diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/RecipeActivityEditor.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/RecipeActivityEditor.tsx
index b0949791ba..e641df4d62 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/RecipeActivityEditor.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/RecipeActivityEditor.tsx
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ export default function RecipeActivityEditor({
       <label htmlFor="activities" className="block text-md text-textProminent mb-2 font-bold">
         Activities
       </label>
-      <p className="text-textSubtle space-y-2 pb-4">
-        The top-line prompts and activities that will display within your goose home page.
+      <p className="text-sm text-textSubtle space-y-2 pb-4">
+        The top-line prompts and activity buttons that will display in the recipe chat window.
       </p>
 
       {/* Message Field */}
-      <div className="mb-6">
+      <div>
         <label htmlFor="message" className="block text-sm font-medium text-textStandard mb-2">
-          Message (Optional)
+          Message
         </label>
         <p className="text-xs text-textSubtle mb-2">
           A formatted message that will appear at the top of the recipe. Supports markdown
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export default function RecipeActivityEditor({
           onChange={(e) => handleMessageChange(e.target.value)}
           onBlur={onBlur}
           className="w-full px-4 py-3 border rounded-lg bg-background-default text-textStandard placeholder-textPlaceholder focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-borderProminent resize-vertical"
-          placeholder="Enter a message for your recipe (supports **bold**, *italic*, `code`, etc.)"
+          placeholder="Enter a user facing introduction message for your recipe (supports **bold**, *italic*, `code`, etc.)"
           rows={3}
           autoCorrect="off"
           autoCapitalize="off"
@@ -93,30 +93,33 @@ export default function RecipeActivityEditor({
             Activity Buttons
           </label>
           <p className="text-xs text-textSubtle mb-3">
-            Clickable buttons that will appear below the message.
+            Clickable buttons that will appear below the message to help users interact with your
+            recipe.
           </p>
         </div>
 
-        <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-3">
-          {nonMessageActivities.map((activity, index) => (
-            <div
-              key={index}
-              className="inline-flex items-center bg-background-default border-2 border-borderSubtle rounded-full px-4 py-2 text-sm text-textStandard"
-              title={activity.length > 100 ? activity : undefined}
-            >
-              <span>{activity.length > 100 ? activity.slice(0, 100) + '...' : activity}</span>
-              <Button
-                type="button"
-                onClick={() => handleRemoveActivity(activity)}
-                variant="ghost"
-                size="sm"
-                className="ml-2 text-textStandard hover:text-textSubtle transition-colors p-0 h-auto"
+        {nonMessageActivities.length > 0 && (
+          <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-3">
+            {nonMessageActivities.map((activity, index) => (
+              <div
+                key={index}
+                className="inline-flex items-center bg-background-default border-2 border-borderSubtle rounded-full px-4 py-2 text-sm text-textStandard"
+                title={activity.length > 100 ? activity : undefined}
               >
-                ×
-              </Button>
-            </div>
-          ))}
-        </div>
+                <span>{activity.length > 100 ? activity.slice(0, 100) + '...' : activity}</span>
+                <Button
+                  type="button"
+                  onClick={() => handleRemoveActivity(activity)}
+                  variant="ghost"
+                  size="sm"
+                  className="ml-2 text-textStandard hover:text-textSubtle transition-colors p-0 h-auto"
+                >
+                  ×
+                </Button>
+              </div>
+            ))}
+          </div>
+        )}
         <div className="flex gap-2 mt-3">
           <input
             type="text"
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/InstructionsEditor.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/InstructionsEditor.tsx
index 687b0207b6..adabad5b56 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/InstructionsEditor.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/InstructionsEditor.tsx
@@ -90,9 +90,7 @@ Use {{parameter_name}} syntax for any user-provided values.`;
         <div className="flex-1 flex flex-col min-h-0">
           <div className="mb-4">
             <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-2">
-              <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-text-standard">
-                Instructions <span className="text-red-500">*</span>
-              </label>
+              <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-text-standard">Instructions</label>
               <Button
                 type="button"
                 onClick={insertExample}
@@ -116,7 +114,7 @@ Use {{parameter_name}} syntax for any user-provided values.`;
               className={`w-full h-full min-h-[500px] p-3 border rounded-lg bg-background-default text-text-standard focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500 resize-none font-mono text-sm ${
                 error ? 'border-red-500' : 'border-border-subtle'
               }`}
-              placeholder="Detailed instructions for the AI agent..."
+              placeholder="Detailed instructions for the AI, hidden from the user..."
             />
             {error && <p className="text-red-500 text-sm mt-2">{error}</p>}
           </div>
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/JsonSchemaEditor.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/JsonSchemaEditor.tsx
index 65760b7a27..2f65457820 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/JsonSchemaEditor.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/JsonSchemaEditor.tsx
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export default function JsonSchemaEditor({
           <div className="mb-4">
             <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-2">
               <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-text-standard">
-                Response JSON Schema (Optional)
+                Response JSON Schema
               </label>
               <Button
                 type="button"
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/RecipeFormFields.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/RecipeFormFields.tsx
index 7b31ea7cb2..eae4d2785c 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/RecipeFormFields.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/recipes/shared/RecipeFormFields.tsx
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ export default function RecipeFormFields({
               className={`w-full p-3 border rounded-lg bg-background-default text-text-standard focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500 resize-none font-mono text-sm ${
                 field.state.meta.errors.length > 0 ? 'border-red-500' : 'border-border-subtle'
               }`}
-              placeholder="Detailed instructions for the AI agent..."
+              placeholder="Detailed instructions for the AI, hidden from the user..."
               rows={8}
             />
             <p className="text-xs text-text-muted mt-1">
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ export default function RecipeFormFields({
                 updateParametersFromFields();
               }}
               className="w-full p-3 border border-border-subtle rounded-lg bg-background-default text-text-standard focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500 resize-none"
-              placeholder="First message to send when the recipe starts..."
+              placeholder="Pre-filled prompt when the recipe starts..."
               rows={3}
             />
           </div>
@@ -358,7 +358,11 @@ export default function RecipeFormFields({
 
