diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx
index 8ac12fed..476cf582 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const IntroBeat: React.FC<{ c: ClaudeTokens; line: string; sub?: string; onNext:
   <div style={{ position: 'relative', width: '100%', height: '100%', display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center', background: c.bg.inverse, overflow: 'hidden' }}>
     <motion.div
       initial={{ scale: 0.35, opacity: 0, x: 0, y: 0 }}
-      animate={{ scale: [0.35, 1, 1.06, 1], opacity: [0, 0.55, 0.5, 0.55], x: [0, 0, 22, 0], y: [0, 0, -14, 0] }}
+      animate={{ scale: [0.35, 1, 1.06, 1], opacity: [0, 0.62, 0.56, 0.62], x: [0, 0, 22, 0], y: [0, 0, -14, 0] }}
       transition={{ duration: 9, times: [0, 0.16, 0.6, 1], ease: 'easeInOut' }}
       style={{
         position: 'absolute', width: 560, height: 560, borderRadius: 999,
@@ -173,14 +173,14 @@ const OnboardingV3Root: React.FC = () => {
             background: c.bg.page,
           }}
         >
-          <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
+          <AnimatePresence initial={false}>
             <motion.div
               key={beat}
               initial={{ opacity: 0 }}
               animate={{ opacity: 1 }}
               exit={{ opacity: 0 }}
-              transition={{ duration: 0.32 }}
-              style={{ width: '100%', height: '100%' }}
+              transition={{ duration: 0.35, ease: 'easeInOut' }}
+              style={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0 }}
             >
               {beat === 'welcome' && <IntroBeat c={c} line="Welcome." onNext={() => setBeat('newos')} />}
               {beat === 'newos' && <IntroBeat c={c} line="This is your new OS." onNext={() => setBeat('connect')} />}
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ const OnboardingV3Root: React.FC = () => {
             transition={{ duration: 0.3 }}
             style={{ position: 'absolute', top: 13, left: 14, display: 'flex', gap: 7, pointerEvents: 'none' }}
           >
-            {[0, 1, 2].map((i) => (
-              <span key={i} style={{ width: 11, height: 11, borderRadius: 999, background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.22)' }} />
+            {['#FF5F57', '#FEBC2E', '#28C840'].map((dot) => (
+              <span key={dot} style={{ width: 11, height: 11, borderRadius: 999, background: dot, opacity: 0.9 }} />
             ))}
           </motion.div>
           {finishing && (
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatApps.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatApps.tsx
index 079d6d7c..408f085f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatApps.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatApps.tsx
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ const BeatApps: React.FC<{
         }}
       >
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 7, padding: '9px 12px', borderBottom: `1px solid ${c.border.subtle}`, background: c.bg.elevated }}>
-          {[0, 1, 2].map((i) => (
-            <span key={i} style={{ width: 10, height: 10, borderRadius: 999, background: c.border.strong }} />
+          {['#FF5F57', '#FEBC2E', '#28C840'].map((dot) => (
+            <span key={dot} style={{ width: 10, height: 10, borderRadius: 999, background: dot, opacity: 0.85 }} />
           ))}
           <span style={{ marginLeft: 8, fontSize: '0.72rem', fontWeight: 600, color: c.text.tertiary, letterSpacing: '0.04em' }}>OpenSwarm</span>
         </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatConnect.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatConnect.tsx
index 6efa91e5..8027a924 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatConnect.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatConnect.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { motion } from 'framer-motion';
+import { Check } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useAppDispatch, useAppSelector } from '@/shared/hooks';
 import { API_BASE } from '@/shared/config';
 import { fetchModels } from '@/shared/state/modelsSlice';
@@ -101,7 +102,6 @@ const BeatConnect: React.FC<{
                 display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 14, padding: '13px 14px 13px 16px', textAlign: 'left',
                 borderRadius: c.radius.md, border: `1px solid ${filled ? c.accent.primary : c.border.medium}`,
                 background: c.bg.surface, cursor: connected ? 'default' : 'pointer', fontFamily: 'inherit',
-                boxShadow: c.shadow.sm,
               }}
             >
               <span style={{
@@ -135,7 +135,18 @@ const BeatConnect: React.FC<{
           </motion.div>
         )}
         <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'flex-start', gap: 9, marginTop: 8, cursor: 'pointer', fontSize: '0.82rem', color: c.text.tertiary, lineHeight: 1.5 }}>
-          <input type="checkbox" checked={scanConsent} onChange={(e) => setScanConsent(e.target.checked)} style={{ marginTop: 2 }} />
+          <button
+            onClick={(e) => { e.preventDefault(); setScanConsent(!scanConsent); }}
+            style={{
+              width: 16, height: 16, marginTop: 2, borderRadius: 5, padding: 0, cursor: 'pointer', flexShrink: 0,
+              border: `1.5px solid ${scanConsent ? c.accent.primary : c.border.strong}`,
+              background: scanConsent ? c.accent.primary : 'transparent',
+              display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
+              transition: 'background 120ms ease, border-color 120ms ease',
+            }}
+          >
+            {scanConsent && <Check size={11} color="#fff" strokeWidth={3.2} />}
+          </button>
           <span>Take a quick local look around to personalize my setup. Nothing leaves this Mac.</span>
         </label>
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 18, marginTop: 2 }}>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatShell.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatShell.tsx
index 1d78e611..5895ad45 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatShell.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatShell.tsx
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { motion } from 'framer-motion';
 import { ArrowLeft } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useThemeAccent } from '@/shared/styles/ThemeContext';
 import type { ClaudeTokens } from '@/shared/styles/claudeTokens';
 
