diff --git a/public/app/dom.js b/public/app/dom.js
index f5d4b94..409e070 100644
--- a/public/app/dom.js
+++ b/public/app/dom.js
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ const contextPopover = $("contextPopover");
 const contextSummaryLabel = $("contextSummaryLabel");
 const chatActionsMenuButton = $("chatActionsMenuButton");
 const chatActionsPopover = $("chatActionsPopover");
-const chatModePill = $("chatModePill");
 const chatCharacterPill = $("chatCharacterPill");
 const chatUserPersonaPill = $("chatUserPersonaPill");
 const personaList = $("personaList");
@@ -96,7 +95,6 @@ const popupDescription = $("popupDescription");
 const popupField = $("popupField");
 const popupInputLabel = $("popupInputLabel");
 const popupInput = $("popupInput");
-const appNotice = $("appNotice");
 const onboardingModal = $("onboardingModal");
 const onboardingTitle = $("onboardingTitle");
 const onboardingSubtitle = $("onboardingSubtitle");
@@ -116,7 +114,6 @@ export {
     activeChatTitle,
     activePersonaStatus,
     activeUserPersonaStatus,
-    appNotice,
     authDiv,
     authMsg,
     authScreens,
@@ -133,7 +130,6 @@ export {
     chatListLoadingText,
     chatSidebar,
     chatDrawerCloseBtn,
-    chatModePill,
     chatSearchInput,
     chatUserPersonaPill,
     clearChatBtn,
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 9b5f92a..385abb1 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -14,17 +14,12 @@
     <section id="auth" class="card auth-card auth-card-compact">
         <div class="auth-hero auth-hero-compact">
             <div class="brand">
-                <div class="logo" data-theme-logo>FG</div>
+                <div class="logo logo-placeholder" aria-hidden="true"></div>
                 <div>
                     <p class="eyebrow">Private workspace</p>
                     <h1 data-theme-name>FakeGPT</h1>
                 </div>
             </div>
-            <div class="hero-grid">
-                <article class="hero-panel">
-                    <p>Private chat and roleplay.</p>
-                </article>
-            </div>
         </div>
 
         <div class="auth-panel">
@@ -110,9 +105,6 @@
                     <div class="chat-title-block">
                         <div class="chat-title">
                             <h2 id="activeChatTitle">New chat</h2>
-                            <div id="chatParticipants" class="chat-participants chat-participants-inline">
-                                <span id="chatModePill" class="context-pill chat-mode-pill">Assistant mode</span>
-                            </div>
                         </div>
                     </div>
                     <div class="chat-header-actions">
@@ -216,8 +208,6 @@
                     </div>
                 </header>
 
-                <p id="appNotice" class="status inline-status hidden"></p>
-
                 <div id="chatActivityOverlay" class="chat-activity-overlay hidden" role="status" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true">
                     <div class="chat-activity-card">
                         <div class="chat-activity-mark" aria-hidden="true">
@@ -238,7 +228,7 @@
                         <p class="composer-hint">Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line</p>
                     </div>
                     <div class="input-container">
-                        <textarea id="msgInput" placeholder="Type your message..."></textarea>
+                        <textarea id="msgInput" rows="1" placeholder="Type your message..."></textarea>
                         <button id="send" type="button" aria-label="Send message"></button>
                     </div>
                 </div>
diff --git a/public/script.js b/public/script.js
index cf9da7f..aab00fd 100644
--- a/public/script.js
+++ b/public/script.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import {
     activeChatTitle,
     activePersonaStatus,
     activeUserPersonaStatus,
-    appNotice,
     authDiv,
     authMsg,
     authScreens,
@@ -21,7 +20,6 @@ import {
     chatListLoadingText,
     chatSidebar,
     chatDrawerCloseBtn,
-    chatModePill,
     chatSearchInput,
     chatUserPersonaPill,
     clearChatBtn,
@@ -119,7 +117,6 @@ let activeUserPersonaId = null, currentSummary = null, publishedPersonaIds = new
 let popupResolver = null, popupMode = null, popupLastFocus = null;
 let roleplayPresetCharacterId = null;
 let roleplayStarterStep = 1;
-let noticeTimer = null;
 let workspaceMode = localStorage.getItem("krishd-workspace-mode") || "basic";
 let onboardingStep = 1, onboardingIntent = "ask";
 let chatLoadingDepth = 0;
@@ -129,24 +126,6 @@ let messageRetryState = new Map();
 
 function setAuthMessage(message, state = "") { authMsg.textContent = message; authMsg.className = state ? `status ${state}` : "status"; }
 function setNotice(message = "", state = "") {
-    if (!appNotice) return {message, state};
-    if (noticeTimer) {
-        clearTimeout(noticeTimer);
-        noticeTimer = null;
-    }
-    if (!message) {
-        appNotice.textContent = "";
-        appNotice.className = "status inline-status hidden";
-        return {message, state};
-    }
-    appNotice.textContent = message;
-    appNotice.className = state ? `status inline-status ${state}` : "status inline-status";
-    noticeTimer = window.setTimeout(() => {
-        if (appNotice.textContent === message) {
-            appNotice.textContent = "";
-            appNotice.className = "status inline-status hidden";
-        }
-    }, state === "error" ? 6000 : 3200);
     return {message, state};
 }
 function setPersonaFormNotice(message = "", state = "") {
@@ -351,6 +330,18 @@ function updateSendState() {
     sendBtn.disabled = isProcessing || !hasText;
 }
 
