diff --git a/js/src/features/particles/stream-view.tsx b/js/src/features/particles/stream-view.tsx
index c8307a7..43de66c 100644
--- a/js/src/features/particles/stream-view.tsx
+++ b/js/src/features/particles/stream-view.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ import { useLiveParticleChildren } from "@/hooks/use-particle";
 import { parseParticlePath, toFirestoreDocPath, type ParticlePath } from "@/lib/particle-path";
 import { ComposeOverlay } from "@/features/compose/compose-overlay";
 import { PlaybackPageIndicator } from "@/features/playback/playback-page-indicator";
-import { ParticleRenderer } from "@/features/playback/particle-renderer";
+import { MediaParticleView } from "@/features/playback/media-particle-view";
+import { TextParticleView } from "@/features/playback/text-particle-view";
+import { FallbackParticleView } from "@/features/playback/fallback-particle-view";
 import { Avatar, AvatarFallback } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
 import ControlsIndicator from "@/features/compose/controls-indicator";
 import { updateStreamPlaybackMarker } from "@/lib/firestore-particles";
@@ -102,10 +104,16 @@ export function StreamView({ path, streamParticle }: StreamViewProps) {
 
   const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(playbackReducer, initialState);
   const [composeActive, setComposeActive] = useState(false);
+  const [progress, setProgress] = useState(0);
   const hasInitializedRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
 
   const userId = useAuthStore((s) => s.user?.id);
 
+  // Reset progress when particle changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setProgress(0);
+  }, [state.currentIndex]);
+
   // Init playback once per stream entry, only after children have loaded
   useEffect(() => {
     if (children.length === 0) return;
@@ -154,8 +162,18 @@ export function StreamView({ path, streamParticle }: StreamViewProps) {
     [children.length],
   );
 
-  // Playback keyboard: arrows, escape
+  // Click-to-navigate: left 30% = prev, right 70% = next
+  const handlePlaybackClick = useCallback(
+    (e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+      const rect = e.currentTarget.getBoundingClientRect();
+      const x = (e.clientX - rect.left) / rect.width;
+      if (x < 0.3) prev();
+      else if (x > 0.7) next();
+    },
+    [prev, next],
+  );
 
+  // Playback keyboard: arrows, escape
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
       if (composeActive) return;
@@ -221,6 +239,34 @@ export function StreamView({ path, streamParticle }: StreamViewProps) {
     );
   }
 
+  // Render particle content inline (replaces ParticleRenderer)
+  function renderParticle(particle: Particle) {
+    switch (particle.type) {
+      case "media":
+        return (
+          <MediaParticleView
+            key={particle.id}
+            particle={particle}
+            paused={state.paused}
+            onEnded={next}
+            onProgress={setProgress}
+          />
+        );
+      case "text":
+        return (
+          <TextParticleView
+            key={particle.id}
+            particle={particle}
+            paused={state.paused}
+            onEnded={next}
+            onProgress={setProgress}
+          />
+        );
+      default:
+        return <FallbackParticleView particle={particle} />;
+    }
+  }
+
   return (
     <div className="relative flex h-full flex-col bg-black text-white">
       {/* Progress indicator */}
@@ -228,13 +274,14 @@ export function StreamView({ path, streamParticle }: StreamViewProps) {
         <PlaybackPageIndicator
           total={children.length}
           current={state.currentIndex}
+          progress={progress}
           onGoTo={goTo}
         />
       </div>
 
       {/* Author overlay */}
       {currentParticle && (
-        <div className="absolute top-5 left-0 right-0 z-10 flex items-center justify-center gap-2">
+        <div className="absolute top-5 left-1/2 transform -translate-x-1/2 z-10 flex items-center justify-center gap-2 bg-black/30 backdrop-blur-sm p-1 pr-2 rounded-full">
           <Avatar size="sm">
             <AvatarFallback className="bg-white/20 text-[10px] font-medium text-white">
               {authorInitials}
@@ -249,12 +296,12 @@ export function StreamView({ path, streamParticle }: StreamViewProps) {
       {/* Main playback area */}
       <div className="flex-1 overflow-hidden">
         {currentParticle && (
-          <ParticleRenderer
-            particle={currentParticle}
-            paused={state.paused}
-            onNext={next}
-            onPrev={prev}
-          />
+          <div
+            className="relative flex h-full w-full cursor-pointer items-center justify-center"
+            onClick={handlePlaybackClick}
+          >
+            {renderParticle(currentParticle)}
+          </div>
         )}
       </div>
 
