diff --git a/src/components/ProfilePreviewCard.tsx b/src/components/ProfilePreviewCard.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f623a96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ProfilePreviewCard.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { useState } from 'react';
+import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { nip19 } from 'nostr-tools';
+import { ExternalLink, ShieldCheck } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from '@/components/ui/avatar';
+import { ProfileBadges } from '@/components/ProfileBadges';
+import { useCurrentUser } from '@/hooks/useCurrentUser';
+import { isSkateSpotsNip05, profileBadges } from '@/lib/badges';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
+
+/**
+ * A live preview of how the signed-in user appears to everyone else — banner,
+ * avatar, handle, bio and badges — shown at the top of the Edit Profile screen
+ * so "how do I look?" has an answer without leaving the page.
+ *
+ * Reads the same kind-0 metadata the form edits, so it reflects the last SAVED
+ * profile (the form's unsaved edits aren't shown; the sticky Save button commits).
+ */
+export function ProfilePreviewCard({ className }: { className?: string }) {
+  const { user, metadata, isLoadingProfile } = useCurrentUser();
+  const [bannerOk, setBannerOk] = useState(true);
+
+  if (!user) return null;
+
+  const name = metadata?.display_name || metadata?.name || '';
+  const initials = (name || user.pubkey.slice(0, 2)).slice(0, 2).toUpperCase();
+  const nip05 = metadata?.nip05;
+  const about = metadata?.about?.trim();
+  const badges = profileBadges(metadata);
+
+  return (
+    <div className={cn('overflow-hidden rounded-2xl border border-white/10 bg-white/2', className)}>
+      {/* Banner (falls back to the brand gradient) */}
+      <div className="relative h-28 w-full bg-gradient-to-r from-[#ff0040]/25 via-[#ff6600]/15 to-[#ccff00]/20">
+        {metadata?.banner && bannerOk && (
+          <img
+            src={metadata.banner}
+            alt=""
+            className="h-full w-full object-cover"
+            onError={() => setBannerOk(false)}
+          />
+        )}
+        <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/60 via-black/10 to-transparent" />
+        <Link
+          to={`/${nip19.npubEncode(user.pubkey)}`}
+          className="absolute right-2 top-2 inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full bg-black/55 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-bold text-white backdrop-blur transition-colors hover:bg-black/75"
+        >
+          View public
+          <ExternalLink className="h-3 w-3" />
+        </Link>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Identity */}
+      <div className="px-4 pb-4">
+        <div className="flex items-end gap-3">
+          <Avatar className="-mt-10 h-20 w-20 border-4 border-background shadow-lg">
+            {metadata?.picture && <AvatarImage src={metadata.picture} alt={name} />}
+            <AvatarFallback className="text-lg font-black">{initials}</AvatarFallback>
+          </Avatar>
+          <div className="min-w-0 flex-1 pb-1">
+            <p className="truncate text-lg font-black leading-tight text-white">
+              {name || (isLoadingProfile ? 'Loading…' : 'Unnamed skater')}
+            </p>
+            {nip05 ? (
+              <span
+                className={cn(
+                  'mt-0.5 inline-flex items-center gap-1 text-xs font-bold',
+                  isSkateSpotsNip05(nip05) ? 'text-[#ccff00]' : 'text-blue-400',
+                )}
+              >
+                <ShieldCheck className="h-3.5 w-3.5 flex-shrink-0" />
+                <span className="truncate">{nip05}</span>
+              </span>
+            ) : (
+              <span className="mt-0.5 block text-xs text-muted-foreground">No handle yet</span>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
+        {about && <p className="mt-3 line-clamp-3 text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">{about}</p>}
+
+        {badges.length > 0 && <ProfileBadges badges={badges} size="sm" className="mt-3" />}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx b/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
index f659b4e..c66fe53 100644
--- a/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useSeoMeta } from '@unhead/react';
 import { Link, useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { EditProfileForm } from '@/components/EditProfileForm';
 import { SkaterDirectoryCard } from '@/components/SkaterDirectoryCard';
+import { ProfilePreviewCard } from '@/components/ProfilePreviewCard';
 import { RelayListManager } from '@/components/RelayListManager';
 
