diff --git a/resources/js/meet-room.js b/resources/js/meet-room.js
index 04c0ef6..d252ac8 100644
--- a/resources/js/meet-room.js
+++ b/resources/js/meet-room.js
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ function meetRoom() {
         spotlightSpeakerRef: '',
         panelSetupOpen: false,
         savingStageLayout: false,
+        _stageSnapshot: null,
         qaItems: [],
         activePolls: [],
         breakoutBroadcast: '',
@@ -932,8 +933,9 @@ function meetRoom() {
                 }
 
                 const data = await res.json();
-                this.mergeStageConfig(data);
+                this._stageSnapshot = null;
                 this.panelSetupOpen = false;
+                this.mergeStageConfig(data);
                 this.applyStageLayout();
             } finally {
                 this.savingStageLayout = false;
@@ -981,7 +983,7 @@ function meetRoom() {
         setActivePanel(panelId) {
             this.activePanelId = panelId;
             this.stageLayout = 'panel';
-            this.applyStageLayout();
+            this.panelDiscussions = true;
         },
 
         togglePanelSpeaker(panel, userRef) {
@@ -1891,6 +1893,100 @@ function meetRoom() {
             return this.isConference ? 'conference' : 'meeting';
         },
 
+        stageLayoutLabel() {
+            return this.stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'Panel discussion' : 'Plenary';
+        },
+
+        conferenceStatusLabel() {
+            if (this.isGreenRoom) {
+                if (this.usesStageLayout) {
+                    return `Green room · ${this.stageLayoutLabel()}`;
+                }
+
+                return 'Green room';
+            }
+
+            if (!this.usesStageLayout) {
+                return 'Conference live';
+            }
+
+            return this.stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'Panel discussion live' : 'Plenary live';
+        },
+
+        conferenceStatusClass() {
+            if (this.isGreenRoom) {
+                return 'text-violet-400/90';
+            }
+
+            if (this.stageLayout === 'panel') {
+                return 'text-violet-400/90';
+            }
+
+            return 'text-sky-400/90';
+        },
+
+        stageLayoutDescription() {
+            if (this.stageLayout === 'panel') {
+                const panelName = this.activePanelName();
+                if (panelName) {
+                    return `Showing ${panelName} — multiple speakers in a split grid.`;
+                }
+
+                return 'Multiple speakers shown together in a split-screen grid.';
+            }
+
+            return 'One main speaker on stage. Others appear in the strip below.';
+        },
+
+        activePanelName() {
+            if (!this.activePanelId) {
+                return '';
+            }
+
+            const panel = this.panels.find((entry) => entry.id === this.activePanelId);
+
+            return panel?.name || '';
+        },
+
+        openPanelSetup() {
+            this._stageSnapshot = {
+                stageLayout: this.stageLayout,
+                panels: JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this.panels)),
+                activePanelId: this.activePanelId,
+                panelDiscussions: this.panelDiscussions,
+            };
+            this.panelSetupOpen = true;
+        },
+
+        cancelPanelSetup() {
+            if (this._stageSnapshot) {
+                this.stageLayout = this._stageSnapshot.stageLayout;
+                this.panels = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this._stageSnapshot.panels));
+                this.activePanelId = this._stageSnapshot.activePanelId;
+                this.panelDiscussions = this._stageSnapshot.panelDiscussions;
+                this.applyStageLayout();
+            }
+
+            this._stageSnapshot = null;
+            this.panelSetupOpen = false;
+        },
+
+        selectStageLayout(layout) {
+            this.stageLayout = layout;
+
+            if (layout === 'panel') {
+                this.panelDiscussions = true;
+
+                if (this.panels.length === 0) {
+                    this.addPanel();
+                }
+
+                if (!this.activePanelId && this.panels[0]) {
+                    this.activePanelId = this.panels[0].id;
+                }
+            }
+        },
+
         sessionNounTitle() {
             return this.isConference ? 'Conference' : 'Meeting';
         },
diff --git a/resources/views/meet/room/show.blade.php b/resources/views/meet/room/show.blade.php
index b235934..faf79f7 100644
--- a/resources/views/meet/room/show.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/meet/room/show.blade.php
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@
                     <p class="text-[10px] font-medium uppercase tracking-wide text-emerald-400/90">Audio room</p>
                 @elseif ($isConference ?? false)
                     <p class="text-[10px] font-medium uppercase tracking-wide"
-                       :class="isGreenRoom ? 'text-violet-400/90' : 'text-sky-400/90'"
-                       x-text="isGreenRoom ? 'Green room' : 'Conference live'"></p>
+                       :class="conferenceStatusClass()"
+                       x-text="conferenceStatusLabel()"></p>
                 @endif
                 <p class="text-xs text-slate-400" x-text="connectionStatus"></p>
                 <p class="min-h-4 truncate text-xs font-medium leading-4"
@@ -147,12 +147,16 @@
             <div class="min-w-0 text-sm text-violet-100">
                 <p class="font-medium">Green room</p>
                 <p class="truncate text-xs text-violet-200/90">Only hosts and speakers are visible. Attendees join after you go live.</p>
+                <p x-show="usesStageLayout" class="mt-1 text-xs text-violet-200/90">
+                    Stage layout:
+                    <span class="font-semibold text-violet-50" x-text="stageLayoutLabel()"></span>
+                </p>
             </div>
             <div class="flex shrink-0 flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
-                <button x-show="isHost && usesStageLayout" @click="panelSetupOpen = true" type="button"
+                <button x-show="isHost && usesStageLayout" @click="openPanelSetup()" type="button"
                         class="shrink-0 rounded-lg border border-violet-400/40 bg-violet-500/20 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-violet-100 transition-colors hover:bg-violet-500/30">
                     @include('meet.room.partials.meet-icon', ['icon' => 'panel', 'class' => 'mr-1 inline h-3.5 w-3.5'])
-                    Panels
+                    Stage layout
                 </button>
                 <button x-show="isHost" @click="goLive()" type="button" :disabled="goingLive"
                         class="shrink-0 rounded-lg bg-violet-500 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-white transition-colors hover:bg-violet-400 disabled:opacity-60">
@@ -161,12 +165,28 @@
             </div>
         </div>
 
