diff --git a/neode-ui/src/stores/aiPermissions.ts b/neode-ui/src/stores/aiPermissions.ts
index 85c35109..f94cb577 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/stores/aiPermissions.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/stores/aiPermissions.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ export interface AIPermissionCategory {
   description: string
   icon: string
   group: string
+  /** True when the assistant can SEE this data but has no tools to act on it.
+   *  Five categories (wallet, files, search, ai-local, notes) currently have a
+   *  context arm and zero tools — the toggle copy must say so, or Settings
+   *  implies actions that do not exist (operator decision, 2026-08-09). Remove
+   *  per-category as real tools land. */
+  contextOnly?: boolean
 }
 
 export const AI_PERMISSION_CATEGORIES: AIPermissionCategory[] = [
@@ -50,6 +56,7 @@ export const AI_PERMISSION_CATEGORIES: AIPermissionCategory[] = [
   },
   {
     id: 'files',
+    contextOnly: true,
     label: 'File Names',
     description: 'Folder and file names in Cloud — no file contents',
     icon: 'M3 7v10a2 2 0 002 2h14a2 2 0 002-2V9a2 2 0 00-2-2h-6l-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2z',
@@ -57,6 +64,7 @@ export const AI_PERMISSION_CATEGORIES: AIPermissionCategory[] = [
   },
   {
     id: 'notes',
+    contextOnly: true,
     label: 'Documents & Notes',
     description: 'Document and note titles — no contents',
     icon: 'M9 12h6m-6 4h6m2 5H7a2 2 0 01-2-2V5a2 2 0 012-2h5.586a1 1 0 01.707.293l5.414 5.414a1 1 0 01.293.707V19a2 2 0 01-2 2z',
@@ -64,6 +72,7 @@ export const AI_PERMISSION_CATEGORIES: AIPermissionCategory[] = [
   },
   {
     id: 'search',
+    contextOnly: true,
     label: 'Web Search',
     description: 'Web search via your private SearXNG instance',
     icon: 'M21 21l-6-6m2-5a7 7 0 11-14 0 7 7 0 0114 0z',
@@ -71,6 +80,7 @@ export const AI_PERMISSION_CATEGORIES: AIPermissionCategory[] = [
   },
   {
     id: 'ai-local',
+    contextOnly: true,
     label: 'Local AI Models',
     description: 'Local AI models via Ollama — model names and availability',
     icon: 'M9.75 17L9 20l-1 1h8l-1-1-.75-3M3 13h18M5 17h14a2 2 0 002-2V5a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v10a2 2 0 002 2z',
@@ -78,6 +88,7 @@ export const AI_PERMISSION_CATEGORIES: AIPermissionCategory[] = [
   },
   {
     id: 'wallet',
+    contextOnly: true,
     label: 'Wallet Overview',
     description: 'Balance, channel count — no private keys, seeds, or addresses',
     icon: 'M17 9V7a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v6a2 2 0 002 2h2m2 4h10a2 2 0 002-2v-6a2 2 0 00-2-2H9a2 2 0 00-2 2v6a2 2 0 002 2zm7-5a2 2 0 11-4 0 2 2 0 014 0z',
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AIDataAccessSection.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AIDataAccessSection.vue
index 90b7fffb..c0fb254d 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AIDataAccessSection.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/settings/AIDataAccessSection.vue
@@ -61,8 +61,14 @@ const aiCategoryGroups = computed(() => {
               <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" :d="cat.icon" />
             </svg>
             <div class="flex-1 min-w-0">
-              <p class="text-sm font-medium" :class="aiPermissions.isEnabled(cat.id) ? 'text-white/95' : 'text-white/70'">{{ cat.label }}</p>
-              <p class="text-xs text-white/50 mt-0.5">{{ cat.description }}</p>
+              <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
+                <p class="text-sm font-medium" :class="aiPermissions.isEnabled(cat.id) ? 'text-white/95' : 'text-white/70'">{{ cat.label }}</p>
+                <!-- Honest-copy rule: these categories grant the assistant
+                     visibility only — it has no tools to act on them yet, and
+                     the toggle must not imply otherwise. -->
+                <span v-if="cat.contextOnly" class="shrink-0 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] rounded bg-white/10 text-white/50" title="The assistant can see this information but has no actions for it yet">context only</span>
+              </div>
+              <p class="text-xs text-white/50 mt-0.5">{{ cat.description }}<template v-if="cat.contextOnly"> — the assistant can see this but can't take actions with it yet</template></p>
             </div>
             <ToggleSwitch :model-value="aiPermissions.isEnabled(cat.id)" @update:model-value="aiPermissions.toggle(cat.id)" @click.stop />
           </button>