Problem
Desktop Side Conversations inherit the source Session's model when the temporary fork is created, but the model is rendered as a read-only label. The Side Conversation cannot select another enabled model without closing the panel and changing the source Session first.
That prevents several common auxiliary workflows:
- keep a high-capability model on the main task while using a faster or lower-cost model for a short side question;
- choose a model with a capability needed only by the Side Conversation without changing the main task;
- recover a Side Conversation whose inherited model or connection is no longer available, while preserving its accepted transcript.
The fork is already a separate Session and its permission mode can change independently after creation. Model selection should follow the same Session-local boundary.
Desired outcome
Expose the normal model picker in a committed Desktop Side Conversation and apply the selection to that temporary Session only.
- A new Side Conversation still inherits the source Session's exact connection and model.
- After creation, the source and Side Conversation model selections are independent.
- Changing the Side Conversation model updates the existing temporary Session; it does not recreate the fork, clear its transcript, consume its draft, or mutate the source Session.
- Changing the source Session model does not silently overwrite an existing Side Conversation selection.
- The picker uses the current Host-authorized model catalog and preserves exact connection identity.
- A rejected or unavailable selection leaves the current Side Conversation model unchanged and surfaces the failure.
- Model changes follow the same active-Turn admission rule as ordinary Sessions.
- Cross-model history replay keeps the existing compatibility rules: portable history remains available and provider-specific state is reused only when compatible with the selected model.
Acceptance criteria
- The Side Conversation Composer shows the same model-selection affordance as the main conversation after its fork is ready.
- Selecting another enabled model updates the Side Conversation Session and the displayed model without changing the source Session.
- Existing Side Conversation messages, staged quotes, attachments, and drafts remain intact across a successful model change.
- A model change is rejected while the Side Conversation has a running Turn, with no partial UI or Session update.
- A failed model change remains retryable and does not close or recreate the Side Conversation.
- Closing the tab, navigation cleanup, hidden-session behavior, and restart cleanup remain unchanged.
Non-goals
- Synchronizing later model changes between the source and Side Conversation
- Adding
/compact or other slash commands to Side Conversations
- Changing permission inheritance or tool policy
- Making temporary Side Conversations durable or promoting them to ordinary Sessions
- Choosing a globally different default model for every Side Conversation
This is a focused Side Conversation follow-up under #4331.
Problem
Desktop Side Conversations inherit the source Session's model when the temporary fork is created, but the model is rendered as a read-only label. The Side Conversation cannot select another enabled model without closing the panel and changing the source Session first.
That prevents several common auxiliary workflows:
The fork is already a separate Session and its permission mode can change independently after creation. Model selection should follow the same Session-local boundary.
Desired outcome
Expose the normal model picker in a committed Desktop Side Conversation and apply the selection to that temporary Session only.
Acceptance criteria
Non-goals
/compactor other slash commands to Side ConversationsThis is a focused Side Conversation follow-up under #4331.