diff --git a/browse/build.sh b/browse/build.sh
index 99aafa5..ee7e5bf 100755
--- a/browse/build.sh
+++ b/browse/build.sh
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ concat_files \
     "css/tree.css" \
     "css/preview-yaml.css" \
     "css/history.css" \
+    "css/manage-access.css" \
     > "$css_temp"
 
 # JS files: shared canonical helpers, then browse modules.
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ concat_files \
     "$schema_rel" \
     "js/util.js" \
     "js/yaml-complete.js" \
+    "js/manage-access.js" \
     "js/conflict.js" \
     "js/menu-model.js" \
     "js/loader.js" \
diff --git a/browse/css/manage-access.css b/browse/css/manage-access.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0b23e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/browse/css/manage-access.css
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/* manage-access.js — guided "who can do what here" dialog. */
+.ma-overlay {
+    position: fixed;
+    inset: 0;
+    z-index: 9800;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
+}
+.ma-box {
+    background: var(--bg-elevated, var(--bg, #fff));
+    color: var(--text, #222);
+    border: 1px solid var(--border, #ccc);
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    box-shadow: 0 12px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.32);
+    padding: 1.1rem 1.25rem;
+    width: min(34rem, 94vw);
+    max-height: 90vh;
+    overflow: auto;
+}
+.ma-title { margin: 0 0 0.2rem; font-size: 1.15rem; }
+.ma-sub {
+    margin: 0 0 0.8rem;
+    font-size: 0.82rem;
+    color: var(--text-muted, #777);
+    word-break: break-all;
+}
+.ma-list { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0.4rem; }
+.ma-row { display: flex; gap: 0.5rem; align-items: center; }
+.ma-who {
+    flex: 1 1 auto;
+    min-width: 0;
+    padding: 0.35rem 0.5rem;
+    font: inherit;
+    border: 1px solid var(--border, #ccc);
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    background: var(--bg, #fff);
+    color: var(--text, #222);
+}
+.ma-level {
+    flex: 0 0 auto;
+    padding: 0.35rem 0.4rem;
+    font: inherit;
+    border: 1px solid var(--border, #ccc);
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    background: var(--bg, #fff);
+    color: var(--text, #222);
+}
+.ma-del {
+    flex: 0 0 auto;
+    border: none;
+    background: transparent;
+    color: var(--text-muted, #999);
+    cursor: pointer;
+    font-size: 1rem;
+    padding: 0.2rem 0.4rem;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+}
+.ma-del:hover { background: var(--bg-secondary, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06)); color: var(--danger, #c14242); }
+.ma-add {
+    margin: 0.6rem 0 0;
+    border: 1px dashed var(--border, #bbb);
+    background: transparent;
+    color: var(--primary, #2868c8);
+    cursor: pointer;
+    padding: 0.35rem 0.6rem;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    font: inherit;
+}
+.ma-add:hover { background: var(--bg-secondary, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04)); }
+.ma-inherit {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 0.3rem;
+    margin: 0.9rem 0 0;
+    font-size: 0.88rem;
+}
+.ma-err { color: var(--danger, #c14242); font-size: 0.82rem; margin: 0.5rem 0 0; min-height: 0; }
+.ma-err:empty { display: none; }
+.ma-actions {
+    display: flex;
+    justify-content: flex-end;
+    gap: 0.5rem;
+    margin-top: 1rem;
+}
diff --git a/browse/js/manage-access.js b/browse/js/manage-access.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5874075
--- /dev/null
+++ b/browse/js/manage-access.js
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+// manage-access.js — guided "who can do what here" dialog. A task-first
+// front door for a folder's .zddc acl: the user picks people + friendly access
+// levels; we read the on-disk .zddc, merge ONLY the access bits (preserving
+// every other key), and PUT it. No YAML, no schema knowledge required. The raw
+// editor stays as the "Advanced" escape hatch.
+//
+// Friendly level → verbs (r read, w overwrite, c create, d delete, a admin):
+//   View       → r        Contribute → rc
+//   Edit       → rwc      Manage     → admins: membership (not a verb string)
+// "Custom" preserves a hand-written verb string we don't recognise.
