diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/color_replacement_tolerance_field_tests.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/color_replacement_tolerance_field_tests.rs
index 7e237bcdfc..d6ded4c0c9 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/color_replacement_tolerance_field_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/color_replacement_tolerance_field_tests.rs
@@ -65,6 +65,40 @@ fn a_fraction_stores_a_whole_number_and_text_changes_nothing() {
     assert_eq!(alert(&h), None, "and no alert");
 }
 
+/// Types `text` into the Tolerance field and leaves it there, with the keyboard.
+fn type_without_leaving(h: &mut Harness<'static, PhotocraftApp>, text: &str) {
+    h.query_all_by_role(Role::SpinButton).find(|n| n.accesskit_node().label().as_deref() == Some("Tolerance:")).expect("the Tolerance field").click();
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.key_press_modifiers(egui::Modifiers::COMMAND, egui::Key::A);
+    h.event(egui::Event::Text(text.into()));
+    h.run_steps(1);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn text_typed_over_a_value_past_the_range_does_not_alert() {
+    let mut h = bar();
+    type_without_leaving(&mut h, "150");
+    h.key_press_modifiers(egui::Modifiers::COMMAND, egui::Key::A);
+    h.event(egui::Event::Text("abc".into()));
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.key_press(egui::Key::Tab);
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(alert(&h), None, "the field is left holding text that is no number: no alert");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_tool_change_while_typing_past_the_range_still_alerts() {
+    let mut h = bar();
+    type_without_leaving(&mut h, "150");
+    assert_eq!(alert(&h), None, "not yet: the field still has the keyboard");
+    // A tool shortcut the field passes by (a custom function key) changes the tool before the
+    // field is left, so the field is never drawn again.
+    h.state_mut().ui.tool = Tool::Brush;
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    assert_eq!(tolerance(&h), 100.0);
+    assert_eq!(alert(&h).as_deref(), Some(TOLERANCE_RANGE_ALERT), "the alert the field owed");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn the_bar_has_the_reference_tooltips() {
     for (role, label, tip) in [
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/options_bar.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/options_bar.rs
index 76431408c3..a5211755a5 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/options_bar.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/options_bar.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ pub(super) fn options_bar_height(pro: bool, narrow: bool) -> f32 {
 
 pub fn options_bar(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     crate::vector_ui::track_arrow_default_selection(app, ui.ctx());
+    crate::eraser_ui::alert_for_a_field_gone(app, ui.ctx());
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
     let narrow = app.session.prefs().workspace.narrow_options_bar();
     egui::Panel::top("options_bar")
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/tools/eraser_ui.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/tools/eraser_ui.rs
index 54b45a21b7..573bcb3835 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/tools/eraser_ui.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/tools/eraser_ui.rs
@@ -227,7 +227,10 @@ pub(crate) fn whole_tolerance_field(ui: &mut egui::Ui, value: &mut f32, draft: &
     // An edit the field never got to finish (the options bar was hidden while it had the
     // keyboard) has nothing left to say once the field is entered again.
     if r.gained_focus() {
-        ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| d.remove_temp::<bool>(out_id));
+        ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| {
+            d.remove_temp::<bool>(out_id);
+            d.remove_temp::<bool>(r.id.with("parses"));
+        });
     }
     if r.changed() && typed.is_finite() {
         *value = typed.round().clamp(1.0, 100.0);
@@ -243,10 +246,47 @@ pub(crate) fn whole_tolerance_field(ui: &mut egui::Ui, value: &mut f32, draft: &
             ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| d.remove_temp::<(f32, f32)>(draft_id));
         }
     }
+    // Text replaced by something that is no number (`150`, then `abc`) leaves the value alone
+    // when the field is left, with no alert (#12268).
+    if r.has_focus() && widgets::typed_text_parses(ui.ctx(), r.id) == Some(false) {
+        ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| d.remove_temp::<bool>(out_id));
+    }
     if !r.has_focus() {
         ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| d.remove_temp::<(f32, f32)>(draft_id));
     }
-    r.lost_focus() && ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| d.remove_temp::<bool>(out_id)).unwrap_or(false)
+    let alert = r.lost_focus() && ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| d.remove_temp::<bool>(out_id)).unwrap_or(false);
+    // While a value typed out of range waits for the field to be left, the bar notes the pass, so
+    // a field that goes away instead (a tool shortcut that passes the field by) still alerts.
+    let owed = r.has_focus() && ui.ctx().data(|d| d.get_temp::<bool>(out_id)).unwrap_or(false);
+    let pass = ui.ctx().cumulative_pass_nr();
+    ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| {
+        if owed {
+            d.insert_temp(range_alert_owed_id(), pass);
+        } else {
+            d.remove_temp::<u64>(range_alert_owed_id());
+        }
+    });
+    alert
+}
+
+fn range_alert_owed_id() -> egui::Id {
+    egui::Id::unique("whole-tolerance-range-alert-owed")
+}
+
+/// Shows [`TOLERANCE_RANGE_ALERT`] for a whole-number Tolerance field that went away in the last
+/// pass while it held a value typed out of range (the tool changed by a shortcut, #12268). The
+/// options bar calls it before drawing a tool's options. An edit older than that (the bar was
+/// hidden meanwhile) is dropped, as the field drops it once entered again.
+pub(crate) fn alert_for_a_field_gone(app: &mut PhotocraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
+    let Some(seen) = ctx.data(|d| d.get_temp::<u64>(range_alert_owed_id())) else { return };
+    let now = ctx.cumulative_pass_nr();
+    if seen.saturating_add(1) >= now {
+        return;
+    }
+    ctx.data_mut(|d| d.remove_temp::<u64>(range_alert_owed_id()));
+    if seen.saturating_add(2) == now {
+        open_range_alert(app);
+    }
 }
 
