diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 74533e3..2043815 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,19 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.0.74
+
+- Fix: session status dot stuck on purple for sessions with large responses (#116)
+  - `tail -n 50` on large JSONL files exceeded `execFile` maxBuffer (1MB)
+  - Reduced to 15 lines + raised maxBuffer to 5MB
+- Fix: eliminate tab flash on startup (default tab now passed via URL hash)
+- Style: project paths display `~/` instead of `/Users/<user>/`
+- Style: shortcut display uses macOS symbols (`⌘⌃R` instead of `Cmd+Ctrl+R`)
+- Style: needs-attention dot changed from orange `#FFA726` to warm red `#F06856`
+- Style: working pulse animation slowed from 2s to 2.5s
+- Style: normal mode banner only shown on first launch
+- Feat: clicking shortcut in title bar opens Settings → Shortcuts tab
+- Feat: project search supports `~/` prefix and full path matching (with highlight)
+
 ## 1.0.73
 
 - Feat: embedded terminal search (`Cmd+F`)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b2d39d2..9d84019 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "CodeV",
   "productName": "CodeV",
-  "version": "1.0.73",
+  "version": "1.0.74",
   "description": "Quick switcher for VS Code, Cursor, and Claude Code sessions",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/src/claude-session-utility.ts b/src/claude-session-utility.ts
index c25bacb..e86abde 100644
--- a/src/claude-session-utility.ts
+++ b/src/claude-session-utility.ts
@@ -891,7 +891,10 @@ export const detectActiveSessions = async (): Promise<ActiveSessionResult> => {
           if (!pid || !sessionId) continue;
 
           // Verify process is still alive
-          try { process.kill(pid, 0); } catch { continue; }
+          try { process.kill(pid, 0); } catch {
+            console.log(`[detect-active] PID ${pid} (${sessionId}) not alive, skipping`);
+            continue;
+          }
 
           entrypoints.set(sessionId, entrypoint);
 
@@ -924,17 +927,22 @@ export const detectActiveSessions = async (): Promise<ActiveSessionResult> => {
               activeMap.set(sessionId, pid);
             } else if (cwd) {
               // sessionId not in history — find session by cwd
+              console.log(`[detect-active] PID ${pid} sessionId ${sessionId} not in history.jsonl, trying cwd match (${cwd})`);
               const cwdCandidates = allSessions.filter(s => s.project === cwd && !activeMap.has(s.sessionId));
               if (cwdCandidates.length === 1) {
                 activeMap.set(cwdCandidates[0].sessionId, pid);
               } else if (cwdCandidates.length > 1) {
                 // Multiple same-cwd candidates — queue for cross-reference
                 needsCrossRef.push({ pid, cwd, candidates: cwdCandidates });
+              } else {
+                console.log(`[detect-active] PID ${pid} sessionId ${sessionId}: no cwd match found`);
               }
+            } else {
+              console.log(`[detect-active] PID ${pid} sessionId ${sessionId}: not in history and no cwd`);
             }
           }
-        } catch {
-          // skip malformed files
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.error(`[detect-active] Error processing session file ${file}:`, err);
         }
       }
 
@@ -954,8 +962,8 @@ export const detectActiveSessions = async (): Promise<ActiveSessionResult> => {
     if (!fs.existsSync(sessionsDir)) {
       await detectActiveSessionsLegacy(activeMap);
     }
-  } catch {
-    // ignore
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[detect-active] Error in detectActiveSessions:', err);
   }
 
   cachedActiveMap = activeMap;
diff --git a/src/electron-api.d.ts b/src/electron-api.d.ts
index b3bd35f..f021ec9 100644
--- a/src/electron-api.d.ts
+++ b/src/electron-api.d.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ type IpcCallback = (event: Electron.IpcRendererEvent, ...args: any[]) => void;
 
 interface IElectronAPI {
   // App actions
+  getHomeDir: () => Promise<string>;
+  getBannerSeen: () => Promise<boolean>;
+  setBannerSeen: () => void;
   invokeVSCode: (path: string, option: string) => void;
   hideApp: () => void;
   openFolderSelector: () => void;
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index f18a8e5..ac136ad 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ const createSettingsWindow = (
   return settingsWindow;
 };
 
-const createSwitcherWindow = (): BrowserWindow => {
+const createSwitcherWindow = (initialMode?: string): BrowserWindow => {
   // Create the browser window.
   const window = new BrowserWindow({
     // maximizable: false,
@@ -431,7 +431,9 @@ const createSwitcherWindow = (): BrowserWindow => {
   });
 
