diff --git a/src/lib/views/Settings.svelte b/src/lib/views/Settings.svelte
index d9d10f8..0acb278 100644
--- a/src/lib/views/Settings.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/views/Settings.svelte
@@ -9,6 +9,17 @@
   import { open } from "@tauri-apps/plugin-dialog";
   import type { BackendId, SyncKind, SyncTargetConfig } from "../api";
   import { trapFocus } from "../actions/trapFocus";
+  import {
+    X,
+    Check,
+    AlertTriangle,
+    Mic,
+    Cpu,
+    HardDrive,
+    CalendarDays,
+    UploadCloud,
+    ShieldCheck,
+  } from "@lucide/svelte";
 
   let { onClose }: { onClose: () => void } = $props();
 
@@ -49,7 +60,7 @@
     return Math.round((p.received / p.total) * 100);
   }
   let showConsent = $state(false);
-  let testResult = $state<string | null>(null);
+  let testResult = $state<{ ok: boolean; message: string } | null>(null);
 
   onMount(() => {
     settings.load();
@@ -113,7 +124,7 @@
   }
   async function testConnection() {
     const r = await settings.test(form);
-    testResult = (r.ok ? "✓ " : "✗ ") + r.message;
+    testResult = { ok: r.ok, message: r.message };
   }
   async function addTarget() {
     await settings.addTarget(form);
@@ -138,24 +149,28 @@
     <header>
       <strong>Settings</strong>
       <nav>
-        <button class:active={section === "recording"} onclick={() => (section = "recording")}
-          >Recording</button
-        >
-        <button class:active={section === "hardware"} onclick={() => (section = "hardware")}
-          >Hardware</button
-        >
-        <button class:active={section === "storage"} onclick={() => (section = "storage")}
-          >Storage</button
-        >
-        <button class:active={section === "calendar"} onclick={() => (section = "calendar")}
-          >Calendar</button
-        >
-        <button class:active={section === "sync"} onclick={() => (section = "sync")}>Sync</button>
-        <button class:active={section === "privacy"} onclick={() => (section = "privacy")}
-          >Privacy</button
-        >
+        <button class:active={section === "recording"} onclick={() => (section = "recording")}>
+          <Mic size={14} aria-hidden="true" /> Recording
+        </button>
+        <button class:active={section === "hardware"} onclick={() => (section = "hardware")}>
+          <Cpu size={14} aria-hidden="true" /> Hardware
+        </button>
+        <button class:active={section === "storage"} onclick={() => (section = "storage")}>
+          <HardDrive size={14} aria-hidden="true" /> Storage
+        </button>
+        <button class:active={section === "calendar"} onclick={() => (section = "calendar")}>
+          <CalendarDays size={14} aria-hidden="true" /> Calendar
+        </button>
+        <button class:active={section === "sync"} onclick={() => (section = "sync")}>
+          <UploadCloud size={14} aria-hidden="true" /> Sync
+        </button>
+        <button class:active={section === "privacy"} onclick={() => (section = "privacy")}>
+          <ShieldCheck size={14} aria-hidden="true" /> Privacy
+        </button>
       </nav>
-      <button class="close" onclick={onClose} aria-label="Close">✕</button>
+      <button class="close" onclick={onClose} aria-label="Close" title="Close (Esc)">
+        <X size={18} aria-hidden="true" />
+      </button>
     </header>
 
     {#if settings.backendStub && section === "sync"}
@@ -449,11 +464,20 @@
             <button class="primary" onclick={addTarget} disabled={!form.name || !form.base_url}
               >Add target</button
             >
-            {#if testResult}<span class="test">{testResult}</span>{/if}
+            {#if testResult}
+              <span class="test" class:ok={testResult.ok} class:fail={!testResult.ok}>
+                {#if testResult.ok}<Check size={14} aria-hidden="true" />{:else}<X
+                    size={14}
+                    aria-hidden="true"
+                  />{/if}
+                {testResult.message}
+              </span>
+            {/if}
           </div>
         {:else}
           <div class="banner">
-            ⚠ {form.kind} is a third-party cloud — uploading sends your data off your device to {form.kind}.
+            <AlertTriangle size={14} aria-hidden="true" />
+            {form.kind} is a third-party cloud — uploading sends your data off your device to {form.kind}.
           </div>
           <div class="grid">
             <label class="wide">Name<input bind:value={form.name} placeholder={form.kind} /></label>
@@ -494,7 +518,10 @@
 
