diff --git a/src/components/launch/LaunchWindow.tsx b/src/components/launch/LaunchWindow.tsx
index 7bdac0a1..80d9d222 100644
--- a/src/components/launch/LaunchWindow.tsx
+++ b/src/components/launch/LaunchWindow.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import { useRecordingTimer } from "./hooks/useRecordingTimer";
 import { useScreenRecorder } from "../../hooks/useScreenRecorder";
 import { useVideoDevices } from "../../hooks/useVideoDevices";
 import { useWebcamPreviewOverlay } from "./hooks/useWebcamPreviewOverlay";
-import ProjectBrowserDialog from "../video-editor/ProjectBrowserDialog";
 import {
 	canToggleFloatingWebcamPreview,
 } from "./floatingWebcamPreview";
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ import { LaunchPopoverCoordinatorProvider, useLaunchPopoverCoordinator } from ".
 import { CountdownPopover } from "./popovers/CountdownPopover";
 import { MicPopover } from "./popovers/MicPopover";
 import { MorePopover } from "./popovers/MorePopover";
+import { ProjectPopover } from "./popovers/ProjectPopover";
 import { SourcePopover } from "./popovers/SourcePopover";
 import { WebcamPopover } from "./popovers/WebcamPopover";
 import { HudInteractionContext } from "./contexts/HudInteractionContext";
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import styles from "./LaunchWindow.module.css";
 import { Separator } from "@/components/ui/separator";
 import { Button } from "../ui/button";
 import { RecordingControls } from "./RecordingControls";
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
 
 const SHOW_DEV_UPDATE_PREVIEW = import.meta.env.DEV;
 
@@ -84,24 +84,17 @@ function LaunchWindowContent() {
 	const hudContentRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
 	const hudBarRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
 
-	const closeAllPopovers = useCallback(() => {
-		if (openId) {
-			requestClose(openId);
-		}
-	}, [openId, requestClose]);
 
 	const {
 		selectedSource,
 		hasSelectedSource,
 		projectLibraryEntries,
-		projectBrowserOpen,
-		setProjectBrowserOpen,
 		handleSourceSelect,
 		openVideoFile,
-		openProjectBrowser,
 		openProjectFromLibrary,
 		syncSelectedSource,
-	} = useLaunchWindowActions({ closeAllPopovers });
+		refreshProjectLibrary,
+	} = useLaunchWindowActions();
 
 	const showWebcamControls = webcamEnabled && !recording;
 	const { devices, selectedDeviceId, setSelectedDeviceId } = useMicrophoneDevices(
@@ -176,8 +169,6 @@ function LaunchWindowContent() {
 
 	const { handleHudMouseEnter, handleHudMouseLeave, beginInteractiveHudAction } = useLaunchHudInteractionState({
 		openId,
-		projectBrowserOpen,
-		setProjectBrowserOpen,
 		isHudDraggingRef,
 		isWebcamPreviewDraggingRef,
 		webcamPreviewDragStartRef,
@@ -338,7 +329,6 @@ function LaunchWindowContent() {
 				}
 			/>
 
