@@ -707,6 +707,9 @@ final class HardwareInput: ObservableObject {
     /// and ignores it. No API reports this, so the idiom is the detection.
     static var pointerLockAvailable: Bool { lockEnabled && UIDevice.current.userInterfaceIdiom != .phone }
 
+    /// iPhone: the mouse arrives only through AssistiveTouch.
+    static var isPhone: Bool { UIDevice.current.userInterfaceIdiom == .phone }
+
     /// The desktop session (explorer on a virtual desktop). Read per use: the
     /// app sets MADEIRA_DESKTOP for each launch.
     static var desktopMode: Bool {
@@ -1031,7 +1034,10 @@ final class HardwareInput: ObservableObject {
         installTouchObserver()
         let base = computeBaseFocus()
         let keyboard = base && !typingElsewhere() && !libraryTypingOwnsKeys
-        let over = hoverSeen ? pointerOver : clickFocus.onGame
+        // iPhone: the AssistiveTouch pointer's hover ends whenever it stops
+        // against a screen edge, while GCMouse deltas keep coming; following
+        // hover there dropped mouse-look at every edge. Clicks decide instead.
+        let over = hoverSeen && !Self.isPhone ? pointerOver : clickFocus.onGame
         let mouse = base && (!Self.focusEnabled || pointerLocked || over || !gameButtons.isEmpty)
         baseFocused = base
         updateButtonPolling(active: Self.mouseRoutingEnabled && appActive && mouseConnected)
@@ -1113,7 +1119,7 @@ final class HardwareInput: ObservableObject {
         guard Self.enabled, let game = MetalBackedView.keyboardTarget else { return }
         let onGame = t.view.map { $0.isDescendant(of: game) } ?? false
         clickFocus.touchBegan(onGame: onGame, at: CACurrentMediaTime())
-        if !hoverSeen { refreshFocus(onGame ? "tap on the game view" : "tap elsewhere") }
+        if !hoverSeen || Self.isPhone { refreshFocus(onGame ? "tap on the game view" : "tap elsewhere") }
     }
 
     // MARK: - keyboard
@@ -2659,8 +2665,7 @@ struct HardwareInputSettings: View {
     /// device is routed through AssistiveTouch.
     private var hint: some View {
         HStack(alignment: .top, spacing: 8) {
-            Text("Mouse detected. iPhone needs AssistiveTouch: "
-                 + "Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch > On, then Devices")
+            Text("Using a mouse? Turn on AssistiveTouch (Settings > Accessibility > Touch), then reopen Madeira.")
                 .font(.system(size: 12))
                 .foregroundColor(.secondary)
                 .fixedSize(horizontal: false, vertical: true)
 
@@ -5154,6 +5154,12 @@ struct LibraryPointerSettings: View {
         Text(input.touchMode ? L("Tap the screen to position and click. Hold and move to drag. Two fingers: right click or scroll.")
              : (input.relative ? L("Drag to send relative mouse movement for mouse-look. Tap to click.") : L("Drag the pointer like a trackpad. Tap to click.")))
             .font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+        // A Bluetooth or USB mouse does nothing on iPhone until AssistiveTouch
+        // is on (iOS routes pointer devices only through it); nothing says so.
+        if UIDevice.current.userInterfaceIdiom == .phone {
+            Text("Using a mouse? Turn on AssistiveTouch (Settings > Accessibility > Touch), then reopen Madeira.")
+                .font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+        }
         LabeledContent("Touch sensitivity") {
             Slider(value: input.relative ? $input.sensRel : $input.sensAbs, in: 0.1...8)
         }
 
@@ -12037,40 +12037,6 @@
         }
       }
     },
-    "Mouse detected. iPhone needs AssistiveTouch: ": {
-      "localizations": {
-        "de": {
-          "stringUnit": {
-            "state": "translated",
-            "value": "Maus erkannt. Das iPhone braucht AssistiveTouch: "
-          }
-        },
-        "es": {
-          "stringUnit": {
-            "state": "translated",
-            "value": "Ratón detectado. El iPhone necesita AssistiveTouch: "
-          }
-        },
-        "ko": {
-          "stringUnit": {
-            "state": "translated",
-            "value": "마우스가 감지되었습니다. iPhone에서는 AssistiveTouch가 필요합니다: "
-          }
-        },
-        "pt-BR": {
-          "stringUnit": {
-            "state": "translated",
-            "value": "Mouse detectado. O iPhone precisa do AssistiveTouch: "
-          }
-        },
-        "ru": {
-          "stringUnit": {
-            "state": "translated",
-            "value": "Обнаружена мышь. На iPhone нужен AssistiveTouch: "
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    },
     "Move to": {
       "localizations": {
         "de": {
@@ -23631,6 +23597,40 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Using a mouse? Turn on AssistiveTouch (Settings > Accessibility > Touch), then reopen Madeira.": {
+      "localizations": {
+        "de": {
+          "stringUnit": {
+            "state": "translated",
+            "value": "Maus? AssistiveTouch einschalten (Einstellungen > Bedienungshilfen > Tippen), dann Madeira neu öffnen."
+          }
+        },
+        "es": {
+          "stringUnit": {
+            "state": "translated",
+            "value": "¿Usas un ratón? Activa AssistiveTouch (Ajustes > Accesibilidad > Tocar) y vuelve a abrir Madeira."
+          }
+        },
+        "ko": {
+          "stringUnit": {
+            "state": "translated",
+            "value": "마우스를 쓰나요? AssistiveTouch를 켠 뒤(설정 > 손쉬운 사용 > 터치) Madeira를 다시 여세요."
+          }
+        },
+        "pt-BR": {
+          "stringUnit": {
+            "state": "translated",
+            "value": "Usando um mouse? Ative o AssistiveTouch (Ajustes > Acessibilidade > Toque) e abra o Madeira de novo."
+          }
+        },
+        "ru": {
+          "stringUnit": {
+            "state": "translated",
+            "value": "Мышь? Включите AssistiveTouch (Настройки > Универсальный доступ > Касание) и снова откройте Madeira."
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "Valley of the Ancient (UE5)": {
       "localizations": {
         "de": {
 
@@ -45,8 +45,10 @@ doing in it. Input reaches the program only while it has focus:
 - **Keyboard:** no other text input is first responder, for example a text
   field in the app. The game view's own text bridge counts as the program's.
 - **Mouse:** the pointer is over the game view (iPad, where UIKit reports the
-  pointer's position); or, where it does not (iPhone AssistiveTouch), the last
-  click or tap in the app's window landed on the game view; or pointer lock is
+  pointer's position); or, on iPhone (AssistiveTouch), the last click or tap in
+  the app's window landed on the game view. iPhone ignores hover for focus even
+  when AssistiveTouch reports it: its hover ends whenever the pointer stops at a
+  screen edge while GCMouse deltas keep coming, which dropped mouse-look there; or pointer lock is
   on; or a button that went down on the game view is still held (a drag that
   leaves the view keeps the mouse until the button is released).
 - **Right stick controls mouse:** the "always required" part.