diff --git a/components/profile-modal.html b/components/profile-modal.html
index 5b19d656..b89f7b1e 100644
--- a/components/profile-modal.html
+++ b/components/profile-modal.html
@@ -1031,9 +1031,9 @@
                 </div>
                 <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3 border-t border-border/60 pt-3">
                   <div class="space-y-1">
-                    <h4 class="text-xs font-semibold text-text">Preferred DM relay</h4>
+                    <h4 class="text-xs font-semibold text-text">Recipient DM relays</h4>
                     <p class="text-xs text-muted">
-                      Select a relay to prioritize encrypted message delivery.
+                      Use the relays advertised in kind 10050 to prioritize encrypted delivery.
                     </p>
                   </div>
                   <button
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@
                     class="btn-ghost focus-ring inline-flex items-center gap-2"
                     data-size="sm"
                   >
-                    Manage relays
+                    Use DM relays
                   </button>
                 </div>
                 <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3 border-t border-border/60 pt-3">
diff --git a/js/app.js b/js/app.js
index 0f3b3c7c..9ac52aea 100644
--- a/js/app.js
+++ b/js/app.js
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ import { devLogger, userLogger } from "./utils/logger.js";
 import createPopover from "./ui/overlay/popoverEngine.js";
 import { createVideoSettingsMenuPanel } from "./ui/components/videoMenuRenderers.js";
 import moderationService from "./services/moderationService.js";
+import { sanitizeRelayList } from "./nostr/nip46Client.js";
 import {
   initViewCounter,
   subscribeToVideoViewCount,
@@ -220,6 +221,8 @@ class Application {
     this.modalManager = modalManager;
 
     this.modalCreatorProfileRequestToken = null;
+    this.dmRecipientPubkey = null;
+    this.dmRelayHints = new Map();
 
     this.commentController = null;
     this.initializeCommentController();
@@ -3058,6 +3061,171 @@ class Application {
     });
   }
 
