diff --git a/mobile/src/components/PickerModal.tsx b/mobile/src/components/PickerModal.tsx
index 9456307091f..45b6593c09f 100644
--- a/mobile/src/components/PickerModal.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/components/PickerModal.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export type PickerOption<T extends string = string> = {
 type Props<T extends string = string> = {
   visible: boolean
   title: string
+  subtitle?: string
   options: PickerOption<T>[]
   selected: T
   onSelect: (value: T) => void
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ type PickerModalContentProps<T extends string = string> = Pick<
 export function PickerModal<T extends string = string>({
   visible,
   title,
+  subtitle,
   options,
   selected,
   onSelect,
@@ -44,6 +46,7 @@ export function PickerModal<T extends string = string>({
     <BottomDrawer visible={visible} onClose={onClose} onAfterClose={onAfterClose} zIndex={zIndex}>
       <View style={styles.header}>
         <Text style={styles.title}>{title}</Text>
+        {subtitle ? <Text style={styles.subtitle}>{subtitle}</Text> : null}
       </View>
 
       <PickerModalContent
@@ -130,6 +133,11 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     fontWeight: '500',
     color: colors.textMuted
   },
+  subtitle: {
+    fontSize: 11,
+    color: colors.textMuted,
+    marginTop: 2
+  },
   group: {
     backgroundColor: colors.bgPanel,
     borderRadius: 12,
diff --git a/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-overlays.tsx b/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-overlays.tsx
index 8399d516136..2a14df7fdee 100644
--- a/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-overlays.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-overlays.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import { hostNewWorktreeSessionRoute } from '../host-route-action-state'
 import { getWorktreeRowIdentity } from '../worktree/worktree-host-row-identity'
 import {
   WORKSPACE_GROUP_OPTIONS as GROUP_OPTIONS,
-  WORKSPACE_SORT_OPTIONS as SORT_OPTIONS
+  WORKSPACE_SORT_OPTIONS as SORT_OPTIONS,
+  WORKSPACE_VIEW_SHARED_NOTE
 } from '../worktree/workspace-list-picker-options'
 import { isWorktreePinned } from '../worktree/workspace-list-sections'
 import { hostScreenStyles as styles } from './host-screen-styles'
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ export function HostScreenOverlays({ controller }: { controller: HostScreenContr
       <PickerModal
         visible={state.showSortPicker}
         title="Sort By"
+        subtitle={WORKSPACE_VIEW_SHARED_NOTE}
         options={SORT_OPTIONS}
         selected={state.sortMode}
         onSelect={settings.handleSortChange}
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ export function HostScreenOverlays({ controller }: { controller: HostScreenContr
       <PickerModal
         visible={state.showGroupPicker}
         title="Group By"
+        subtitle={WORKSPACE_VIEW_SHARED_NOTE}
         options={GROUP_OPTIONS}
         selected={state.groupMode}
         onSelect={settings.handleGroupChange}
@@ -54,7 +57,10 @@ export function HostScreenOverlays({ controller }: { controller: HostScreenContr
 
       <BottomDrawer visible={state.showFilterModal} onClose={() => state.setShowFilterModal(false)}>
         <View style={styles.filterModalHeader}>
-          <Text style={styles.filterModalTitle}>Filter</Text>
+          <View style={styles.filterModalHeading}>
+            <Text style={styles.filterModalTitle}>Filter</Text>
+            <Text style={styles.filterModalSubtitle}>{WORKSPACE_VIEW_SHARED_NOTE}</Text>
+          </View>
           {settings.activeFilterCount > 0 && (
             <Pressable onPress={settings.clearFilters}>
               <Text style={styles.clearFiltersText}>Clear filters</Text>
diff --git a/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-secondary-styles.ts b/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-secondary-styles.ts
index af14aa2b97a..7f6c4f3f65c 100644
--- a/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-secondary-styles.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/host-screen/host-screen-secondary-styles.ts
@@ -47,11 +47,19 @@ export const hostScreenSecondaryStyles = StyleSheet.create({
     paddingHorizontal: spacing.xs,
     marginBottom: spacing.md
   },
+  filterModalHeading: {
+    flexShrink: 1
+  },
   filterModalTitle: {
     fontSize: 15,
     fontWeight: '600',
     color: colors.textPrimary
   },
+  filterModalSubtitle: {
+    fontSize: 11,
+    color: colors.textMuted,
+    marginTop: 2
+  },
   clearFiltersText: {
     fontSize: 13,
     color: colors.textSecondary
diff --git a/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-list-picker-options.ts b/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-list-picker-options.ts
index 180d4038320..ca597ed38cc 100644
--- a/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-list-picker-options.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-list-picker-options.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import type { PickerOption } from '../components/PickerModal'
 import type { MobileGroupMode, MobileSortMode } from './workspace-view-settings'
 
+// Why: the host may be headless, so the note can't promise a desktop sidebar.
+export const WORKSPACE_VIEW_SHARED_NOTE = 'Synced across your devices'
+
 export const WORKSPACE_SORT_OPTIONS: PickerOption<MobileSortMode>[] = [
   // Why: desktop and persisted state keep the `smart` key, while mobile shows the product label.
   {
@@ -11,7 +14,7 @@ export const WORKSPACE_SORT_OPTIONS: PickerOption<MobileSortMode>[] = [
   { value: 'name', label: 'Name', subtitle: 'Alphabetical by name' },
   { value: 'recent', label: 'Recent', subtitle: 'Most recent output first' },
   { value: 'repo', label: 'Repo', subtitle: 'Repository, then workspace name' },
-  { value: 'manual', label: 'Manual', subtitle: 'Server order' }
+  { value: 'manual', label: 'Manual', subtitle: 'Desktop drag order' }
 ]
 
 export const WORKSPACE_GROUP_OPTIONS: PickerOption<MobileGroupMode>[] = [
diff --git a/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-view-settings.ts b/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-view-settings.ts
index f1d17189adc..221fa7211be 100644
--- a/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-view-settings.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/worktree/workspace-view-settings.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import type { WorkspaceStatusDefinition } from '../../../src/shared/worktree/typ
 import { coerceMobileWorkspaceStatuses } from './mobile-workspace-statuses'
 
 export type MobileGroupMode = 'none' | 'workspaceStatus' | 'repo' | 'prStatus'
-// Desktop sort adds 'manual'; mobile renders it but sorts by server order.
+// Desktop sort adds 'manual'; mobile orders it by the desktop's drag ranks.
 export type MobileSortMode = 'smart' | 'name' | 'recent' | 'repo' | 'manual'
 
 // Desktop PersistedUIState fields this screen syncs (a structural subset).