diff --git a/js/src/features/playback/media-particle-view.tsx b/js/src/features/playback/media-particle-view.tsx
index bf49763..b2cfd1d 100644
--- a/js/src/features/playback/media-particle-view.tsx
+++ b/js/src/features/playback/media-particle-view.tsx
@@ -11,42 +11,20 @@ interface MediaParticleViewProps {
   particle: MediaParticle;
   paused: boolean;
   onEnded: () => void;
-}
-
-function formatTime(ms: number): string {
-  const totalSeconds = Math.floor(ms / 1000);
-  const minutes = Math.floor(totalSeconds / 60);
-  const seconds = totalSeconds % 60;
-  return `${minutes}:${seconds.toString().padStart(2, "0")}`;
-}
-
-function DurationPill({
-  currentTimeMs,
-  totalDurationMs,
-}: {
-  currentTimeMs: number;
-  totalDurationMs: number;
-}) {
-  return (
-    <div className="absolute top-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white/10 px-2.5 py-1 backdrop-blur-sm">
-      <span className="font-mono text-xs text-white/80">
-        {formatTime(currentTimeMs)} / {formatTime(totalDurationMs)}
-      </span>
-    </div>
-  );
+  onProgress?: (ratio: number) => void;
 }
 
 export function MediaParticleView({
   particle,
   paused,
   onEnded,
+  onProgress,
 }: MediaParticleViewProps) {
   const { data: url, error } = useDownloadUrl(particle.properties.object_id);
 
   const videoRef = useRef<HTMLVideoElement>(null);
   const audioRef = useRef<HTMLAudioElement>(null);
   const isAudio = particle.properties.mime_type?.startsWith("audio/");
-  const [currentTimeMs, setCurrentTimeMs] = useState(0);
 
   // WORKAROUND: useAudioSource needs an audio element, but audioRef is only set after mount
   const [audioEl, setAudioEl] = useState<HTMLAudioElement | null>(null);
@@ -90,7 +68,8 @@ export function MediaParticleView({
           autoPlay
           onEnded={onEnded}
           onTimeUpdate={(e) => {
-            setCurrentTimeMs(e.currentTarget.currentTime * 1000);
+            const { currentTime, duration } = e.currentTarget;
+            if (duration > 0) onProgress?.(currentTime / duration);
           }}
         />
 
@@ -99,11 +78,6 @@ export function MediaParticleView({
             <AudioLevelBars sourceNode={audioSource.sourceNode} />
           </div>
         )}
-
-        <DurationPill
-          currentTimeMs={currentTimeMs}
-          totalDurationMs={particle.properties.duration_ms}
-        />
       </div>
     );
   }
@@ -117,14 +91,11 @@ export function MediaParticleView({
         playsInline
         onEnded={onEnded}
         onTimeUpdate={(e) => {
-          setCurrentTimeMs(e.currentTarget.currentTime * 1000);
+          const { currentTime, duration } = e.currentTarget;
+          if (duration > 0) onProgress?.(currentTime / duration);
         }}
         className="h-full w-full object-cover"
       />
-      <DurationPill
-        currentTimeMs={currentTimeMs}
-        totalDurationMs={particle.properties.duration_ms}
-      />
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/js/src/features/playback/particle-renderer.tsx b/js/src/features/playback/particle-renderer.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index f6d08e1..0000000
--- a/js/src/features/playback/particle-renderer.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,60 +0,0 @@
-import type { Particle } from "@/api/types";
-import { MediaParticleView } from "./media-particle-view";
-import { TextParticleView } from "./text-particle-view";
-import { FallbackParticleView } from "./fallback-particle-view";
-
-interface ParticleRendererProps {
-  particle: Particle;
-  paused: boolean;
-  onNext: () => void;
-  onPrev: () => void;
-}
-
-export function ParticleRenderer({
-  particle,
-  paused,
-  onNext,
-  onPrev,
-}: ParticleRendererProps) {
-  const handleClick = (e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
-    const rect = e.currentTarget.getBoundingClientRect();
-    const x = (e.clientX - rect.left) / rect.width;
-    if (x < 0.3) onPrev();
-    else if (x > 0.7) onNext();
-  };
-
-  return (
-    <div
-      className="relative flex h-full w-full cursor-pointer items-center justify-center"
-      onClick={handleClick}
-    >
-      <ParticleContent particle={particle} paused={paused} onEnded={onNext} />
-    </div>
-  );
-}
-
-function ParticleContent({
-  particle,
-  paused,
-  onEnded,
-}: {
-  particle: Particle;
-  paused: boolean;
-  onEnded: () => void;
-}) {
-  switch (particle.type) {
-    case "media":
-      return (
-        <MediaParticleView
-          key={particle.id}
-          particle={particle}
-          paused={paused}
-          onEnded={onEnded}
-        />
-      );
-    case "text":
-      return <TextParticleView particle={particle} />;
-    default:
-      return <FallbackParticleView particle={particle} />;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/js/src/features/playback/playback-page-indicator.tsx b/js/src/features/playback/playback-page-indicator.tsx
index 86cca38..7bcf8f9 100644
--- a/js/src/features/playback/playback-page-indicator.tsx
+++ b/js/src/features/playback/playback-page-indicator.tsx
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 interface PlaybackPageIndicatorProps {
   total: number;
   current: number;
+  progress: number;
   onGoTo: (index: number) => void;
 }
 
