diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/SettingsOverlay.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/SettingsOverlay.ts
index 1aad5f20..3b0f8ba7 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/SettingsOverlay.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/SettingsOverlay.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ const TAB_ICONS: Record<TabName, IconName> = {
  * Call at app startup so the UI doesn't flash default styles.
  */
 export function applyStoredAppearance(): void {
-  applyTheme(loadPref<ThemeName>("theme", "dark"));
+  applyTheme(loadPref<ThemeName>("theme", "neon-glow"));
   document.documentElement.style.setProperty(
     "--font-size",
     `${loadPref<number>("fontSize", 16)}px`,
@@ -71,10 +71,9 @@ export function applyStoredAppearance(): void {
   document.documentElement.classList.toggle("reduced-motion", loadPref<boolean>("reducedMotion", false));
   document.documentElement.classList.toggle("high-contrast", loadPref<boolean>("highContrast", false));
   document.documentElement.classList.toggle("large-font", loadPref<boolean>("largeFont", false));
-  document.documentElement.style.setProperty(
-    "--accent",
-    loadPref<string>("accentColor", "#5865f2"),
-  );
+  const storedAccent = loadPref<string>("accentColor", "#00c8ff");
+  document.documentElement.style.setProperty("--accent", storedAccent);
+  document.body.style.setProperty("--accent", storedAccent);
 
   syncOsMotionListener(loadPref<boolean>("syncOsMotion", false));
 }
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/AppearanceTab.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/AppearanceTab.ts
index 2504fe93..d377a738 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/AppearanceTab.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/settings/AppearanceTab.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { setTheme } from "@stores/ui.store";
 
 export function buildAppearanceTab(signal: AbortSignal): HTMLDivElement {
   const section = createElement("div", { class: "settings-pane active" });
-  const currentTheme = loadPref<ThemeName>("theme", "dark");
+  const currentTheme = loadPref<ThemeName>("theme", "neon-glow");
   const currentFontSize = loadPref<number>("fontSize", 16);
   const currentCompact = loadPref<boolean>("compactMode", false);
 
@@ -81,10 +81,13 @@ export function buildAppearanceTab(signal: AbortSignal): HTMLDivElement {
     "#b9bbbe", // grey
   ];
 
-  const currentAccent = loadPref<string>("accentColor", "#5865f2");
+  const currentAccent = loadPref<string>("accentColor", "#00c8ff");
 
   function applyAccent(color: string): void {
+    // Set on both documentElement and body so the accent wins over
+    // theme class specificity (body.theme-neon-glow sets --accent)
     document.documentElement.style.setProperty("--accent", color);
+    document.body.style.setProperty("--accent", color);
   }
 
   function saveAccent(color: string): void {
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts
index b1c31517..f1ddb72e 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/themes.ts
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ export function applyThemeByName(name: string): void {
   localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY_ACTIVE, name);
 }
 
-/** Returns the currently active theme name, defaulting to "dark". */
+/** Returns the currently active theme name, defaulting to "neon-glow". */
 export function getActiveThemeName(): string {
-  return localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY_ACTIVE) ?? "dark";
+  return localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY_ACTIVE) ?? "neon-glow";
 }
 
 /** Persists a custom theme to localStorage. */
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/theme-neon-glow.css b/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/theme-neon-glow.css
index 790bfd79..1b749216 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/theme-neon-glow.css
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/styles/theme-neon-glow.css
@@ -10,21 +10,22 @@ body.theme-neon-glow {
   --bg-hover:      #1f2023;
   --bg-active:     #2a2b2e;
 
-  /* Accent — OC cyan/purple */
+  /* Accent — defaults to OC cyan, but accent picker overrides --accent
+     so --accent-primary and --accent-gradient follow the user's choice */
   --accent:         #00c8ff;
   --accent-hover:   #7b2fff;
   --accent-active:  #6620e0;
-  --accent-primary: #00c8ff;
-  --accent-secondary: #7b2fff;
-  --accent-gradient: linear-gradient(135deg, #00c8ff, #7b2fff);
+  --accent-primary: var(--accent);
+  --accent-secondary: var(--accent-hover);
+  --accent-gradient: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--accent-primary), var(--accent-secondary));
 
-  /* Border glow */
+  /* Border glow — derived from accent for consistency */
   --border:      rgba(0, 200, 255, 0.08);
   --border-strong: rgba(0, 200, 255, 0.15);
   --border-glow: rgba(0, 200, 255, 0.08);
 
-  /* Text link */
-  --text-link: #00c8ff;
+  /* Text link — follows accent */
+  --text-link: var(--accent);
 
   /* Semantic colors (theme contract) */
   --color-success: #23a55a;