diff --git a/js/src/components/ui/toggle.tsx b/js/src/components/ui/toggle.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2284a77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/src/components/ui/toggle.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import * as React from "react"
+import { cva, type VariantProps } from "class-variance-authority"
+import { Toggle as TogglePrimitive } from "radix-ui"
+
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
+
+const toggleVariants = cva(
+  "group/toggle inline-flex items-center justify-center gap-1 rounded-lg text-sm font-medium whitespace-nowrap transition-all outline-none hover:bg-muted hover:text-foreground focus-visible:border-ring focus-visible:ring-[3px] focus-visible:ring-ring/50 disabled:pointer-events-none disabled:opacity-50 aria-invalid:border-destructive aria-invalid:ring-destructive/20 aria-pressed:bg-muted data-[state=on]:bg-muted dark:aria-invalid:ring-destructive/40 [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg:not([class*='size-'])]:size-4",
+  {
+    variants: {
+      variant: {
+        default: "bg-transparent",
+        outline: "border border-input bg-transparent hover:bg-muted",
+      },
+      size: {
+        default: "h-8 min-w-8 px-2",
+        sm: "h-7 min-w-7 rounded-[min(var(--radius-md),12px)] px-1.5 text-[0.8rem]",
+        lg: "h-9 min-w-9 px-2.5",
+      },
+    },
+    defaultVariants: {
+      variant: "default",
+      size: "default",
+    },
+  }
+)
+
+function Toggle({
+  className,
+  variant = "default",
+  size = "default",
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof TogglePrimitive.Root> &
+  VariantProps<typeof toggleVariants>) {
+  return (
+    <TogglePrimitive.Root
+      data-slot="toggle"
+      className={cn(toggleVariants({ variant, size, className }))}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+export { Toggle, toggleVariants }
diff --git a/js/src/features/layout.tsx b/js/src/features/layout.tsx
index aac81ea..958564e 100644
--- a/js/src/features/layout.tsx
+++ b/js/src/features/layout.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import { WindowControls } from "@/components/window-controls";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
-import { Outlet, useLocation, useNavigate, useParams } from "react-router-dom";
-import { Home, Settings } from "lucide-react";
+import { useNavigate, useParams } from "react-router-dom";
+import { Home, Settings, Volume2, VolumeOff } from "lucide-react";
+import { Toggle } from "@/components/ui/toggle";
+import { useAutoplayStore } from "@/stores/autoplay-store";
 import {
   Breadcrumb,
   BreadcrumbItem,
@@ -53,6 +55,23 @@ function NetworkBreadcrumbContent({ networkId }: { networkId: string }) {
   );
 }
 
+function AutoplayToggle() {
+  const muted = useAutoplayStore((s) => s.muted);
+  const toggleMuted = useAutoplayStore((s) => s.toggleMuted);
+
+  return (
+    <Toggle
+      size="sm"
+      pressed={!muted}
+      onPressedChange={toggleMuted}
+      className="no-drag"
+      aria-label={muted ? "Unmute autoplay" : "Mute autoplay"}
+    >
+      {muted ? <VolumeOff className="size-3.5" /> : <Volume2 className="size-3.5" />}
+    </Toggle>
+  );
+}
+
 function TopBar() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const { networkId, "*": rest } = useParams();
@@ -116,6 +135,8 @@ function TopBar() {
 
       <div className="flex-1" />
 
+      <AutoplayToggle />
+
       <Button
         variant="ghost"
         size="sm"
diff --git a/js/src/features/particles/autoplay-overlay.tsx b/js/src/features/particles/autoplay-overlay.tsx
index 12f16ec..9522bc4 100644
--- a/js/src/features/particles/autoplay-overlay.tsx
+++ b/js/src/features/particles/autoplay-overlay.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
-import { X, Mic, Video } from "lucide-react";
+import { X, Mic } from "lucide-react";
 import { useAutoplayStore } from "@/stores/autoplay-store";
 import { useDownloadUrl } from "@/hooks/use-download-url";
-import { Card } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { Avatar, AvatarFallback } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
 import { Small } from "@/components/ui/typography";
+import { getInitials } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 interface AutoplayOverlayProps {
   networkId: string;
@@ -19,7 +20,9 @@ export function AutoplayOverlay({ networkId }: AutoplayOverlayProps) {
   if (!activeParticle || !url) return null;
 
   const isVideo = activeParticle.properties.mime_type?.startsWith("video/");
-  const Icon = isVideo ? Video : Mic;
+  const senderEmail = activeParticle.created_by_email;
+  const senderInitials = getInitials(senderEmail);
+  const senderName = senderEmail.split("@")[0];
 
   const handleClick = () => {
     stop();
@@ -28,42 +31,63 @@ export function AutoplayOverlay({ networkId }: AutoplayOverlayProps) {
     }
   };
 
