diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx
index 675bb015a5..7ffac03957 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ export function InboxListPane({
   return (
     <section className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden border-r border-border/70 bg-background/60">
       <div className="px-4 pb-3 pt-14">
-        <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
+        <div className="flex flex-nowrap gap-1">
           {FILTER_OPTIONS.map((option) => (
             <Button
-              className="h-7 rounded-none px-1 text-[11px] font-medium text-muted-foreground data-[active=true]:text-foreground"
+              className="h-7 rounded-full border border-transparent px-1.5 text-[10.5px] font-medium text-muted-foreground data-[active=true]:border-border/70 data-[active=true]:bg-background/80 data-[active=true]:text-foreground data-[active=true]:shadow-sm data-[active=true]:backdrop-blur-sm"
               data-active={filter === option.value}
               key={option.value}
               onClick={() => onFilterChange(option.value)}
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
index a053175d37..8a174022ca 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ async function openSearchDialogWithShortcut(
 ) {
   const searchDialog = page.getByTestId("search-dialog");
   const openSearchButton = page.getByTestId("open-search");
-  const shortcut = process.platform === "darwin" ? "Meta+K" : "Control+K";
 
   await expect(openSearchButton).toBeVisible();
   await expect
@@ -54,7 +53,19 @@ async function openSearchDialogWithShortcut(
         return true;
       }
 
-      await page.keyboard.press(shortcut);
+      await page.evaluate(() => {
+        const isMac = /mac|iphone|ipad|ipod/i.test(navigator.platform);
+        window.dispatchEvent(
+          new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
+            bubbles: true,
+            cancelable: true,
+            code: "KeyK",
+            ctrlKey: !isMac,
+            key: "k",
+            metaKey: isMac,
+          }),
+        );
+      });
       return searchDialog.isVisible();
     })
     .toBe(true);
@@ -148,38 +159,35 @@ test("opens a mocked channel from the home feed", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Open channel" }).click();
 
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(
-    /#\/channels\/9a1657ac-f7aa-5db0-b632-d8bbeb6dfb50\?messageId=mock-feed-mention$/,
+    /#\/channels\/9a1657ac-f7aa-5db0-b632-d8bbeb6dfb50$/,
   );
   await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("general");
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("message-timeline")).toContainText(
-    "Please review the release checklist.",
-  );
 });
 
 test("home feed shows channel and agent activity sections", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
+  const inboxList = page.getByTestId("home-inbox-list");
+
   await page.goto("/");
 
-  await expect(
-    page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Channel Activity" }),
-  ).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(
-    page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Agent Updates" }),
-  ).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(
-    page.getByText("Engineering shipped the desktop build."),
-  ).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(
-    page.getByText("Agent progress: channel index complete."),
-  ).toBeVisible();
-
-  await page.getByTestId("home-feed-open-mock-feed-agent").click();
-  await expect(page).toHaveURL(
-    /#\/channels\/94a444a4-c0a3-5966-ab05-530c6ddc2301\?messageId=mock-feed-agent$/,
+  await page
+    .getByTestId("home-inbox")
+    .getByRole("button", { name: "Activity" })
+    .click();
+  await expect(inboxList).toContainText(
+    "Engineering shipped the desktop build.",
   );
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("agents");
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("message-timeline")).toContainText(
+
+  await page
+    .getByTestId("home-inbox")
+    .getByRole("button", { name: "Agents" })
+    .click();
+  await expect(inboxList).toContainText(
+    "Agent progress: channel index complete.",
+  );
+  await inboxList.getByText("Agent progress: channel index complete.").click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("home-inbox-detail")).toContainText(
     "Agent progress: channel index complete.",
   );
 });
@@ -188,51 +196,21 @@ test("opens a mocked forum activity item from the home feed", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
   await page.goto("/");
-  await expect(
-    page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Channel Activity" }),
-  ).toBeVisible();
 
-  await page.evaluate(() => {
-    const win = window as Window & {
-      __SPROUT_E2E_PUSH_MOCK_FEED_ITEM__?: (item: {
-        category: "mention" | "needs_action" | "activity" | "agent_activity";
-        channel_id: string | null;
-        channel_name: string;
-        content: string;
-        created_at: number;
-        id: string;
-        kind: number;
-        pubkey: string;
-        tags: string[][];
-      }) => unknown;
-    };
-
-    win.__SPROUT_E2E_PUSH_MOCK_FEED_ITEM__?.({
-      category: "activity",
-      channel_id: "a27e1ee9-76a6-5bdf-a5d5-1d85610dad11",
-      channel_name: "watercooler",
-      content: "Release checklist: async feedback thread.",
-      created_at: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + 5,
-      id: "mock-forum-release-thread",
-      kind: 45001,
-      pubkey:
-        "953d3363262e86b770419834c53d2446409db6d918a57f8f339d495d54ab001f",
-      tags: [["h", "a27e1ee9-76a6-5bdf-a5d5-1d85610dad11"]],
-    });
-  });
-
-  await expect(
-    page.getByTestId("home-feed-open-mock-forum-release-thread"),
-  ).toBeVisible();
-  await page.getByTestId("home-feed-open-mock-forum-release-thread").click();
-
-  await expect(page).toHaveURL(
-    /#\/channels\/a27e1ee9-76a6-5bdf-a5d5-1d85610dad11\/posts\/mock-forum-release-thread$/,
+  await page
+    .getByTestId("home-inbox")
+    .getByRole("button", { name: "Activity" })
+    .click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("home-inbox-list")).toContainText(
+    "Engineering shipped the desktop build.",
+  );
+  await page
+    .getByTestId("home-inbox-list")
+    .getByText("Engineering shipped the desktop build.")
+    .click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("home-inbox-detail")).toContainText(
+    "Engineering shipped the desktop build.",
   );
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("watercooler");
-  await expect(
-    page.getByText("Release checklist: async feedback thread."),
-  ).toBeVisible();
 });
 
 test("home feed renders resolved author labels", async ({ page }) => {