diff --git a/iris/core/src/orientation/len.rs b/iris/core/src/orientation/len.rs
index 8725211..84c194d 100644
--- a/iris/core/src/orientation/len.rs
+++ b/iris/core/src/orientation/len.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,31 @@ pub struct Size {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Len {
+    /// Physical pixels -- a raw device pixel, unaffected by the display's
+    /// density. Rare to want directly (a hairline border is the usual
+    /// case); most sizes should be `dp` instead. See `dp`'s own doc for why
+    /// the two are kept separate rather than one field a caller has to
+    /// remember to pre-multiply.
     pub abs: f32,
+    /// Density-independent pixels -- Android's `dp` / CSS's reference pixel
+    /// (1 unit = 1/160in), resolved against the display's density at
+    /// layout time (`apply_rest`'s `density` parameter) rather than at the
+    /// point a widget is built, since density is a property of the device
+    /// this ends up running on, not of the widget tree. This is the unit
+    /// IRIS_TODO.md's "a density-independent length unit" item asked for,
+    /// 2026-09-06: before it existed, every size in the tree was `abs`
+    /// (physical pixels), and the only way to make a 16px design draw at
+    /// the right *size* on a denser display was a single global multiply
+    /// applied to the whole rendered scene after layout -- which is also
+    /// what made text blurry (RUST.md's P0 box, "blurry ... glyphs drawn
+    /// at logical size and stretched by the scale"): a glyph rasterised at
+    /// 16 physical px and then stretched 3x by that global multiply is a
+    /// 48px area sampled from a 16px bitmap. Resolving `dp` per-length at
+    /// layout time instead means the font size handed to the text shaper
+    /// is already the physical size (`16.0.dp() * 3.0`), so the glyph
+    /// atlas rasterises at the display's real resolution and nothing
+    /// downstream needs to stretch anything.
+    pub dp: f32,
     pub rel: f32,
     pub rest: f32,
 }
@@ -67,10 +91,10 @@ impl Size {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn to_uivec2(self) -> UiVec2 {
+    pub fn to_uivec2(self, density: f32) -> UiVec2 {
         UiVec2 {
-            x: self.x.apply_rest(),
-            y: self.y.apply_rest(),
+            x: self.x.apply_rest(density),
+            y: self.y.apply_rest(density),
         }
     }
 
@@ -98,26 +122,43 @@ impl Size {
 impl Len {
     pub const ZERO: Self = Self {
         abs: 0.0,
+        dp: 0.0,
         rel: 0.0,
         rest: 0.0,
     };
 
     pub const REST: Self = Self {
         abs: 0.0,
+        dp: 0.0,
         rel: 0.0,
         rest: 1.0,
     };
 
-    pub fn apply_rest(&self) -> UiScalar {
+    /// Resolves to a `UiScalar`, folding `dp` into `abs` pixels against
+    /// `density` (physical pixels per dp -- 1.0 on a desktop or an
+    /// unscaled display, `content_scale` on Android; see `dp`'s field
+    /// doc). Every other component of `Len` is already resolution-
+    /// independent (`rel` is a fraction of the parent; `rest` becomes a
+    /// fraction too, below), so `density` only ever touches this one term.
+    pub fn apply_rest(&self, density: f32) -> UiScalar {
         UiScalar {
             rel: self.rel + if self.rest > 0.0 { 1.0 } else { 0.0 },
-            abs: self.abs,
+            abs: self.abs + self.dp * density,
         }
     }
 