+  getDmRecipientPubkey() {
+    return this.dmRecipientPubkey;
+  }
+
+  setDmRecipientPubkey(pubkey) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    this.dmRecipientPubkey = normalized || null;
+    return this.dmRecipientPubkey;
+  }
+
+  getDmRelayHints(pubkey) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    if (!normalized || !(this.dmRelayHints instanceof Map)) {
+      return [];
+    }
+    const hints = this.dmRelayHints.get(normalized);
+    return Array.isArray(hints) ? hints.slice() : [];
+  }
+
+  setDmRelayHints(pubkey, hints = []) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    if (!normalized) {
+      return [];
+    }
+    if (!(this.dmRelayHints instanceof Map)) {
+      this.dmRelayHints = new Map();
+    }
+    const stored = sanitizeRelayList(Array.isArray(hints) ? hints : []);
+    this.dmRelayHints.set(normalized, stored);
+    return stored.slice();
+  }
+
+  async fetchDmRelayHints(pubkey) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    if (!normalized) {
+      return [];
+    }
+
+    const cached = this.getDmRelayHints(normalized);
+    if (cached.length) {
+      return cached;
+    }
+
+    const relayCandidates =
+      Array.isArray(nostrClient?.readRelays) && nostrClient.readRelays.length
+        ? nostrClient.readRelays
+        : Array.isArray(nostrClient?.relays)
+        ? nostrClient.relays
+        : [];
+
+    const relayList = sanitizeRelayList(relayCandidates);
+    if (!relayList.length) {
+      return [];
+    }
+
+    if (!nostrClient?.pool || typeof nostrClient.pool.list !== "function") {
+      return [];
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const events = await nostrClient.pool.list(relayList, [
+        { kinds: [10050], authors: [normalized], limit: 1 },
+      ]);
+      const sorted = Array.isArray(events)
+        ? events
+            .filter((event) => event && event.pubkey === normalized)
+            .sort((a, b) => (b?.created_at || 0) - (a?.created_at || 0))
+        : [];
+      if (!sorted.length) {
+        return [];
+      }
+
+      const tags = Array.isArray(sorted[0]?.tags) ? sorted[0].tags : [];
+      const relayHints = sanitizeRelayList(
+        tags
+          .filter((tag) => Array.isArray(tag) && tag[0] === "relay")
+          .map((tag) => (typeof tag[1] === "string" ? tag[1].trim() : "")),
+      );
+
+      this.setDmRelayHints(normalized, relayHints);
+      return relayHints;
+    } catch (error) {
+      devLogger.warn(
+        "[Application] Failed to load DM relay hints:",
+        error,
+      );
+    }
+
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  openDirectMessageComposer({ recipientPubkey, source = "" } = {}) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(recipientPubkey);
+    if (!normalized) {
+      this.showError("Please select a valid message recipient.");
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    this.setDmRecipientPubkey(normalized);
+
+    if (this.profileController) {
+      try {
+        if (typeof this.profileController.setDirectMessageRecipient === "function") {
+          this.profileController.setDirectMessageRecipient(normalized, {
+            reason: source || "external",
+          });
+        }
+        if (typeof this.profileController.show === "function") {
+          this.profileController.show("messages");
+        }
+        if (typeof this.profileController.focusMessageComposer === "function") {
+          this.profileController.focusMessageComposer();
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        devLogger.warn(
+          "[Application] Failed to open DM composer:",
+          error,
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  handleProfileSendDmRequest({ recipient } = {}) {
+    const recipientPubkey =
+      typeof recipient?.pubkey === "string"
+        ? recipient.pubkey
+        : null;
+
+    return this.openDirectMessageComposer({
+      recipientPubkey,
+      source: "profile-modal",
+    });
+  }
+
+  handleProfileUseDmRelays({ recipient, controller } = {}) {
+    const relayHints = Array.isArray(recipient?.relayHints)
+      ? recipient.relayHints
+      : [];
+    if (!relayHints.length) {
+      this.showError("No DM relays found for this recipient.");
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    if (recipient?.pubkey) {
+      this.setDmRelayHints(recipient.pubkey, relayHints);
+    }
+
+    this.showSuccess("Recipient DM relays ready for use.");
+    if (controller?.focusMessageComposer) {
+      controller.focusMessageComposer();
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  handleProfilePrivacyToggle({ enabled, controller } = {}) {
+    if (enabled) {
+      this.showStatus("Privacy mode is coming in Phase 3.");
+      if (controller?.setPrivacyToggleState) {
+        controller.setPrivacyToggleState(false);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   updateProfileInDOM(pubkey, profile) {
     if (this.profileIdentityController) {
       this.profileIdentityController.updateProfileIdentity({
diff --git a/js/channelProfile.js b/js/channelProfile.js
index 496d60b4..03995ff9 100644
--- a/js/channelProfile.js
+++ b/js/channelProfile.js
@@ -3357,6 +3357,14 @@ function setupChannelMessageControls() {
           return;
         }
 
+        if (typeof app?.openDirectMessageComposer === "function") {
+          app.openDirectMessageComposer({
+            recipientPubkey: resolvedHex,
+            source: "channel-profile",
+          });
+          return;
+        }
+
         const controller = app?.profileController;
         if (!controller) {
           app?.showError?.("Messages are unavailable right now.");
diff --git a/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js b/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
index 7290193e..3d9be7c9 100644
--- a/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
+++ b/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ export default class ApplicationBootstrap {
           formatShortNpub: (value) => formatShortNpub(value),
           getProfileCacheEntry: (pubkey) => app.getProfileCacheEntry(pubkey),
           batchFetchProfiles: (authorSet) => app.batchFetchProfiles(authorSet),
+          fetchDmRelayHints: (pubkey) => app.fetchDmRelayHints(pubkey),
           switchProfile: (pubkey) => app.authService.switchProfile(pubkey),
           removeSavedProfile: (pubkey) =>
             app.authService.removeSavedProfile(pubkey),
@@ -499,6 +500,10 @@ export default class ApplicationBootstrap {
             setStoredActiveProfilePubkey(normalized, options);
             return getActiveProfilePubkey();
           },
+          getDmRecipient: () => app.getDmRecipientPubkey(),
+          setDmRecipient: (pubkey) => app.setDmRecipientPubkey(pubkey),
+          getDmRelayHints: (pubkey) => app.getDmRelayHints(pubkey),
+          setDmRelayHints: (pubkey, hints) => app.setDmRelayHints(pubkey, hints),
         };
 
