diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/cards/WindowControls.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/cards/WindowControls.tsx
index 3d0f2462..56dc988a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/cards/WindowControls.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/cards/WindowControls.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ interface WindowControlsProps {
   onMinimize: () => void;
   onTile: (zone: string) => void; // a TILE_ZONES key, 'fullscreen', or 'restore'
   tiled?: boolean;
+  /** Onboarding anchor riding the close dot (the settings flow points its cursor here). */
+  closeDataOnboarding?: string;
 }
 
 // macOS-style traffic lights on every card = the "AI OS" window feel. Grey at rest so a canvas
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ export const ARC_CHIP_SX: Record<string, unknown> = {
   '.osw-pill-host:hover & .osw-window-lights > [data-light="zoom"]': { transform: 'translate(calc(-50% + 11px), calc(-50% + 5px)) scale(1)', opacity: 1, transitionDelay: '80ms' },
 };
 
-function WindowControls({ onClose, onMinimize, onTile, tiled }: WindowControlsProps): React.ReactElement {
+function WindowControls({ onClose, onMinimize, onTile, tiled, closeDataOnboarding }: WindowControlsProps): React.ReactElement {
   const [menuOpen, setMenuOpen] = useState(false);
   // Menu DOM (12 tiles + labels, ~30 nodes) mounts on first green-dot hover, not per card at boot.
   const [menuHot, setMenuHot] = useState(false);
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ function WindowControls({ onClose, onMinimize, onTile, tiled }: WindowControlsPr
 
   const btn = (color: string, symbol: string, onClick: () => void, label: string, slot: string): React.ReactElement => (
     <Box component="button" type="button" aria-label={label} data-light={slot}
+      {...(slot === 'close' && closeDataOnboarding ? { 'data-onboarding': closeDataOnboarding } : {})}
       onClick={(e: React.MouseEvent) => { e.stopPropagation(); onClick(); }} onPointerDown={stop} sx={dotSx(color)}>
       <span>{symbol}</span>
     </Box>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsAppCard.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsAppCard.tsx
index 8bb28ded..9ab6e8ab 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsAppCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsAppCard.tsx
@@ -106,10 +106,10 @@ const SettingsAppCard: React.FC<Props> = ({
               onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
               style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}
             >
-              <WindowControls onClose={close} onMinimize={minimize} onTile={onTileZone} tiled={!!tileZone} />
+              <WindowControls onClose={close} onMinimize={minimize} onTile={onTileZone} tiled={!!tileZone} closeDataOnboarding="settings-close-button" />
             </span>
           </div>
-          <SettingsBody active onRequestClose={close} />
+          <SettingsBody active />
         </>
       )}
     </CanvasWindowCard>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsBody.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsBody.tsx
index 48e6fb8d..92ce1698 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsBody.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Settings/SettingsBody.tsx
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import Box from '@mui/material/Box';
 import Snackbar from '@mui/material/Snackbar';
 import Alert from '@mui/material/Alert';
-import IconButton from '@mui/material/IconButton';
 import Typography from '@mui/material/Typography';
-import { X } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useAppDispatch, useAppSelector } from '@/shared/hooks';
 import { fetchModels } from '@/shared/state/modelsSlice';
 import { fetchModes } from '@/shared/state/modesSlice';
@@ -41,17 +39,16 @@ const isValidTab = (t: string | null | undefined): t is SettingsTab =>
 interface SettingsBodyProps {
   /** The host is showing this body; gates the fetches, the live theme apply and the debounced save. */
   active: boolean;
-  onRequestClose: () => void;
 }
 
 // The settings UI itself: rail + section. Hosted by the modal (Settings.tsx) and by the on-canvas window (SettingsAppCard) with no forked copy between them.
-const SettingsBody: React.FC<SettingsBodyProps> = ({ active, onRequestClose }) => {
+const SettingsBody: React.FC<SettingsBodyProps> = ({ active }) => {
   const c = useClaudeTokens();
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const modes = useAppSelector((s) => s.modes.items);
   const modesList = useMemo(() => Object.values(modes), [modes]);
   const modelOptions = useModelOptions();
-  const { form, setForm, saveError, dismissSaveError, flushPendingSave } = useSettingsForm(active);
+  const { form, setForm, saveError, dismissSaveError } = useSettingsForm(active);
   const requestedTab = useAppSelector((s) => s.dashboardLayout.settingsRequestedTab);
 
   const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState<SettingsTab>(isValidTab(lastOpenTab) ? lastOpenTab : 'general');
@@ -82,11 +79,6 @@ const SettingsBody: React.FC<SettingsBodyProps> = ({ active, onRequestClose }) =
     lastOpenTab = activeTab;
   }, [activeTab]);
 
-  const handleRequestClose = (): void => {
-    flushPendingSave();
-    onRequestClose();
-  };
-
   const styles = makeSettingsStyles(c);
 
   return (
@@ -94,13 +86,10 @@ const SettingsBody: React.FC<SettingsBodyProps> = ({ active, onRequestClose }) =
       <SettingsRail activeTab={activeTab} onTabChange={(v) => setActiveTab(v as SettingsTab)} />
 
       <Box sx={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0, display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column' }}>
-      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'space-between', px: 3, pt: 0.5, pb: 0.75, flexShrink: 0 }}>
+      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', px: 3, pt: 0.5, pb: 0.75, flexShrink: 0 }}>
         <Typography sx={{ color: c.text.primary, fontWeight: 600, fontSize: '1rem' }}>
           {railLabelFor(activeTab)}
         </Typography>
-        <IconButton onClick={handleRequestClose} size="small" data-onboarding="settings-close-button" sx={{ color: c.text.tertiary, '&:hover': { color: c.text.primary } }}>
-          <X size={18} />
-        </IconButton>
       </Box>
 
       <Box sx={{