diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieChatPopover.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieChatPopover.tsx
index 2a15b0a3e8..6a8b9bd507 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieChatPopover.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieChatPopover.tsx
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ export function BestieChatPopover() {
             >
               <ProfileAvatar
                 avatarUrl={bestie.avatarUrl}
-                className="size-6 text-[9px]"
+                className="size-6 text-3xs"
                 label={bestie.name}
                 plain
                 testId="bestie-header-avatar"
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieMessagePopover.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieMessagePopover.tsx
index 218d6323ce..dd030482ee 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieMessagePopover.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/BestieMessagePopover.tsx
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ export function BestieMessagePanel({
             />
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
               <div className="flex min-w-0 items-baseline gap-1">
-                <p className="truncate text-[10px] font-semibold leading-3.5">
+                <p className="truncate text-2xs font-semibold leading-3.5">
                   {message.author}
                 </p>
-                <p className="shrink-0 text-[9px] leading-3.5 text-muted-foreground/70">
+                <p className="shrink-0 text-3xs leading-3.5 text-muted-foreground/70">
                   {message.time}
                 </p>
               </div>
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export function BestieMessagePanel({
                 data-testid={`bestie-message-snapshot-body-${message.id}`}
               >
                 <VideoReviewCommentMarkdown
-                  className="line-clamp-1 text-[10px] leading-3.5 text-foreground/80 [&_p]:leading-3.5"
+                  className="line-clamp-1 text-2xs leading-3.5 text-foreground/80 [&_p]:leading-3.5"
                   content={message.body}
                   interactive={false}
                   messageId={message.id}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageActionBar.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageActionBar.tsx
index 02a46b7e7b..28a6ff2039 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageActionBar.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageActionBar.tsx
@@ -17,10 +17,8 @@ import { AnimatePresence, motion, useReducedMotion } from "motion/react";
 import * as React from "react";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
 
-import { buildMessageLink } from "@/features/messages/lib/messageLink";
 import { EmojiPicker } from "@/features/custom-emoji/ui/EmojiPicker";
 import { useCustomEmoji } from "@/features/custom-emoji/hooks";
-import { getThreadReference } from "@/features/messages/lib/threading";
 import { ReportMessageDialog } from "@/features/moderation/ui/ReportMessageDialog";
 import { MessageModerationInlineItems } from "@/features/moderation/ui/MessageModerationMenuItems";
 import type {
@@ -34,8 +32,6 @@ import {
 import { reactionEmojiUrl } from "@/shared/api/customEmoji";
 import { cn } from "@/shared/lib/cn";
 import { copyTextToClipboard } from "@/shared/lib/clipboard";
-import { emojiDisplayName } from "@/shared/lib/emojiName";
-import { rewriteRelayUrl } from "@/shared/lib/mediaUrl";
 import { KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED } from "@/shared/constants/kinds";
 import { Button } from "@/shared/ui/button";
 import { HashArrowIn } from "@/shared/ui/icons";
@@ -53,36 +49,16 @@ import {
   MESSAGE_ACTION_BLOOM_VISUAL_DURATION,
   MessageActionBloomSurface,
 } from "./MessageActionBloomSurface";
+import {
+  canCopyMessageLink,
+  copyMessageLink,
+  isCustomEmojiShortcode,
+  QuickReactionButton,
+} from "./MessageActionToolbarHelpers";
 
 const ACTION_BUTTON_CLASS = "h-8 w-8 rounded-full p-0";
 const ACTION_ICON_CLASS = "!h-4 !w-4";
 
-/** Copying a message link is offered from both the hover action bar and the
- *  More menu; both paths share this exact link-building + toast behavior. */
-function copyMessageLink(channelId: string, message: TimelineMessage) {
-  const { rootId } = getThreadReference(message.tags ?? []);
