diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ServerStrip.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ServerStrip.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4118d478
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ServerStrip.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/**
+ * ServerStrip component — vertical strip on the far left showing server icons.
+ * Single-server for now: Home button, separator, add server button.
+ */
+
+import { createElement, appendChildren } from "@lib/dom";
+import type { MountableComponent } from "@lib/safe-render";
+
+export function createServerStrip(): MountableComponent {
+  const ac = new AbortController();
+  let root: HTMLDivElement | null = null;
+
+  function mount(container: Element): void {
+    root = createElement("div", { class: "server-strip", "data-testid": "server-strip" });
+
+    const homeIcon = createElement(
+      "div",
+      { class: "server-icon active", style: "background: var(--accent)" },
+      "O",
+    );
+
+    const separator = createElement("div", { class: "server-separator" });
+
+    const addIcon = createElement("div", { class: "server-icon add" }, "+");
+
+    // Add server button click — placeholder for future multi-server support
+    addIcon.addEventListener(
+      "click",
+      () => {
+        // No-op for single-server mode
+      },
+      { signal: ac.signal },
+    );
+
+    appendChildren(root, homeIcon, separator, addIcon);
+    container.appendChild(root);
+  }
+
+  function destroy(): void {
+    ac.abort();
+    if (root !== null) {
+      root.remove();
+      root = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return { mount, destroy };
+}
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/helpers.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/helpers.ts
index 3517fdff..85be9a11 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/helpers.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/helpers.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 
 import { createElement } from "@lib/dom";
+import { applyThemeByName } from "@lib/themes";
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Constants
@@ -86,13 +87,12 @@ export function createToggle(
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 export function applyTheme(name: ThemeName): void {
-  const vars = THEMES[name];
+  // Apply CSS variables for the theme (keeps existing behavior for inline var overrides)
+  const theme = THEMES[name];
   const root = document.documentElement;
-  for (const [prop, val] of Object.entries(vars)) {
-    root.style.setProperty(prop, val);
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(theme)) {
+    root.style.setProperty(key, value);
   }
-  for (const cls of [...document.body.classList]) {
-    if (cls.startsWith("theme-")) document.body.classList.remove(cls);
-  }
-  document.body.classList.add(`theme-${name}`);
+  // Delegate body class and persistence to the theme manager
+  applyThemeByName(name);
 }
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts
index e053913b..b1c31517 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts
@@ -80,12 +80,20 @@ export function saveCustomTheme(theme: OwnCordTheme): void {
   );
 }
 
-/** Loads a custom theme by name, or null if not found / parse error. */
+/** Loads a custom theme by name, or null if not found / parse error / invalid shape. */
 export function loadCustomTheme(name: string): OwnCordTheme | null {
   const raw = localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY_CUSTOM_PREFIX + name);
   if (raw === null) return null;
   try {
-    return JSON.parse(raw) as OwnCordTheme;
+    const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(raw);
+    if (
+      typeof parsed !== "object" || parsed === null ||
+      typeof (parsed as Record<string, unknown>).name !== "string" ||
+      typeof (parsed as Record<string, unknown>).colors !== "object"
+    ) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return parsed as OwnCordTheme;
   } catch {
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/app.css b/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/app.css
index f67cf417..ee45ecd5 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/app.css
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/app.css
@@ -1969,7 +1969,7 @@
   .member-list { width: 0; padding: 0; overflow: hidden; }
 }
 @media (max-width: 800px) {
-  .channel-sidebar { width: 0; overflow: hidden; }
+  .channel-sidebar, .unified-sidebar { width: 0; overflow: hidden; }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/tokens.css b/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/tokens.css
index 84a1cb4c..95405234 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/tokens.css
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/tokens.css
@@ -105,9 +105,7 @@
   --radius-circle: 50%;
 
   /* Spacing */
-  --strip-width:   72px;
   --sidebar-width: 240px;
-  --members-width: 240px;
   --header-height: 48px;
 