+function resizeComposerInput() {
+    msgInput.style.height = "auto";
+    const nextHeight = Math.min(Math.max(msgInput.scrollHeight, 46), 96);
+    msgInput.style.height = `${nextHeight}px`;
+}
+
+function scrollMessagesToBottom() {
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        messagesDiv.scrollTop = messagesDiv.scrollHeight;
+    });
+}
+
 function getNewestMessage() {
     return currentMessages.length ? currentMessages[currentMessages.length - 1] : null;
 }
@@ -652,7 +643,7 @@ function addMessage(contentOrMessage, isUser = false, isLoading = false, options
         }
     }
     messagesDiv.appendChild(msgDiv);
-    messagesDiv.scrollTop = messagesDiv.scrollHeight;
+    scrollMessagesToBottom();
     return msgDiv;
 }
 
@@ -670,6 +661,9 @@ function renderMessages() {
     updateChatParticipants();
     updateChatActionState();
     updateComposerPlaceholder();
+    if (currentMessages.length) {
+        scrollMessagesToBottom();
+    }
 }
 
 function createStarterAction(label, className, handler) {
@@ -778,16 +772,14 @@ function renderRoleplayStarterStep() {
 
 function updateChatParticipants() {
     const chat = getChatById(activeChatId);
-    if (!chatModePill || !chatCharacterPill || !chatUserPersonaPill) return;
+    if (!chatCharacterPill || !chatUserPersonaPill) return;
     if (!chat) {
-        chatModePill.textContent = "No chat selected";
         chatCharacterPill.classList.add("hidden");
         chatUserPersonaPill.classList.add("hidden");
         if (contextSummaryLabel) contextSummaryLabel.textContent = "None";
         return;
     }
     if (chat.assistant_persona_id) {
-        chatModePill.textContent = "Roleplay mode";
         chatCharacterPill.textContent = `Character: ${chat.assistant_persona_name || chat.title}`;
         chatCharacterPill.classList.remove("hidden");
         if (chat.user_persona_id) {
@@ -800,7 +792,6 @@ function updateChatParticipants() {
         if (contextSummaryLabel) contextSummaryLabel.textContent = chat.assistant_persona_name || "Roleplay";
         return;
     }
-    chatModePill.textContent = "Assistant mode";
     chatCharacterPill.classList.add("hidden");
     chatUserPersonaPill.classList.add("hidden");
     if (contextSummaryLabel) contextSummaryLabel.textContent = "Assistant";
@@ -1598,7 +1589,9 @@ async function sendMessage() {
         currentChat.title = autoTitle; updateWorkspaceCopy(); renderChatList(); await put(`/chats/${activeChatId}`, {title: autoTitle});
     }
     currentMessages.push({role: "user", content: message}); addMessage(message, true); updateChatActionState();
-    msgInput.value = ""; msgInput.style.height = "auto"; setLoadingState(true, {
+    msgInput.value = "";
+    resizeComposerInput();
+    setLoadingState(true, {
         eyebrow: "Assistant replying",
         title: "Generating response",
         detail: "The assistant is reading your message and preparing a reply."
@@ -1695,10 +1688,10 @@ logoutButton.addEventListener("click", async () => {
 sendBtn.addEventListener("click", () => { void sendMessage(); });
 msgInput.addEventListener("keydown", (event) => { if (event.key === "Enter" && !event.shiftKey) { event.preventDefault(); void sendMessage(); } });
 msgInput.addEventListener("input", function () {
-    this.style.height = "auto";
-    this.style.height = `${Math.min(this.scrollHeight, 180)}px`;
+    resizeComposerInput();
     updateSendState();
 });
+resizeComposerInput();
 newChatBtn.addEventListener("click", () => {
     closeChatActionsPopover();
     closeMobileSidebar();
diff --git a/public/style.css b/public/style.css
index 94e7132..f5c8752 100644
--- a/public/style.css
+++ b/public/style.css
@@ -579,6 +579,35 @@ body::before {
     box-shadow: none;
 }
 
+.logo-placeholder {
+    position: relative;
+    color: transparent;
+}
+
+.logo-placeholder::before,
+.logo-placeholder::after {
+    content: "";
+    position: absolute;
+    border-radius: 999px;
+    background: rgba(255, 248, 240, 0.94);
+}
+
+.logo-placeholder::before {
+    width: 10px;
+    height: 10px;
+    top: 14px;
+    left: 14px;
+    box-shadow: 16px 0 0 rgba(255, 248, 240, 0.94);
+}
+
+.logo-placeholder::after {
+    width: 24px;
+    height: 6px;
+    left: 15px;
+    bottom: 15px;
+    opacity: 0.9;
+}
+
 .eyebrow {
     margin: 0;
     font-size: 0.73rem;
@@ -614,6 +643,11 @@ h2 {
     line-height: 1.6;
 }
 