-  const link = buildMessageLink({
-    channelId,
-    messageId: message.id,
-    threadRootId: rootId,
-  });
-  copyTextToClipboard(link, "Link copied to clipboard");
-}
-
-/** Gate shared by every copy-link surface: pending sends have no delivered
- *  event to link to, huddle system rows aren't linkable, and callers without
- *  a channelId (e.g. inbox preview rows) can't build the link. */
-function canCopyMessageLink(
-  message: TimelineMessage,
-  channelId: string | null | undefined,
-): channelId is string {
-  return (
-    !message.pending &&
-    message.kind !== KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED &&
-    Boolean(channelId)
-  );
-}
-
 function MoreActionsPanel({
   channelId,
   message,
@@ -374,51 +350,6 @@ function MoreActionsPanel({
   );
 }
 
-function QuickReactionButton({
-  customEmojiUrl,
-  emoji,
-  onSelect,
-}: {
-  customEmojiUrl?: string;
-  emoji: string;
-  onSelect: (emoji: string) => void;
-}) {
-  const displayName = emojiDisplayName(emoji);
-  const mediaUrl = customEmojiUrl ? rewriteRelayUrl(customEmojiUrl) : null;
-
-  return (
-    <Tooltip>
-      <TooltipTrigger asChild>
-        <button
-          aria-label={`React with ${displayName}`}
-          className="flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-base leading-none text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-muted hover:text-foreground focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-1 focus-visible:ring-ring"
-          onClick={() => onSelect(emoji)}
-          title={displayName}
-          type="button"
-        >
-          {mediaUrl ? (
-            <img
-              alt={emoji}
-              className="h-5 w-5 object-contain"
-              draggable={false}
-              src={mediaUrl}
-            />
-          ) : (
-            <span aria-hidden="true" className="translate-y-px">
-              {emoji}
-            </span>
-          )}
-        </button>
-      </TooltipTrigger>
-      <TooltipContent>{displayName}</TooltipContent>
-    </Tooltip>
-  );
-}
-
-function isCustomEmojiShortcode(emoji: string) {
-  return emoji.startsWith(":") && emoji.endsWith(":");
-}
-
 export const MessageActionBar = React.memo(function MessageActionBar({
   channelId,
   message,
@@ -834,7 +765,7 @@ export const MessageActionBar = React.memo(function MessageActionBar({
                 >
                   <ProfileAvatar
                     avatarUrl={bestie.avatarUrl}
-                    className="size-4 text-[7px] shadow-none"
+                    className="size-4 text-3xs shadow-none"
                     label={bestie.name}
                     plain
                     testId={`bestie-action-avatar-${message.id}`}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageActionToolbarHelpers.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageActionToolbarHelpers.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6df4ebe97a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageActionToolbarHelpers.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import { buildMessageLink } from "@/features/messages/lib/messageLink";
+import { getThreadReference } from "@/features/messages/lib/threading";
+import type { TimelineMessage } from "@/features/messages/types";
+import { KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED } from "@/shared/constants/kinds";
+import { copyTextToClipboard } from "@/shared/lib/clipboard";
+import { emojiDisplayName } from "@/shared/lib/emojiName";
+import { rewriteRelayUrl } from "@/shared/lib/mediaUrl";
+import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from "@/shared/ui/tooltip";
+
+export function copyMessageLink(channelId: string, message: TimelineMessage) {
+  const { rootId } = getThreadReference(message.tags ?? []);
+  const link = buildMessageLink({
+    channelId,
+    messageId: message.id,
+    threadRootId: rootId,
+  });
+  copyTextToClipboard(link, "Link copied to clipboard");
+}
+
+export function canCopyMessageLink(
+  message: TimelineMessage,
+  channelId: string | null | undefined,
+): channelId is string {
+  return (
+    !message.pending &&
+    message.kind !== KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED &&
+    Boolean(channelId)
+  );
+}
+
+export function QuickReactionButton({
+  customEmojiUrl,
+  emoji,
+  onSelect,
+}: {
+  customEmojiUrl?: string;