   /* Message layout */
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/server-strip.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/server-strip.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea08f14f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/server-strip.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { createServerStrip } from "@components/ServerStrip";
+
+describe("ServerStrip", () => {
+  let container: HTMLDivElement;
+  let comp: ReturnType<typeof createServerStrip>;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    container = document.createElement("div");
+    document.body.appendChild(container);
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    comp?.destroy?.();
+    container.remove();
+  });
+
+  it("mounts with server-strip class", () => {
+    comp = createServerStrip();
+    comp.mount(container);
+
+    expect(container.querySelector(".server-strip")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('renders home icon with "O"', () => {
+    comp = createServerStrip();
+    comp.mount(container);
+
+    const icons = container.querySelectorAll(".server-icon");
+    const homeIcon = icons[0];
+    expect(homeIcon).not.toBeUndefined();
+    expect(homeIcon?.textContent).toBe("O");
+  });
+
+  it("renders separator", () => {
+    comp = createServerStrip();
+    comp.mount(container);
+
+    expect(container.querySelector(".server-separator")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('renders add icon with "+"', () => {
+    comp = createServerStrip();
+    comp.mount(container);
+
+    const addIcon = container.querySelector(".server-icon.add");
+    expect(addIcon).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(addIcon?.textContent).toBe("+");
+  });
+
+  it("home icon has active class", () => {
+    comp = createServerStrip();
+    comp.mount(container);
+
+    const icons = container.querySelectorAll(".server-icon");
+    const homeIcon = icons[0];
+    expect(homeIcon?.classList.contains("active")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("destroy removes DOM", () => {
+    comp = createServerStrip();
+    comp.mount(container);
+
+    expect(container.querySelector(".server-strip")).not.toBeNull();
+
+    comp.destroy?.();
+    expect(container.querySelector(".server-strip")).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/settings-overlay.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/settings-overlay.test.ts
index ec6047e3..6a007157 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/settings-overlay.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/settings-overlay.test.ts
@@ -153,9 +153,9 @@ describe("SettingsOverlay", () => {
     getTab(container, 1).click();
 
     const themeOptions = container.querySelectorAll(".theme-opt");
-    expect(themeOptions.length).toBe(3);
+    expect(themeOptions.length).toBe(4);
 
-    const midnight = themeOptions[1] as HTMLElement;
+    const midnight = themeOptions[2] as HTMLElement;
     midnight.click();
 
     expect(midnight.classList.contains("active")).toBe(true);
@@ -247,7 +247,8 @@ describe("SettingsOverlay", () => {
     getTab(container, 5).click();
 
     const selects = container.querySelectorAll("select.form-input");
-    expect(selects.length).toBe(3);
+    // input device, output device, video quality, video device = 4
+    expect(selects.length).toBe(4);
 
     const sliders = container.querySelectorAll(".settings-slider");
     expect(sliders.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(1);
@@ -260,18 +261,16 @@ describe("SettingsOverlay", () => {
     overlay.destroy?.();
   });
 
-  it("persists voice sensitivity setting", () => {
+  it("renders voice sensitivity meter bar", () => {
     const overlay = createSettingsOverlay(defaultOptions);
     overlay.mount(container);
     getTab(container, 5).click();
 
-    // Sensitivity slider is the 3rd .settings-slider (after input volume and output volume)
-    const sliders = container.querySelectorAll(".settings-slider");
-    const slider = sliders[2] as HTMLInputElement;
-    slider.value = "75";
-    slider.dispatchEvent(new Event("input"));
-
-    expect(localStorage.getItem("owncord:settings:voiceSensitivity")).toBe("75");
+    // Sensitivity is now a draggable meter bar, not a slider.
+    const meterBar = container.querySelector(".mic-meter-bar") as HTMLElement;
+    expect(meterBar).not.toBeNull();
+    const threshold = container.querySelector(".mic-meter-threshold") as HTMLElement;
+    expect(threshold).not.toBeNull();
 
     overlay.destroy?.();
   });