diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 28e4c08..c918e9f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## Manual new project button (2026-06-16)
+
+### Added
+- Sidebar **New project** button (`addProject`) - creates a blank project and opens the detail sheet for naming and adding tasks, with no assistant or chat required.
+
+### Reasoning
+- Tasks and subtasks could already be added manually under existing projects via the detail sheet; top-level projects were only reachable through the assistant or transcript flows.
+
 ## Remove sample-data flash on load (2026-06-16)
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index a881025..dca73ca 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -654,6 +654,9 @@
   <button class="sbicon" title="Team photos" onclick="openTeam()">
     <svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7"><circle cx="7.5" cy="7" r="2.7"/><path d="M2.6 16.4c0-2.7 2.2-4.4 4.9-4.4s4.9 1.7 4.9 4.4"/><path d="M13.4 5.1a2.4 2.4 0 0 1 0 4.6M14.4 12.2c2 .4 3.3 1.9 3.3 4.2"/></svg>
   </button>
+  <button class="sbicon" title="New project" onclick="addProject()">
+    <svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.7" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><path d="M3.5 6.2h5.2l1.4 1.6h6.4v8.6a1.6 1.6 0 0 1-1.6 1.6H5.1a1.6 1.6 0 0 1-1.6-1.6V6.2z"/><path d="M10 10.2v4.2M8 12.3h4"/></svg>
+  </button>
   <button class="sbicon" title="New (talk to assistant)" onclick="micFabTap()">
     <svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.9" stroke-linecap="round"><path d="M10 4.5v11M4.5 10h11"/></svg>
   </button>
diff --git a/src/app/main.js b/src/app/main.js
index 553a100..3efad79 100644
--- a/src/app/main.js
+++ b/src/app/main.js
@@ -819,6 +819,15 @@ function addChild(id){ const el=document.getElementById("dSubNew"), v=el.value.t
   if(findPath(id).length>=3) return; // subtasks can't have children
   snap(); const n=findPath(id).pop(); n.children.push(T(cap1(v),n.owner,{d:n.due||null}));
   renderAll(); openDetail(id); }
+function addProject(){
+  snap();
+  const proj=T("New project","fd",{open:true});
+  DATA.push(proj);
+  renderAll();
+  openDetail(proj.id);
+  const ti=document.getElementById("dTitle");
+  if(ti){ ti.focus(); ti.select(); }
+}
 function openDetail(id){
   const path=findPath(id); if(!path) return;
   const n=path[path.length-1], leaf=!n.children.length;
@@ -1518,7 +1527,7 @@ const _globals = {
   toggleFlyout, toggleFocus, toggleShowDone, toggleSubs, closeCapture, toggleCapLang, minimizeCapture,
   sendTurn, restoreCapture, skipKey, saveKey, clearKey, closeTranscript, runTranscript, closeReview,
   closeTeam, closeSheet, setFilter, setScaleView, ding, toggleDone, openDetail, setZoom, setGView,
-  toggleExp, updTask, refreshBarMenu, addChild, deleteTask, addCapTask, barDown, barContext, pickSearch,
+  toggleExp, updTask, refreshBarMenu, addChild, addProject, deleteTask, addCapTask, barDown, barContext, pickSearch,
   uploadPhoto, removePhoto, rvToggle, rvText, rvOwner, rvDue, rvSize, pushApproved, attachTranscript,
   doSearch, refreshCard, delCapTask, setTask, setTaskOwner, setTaskSize, setSub, setSubOwner, addSub,
   delSub, commitCapture, toggleListen, stopListen, renderAll, moveTask, setKeyVal,
diff --git a/tests/smoke.test.js b/tests/smoke.test.js
index 29f0c06..a3f9aa0 100644
--- a/tests/smoke.test.js
+++ b/tests/smoke.test.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ describe("project layout", () => {
     const html = readFileSync("index.html", "utf8");
     expect(html).toContain('<script type="module" src="src/app/main.js">');
     expect(html).not.toContain("<script>\n/* ================= sample data");
+    expect(html).toContain('onclick="addProject()"');
   });
 
   it("exports core lib modules", async () => {