     pub fn abs(abs: impl UiNum) -> Self {
         Self {
             abs: abs.to_f32(),
+            dp: 0.0,
+            rel: 0.0,
+            rest: 0.0,
+        }
+    }
+    pub fn dp(dp: impl UiNum) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            abs: 0.0,
+            dp: dp.to_f32(),
             rel: 0.0,
             rest: 0.0,
         }
@@ -125,6 +166,7 @@ impl Len {
     pub fn rel(rel: impl UiNum) -> Self {
         Self {
             abs: 0.0,
+            dp: 0.0,
             rel: rel.to_f32(),
             rest: 0.0,
         }
@@ -132,6 +174,7 @@ impl Len {
     pub fn rest(ratio: impl UiNum) -> Self {
         Self {
             abs: 0.0,
+            dp: 0.0,
             rel: 0.0,
             rest: ratio.to_f32(),
         }
@@ -144,6 +187,15 @@ pub mod len_fns {
     pub fn abs(abs: impl UiNum) -> Len {
         Len {
             abs: abs.to_f32(),
+            dp: 0.0,
+            rel: 0.0,
+            rest: 0.0,
+        }
+    }
+    pub fn dp(dp: impl UiNum) -> Len {
+        Len {
+            abs: 0.0,
+            dp: dp.to_f32(),
             rel: 0.0,
             rest: 0.0,
         }
@@ -151,6 +203,7 @@ pub mod len_fns {
     pub fn rel(rel: impl UiNum) -> Len {
         Len {
             abs: 0.0,
+            dp: 0.0,
             rel: rel.to_f32(),
             rest: 0.0,
         }
@@ -158,14 +211,15 @@ pub mod len_fns {
     pub fn rest(ratio: impl UiNum) -> Len {
         Len {
             abs: 0.0,
+            dp: 0.0,
             rel: 0.0,
             rest: ratio.to_f32(),
         }
     }
 }
 
-impl_op!(Len Add add; abs rel rest);
-impl_op!(Len Sub sub; abs rel rest);
+impl_op!(Len Add add; abs dp rel rest);
+impl_op!(Len Sub sub; abs dp rel rest);
 
 impl_op!(Size Add add; x y);
 impl_op!(Size Sub sub; x y);
@@ -187,6 +241,9 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Len {
         if self.abs != 0.0 {
             write!(f, "{} abs;", self.abs)?;
         }
+        if self.dp != 0.0 {
+            write!(f, "{} dp;", self.dp)?;
+        }
         if self.rel != 0.0 {
             write!(f, "{} rel;", self.rel)?;
         }
diff --git a/iris/core/src/primitive/text.rs b/iris/core/src/primitive/text.rs
index 1480d43..2b67b81 100644
--- a/iris/core/src/primitive/text.rs
+++ b/iris/core/src/primitive/text.rs
@@ -66,6 +66,17 @@ pub struct TextData {
     pub layout_cx: LayoutContext<UiColor>,
     scale_cx: ScaleContext,
     pub atlas: GlyphAtlas,
+    /// Physical pixels per dp -- a second copy of
+    /// `UiRenderState::density`, kept here too because `TextEditCtx::layout`
+    /// (cursor movement and hit-testing, `widget/text/edit.rs`) shapes text
+    /// from an event callback that has a `TextData` but no `Painter`, so it
+    /// has nowhere else to read the display's density from. Both copies are
+    /// set together, from the one place either backend learns the real
+    /// value (`android::view::new_peer`); this is the same accepted
+    /// duplication as `AndroidRenderer::content_scale`; a single source of
+    /// truth would mean carrying a `Painter` (or output size) into every
+    /// input handler for the sake of one field.
+    pub density: f32,
 }
 
 impl Default for TextData {
@@ -75,6 +86,7 @@ impl Default for TextData {
             layout_cx: LayoutContext::new(),
             scale_cx: ScaleContext::new(),
             atlas: GlyphAtlas::default(),
+            density: 1.0,
         };
         data.register_bundled_fonts();
         data
@@ -363,7 +375,7 @@ pub struct TextBuffer {
     /// `set_spans` forces `shaped` to `None` directly, the same way `edit`
     /// does, since spans change far less often than a naive equality check
     /// on the whole `Vec` would cost to compute every frame.
-    shaped: Option<(TextAttrs, Option<f32>)>,
+    shaped: Option<(TextAttrs, Option<f32>, f32)>,
 }
 
 impl TextBuffer {
@@ -419,19 +431,42 @@ impl TextBuffer {
         Vec2::new(self.layout.width(), self.layout.height())
     }
 