   // and load the index.html of the app.
-  window.loadURL(SWITCHER_WINDOW_WEBPACK_ENTRY);
+  // Pass initial mode via hash so renderer can use it synchronously (no async IPC)
+  const hash = initialMode ? `#mode=${initialMode}` : '';
+  window.loadURL(SWITCHER_WINDOW_WEBPACK_ENTRY + hash);
 
   // Open external links in default browser
   const { shell } = require('electron');
@@ -619,6 +621,10 @@ ipcMain.on('search-working-folder', (event, path: string) => {
   }
 });
 
+ipcMain.handle('get-home-dir', () => {
+  return require('os').homedir();
+});
+
 ipcMain.on('hide-app', (event) => {
   hideSwitcherWindow();
 });
@@ -1094,7 +1100,8 @@ const trayToggleEvtHandler = async () => {
     }
   }
 
-  switcherWindow = createSwitcherWindow();
+  const defaultSwitcherMode = ((await settings.get('default-switcher-mode')) as string) || 'projects';
+  switcherWindow = createSwitcherWindow(defaultSwitcherMode);
   if (isDebug) {
     console.log('when ready');
   }
@@ -1980,6 +1987,10 @@ ipcMain.handle('get-session-statuses', async () => {
   // Scan active sessions that don't have status files yet + cleanup stale ones
   try {
     const { activeMap, vscodeSessions } = await detectActiveSessions();
+    if (isDebug) {
+      console.log('[session-status] activeMap keys:', Array.from(activeMap.keys()));
+      console.log('[session-status] status files:', Object.keys(obj));
+    }
     cleanupStaleStatuses(new Set(activeMap.keys()));
     const allSessions = readClaudeSessions(500); // hoisted out of loop
     // Merge VS Code sessions for status scanning
@@ -1988,19 +1999,30 @@ ipcMain.handle('get-session-statuses', async () => {
       .filter(([sessionId]) => !obj[sessionId])
       .map(([sessionId]) => {
         const session = allKnown.find((s: any) => s.sessionId === sessionId);
+        if (!session && isDebug) {
+          console.log(`[session-status] active session ${sessionId} not found in allKnown (${allKnown.length} sessions)`);
+        }
         return session ? { sessionId, project: session.project } : null;
       })
       .filter(Boolean) as { sessionId: string; project: string }[];
 
     if (sessionsWithoutStatus.length > 0) {
+      if (isDebug) {
+        console.log('[session-status] scanning', sessionsWithoutStatus.length, 'sessions without status:', sessionsWithoutStatus.map(s => s.sessionId));
+      }
       const scanned = await scanInitialStatuses(sessionsWithoutStatus);
+      if (isDebug) {
+        console.log('[session-status] scan results:', Array.from(scanned.entries()));
+      }
       scanned.forEach((v, k) => {
         obj[k] = { status: v, timestamp: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) };
         // Persist scanned status to file so fs.watch treats all statuses uniformly
         writeStatusFile(k, v as string);
       });
     }
-  } catch {}
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[session-status] Error during status scan:', err);
+  }
 
   return obj;
 });
@@ -2009,6 +2031,14 @@ ipcMain.handle('get-app-mode', async () => {
   return appMode;
 });
 
+ipcMain.handle('get-banner-seen', async () => {
+  return await settings.get('normal-mode-banner-seen');
+});
+
+ipcMain.on('set-banner-seen', async () => {
+  await settings.set('normal-mode-banner-seen', true);
+});
+
 ipcMain.on('set-app-mode', async (_event, mode: string) => {
   const newMode = mode === 'menubar' ? 'menubar' : 'normal';
   await settings.set('app-mode', newMode);
diff --git a/src/popup.tsx b/src/popup.tsx
index 1be7497..825e16c 100644
--- a/src/popup.tsx
+++ b/src/popup.tsx
@@ -46,11 +46,15 @@ const PopupDefaultExample = ({
   saveCallback,
   openCallback,
   switcherMode,
+  openToTab,
+  onOpenToTabConsumed,
 }: {
   workingFolderPath?: string;
   saveCallback?: (key: string, value: string) => void;
   openCallback?: any;
   switcherMode?: string;
+  openToTab?: 'general' | 'sessions' | 'shortcuts' | null;
+  onOpenToTabConsumed?: () => void;
 }) => {
   const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
   const [launchAtLogin, setLaunchAtLogin] = useState(false);
@@ -142,6 +146,15 @@ const PopupDefaultExample = ({
     }
   }, [isOpen]);
 
