diff --git a/src/components/BreadcrumbBar.tsx b/src/components/BreadcrumbBar.tsx
index 259319b9..2201051a 100644
--- a/src/components/BreadcrumbBar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/BreadcrumbBar.tsx
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ function BreadcrumbActions({ entry, showDiffToggle, diffMode, diffLoading, onTog
         <button
           className="flex items-center justify-center border-none bg-transparent p-0 text-muted-foreground cursor-pointer hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
           onClick={onToggleInspector}
-          title="Open Properties"
+          title="Properties (⌘⇧I)"
         >
           <SlidersHorizontal size={16} />
         </button>
diff --git a/src/components/Inspector.tsx b/src/components/Inspector.tsx
index c92dfd03..e4eafb44 100644
--- a/src/components/Inspector.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Inspector.tsx
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@ function InspectorHeader({ collapsed, onToggle }: { collapsed: boolean; onToggle
   return (
     <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center border-b border-border" style={{ height: 45, padding: '6px 12px', gap: 8, cursor: 'default' }} onMouseDown={onMouseDown}>
       {collapsed ? (
-        <button className="shrink-0 border-none bg-transparent p-1 text-muted-foreground cursor-pointer hover:text-foreground" onClick={onToggle}>
+        <button className="shrink-0 border-none bg-transparent p-1 text-muted-foreground cursor-pointer hover:text-foreground" onClick={onToggle} title="Properties (⌘⇧I)">
           <SlidersHorizontal size={16} />
         </button>
       ) : (
         <>
           <SlidersHorizontal size={16} className="shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
           <span className="flex-1 text-muted-foreground" style={{ fontSize: 13, fontWeight: 600 }}>Properties</span>
-          <button className="shrink-0 border-none bg-transparent p-1 text-muted-foreground cursor-pointer hover:text-foreground" onClick={onToggle}>
+          <button className="shrink-0 border-none bg-transparent p-1 text-muted-foreground cursor-pointer hover:text-foreground" onClick={onToggle} title="Close Properties (⌘⇧I)">
             <X size={16} />
           </button>
         </>
diff --git a/src/hooks/commands/viewCommands.ts b/src/hooks/commands/viewCommands.ts
index 9e99ecd1..b0f17bb4 100644
--- a/src/hooks/commands/viewCommands.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/commands/viewCommands.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export function buildViewCommands(config: ViewCommandsConfig): CommandAction[] {
     { id: 'view-editor', label: 'Editor Only', group: 'View', shortcut: '⌘1', keywords: ['layout', 'focus'], enabled: true, execute: () => onSetViewMode('editor-only') },
     { id: 'view-editor-list', label: 'Editor + Note List', group: 'View', shortcut: '⌘2', keywords: ['layout'], enabled: true, execute: () => onSetViewMode('editor-list') },
     { id: 'view-all', label: 'Full Layout', group: 'View', shortcut: '⌘3', keywords: ['layout', 'sidebar'], enabled: true, execute: () => onSetViewMode('all') },
-    { id: 'toggle-inspector', label: 'Toggle Properties Panel', group: 'View', keywords: ['properties', 'inspector', 'panel', 'right', 'sidebar'], enabled: true, execute: onToggleInspector },
+    { id: 'toggle-inspector', label: 'Toggle Properties Panel', group: 'View', shortcut: '⌘⇧I', keywords: ['properties', 'inspector', 'panel', 'right', 'sidebar'], enabled: true, execute: onToggleInspector },
     { id: 'toggle-diff', label: 'Toggle Diff Mode', group: 'View', keywords: ['diff', 'changes', 'git', 'compare', 'version'], enabled: hasActiveNote && activeNoteModified, execute: () => onToggleDiff?.() },
     { id: 'toggle-raw-editor', label: 'Toggle Raw Editor', group: 'View', keywords: ['raw', 'source', 'markdown', 'frontmatter', 'code', 'textarea'], enabled: hasActiveNote, execute: () => onToggleRawEditor?.() },
     { id: 'toggle-ai-panel', label: 'Toggle AI Panel', group: 'View', shortcut: '⌘I', keywords: ['ai', 'agent', 'chat', 'assistant', 'contextual'], enabled: true, execute: () => onToggleAIChat?.() },
diff --git a/src/hooks/useAppCommands.ts b/src/hooks/useAppCommands.ts
index 62a1b49c..23fe345e 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useAppCommands.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useAppCommands.ts
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ export function useAppCommands(config: AppCommandsConfig): CommandAction[] {
     onGoForward: config.onGoForward,
     onToggleAIChat: config.onToggleAIChat,
     onToggleRawEditor: config.onToggleRawEditor,
+    onToggleInspector: config.onToggleInspector,
     onOpenInNewWindow: config.onOpenInNewWindow,
     activeTabPathRef: config.activeTabPathRef,
   })
diff --git a/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.test.ts b/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.test.ts
index 1ca5127a..5553f9b8 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.test.ts
@@ -200,4 +200,22 @@ describe('useAppKeyboard', () => {
     fireKey('o', { metaKey: true, shiftKey: true })
     expect(onOpenInNewWindow).toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
+
