diff --git a/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish b/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish
index f289537..27e015d 100644
--- a/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish
+++ b/functions/__config_settings_draw_value.fish
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
 function __config_settings_draw_value
     set -l cur_row $argv[1]
     set -l page    $argv[2]
+    # Inline-edit state: when argv[3] is "edit", the cur_row field renders the
+    # live input buffer (argv[4]) with a caret instead of its stored value.
+    set -l edit_mode $argv[3]
+    set -l edit_buf  $argv[4]
 
     set -l c_ok    (set_color green)
     set -l c_err   (set_color red)
@@ -126,13 +130,36 @@ function __config_settings_draw_value
             end
         end
 
+        # Inline edit: render the active row's field as the live buffer with a
+        # block caret, tail-anchored so the caret stays visible as text grows.
+        if test "$edit_mode" = edit -a $i -eq $cur_row
+            set -l fw (math $iw - 33)
+            set -l avail (math $fw - 1)
+            set -l shown "$edit_buf"
+            set -l blen (string length -- "$edit_buf")
+            if test $blen -gt $avail
+                set shown (string sub -s (math $blen - $avail + 1) -- "$edit_buf")
+            end
+            set badge "$c_head"" EDIT  $c_reset"
+            set field "$shown"(set_color --reverse)" "(set_color normal)
+        end
+
         set -l curs "  "
         if test $i -eq $cur_row
             set curs "$c_sel▶$c_reset "
         end
 
+        set -l fw (math $iw - 33)
         set -l lpad (string pad -r -w 12 -- $label)
-        set -l fpad (string pad -r -w (math $iw - 33) -- (string shorten -m (math $iw - 33) -- "$field"))
+        # The edit field is already length-constrained and contains a reverse
+        # caret; running it through `string shorten` miscounts the escapes, so
+        # pad it directly. Non-edit fields still shorten to add an ellipsis.
+        set -l fpad
+        if test "$edit_mode" = edit -a $i -eq $cur_row
+            set fpad (string pad -r -w $fw -- "$field")
+        else
+            set fpad (string pad -r -w $fw -- (string shorten -m $fw -- "$field"))
+        end
         printf '%s│  %s%s [ %s ]  %s   │\n' $p $curs $lpad $badge $fpad
     end
 
@@ -145,8 +172,11 @@ function __config_settings_draw_value
     # ── Bottom divider ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     printf '%s│%s│\n' $p $HBR
 
-    # ── Hint line ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    # ── Hint line (changes while editing) ─────────────────────────────────
     set -l hint_line " ↑↓ move  Enter edit  ←/h clear  Tab page  q quit"
+    if test "$edit_mode" = edit
+        set hint_line " type value   Enter save   Esc cancel   ⌫ delete"
+    end
     printf '%s│%s%s%s│\n' $p $c_dim (string pad -r -w $iw -- $hint_line) $c_reset
 
     # ── Bottom border ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/functions/__config_settings_read_key.fish b/functions/__config_settings_read_key.fish
index d360d2e..4040d81 100644
--- a/functions/__config_settings_read_key.fish
+++ b/functions/__config_settings_read_key.fish
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 # RETURNS
 #   0  A key was read; one of these tokens is printed to stdout:
 #        up down left right   arrow keys
-#        space tab backtab enter escape
+#        space tab backtab enter escape backspace
 #        quit                 Ctrl-C (byte 3) in raw mode
 #        <char>               any other single printable character
 #        ""                   nothing decodable was read
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ function __config_settings_read_key
             echo space
         case 10 13
             echo enter
+        case 8 127
+            echo backspace
         case 3
             echo quit
         case ''
diff --git a/functions/config-settings.fish b/functions/config-settings.fish
index 53f9040..6e76229 100644
--- a/functions/config-settings.fish
+++ b/functions/config-settings.fish
@@ -204,35 +204,65 @@ function config-settings --description 'Interactive TUI for managing fish config
                 if test $cur_page -ge 2
                     set -l v_vars $sponge_vars
                     set -l v_types $sponge_types
-                    set -l v_labels $sponge_labels
                     set -l v_defaults $sponge_defaults
                     if test $cur_page -eq 3
                         set v_vars $paths_vars
                         set v_types $paths_types
-                        set v_labels $paths_labels
                         set v_defaults $paths_defaults
                     end
                     set -l ridx (math $cur_row + 1)
                     set -l varname $v_vars[$ridx]
                     set -l vtype $v_types[$ridx]
-                    set -l vlabel $v_labels[$ridx]
                     # Only path/int/list rows are editable; bool rows toggle with ←/→.
                     if test "$vtype" != toggle -a "$vtype" != bool
-                        # Erase panel, drop to cooked mode, prompt, redraw.
-                        set -l prev_max_lw (math --scale=0 "($last_cols + 78) / 2")
-                        set -l erase_h (math --scale=0 "$panel_h * max(1, ceil($prev_max_lw / $COLUMNS))")
-                        printf '\e[%dA\e[J' $erase_h
-                        printf '\e[?25h'
-                        printf '%s (blank = reset to default): ' "$vlabel"
-                        read -l new_val
-                        # Blank / Escape reverts to the row's default (a value, or
-                        # erase when the var tolerates unset) — never leaves it empty.
-                        if test -n "$new_val"
-                            __config_settings_set_value $varname $vtype "$new_val"
-                        else
-                            __config_settings_set_value $varname $vtype "$v_defaults[$ridx]"
+                        # Inline editor: edit in-place in the row's value field
+                        # using the raw key reader — no fish `read` / `read>`
+                        # prompt, and the panel cleans itself up on exit. The
+                        # buffer is pre-filled with the current value; clearing it
+                        # and pressing Enter reverts to the row's default.
+                        set -l page sponge
+                        test $cur_page -eq 3; and set page paths
+                        set -l buf (__config_settings_get_raw $varname)
+                        test "$buf" = DEFAULT; and set buf ""
+                        set -l committed 0
+                        while true
+                            set -l pml (math --scale=0 "($last_cols + 78) / 2")
+                            set -l eh (math --scale=0 "$panel_h * max(1, ceil($pml / $COLUMNS))")
+                            printf '\e[%dA\e[J' $eh
+                            set last_cols $COLUMNS
+                            __config_settings_draw_value $cur_row $page edit "$buf"
+
+                            set -l ek (__config_settings_read_key)
+                            or break
+                            switch $ek
+                                case enter
+                                    set committed 1
+                                    break
+                                case escape
+                                    break
+                                case backspace
+                                    set buf (string sub -s 1 -e -1 -- "$buf")
+                                case space
+                                    set buf "$buf "
+                                case up down left right tab backtab quit ''
+                                    # ignored while editing
+                                case '*'
+                                    set buf "$buf$ek"
+                            end
                         end
-                        printf '\e[?25l'
+                        if test $committed -eq 1
+                            # Empty buffer reverts to the row default (a value, or
+                            # erase when the var tolerates being unset).
+                            if test -n "$buf"
+                                __config_settings_set_value $varname $vtype "$buf"
+                            else
+                                __config_settings_set_value $varname $vtype "$v_defaults[$ridx]"
+                            end
+                        end
+                        # Redraw the normal panel in place of the editor.
+                        set -l pml (math --scale=0 "($last_cols + 78) / 2")
+                        set -l eh (math --scale=0 "$panel_h * max(1, ceil($pml / $COLUMNS))")
+                        printf '\e[%dA\e[J' $eh
                         set last_cols $COLUMNS
                         __cs_dispatch_draw
                         set did_redraw 1