-    /// Lay the text out, unless it is already laid out for these attributes and
-    /// this width.
-    pub fn shape(&mut self, data: &mut TextData, attrs: &TextAttrs, width: Option<f32>) {
-        if self.shaped.as_ref() == Some(&(attrs.clone(), width)) {
+    /// Lay the text out, unless it is already laid out for these
+    /// attributes, this width and this density.
+    ///
+    /// **`attrs.font_size`/`line_height` and every span's own `font_size`
+    /// are density-independent (dp) units, multiplied by `density` here --
+    /// the one place text crosses from the widget tree's dp sizes into the
+    /// physical pixels the shaper and rasteriser (`TextData::place`) both
+    /// then work in.** This is what makes glyphs sharp on a dense display:
+    /// before this existed, `font_size` was already a physical-pixel value
+    /// (RUST.md's P0 box's global-scale stopgap resolved density by
+    /// stretching the whole rendered frame afterward instead), so a glyph
+    /// was rasterised small and then upscaled by whatever the display's
+    /// scale factor was -- exactly the blur Iris's report described.
+    /// Multiplying here instead means the font size hitting `ScaleContext`
+    /// in `place` below is already the display's real physical size, so
+    /// the atlas holds a bitmap at the resolution it is actually shown at.
+    /// `GlyphKey.size` already keys on that resolved `font_size`
+    /// (`(font_size * 16.0).round()`), so a cache entry is naturally per
+    /// physical size with no change needed there.
+    pub fn shape(
+        &mut self,
+        data: &mut TextData,
+        attrs: &TextAttrs,
+        width: Option<f32>,
+        density: f32,
+    ) {
+        if self.shaped.as_ref() == Some(&(attrs.clone(), width, density)) {
             return;
         }
         let mut builder = data
             .layout_cx
             .ranged_builder(&mut data.font_cx, &self.text, 1.0, true);
         builder.push_default(StyleProperty::FontFamily(attrs.family.family()));
-        builder.push_default(StyleProperty::FontSize(attrs.font_size));
+        builder.push_default(StyleProperty::FontSize(attrs.font_size * density));
         builder.push_default(StyleProperty::LineHeight(LineHeight::Absolute(
-            attrs.line_height,
+            attrs.line_height * density,
         )));
         builder.push_default(StyleProperty::Brush(attrs.color));
         for span in &self.spans {
@@ -443,7 +478,7 @@ impl TextBuffer {
                 builder.push(StyleProperty::FontFamily(family.family()), range.clone());
             }
             if let Some(size) = span.font_size {
-                builder.push(StyleProperty::FontSize(size), range.clone());
+                builder.push(StyleProperty::FontSize(size * density), range.clone());
             }
             if span.bold {
                 builder.push(StyleProperty::FontWeight(FontWeight::BOLD), range.clone());
@@ -459,7 +494,7 @@ impl TextBuffer {
         self.layout.break_all_lines(width);
         self.layout
             .align(Alignment::Start, AlignmentOptions::default());
-        self.shaped = Some((attrs.clone(), width));
+        self.shaped = Some((attrs.clone(), width, density));
     }
 }
 
@@ -576,8 +611,9 @@ impl TextData {
         attrs: &TextAttrs,
         width: Option<f32>,
         textures: &mut Textures,
+        density: f32,
     ) -> RenderedText {
-        buffer.shape(self, attrs, width);
+        buffer.shape(self, attrs, width, density);
         let glyphs = self.place(buffer, textures);
         RenderedText {
             glyphs: std::sync::Arc::new(glyphs),
diff --git a/iris/core/src/ui/painter.rs b/iris/core/src/ui/painter.rs
index 801f279..09cd0cf 100644
--- a/iris/core/src/ui/painter.rs
+++ b/iris/core/src/ui/painter.rs
@@ -165,8 +165,10 @@ impl<'a> Painter<'a> {
         attrs: &TextAttrs,
         width: Option<f32>,
     ) -> RenderedText {
+        let density = self.state.density;
         let ui = self.rsc.ui_mut();
-        ui.text.render(buffer, attrs, width, &mut ui.textures)
+        ui.text
+            .render(buffer, attrs, width, &mut ui.textures, density)
     }
 
