diff --git a/.changeset/clarify-permission-mode-copy.md b/.changeset/clarify-permission-mode-copy.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca6dc0861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/clarify-permission-mode-copy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@moonshot-ai/kimi-code": patch
+---
+
+Clarify which actions YOLO and Auto permission modes approve automatically across the CLI and TUI.
diff --git a/apps/kimi-code/src/cli/commands.ts b/apps/kimi-code/src/cli/commands.ts
index 960c707a6..330c60143 100644
--- a/apps/kimi-code/src/cli/commands.ts
+++ b/apps/kimi-code/src/cli/commands.ts
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ export function createProgram(
     )
     .option('-c, --continue', 'Continue the previous session for the working directory.', false)
     .addOption(new Option('-C').hideHelp().default(false))
-    .option('-y, --yolo', 'Auto-approve regular tool calls; the agent may still ask questions.', false)
-    .option('--auto', 'Start in auto permission mode: fully autonomous, the agent will not ask questions.', false)
+    .option('-y, --yolo', 'Auto-approve regular tools; sensitive actions may still need approval, and the agent may ask.', false)
+    .option('--auto', 'Run unattended: auto-approve permission prompts and never ask questions.', false)
     .addOption(
       new Option(
         '-m, --model <model>',
diff --git a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/config.ts b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/config.ts
index 5cab011ea..e84e5a13a 100644
--- a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/config.ts
+++ b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/config.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ export async function handleYoloCommand(host: SlashCommandHost, args: string): P
     }
     await session.setPermission('yolo');
     host.setAppState({ permissionMode: 'yolo' });
-    host.showNotice('YOLO mode: ON', 'Tool actions auto-approved; the agent may still ask you questions.');
+    host.showNotice('YOLO mode: ON', 'Regular tools auto-approved; sensitive actions may still need approval, and the agent may ask.');
     return;
   }
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ export async function handleYoloCommand(host: SlashCommandHost, args: string): P
   } else {
     await session.setPermission('yolo');
     host.setAppState({ permissionMode: 'yolo' });
-    host.showNotice('YOLO mode: ON', 'Tool actions auto-approved; the agent may still ask you questions.');
+    host.showNotice('YOLO mode: ON', 'Regular tools auto-approved; sensitive actions may still need approval, and the agent may ask.');
   }
 }
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ export async function handleAutoCommand(host: SlashCommandHost, args: string): P
     }
     await session.setPermission('auto');
     host.setAppState({ permissionMode: 'auto' });
-    host.showNotice('Auto mode: ON', 'All actions auto-approved; the agent will not ask you questions.');
+    host.showNotice('Auto mode: ON', 'Permission prompts auto-approved; the agent will not ask you questions.');
     return;
   }
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export async function handleAutoCommand(host: SlashCommandHost, args: string): P
   } else {
     await session.setPermission('auto');
     host.setAppState({ permissionMode: 'auto' });
-    host.showNotice('Auto mode: ON', 'All actions auto-approved; the agent will not ask you questions.');
+    host.showNotice('Auto mode: ON', 'Permission prompts auto-approved; the agent will not ask you questions.');
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/registry.ts b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/registry.ts
index 34556f7e6..500a018e0 100644
--- a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/registry.ts
+++ b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/commands/registry.ts
@@ -136,14 +136,14 @@ export const BUILTIN_SLASH_COMMANDS = [
   {
     name: 'yolo',
     aliases: ['yes'],
-    description: 'Toggle YOLO mode: auto-approve tool actions, but the agent may still ask questions.',
+    description: 'Toggle YOLO mode: auto-approve regular tools; sensitive actions may still need approval, and the agent may ask.',
     priority: 101,
     availability: 'always',
   },
   {
     name: 'auto',
     aliases: [],
-    description: 'Toggle Auto mode: fully autonomous, agent decides everything without asking.',
+    description: 'Toggle Auto mode: run unattended, auto-approve permission prompts, and never ask questions.',
     priority: 99,
     availability: 'always',
   },
diff --git a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/components/dialogs/permission-selector.ts b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/components/dialogs/permission-selector.ts
index c13098783..1091a3ae8 100644
--- a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/components/dialogs/permission-selector.ts
+++ b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/components/dialogs/permission-selector.ts
@@ -6,17 +6,17 @@ const PERMISSION_OPTIONS: readonly ChoiceOption[] = [
   {
     value: 'manual',
     label: 'Manual',
-    description: 'Approve every action yourself.',
+    description: 'Review actions that require approval.',
   },
   {
     value: 'yolo',
     label: 'YOLO',
-    description: 'Auto-approve tool actions, but the agent may still ask questions.',
+    description: 'Auto-approve regular tools; sensitive actions may still need approval, and the agent may ask.',
   },
   {
     value: 'auto',
     label: 'Auto',
-    description: 'Fully autonomous — agent decides everything without asking.',
+    description: 'Run unattended — auto-approve permission prompts and never ask questions.',
   },
 ];
 
diff --git a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/controllers/session-replay.ts b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/controllers/session-replay.ts
index ad6e82358..af91b03cf 100644
--- a/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/controllers/session-replay.ts
+++ b/apps/kimi-code/src/tui/controllers/session-replay.ts
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ export class SessionReplayRenderer {
     if (mode === 'yolo') {
       this.host.appendTranscriptEntry(
         replayEntry(context, 'status', 'YOLO mode: ON', 'notice', {
-          detail: 'Tool actions auto-approved; the agent may still ask you questions.',
+          detail: 'Regular tools auto-approved; sensitive actions may still need approval, and the agent may ask.',
         }),
       );
       return;