           <h4>Egress allowlist</h4>
           {#if settings.privacy.allowlistedHosts.length === 0}
-            <p class="muted confirm">✓ No hosts are allowlisted — WA makes no content egress.</p>
+            <p class="muted confirm">
+              <Check size={14} aria-hidden="true" />
+              No hosts are allowlisted — WA makes no content egress.
+            </p>
           {:else}
             <ul class="hosts">
               {#each settings.privacy.allowlistedHosts as host (host)}
@@ -532,25 +559,26 @@
   .overlay {
     position: fixed;
     inset: 0;
-    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.45);
+    background: rgba(10, 12, 16, 0.5);
     display: grid;
     place-items: center;
     z-index: 50;
   }
   .panel {
-    background: var(--bg);
+    background: var(--bg-elevated);
     color: var(--fg);
     width: min(720px, 92vw);
     max-height: 88vh;
     overflow: auto;
     border: 1px solid var(--border);
-    border-radius: 10px;
+    border-radius: var(--radius-lg);
+    box-shadow: var(--shadow-lg);
     padding: 0 1.25rem 1.25rem;
   }
   header {
     position: sticky;
     top: 0;
-    background: var(--bg);
+    background: var(--bg-elevated);
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
     gap: 1rem;
@@ -563,25 +591,44 @@
   }
   nav button,
   .kinds button {
+    display: inline-flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 0.35rem;
     background: transparent;
     border: 1px solid var(--border);
     color: var(--fg);
-    padding: 0.3rem 0.7rem;
-    border-radius: 6px;
+    padding: 0.35rem 0.7rem;
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    font-size: 0.85rem;
     cursor: pointer;
+    transition: background-color 120ms ease-out;
+  }
+  nav button:hover,
+  .kinds button:hover {
+    background: var(--bg-hover);
   }
   nav button.active,
   .kinds button.active {
-    background: var(--fg);
-    color: var(--bg);
+    background: var(--accent);
+    color: var(--accent-fg);
+    border-color: transparent;
   }
   .close {
+    display: grid;
+    place-items: center;
     margin-left: auto;
+    width: 30px;
+    height: 30px;
     background: transparent;
-    border: none;
+    border: 1px solid var(--border);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
     color: var(--muted);
     cursor: pointer;
-    font-size: 1rem;
+    transition: background-color 120ms ease-out;
+  }
+  .close:hover {
+    background: var(--bg-hover);
+    color: var(--fg);
   }
   h3 {
     margin: 1rem 0 0.5rem;
@@ -687,13 +734,21 @@
     gap: 0.3rem;
   }
   .banner {
-    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--danger) 14%, var(--bg));
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: flex-start;
+    gap: 0.4rem;
+    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--warning) 14%, var(--bg));
     border: 1px solid var(--border);
     padding: 0.5rem 0.7rem;
-    border-radius: 6px;
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
     font-size: 0.85rem;
     margin: 0.5rem 0;
   }
+  .banner :global(svg) {
+    flex-shrink: 0;
+    margin-top: 0.15rem;
+    color: var(--warning);
+  }
   ul.targets,
   ul.models,
   ul.events {
@@ -764,10 +819,22 @@
     color: var(--danger);
   }
   .test {
+    display: inline-flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 0.3rem;
     font-size: 0.82rem;
     color: var(--muted);
   }
+  .test.ok {
+    color: var(--success);
+  }
+  .test.fail {
+    color: var(--danger);
+  }
   .confirm {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 0.35rem;
     color: var(--success);
   }
   ul.hosts {