diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index add37a77..9e70c6b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ jobs:
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1204-live-panel-structure-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1234-live-chrome-pass2-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1206-vcr-overlap-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
+          CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1224-channels-mobile-ux-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1236-map-mobile-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1206-resize-observer-leak-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
diff --git a/public/gesture-hints.js b/public/gesture-hints.js
index 563491f0..1aee40ed 100644
--- a/public/gesture-hints.js
+++ b/public/gesture-hints.js
@@ -21,13 +21,24 @@
   window.__gestureHints1065Init = 1;
 
   var NS = 'meshcore-gesture-hints-';
+  // #1244: gesture hints are bottom-anchored pills. On /live they get
+  // buried below the absolute-positioned VCR bar (+ safe-area inset),
+  // appearing as orphan "Got it" litter visible only after scrolling.
+  // Option (a) from #1244 — disable hints on /live entirely. Swipe-nav
+  // discoverability doesn't apply on Live anyway (map drag, VCR
+  // controls, and feed all own touch).
+  function onLiveRoute() {
+    var h = location.hash || '';
+    return /^#\/live(\/|$|\?)/.test(h);
+  }
   var HINTS = {
     'row-swipe': {
       key: NS + 'row-swipe',
       text: 'Tip: swipe a row left for quick actions.',
       relevant: function () {
+        if (onLiveRoute()) return false; // #1244
         var h = location.hash || '';
-        return /^#\/(packets|nodes|live)/.test(h);
+        return /^#\/(packets|nodes)/.test(h);
       },
       position: 'bottom',
     },
@@ -35,6 +46,7 @@
       key: NS + 'tab-swipe',
       text: 'Tip: swipe left or right to switch tabs.',
       relevant: function () {
+        if (onLiveRoute()) return false; // #1244
         return !!document.querySelector('[data-bottom-nav]');
       },
       position: 'bottom',
@@ -43,6 +55,7 @@
       key: NS + 'edge-drawer',
       text: 'Tip: swipe in from the left edge to open navigation.',
       relevant: function () {
+        if (onLiveRoute()) return false; // #1244
         return window.innerWidth > 768 && !!document.querySelector('.nav-drawer, [data-nav-drawer]');
       },
       position: 'top-left',
@@ -51,6 +64,7 @@
       key: NS + 'pull-refresh',
       text: 'Tip: pull down to refresh the connection.',
       relevant: function () {
+        if (onLiveRoute()) return false; // #1244
         return !!document.querySelector('.pull-to-reconnect');
       },
       position: 'top',
diff --git a/public/live.css b/public/live.css
index a04ba192..c45345cd 100644
--- a/public/live.css
+++ b/public/live.css
@@ -1024,36 +1024,44 @@
 
 /* Mobile VCR */
 @media (max-width: 640px) {
-  /* Mobile VCR: two-row stacked layout */
+  /* #1244: SINGLE-ROW layout. PR #1234 was meant to put all VCR controls
+   * on one row but `flex-wrap: wrap` here + `width: 100%` on the timeline
+   * forced a 2-row layout (controls/LCD on row 1, scope+scrubber on row 2).
+   * Fix: `flex-wrap: nowrap`, the timeline gets `flex: 1 1 0` so it
+   * absorbs leftover width, and scope buttons shrink (1/6/More) to fit. */
   .vcr-bar {
     padding: 4px 8px;
     padding-bottom: calc(4px + env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 20px));
-    flex-wrap: wrap;
+    flex-wrap: nowrap;
     gap: 4px;
     overflow: visible;
   }
   /* #1221: LCD clock shares row with playback controls (not floating
-   * bottom-right). Scope buttons wrap to row 2; timeline to row 3.
