SNodeC · VolkerChristian · Aug 28, 2026
diff --git a/docs/ui-behavior.md b/docs/ui-behavior.md
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ Generated-image items show the app-server-saved image as a bounded thumbnail.
 Selecting it opens the shared non-modal image viewer; encoded image data is
 never displayed as generic activity text.
 
-User messages use the canonical soft-violet identity surface. Final Codex
-messages use the canonical soft-blue identity surface, while interim Codex
+User messages use the canonical soft-blue identity surface. Final Codex
+messages use the canonical soft-violet identity surface, while interim Codex
 updates remain neutral and identify their phase in the header. Process cards
 also remain neutral so they support rather than dominate the primary exchange.
 Status text alone uses canonical semantic state colors.

diff --git a/src/codex/middle/ConversationCards.cpp b/src/codex/middle/ConversationCards.cpp
@@ -981,8 +981,10 @@ class ConversationCard::Impl final {
     const bool waiting = prompt->state == PromptState::Queued ||
                          prompt->state == PromptState::InFlight;
     const bool failed = prompt->state == PromptState::Failed;
-    const QString foreground = failed ? QStringLiteral("#982f3d")
-                                      : QStringLiteral("#53389e");
+    const QString foreground = waiting || transitioning
+                                   ? QStringLiteral("#536b8f")
+                               : failed ? QStringLiteral("#982f3d")
+                                        : QStringLiteral("#1d2633");
     const QString style =
         QStringLiteral("background:transparent;color:%1;").arg(foreground);
     bool changed = false;
@@ -1089,11 +1091,13 @@ void ConversationCard::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) {
   const bool transitioning = acceptedTransitionActive(*prompt, now);
   const bool failed = prompt->state == PromptState::Failed;
   const QColor background = waiting || transitioning
-                                ? QColor(QStringLiteral("#eee8fb"))
+                                ? QColor(QStringLiteral("#dbe7f8"))
                             : failed ? QColor(QStringLiteral("#fff0f2"))
-                                     : QColor(QStringLiteral("#f4f0ff"));
-  const QColor border = failed ? QColor(QStringLiteral("#efb8c0"))
-                               : QColor(QStringLiteral("#d4c5f2"));
+                                     : QColor(QStringLiteral("#eaf2ff"));
+  const QColor border = waiting || transitioning
+                            ? QColor(QStringLiteral("#9eb9df"))
+                        : failed ? QColor(QStringLiteral("#efb8c0"))
+                                 : QColor(QStringLiteral("#bfd3f9"));
   painter.setBrush(background);
   painter.setPen(QPen(border, 1.0));
   painter.drawRoundedRect(bounds, 8.0, 8.0);
@@ -1113,9 +1117,9 @@ void ConversationCard::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) {
   const qreal center = bounds.left() + position * bounds.width();
   const qreal radius = std::max(28.0, bounds.width() * 0.24);
   QLinearGradient sweep(center - radius, 0.0, center + radius, 0.0);
-  sweep.setColorAt(0.0, QColor(105, 65, 198, 0));
-  sweep.setColorAt(0.5, QColor(155, 128, 214, 105));
-  sweep.setColorAt(1.0, QColor(105, 65, 198, 0));
+  sweep.setColorAt(0.0, QColor(47, 111, 235, 0));
+  sweep.setColorAt(0.5, QColor(117, 160, 239, 105));
+  sweep.setColorAt(1.0, QColor(47, 111, 235, 0));
   QPainterPath clip;
   clip.addRoundedRect(bounds, 8.0, 8.0);
   painter.save();
@@ -1124,7 +1128,7 @@ void ConversationCard::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) {
   painter.restore();
 
   painter.setBrush(Qt::NoBrush);
-  painter.setPen(QPen(QColor(QStringLiteral("#b49bdf")), 1.5));
+  painter.setPen(QPen(QColor(QStringLiteral("#79a0d7")), 1.5));
   painter.drawRoundedRect(bounds, 8.0, 8.0);
 }
 

