diff --git a/src/hooks/use-is-mobile.ts b/src/hooks/use-is-mobile.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70d00eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/use-is-mobile.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+'use client';
+
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+
+const MOBILE_QUERY = '(max-width: 1023.98px)';
+
+/**
+ * Returns true when the viewport is below the `lg` Tailwind breakpoint.
+ * Backed by a media-query listener; safe to call from any client component.
+ * Server renders return `false` (desktop default) — clients hydrate to the
+ * true viewport state on mount.
+ *
+ * Not unit-tested: the repo's vitest is configured for environment='node'
+ * (no @testing-library/react / DOM env). Verified through the mobile-shell
+ * Playwright visual snapshots in Task 23.
+ */
+export function useIsMobile(): boolean {
+  const [isMobile, setIsMobile] = useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const mq = window.matchMedia(MOBILE_QUERY);
+    const update = (e: { matches: boolean }) => setIsMobile(e.matches);
+    setIsMobile(mq.matches);
+    mq.addEventListener('change', update);
+    return () => mq.removeEventListener('change', update);
+  }, []);
+
+  return isMobile;
+}