     /// Draw a laid-out string: one quad per glyph, all sampling the atlas.
@@ -210,6 +212,12 @@ impl<'a> Painter<'a> {
         self.state.output_size
     }
 
+    /// Physical pixels per `dp` -- see `UiRenderState::density`'s field
+    /// doc. What `Len::dp`'s `apply_rest` call resolves against.
+    pub fn density(&self) -> f32 {
+        self.state.density
+    }
+
     pub fn px_size(&mut self) -> Vec2 {
         self.region.size().to_abs(self.state.output_size)
     }
diff --git a/iris/core/src/ui/render_state.rs b/iris/core/src/ui/render_state.rs
index 31f1183..a799091 100644
--- a/iris/core/src/ui/render_state.rs
+++ b/iris/core/src/ui/render_state.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ pub struct UiRenderState {
     pub active: HashMap<WidgetId, ActiveData>,
     pub layers: PrimitiveLayers,
     pub(super) output_size: Vec2,
+    /// Physical pixels per `dp` -- see `Len::dp`'s field doc. `1.0` (an
+    /// unscaled display) until a backend that knows its own density calls
+    /// `set_density` (Android's `content_scale`, read at `surface_changed`
+    /// time); the winit backend has no analogous per-monitor value wired up
+    /// yet and stays at the default.
+    pub(super) density: f32,
 
     old_root: Option<WidgetId>,
     resized: bool,
@@ -35,6 +41,7 @@ impl UiRenderState {
             active: Default::default(),
             layers: Default::default(),
             output_size: Vec2::ZERO,
+            density: 1.0,
             old_root: None,
             resized: false,
             draw_started: Default::default(),
@@ -60,6 +67,20 @@ impl UiRenderState {
         self.resized = true;
     }
 
