diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 7be7eb4..c3450d7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bootable-core"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 dependencies = [
  "bzip2",
  "flate2",
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bootable-desktop"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "bootable-core",
@@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bootable-helper"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 dependencies = [
  "bootable-core",
  "serde_json",
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bootable-tui"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "bootable-core",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 1276bc1..bae8092 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ default-members = [
 resolver = "2"
 
 [workspace.package]
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 edition = "2024"
 license = "Apache-2.0"
 rust-version = "1.88"
diff --git a/apps/bootable-desktop/src/main.rs b/apps/bootable-desktop/src/main.rs
index 17c4202..2dfd1e7 100644
--- a/apps/bootable-desktop/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/bootable-desktop/src/main.rs
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ use bootable_core::{
     DistributionSummary, DownloadCompletion, DownloadLaunch, DownloadRequest, DownloadStatus,
     ImageKind, ImageReport, IsoRelease, ManagedDownloadSession, OperationState, PiCatalog, PiImage,
     Progress, QuickAccess, ReviewReadiness, ReviewedWriteSession, WindowsPartitionScheme,
-    WorkspaceStepState, WriteCompletion, WriteOptions, format_bytes, review_readiness,
-    target_eligibility_label, workspace_progress,
+    WorkspaceStepState, WriteCompletion, WriteOptions, format_bytes, removable_media_status,
+    review_readiness, target_eligibility_label, workspace_progress,
 };
 use futures::{
     AsyncReadExt, FutureExt, StreamExt,
@@ -334,14 +334,11 @@ impl BootableView {
             });
         let (devices, status) = match engine.discover_devices() {
             Ok(devices) => {
-                let eligible = devices
-                    .iter()
-                    .filter(|device| device.is_eligible_target())
-                    .count();
-                (
-                    devices,
-                    format!("{eligible} eligible target(s) detected · choose an image to begin"),
-                )
+                let status = format!(
+                    "{} · choose an image to begin",
+                    removable_media_status(&devices)
+                );
+                (devices, status)
             }
             Err(error) => (Vec::new(), error.to_string()),
         };
@@ -4223,7 +4220,7 @@ impl BootableView {
                         div()
                             .text_xs()
                             .text_color(rgb(0x6f8299))
-                            .child("Auto-detecting removable media"),
+                            .child(removable_media_status(&self.devices)),
                     ),
             )
             .child(
diff --git a/apps/bootable-tui/src/main.rs b/apps/bootable-tui/src/main.rs
index f02488d..829f023 100644
--- a/apps/bootable-tui/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/bootable-tui/src/main.rs
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ use bootable_core::{
     DistributionDetails, DistributionSummary, DownloadCompletion, DownloadLaunch, DownloadRequest,
     DownloadStatus, ImageReport, IsoRelease, ManagedDownloadSession, OperationState, PiCatalog,
     Progress, ProgressPhase, QuickAccess, ReviewReadiness, ReviewedWriteSession,
-    WorkspaceStepState, WriteCompletion, WriteOptions, WritePlan, format_bytes, review_readiness,
-    target_eligibility_label, workspace_progress,
+    WorkspaceStepState, WriteCompletion, WriteOptions, WritePlan, format_bytes,
+    removable_media_status, review_readiness, target_eligibility_label, workspace_progress,
 };
 use clap::{Args, Parser, Subcommand};
 use crossterm::event::{
@@ -761,14 +761,11 @@ impl App {
         let devices_result = engine.discover_devices();
         let (devices, status) = match devices_result {
             Ok(devices) => {
-                let eligible = devices
-                    .iter()
-                    .filter(|device| device.is_eligible_target())
-                    .count();
-                (
-                    devices,
-                    format!("{eligible} eligible target(s) detected · choose an image to begin"),
-                )
+                let status = format!(
+                    "{} · choose an image to begin",
+                    removable_media_status(&devices)
+                );
+                (devices, status)
             }
             Err(error) => (Vec::new(), error.to_string()),
         };
@@ -4570,7 +4567,10 @@ fn draw_advanced(frame: &mut ratatui::Frame<'_>, app: &mut App, area: Rect) {
 
