diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 8a5573a..8b7c7c0 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -127,6 +127,24 @@ version = "1.0.102"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7f202df86484c868dbad7eaa557ef785d5c66295e41b460ef922eca0723b842c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "arboard"
+version = "3.6.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0348a1c054491f4bfe6ab86a7b6ab1e44e45d899005de92f58b3df180b36ddaf"
+dependencies = [
+ "clipboard-win",
+ "log",
+ "objc2",
+ "objc2-app-kit",
+ "objc2-foundation",
+ "parking_lot",
+ "percent-encoding",
+ "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "wl-clipboard-rs",
+ "x11rb",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "arc-swap"
 version = "1.9.1"
@@ -583,6 +601,15 @@ version = "1.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c8d4a3bb8b1e0c1050499d1815f5ab16d04f0959b233085fb31653fbfc9d98f9"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "clipboard-win"
+version = "5.4.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "bde03770d3df201d4fb868f2c9c59e66a3e4e2bd06692a0fe701e7103c7e84d4"
+dependencies = [
+ "error-code",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cmov"
 version = "0.5.3"
@@ -623,6 +650,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "crossbeam-utils",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "console"
+version = "0.16.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d64e8af5551369d19cf50138de61f1c42074ab970f74e99be916646777f8fc87"
+dependencies = [
+ "encode_unicode",
+ "libc",
+ "unicode-width",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "const-oid"
 version = "0.10.2"
@@ -944,6 +983,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-xid",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "dialoguer"
+version = "0.12.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "25f104b501bf2364e78d0d3974cbc774f738f5865306ed128e1e0d7499c0ad96"
+dependencies = [
+ "console",
+ "shell-words",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "diatomic-waker"
 version = "0.2.3"
@@ -1026,6 +1075,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "downcast-rs"
+version = "1.2.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "75b325c5dbd37f80359721ad39aca5a29fb04c89279657cffdda8736d0c0b9d2"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ed25519"
 version = "3.0.0"
@@ -1071,6 +1126,12 @@ version = "0.6.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "edd0f118536f44f5ccd48bcb8b111bdc3de888b58c74639dfb034a357d0f206d"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "encode_unicode"
+version = "1.0.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "34aa73646ffb006b8f5147f3dc182bd4bcb190227ce861fc4a4844bf8e3cb2c0"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "endi"
 version = "1.1.1"
@@ -1125,6 +1186,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "error-code"
+version = "3.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "dea2df4cf52843e0452895c455a1a2cfbb842a1e7329671acf418fdc53ed4c59"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "event-listener"
 version = "5.4.1"
@@ -1164,6 +1231,12 @@ version = "0.1.9"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "5baebc0774151f905a1a2cc41989300b1e6fbb29aff0ceffa1064fdd3088d582"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fixedbitset"
+version = "0.5.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1d674e81391d1e1ab681a28d99df07927c6d4aa5b027d7da16ba32d1d21ecd99"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "fnv"
 version = "1.0.7"
@@ -2677,6 +2750,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2-encode",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "objc2-app-kit"
+version = "0.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d49e936b501e5c5bf01fda3a9452ff86dc3ea98ad5f283e1455153142d97518c"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "objc2",
+ "objc2-core-graphics",
+ "objc2-foundation",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "objc2-core-foundation"
 version = "0.3.2"
@@ -2690,6 +2775,19 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "objc2-core-graphics"
+version = "0.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e022c9d066895efa1345f8e33e584b9f958da2fd4cd116792e15e07e4720a807"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "dispatch2",
+ "objc2",
+ "objc2-core-foundation",
+ "objc2-io-surface",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "objc2-core-wlan"
 version = "0.3.2"
@@ -2723,6 +2821,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2-core-foundation",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "objc2-io-surface"
+version = "0.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "180788110936d59bab6bd83b6060ffdfffb3b922ba1396b312ae795e1de9d81d"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "objc2",