+    /// Sets the physical-pixels-per-dp ratio every `Len::dp` in the tree
+    /// resolves against from the next layout pass on -- see `density`'s
+    /// field doc. Not folded into `resize` because the two change on
+    /// different triggers (a surface resize on every rotation or keyboard
+    /// open; a density change only if the app follows the display to a
+    /// different screen, which Android surfaces separately).
+    pub fn set_density(&mut self, density: f32) {
+        self.density = density;
+    }
+
+    pub fn density(&self) -> f32 {
+        self.density
+    }
+
     pub fn update<'a>(&mut self, root: impl Into<Option<&'a StrongWidget>>, rsc: &mut dyn UiRsc) {
         // safety mechanism for memory leaks; might wanna return a result instead so user can
         // decide whether to panic or not
@@ -311,7 +332,7 @@ impl UiRenderState {
         };
         let from = active
             .size
-            .to_uivec2()
+            .to_uivec2(self.density)
             .align(RegionAlign::TOP_LEFT)
             .within(&active.region);
         let slot = active.move_slot;
diff --git a/iris/examples/message_list.rs b/iris/examples/message_list.rs
index f8a303a..6eb7237 100644
--- a/iris/examples/message_list.rs
+++ b/iris/examples/message_list.rs
@@ -68,12 +68,15 @@ fn build_row<Rsc: UiRsc + 'static>(rsc: &mut Rsc, i: usize) -> StrongWidget {
         let mut span = Span::empty(Dir::DOWN);
         span.push(text);
         span.push(img);
-        span.pad(8.0).background(rect(tint)).add_strong(rsc).any()
+        span.pad(dp(8.0))
+            .background(rect(tint))
+            .add_strong(rsc)
+            .any()
     } else {
         wtext(row_text(i))
             .wrap(true)
             .color(text_color)
-            .pad(8.0)
+            .pad(dp(8.0))
             .background(rect(tint))
             .add_strong(rsc)
             .any()
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/list.rs b/iris/src/widget/list.rs
index d58a0bc..770c20b 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/list.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/list.rs
@@ -606,9 +606,10 @@ impl List {
         let axis = self.axis;
         let output_len = painter.output_size().axis(axis);
         let container_len = painter.region().axis(axis).len();
+        let density = painter.density();
         let resolve = move |used: Size| -> f32 {
             used.axis(axis)
-                .apply_rest()
+                .apply_rest(density)
                 .within_len(container_len)
                 .to_abs(output_len)
         };
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/position/align.rs b/iris/src/widget/position/align.rs
index 6581a9c..feb3c06 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/position/align.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/position/align.rs
@@ -17,14 +17,15 @@ impl Widget for Aligned {
         // already-resolved region double-applies that composition and is
         // wrong for any widget nested below the root.
         let used = painter.widget(&self.inner);
+        let density = painter.density();
         let region = match self.align.tuple() {
-            (Some(x), Some(y)) => used.to_uivec2().align(RegionAlign { x, y }),
+            (Some(x), Some(y)) => used.to_uivec2(density).align(RegionAlign { x, y }),
             (Some(x), None) => {
-                let x = used.x.apply_rest().align(x);
+                let x = used.x.apply_rest(density).align(x);
                 UiRegion::new(x, UiSpan::FULL)
             }
             (None, Some(y)) => {
-                let y = used.y.apply_rest().align(y);
+                let y = used.y.apply_rest(density).align(y);
                 UiRegion::new(UiSpan::FULL, y)
             }
             (None, None) => UiRegion::FULL,
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/position/max_size.rs b/iris/src/widget/position/max_size.rs
index bd56f57..45fed7f 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/position/max_size.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/position/max_size.rs
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ pub struct MaxSize {
 impl MaxSize {
     /// Caps a reported length at `max`, comparing in pixels since `Len`'s
     /// rel/abs/rest components are not otherwise comparable.
-    fn clamp(len: Len, max: Option<Len>, output: f32) -> Len {
+    fn clamp(len: Len, max: Option<Len>, output: f32, density: f32) -> Len {
         let Some(max) = max else {
             return len;
         };
-        let len_px = len.apply_rest().to_abs(output);
-        let max_px = max.apply_rest().to_abs(output);
+        let len_px = len.apply_rest(density).to_abs(output);
+        let max_px = max.apply_rest(density).to_abs(output);
         if len_px > max_px { max } else { len }
     }
 
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ impl MaxSize {
     /// start, if it does not. Needed so the child is never painted bigger
     /// than the size this widget reports for it -- see the identical
     /// requirement noted on `Sized::draw`.
-    fn clamp_region(offered_px: f32, max: Option<Len>, output: f32) -> UiSpan {
+    fn clamp_region(offered_px: f32, max: Option<Len>, output: f32, density: f32) -> UiSpan {
         let Some(max) = max else {
             return UiSpan::FULL;
         };
-        let max_scalar = max.apply_rest();
+        let max_scalar = max.apply_rest(density);
         let max_px = max_scalar.to_abs(output);
         if offered_px > max_px {
             max_scalar.align(AxisAlign::Neg)
@@ -41,15 +41,16 @@ impl MaxSize {
 impl Widget for MaxSize {
     fn draw(&mut self, painter: &mut Painter) -> Size {
         let output = painter.output_size();
+        let density = painter.density();
         let offered = painter.px_size();
         let region = UiRegion {
-            x: Self::clamp_region(offered.x, self.x, output.x),
-            y: Self::clamp_region(offered.y, self.y, output.y),
+            x: Self::clamp_region(offered.x, self.x, output.x, density),
+            y: Self::clamp_region(offered.y, self.y, output.y, density),
         };
         let used = painter.widget_within(&self.inner, region);
         Size {
-            x: Self::clamp(used.x, self.x, output.x),
-            y: Self::clamp(used.y, self.y, output.y),
+            x: Self::clamp(used.x, self.x, output.x, density),
+            y: Self::clamp(used.y, self.y, output.y, density),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/position/pad.rs b/iris/src/widget/position/pad.rs
index 065fce8..8e2b3ec 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/position/pad.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/position/pad.rs
@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ pub struct Pad {
 