+  const closeButton = (
+    <button
+      className="absolute top-1 right-1 z-10 rounded-full bg-black/50 p-0.5 text-white hover:bg-black/70"
+      onClick={(e) => {
+        e.stopPropagation();
+        stop();
+      }}
+    >
+      <X className="size-3.5" />
+    </button>
+  );
+
+  const senderBar = (
+    <div className="flex items-center gap-2 px-3 py-2">
+      <Avatar size="sm">
+        <AvatarFallback className="bg-primary/10 text-primary text-[10px] font-medium">
+          {senderInitials}
+        </AvatarFallback>
+      </Avatar>
+      <Small className="truncate text-muted-foreground">{senderName}</Small>
+    </div>
+  );
+
   return (
-    <Card
-      size="sm"
-      className="absolute bottom-4 right-4 z-40 w-52 cursor-pointer shadow-lg"
+    <div
+      className="absolute bottom-4 right-4 z-40 w-52 cursor-pointer overflow-hidden rounded-xl bg-card text-card-foreground shadow-lg ring-1 ring-foreground/10"
       onClick={handleClick}
     >
-      <div className="relative">
-        {/* Close button */}
-        <button
-          className="absolute top-1 right-1 z-10 rounded-full bg-black/50 p-0.5 text-white hover:bg-black/70"
-          onClick={(e) => {
-            e.stopPropagation();
-            stop();
-          }}
-        >
-          <X className="size-3.5" />
-        </button>
-
-        {isVideo ? (
+      {isVideo ? (
+        <div className="relative">
+          {closeButton}
           <video
             src={url}
             autoPlay
             playsInline
             onEnded={stop}
-            className="w-full rounded-t-xl object-cover"
+            className="w-full object-cover"
           />
-        ) : (
+          {senderBar}
+        </div>
+      ) : (
+        <div className="relative">
+          {closeButton}
           <div className="flex items-center gap-2 px-3 py-3">
-            <Icon className="size-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
-            <Small className="truncate text-muted-foreground">
-              Playing voice note...
-            </Small>
-            <audio src={url} autoPlay onEnded={stop} />
+            <Avatar size="sm">
+              <AvatarFallback className="bg-primary/10 text-primary text-[10px] font-medium">
+                {senderInitials}
+              </AvatarFallback>
+            </Avatar>
+            <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+              <Small className="truncate font-medium">{senderName}</Small>
+            </div>
+            <Mic />
           </div>
-        )}
-      </div>
-    </Card>
+          <audio src={url} autoPlay onEnded={stop} />
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/js/src/stores/autoplay-store.ts b/js/src/stores/autoplay-store.ts
index b23fbb1..b974e5f 100644
--- a/js/src/stores/autoplay-store.ts
+++ b/js/src/stores/autoplay-store.ts
@@ -8,15 +8,32 @@ interface AutoplayState {
   activeParticle: MediaParticle | null;
   /** The stream this particle belongs to (for click-to-navigate) */
   streamId: string | null;
-  /** Play a media particle, preempting any currently playing */
+  /** When true, incoming play requests are ignored */
+  muted: boolean;
+  /** Play a media particle, preempting any currently playing. No-op when muted. */
   play: (particle: MediaParticle, streamId: string) => void;
   /** Stop autoplay and clear state */
   stop: () => void;
+  /** Toggle muted state */
+  toggleMuted: () => void;
 }
 
-export const useAutoplayStore = create<AutoplayState>((set) => ({
+export const useAutoplayStore = create<AutoplayState>((set, get) => ({
   activeParticle: null,
   streamId: null,
-  play: (particle, streamId) => set({ activeParticle: particle, streamId }),
+  muted: false,
+  play: (particle, streamId) => {
+    if (get().muted) return;
+    set({ activeParticle: particle, streamId });
+  },
   stop: () => set({ activeParticle: null, streamId: null }),
+  toggleMuted: () => {
+    const wasMuted = get().muted;
+    // If muting, also stop any current playback
+    if (!wasMuted) {
+      set({ muted: true, activeParticle: null, streamId: null });
+    } else {
+      set({ muted: false });
+    }
+  },
 }));