+ "objc2-core-foundation",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "objc2-security"
 version = "0.3.2"
@@ -2802,6 +2911,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "pin-project-lite",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "os_pipe"
+version = "1.2.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7d8fae84b431384b68627d0f9b3b1245fcf9f46f6c0e3dc902e9dce64edd1967"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "papaya"
 version = "0.2.4"
@@ -2862,6 +2981,17 @@ version = "2.3.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9b4f627cb1b25917193a259e49bdad08f671f8d9708acfd5fe0a8c1455d87220"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "petgraph"
+version = "0.8.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8701b58ea97060d5e5b155d383a69952a60943f0e6dfe30b04c287beb0b27455"
+dependencies = [
+ "fixedbitset",
+ "hashbrown 0.15.5",
+ "indexmap",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pharos"
 version = "0.5.3"
@@ -2942,8 +3072,10 @@ name = "pixelpass"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
+ "arboard",
  "ashpd",
  "clap",
+ "dialoguer",
  "directories",
  "iroh",
  "iroh-tickets",
@@ -3637,6 +3769,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "lazy_static",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "shell-words"
+version = "1.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "dc6fe69c597f9c37bfeeeeeb33da3530379845f10be461a66d16d03eca2ded77"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "shlex"
 version = "1.3.0"
@@ -4236,6 +4374,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "tracing-log",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tree_magic_mini"
+version = "3.2.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b8765b90061cba6c22b5831f675da109ae5561588290f9fa2317adab2714d5a6"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+ "nom 8.0.0",
+ "petgraph",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "try-lock"
 version = "0.2.5"
@@ -4535,6 +4684,76 @@ dependencies = [
  "semver",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-backend"
+version = "0.3.15"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "2857dd20b54e916ec7253b3d6b4d5c4d7d4ca2c33c2e11c6c76a99bd8744755d"
+dependencies = [
+ "cc",
+ "downcast-rs",
+ "rustix",
+ "smallvec",
+ "wayland-sys",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-client"
+version = "0.31.14"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "645c7c96bb74690c3189b5c9cb4ca1627062bb23693a4fad9d8c3de958260144"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "rustix",
+ "wayland-backend",
+ "wayland-scanner",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-protocols"
+version = "0.32.12"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "563a85523cade2429938e790815fd7319062103b9f4a2dc806e9b53b95982d8f"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "wayland-backend",
+ "wayland-client",
+ "wayland-scanner",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-protocols-wlr"
+version = "0.3.12"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "eb04e52f7836d7c7976c78ca0250d61e33873c34156a2a1fc9474828ec268234"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "wayland-backend",
+ "wayland-client",
+ "wayland-protocols",
+ "wayland-scanner",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-scanner"
+version = "0.31.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9c324a910fd86ebdc364a3e61ec1f11737d3b1d6c273c0239ee8ff4bc0d24b4a"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quick-xml",
+ "quote",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-sys"
+version = "0.31.11"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d8eab23fefc9e41f8e841df4a9c707e8a8c4ed26e944ef69297184de2785e3be"
+dependencies = [
+ "pkg-config",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "web-sys"
 version = "0.3.98"
@@ -4991,6 +5210,24 @@ dependencies = [
  "wasmparser",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "wl-clipboard-rs"
+version = "0.9.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e9651471a32e87d96ef3a127715382b2d11cc7c8bb9822ded8a7cc94072eb0a3"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "log",
+ "os_pipe",
+ "rustix",
+ "thiserror 2.0.18",
+ "tree_magic_mini",
+ "wayland-backend",
+ "wayland-client",
+ "wayland-protocols",
+ "wayland-protocols-wlr",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "wmi"
 version = "0.18.4"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 9003eb9..653df24 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ pipewire = "0.9"
 x11rb = { version = "0.13", default-features = false, features = ["allow-unsafe-code"] }
 uuid = { version = "1", features = ["v4"] }
 iroh-tickets = "1.0.0-rc.0"
+dialoguer = { version = "0.12", default-features = false }
+arboard = { version = "3", default-features = false, features = ["wayland-data-control"] }
 
