diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs b/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs
index 21f3113..269d228 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ public class GameModeManager : MonoBehaviour
 
     private bool WasSwitchPressed()
     {
+        if (TypingGuard.IsTyping) return false; // don't switch modes while typing in a text field
 #if ENABLE_INPUT_SYSTEM
         return Keyboard.current != null && Keyboard.current[switchKey].wasPressedThisFrame;
 #else
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/MeshPainter.Undo.cs b/Assets/Scripts/MeshPainter.Undo.cs
index 1d5df5a..1a04d6b 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/MeshPainter.Undo.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/MeshPainter.Undo.cs
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
     {
         undo = false;
         redo = false;
+        if (TypingGuard.IsTyping) return; // let Ctrl+Z/Y edit text instead of the painting
 #if ENABLE_INPUT_SYSTEM
         var kb = Keyboard.current;
         if (kb != null)
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/NetworkBootstrap.cs b/Assets/Scripts/NetworkBootstrap.cs
index 6613f58..a894b5f 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/NetworkBootstrap.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/NetworkBootstrap.cs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public class NetworkBootstrap : MonoBehaviour
     private void Update()
     {
         if (!enableHotkeys) return;
+        if (TypingGuard.IsTyping) return; // don't fire H/C/J/K while typing in a text field
 #if ENABLE_INPUT_SYSTEM
         var kb = Keyboard.current;
         if (kb == null || _net == null) return;
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/PlayerPoseController.cs b/Assets/Scripts/PlayerPoseController.cs
index 4f1592a..77772cf 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/PlayerPoseController.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/PlayerPoseController.cs
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ public class PlayerPoseController : MonoBehaviour
 
     private bool CycleKeyPressed()
     {
+        if (TypingGuard.IsTyping) return false; // don't cycle pose while typing in a text field
 #if ENABLE_INPUT_SYSTEM
         var keyboard = Keyboard.current;
         return keyboard != null && keyboard[cycleKey].wasPressedThisFrame;
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/TypingGuard.cs b/Assets/Scripts/TypingGuard.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8c163e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/TypingGuard.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+using UnityEngine.EventSystems;
+using TMPro;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// True while the user is editing a focused on-screen text field (e.g. the paint HUD's
+/// "save as" name input). Global gameplay/dev hotkeys consult this so typing a name like
+/// "Checkers" doesn't also fire single-key shortcuts (C = cycle pose, K = shutdown,
+/// the mode-switch key, Ctrl+Z = undo, ...).
+/// </summary>
+public static class TypingGuard
+{
+    /// <summary>A text input field is currently focused and capturing keystrokes.</summary>
+    public static bool IsTyping
+    {
+        get
+        {
+            var es = EventSystem.current;
+            if (!es) return false;
+
+            var go = es.currentSelectedGameObject;
+            if (!go) return false;
+
+            var tmp = go.GetComponent<TMP_InputField>();
+            if (tmp) return tmp.isFocused;
+
+            var legacy = go.GetComponent<UnityEngine.UI.InputField>();
+            return legacy && legacy.isFocused;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/TypingGuard.cs.meta b/Assets/Scripts/TypingGuard.cs.meta
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57a99c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/TypingGuard.cs.meta
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+fileFormatVersion: 2
+guid: c30f56f99c2725a4e861c19a5e83e0aa
\ No newline at end of file