         const profileModalCallbacks = {
@@ -532,6 +537,10 @@ export default class ApplicationBootstrap {
             app.handleProfileHistoryEvent(payload),
           onModerationSettingsChange: (payload) =>
             app.handleModerationSettingsChange(payload),
+          onSendDm: (payload) => app.handleProfileSendDmRequest(payload),
+          onOpenRelays: (payload) => app.handleProfileUseDmRelays(payload),
+          onTogglePrivacy: (payload) =>
+            app.handleProfilePrivacyToggle(payload),
         };
 
         app.profileController = new ProfileModalController({
diff --git a/js/ui/profileModalController.js b/js/ui/profileModalController.js
index 1de8b9b7..f2efa723 100644
--- a/js/ui/profileModalController.js
+++ b/js/ui/profileModalController.js
@@ -275,6 +275,13 @@ const SERVICE_CONTRACT = [
       "Fetches and caches profile metadata for a set of pubkeys so the modal can hydrate avatars/names in bulk.",
     fallback: () => async () => [],
   },
+  {
+    key: "fetchDmRelayHints",
+    type: "function",
+    description:
+      "Fetches DM relay hints (kind 10050) for a given pubkey.",
+    fallback: () => async () => [],
+  },
   {
     key: "switchProfile",
     type: "function",
@@ -694,6 +701,62 @@ const STATE_CONTRACT = [
       return internal.walletBusy;
     },
   },
+  {
+    key: "getDmRecipient",
+    type: "function",
+    description:
+      "Returns the currently selected direct message recipient pubkey.",
+    fallback: (internal) => () => internal.dmRecipient,
+  },
+  {
+    key: "setDmRecipient",
+    type: "function",
+    description:
+      "Updates the selected direct message recipient pubkey and returns the stored value.",
+    fallback: (internal) => (pubkey) => {
+      if (typeof pubkey === "string") {
+        const trimmed = pubkey.trim();
+        internal.dmRecipient = trimmed || null;
+      } else {
+        internal.dmRecipient = null;
+      }
+      return internal.dmRecipient;
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    key: "getDmRelayHints",
+    type: "function",
+    description:
+      "Returns the cached DM relay hints for a given pubkey.",
+    fallback: (internal) => (pubkey) => {
+      const normalized =
+        typeof pubkey === "string" ? pubkey.trim().toLowerCase() : "";
+      if (!normalized || !(internal.dmRelayHints instanceof Map)) {
+        return [];
+      }
+      const hints = internal.dmRelayHints.get(normalized);
+      return Array.isArray(hints) ? hints.slice() : [];
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    key: "setDmRelayHints",
+    type: "function",
+    description:
+      "Stores DM relay hints for a given pubkey and returns the stored list.",
+    fallback: (internal) => (pubkey, hints = []) => {
+      if (!(internal.dmRelayHints instanceof Map)) {
+        internal.dmRelayHints = new Map();
+      }
+      const normalized =
+        typeof pubkey === "string" ? pubkey.trim().toLowerCase() : "";
+      if (!normalized) {
+        return [];
+      }
+      const stored = Array.isArray(hints) ? hints.slice() : [];
+      internal.dmRelayHints.set(normalized, stored);
+      return stored;
+    },
+  },
 ];
 
 function buildServicesContract(services = {}, internalState) {
@@ -882,6 +945,8 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
       walletBusy: false,
       walletSettings: createInternalDefaultNwcSettings(),
       moderationSettings: createInternalDefaultModerationSettings(),
+      dmRecipient: null,
+      dmRelayHints: new Map(),
     };
 
     this.services = buildServicesContract(services, this.internalState);
@@ -1768,6 +1833,148 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
     return null;
   }
 