 [profile.release]
 lto = "thin"
diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index eda24bf..bec26a6 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ use clap::{Parser, ValueEnum};
     name = "pixelpass",
     version,
     about = "P2P screen sharing over iroh + ffmpeg",
-    long_about = "Run with no arguments to host (prints a ticket to share). \
-                  Pass a ticket to view."
+    long_about = "Run with no arguments for an interactive Host/View menu. \
+                  Pass a ticket positionally to skip the menu and view headlessly."
 )]
 pub struct Cli {
     /// iroh ticket. If present, runs as viewer. If absent, runs as host.
@@ -76,15 +76,17 @@ pub struct HostOpts {
     pub framerate: u32,
     pub no_hwencode: bool,
     pub low_latency: bool,
+    pub interactive: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct ViewerOpts {
     pub port: u16,
+    pub interactive: bool,
 }
 
 impl Cli {
-    pub fn into_host_opts(self) -> HostOpts {
+    pub fn into_host_opts(self, interactive: bool) -> HostOpts {
         HostOpts {
             window: self.window,
             app: self.app,
@@ -94,10 +96,11 @@ impl Cli {
             framerate: self.framerate,
             no_hwencode: self.no_hwencode,
             low_latency: self.low_latency,
+            interactive,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn into_viewer_opts(self) -> ViewerOpts {
-        ViewerOpts { port: self.port }
+    pub fn into_viewer_opts(self, interactive: bool) -> ViewerOpts {
+        ViewerOpts { port: self.port, interactive }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/common/mod.rs b/src/common/mod.rs
index 60fa1b1..fe24f8e 100644
--- a/src/common/mod.rs
+++ b/src/common/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 pub mod alpn;
 pub mod deps;
 pub mod display;
+pub mod process;
 pub mod signal;
 pub mod tunnel;
diff --git a/src/common/process.rs b/src/common/process.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9ed536
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/process.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+use std::io;
+use std::os::unix::process::CommandExt;
+use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
+
+/// Spawn a child process fully detached from this process group.
+///
+/// The child gets its own session via `setsid(2)` and null stdio, so it
+/// survives the parent exiting and doesn't take a SIGKILL cascade when
+/// pixelpass dies. The `Child` is dropped immediately — `std::process::Child::drop`
+/// does not kill the process on Unix.
+pub fn spawn_detached(prog: &str, args: &[&str]) -> io::Result<()> {
+    unsafe {
+        Command::new(prog)
+            .args(args)
+            .stdin(Stdio::null())
+            .stdout(Stdio::null())
+            .stderr(Stdio::null())
+            .pre_exec(|| {
+                nix::unistd::setsid().ok();
+                Ok(())
+            })
+            .spawn()?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/host/mod.rs b/src/host/mod.rs
index 25d776b..bd31079 100644
--- a/src/host/mod.rs
+++ b/src/host/mod.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ pub async fn run(opts: HostOpts) -> Result<()> {
 
     let addr = endpoint.addr();
     let ticket = EndpointTicket::new(addr);
-    print_host_banner(&ticket, display, &opts);
+    let clipboard_ok = opts.interactive && copy_to_clipboard(&ticket.to_string());
+    print_host_banner(&ticket, display, &opts, clipboard_ok);
 
     let result = accept_loop(&endpoint, display, &opts, cancel.clone()).await;
 
@@ -93,7 +94,12 @@ async fn handle_peer(
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn print_host_banner(ticket: &EndpointTicket, display: DisplayServer, opts: &HostOpts) {
+fn print_host_banner(
+    ticket: &EndpointTicket,
+    display: DisplayServer,
+    opts: &HostOpts,
+    clipboard_ok: bool,
+) {
     eprintln!();
     eprintln!("┌─ PixelPass · host ─────────────────────────────────────────");
     eprintln!("│  display server : {display:?}");
@@ -101,7 +107,13 @@ fn print_host_banner(ticket: &EndpointTicket, display: DisplayServer, opts: &Hos
     eprintln!("│  bitrate / fps  : {} kbps @ {} fps", opts.bitrate, opts.framerate);
     eprintln!("│  hw encode      : {}", if opts.no_hwencode { "off" } else { "auto (VAAPI if available)" });
     eprintln!("│");
-    eprintln!("│  Share this ticket with your viewer:");
+    if clipboard_ok {
+        eprintln!("│  Your share code has been copied to your clipboard.");
+        eprintln!("│  Send it to your viewer. (If clipboard didn't work, the");
+        eprintln!("│  code is also shown below for manual copy.)");
+    } else {
+        eprintln!("│  Share this ticket with your viewer:");
+    }
     eprintln!("│");
     eprintln!("│      pixelpass {ticket}");
     eprintln!("│");
@@ -111,6 +123,16 @@ fn print_host_banner(ticket: &EndpointTicket, display: DisplayServer, opts: &Hos
     eprintln!();
 }
 