 import { WalletModal } from '@/components/WalletModal';
@@ -17,8 +18,7 @@ import { DesktopNavManager } from '@/components/DesktopNavManager';
 import { MyDataTab } from '@/components/MyDataTab';
 import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { useNostr } from '@nostrify/react';
-import { NSchema as n } from '@nostrify/nostrify';
-import { nip19 } from 'nostr-tools';
+import { NSchema as n, type NostrMetadata } from '@nostrify/nostrify';
 import { useState } from 'react';
 import { LoginArea } from '@/components/auth/LoginArea';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
@@ -128,8 +128,38 @@ function MenuGroup({ title, children }: { title: string; children: React.ReactNo
 
 const PROFILE_FALLBACK_RELAYS = ['wss://purplepag.es', 'wss://relay.damus.io', 'wss://nos.lol'];
 
+/**
+ * A short "what's missing" nudge. Deliberately only lists genuinely empty
+ * essentials — a new skater sees it, a finished profile never does — so it can't
+ * read as nagging.
+ */
+function ProfileChecklist({ metadata }: { metadata?: NostrMetadata }) {
+  const items: string[] = [];
+  if (!metadata?.name && !metadata?.display_name) items.push('a display name');
+  if (!metadata?.picture) items.push('a profile photo');
+  if (!metadata?.about?.trim()) items.push('a short bio');
+  if (!metadata?.lud16 && !metadata?.lud06) items.push('a Lightning address so people can zap you');
+  if (!metadata?.nip05) items.push('a free @skate-spots.org handle');
+
+  if (items.length === 0) return null;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="rounded-2xl border border-[#ccff00]/25 bg-[#ccff00]/5 p-4">
+      <p className="text-sm font-bold text-white">Finish your profile</p>
+      <ul className="mt-2 space-y-1">
+        {items.map((item) => (
+          <li key={item} className="flex items-start gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+            <span className="mt-1.5 h-1 w-1 flex-shrink-0 rounded-full bg-[#ccff00]" />
+            Add {item}
+          </li>
+        ))}
+      </ul>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
 function ProfileScreen({ onBack }: { onBack: () => void }) {
-  const { user, metadata } = useCurrentUser();
+  const { user, metadata, isLoadingProfile } = useCurrentUser();
   const { nostr } = useNostr();
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   const [isRefreshing, setIsRefreshing] = useState(false);
@@ -169,26 +199,24 @@ function ProfileScreen({ onBack }: { onBack: () => void }) {
         </div>
       ) : (
         <div className="space-y-4">
-          {/* Quick link to the user's own public profile page */}
-          <Link
-            to={`/${nip19.npubEncode(user.pubkey)}`}
-            className="flex items-center justify-between gap-3 p-3 rounded-2xl bg-muted/50 border border-border hover:bg-muted transition-colors"
-          >
-            <span className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium">
-              <User className="h-4 w-4 text-[#ff0040]" />
-              View my public profile
-            </span>
-            <ExternalLink className="h-4 w-4 text-muted-foreground" />
-          </Link>
-          {!metadata?.name && (
+          {/* How everyone else sees you (last saved profile). */}
+          <ProfilePreviewCard />
+
+          {/* Only warn when we truly have NOTHING — an account with a name but no
+              bio is not "not loaded", and the checklist below covers that case. */}
+          {!isLoadingProfile && !metadata && (
             <div className="flex items-center gap-3 p-3 rounded-2xl bg-yellow-950/30 border border-yellow-500/40">
               <AlertCircle className="h-4 w-4 text-yellow-500 flex-shrink-0" />
-              <p className="text-xs text-yellow-200 flex-1">Profile not loaded from relays.</p>
+              <p className="text-xs text-yellow-200 flex-1">
+                We couldn&apos;t find a profile on the relays. If you&apos;ve set one before, try refreshing.
+              </p>
               <Button onClick={handleRefresh} disabled={isRefreshing} size="sm" variant="outline" className="border-yellow-500/50 text-yellow-400 hover:bg-yellow-500/10 flex-shrink-0 h-8">
                 <RefreshCw className={cn('h-3.5 w-3.5', isRefreshing && 'animate-spin')} />
               </Button>
             </div>
           )}
+
+          <ProfileChecklist metadata={metadata} />
           <SkaterDirectoryCard />
           <EditProfileForm />
         </div>