diff --git a/.github/workflows/chromatic.yml b/.github/workflows/chromatic.yml
index f925e615d..be4d583f9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/chromatic.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/chromatic.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Generate version file
         run: ./scripts/generate-version.sh
 
+      - name: Mock version for stable visual testing
+        run: cp .storybook/mocks/version.ts src/version.ts
+
       - name: Build Storybook
         run: bun x storybook build --stats-json
 
diff --git a/.storybook/main.ts b/.storybook/main.ts
index db423e756..9ffcdc644 100644
--- a/.storybook/main.ts
+++ b/.storybook/main.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ const config: StorybookConfig = {
       resolve: {
         alias: {
           "@": path.join(process.cwd(), "src"),
+          // Note: VERSION mocking for stable visual testing is handled by overwriting
+          // src/version.ts in the Chromatic CI workflow, not via alias here
         },
       },
     });
diff --git a/.storybook/mocks/version.ts b/.storybook/mocks/version.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..04e48ceb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.storybook/mocks/version.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// Mock version for Storybook visual testing
+// This ensures consistent snapshots in Chromatic
+// Apple's classic demo time: 9:41 AM on January 24, 2024
+export const VERSION = {
+  git_commit: "abc1234",
+  git_describe: "v1.0.0",
+  buildTime: "2024-01-24T17:41:00Z", // 9:41 AM PST
+};
+
diff --git a/src/App.stories.tsx b/src/App.stories.tsx
index 96a2b7c0b..0a44d052f 100644
--- a/src/App.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/App.stories.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import type { ProjectConfig } from "./config";
 import type { FrontendWorkspaceMetadata } from "./types/workspace";
 import type { IPCApi } from "./types/ipc";
 
+// Stable timestamp for visual testing (Apple demo time: Jan 24, 2024, 9:41 AM PST)
+const STABLE_TIMESTAMP = new Date("2024-01-24T09:41:00-08:00").getTime();
+
 // Mock window.api for App component
 function setupMockAPI(options: {
   projects?: Map<string, ProjectConfig>;
@@ -374,7 +377,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     parts: [{ type: "text", text: "Add authentication to the user API endpoint" }],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 1,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 300000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 300000,
                     },
                   });
 
@@ -402,7 +405,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     ],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 2,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 290000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 290000,
                       model: "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
                       usage: {
                         inputTokens: 1250,
@@ -420,7 +423,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     parts: [{ type: "text", text: "Yes, add JWT token validation" }],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 3,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 280000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 280000,
                     },
                   });
 
@@ -452,7 +455,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     ],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 4,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 270000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 270000,
                       model: "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
                       usage: {
                         inputTokens: 2100,
@@ -470,7 +473,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     parts: [{ type: "text", text: "Can you run the tests to make sure it works?" }],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 5,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 240000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 240000,
                     },
                   });
 
@@ -502,7 +505,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     ],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 6,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 230000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 230000,
                       model: "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
                       usage: {
                         inputTokens: 2800,
@@ -525,7 +528,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     ],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 7,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 180000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 180000,
                     },
                   });
 
@@ -562,7 +565,7 @@ export const ActiveWorkspaceWithChat: Story = {
                     ],
                     metadata: {
                       historySequence: 8,
-                      timestamp: Date.now() - 170000,
+                      timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP - 170000,
                       model: "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
                       usage: {
                         inputTokens: 3500,
diff --git a/src/components/Messages/AssistantMessage.stories.tsx b/src/components/Messages/AssistantMessage.stories.tsx
index c22db4446..0ffe8151f 100644
--- a/src/components/Messages/AssistantMessage.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Messages/AssistantMessage.stories.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import { AssistantMessage } from "./AssistantMessage";
 import type { DisplayedMessage } from "@/types/message";
 import { action } from "@storybook/addon-actions";
 
+// Stable timestamp for visual testing (Apple demo time: Jan 24, 2024, 9:41 AM PST)
+const STABLE_TIMESTAMP = new Date("2024-01-24T09:41:00-08:00").getTime();
+
 const clipboardWriteText = (data: string) => {
   action("copy-text")(data);
   return Promise.resolve();
@@ -52,7 +55,7 @@ const createAssistantMessage = (
   isStreaming: false,
   isPartial: false,
   isCompacted: false,
-  timestamp: Date.now(),
+  timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP,
   model: "anthropic:claude-sonnet-4-5",
   ...overrides,
 });
diff --git a/src/components/Messages/ReasoningMessage.stories.tsx b/src/components/Messages/ReasoningMessage.stories.tsx
index b8e3d13e9..e92d8c97f 100644
--- a/src/components/Messages/ReasoningMessage.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Messages/ReasoningMessage.stories.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ import type { Meta, StoryObj } from "@storybook/react";
 import { ReasoningMessage } from "./ReasoningMessage";
 import type { DisplayedMessage } from "@/types/message";
 