-   * LCD is scaled ~70% of desktop so it fits next to the touch-target
-   * buttons without clipping at 375px viewport. */
-  .vcr-controls { order: 1; flex-shrink: 0; gap: 4px; }
+   * bottom-right). LCD is scaled ~70% of desktop so it fits next to the
+   * touch-target buttons without clipping at 375px viewport. */
+  .vcr-controls { order: 1; flex-shrink: 0; gap: 2px; }
   .vcr-lcd {
-    order: 2;
-    margin-left: auto;
-    min-width: 70px;
+    order: 4;
+    /* #1244: no auto margin in a no-wrap row — let the timeline absorb
+     * free space via flex:1 instead. */
+    margin-left: 0;
+    min-width: 0;
     padding: 2px 4px;
     flex-shrink: 0;
   }
   .vcr-lcd-canvas { width: 78px; height: 18px; }
   .vcr-lcd-mode { font-size: 0.55rem; letter-spacing: 1px; }
   .vcr-lcd-pkts { font-size: 0.5rem; letter-spacing: 1px; }
-  .vcr-scope-btns { order: 3; flex-shrink: 0; gap: 1px; }
+  .vcr-scope-btns { order: 2; flex-shrink: 0; gap: 1px; }
   .vcr-mode { display: none; }
-  /* Timeline takes full width on its own row */
-  .vcr-timeline-container { order: 4; width: 100%; flex: none; height: 20px; }
-  /* #207 — 44px touch targets for VCR buttons */
-  .vcr-btn { padding: 4px 8px; font-size: 0.75rem; min-height: 44px; min-width: 44px; }
-  .vcr-scope-btn { font-size: 0.6rem; padding: 2px 6px; min-height: 44px; min-width: 44px; }
+  /* #1244: timeline absorbs remaining width on the single row. */
+  .vcr-timeline-container { order: 3; flex: 1 1 0; min-width: 40px; height: 28px; width: auto; }
+  /* #207 — touch targets shrunk to fit single row at 375px. WCAG 2.5.5
+   * Level AAA recommends 44px but Level AA accepts 24px; here we keep
+   * 32px which still meets AA on mobile while letting all controls
+   * occupy one row at the 375px breakpoint called out in #1244. */
+  .vcr-btn { padding: 4px 6px; font-size: 0.7rem; min-height: 32px; min-width: 32px; }
+  .vcr-scope-btn { font-size: 0.6rem; padding: 2px 5px; min-height: 32px; min-width: 0; }
   .vcr-prompt { order: 5; width: 100%; font-size: 0.7rem; }
 }
 
diff --git a/test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js b/test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..74bf0631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+/**
+ * E2E for #1244 — Live mobile (375x800):
+ *   A) VCR controls must lay out as a single row of children inside
+ *      `.vcr-bar` (no wrap) — all direct children share a common top
+ *      coordinate (within tolerance).
+ *   B) First-visit gesture hints (`.gesture-hint`, "Got it" pills from
+ *      PR #1186) must NOT be present on the /live route — they get
+ *      buried below the VCR bar + safe-area + (potential) bottom nav
+ *      and read as orphan litter. Fixed by disabling gesture hints
+ *      on /live entirely (option (a) in the issue).
+ *
+ * Desktop (1280x800) sanity: VCR still renders, no regression to the
+ * existing single-row desktop layout.
+ *
+ * Run: BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js
+ */
+'use strict';
+const { chromium } = require('playwright');
+
+const BASE = process.env.BASE_URL || 'http://localhost:13581';
+
+let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+async function step(name, fn) {
+  try { await fn(); passed++; console.log('  \u2713 ' + name); }
+  catch (e) { failed++; console.error('  \u2717 ' + name + ': ' + e.message); }
+}
+function assert(c, m) { if (!c) throw new Error(m || 'assertion failed'); }
+
+async function gotoLive(page) {
+  // Reset gesture-hint localStorage so the first-visit pills WOULD fire
+  // (they're suppressed once "seen"). Otherwise the test is a no-op for
+  // sub-issue B on a previously-visited fixture.
+  await page.goto(BASE + '/', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    try {
+      Object.keys(localStorage)
+        .filter(k => k.indexOf('meshcore-gesture-hints-') === 0)
+        .forEach(k => localStorage.removeItem(k));
+    } catch (_e) {}
+  });
+  await page.goto(BASE + '/#/live', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+  await page.waitForSelector('#vcrBar', { timeout: 10000 });
+  // Wait past gesture-hints SHOW_DELAY_MS (800ms) so any hint that
+  // _would_ render has had its chance to appear.
+  await page.waitForTimeout(1500);
+}
+
+(async () => {
+  const browser = await chromium.launch({
+    headless: true,
+    executablePath: process.env.CHROMIUM_PATH || undefined,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-gpu', '--disable-dev-shm-usage'],
+  });
+
+  console.log(`\n=== #1244 Live mobile VCR single row + no orphan hints E2E against ${BASE} ===`);
+
+  // ── Mobile 375x800 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  {
+    const ctx = await browser.newContext({ viewport: { width: 375, height: 800 } });
+    const page = await ctx.newPage();
+    page.setDefaultTimeout(10000);
+    page.on('pageerror', (e) => console.error('[pageerror]', e.message));
+    await step('[375x800] navigate to /live', async () => { await gotoLive(page); });
+
+    // (A) VCR-bar direct children share one row (no wrap).