+  // Allow parent to open Settings on a specific tab
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (openToTab) {
+      setSettingsTab(openToTab);
+      setIsOpen(true);
+      onOpenToTabConsumed?.();
+    }
+  }, [openToTab]);
+
   const handleLaunchAtLoginChange = (checked: boolean) => {
     setLaunchAtLogin(checked);
     window.electronAPI.setLoginItemSettings(checked);
diff --git a/src/preload.ts b/src/preload.ts
index 6e6a028..a3f7bfa 100644
--- a/src/preload.ts
+++ b/src/preload.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } = require('electron');
 
 contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('electronAPI', {
+  getHomeDir: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('get-home-dir'),
+  getBannerSeen: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('get-banner-seen'),
+  setBannerSeen: () => ipcRenderer.send('set-banner-seen'),
   invokeVSCode: (path: string, option: string) =>
     ipcRenderer.send('invoke-vscode', path, option),
 
diff --git a/src/session-status-hooks.ts b/src/session-status-hooks.ts
index 796c281..d963bc8 100644
--- a/src/session-status-hooks.ts
+++ b/src/session-status-hooks.ts
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ export const watchStatusDir = (
 /**
  * Scan active sessions' JSONL files to determine initial status
  * (for sessions started before CodeV or before hooks were installed).
- * Reads last ~50 lines of each session's JSONL to check:
+ * Reads last ~15 lines of each session's JSONL to check:
  * - Pending AskUserQuestion tool use → needs-attention
  * - Last assistant message with stop_reason "end_turn" → idle
  * - Otherwise → working
@@ -270,7 +270,11 @@ export const scanInitialStatuses = async (
   const { execFile } = require('child_process');
   const tailFile = (filePath: string): Promise<string> =>
     new Promise((resolve) => {
-      execFile('tail', ['-n', '50', filePath], { encoding: 'utf-8', timeout: 3000 }, (err: any, stdout: string) => {
+      // Use 15 lines (not 50) — large assistant messages can make 50 lines > 1MB,
+      // exceeding execFile's maxBuffer and silently failing.
+      // The last ~5-10 lines are usually system entries; assistant entry is typically within 15.
+      execFile('tail', ['-n', '15', filePath], { encoding: 'utf-8', timeout: 3000, maxBuffer: 5 * 1024 * 1024 }, (err: any, stdout: string) => {
+        if (err) console.error(`[session-status] tailFile error for ${path.basename(filePath)}:`, err.message || err);
         resolve(err ? '' : stdout);
       });
     });
@@ -290,7 +294,7 @@ export const scanInitialStatuses = async (
     const jsonlPath = path.join(claudeDir, encodedProject, `${session.sessionId}.jsonl`);
     if (!fs.existsSync(jsonlPath)) return;
 
-    // Read last 50 lines
+    // Read last 15 lines
     const tail = await tailFile(jsonlPath);
     if (!tail.trim()) return;
 
@@ -359,10 +363,15 @@ export const cleanupStaleStatuses = (activeSessionIds: Set<string>): void => {
       if (!file.endsWith('.json')) continue;
       const sessionId = file.replace('.json', '');
       if (!activeSessionIds.has(sessionId)) {
-        try { fs.unlinkSync(path.join(STATUS_DIR, file)); } catch {}
+        console.log(`[session-status] cleanup: removing stale status file ${file}`);
+        try { fs.unlinkSync(path.join(STATUS_DIR, file)); } catch (err) {
+          console.error(`[session-status] cleanup: failed to delete ${file}:`, err);
+        }
       }
     }
-  } catch {}
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[session-status] cleanup error:', err);
+  }
 };
 
 /**
@@ -375,7 +384,9 @@ export const writeStatusFile = (sessionId: string, status: string): void => {
     const targetFile = path.join(STATUS_DIR, `${sessionId}.json`);
     fs.writeFileSync(tmpFile, JSON.stringify({ status, timestamp: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000), cwd: '' }));
     fs.renameSync(tmpFile, targetFile);
-  } catch {}
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(`[session-status] writeStatusFile failed for ${sessionId}:`, err);
+  }
 };
 
 export { STATUS_DIR, HOOK_SCRIPT_PATH };
diff --git a/src/switcher-ui.tsx b/src/switcher-ui.tsx
index a9b981f..2f0a28a 100644
--- a/src/switcher-ui.tsx
+++ b/src/switcher-ui.tsx
@@ -159,87 +159,36 @@ const THEME = {
 };
 
