diff --git a/canvas/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx b/canvas/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx
index a0d18bca..1bd68d6b 100644
--- a/canvas/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx
+++ b/canvas/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx
@@ -120,8 +120,20 @@ export function OnboardingWizard() {
   const currentStepIdx = STEPS.findIndex((s) => s.id === step);
   const currentStep = STEPS[currentStepIdx];
 
+  // Screen-reader labels for each step (announced on step transitions)
+  const stepLabels: Record<string, string> = {
+    welcome: "Onboarding step 1 of 4: Welcome",
+    "api-key": "Onboarding step 2 of 4: Configure your workspace",
+    "send-message": "Onboarding step 3 of 4: Send your first message",
+    done: "Onboarding complete",
+  };
+
   return (
-    <div className="fixed bottom-20 left-4 z-50 w-80 rounded-2xl border border-zinc-700/60 bg-zinc-900/95 backdrop-blur-xl shadow-2xl shadow-black/40 overflow-hidden">
+    <div
+      role="complementary"
+      aria-label="Onboarding guide"
+      className="fixed bottom-20 left-4 z-50 w-80 rounded-2xl border border-zinc-700/60 bg-zinc-900/95 backdrop-blur-xl shadow-2xl shadow-black/40 overflow-hidden"
+    >
       {/* Progress bar */}
       <div className="h-1 bg-zinc-800">
         <div
@@ -130,6 +142,16 @@ export function OnboardingWizard() {
         />
       </div>
 
+      {/* Polite live region — announces step transitions to screen readers */}
+      <div
+        role="status"
+        aria-live="polite"
+        aria-atomic="true"
+        className="sr-only"
+      >
+        {stepLabels[step] ?? currentStep.title}
+      </div>
+
       <div className="p-4">
         {/* Step indicator */}
         <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-2">