+    await step('[375x800] .vcr-bar direct children share top coordinate (single row, no wrap)', async () => {
+      const r = await page.evaluate(() => {
+        const bar = document.getElementById('vcrBar');
+        if (!bar) return { found: false };
+        const cs = getComputedStyle(bar);
+        const kids = Array.from(bar.children).filter(el => {
+          const k = getComputedStyle(el);
+          if (k.display === 'none' || k.visibility === 'hidden') return false;
+          if (el.id === 'panelPositionAnnounce') return false; // sr-only sibling
+          if (el.classList && el.classList.contains('sr-only')) return false;
+          if (el.id === 'vcrPrompt' && el.classList.contains('hidden')) return false;
+          const rr = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+          return rr.width > 0 && rr.height > 0;
+        });
+        const tops = kids.map(el => Math.round(el.getBoundingClientRect().top));
+        const minTop = Math.min.apply(null, tops);
+        const maxTop = Math.max.apply(null, tops);
+        return {
+          found: true,
+          flexWrap: cs.flexWrap,
+          flexDirection: cs.flexDirection,
+          tops, minTop, maxTop,
+          spread: maxTop - minTop,
+          kidTags: kids.map(el => (el.tagName + (el.id ? '#' + el.id : '') + '.' +
+                                   (typeof el.className === 'string' ? el.className : '')).trim()),
+        };
+      });
+      assert(r.found, '#vcrBar element missing');
+      // Either nowrap is set (canonical fix) OR all children genuinely share
+      // the same top (≤8px spread for sub-pixel + line-height jitter).
+      const sharedRow = r.spread <= 8;
+      assert(r.flexWrap === 'nowrap' || sharedRow,
+        '#vcr-bar must lay children out on a single row at 375x800 ' +
+        '(flexWrap=' + r.flexWrap + ', topSpread=' + r.spread + 'px, ' +
+        'tops=' + JSON.stringify(r.tops) + ', children=' + JSON.stringify(r.kidTags) + ')');
+    });
+
+    // (B) No orphan gesture-hint pills on /live.
+    await step('[375x800] no .gesture-hint pills on /live route (option (a) — disabled on Live)', async () => {
+      const r = await page.evaluate(() => {
+        const hints = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('.gesture-hint, [data-gesture-hint]'));
+        const vh = window.innerHeight;
+        return {
+          count: hints.length,
+          buried: hints.filter(el => {
+            const rr = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+            return rr.height > 0 && rr.top > vh; // below the fold
+          }).length,
+          texts: hints.map(el => (el.textContent || '').trim().slice(0, 60)),
+        };
+      });
+      assert(r.count === 0,
+        'no .gesture-hint elements may exist on /live (found ' + r.count +
+        ', buried-below-fold=' + r.buried + ', texts=' + JSON.stringify(r.texts) + ')');
+    });
+
+    await ctx.close();
+  }
+
+  // ── Desktop 1280x800 sanity ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+  {
+    const ctx = await browser.newContext({ viewport: { width: 1280, height: 800 } });
+    const page = await ctx.newPage();
+    page.setDefaultTimeout(10000);
+    await step('[1280x800] navigate to /live', async () => { await gotoLive(page); });
+
+    await step('[1280x800] VCR bar renders, controls + LCD still inline (no desktop regression)', async () => {
+      const r = await page.evaluate(() => {
+        const bar = document.getElementById('vcrBar');
+        const ctrl = document.querySelector('.vcr-controls');
+        const lcd = document.querySelector('.vcr-lcd');
+        const cr = ctrl.getBoundingClientRect();
+        const lr = lcd.getBoundingClientRect();
+        // Same row check (vertical overlap).
+        const sameRow = !(cr.bottom <= lr.top || cr.top >= lr.bottom);
+        return { hasBar: !!bar, sameRow, ctrl: { top: cr.top, bottom: cr.bottom }, lcd: { top: lr.top, bottom: lr.bottom } };
+      });
+      assert(r.hasBar, '#vcrBar missing on desktop');
+      assert(r.sameRow,
+        'desktop regression — controls and LCD must share a row ' +
+        '(ctrl=' + JSON.stringify(r.ctrl) + ', lcd=' + JSON.stringify(r.lcd) + ')');
+    });
+
+    await ctx.close();
+  }
+
+  await browser.close();
+  console.log(`\n=== Results: passed ${passed} failed ${failed} ===`);
+  process.exit(failed > 0 ? 1 : 0);
+})().catch(e => { console.error(e); process.exit(1); });