diff --git a/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.test.ts b/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.test.ts
index 781f56c43..998909178 100644
--- a/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.test.ts
@@ -376,6 +376,29 @@ describe("SettingsModal date note directories", () => {
     expect(await sharesRowFound()).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("names the Unsplash key in the Covers section only where the key row exists", async () => {
+    const coversDescription = async (): Promise<string> => {
+      await act(async () => root.render(createElement(SettingsModal)));
+      const typography = [...host.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>("button")].find(
+        (button) => button.textContent?.trim() === "Typography",
+      );
+      expect(typography).toBeTruthy();
+      await act(async () => typography!.click());
+      return host.textContent ?? "";
+    };
+    // The phones' bridge has no Unsplash methods.
+    let text = await coversDescription();
+    expect(text).toContain("How a note's cover shows.");
+    expect(text).not.toContain("Unsplash key the cover picker searches with");
+
+    await act(async () => root.render(createElement("div")));
+    Object.assign(window.zen, {
+      getUnsplashKeyStatus: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ set: false, store: "system", canStore: true }),
+    });
+    text = await coversDescription();
+    expect(text).toContain("and the Unsplash key the cover picker searches with.");
+  });
+
   it("leaves the shares location out where there is no Share menu extension", async () => {
     await act(async () => root.render(createElement(SettingsModal)));
     const search = host.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[placeholder="Search settings…"]')!;
diff --git a/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx b/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx
index 4821381e1..b113347a5 100644
--- a/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-core/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx
@@ -4005,7 +4005,13 @@ export function SettingsModal(): JSX.Element {
 
           <Section
             title="Covers"
-            description="How a note's cover shows, and the Unsplash key the cover picker searches with."
+            description={
+              // A host without the Unsplash bridge (the phones) shows no key
+              // row below, so the section does not promise one.
+              unsplashKeySupported()
+                ? "How a note's cover shows, and the Unsplash key the cover picker searches with."
+                : "How a note's cover shows."
+            }
           >
             <SegmentedRow
               label="Note covers"