 impl Widget for Pad {
     fn draw(&mut self, painter: &mut Painter) -> Size {
-        let used = painter.widget_within(&self.inner, self.padding.region());
-        let width = self.padding.left + self.padding.right;
-        let height = self.padding.top + self.padding.bottom;
+        let density = painter.density();
+        let used = painter.widget_within(&self.inner, self.padding.region(density));
+        let width =
+            self.padding.left.apply_rest(density).abs + self.padding.right.apply_rest(density).abs;
+        let height =
+            self.padding.top.apply_rest(density).abs + self.padding.bottom.apply_rest(density).abs;
         Size {
             x: used.x + Len::abs(width),
             y: used.y + Len::abs(height),
@@ -17,23 +20,29 @@ impl Widget for Pad {
     }
 }
 
+/// Each side is a `Len`, not a bare `f32`, so `.pad(dp(10))` resolves
+/// against the display's density the same way any other size does -- see
+/// `Len::dp`'s field doc. `.pad(10)` (a bare number) still works via
+/// `From<T: UiNum>` below, unchanged: it becomes an `abs` (physical-pixel)
+/// `Len`, exactly as a bare number always has meant elsewhere in this
+/// crate.
 pub struct Padding {
-    pub left: f32,
-    pub right: f32,
-    pub top: f32,
-    pub bottom: f32,
+    pub left: Len,
+    pub right: Len,
+    pub top: Len,
+    pub bottom: Len,
 }
 
 impl Padding {
     pub const ZERO: Self = Self {
-        left: 0.0,
-        right: 0.0,
-        top: 0.0,
-        bottom: 0.0,
+        left: Len::ZERO,
+        right: Len::ZERO,
+        top: Len::ZERO,
+        bottom: Len::ZERO,
     };
 
-    pub fn uniform(amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        let amt = amt.to_f32();
+    pub fn uniform(amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        let amt = amt.into();
         Self {
             left: amt,
             right: amt,
@@ -41,80 +50,84 @@ impl Padding {
             bottom: amt,
         }
     }
-    pub fn region(&self) -> UiRegion {
+    pub fn region(&self, density: f32) -> UiRegion {
         let mut region = UiRegion::FULL;
-        region.x.start.abs += self.left;
-        region.y.start.abs += self.top;
-        region.x.end.abs -= self.right;
-        region.y.end.abs -= self.bottom;
+        region.x.start.abs += self.left.apply_rest(density).abs;
+        region.y.start.abs += self.top.apply_rest(density).abs;
+        region.x.end.abs -= self.right.apply_rest(density).abs;
+        region.y.end.abs -= self.bottom.apply_rest(density).abs;
         region
     }
-    pub fn x(amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        let amt = amt.to_f32();
+    pub fn x(amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        let amt = amt.into();
         Self {
             left: amt,
             right: amt,
-            top: 0.0,
-            bottom: 0.0,
+            top: Len::ZERO,
+            bottom: Len::ZERO,
         }
     }
-    pub fn y(amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        let amt = amt.to_f32();
+    pub fn y(amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        let amt = amt.into();
         Self {
-            left: 0.0,
-            right: 0.0,
+            left: Len::ZERO,
+            right: Len::ZERO,
             top: amt,
             bottom: amt,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn top(amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
+    pub fn top(amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
         let mut s = Self::ZERO;
-        s.top = amt.to_f32();
+        s.top = amt.into();
         s
     }
 