+fn copy_to_clipboard(text: &str) -> bool {
+    match arboard::Clipboard::new().and_then(|mut cb| cb.set_text(text.to_owned())) {
+        Ok(()) => true,
+        Err(e) => {
+            tracing::warn!("clipboard copy failed: {e}");
+            false
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn capture_summary(opts: &HostOpts) -> String {
     let mut bits = vec![if opts.window { "window" } else { "fullscreen" }.to_string()];
     if let Some(app) = &opts.app {
diff --git a/src/interactive.rs b/src/interactive.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8c31b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/interactive.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+use anyhow::Result;
+use dialoguer::{Input, Select, theme::ColorfulTheme};
+use iroh_tickets::endpoint::EndpointTicket;
+use std::str::FromStr;
+
+use crate::cli::Cli;
+use crate::{host, viewer};
+
+pub async fn run(cli: Cli) -> Result<()> {
+    print_welcome();
+
+    let theme = ColorfulTheme::default();
+    let choice = Select::with_theme(&theme)
+        .with_prompt("What do you want to do?")
+        .items(&[
+            "Host (share my screen)",
+            "View (watch someone else's screen)",
+        ])
+        .default(0)
+        .interact()?;
+
+    match choice {
+        0 => host::run(cli.into_host_opts(true)).await,
+        _ => {
+            let ticket = prompt_ticket(&theme)?;
+            viewer::run(ticket, cli.into_viewer_opts(true)).await
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn print_welcome() {
+    eprintln!();
+    eprintln!("Welcome to PixelPass.");
+    eprintln!();
+}
+
+fn prompt_ticket(theme: &ColorfulTheme) -> Result<EndpointTicket> {
+    loop {
+        let raw: String = Input::with_theme(theme)
+            .with_prompt("Paste the share code you received")
+            .interact_text()?;
+        match EndpointTicket::from_str(raw.trim()) {
+            Ok(t) => return Ok(t),
+            Err(_) => eprintln!("That doesn't look like a share code. Try again."),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Player options the interactive viewer can launch.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+pub enum Player {
+    Mpv,
+    Vlc,
+}
+
+impl Player {
+    pub fn spawn(self, url: &str) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+        match self {
+            Player::Mpv => crate::common::process::spawn_detached(
+                "mpv",
+                &[
+                    "--profile=low-latency",
+                    "--untimed",
+                    "--audio-buffer=0.2",
+                    "--demuxer-max-bytes=2M",
+                    "--demuxer-readahead-secs=0.5",
+                    url,
+                ],
+            ),
+            Player::Vlc => crate::common::process::spawn_detached(
+                "vlc",
+                &["--network-caching=200", "--live-caching=200", url],
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn prompt_player() -> Result<Player> {
+    let theme = ColorfulTheme::default();
+    let choice = Select::with_theme(&theme)
+        .with_prompt("Connected. Pick a player to launch")
+        .items(&["mpv", "VLC"])
+        .default(0)
+        .interact()?;
+    Ok(if choice == 0 { Player::Mpv } else { Player::Vlc })
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index aac41ea..c27b028 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 mod cli;
 mod common;
 mod host;
+mod interactive;
 mod repair;
 mod viewer;
 
@@ -24,12 +25,12 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
             let ticket: EndpointTicket = s.parse().map_err(|e| {
                 anyhow::anyhow!(
                     "argument doesn't look like a pixelpass ticket ({e}).\n\
-                     Run with no arguments to host, or pass a ticket to view."
+                     Run with no arguments for the interactive menu, or pass a ticket to view."
                 )
             })?;
-            viewer::run(ticket, cli.into_viewer_opts()).await
+            viewer::run(ticket, cli.into_viewer_opts(false)).await
         }
-        None => host::run(cli.into_host_opts()).await,
+        None => interactive::run(cli).await,
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/viewer/mod.rs b/src/viewer/mod.rs
index 2452c88..590a6b9 100644
--- a/src/viewer/mod.rs
+++ b/src/viewer/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use anyhow::Result;
+use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use iroh::Endpoint;
 use iroh::endpoint::presets;
 use iroh_tickets::endpoint::EndpointTicket;
@@ -22,7 +22,17 @@ pub async fn run(ticket: EndpointTicket, opts: ViewerOpts) -> Result<()> {
 
     let listener = TcpListener::bind(("127.0.0.1", opts.port)).await?;
     let port = listener.local_addr()?.port();
-    print_viewer_banner(port);
+    let url = format!("http://127.0.0.1:{port}");
+
+    if opts.interactive {
+        let player = crate::interactive::prompt_player()?;
+        player
+            .spawn(&url)
+            .with_context(|| "failed to launch player")?;
+        print_viewer_banner_interactive();
+    } else {
+        print_viewer_banner(&url);
+    }
 
     let result = tokio::select! {
         accepted = listener.accept() => {
@@ -40,8 +50,7 @@ pub async fn run(ticket: EndpointTicket, opts: ViewerOpts) -> Result<()> {
     result
 }
 
-fn print_viewer_banner(port: u16) {
-    let url = format!("http://127.0.0.1:{port}");
+fn print_viewer_banner(url: &str) {
     eprintln!();
     eprintln!("┌─ PixelPass · viewer ───────────────────────────────────────");
     eprintln!("│  Connected to host. Open the stream in your player:");
@@ -55,3 +64,12 @@ fn print_viewer_banner(port: u16) {
     eprintln!("└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────");
     eprintln!();
 }
+
+fn print_viewer_banner_interactive() {
+    eprintln!();
+    eprintln!("┌─ PixelPass · viewer ───────────────────────────────────────");
+    eprintln!("│  Player launched. Close it (or press Ctrl+C here) to");
+    eprintln!("│  disconnect.");
+    eprintln!("└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────");
+    eprintln!();
+}