diff --git a/src/pages/dashboard/AddProductPage.tsx b/src/pages/dashboard/AddProductPage.tsx
index 0051ce5..d099568 100644
--- a/src/pages/dashboard/AddProductPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/dashboard/AddProductPage.tsx
@@ -243,7 +243,86 @@ export const AddProductPage: React.FC = () => {
     setTimeout(() => setAutoSaved(true), 600);
   };
 
+  // Step completion flags
+  const isStep1Complete = Boolean(category);
+  const isStep2Complete = Boolean(image || coverPreview);
+  const isStep3Complete = Boolean(title.trim());
+  const isStep4Complete = Boolean(price && Number(price) > 0);
+
+  const isStepDone = (stepNum: number) => {
+    if (stepNum === 1) return isStep1Complete;
+    if (stepNum === 2) return isStep2Complete;
+    if (stepNum === 3) return isStep3Complete;
+    if (stepNum === 4) return isStep4Complete;
+    return false;
+  };
+
+  const canAccessStep = (targetStep: number) => {
+    if (targetStep <= step) return true;
+    if (targetStep >= 2 && !isStep1Complete) return false;
+    if (targetStep >= 3 && !isStep2Complete) return false;
+    if (targetStep >= 4 && !isStep3Complete) return false;
+    return true;
+  };
+
+  const handleStepClick = (targetStep: number) => {
+    if (targetStep === step) return;
+    if (targetStep < step) {
+      setErrorMessage(null);
+      setStep(targetStep);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (targetStep >= 2 && !isStep1Complete) {
+      setErrorMessage('Please select a craft category in Step 1 before proceeding.');
+      setStep(1);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (targetStep >= 3 && !isStep2Complete) {
+      setErrorMessage('Please upload at least a primary cover photo in Step 2 before proceeding.');
+      setStep(2);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (targetStep >= 4 && !isStep3Complete) {
+      setErrorMessage('Please provide a Product Title in Step 3 before proceeding.');
+      setStep(3);
+      return;
+    }
+    setErrorMessage(null);
+    setStep(targetStep);
+  };
+
+  const handleContinue = () => {
+    if (step === 1) {
+      if (!isStep1Complete) {
+        setErrorMessage('Please select a craft category before continuing.');
+        return;
+      }
+    } else if (step === 2) {
+      if (!isStep2Complete) {
+        setErrorMessage('Please upload at least a primary cover photo before continuing.');
+        return;
+      }
+    } else if (step === 3) {
+      if (!isStep3Complete) {
+        setErrorMessage('Please provide a Product Title before continuing.');
+        return;
+      }
+    }
+    setErrorMessage(null);
+    setStep(s => s + 1);
+  };
+
   const handleFinish = async () => {
+    if (!category) {
+      setErrorMessage('Please select a craft category in Step 1 before publishing.');
+      setStep(1);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (!image && !coverPreview) {
+      setErrorMessage('Please upload at least a primary cover photo in Step 2 before publishing.');
+      setStep(2);
+      return;
+    }
     if (!title.trim()) {
       setErrorMessage('Please provide a Product Title in Step 3 before publishing.');
       setStep(3);
@@ -383,12 +462,14 @@ export const AddProductPage: React.FC = () => {
       {/* ── Unified Stepper ── */}
       <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '8px', overflowX: 'auto', paddingBottom: '4px' }}>
         {STEPS.map((s) => {
-          const isDone = step > s.num;
+          const isDone = isStepDone(s.num);
           const isActive = step === s.num;
+          const isAccessible = canAccessStep(s.num);
           return (
             <div
               key={s.num}
-              onClick={() => setStep(s.num)}
+              onClick={() => handleStepClick(s.num)}
+              title={isAccessible ? `Go to Step ${s.num}: ${s.label}` : `Complete previous steps to unlock Step ${s.num}`}
               style={{
                 flex: 1,
                 minWidth: '160px',
@@ -397,9 +478,10 @@ export const AddProductPage: React.FC = () => {
                 gap: '10px',
                 padding: '12px 16px',
                 borderRadius: '9999px',
-                backgroundColor: isActive ? '#701A29' : isDone ? '#F9FAFB' : '#F9FAFB',
-                border: isDone ? '1px solid #E5E7EB' : '1px solid transparent',
-                cursor: 'pointer',
+                backgroundColor: isActive ? '#701A29' : isDone ? '#F0FDF4' : '#F9FAFB',
+                border: isActive ? '1px solid #701A29' : isDone ? '1px solid #BBF7D0' : '1px solid #E5E7EB',
+                cursor: isAccessible ? 'pointer' : 'not-allowed',
+                opacity: isAccessible ? 1 : 0.6,
                 transition: 'all 0.2s ease'
               }}
             >
@@ -407,16 +489,16 @@ export const AddProductPage: React.FC = () => {
                 width: '24px', height: '24px', borderRadius: '50%',
                 display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
                 fontSize: '0.7rem', fontWeight: 800, flexShrink: 0,
-                backgroundColor: isDone ? '#DCFCE7' : isActive ? '#962337' : 'transparent',
+                backgroundColor: isDone ? '#DCFCE7' : isActive ? '#962337' : '#E5E7EB',
                 color: isDone ? '#166534' : isActive ? '#FFFFFF' : '#6B7280',
               }}>
                 {isDone ? <Check size={12} strokeWidth={3} /> : s.num}
               </div>
               <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column' }}>
-                <span style={{ fontSize: '0.62rem', fontWeight: 700, color: isActive ? '#E5E7EB' : '#9CA3AF', letterSpacing: '0.04em', textTransform: 'uppercase' }}>
+                <span style={{ fontSize: '0.62rem', fontWeight: 700, color: isActive ? '#E5E7EB' : isDone ? '#15803D' : '#9CA3AF', letterSpacing: '0.04em', textTransform: 'uppercase' }}>
                   STEP {s.num}
                 </span>
-                <span style={{ fontSize: '0.8rem', fontWeight: isActive ? 700 : 600, color: isActive ? '#FFFFFF' : '#374151' }}>
+                <span style={{ fontSize: '0.8rem', fontWeight: isActive ? 700 : 600, color: isActive ? '#FFFFFF' : isDone ? '#166534' : '#374151' }}>
                   {s.label}
                 </span>
               </div>
@@ -954,7 +1036,7 @@ export const AddProductPage: React.FC = () => {
           )}
 
           {step < 4 ? (
-            <button type="button" onClick={() => setStep(s => s + 1)}
+            <button type="button" onClick={handleContinue}
               style={{ fontSize: '0.86rem', fontWeight: 700, color: '#FFFFFF', backgroundColor: '#581020', border: 'none', borderRadius: '9999px', padding: '10px 24px', cursor: 'pointer', display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '8px' }}>
               Continue to {step === 1 ? 'Photos & Video' : step === 2 ? 'Story & Details' : 'Pricing & Shipping'}
               <ArrowRight size={16} />