+(function (app) {
+    'use strict';
+    if (!app || !app.modules) return;
+    var util = app.modules.util;
+
+    var LEVELS = [
+        { id: 'view', label: 'View', hint: 'read only', verbs: 'r' },
+        { id: 'contribute', label: 'Contribute', hint: 'read + add new files', verbs: 'rc' },
+        { id: 'edit', label: 'Edit', hint: 'read, overwrite, add', verbs: 'rwc' },
+        { id: 'manage', label: 'Manage', hint: 'full config + (elevated) bypass', verbs: null }
+    ];
+    function verbsOfLevel(id) {
+        for (var i = 0; i < LEVELS.length; i++) if (LEVELS[i].id === id) return LEVELS[i].verbs;
+        return null;
+    }
+    function levelOfVerbs(verbs) {
+        verbs = String(verbs || '');
+        if (verbs.indexOf('a') !== -1) return 'manage';
+        if (verbs.indexOf('w') !== -1) return 'edit';
+        if (verbs.indexOf('c') !== -1) return 'contribute';
+        if (verbs.indexOf('r') !== -1) return 'view';
+        return 'custom'; // empty (explicit deny) or non-standard
+    }
+
+    function dirUrl(dir) {
+        var u = dir || '/';
+        if (u.charAt(0) !== '/') u = '/' + u;
+        if (u.charAt(u.length - 1) !== '/') u += '/';
+        return u;
+    }
+
+    function el(tag, cls, text) {
+        var e = document.createElement(tag);
+        if (cls) e.className = cls;
+        if (text != null) e.textContent = text;
+        return e;
+    }
+
+    async function open(dir) {
+        if (!app.state || app.state.source !== 'server') {
+            toast('Access management needs the server.', 'error');
+            return;
+        }
+        var base = dirUrl(dir);
+        var zddcUrl = base + '.zddc';
+        var data = {}, etag = null;
+        try {
+            var r = await fetch(zddcUrl, { credentials: 'same-origin' });
+            if (r.ok) {
+                etag = r.headers.get('ETag');
+                var txt = await r.text();
+                try { data = (window.jsyaml && window.jsyaml.load(txt)) || {}; } catch (_e) { data = {}; }
+            } else if (r.status !== 404) {
+                throw new Error('HTTP ' + r.status);
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            toast('Could not read access rules: ' + (e.message || e), 'error');
+            return;
+        }
+        if (!data || typeof data !== 'object' || Array.isArray(data)) data = {};
+
+        // Build the principal → level model from admins (Manage) + acl.permissions.
+        var acl = (data.acl && typeof data.acl === 'object') ? data.acl : {};
+        var perms = (acl.permissions && typeof acl.permissions === 'object') ? acl.permissions : {};
+        var admins = Array.isArray(data.admins) ? data.admins : [];
+        var rows = [];
+        var seen = {};
+        admins.forEach(function (p) {
+            if (typeof p === 'string' && !seen[p]) { seen[p] = 1; rows.push({ principal: p, level: 'manage', custom: '' }); }
+        });
+        Object.keys(perms).forEach(function (p) {
+            if (seen[p]) return;
+            seen[p] = 1;
+            var lvl = levelOfVerbs(perms[p]);
+            rows.push({ principal: p, level: lvl, custom: lvl === 'custom' ? String(perms[p] || '') : '' });
+        });
+        var inherit = acl.inherit !== false;
+
+        renderModal(base, zddcUrl, data, etag, rows, inherit);
+    }
+
+    function toast(msg, kind) { if (window.zddc && window.zddc.toast) window.zddc.toast(msg, kind || 'info'); }
+
+    function renderModal(base, zddcUrl, data, etag, rows, inherit) {
+        var overlay = el('div', 'ma-overlay');
+        var box = el('div', 'ma-box');
+        overlay.appendChild(box);
+
+        box.appendChild(el('h2', 'ma-title', 'Manage access'));
+        var sub = el('p', 'ma-sub', 'Who can do what in ' + base + ' — changes here only.');
+        box.appendChild(sub);
+
+        var list = el('div', 'ma-list');
+        box.appendChild(list);
+
+        function addRow(model) {
+            var row = el('div', 'ma-row');
+            var who = el('input', 'ma-who');
+            who.type = 'text';
+            who.value = model.principal || '';
+            who.placeholder = 'email or *@domain or role name';
+            who.addEventListener('input', function () { model.principal = who.value.trim(); });
+
+            var sel = el('select', 'ma-level');
+            LEVELS.forEach(function (lv) {
+                var o = el('option', null, lv.label + ' — ' + lv.hint);
+                o.value = lv.id;
+                sel.appendChild(o);
+            });
+            if (model.level === 'custom') {
+                var o2 = el('option', null, 'Custom (' + model.custom + ')');
+                o2.value = 'custom';
+                sel.appendChild(o2);
+            }
+            sel.value = model.level;
+            sel.addEventListener('change', function () { model.level = sel.value; });
+
+            var del = el('button', 'ma-del', '✕');
+            del.type = 'button';
+            del.title = 'Remove';
+            del.addEventListener('click', function () { row.remove(); model._removed = true; });
+
+            row.appendChild(who);
+            row.appendChild(sel);
+            row.appendChild(del);
+            list.appendChild(row);
+            return model;
+        }
+        rows.forEach(addRow);
+
+        var addBtn = el('button', 'ma-add', '+ Add person or group');
+        addBtn.type = 'button';
+        addBtn.addEventListener('click', function () {
+            var m = { principal: '', level: 'view', custom: '' };
+            rows.push(m);
+            addRow(m);
+        });
+        box.appendChild(addBtn);
+
+        // Inherit / make-private.