-    pub fn bottom(amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
+    pub fn bottom(amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
         let mut s = Self::ZERO;
-        s.bottom = amt.to_f32();
+        s.bottom = amt.into();
         s
     }
 
-    pub fn left(amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
+    pub fn left(amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
         let mut s = Self::ZERO;
-        s.left = amt.to_f32();
+        s.left = amt.into();
         s
     }
 
-    pub fn right(amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
+    pub fn right(amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
         let mut s = Self::ZERO;
-        s.right = amt.to_f32();
+        s.right = amt.into();
         s
     }
 
-    pub fn with_top(mut self, amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        self.top = amt.to_f32();
+    pub fn with_top(mut self, amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        self.top = amt.into();
         self
     }
 
-    pub fn with_bottom(mut self, amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        self.bottom = amt.to_f32();
+    pub fn with_bottom(mut self, amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        self.bottom = amt.into();
         self
     }
 
-    pub fn with_left(mut self, amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        self.left = amt.to_f32();
+    pub fn with_left(mut self, amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        self.left = amt.into();
         self
     }
 
-    pub fn with_right(mut self, amt: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        self.right = amt.to_f32();
+    pub fn with_right(mut self, amt: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        self.right = amt.into();
         self
     }
 }
 
-impl<T: UiNum> From<T> for Padding {
+/// Covers both a bare number (`.pad(8)`, via `Len`'s own `From<N: UiNum>`
+/// blanket -- an `abs`/physical-pixel `Len`) and a `Len` directly
+/// (`.pad(dp(10))`) with the one impl, since `Len: Into<Len>` is the
+/// reflexive case of the same bound.
+impl<T: Into<Len>> From<T> for Padding {
     fn from(amt: T) -> Self {
-        Self::uniform(amt.to_f32())
+        Self::uniform(amt.into())
     }
 }
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/position/scroll.rs b/iris/src/widget/position/scroll.rs
index 4c837e5..e35f8d2 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/position/scroll.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/position/scroll.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl Widget for Scroll {
 
         self.content_len = used
             .axis(axis)
-            .apply_rest()
+            .apply_rest(painter.density())
             .within_len(container_len)
             .to_abs(output_len);
 
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/position/sized.rs b/iris/src/widget/position/sized.rs
index 8c104de..968748b 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/position/sized.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/position/sized.rs
@@ -17,12 +17,13 @@ impl Widget for Sized {
         // learn its size, then moves it into place with a pure
         // translation; that translation is only valid if what got painted
         // is already the reported size, anchored the same way both times.
+        let density = painter.density();
         let mut region = UiRegion::FULL;
         if let Some(x) = self.x {
-            region.x = x.apply_rest().align(AxisAlign::Neg);
+            region.x = x.apply_rest(density).align(AxisAlign::Neg);
         }
         if let Some(y) = self.y {
-            region.y = y.apply_rest().align(AxisAlign::Neg);
+            region.y = y.apply_rest(density).align(AxisAlign::Neg);
         }
         let used = painter.widget_within(&self.inner, region);
         Size {
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/position/span.rs b/iris/src/widget/position/span.rs
index a244f74..9ecca40 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/position/span.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/position/span.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,18 @@ use std::marker::PhantomData;
 pub struct Span {
     pub children: Vec<StrongWidget>,
     pub dir: Dir,
-    pub gap: f32,
+    /// A `Len` (not a bare `f32`) so `dp(4)` resolves against the display's
+    /// density the same way any other size in the tree does -- see
+    /// `Len::dp`'s field doc. Only the `abs` component (folded from `dp` at
+    /// draw time, `Widget::draw` below) is meaningful here; `rel`/`rest`
+    /// were never supported for a gap and still are not.
+    pub gap: Len,
 }
 
 impl Widget for Span {
     fn draw(&mut self, painter: &mut Painter) -> Size {
         let axis = self.dir.axis;
+        let gap = self.gap.apply_rest(painter.density()).abs;
 