-        <div x-show="isHost && usesStageLayout && panelDiscussions && !isGreenRoom" x-cloak
-             class="flex shrink-0 items-center justify-end gap-2 border-b border-violet-500/20 bg-violet-500/10 px-4 py-2">
-            <button @click="panelSetupOpen = true" type="button"
-                    class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-lg border border-violet-400/40 bg-violet-500/20 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-violet-100 hover:bg-violet-500/30">
+        <div x-show="usesStageLayout && !isGreenRoom" x-cloak
+             class="flex shrink-0 flex-col gap-2 border-b px-4 py-2.5 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between sm:gap-3"
+             :class="stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'border-violet-500/25 bg-violet-500/10' : 'border-sky-500/25 bg-sky-500/10'">
+            <div class="flex min-w-0 items-start gap-2.5">
+                <span class="mt-1.5 flex h-2.5 w-2.5 shrink-0 rounded-full"
+                      :class="stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'bg-violet-400' : 'bg-sky-400'"></span>
+                <div class="min-w-0">
+                    <p class="text-sm font-semibold"
+                       :class="stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'text-violet-100' : 'text-sky-100'"
+                       x-text="stageLayoutLabel()"></p>
+                    <p class="truncate text-xs"
+                       :class="stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'text-violet-200/85' : 'text-sky-200/85'"
+                       x-text="stageLayoutDescription()"></p>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+            <button x-show="isHost" @click="openPanelSetup()" type="button"
+                    class="inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 self-start rounded-lg border px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold transition-colors sm:self-center"
+                    :class="stageLayout === 'panel'
+                        ? 'border-violet-400/40 bg-violet-500/20 text-violet-100 hover:bg-violet-500/30'
+                        : 'border-sky-400/40 bg-sky-500/20 text-sky-100 hover:bg-sky-500/30'">
                 @include('meet.room.partials.meet-icon', ['icon' => 'panel', 'class' => 'h-3.5 w-3.5'])
-                <span x-text="stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'Panel layout' : 'Plenary layout'"></span>
+                Change layout
             </button>
         </div>
 
