
 
-use crate::state::{Dialog, DockTab, UiState};
+use crate::state::{Dialog, DockTab, FloatingFlyout, UiState};
 use crate::theme::Tokens;
 use crate::{VectorcraftApp, widgets};
 
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ pub struct Workspace {
     pub dock_collapsed: bool,
     pub open_panel: Option<String>,
     pub status_bar: bool,
+    /// Tool groups torn off the toolbar into floating strips (built-in workspaces: none).
+    pub floating_flyouts: Vec<FloatingFlyout>,
 }
 
 impl Default for Workspace {
@@ -120,6 +122,7 @@ pub fn capture(ui: &UiState, name: &str) -> Workspace {
         dock_collapsed: ui.dock_collapsed,
         open_panel: ui.open_panel.clone(),
         status_bar: ui.status_bar,
+        floating_flyouts: ui.floating_flyouts.clone(),
     }
 }
 
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@ pub fn apply(ui: &mut UiState, w: &Workspace) {
     ui.dock_collapsed = w.dock_collapsed;
     ui.open_panel = w.open_panel.clone();
     ui.status_bar = w.status_bar;
+    ui.floating_flyouts = w.floating_flyouts.clone();
     ui.flyout = None;
     ui.workspace = w.name.clone();
 }
diff --git a/docs/control-protocol.md b/docs/control-protocol.md
index 4bf77f5c..4e1d933d 100644
--- a/docs/control-protocol.md
+++ b/docs/control-protocol.md
@@ -192,6 +192,14 @@ pop the panel out next to the column like the other icon panels (`ui.dock_collap
 `ui.inspect`); expanding with one popped out shows its tab. The state is saved with the preferences and in user
 workspaces; the built-in workspaces expand the dock.
 
+Floating tool groups: dragging or clicking the tear-off bar down a tool group's flyout (or releasing the long press
+that opened it over the bar) floats the group as a strip of tool buttons, moved by the same bar and put back in the
+toolbar by the × at its top; `window.floatTools {tool, floating?}` does the same for the group of the current
+layout holding `tool` (omitted toggles; a tool alone in its slot is an error). While a group floats, the presses
+that open its flyout raise the strip instead. The strips (`ui.floating_flyouts` in `ui.inspect`: the group's tools
+and the strip's top-left corner) are saved with the preferences and in user workspaces; the built-in workspaces
+float none.
+
 Flatten Transparency: `ui.flattenTransparencyDialog` opens the `flattenTransparency` dialog for the selection
 (fields `preset`: a preset name, setting it loads that preset's options; the option keys of
 `object.flattenTransparency`: `balance` 0–100, `lineArtPpi` and `gradientPpi` 1–2400, `textToOutlines`,