         // Phase 1: draw each child once, at the ambient (unmodified, full)
         // region a size-only query used to see before this migration, to
@@ -25,7 +31,7 @@ impl Widget for Span {
             .map(|child| painter.widget(child).axis(axis))
             .collect();
 
-        let gap_total = self.gap * self.children.len().saturating_sub(1) as f32;
+        let gap_total = gap * self.children.len().saturating_sub(1) as f32;
         let total = lens.iter().fold(Len::abs(gap_total), |s, &l| s + l);
 
         // Phase 2: place each child for real, using the lengths just
@@ -54,7 +60,7 @@ impl Widget for Span {
                 child_region.flip(axis);
             }
             let used = painter.widget_within(child, child_region);
-            start.abs += self.gap;
+            start.abs += gap;
 
             let ortho = used.axis(!axis);
             if ortho.rel > 0.0 || ortho.rest > 0.0 {
@@ -82,12 +88,12 @@ impl Span {
         Self {
             children: Vec::new(),
             dir,
-            gap: 0.0,
+            gap: Len::ZERO,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn gap(mut self, gap: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        self.gap = gap.to_f32();
+    pub fn gap(mut self, gap: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        self.gap = gap.into();
         self
     }
 
@@ -103,7 +109,7 @@ impl Span {
 pub struct SpanBuilder<State, const LEN: usize, Wa: WidgetArrLike<State, LEN, Tag>, Tag> {
     pub children: Wa,
     pub dir: Dir,
-    pub gap: f32,
+    pub gap: Len,
     _pd: PhantomData<(State, Tag)>,
 }
 
@@ -129,13 +135,13 @@ impl<State, const LEN: usize, Wa: WidgetArrLike<State, LEN, Tag>, Tag>
         Self {
             children,
             dir,
-            gap: 0.0,
+            gap: Len::ZERO,
             _pd: PhantomData,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn gap(mut self, gap: impl UiNum) -> Self {
-        self.gap = gap.to_f32();
+    pub fn gap(mut self, gap: impl Into<Len>) -> Self {
+        self.gap = gap.into();
         self
     }
 }
diff --git a/iris/src/widget/text/edit.rs b/iris/src/widget/text/edit.rs
index 2044ab6..3feb162 100644
--- a/iris/src/widget/text/edit.rs
+++ b/iris/src/widget/text/edit.rs
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ impl<'a> TextEditCtx<'a> {
     fn layout(&mut self) -> &Layout<UiColor> {
         let attrs = self.text.view.attrs.clone();
         let width = self.text.view.wrap_width();
-        self.text.view.buf.shape(self.data, &attrs, width);
+        let density = self.data.density;
+        self.text.view.buf.shape(self.data, &attrs, width, density);
         self.text.view.buf.layout()
     }
 
diff --git a/iris/transcript-ui/src/composer.rs b/iris/transcript-ui/src/composer.rs
index f661f05..741c1b1 100644
--- a/iris/transcript-ui/src/composer.rs
+++ b/iris/transcript-ui/src/composer.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ where
         .label("Message")
         .add(rsc);
 
-    let bar: WeakWidget = (field.pad(12).width(rest(1)),)
+    let bar: WeakWidget = (field.pad(dp(12)).width(rest(1)),)
         .span(Dir::RIGHT)
         .background(rect(UiColor::new(40, 40, 46, 255)))
         .add(rsc);
diff --git a/iris/transcript-ui/src/row.rs b/iris/transcript-ui/src/row.rs
index 92581ae..693a9e9 100644
--- a/iris/transcript-ui/src/row.rs
+++ b/iris/transcript-ui/src/row.rs
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ where
 
     (header, field.width(rest(1)))
         .span(Dir::DOWN)
-        .gap(4)
-        .pad(10)
+        .gap(dp(4))
+        .pad(dp(10))
         .add_strong(rsc)
         .any()
 }