@@ -506,31 +526,41 @@
 
         <div x-show="panelSetupOpen" x-cloak
              class="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-end justify-center bg-black/60 p-4 backdrop-blur-sm sm:items-center"
-             @keydown.escape.window="panelSetupOpen = false">
-            <div class="w-full max-w-lg rounded-2xl bg-slate-900 p-5 shadow-2xl" @click.outside="panelSetupOpen = false">
+             @keydown.escape.window="cancelPanelSetup()">
+            <div class="w-full max-w-lg rounded-2xl bg-slate-900 p-5 shadow-2xl" @click.outside="cancelPanelSetup()">
                 <div class="flex items-start justify-between gap-3">
                     <div>
-                        <h3 class="text-base font-semibold text-white">Stage & panels</h3>
-                        <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-slate-400">Switch between plenary and panel layouts. Assign speakers to each panel before going live.</p>
+                        <h3 class="text-base font-semibold text-white">Stage layout</h3>
+                        <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-slate-400">Choose how speakers appear on stage. Changes apply when you save.</p>
                     </div>
-                    <button @click="panelSetupOpen = false" type="button" class="rounded-lg p-1 text-slate-400 hover:bg-slate-800 hover:text-white">
+                    <button @click="cancelPanelSetup()" type="button" class="rounded-lg p-1 text-slate-400 hover:bg-slate-800 hover:text-white">
                         <svg class="h-5 w-5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M6 18 18 6M6 6l12 12"/></svg>
                     </button>
                 </div>
 
-                <div class="mt-5 flex gap-2">
-                    <button type="button" @click="stageLayout = 'plenary'; applyStageLayout()"
-                            class="flex-1 rounded-xl px-3 py-2.5 text-sm font-medium transition-colors"
-                            :class="stageLayout === 'plenary' ? 'bg-violet-600 text-white' : 'bg-slate-800 text-slate-300 hover:bg-slate-700'">
-                        Plenary
+                <div class="mt-5 grid gap-3 sm:grid-cols-2">
+                    <button type="button" @click="selectStageLayout('plenary')"
+                            class="rounded-xl border p-4 text-left transition-colors"
+                            :class="stageLayout === 'plenary'
+                                ? 'border-sky-500/60 bg-sky-500/10 ring-1 ring-sky-500/40'
+                                : 'border-slate-700/60 bg-slate-950/60 hover:border-slate-600'">
+                        <p class="text-sm font-semibold text-white">Plenary</p>
+                        <p class="mt-1 text-xs leading-relaxed text-slate-400">One main speaker fills the stage. Other speakers and attendees appear in the strip below.</p>
                     </button>
-                    <button type="button" @click="panelDiscussions = true; stageLayout = 'panel'; applyStageLayout()"
-                            class="flex-1 rounded-xl px-3 py-2.5 text-sm font-medium transition-colors"
-                            :class="stageLayout === 'panel' ? 'bg-violet-600 text-white' : 'bg-slate-800 text-slate-300 hover:bg-slate-700'">
-                        Panel discussion
+                    <button type="button" @click="selectStageLayout('panel')"
+                            class="rounded-xl border p-4 text-left transition-colors"
+                            :class="stageLayout === 'panel'
+                                ? 'border-violet-500/60 bg-violet-500/10 ring-1 ring-violet-500/40'
+                                : 'border-slate-700/60 bg-slate-950/60 hover:border-slate-600'">
+                        <p class="text-sm font-semibold text-white">Panel discussion</p>
+                        <p class="mt-1 text-xs leading-relaxed text-slate-400">Multiple speakers shown together in a split-screen grid. Assign speakers to each panel below.</p>
                     </button>
                 </div>
 
+                <p x-show="stageLayout === 'panel'" x-cloak class="mt-3 rounded-lg border border-violet-500/30 bg-violet-500/10 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-violet-100">
+                    Switching to panel discussion changes the live stage to a multi-speaker grid for everyone in the room.
+                </p>
+
                 <div x-show="stageLayout === 'panel'" x-cloak class="mt-5 space-y-3">
                     <template x-for="(panel, index) in panels" :key="panel.id">
                         <div class="rounded-xl border border-slate-700/60 bg-slate-950/60 p-3">
@@ -566,7 +596,7 @@
                 </div>
 
                 <div class="mt-6 flex justify-end gap-2">
-                    <button type="button" @click="panelSetupOpen = false"
+                    <button type="button" @click="cancelPanelSetup()"
                             class="rounded-xl px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-slate-300 hover:bg-slate-800">Cancel</button>
                     <button type="button" @click="saveStageLayout()" :disabled="savingStageLayout"
                             class="rounded-xl bg-violet-600 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-white hover:bg-violet-500 disabled:opacity-60">