 // Film grain as a data URI so the CSP never phones out; opacity keeps it a texture, not noise.
 export const GRAIN_URL = "url(\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='140' height='140'%3E%3Cfilter id='n'%3E%3CfeTurbulence type='fractalNoise' baseFrequency='0.9' numOctaves='2'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Crect width='140' height='140' filter='url(%23n)' opacity='0.5'/%3E%3C/svg%3E\")";
 
 // Arc's torn seam: the dark copy panel ends in a zigzag bite instead of a straight border.
-const ZIGZAG_CLIP = `polygon(0 0, 100% 0, ${Array.from({ length: 50 }, (unused, i) => `calc(100% - 6px) ${i * 2 + 1}%, 100% ${i * 2 + 2}%`).join(', ')}, 0 100%)`;
+const ZIGZAG_CLIP = `polygon(0 0, 100% 0, ${Array.from({ length: 30 }, (unused, i) => `calc(100% - 12px) ${i * 3.33 + 1.66}%, 100% ${i * 3.33 + 3.33}%`).join(', ')}, 0 100%)`;
 
 const SPRING = { type: 'spring' as const, stiffness: 260, damping: 26 };
 
@@ -22,6 +23,10 @@ const BeatShell: React.FC<{
   onBack?: () => void;
   children: React.ReactNode;
 }> = ({ c, title, body, nextLabel, nextDisabled, onNext, onBack, children }) => {
+  // Arc's post-theme screens wear the user's color everywhere; the stage drinks the picked stops (or accent) instead of staying flat paper.
+  const { accent, gradient } = useThemeAccent();
+  const stops = gradient ?? (accent ? [accent] : [c.accent.primary]);
+  const stageWash = `linear-gradient(115deg, ${stops.map((hex, i) => `${hex}2e ${stops.length > 1 ? (i / (stops.length - 1)) * 100 : 100}%`).join(', ')}), ${c.bg.secondary}`;
   // Zen steal: controls stay inert until the entrance lands so a double-click from the prior beat can't fire them.
   const [armed, setArmed] = useState(false);
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -87,8 +92,10 @@ const BeatShell: React.FC<{
         style={{
           position: 'relative', flex: 1, minWidth: 0, display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
           padding: 36, boxSizing: 'border-box', overflow: 'auto',
+          background: stageWash,
         }}
       >
+        <div style={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0, backgroundImage: GRAIN_URL, opacity: 0.08, pointerEvents: 'none' }} />
         <div style={{ position: 'relative', width: '100%', display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center' }}>
           {children}
         </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
index 36f0f1ab..fe02b730 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ const DashboardCanvas: React.FC<DashboardCanvasProps> = ({
               position: 'absolute',
               inset: 0,
               pointerEvents: 'none',
-              background: `linear-gradient(115deg, ${gradient.map((hex, i) => `${hex}24 ${(i / (gradient.length - 1)) * 100}%`).join(', ')})`,
+              background: `linear-gradient(115deg, ${gradient.map((hex, i) => `${hex}2b ${(i / (gradient.length - 1)) * 100}%`).join(', ')})`,
             }}
           />
         )}