diff --git a/neode-ui/src/style.css b/neode-ui/src/style.css
index 057512f8..f0da200d 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/style.css
+++ b/neode-ui/src/style.css
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@
 .sidebar-nav-item:focus-visible,
 .path-action-button:focus-visible,
 .path-option-card:focus-visible,
-.mode-switcher-btn:focus-visible,
 .kiosk-app-tile:focus-visible,
 input:focus-visible,
 textarea:focus-visible,
@@ -191,10 +190,10 @@ input[type="radio"]:active + * {
     font-size: 0.75rem;
     font-weight: 500;
     color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.45);
-    transition: color 0.2s ease, background-color 0.2s ease;
+    transition: color 0.2s ease, background-color 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease, border-color 0.2s ease;
     cursor: pointer;
     text-align: center;
-    border: none;
+    border: 1px solid transparent;
     background: transparent;
   }
 
@@ -211,9 +210,22 @@ input[type="radio"]:active + * {
   }
 
   .mode-switcher-btn-active {
-    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15);
+    background: rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.15);
     color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95);
-    box-shadow: 0 1px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
+    box-shadow:
+      0 1px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3),
+      0 0 8px rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.12),
+      inset 0 1px 0 rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.2);
+    border-color: rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.25);
+  }
+
+  .mode-switcher-btn:focus-visible {
+    background: rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.1);
+    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9);
+    box-shadow:
+      0 0 0 1px rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.4),
+      0 0 12px rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.2);
+    border-color: rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.3);
   }
 
   /* Chat launcher button — sidebar (desktop) */
@@ -967,17 +979,15 @@ input[type="radio"]:active + * {
     transform: translateY(1px);
   }
 
-  /* Active Navigation Tab Style — orange glass */
+  /* Active Navigation Tab Style — sidebar selected item */
   .nav-tab-active {
     position: relative;
-    background: rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.15) !important;
+    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35) !important;
     box-shadow:
-      0 6px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5),
-      0 0 12px rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.15),
-      inset 0 1px 0 rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.3) !important;
+      0 6px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6),
+      inset 0 1px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important;
     color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) !important;
     font-weight: 600 !important;
-    border: 1px solid rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.3) !important;
   }
 
   .nav-tab-active::before {
@@ -986,7 +996,7 @@ input[type="radio"]:active + * {
     inset: 0;
     border-radius: inherit;
     padding: 2px;
-    background: linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.4), rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.05));
+    background: linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3), transparent);
     -webkit-mask:
       linear-gradient(#fff 0 0) content-box,
       linear-gradient(#fff 0 0);
@@ -995,17 +1005,14 @@ input[type="radio"]:active + * {
     pointer-events: none;
   }
 
-  /* Sidebar nav items: grow + glow on gamepad focus */
+  /* Sidebar nav items: grow + glow on gamepad focus (same as containers) */
   .sidebar-nav-item {
-    transition: transform 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease, background 0.2s ease, border-color 0.2s ease;
+    transition: transform 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease;
   }
   .sidebar-nav-item:focus-visible {
     outline: none !important;
-    background: rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.12) !important;
+    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1) !important;
     color: white !important;
-    box-shadow:
-      0 0 0 1px rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.3),
-      0 0 12px rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.15) !important;
   }
 }