 /** Enhanced option label formatter - horizontal layout for higher information density */
-const formatOptionLabel = (
-  {
-    value,
-    label,
-    everOpened,
-  }: { value: string; label: string; everOpened: boolean },
-  { inputValue }: { inputValue: string },
-) => {
-  // Split input into search words
-  const searchWords = (inputValue ?? '')
-    .split(' ')
-    .filter((sub: string) => sub);
-
-  // Extract path and name
-  const path = label?.slice(0, label.lastIndexOf('/'));
-  let name = label?.slice(label.lastIndexOf('/') + 1);
-  name = name?.replace(/\.code-workspace/, ' (Workspace)');
-
-  // Determine styles based on whether the item has been opened
-  const nameStyle: any = {
-    fontWeight: '500',
-    fontSize: '15px', // Increased font size
-    minWidth: '180px', // Fixed width for project names for better alignment
-    paddingRight: '10px',
-  };
-
-  const pathStyle: any = {
-    fontSize: '14px', // Increased font size
-    color: THEME.text.secondary,
-    flex: 1,
-    textOverflow: 'ellipsis',
-    overflow: 'hidden',
-    whiteSpace: 'nowrap',
-  };
-
-  if (!everOpened) {
-    nameStyle.color = THEME.text.newItem;
-  } else {
-    nameStyle.color = THEME.text.primary;
-  }
-
-  return (
-    <div
-      style={{
-        display: 'flex',
-        alignItems: 'center',
-        padding: '2px 0',
-        width: '100%',
-        height: '30px', // Increased height for better readability
-      }}
-    >
-      <div style={nameStyle}>
-        <Highlighter
-          searchWords={searchWords}
-          autoEscape
-          textToHighlight={name}
-          highlightStyle={{
-            backgroundColor: 'rgba(0, 188, 212, 0.2)',
-            color: '#fff',
-            padding: '0 2px',
-            borderRadius: '2px',
-          }}
-        />
-      </div>
-      <div style={pathStyle}>
-        <Highlighter
-          searchWords={searchWords}
-          autoEscape
-          textToHighlight={path}
-          highlightStyle={{
-            backgroundColor: 'rgba(0, 188, 212, 0.1)',
-            color: '#ccc',
-            padding: '0 2px',
-            borderRadius: '2px',
-          }}
-        />
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  );
+/** Convert Electron accelerator to macOS symbol string (e.g. "Command+Control+R" → "⌃⌘R") */
+const acceleratorToSymbols = (acc: string): string =>
+  acc
+    .replace(/Command/g, '⌘')
+    .replace(/Control/g, '⌃')
+    .replace(/Alt/g, '⌥')
+    .replace(/Shift/g, '⇧')
+    .replace(/\+/g, '');
+
+let _homeDir = '';
+let _homePrefix = '';
+// Fetch home dir async on load, cache for sync access
+window.electronAPI?.getHomeDir?.().then((dir: string) => {
+  _homeDir = dir || '';
+  _homePrefix = _homeDir ? _homeDir + '/' : '';
+});
+const getHomeDir = (): string => _homeDir;
+
+/** Replace /Users/<user>/ with ~/ for display */
+const shortenPath = (p: string): string => {
+  const home = getHomeDir();
+  if (!home) return p;
+  if (p === home) return '~';
+  const prefix = _homePrefix;
+  return p?.startsWith(prefix) ? '~/' + p.slice(prefix.length) : p;
 };
 
+// Note: the unused formatOptionLabel was removed — the inline version
+// in the Select component (with branch display + IDE dot) is the one used.
+
 export interface SelectInputOptionInterface {
   readonly value: string;
   readonly label: string;
@@ -334,7 +283,14 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
     }
   };
 