-			<Separator orientation="vertical" className="mx-[5px] h-6" />
 
 			<button
 				type="button"
@@ -359,6 +349,14 @@ function LaunchWindowContent() {
 
 			<Separator orientation="vertical" className="mx-[5px] h-6" />
 
+			<div className="relative w-0 h-0">
+				<ProjectPopover
+					entries={projectLibraryEntries}
+					onOpenProject={openProjectFromLibrary}
+					trigger={<div className="absolute inset-0 pointer-events-none opacity-0" />}
+				/>
+			</div>
+
 			<MorePopover
 				supportsHudCaptureProtection={supportsHudCaptureProtection}
 				hideHudFromCapture={hideHudFromCapture}
@@ -372,11 +370,13 @@ function LaunchWindowContent() {
 					void openVideoFile();
 				}}
 				onOpenProjectBrowser={() => {
-					void openProjectBrowser();
+					refreshProjectLibrary().then(() => {
+						requestOpen("projects");
+					});
 				}}
 				showDevUpdatePreview={SHOW_DEV_UPDATE_PREVIEW}
 				onPreviewUpdateUi={() => {
-					closeAllPopovers();
+					if (openId) requestClose(openId);
 					void window.electronAPI.previewUpdateToast().catch((error) => {
 						console.warn("Failed to preview update toast:", error);
 					});
@@ -537,19 +537,6 @@ function LaunchWindowContent() {
 					)}
 				</div>
 
-				{projectBrowserOpen ? (
-					<div className={`${styles.electronNoDrag} pointer-events-auto`}>
-						<ProjectBrowserDialog
-							open={projectBrowserOpen}
-							onOpenChange={setProjectBrowserOpen}
-							entries={projectLibraryEntries}
-							renderMode="inline"
-							onOpenProject={(projectPath) => {
-								void openProjectFromLibrary(projectPath);
-							}}
-						/>
-					</div>
-				) : null}
 			</div>
 		</div>
 		</HudInteractionContext.Provider>
diff --git a/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchHudInteractionState.ts b/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchHudInteractionState.ts
index cd038ed0..3b1fd51e 100644
--- a/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchHudInteractionState.ts
+++ b/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchHudInteractionState.ts
@@ -2,21 +2,16 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, type MouseEvent, type RefObject } from
 
 export function useLaunchHudInteractionState({
 	openId,
-	projectBrowserOpen,
-	setProjectBrowserOpen,
 	isHudDraggingRef,
 	isWebcamPreviewDraggingRef,
 	webcamPreviewDragStartRef,
 }: {
 	openId: string | null;
-	projectBrowserOpen: boolean;
-	setProjectBrowserOpen: (open: boolean) => void;
 	isHudDraggingRef: RefObject<boolean>;
 	isWebcamPreviewDraggingRef: RefObject<boolean>;
 	webcamPreviewDragStartRef: RefObject<unknown>;
 }) {
 	const anyPopoverOpenRef = useRef(false);
-	const projectBrowserOpenRef = useRef(false);
 	const isMouseOverHudRef = useRef(false);
 
 	useEffect(() => {
@@ -33,21 +28,10 @@ export function useLaunchHudInteractionState({
 		}
 	}, [openId]);
 
-	useEffect(() => {
-		if (!openId) return;
-		setProjectBrowserOpen(false);
-		window.electronAPI?.hudOverlaySetIgnoreMouse?.(false);
-	}, [openId, setProjectBrowserOpen]);
-
-	useEffect(() => {
-		projectBrowserOpenRef.current = projectBrowserOpen;
-	}, [projectBrowserOpen]);
-
 	const beginInteractiveHudAction = useCallback(() => {
-		setProjectBrowserOpen(false);
 		isMouseOverHudRef.current = true;
 		window.electronAPI?.hudOverlaySetIgnoreMouse?.(false);
-	}, [setProjectBrowserOpen]);
+	}, []);
 
 	const handleHudMouseEnter = useCallback(() => {
 		isMouseOverHudRef.current = true;
@@ -72,7 +56,6 @@ export function useLaunchHudInteractionState({
 				!isHudDraggingRef.current &&
 				!isWebcamPreviewDraggingRef.current &&
 				!webcamPreviewDragStartRef.current &&
-				!projectBrowserOpenRef.current &&
 				!isMouseOverHudRef.current &&
 				!anyPopoverOpenRef.current
 			) {
diff --git a/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchWindowActions.ts b/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchWindowActions.ts
index 86330e12..90acfe57 100644
--- a/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchWindowActions.ts
+++ b/src/components/launch/hooks/useLaunchWindowActions.ts
@@ -2,15 +2,10 @@ import { useCallback, useState } from "react";
 import type { ProjectLibraryEntry } from "@/components/video-editor/ProjectBrowserDialog";
 import type { DesktopSource } from "../popovers/launchPopoverTypes";
 