           return (
             <div>
-              <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-text-standard mb-2">Parameters</h3>
+              <label className="block text-md text-textProminent mb-2 font-bold">Parameters</label>
+              <p className="text-textSubtle text-sm space-y-2 pb-4">
+                Parameters will be automatically detected from {`{{parameter_name}}`} syntax in
+                instructions/prompt/activities or you can manually add them below.
+              </p>
 
               {/* Add Parameter Input - Always Visible */}
               <div className="flex gap-2 mb-4">
@@ -380,7 +384,7 @@ export default function RecipeFormFields({
                 </button>
               </div>
 
-              {field.state.value.length > 0 ? (
+              {field.state.value.length > 0 &&
                 field.state.value
                   .filter((parameter: Parameter) => parameter.key && parameter.key.trim()) // Filter out empty parameters
                   .map((parameter: Parameter) => {
@@ -408,16 +412,7 @@ export default function RecipeFormFields({
                         }}
                       />
                     );
-                  })
-              ) : (
-                <div className="border border-border-subtle rounded-lg p-4 bg-background-muted">
-                  <p className="text-sm text-text-muted text-left">
-                    No parameters defined. Parameters will be automatically detected from{' '}
-                    {`{{parameter_name}}`} syntax in instructions/prompt, or you can manually add
-                    them using the input above.
-                  </p>
-                </div>
-              )}
+                  })}
             </div>
           );
         }}
@@ -427,10 +422,13 @@ export default function RecipeFormFields({
       <form.Field name="jsonSchema">
         {(field: FormFieldApi<string | undefined>) => (
           <div>
+            <label className="block text-md text-textProminent mb-2 font-bold">
+              Response JSON Schema
+            </label>
+            <p className="text-textSubtle text-sm space-y-2 pb-4">
+              Define the expected structure of the AI's response using JSON Schema format
+            </p>
             <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-2">
-              <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-text-standard">
-                Response JSON Schema (Optional)
-              </label>
               <Button
                 type="button"
                 onClick={() => setShowJsonSchemaEditor(true)}
@@ -442,25 +440,18 @@ export default function RecipeFormFields({
               </Button>
             </div>
 
-            <div
-              className={`border rounded-lg p-3 bg-background-muted ${
-                field.state.meta.errors.length > 0 ? 'border-red-500' : 'border-border-subtle'
-              }`}
-            >
-              {field.state.value && field.state.value.trim() ? (
+            {field.state.value && field.state.value.trim() && (
+              <div
+                className={`border rounded-lg p-3 bg-background-muted ${
+                  field.state.meta.errors.length > 0 ? 'border-red-500' : 'border-border-subtle'
+                }`}
+              >
                 <pre className="text-xs font-mono text-text-standard whitespace-pre-wrap break-words max-h-32 overflow-y-auto">
                   {field.state.value}
                 </pre>
-              ) : (
-                <p className="text-xs text-text-muted italic">
-                  No JSON schema defined. Click "Open Editor" to add one.
-                </p>
-              )}
-            </div>
+              </div>
+            )}
 
-            <p className="text-xs text-text-muted mt-1">
-              Define the expected structure of the AI's response using JSON Schema format
-            </p>
             {field.state.meta.errors.length > 0 && (
               <p className="text-red-500 text-sm mt-1">{field.state.meta.errors[0]}</p>
             )}