-  const [mode, setMode] = useState<SwitcherMode>('projects');
+  // Read initial mode from URL hash (set by main process) to avoid flash
+  const initialMode = (() => {
+    const hash = window.location.hash; // e.g. #mode=sessions
+    const match = hash.match(/mode=(\w+)/);
+    const m = match?.[1];
+    return (m === 'sessions' || m === 'terminal') ? m : 'projects';
+  })();
+  const [mode, setMode] = useState<SwitcherMode>(initialMode);
   const [inputValue, setInputValue] = useState('');
   const [sessionSearchValue, setSessionSearchValue] = useState('');
   const [selectedOptions, setSelectedOptions] = useState([]);
@@ -355,7 +311,7 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
   const [assistantResponses, setAssistantResponses] = useState<Record<string, string>>({});
   const [terminalApps, setTerminalApps] = useState<Record<string, string>>({});
   const [sessionStatuses, setSessionStatuses] = useState<Record<string, string>>({});
-  const modeRef = useRef<SwitcherMode>('projects');
+  const modeRef = useRef<SwitcherMode>(initialMode);
   const activeStateRef = useRef<Record<string, number>>({});
   const allSessionsRef = useRef<any[]>([]);
   const lastAssistantFetchRef = useRef<Record<string, number>>({});
@@ -363,6 +319,7 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
   const [currentAppMode, setCurrentAppMode] = useState('menubar');
   const [modeBanner, setModeBanner] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [quickSwitcherShortcut, setQuickSwitcherShortcut] = useState('');
+  const [settingsOpenToTab, setSettingsOpenToTab] = useState<'general' | 'sessions' | 'shortcuts' | null>(null);
   const bannerTimeoutRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
 
   const updateWorkingPathUIAndList = async (path: string) => {
@@ -599,6 +556,11 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
       setMode('terminal');
     });
 
+    // If initial mode is sessions (from URL hash), fetch sessions immediately
+    if (initialMode === 'sessions') {
+      fetchClaudeSessions();
+    }
+
     // Session status updates from hooks (fs.watch)
     window.electronAPI.getSessionStatuses().then((rawStatuses: Record<string, any>) => {
       if (!rawStatuses) return;
@@ -675,10 +637,7 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
     // Load shortcut for display
     window.electronAPI.getShortcuts().then((s: any) => {
       if (s?.quickSwitcher) {
-        const display = s.quickSwitcher
-          .replace('Command', 'Cmd')
-          .replace('Control', 'Ctrl')
-          .replace(/\+/g, '+');
+        const display = acceleratorToSymbols(s.quickSwitcher);
         setQuickSwitcherShortcut(display);
         shortcutDisplay = display;
       }
@@ -696,18 +655,24 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
       const m = mode || 'normal';
       setCurrentAppMode(m);
       if (m === 'normal') {
-        showBanner('Normal App mode — drag to reposition. Switch to Menu Bar mode in Settings.', 6000);
+        // Only show the startup banner once (first launch)
+        window.electronAPI.getBannerSeen().then((seen: boolean) => {
+          if (!seen) {
+            showBanner('Normal App mode — drag to reposition. Switch to Menu Bar mode in Settings.', 6000);
+            window.electronAPI.setBannerSeen();
+          }
+        });
       }
     });
     window.electronAPI.onShortcutsUpdated((_event: any, s: any) => {
       if (s?.quickSwitcher) {
-        shortcutDisplay = s.quickSwitcher.replace('Command', 'Cmd').replace('Control', 'Ctrl').replace(/\+/g, '+');
+        shortcutDisplay = acceleratorToSymbols(s.quickSwitcher);
         setQuickSwitcherShortcut(shortcutDisplay);
       }
     });
     window.electronAPI.onAppModeChanged((_event: any, mode: string) => {
       setCurrentAppMode(mode);
-      const key = shortcutDisplay || 'Cmd+Ctrl+R';
+      const key = shortcutDisplay || '⌃⌘R';
       if (mode === 'normal') {
         showBanner('Switched to Normal App mode — window stays visible and is draggable.');
       } else {
@@ -903,33 +868,35 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
     },
     input: string,
   ) => {
-    // console.log("filterOptions:", candidate?.data)
-    let allFound = true;
+    if (!input) return true;
 
     let target: string;
     try {
       const branch = projectBranches[candidate?.value] || '';
-      target = (candidate?.value + ' ' + branch).toLowerCase();
+      // Include both full path and ~/shortened path for matching
+      const shortPath = shortenPath(candidate?.value);
+      target = (candidate?.value + ' ' + shortPath + ' ' + branch).toLowerCase();
     } catch (err) {
       console.log('target:', candidate);
     }
 