 export function PlaybackPageIndicator({
   total,
   current,
+  progress,
   onGoTo,
 }: PlaybackPageIndicatorProps) {
   if (total === 0) return null;
@@ -24,14 +26,29 @@ export function PlaybackPageIndicator({
           }}
           className="group relative h-3 flex-1"
         >
-          {/* Track */}
+          {/* Dim track */}
           <div
             className={cn(
-              "absolute inset-x-0 top-1 h-1 rounded-full transition-all",
-              i <= current ? "bg-white/90" : "bg-white/30",
+              "absolute inset-x-0 top-1 h-1 rounded-full bg-white/30",
               "group-hover:h-1.5 group-hover:top-0.5",
             )}
           />
+          {/* Fill */}
+          <div
+            className={cn(
+              "absolute left-0 top-1 h-1 rounded-full bg-white/90",
+              "group-hover:h-1.5 group-hover:top-0.5",
+            )}
+            style={{
+              width:
+                i < current
+                  ? "100%"
+                  : i === current
+                    ? `${progress * 100}%`
+                    : "0%",
+              transition: i === current ? "width 150ms linear" : "none",
+            }}
+          />
         </button>
       ))}
     </div>
diff --git a/js/src/features/playback/text-particle-view.tsx b/js/src/features/playback/text-particle-view.tsx
index f55eb8c..da8ff2e 100644
--- a/js/src/features/playback/text-particle-view.tsx
+++ b/js/src/features/playback/text-particle-view.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
 import type { Particle } from "@/api/types";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
@@ -5,6 +6,20 @@ type TextParticle = Extract<Particle, { type: "text" }>;
 
 interface TextParticleViewProps {
   particle: TextParticle;
+  paused: boolean;
+  onEnded: () => void;
+  onProgress?: (ratio: number) => void;
+}
+
+const WORDS_PER_MINUTE = 200;
+const MIN_DURATION_S = 3;
+const MAX_DURATION_S = 15;
+const TICK_MS = 100;
+
+function computeReadDuration(text: string): number {
+  const wordCount = text.trim().split(/\s+/).length;
+  const seconds = (wordCount / WORDS_PER_MINUTE) * 60;
+  return Math.min(Math.max(seconds, MIN_DURATION_S), MAX_DURATION_S);
 }
 
 function getTextStyle(length: number) {
@@ -14,8 +29,37 @@ function getTextStyle(length: number) {
   return { size: "text-lg", weight: "font-normal" };
 }
 
-export function TextParticleView({ particle }: TextParticleViewProps) {
+export function TextParticleView({
+  particle,
+  paused,
+  onEnded,
+  onProgress,
+}: TextParticleViewProps) {
   const style = getTextStyle(particle.properties.content.length);
+  const durationS = computeReadDuration(particle.properties.content);
+  const elapsedRef = useRef(0);
+
+  // Reset elapsed when particle changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    elapsedRef.current = 0;
+  }, [particle.id]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (paused) return;
+
+    const interval = setInterval(() => {
+      elapsedRef.current += TICK_MS / 1000;
+      const ratio = Math.min(elapsedRef.current / durationS, 1);
+      onProgress?.(ratio);
+
+      if (ratio >= 1) {
+        clearInterval(interval);
+        onEnded();
+      }
+    }, TICK_MS);
+
+    return () => clearInterval(interval);
+  }, [paused, durationS, onEnded, onProgress, particle.id]);
 
   return (
     <div className="flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center bg-gradient-to-b from-black/40 via-black/20 to-black/40 p-8">