+  resolveActiveDmRecipient() {
+    const candidate =
+      typeof this.state.getDmRecipient === "function"
+        ? this.state.getDmRecipient()
+        : null;
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(candidate);
+    if (normalized) {
+      return normalized;
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  buildDmRecipientContext(pubkey) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    if (!normalized) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    const npub =
+      typeof this.safeEncodeNpub === "function"
+        ? this.safeEncodeNpub(normalized)
+        : null;
+
+    const cacheEntry =
+      typeof this.services.getProfileCacheEntry === "function"
+        ? this.services.getProfileCacheEntry(normalized)
+        : null;
+    const profile = cacheEntry?.profile || null;
+
+    const displayName =
+      profile?.display_name?.trim?.() ||
+      profile?.name?.trim?.() ||
+      (typeof this.formatShortNpub === "function"
+        ? this.formatShortNpub(npub)
+        : npub) ||
+      npub ||
+      "Unknown profile";
+
+    const relayHints =
+      typeof this.state.getDmRelayHints === "function"
+        ? this.state.getDmRelayHints(normalized)
+        : [];
+
+    return {
+      pubkey: normalized,
+      npub,
+      profile,
+      displayName,
+      relayHints: Array.isArray(relayHints) ? relayHints.slice() : [],
+    };
+  }
+
+  async ensureDmRecipientData(pubkey) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    if (!normalized) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (
+      typeof this.services.batchFetchProfiles === "function"
+    ) {
+      try {
+        await this.services.batchFetchProfiles([normalized]);
+      } catch (error) {
+        devLogger.warn(
+          "[profileModal] Failed to fetch DM recipient metadata:",
+          error,
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (typeof this.services.fetchDmRelayHints === "function") {
+      try {
+        const hints = await this.services.fetchDmRelayHints(normalized);
+        if (typeof this.state.setDmRelayHints === "function") {
+          this.state.setDmRelayHints(normalized, hints);
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        devLogger.warn(
+          "[profileModal] Failed to fetch DM relay hints:",
+          error,
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return this.buildDmRecipientContext(normalized);
+  }
+
+  setDirectMessageRecipient(pubkey, { reason = "manual" } = {}) {
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    const nextRecipient = normalized || null;
+
+    if (typeof this.state.setDmRecipient === "function") {
+      this.state.setDmRecipient(nextRecipient);
+    }
+
+    this.updateMessageThreadSelection(nextRecipient);
+
+    if (nextRecipient) {
+      void this.ensureDmRecipientData(nextRecipient);
+      this.setMessagesAnnouncement("Ready to message this recipient.");
+    } else if (reason === "clear") {
+      this.setMessagesAnnouncement("Message recipient cleared.");
+    }
+
+    return nextRecipient;
+  }
+
+  updateMessageThreadSelection(activeRecipient) {
+    if (!(this.profileMessagesList instanceof HTMLElement)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const normalized = this.normalizeHexPubkey(activeRecipient);
+    const items = Array.from(
+      this.profileMessagesList.querySelectorAll("[data-remote-pubkey]"),
+    );
+
+    items.forEach((item) => {
+      if (!(item instanceof HTMLElement)) {
+        return;
+      }
+      const remote = this.normalizeHexPubkey(item.dataset.remotePubkey);
+      const isActive = normalized && remote === normalized;
+      item.dataset.state = isActive ? "active" : "inactive";
+    });
+  }
+
+  focusMessageComposer() {
+    const input = this.profileMessageInput;
+    if (input instanceof HTMLTextAreaElement) {
+      input.focus();
+      input.select();
+    }
+  }
+
+  setPrivacyToggleState(enabled) {
+    if (this.profileMessagesPrivacyToggle instanceof HTMLInputElement) {
+      this.profileMessagesPrivacyToggle.checked = Boolean(enabled);
+    }
+  }
+
   ensureDirectMessageSubscription(actorPubkey = null) {
     if (
       !this.nostrService ||
@@ -1844,6 +2051,8 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
       ? this.normalizeHexPubkey(actorPubkey)
       : this.resolveActiveDmActor();
 
+    this.setDirectMessageRecipient(null, { reason: "clear" });
+
     if (
       this.directMessagesSubscription &&
       this.directMessagesSubscription.actor &&
@@ -2056,27 +2265,49 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
     }
   }
 
-  handleSendDmRequest() {
+  async handleSendDmRequest() {
+    const recipient = this.resolveActiveDmRecipient();
+    if (!recipient) {
+      this.showError("Please select a message recipient.");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const context = await this.ensureDmRecipientData(recipient);
+    this.focusMessageComposer();
+
     const callback = this.callbacks.onSendDm;
     if (callback && callback !== noop) {
       callback({
         actorPubkey: this.resolveActiveDmActor(),
+        recipient: context,
         controller: this,
       });
     }
   }
 