-    if (input) {
-      const inputArray = input.toLowerCase().split(' ');
-      for (const subInput of inputArray) {
-        if (subInput) {
-          if (!target?.includes(subInput)) {
-            allFound = false;
-            break;
-          }
-        }
+    const inputArray = input.toLowerCase().split(' ');
+    for (const rawSubInput of inputArray) {
+      // Strip trailing slash for matching (e.g. "~/git/" → "~/git")
+      const subInput = rawSubInput.endsWith('/') ? rawSubInput.slice(0, -1) : rawSubInput;
+      if (!subInput) continue;
+      // Expand ~ to home dir so "~/git/codev" matches "/Users/grimmer/git/codev"
+      const home = getHomeDir();
+      const expanded = subInput.startsWith('~/') && home
+        ? (home + '/').toLowerCase() + subInput.slice(2)
+        : subInput === '~' && home
+          ? home.toLowerCase()
+          : subInput;
+      if (!target?.includes(expanded)) {
+        return false;
       }
-    } else {
-      return true;
     }
-
-    // false means all filtered (not match)
-    return allFound;
+    return true;
   };
 
   return (
@@ -1011,7 +978,13 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
         {/* @ts-ignore */}
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '8px', WebkitAppRegion: 'no-drag' }}>
           {quickSwitcherShortcut && (
-            <span style={{ fontSize: '10px', color: '#555' }}>
+            <span
+              onClick={() => setSettingsOpenToTab('shortcuts')}
+              title="Click to customize shortcuts"
+              style={{ fontSize: '10px', color: '#555', cursor: 'pointer' }}
+              onMouseEnter={(e) => { e.currentTarget.style.color = '#888'; }}
+              onMouseLeave={(e) => { e.currentTarget.style.color = '#555'; }}
+            >
               {quickSwitcherShortcut}
             </span>
           )}
@@ -1075,6 +1048,8 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
           <PopupDefaultExample
             workingFolderPath={workingFolderPath}
             switcherMode={mode}
+            openToTab={settingsOpenToTab}
+            onOpenToTabConsumed={() => setSettingsOpenToTab(null)}
             saveCallback={(key: string, value: string) => {
               if (key === 'sessionDisplayMode') {
                 setSessionDisplayMode(value);
@@ -1234,9 +1209,9 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
                       const status = sessionStatuses[session.sessionId];
                       const color = status === 'working' ? '#E8956A'
                         : status === 'idle' ? '#66BB6A'
-                        : status === 'needs-attention' ? '#FFA726'
+                        : status === 'needs-attention' ? '#F06856'
                         : '#CE93D8'; // no status data yet
-                      const animation = status === 'working' ? 'statusPulse 2s ease-in-out infinite'
+                      const animation = status === 'working' ? 'statusPulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite'
                         : status === 'needs-attention' ? 'statusBlink 1s ease-in-out infinite'
                         : 'none';
                       return <span style={{
@@ -1525,10 +1500,24 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
           { value, label, everOpened }: { value: string; label: string; everOpened: boolean },
           { inputValue: searchInput }: { inputValue: string },
         ) => {
+          const home = getHomeDir();
+          const homePrefix = home ? home + '/' : '';
+          // Normalize search words: replace home dir prefix with ~/, strip trailing /
           const searchWords = (searchInput ?? '')
             .split(' ')
-            .filter((sub: string) => sub);
-          const pathPart = label?.slice(0, label.lastIndexOf('/'));
+            .filter((sub: string) => sub)
+            .map((w: string) => home && w === home ? '~' : homePrefix && w.startsWith(homePrefix) ? '~/' + w.slice(homePrefix.length) : w)
+            .map((w: string) => w.endsWith('/') ? w.slice(0, -1) : w)
+            .filter((w: string) => w);
+          // Split path tokens into individual segments for highlighting both name and path columns.
+          // E.g. "~/git/fred-ff-test-token" → ['~', 'git', 'fred-ff-test-token', '~/git/fred-ff-test-token']
+          // Both Highlighters get all segments, so each column highlights whatever matches.
+          const allSegments = searchWords.flatMap((w: string) =>
+            w.includes('/') ? [...w.split('/').filter(Boolean), w] : [w]
+          );
+          // Deduplicate
+          const highlightWords = [...new Set(allSegments)];
+          const pathPart = shortenPath(label?.slice(0, label.lastIndexOf('/')));
           let name = label?.slice(label.lastIndexOf('/') + 1);
           name = name?.replace(/\.code-workspace/, ' (Workspace)');
           const branch = projectBranches[value];
@@ -1560,7 +1549,7 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
               </div>
               <div style={nameStyle}>
                 <Highlighter
-                  searchWords={searchWords}
+                  searchWords={highlightWords}
                   autoEscape
                   textToHighlight={name}
                   highlightStyle={{
@@ -1596,7 +1585,7 @@ function SwitcherApp() {
                 textAlign: 'right',
               }}>
                 <Highlighter
-                  searchWords={searchWords}
+                  searchWords={highlightWords}
                   autoEscape
                   textToHighlight={pathPart}
                   highlightStyle={{