-export function useLaunchWindowActions({
-	closeAllPopovers,
-}: {
-	closeAllPopovers: () => void;
-}) {
+export function useLaunchWindowActions() {
 	const [selectedSource, setSelectedSource] = useState("Screen");
 	const [hasSelectedSource, setHasSelectedSource] = useState(false);
 	const [projectLibraryEntries, setProjectLibraryEntries] = useState<ProjectLibraryEntry[]>([]);
-	const [projectBrowserOpen, setProjectBrowserOpen] = useState(false);
 
 	const handleSourceSelect = useCallback(async (source: DesktopSource) => {
 		await window.electronAPI.selectSource(source);
@@ -41,24 +36,12 @@ export function useLaunchWindowActions({
 			console.error("Failed to load project library:", error);
 		}
 	}, []);
-
-	const openProjectBrowser = useCallback(async () => {
-		if (projectBrowserOpen) {
-			setProjectBrowserOpen(false);
-			return;
-		}
-		closeAllPopovers();
-		await refreshProjectLibrary();
-		setProjectBrowserOpen(true);
-	}, [closeAllPopovers, projectBrowserOpen, refreshProjectLibrary]);
-
 	const openProjectFromLibrary = useCallback(async (projectPath: string) => {
 		try {
 			const result = await window.electronAPI.openProjectFileAtPath(projectPath);
 			if (result.canceled || !result.success) {
 				return;
 			}
-			setProjectBrowserOpen(false);
 			await window.electronAPI.switchToEditor();
 		} catch (error) {
 			console.error("Failed to open project from library:", error);
@@ -79,12 +62,10 @@ export function useLaunchWindowActions({
 		selectedSource,
 		hasSelectedSource,
 		projectLibraryEntries,
-		projectBrowserOpen,
-		setProjectBrowserOpen,
 		handleSourceSelect,
 		openVideoFile,
-		openProjectBrowser,
 		openProjectFromLibrary,
 		syncSelectedSource,
+		refreshProjectLibrary,
 	};
 }
diff --git a/src/components/launch/popovers/ProjectPopover.tsx b/src/components/launch/popovers/ProjectPopover.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..22df11d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/launch/popovers/ProjectPopover.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import type { ReactElement } from "react";
+import { useLaunchPopoverCoordinator } from "./LaunchPopoverCoordinator";
+import { HudPopover } from "./PopoverScaffold";
+import ProjectBrowserDialog from "../../video-editor/ProjectBrowserDialog";
+import type { ProjectLibraryEntry } from "../../video-editor/ProjectBrowserDialog";
+
+const POPOVER_ID = "projects";
+
+export function ProjectPopover({
+	trigger,
+	entries,
+	onOpenProject,
+}: {
+	trigger: ReactElement;
+	entries: ProjectLibraryEntry[];
+	onOpenProject: (projectPath: string) => void;
+}) {
+	const { isOpen, requestOpen, requestClose } = useLaunchPopoverCoordinator();
+	const open = isOpen(POPOVER_ID);
+
+	return (
+		<HudPopover
+			open={open}
+			onOpenChange={(nextOpen) => {
+				if (!nextOpen) {
+					requestClose(POPOVER_ID);
+					return;
+				}
+				requestOpen(POPOVER_ID);
+			}}
+			trigger={trigger}
+			align="center"
+		>
+			<ProjectBrowserDialog
+				open={open}
+				onOpenChange={(nextOpen) => {
+					if (!nextOpen) requestClose(POPOVER_ID);
+				}}
+				entries={entries}
+				renderMode="inline"
+				onOpenProject={(path) => {
+					onOpenProject(path);
+					requestClose(POPOVER_ID);
+				}}
+			/>
+		</HudPopover>
+	);
+}