 fn draw_targets(frame: &mut ratatui::Frame<'_>, app: &mut App, area: Rect) {
     let items = if app.devices.is_empty() {
-        vec![ListItem::new("No removable drives detected").style(Style::default().fg(MUTED))]
+        vec![
+            ListItem::new("Connect a removable USB drive, then refresh")
+                .style(Style::default().fg(MUTED)),
+        ]
     } else {
         app.devices
             .iter()
@@ -4600,8 +4600,16 @@ fn draw_targets(frame: &mut ratatui::Frame<'_>, app: &mut App, area: Rect) {
     );
     let target_inner = target_block.inner(area);
     frame.render_widget(target_block, area);
-    let target_rows =
-        Layout::vertical([Constraint::Min(1), Constraint::Length(1)]).split(target_inner);
+    let target_rows = Layout::vertical([
+        Constraint::Length(1),
+        Constraint::Min(1),
+        Constraint::Length(1),
+    ])
+    .split(target_inner);
+    frame.render_widget(
+        Paragraph::new(removable_media_status(&app.devices)).style(Style::default().fg(ACCENT)),
+        target_rows[0],
+    );
     let mut state = ListState::default().with_selected(app.selected);
     frame.render_stateful_widget(
         List::new(items)
@@ -4613,19 +4621,19 @@ fn draw_targets(frame: &mut ratatui::Frame<'_>, app: &mut App, area: Rect) {
                     .bg(Color::Rgb(21, 48, 47))
                     .add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD),
             ),
-        target_rows[0],
+        target_rows[1],
         &mut state,
     );
     frame.render_widget(
         Paragraph::new("Confirm the physical drive · erasure starts only after review")
             .style(Style::default().fg(MUTED)),
-        target_rows[1],
+        target_rows[2],
     );
     app.hit_regions.device_rows = (0..app.devices.len())
         .filter_map(|index| {
-            let y = target_rows[0].y.saturating_add(index as u16);
-            (y < target_rows[0].bottom()).then_some((
-                Rect::new(target_rows[0].x, y, target_rows[0].width, 1),
+            let y = target_rows[1].y.saturating_add(index as u16);
+            (y < target_rows[1].bottom()).then_some((
+                Rect::new(target_rows[1].x, y, target_rows[1].width, 1),
                 index,
             ))
         })
diff --git a/crates/bootable-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/bootable-core/src/lib.rs
index 0d2db23..39c0fce 100644
--- a/crates/bootable-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bootable-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ pub use model::{
     MountPoint, PlanStep, PrivilegedWriteCommand, PrivilegedWriteEvent, PrivilegedWriteRequest,
     Progress, ProgressPhase, ReviewReadiness, WindowsExperienceOptions, WindowsPartitionScheme,
     WindowsPayload, WindowsRegionalOptions, WorkspaceProgress, WorkspaceStepState, WriteOptions,
-    WritePlan, WriteStrategy, destructive_confirmation_ready, format_bytes, review_readiness,
-    target_eligibility_label, workspace_progress,
+    WritePlan, WriteStrategy, destructive_confirmation_ready, format_bytes, removable_media_status,
+    review_readiness, target_eligibility_label, workspace_progress,
 };
 pub use operation::{OperationControl, OperationState};
 pub use pi_catalog::{PiCatalog, PiDevice, PiImage};
diff --git a/crates/bootable-core/src/model.rs b/crates/bootable-core/src/model.rs
index f033c72..d313643 100644
--- a/crates/bootable-core/src/model.rs
+++ b/crates/bootable-core/src/model.rs
@@ -248,6 +248,30 @@ pub fn target_eligibility_label(device: &Device) -> &'static str {
     }
 }
 
+/// A compact, interface-neutral summary of the removable media inventory.
+///
+/// Discovery deliberately excludes fixed disks on supported platforms. Keep
+/// this wording shared so the desktop and terminal interfaces expose the same
+/// connection state without implying that a target was selected.
+pub fn removable_media_status(devices: &[Device]) -> String {
+    let connected = devices.len();
+    let ready = devices
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|device| device.is_eligible_target())
+        .count();
+
+    match (connected, ready) {
+        (0, _) => "No removable drives connected".into(),
+        (1, 1) => "1 removable drive ready".into(),
+        (connected, ready) if connected == ready => {
+            format!("{connected} removable drives ready")
+        }
+        (1, 0) => "1 removable drive connected · none eligible".into(),
+        (connected, 0) => format!("{connected} removable drives connected · none eligible"),
+        (connected, ready) => format!("{connected} removable drives connected · {ready} ready"),
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub enum WriteStrategy {
     RawVerified,
@@ -669,6 +693,42 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn removable_media_status_reports_connection_and_eligibility() {
+        let mut ready = Device {
+            id: DeviceId::new("usb"),
+            path: PathBuf::from("/dev/test"),
+            vendor: None,
+            model: None,
+            serial: None,
+            transport: Some("usb".into()),
+            capacity: 1,
+            removable: true,
+            read_only: false,
+            system_disk: false,
+            mounts: Vec::new(),
+        };
+
+        assert_eq!(removable_media_status(&[]), "No removable drives connected");
+        assert_eq!(
+            removable_media_status(std::slice::from_ref(&ready)),
+            "1 removable drive ready"
+        );
+        ready.read_only = true;
+        assert_eq!(
+            removable_media_status(std::slice::from_ref(&ready)),
+            "1 removable drive connected · none eligible"
+        );
+
+        let mut second = ready.clone();
+        second.id = DeviceId::new("usb-2");
+        second.read_only = false;
+        assert_eq!(
+            removable_media_status(&[ready, second]),
+            "2 removable drives connected · 1 ready"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn progress_metrics_include_rate_eta_and_elapsed_time() {
         let progress = Progress {
diff --git a/packaging/Packager.toml b/packaging/Packager.toml
index 0eff496..13e2816 100644
--- a/packaging/Packager.toml
+++ b/packaging/Packager.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name = "bootable"
 product-name = "Bootable"
 identifier = "app.bootable.Bootable"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 description = "Create verified boot media from trusted images"
 long-description = "A safety-first boot media writer with matching desktop and terminal interfaces."
 homepage = "https://github.com/debpalash/bootable"