 /// A Tolerance as the field stores it: a whole number in 1..=100, the default 50 for a value
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs
index 1fb94c9d72..40c03c1231 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ pub(crate) use fields::compact_wrapping_value_field;
 #[cfg(test)]
 use fields::{FieldOpts, NUMERIC_INPUT_LIMIT, value_field_in};
 pub use fields::{
-    POPUP_ARROW_W, PopupFieldResponse, VALUE_FIELD_H, compact_value_field, elided_label, elided_label_sensed, popup_value_field, value_field,
-    value_field_named, value_field_whole_alerting,
+    POPUP_ARROW_W, PopupFieldResponse, VALUE_FIELD_H, compact_value_field, elided_label, elided_label_sensed, popup_value_field, typed_text_parses,
+    value_field, value_field_named, value_field_whole_alerting,
 };
 pub(crate) use panel::body_margin;
 pub use panel::{
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets/fields.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets/fields.rs
index 4c5cadb278..ca060e38ab 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets/fields.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets/fields.rs
@@ -538,6 +538,8 @@ fn number_edit(
                 };
                 let s = ready.as_str();
                 let v = if hold_typed { zoom_number(s, units) } else { parse_num_in(s, units) };
+                // Whether the text being typed is a number at all, for [`typed_text_parses`].
+                ctx.data_mut(|d| d.insert_temp(id.with("parses"), v.is_some()));
                 if ctx.memory(|m| m.has_focus(id)) && plain(s).is_none() {
                     // Still typing arithmetic: hold it, and stop applying keystrokes once it parses.
                     ctx.data_mut(|d| d.insert_temp(held, v.is_some()));
@@ -570,6 +572,12 @@ fn number_edit(
     resp
 }
 
+/// Whether the text last typed into the number field `id` (a [`value_field`]'s response id) reads
+/// as a number, an arithmetic entry included once it is complete: `None` before anything was typed.
+pub fn typed_text_parses(ctx: &egui::Context, id: egui::Id) -> Option<bool> {
+    ctx.data(|d| d.get_temp::<bool>(id.with("parses")))
+}
+
 /// The zoom a zoom field's text stands for, with at most one decimal separator (`,` or `.`): a
 /// number, or a ratio (`1/2` is 50 %, `5/2` is 250 %). `None` when it is neither, or holds a
 /// second separator (`zoom_field::read` takes that apart).