diff --git a/web/components/nav/profile-summary.tsx b/web/components/nav/profile-summary.tsx
index 1c9f4e4a..f90f396d 100644
--- a/web/components/nav/profile-summary.tsx
+++ b/web/components/nav/profile-summary.tsx
@@ -18,18 +18,16 @@ export function ProfileSummary(props: {user: User; className?: string; currentPa
       href={profile === null ? '/signup' : `/${user.username}`}
       onClick={trackCallback('sidebar: profile')}
       className={clsx(
-        'group flex w-full shrink-0 flex-row items-center truncate rounded-xl py-3 transition-all',
+        'group flex w-full shrink-0 flex-row items-center truncate rounded-lg py-2.5 transition-colors',
         className,
-        isSelected && 'bg-canvas-900',
+        isSelected && 'bg-primary-500/15',
       )}
     >
       <div className="w-2 shrink" />
       <Avatar avatarUrl={profile?.pinned_url ?? ''} username={user.username} noLink />
       <div className="mr-1 w-2 shrink-[2]" />
       <div className="shrink-0 grow" data-testid="sidebar-username">
-        <div className="sidebar-text group-hover:text-primary-700 group-hover:translate-x-[2px]">
-          {user.name}
-        </div>
+        <div className={clsx('sidebar-text', isSelected && 'text-primary-500')}>{user.name}</div>
       </div>
       <div className="w-2 shrink" />
     </Link>
diff --git a/web/components/nav/sidebar-item.tsx b/web/components/nav/sidebar-item.tsx
index 96e9e609..a4d6cf05 100644
--- a/web/components/nav/sidebar-item.tsx
+++ b/web/components/nav/sidebar-item.tsx
@@ -28,11 +28,13 @@ export function SidebarItem(props: {item: Item; currentPage?: string}) {
   }
 
   const sidebarClass = clsx(
-    isCurrentPage
-      ? 'bg-canvas-900 text-primary-600'
-      : 'sidebar-text hover:text-primary-700 hover:translate-x-[2px]',
-    'group flex items-center rounded-xl px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium',
-    'focus-visible:bg-ink-100 outline-none transition-all',
+    'group relative flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium',
+    'outline-none transition-colors duration-150',
+    // Active is a warm amber-washed pill, not the same neutral fill as hover — the two used to be
+    // near-identical (both `bg-canvas-900`), so the current page barely stood out. Hover uses the
+    // canvas-900 "sidebar pressed" token, which is theme-aware on the always-dark rail.
+    isCurrentPage ? 'bg-primary-500/15 text-primary-500' : 'sidebar-text hover:bg-canvas-900',
+    'focus-visible:bg-canvas-900',
   )
 
   const sidebarItem = (
@@ -40,10 +42,9 @@ export function SidebarItem(props: {item: Item; currentPage?: string}) {
       {item.icon && (
         <item.icon
           className={clsx(
-            isCurrentPage
-              ? 'text-primary-600'
-              : 'sidebar-text group-hover:text-primary-700 group-hover:translate-x-[2px]',
-            '-ml-1 mr-3 h-6 w-6 flex-shrink-0 transition-all',
+            'h-5 w-5 flex-shrink-0 transition',
+            // Muted until active/hovered — modern icon hierarchy — but always full-amber when current.
+            isCurrentPage ? 'text-primary-500' : 'sidebar-text opacity-70 group-hover:opacity-100',
           )}
           aria-hidden="true"
         />
diff --git a/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx b/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx
index f51a9b0d..3c3fb4df 100644
--- a/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx
+++ b/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx
@@ -56,16 +56,16 @@ export default function Sidebar(props: {
 
       {user && !isMobile && (
         <>
-          <div className="h-px bg-canvas-900 mb-4" />
+          <div className="h-px bg-white/[0.06] mb-4" />
           <ProfileSummary
             user={user}
-            className="mb-3 sidebar-text hover:text-primary-700 hover:translate-x-[2px]"
+            className="mb-3 sidebar-text transition-colors hover:bg-canvas-900"
             currentPage={currentPage}
           />
         </>
       )}
 
-      <div className="h-px bg-canvas-900 mb-4" />
+      <div className="h-px bg-white/[0.06] mb-4" />
 
       <div className="mb-4 flex flex-col gap-1 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden">
         {navOptions.map((item) => (
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export default function Sidebar(props: {
         )}
       </div>
       <div className="mb-[12px] mt-auto flex flex-col gap-1">
-        <div className="h-px bg-canvas-900" />
+        <div className="h-px bg-white/[0.06]" />
         {!isAndroid && (
           <SidebarItem
             item={{