diff --git a/src/codex/ui/UiStyle.cpp b/src/codex/ui/UiStyle.cpp
@@ -204,10 +204,10 @@ QString applicationStyleSheet() {
         QFrame[kind="panel"] { background: #ffffff; }
         QFrame[kind="raised"] { background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d7dee8; border-radius: 10px; }
         QFrame[kind="raised"][tone="warning"] { background: #fff6df; border-color: #e5c77d; }
-        QFrame[messageRole="user"] { background: #f4f0ff; border: 1px solid #d4c5f2; border-radius: 8px; }
-        QFrame[messageRole="user"] QLabel[kind="title"] { color: #53389e; }
-        QFrame[messageRole="agent"][messagePhase="final"] { background: #eaf2ff; border: 1px solid #bfd3f9; border-radius: 8px; }
-        QFrame[messageRole="agent"][messagePhase="final"] QLabel[kind="title"] { color: #285fca; }
+        QFrame[messageRole="user"] { background: #eaf2ff; border: 1px solid #bfd3f9; border-radius: 8px; }
+        QFrame[messageRole="user"] QLabel[kind="title"] { color: #285fca; }
+        QFrame[messageRole="agent"][messagePhase="final"] { background: #f4f0ff; border: 1px solid #d4c5f2; border-radius: 8px; }
+        QFrame[messageRole="agent"][messagePhase="final"] QLabel[kind="title"] { color: #53389e; }
         QFrame[messageRole="agent"][messagePhase="update"] { background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d7dee8; border-radius: 8px; }
         QFrame[kind="summary"] { background: #f8fafc; border: 1px solid #d7dee8; border-radius: 7px; }
         QFrame[kind="standardDivider"] { background: #d7dee8; border: none; }

diff --git a/tests/codex/ConversationCardsTest.cpp b/tests/codex/ConversationCardsTest.cpp
@@ -223,15 +223,15 @@ bool testMessageIdentityPalette() {
   };
   const bool result = expect(
       titleColor(user) ==
-              QColor(QString::fromLatin1(codexui::UiStyle::purpleText)) &&
-          surfaceColor(user) ==
-              QColor(QString::fromLatin1(codexui::UiStyle::purpleSurface)) &&
+              QColor(QString::fromLatin1(codexui::UiStyle::blueHover)) &&
+          surfaceColor(user) == QColor(QStringLiteral("#eaf2ff")) &&
           surfaceColor(update) ==
               QColor(QString::fromLatin1(codexui::UiStyle::panel)) &&
           titleColor(final) ==
-              QColor(QString::fromLatin1(codexui::UiStyle::blueHover)) &&
-          surfaceColor(final) == QColor(QStringLiteral("#eaf2ff")),
-      "You is violet, interim Codex is neutral, and final Codex is blue");
+              QColor(QString::fromLatin1(codexui::UiStyle::purpleText)) &&
+          surfaceColor(final) ==
+              QColor(QString::fromLatin1(codexui::UiStyle::purpleSurface)),
+      "You is blue, interim Codex is neutral, and final Codex is violet");
   qApp->setStyleSheet(originalStyleSheet);
   return result;
 }
@@ -1560,13 +1560,13 @@ bool testPendingPromptAnimation() {
   const QImage second = card.grab().toImage();
   bool result =
       expect(first != second,
-             "an unacknowledged prompt visibly animates its violet sweep");
+             "an unacknowledged prompt visibly animates its blue sweep");
   result &= expect(
       first.pixelColor(10, first.height() - 10).blue() >
-              first.pixelColor(10, first.height() - 10).green() &&
-          first.pixelColor(10, first.height() - 10).red() >
+              first.pixelColor(10, first.height() - 10).red() &&
+          first.pixelColor(10, first.height() - 10).blue() >
               first.pixelColor(10, first.height() - 10).green(),
-      "the temporary You card stays in the violet identity family");
+      "the temporary You card stays in the blue identity family");
 
   auto &accepted = std::get<LocalPromptData>(pending.payload);
   accepted.state = PromptState::Accepted;

diff --git a/ui-review/UX-DESIGN-DECISIONS.md b/ui-review/UX-DESIGN-DECISIONS.md
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ This document records the implemented CodexUI visual and interaction contract.
   white-text contrast.
 - Hover, focus, selection, disabled, warning, error, pending, and active states
   remain visually distinct.
-- User messages use the violet identity family. Final Codex narrative uses the
-  canonical blue identity family; interim Codex updates remain neutral and are
-  identified by their phase label. Commands, tool activity, files, and
+- User messages use the blue identity family. Final Codex narrative uses the
+  more prominent violet identity family; interim Codex updates remain neutral
+  and are identified by their phase label. Commands, tool activity, files, and
   collaboration activity also use neutral raised cards.
 - Scrollbars use one compact application style across conversation, nested
   output, State, Protocol, and Inspector surfaces.

diff --git a/web/src/styles.css b/web/src/styles.css