+.composer-hint {
+    font-size: 0.84rem;
+    line-height: 1.3;
+}
+
 .hero-grid {
     display: grid;
     gap: 14px;
@@ -1095,7 +1129,7 @@ select:focus {
 }
 
 .chat-main-focus {
-    grid-template-rows: auto minmax(0, 1fr) auto auto;
+    grid-template-rows: auto minmax(0, 1fr) auto;
     min-height: 0;
 }
 
@@ -1708,35 +1742,40 @@ select:focus {
 
 .input-shell {
     display: grid;
-    gap: 12px;
+    gap: 8px;
+    align-self: end;
 }
 
 .input-meta {
     display: flex;
     justify-content: space-between;
     align-items: center;
-    gap: 12px;
+    gap: 8px;
     flex-wrap: wrap;
 }
 
 .input-container {
     display: grid;
-    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 56px;
-    gap: 12px;
-    align-items: stretch;
+    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 48px;
+    gap: 10px;
+    align-items: end;
 }
 
 #msgInput {
-    min-height: 56px;
-    max-height: 180px;
+    height: 46px;
+    min-height: 46px;
+    max-height: 96px;
+    padding: 11px 12px;
+    line-height: 1.35;
 }
 
 #send {
-    width: 56px;
-    height: auto;
-    min-height: 56px;
+    width: 48px;
+    height: 46px;
+    min-height: 46px;
     padding: 0;
-    border-radius: 18px;
+    border-radius: 16px;
+    align-self: end;
 }
 
 #send::after {
@@ -2979,7 +3018,7 @@ body[data-theme="beta-ai"] .persona-form .field {
     }
 
     .chat-main-focus {
-        grid-template-rows: auto minmax(300px, 1fr) auto auto;
+        grid-template-rows: auto minmax(300px, 1fr) auto;
     }
 
     .input-container {
@@ -3439,7 +3478,7 @@ body[data-theme="beta-ai"] .persona-form .field {
 
 .input-shell,
 .input-shell-focus {
-    padding: 16px 18px 18px;
+    padding: 10px 14px 12px;
     position: sticky;
     bottom: 0;
     background: var(--composer-bg);
@@ -3450,7 +3489,7 @@ body[data-theme="beta-ai"] .persona-form .field {
 }
 
 #msgInput {
-    min-height: 72px;
+    min-height: 42px;
 }
 
 .chat-list {
@@ -3888,7 +3927,7 @@ body[data-theme="beta-ai"] .persona-form .field {
 .chat-main,
 .chat-main-focus {
     display: grid;
-    grid-template-rows: auto auto minmax(0, 1fr) auto;
+    grid-template-rows: auto minmax(0, 1fr) auto;
     min-height: 0;
     gap: 12px;
 }
@@ -3929,7 +3968,7 @@ body[data-theme="beta-ai"] .persona-form .field {
 .messages-panel,
 .messages-panel-focus {
     min-height: 0;
-    padding: 10px 4px 0;
+    padding: 10px 4px 18px;
     background: transparent;
     border: 0;
     border-radius: 0;
@@ -3955,12 +3994,12 @@ body[data-theme="beta-ai"] .persona-form .field {
 .input-shell-focus {
     position: sticky;
     bottom: 0;
-    padding: 14px 16px 16px;
-    margin-top: -4px;
+    align-self: end;
+    padding: 10px 14px 12px;
+    margin-top: -2px;
     background: linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0), var(--composer-bg) 18%);
-    border: 0;
-    border-top: 1px solid var(--line);
-    border-radius: 0;
+    border: 1px solid var(--line);
+    border-radius: 10;
     box-shadow: none;
     backdrop-filter: blur(12px);
 }
@@ -3974,13 +4013,18 @@ body[data-theme="beta-ai"] .persona-form .field {
 .input-meta {
     width: 100%;
     max-width: 980px;
-    margin: 0 auto 8px;
+    margin: 0 auto 4px;
+}
+
+.messages-panel-focus + .input-shell-focus {
+    min-height: fit-content;
 }
 
 #msgInput {
     width: 100%;
     min-width: 0;
-    min-height: 144px;
+    height: 46px;
+    min-height: 46px;
 }
 
 .chat-drawer {
@@ -4192,7 +4236,8 @@ body.sidebar-open {
     }
 
     #msgInput {
-        min-height: 132px;
+        min-height: 46px;
+        height: 46px;
     }
 
     .msg {
@@ -4262,11 +4307,12 @@ body.sidebar-open {
 
     .input-shell,
     .input-shell-focus {
-        padding: 10px 12px calc(12px + env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px));
+        padding: 8px 10px calc(10px + env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px));
     }
 
     #msgInput {
-        min-height: 120px;
+        min-height: 44px;
+        height: 44px;
     }
 
     .chat-drawer,