+// Stable timestamp for visual testing (Apple demo time: Jan 24, 2024, 9:41 AM PST)
+const STABLE_TIMESTAMP = new Date("2024-01-24T09:41:00-08:00").getTime();
+
 const meta = {
   title: "Messages/ReasoningMessage",
   component: ReasoningMessage,
@@ -34,7 +37,7 @@ const createReasoningMessage = (
   historySequence: 1,
   isStreaming: false,
   isPartial: false,
-  timestamp: Date.now(),
+  timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP,
   ...overrides,
 });
 
diff --git a/src/components/Messages/StreamErrorMessage.stories.tsx b/src/components/Messages/StreamErrorMessage.stories.tsx
index ec86cb9ef..c26fd97e5 100644
--- a/src/components/Messages/StreamErrorMessage.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Messages/StreamErrorMessage.stories.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import { StreamErrorMessage } from "./StreamErrorMessage";
 import type { DisplayedMessage } from "@/types/message";
 import type { StreamErrorType } from "@/types/errors";
 
+// Stable timestamp for visual testing (Apple demo time: Jan 24, 2024, 9:41 AM PST)
+const STABLE_TIMESTAMP = new Date("2024-01-24T09:41:00-08:00").getTime();
+
 const meta = {
   title: "Messages/StreamErrorMessage",
   component: StreamErrorMessage,
@@ -35,7 +38,7 @@ const createStreamErrorMessage = (
   error,
   errorType,
   historySequence: 1,
-  timestamp: Date.now(),
+  timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP,
   ...overrides,
 });
 
diff --git a/src/components/Messages/UserMessage.stories.tsx b/src/components/Messages/UserMessage.stories.tsx
index a74b9dc01..f876d69bc 100644
--- a/src/components/Messages/UserMessage.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Messages/UserMessage.stories.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import { action } from "@storybook/addon-actions";
 import { UserMessage } from "./UserMessage";
 import type { DisplayedMessage } from "@/types/message";
 
+// Stable timestamp for visual testing (Apple demo time: Jan 24, 2024, 9:41 AM PST)
+const STABLE_TIMESTAMP = new Date("2024-01-24T09:41:00-08:00").getTime();
+
 const clipboardWriteText = (data: string) => {
   action("copy-text")(data);
   return Promise.resolve();
@@ -42,7 +45,7 @@ const createUserMessage = (
   historyId: "hist-1",
   content,
   historySequence: 1,
-  timestamp: Date.now(),
+  timestamp: STABLE_TIMESTAMP,
   ...overrides,
 });
 
diff --git a/src/components/TipsCarousel.stories.tsx b/src/components/TipsCarousel.stories.tsx
index 148133b60..b68972a70 100644
--- a/src/components/TipsCarousel.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/components/TipsCarousel.stories.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export default meta;
 type Story = StoryObj<typeof meta>;
 
 export const Default: Story = {
-  render: () => <TipsCarousel />,
+  render: () => <TipsCarousel fixedTipIndex={0} />,
 };
 
 export const WithExplanation: Story = {
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export const WithExplanation: Story = {
       <div className="text-[13px] text-[#cccccc] font-primary">
         Tips rotate automatically based on time. Hover to see the gradient effect:
       </div>
-      <TipsCarousel />
+      <TipsCarousel fixedTipIndex={0} />
       <div className="text-[11px] text-[#808080] font-primary">
         Tips change every hour to provide variety and convey UX information.
       </div>
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export const DebugControls: Story = {
   render: () => (
     <div className="flex flex-col gap-5 p-5 bg-[#1e1e1e] min-w-[500px]">
       <div className="text-[13px] text-[#cccccc] font-primary">For debugging, you can use:</div>
-      <TipsCarousel />
+      <TipsCarousel fixedTipIndex={1} />
       <div className="text-[11px] text-[#808080] font-monospace p-3 bg-[#2d2d30] rounded">
         <div>window.setTip(0) // Show first tip</div>
         <div>window.setTip(1) // Show second tip</div>
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export const InContext: Story = {
             justifyContent: "center",
           }}
         >
-          <TipsCarousel />
+          <TipsCarousel fixedTipIndex={0} />
         </div>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
           <span className="text-[11px] text-[#808080]">Mode: Plan</span>
diff --git a/src/components/TipsCarousel.tsx b/src/components/TipsCarousel.tsx
index 8979c551a..647d18950 100644
--- a/src/components/TipsCarousel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/TipsCarousel.tsx
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ const TIPS = [
   },
 ];
 
-export const TipsCarousel: React.FC = () => {
+interface TipsCarouselProps {
+  /** Override the automatic tip rotation (for testing/Storybook) */
+  fixedTipIndex?: number;
+}
+
+export const TipsCarousel: React.FC<TipsCarouselProps> = ({ fixedTipIndex }) => {
   const [manualTipIndex, setManualTipIndex] = useState<number | null>(null);
 
   // Calculate tip based on hours since epoch
@@ -48,7 +53,7 @@ export const TipsCarousel: React.FC = () => {
     return hoursSinceEpoch % TIPS.length;
   };
 
-  const currentTipIndex = manualTipIndex ?? calculateTipIndex();
+  const currentTipIndex = fixedTipIndex ?? manualTipIndex ?? calculateTipIndex();
 
   // Expose setTip to window for debugging
   useEffect(() => {