+  emoji: string;
+  onSelect: (emoji: string) => void;
+}) {
+  const displayName = emojiDisplayName(emoji);
+  const mediaUrl = customEmojiUrl ? rewriteRelayUrl(customEmojiUrl) : null;
+
+  return (
+    <Tooltip>
+      <TooltipTrigger asChild>
+        <button
+          aria-label={`React with ${displayName}`}
+          className="flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-base leading-none text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-muted hover:text-foreground focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-1 focus-visible:ring-ring"
+          onClick={() => onSelect(emoji)}
+          title={displayName}
+          type="button"
+        >
+          {mediaUrl ? (
+            <img
+              alt={emoji}
+              className="h-5 w-5 object-contain"
+              draggable={false}
+              src={mediaUrl}
+            />
+          ) : (
+            <span aria-hidden="true" className="translate-y-px">
+              {emoji}
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </button>
+      </TooltipTrigger>
+      <TooltipContent>{displayName}</TooltipContent>
+    </Tooltip>
+  );
+}
+
+export function isCustomEmojiShortcode(emoji: string) {
+  return emoji.startsWith(":") && emoji.endsWith(":");
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageComposer.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageComposer.tsx
index 70fb3a2792..870898e926 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageComposer.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageComposer.tsx
@@ -419,16 +419,13 @@ function MessageComposerImpl({
       setSpoileredAttachmentUrls(restoredSpoileredAttachmentUrls);
     }
   }, [editTarget?.id]);
-  // ── Focus on reply ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
-  // Use focusPreserve so that re-renders (e.g. new messages arriving in
-  // a thread) don't yank the cursor to the end while the user is editing.
+  // Preserve the cursor when reply-driven rerenders refocus the composer.
   React.useEffect(() => {
     if (!replyTarget || composerDisabled) return;
     richText.focusPreserve();
   }, [composerDisabled, replyTarget, richText.focusPreserve]);
   useComposerAutofocus(richText.focus, effectiveDraftKey, composerDisabled);
-  // Hooks return a plain-text edit descriptor; `replacePlainTextRange`
-  // applies it as a single ProseMirror transaction (no markdown round-trip).
+  // Apply autocomplete as one ProseMirror transaction, without a markdown round-trip.
   const applyAutocompleteEdit = React.useCallback(
     (edit: AutocompleteEdit) => {
       richText.replacePlainTextRange(
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
index 7ad5b1fd0c..637444f030 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
@@ -933,9 +933,8 @@ export const MessageRow = React.memo(
         </article>
       </div>
     );
-    // Callbacks (onReply, onToggleReaction) intentionally excluded: inline arrows
-    // from parent create new refs every render — including them defeats memo.
   },
+  // Ignore unstable callback identities; compare createdAt for timestamp-derived UI.
   (prev, next) =>
     prev.message.id === next.message.id &&
     prev.message.pubkey === next.message.pubkey &&
@@ -946,8 +945,6 @@ export const MessageRow = React.memo(
     prev.message.ownerLabel === next.message.ownerLabel &&
     prev.message.avatarUrl === next.message.avatarUrl &&
     prev.message.accent === next.message.accent &&
-    // The header timestamp and hover gutter both derive from createdAt (the
-    // old `time` prop was the same value pre-formatted; this row reads neither).
     prev.message.createdAt === next.message.createdAt &&
     prev.message.depth === next.message.depth &&
     prev.message.kind === next.message.kind &&
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx
index 53db27efc7..cd5f42f5be 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/AppSidebarPinnedHeader.tsx
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ export function AppSidebarPrimaryMenu({
               >
                 <ProfileAvatar
                   avatarUrl={bestieAgent.avatarUrl}
-                  className="size-4 text-[7px] shadow-none"
+                  className="size-4 text-3xs shadow-none"
                   label={bestieAgent.name}
                   plain
                   testId="bestie-sidebar-avatar"