diff --git a/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp b/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp
index f6965f2f..af4da25b 100644
--- a/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp
+++ b/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp
@@ -256,8 +256,16 @@ void EpubReaderActivity::loop() {
     requestUpdate();
   }
 
-  // Enter reader menu activity.
-  if (mappedInput.wasReleased(MappedInputManager::Button::Confirm)) {
+  // Touch reader controls mirror the side page buttons (left third = back, right
+  // third = forward, press-and-hold = long-press behavior) and the Confirm
+  // button (center press-and-hold = open menu). The top-left Back corner is
+  // consumed by wasReleased(Back) earlier, so it never reaches here. No-op on
+  // Xteink / when the setting is off. wasTouchTap is idempotent within a frame,
+  // so reading it here and again below is safe.
+  const auto touch = ReaderUtils::detectTouchPageTurn(renderer);
+
+  // Enter reader menu activity (Confirm release, or a center touch-and-hold).
+  if (mappedInput.wasReleased(MappedInputManager::Button::Confirm) || ReaderUtils::isTouchMenuGesture(touch)) {
     if (ignoreNextConfirmRelease) {
       ignoreNextConfirmRelease = false;
     } else {
@@ -338,12 +346,6 @@ void EpubReaderActivity::loop() {
     return;
   }
 
-  // Touch reader controls mirror the side page buttons (left third = back,
-  // right third = forward, press-and-hold = long-press behavior). The top-left
-  // Back corner is consumed by wasReleased(Back) earlier, so it never reaches
-  // here. No-op on Xteink / when the setting is off.
-  const auto touch = ReaderUtils::detectTouchPageTurn(renderer);
-
   auto [prevTriggered, nextTriggered, fromTilt] = ReaderUtils::detectPageTurn(mappedInput);
   prevTriggered = prevTriggered || touch.prev;
   nextTriggered = nextTriggered || touch.next;
diff --git a/src/activities/reader/ReaderUtils.h b/src/activities/reader/ReaderUtils.h
index 22b94a44..cf12006f 100644
--- a/src/activities/reader/ReaderUtils.h
+++ b/src/activities/reader/ReaderUtils.h
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ constexpr unsigned long GO_HOME_MS = 1000;
 constexpr unsigned long SKIP_HOLD_MS = 700;
 constexpr unsigned long BOOKMARK_HOLD_MS = 400;
 constexpr unsigned long BOOKMARK_MESSAGE_DURATION_MS = 2500;
+// Press-and-hold in the center touch zone (see detectTouchPageTurn) opens the
+// reader menu, the touch analogue of releasing the Confirm button.
+constexpr unsigned long TOUCH_MENU_HOLD_MS = 400;
 
 inline void applyOrientation(GfxRenderer& renderer, const uint8_t orientation) {
   switch (orientation) {
@@ -64,19 +67,21 @@ inline PageTurnResult detectPageTurn(const MappedInputManager& input) {
 
 // Touch reader controls: a tap on the left third of the (oriented) screen turns
 // back a page, the right third turns forward, mirroring the side page buttons.
-// heldMs carries the contact duration so callers can apply the same long-press
-// behavior (chapter skip / orientation change) as the buttons. The center column
-// is left for the menu/Back gesture handled by each reader. Gated off the Xteink
-// devices (no touch) and behind the touchReaderControls setting; returns all-false
-// otherwise, so non-touch readers pay a single branch.
+// The center third opens the reader menu on press-and-hold (see center/heldMs;
+// the menu/Back gesture is handled by each reader). heldMs carries the contact
+// duration so callers can apply the same long-press behavior (chapter skip /
+// orientation change) as the buttons. Gated off the Xteink devices (no touch)
+// and behind the touchReaderControls setting; returns all-false otherwise, so
+// non-touch readers pay a single branch.
 struct TouchPageTurn {
   bool prev;
   bool next;
+  bool center;
   unsigned long heldMs;
 };
 
 inline TouchPageTurn detectTouchPageTurn(GfxRenderer& renderer) {
-  TouchPageTurn result{false, false, 0};
+  TouchPageTurn result{false, false, false, 0};
   if (gpio.isXteinkDevice() || !SETTINGS.touchReaderControls) {
     return result;
   }
@@ -91,11 +96,19 @@ inline TouchPageTurn detectTouchPageTurn(GfxRenderer& renderer) {
     result.prev = true;
   } else if (lx >= 2 * third) {
     result.next = true;
+  } else {
+    result.center = true;
   }
   result.heldMs = gpio.lastTouchHeldMs();
   return result;
 }
 
+// True when the center zone was pressed and held long enough to open the reader
+// menu (touch analogue of a Confirm release).
+inline bool isTouchMenuGesture(const TouchPageTurn& touch) {
+  return touch.center && touch.heldMs >= TOUCH_MENU_HOLD_MS;
+}
+
 inline void displayWithRefreshCycle(const GfxRenderer& renderer, int& pagesUntilFullRefresh) {
   if (pagesUntilFullRefresh <= 1) {
     renderer.displayBuffer(HalDisplay::HALF_REFRESH);
diff --git a/src/activities/reader/XtcReaderActivity.cpp b/src/activities/reader/XtcReaderActivity.cpp
index 7fd51ab3..d398f2e5 100644
--- a/src/activities/reader/XtcReaderActivity.cpp
+++ b/src/activities/reader/XtcReaderActivity.cpp
@@ -53,8 +53,14 @@ void XtcReaderActivity::onExit() {
 }
 
 void XtcReaderActivity::loop() {
-  // Enter chapter selection activity
-  if (mappedInput.wasReleased(MappedInputManager::Button::Confirm)) {
+  // Touch reader controls mirror the side page buttons (left third = back, right
+  // third = forward, press-and-hold = chapter skip) and the Confirm button
+  // (center press-and-hold = chapter selection). No-op on Xteink / when the
+  // setting is off.
+  const auto touch = ReaderUtils::detectTouchPageTurn(renderer);
+
+  // Enter chapter selection activity (Confirm release, or a center touch-and-hold).
+  if (mappedInput.wasReleased(MappedInputManager::Button::Confirm) || ReaderUtils::isTouchMenuGesture(touch)) {
     if (xtc && xtc->hasChapters() && !xtc->getChapters().empty()) {
       startActivityForResult(
           std::make_unique<XtcReaderChapterSelectionActivity>(renderer, mappedInput, xtc, currentPage),
@@ -79,11 +85,6 @@ void XtcReaderActivity::loop() {
     return;
   }
 
-  // Touch reader controls mirror the side page buttons (left third = back,
-  // right third = forward, press-and-hold = chapter skip). No-op on Xteink /
-  // when the setting is off.
-  const auto touch = ReaderUtils::detectTouchPageTurn(renderer);
-
   auto [prevTriggered, nextTriggered, fromTilt] = ReaderUtils::detectPageTurn(mappedInput);
   prevTriggered = prevTriggered || touch.prev;
   nextTriggered = nextTriggered || touch.next;