+  it('Cmd+Shift+I triggers toggle inspector', () => {
+    const actions = makeActions()
+    const onToggleInspector = vi.fn()
+    renderHook(() => useAppKeyboard({ ...actions, onToggleInspector }))
+    fireKey('i', { metaKey: true, shiftKey: true })
+    expect(onToggleInspector).toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('Cmd+Shift+I does not trigger AI chat toggle', () => {
+    const actions = makeActions()
+    const onToggleAIChat = vi.fn()
+    const onToggleInspector = vi.fn()
+    renderHook(() => useAppKeyboard({ ...actions, onToggleAIChat, onToggleInspector }))
+    fireKey('i', { metaKey: true, shiftKey: true })
+    expect(onToggleInspector).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(onToggleAIChat).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.ts b/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.ts
index 052d9c47..e4b48748 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useAppKeyboard.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ interface KeyboardActions {
   onGoForward?: () => void
   onToggleAIChat?: () => void
   onToggleRawEditor?: () => void
+  onToggleInspector?: () => void
   onOpenInNewWindow?: () => void
   activeTabPathRef: React.MutableRefObject<string | null>
 }
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ function handleCmdKey(e: KeyboardEvent, keyMap: Record<string, ShortcutHandler>)
 
 export function useAppKeyboard({
   onQuickOpen, onCommandPalette, onSearch, onCreateNote, onOpenDailyNote, onSave, onOpenSettings, onTrashNote, onArchiveNote,
-  onSetViewMode, onZoomIn, onZoomOut, onZoomReset, onGoBack, onGoForward, onToggleAIChat, onToggleRawEditor, onOpenInNewWindow, activeTabPathRef,
+  onSetViewMode, onZoomIn, onZoomOut, onZoomReset, onGoBack, onGoForward, onToggleAIChat, onToggleRawEditor, onToggleInspector, onOpenInNewWindow, activeTabPathRef,
 }: KeyboardActions) {
   useEffect(() => {
     const withActiveTab = (fn: (path: string) => void): ShortcutHandler => () => {
@@ -99,6 +100,12 @@ export function useAppKeyboard({
         onSearch()
         return
       }
+      // Cmd+Shift+I: toggle properties/inspector panel
+      if ((e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && e.shiftKey && (e.key === 'i' || e.key === 'I')) {
+        e.preventDefault()
+        onToggleInspector?.()
+        return
+      }
       // Cmd+Shift+O: open active note in new window
       if ((e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && e.shiftKey && (e.key === 'o' || e.key === 'O')) {
         e.preventDefault()
@@ -111,5 +118,5 @@ export function useAppKeyboard({
     }
     window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
     return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
-  }, [onQuickOpen, onCommandPalette, onSearch, onCreateNote, onOpenDailyNote, onSave, onOpenSettings, onTrashNote, onArchiveNote, activeTabPathRef, onSetViewMode, onZoomIn, onZoomOut, onZoomReset, onGoBack, onGoForward, onToggleAIChat, onToggleRawEditor, onOpenInNewWindow])
+  }, [onQuickOpen, onCommandPalette, onSearch, onCreateNote, onOpenDailyNote, onSave, onOpenSettings, onTrashNote, onArchiveNote, activeTabPathRef, onSetViewMode, onZoomIn, onZoomOut, onZoomReset, onGoBack, onGoForward, onToggleAIChat, onToggleRawEditor, onToggleInspector, onOpenInNewWindow])
 }
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.test.ts b/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.test.ts
index d470529a..18fde69f 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.test.ts
@@ -52,4 +52,14 @@ describe('useLayoutPanels', () => {
     act(() => result.current.handleInspectorResize(-500))
     expect(result.current.inspectorWidth).toBe(500)
   })
+
+  it('defaults inspector to collapsed', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useLayoutPanels())
+    expect(result.current.inspectorCollapsed).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('accepts initial inspector collapsed override', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useLayoutPanels({ initialInspectorCollapsed: false }))
+    expect(result.current.inspectorCollapsed).toBe(false)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.ts b/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.ts
index 34a31e65..c1310fa5 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useLayoutPanels.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export function useLayoutPanels(options?: { initialInspectorCollapsed?: boolean
   const [sidebarWidth, setSidebarWidth] = useState(250)
   const [noteListWidth, setNoteListWidth] = useState(300)
   const [inspectorWidth, setInspectorWidth] = useState(280)
-  const [inspectorCollapsed, setInspectorCollapsed] = useState(options?.initialInspectorCollapsed ?? false)
+  const [inspectorCollapsed, setInspectorCollapsed] = useState(options?.initialInspectorCollapsed ?? true)
   const handleSidebarResize = useCallback((delta: number) => setSidebarWidth((w) => Math.max(COLUMN_MIN_WIDTHS.sidebar, Math.min(400, w + delta))), [])
   const handleNoteListResize = useCallback((delta: number) => setNoteListWidth((w) => Math.max(COLUMN_MIN_WIDTHS.noteList, Math.min(500, w + delta))), [])
   const handleInspectorResize = useCallback((delta: number) => setInspectorWidth((w) => Math.max(COLUMN_MIN_WIDTHS.inspector, Math.min(500, w - delta))), [])