-  handleOpenDmRelaysRequest() {
+  async handleOpenDmRelaysRequest() {
+    const recipient = this.resolveActiveDmRecipient();
+    if (!recipient) {
+      this.showError("Please select a message recipient.");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const context = await this.ensureDmRecipientData(recipient);
+
     const callback = this.callbacks.onOpenRelays;
     if (callback && callback !== noop) {
-      callback({ controller: this });
+      callback({ controller: this, recipient: context });
     }
   }
 
   handlePrivacyToggle(enabled) {
     const callback = this.callbacks.onTogglePrivacy;
     if (callback && callback !== noop) {
-      callback({ controller: this, enabled: Boolean(enabled) });
+      callback({
+        controller: this,
+        enabled: Boolean(enabled),
+        recipient: this.buildDmRecipientContext(this.resolveActiveDmRecipient()),
+      });
     }
   }
 
@@ -2119,10 +2350,11 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
       return;
     }
 
-    const targetCandidate =
-      this.resolveActiveDmActor() || this.directMessagesLastActor;
+    const targetHex = this.resolveActiveDmRecipient();
     const target =
-      typeof targetCandidate === "string" ? targetCandidate.trim() : "";
+      typeof targetHex === "string" && typeof this.safeEncodeNpub === "function"
+        ? this.safeEncodeNpub(targetHex)
+        : "";
     if (!target) {
       this.showError("Please select a message recipient.");
       return;
@@ -2171,6 +2403,7 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
     this.directMessagesCache = [];
     this.directMessagesLastActor = this.resolveActiveDmActor();
     this.messagesInitialLoadPending = true;
+    this.setDirectMessageRecipient(null, { reason: "clear" });
 
     if (this.profileMessagesList instanceof HTMLElement) {
       this.profileMessagesList.innerHTML = "";
@@ -2390,6 +2623,7 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
     const item = document.createElement("li");
     item.className = "card flex flex-col gap-3 p-4";
     item.setAttribute("data-remote-pubkey", thread.remoteHex);
+    item.dataset.state = "inactive";
 
     const header = document.createElement("div");
     header.className = "flex items-start justify-between gap-3";
@@ -2467,6 +2701,13 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
 
     item.appendChild(meta);
 
+    item.addEventListener("click", () => {
+      this.setDirectMessageRecipient(thread.remoteHex, {
+        reason: "thread-select",
+      });
+      this.focusMessageComposer();
+    });
+
     return item;
   }
 
@@ -2523,6 +2764,19 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
       }
     }
 
+    const activeRecipient = this.resolveActiveDmRecipient();
+    const hasActiveRecipient =
+      activeRecipient &&
+      threads.some((thread) => thread.remoteHex === activeRecipient);
+
+    if (threads.length && !hasActiveRecipient) {
+      this.setDirectMessageRecipient(threads[0].remoteHex, {
+        reason: "thread-default",
+      });
+    } else if (hasActiveRecipient) {
+      this.updateMessageThreadSelection(activeRecipient);
+    }
+
     this.profileMessagesList.classList.remove("hidden");
     this.profileMessagesList.removeAttribute("hidden");
   }
@@ -2696,6 +2950,7 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
     }
 
     this.directMessagesCache = [];
+    this.setDirectMessageRecipient(null, { reason: "clear" });
     if (this.profileMessagesList instanceof HTMLElement) {
       this.profileMessagesList.innerHTML = "";
       this.profileMessagesList.classList.add("hidden");
@@ -2842,13 +3097,13 @@ export class ProfileModalController {
 
     if (this.profileMessagesSendDmButton instanceof HTMLElement) {
       this.profileMessagesSendDmButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
-        this.handleSendDmRequest();
+        void this.handleSendDmRequest();
       });
     }
 
     if (this.profileMessagesOpenRelaysButton instanceof HTMLElement) {
       this.profileMessagesOpenRelaysButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
-        this.handleOpenDmRelaysRequest();
+        void this.handleOpenDmRelaysRequest();
       });
     }