+        var inhWrap = el('label', 'ma-inherit');
+        var inhBox = el('input');
+        inhBox.type = 'checkbox';
+        inhBox.checked = inherit;
+        inhWrap.appendChild(inhBox);
+        inhWrap.appendChild(el('span', null, ' Inherit access from parent folders'));
+        box.appendChild(inhWrap);
+
+        var err = el('p', 'ma-err');
+        box.appendChild(err);
+
+        var actions = el('div', 'ma-actions');
+        var cancel = el('button', 'btn btn-sm btn-secondary', 'Cancel');
+        cancel.type = 'button';
+        var save = el('button', 'btn btn-sm btn-primary', 'Save');
+        save.type = 'button';
+        actions.appendChild(cancel);
+        actions.appendChild(save);
+        box.appendChild(actions);
+
+        function close() {
+            document.removeEventListener('keydown', onKey, true);
+            if (overlay.parentNode) overlay.parentNode.removeChild(overlay);
+        }
+        function onKey(e) { if (e.key === 'Escape') { e.preventDefault(); close(); } }
+        document.addEventListener('keydown', onKey, true);
+        overlay.addEventListener('mousedown', function (e) { if (e.target === overlay) close(); });
+        cancel.addEventListener('click', close);
+
+        save.addEventListener('click', function () {
+            err.textContent = '';
+            // Rebuild perms + admins from the live rows (skip removed/blank).
+            var perms = {}, admins = [], bad = false;
+            rows.forEach(function (m) {
+                if (m._removed) return;
+                var p = (m.principal || '').trim();
+                if (!p) return;
+                if (m.level === 'manage') {
+                    if (admins.indexOf(p) === -1) admins.push(p);
+                } else if (m.level === 'custom') {
+                    perms[p] = m.custom; // preserve the hand-written string
+                } else {
+                    perms[p] = verbsOfLevel(m.level);
+                }
+            });
+
+            // Merge into the existing doc, preserving every unmanaged key.
+            var out = {};
+            Object.keys(data).forEach(function (k) { out[k] = data[k]; });
+            var acl = (out.acl && typeof out.acl === 'object') ? Object.assign({}, out.acl) : {};
+            if (Object.keys(perms).length) acl.permissions = perms; else delete acl.permissions;
+            if (!inhBox.checked) acl.inherit = false; else delete acl.inherit;
+            if (Object.keys(acl).length) out.acl = acl; else delete out.acl;
+            if (admins.length) out.admins = admins; else delete out.admins;
+
+            var content;
+            try { content = window.jsyaml.dump(out); }
+            catch (e2) { err.textContent = 'Could not serialize: ' + (e2.message || e2); return; }
+
+            save.disabled = true;
+            save.textContent = 'Saving…';
+            var node = { url: zddcUrl, name: '.zddc', ext: '' };
+            util.saveFile(node, content, 'application/yaml; charset=utf-8', etag ? { etag: etag } : {})
+                .then(function () {
+                    toast('Access updated for ' + base, 'success');
+                    var ev = app.modules.events;
+                    if (ev && ev.refreshListing) { try { ev.refreshListing(); } catch (_e) { /* ignore */ } }
+                    close();
+                })
+                .catch(function (e3) {
+                    save.disabled = false;
+                    save.textContent = 'Save';
+                    if (e3 && e3.status === 412) {
+                        err.textContent = 'These rules changed on the server since you opened this. Close and reopen to get the latest, then redo your change.';
+                    } else {
+                        err.textContent = 'Save failed: ' + (e3 && e3.message ? e3.message : e3);
+                    }
+                });
+        });
+
+        document.body.appendChild(overlay);
+        var first = box.querySelector('.ma-who');
+        if (first) first.focus();
+    }
+
+    app.modules.manageAccess = { open: open };
+})(window.app);
diff --git a/browse/js/menu-model.js b/browse/js/menu-model.js
index 1935300..024da8e 100644
--- a/browse/js/menu-model.js
+++ b/browse/js/menu-model.js
@@ -352,13 +352,30 @@
 
         // ── admin / sub-admin tier ──
         {
-            // HIDDEN unless the user can actually edit access rules here
-            // (admin verb 'a', or subtree/site admin) — not shown greyed.
+            // Guided "who can do what here" dialog — the front door for access.
+            // HIDDEN unless the user can administer here (admin verb 'a', or
+            // subtree/site admin).
             id: 'manage-access', group: 'admin', surfaces: ['row', 'pane'],
-            label: 'Edit access rules…',
+            label: 'Manage access…',
             appliesTo: function (ctx) {
                 if (!isServer()) return false; // server-only tier
                 var typeOk = ctx.surface === 'pane' || appliesToFolderLike(ctx.node);
+                return typeOk && manageAccessGate(ctx).enabled
+                    && !!(window.app.modules.manageAccess);
+            },
+            action: function (ctx) {
+                var m = window.app.modules.manageAccess;
+                if (m) m.open(ctx.dir);
+            }
+        },
+        {
+            // The raw-YAML escape hatch — same authority gate, demoted to
+            // "advanced" since the guided dialog covers the common case.
+            id: 'edit-zddc-raw', group: 'admin', surfaces: ['row', 'pane'],
+            label: 'Edit raw policy (.zddc)…',
+            appliesTo: function (ctx) {
+                if (!isServer()) return false;
+                var typeOk = ctx.surface === 'pane' || appliesToFolderLike(ctx.node);
                 return typeOk && manageAccessGate(ctx).enabled;
             },
             action: function (ctx) { openZddcEditor(ctx.dir); }