diff --git a/e2e/tools-url.spec.ts b/e2e/tools-url.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1deb0103c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/tools-url.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import { expect, Page, test } from "@playwright/test";
+
+// Guards the addressable-tool URLs on /tools: every tool has to be reachable by
+// link, survive a refresh, and move with Back/Forward. Needs a server running
+// (`yarn dev`, or `yarn build && yarn start`).
+const BASE = process.env.TOOLS_BASE_URL || "http://localhost:3000";
+
+const heading = (page: Page) => page.locator("h2").first();
+const tab = (page: Page, name: string) =>
+  page.getByRole("button", { name, exact: true });
+
+// The tab bar only responds once React has hydrated, so retry the click until
+// the URL actually changes rather than racing the first paint.
+async function clickTab(page: Page, name: string, slug: string) {
+  await expect(async () => {
+    await tab(page, name).click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(new RegExp(`\\?tool=${slug}$`));
+  }).toPass({ timeout: 30_000 });
+}
+
+test("a tool can be linked to directly", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/tools?tool=address-decoder`);
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("Address Decoder");
+
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/tools?tool=payment-request`);
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("Payment Request Builder");
+});
+
+test("picking a tool puts its slug in the url", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/tools`);
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("ZEC ↔ Zats");
+
+  await clickTab(page, "Payment Request", "payment-request");
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("Payment Request Builder");
+});
+
+test("a refresh stays on the same tool", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/tools`);
+  await clickTab(page, "Address Decoder", "address-decoder");
+
+  await page.reload();
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("Address Decoder");
+});
+
+test("back and forward walk through the tools", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/tools`);
+  await clickTab(page, "Payment Request", "payment-request");
+  await clickTab(page, "Address Decoder", "address-decoder");
+
+  await page.goBack();
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("Payment Request Builder");
+  await page.goBack();
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("ZEC ↔ Zats");
+  await page.goForward();
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("Payment Request Builder");
+});
+
+test("an unknown slug falls back to the first tool", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/tools?tool=not-a-real-tool`);
+  await expect(heading(page)).toHaveText("ZEC ↔ Zats");
+});
+
+test("the locale prefix survives a tool switch", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/es/tools`);
+  await clickTab(page, "Address Decoder", "address-decoder");
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(`${BASE}/es/tools?tool=address-decoder`);
+});
diff --git a/src/app/[locale]/tools/ToolTabs.tsx b/src/app/[locale]/tools/ToolTabs.tsx
index fd9e5f23d..95bd29e64 100644
--- a/src/app/[locale]/tools/ToolTabs.tsx
+++ b/src/app/[locale]/tools/ToolTabs.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 "use client";
 
 import ZecToZatsConverter from "@/components/Converter/ZecToZatsConverter";
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useSearchParams } from "next/navigation";
 import AddressDecoder from "./AddressDecoder";
 import PaymentRequestBuilder from "./PaymentRequestBuilder";
 import PaymentRequestWidget from "./zcash-payment-widget/PaymentRequestWidget";
 
-type TabId = "converter" | "payment" | "decoder" | "payment-request-widget";
+// Tab ids double as the public URL slug, e.g. /tools?tool=address-decoder.
+// Renaming one changes a shareable link, so treat them as part of the API.
+type TabId =
+  | "converter"
+  | "payment-request"
+  | "payment-request-widget"
+  | "address-decoder";
 
 interface Tab {
   id: TabId;
@@ -27,7 +33,7 @@ const TABS: Tab[] = [
     subtitle: "Precise conversion between ZEC and Zatoshi",
   },
   {
-    id: "payment",
+    id: "payment-request",
     label: "Payment Request",
     shortLabel: "Payment",
     badge: "ZIP-321",
@@ -43,7 +49,7 @@ const TABS: Tab[] = [
     subtitle: "Generate zcash: URIs with QR codes for easy payment requests",
   },
   {
-    id: "decoder",
+    id: "address-decoder",
     label: "Address Decoder",
     shortLabel: "Decoder",
     badge: "Unified Address",
@@ -52,6 +58,15 @@ const TABS: Tab[] = [
   },
 ];
 
+const TOOL_PARAM = "tool";
+const DEFAULT_TAB: TabId = TABS[0].id;
+
+function tabIdFromParam(requested: string | null): TabId {
+  return TABS.some((t) => t.id === requested)
+    ? (requested as TabId)
+    : DEFAULT_TAB;
+}
+
 export interface GeneratedConfig {
   address: string;
   amount: number;
@@ -66,7 +81,20 @@ export interface GeneratedConfig {
 }
 
 export default function ToolTabs() {
-  const [active, setActive] = useState<TabId>("converter");
+  // `?tool=` is the only source of truth for which tool is open: it makes each
+  // one linkable, survives a refresh, and moves with Back/Forward for free.
+  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
+  const active = tabIdFromParam(searchParams?.get(TOOL_PARAM) ?? null);
+
+  const selectTab = (id: TabId) => {
+    if (id === active) return;
+    const url = new URL(window.location.href);
+    url.searchParams.set(TOOL_PARAM, id);
+    // pushState rather than router.push: switching tools stays instant and
+    // local instead of round-tripping to the server, and Back/Forward still get
+    // a real history entry. Next keeps useSearchParams in sync with it.
+    window.history.pushState(null, "", url);
+  };
 
   const current = TABS.find((t) => t.id === active)!;
 
@@ -79,7 +107,8 @@ export default function ToolTabs() {
           return (
             <button
               key={tab.id}
-              onClick={() => setActive(tab.id)}
+              onClick={() => selectTab(tab.id)}
+              aria-current={isActive ? "page" : undefined}
               className={`
                 flex-1 relative py-2.5 sm:py-3 rounded-lg text-[13px] sm:text-sm font-semibold
                 transition-all duration-200 ease-out
@@ -115,9 +144,9 @@ export default function ToolTabs() {
         {/* Card body */}
         <div className="px-5 py-6 sm:px-7 sm:py-7">
           {active === "converter" && <ZecToZatsConverter />}
-          {active === "payment" && <PaymentRequestBuilder />}
+          {active === "payment-request" && <PaymentRequestBuilder />}
           {active === "payment-request-widget" && <PaymentRequestWidget />}
-          {active === "decoder" && <AddressDecoder />}
+          {active === "address-decoder" && <AddressDecoder />}
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/app/[locale]/tools/page.tsx b/src/app/[locale]/tools/page.tsx
index b7fe6bddb..911774562 100644
--- a/src/app/[locale]/tools/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/[locale]/tools/page.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 import ToolTabs from './ToolTabs'
 
+// Which tool is open comes from `?tool=`, so this page can't be prerendered as
+// one static document — rendering per request is what lets a shared link land
+// on the right tool instead of flipping to it after hydration.
+export const dynamic = 'force-dynamic'
+
 export const metadata = {
   title: 'Zcash Developer Tools | ZecHub',
   description: