diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
index 91029f83de79..18aa1b97801a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,6 @@
 import { ComposerPrimitive } from '@assistant-ui/react'
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
-import {
-  type ClipboardEvent,
-  type FormEvent,
-  type KeyboardEvent,
-  useCallback,
-  useEffect,
-  useMemo,
-  useRef
-} from 'react'
+import { type ClipboardEvent, type FormEvent, type KeyboardEvent, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react'
 
 import { composerFill, composerSurfaceGlass } from '@/components/chat/composer-dock'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
index 6994be8431c8..e1bf600d650d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import { useContributions } from '@/contrib/react/use-contributions'
 import { registry } from '@/contrib/registry'
 import { discoverRuntimePlugins } from '@/contrib/runtime-loader'
 import { sessionTitle as storedSessionTitle } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
-import { LayoutDashboard } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { LayoutDashboard, PanelBottom } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { type KeybindContribution, KEYBINDS_AREA } from '@/lib/keybinds/actions'
 import { Codecs, persistentAtom } from '@/lib/persisted'
 import {
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import { $previewOpenRequest, $previewTabs, closeRightRail } from '@/store/previ
 import { $reviewOpen, closeReview, REVIEW_PANE_ID } from '@/store/review'
 import { $currentCwd, $selectedStoredSessionId, $sessions, sessionMatchesStoredId } from '@/store/session'
 import { watchSessionPins } from '@/store/session-pin-sync'
+import { $statusbarVisible, toggleStatusbarVisible } from '@/store/statusbar-prefs'
 
 import type { SessionDragPayload } from '../chat/composer/inline-refs'
 import { watchRouteTiles } from '../chat/route-tile'
@@ -300,6 +301,20 @@ registry.registerMany([
       run: resetLayoutTree
     } satisfies PaletteContribution
   },
+  // Hiding the bar removes the surface that would otherwise offer it back, so
+  // ⌘K is the guaranteed door in (alongside the rebindable ⌘⇧S).
+  {
+    id: 'view.toggleStatusbar',
+    area: PALETTE_AREA,
+    data: {
+      id: 'view.toggleStatusbar',
+      label: 'Toggle status bar',
+      action: 'view.toggleStatusbar',
+      icon: PanelBottom,
+      keywords: ['status bar', 'statusbar', 'bottom bar', 'hide', 'show', 'chrome'],
+      run: toggleStatusbarVisible
+    } satisfies PaletteContribution
+  },
   // The keybind panel's non-titlebar door (the keyboard icon is gone).
   {
     id: 'keybinds.panel',
@@ -648,6 +663,7 @@ function TitlebarSlot({ area, className, style }: TitlebarSlotProps) {
 
 export function ContribController() {
   const sidebarOpen = useStore($sidebarOpen)
+  const statusbarVisible = useStore($statusbarVisible)
 
   return (
     <SidebarProvider
@@ -714,8 +730,10 @@ export function ContribController() {
           <SessionTileCloseConfirm />
 
           {/* The REAL statusbar (model pill, command center, agents, …) with
-              statusBar.left/right contributions merged in. */}
-          <WiredPane part="statusbar" />
+              statusBar.left/right contributions merged in. Unmounted — not
+              just hidden — while toggled off, so its 15s status poll and the
+              per-turn readouts stop with it. */}
+          {statusbarVisible && <WiredPane part="statusbar" />}
         </div>
       </ContribWiring>
     </SidebarProvider>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
index 7e49029d1cea..66d74e9411f2 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import {
   switcherActive,
   switcherJustClosed
 } from '@/store/session-switcher'
+import { toggleStatusbarVisible } from '@/store/statusbar-prefs'
 import { openNewWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 import { useTheme } from '@/themes/context'
 
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@ export function useKeybinds(deps: KeybindRuntimeDeps): void {
     'view.toggleRightSidebar': () =>
       layoutHasRootSide('right') ? toggleFileBrowserOpen() : setTerminalTakeover(!$terminalTakeover.get()),
     'view.toggleReview': toggleReview,
+    'view.toggleStatusbar': toggleStatusbarVisible,
     'view.showFiles': showFiles,
     'view.showTerminal': () => setTerminalTakeover(!$terminalTakeover.get()),
     // Create first so the pane's open-effect ensure sees a non-empty set and
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-preview-routing.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-preview-routing.ts
index eaf0eb3cca6a..409cb51c0504 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-preview-routing.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-preview-routing.ts
@@ -26,11 +26,7 @@ function asRecord(payload: unknown): Record<string, unknown> {
   return payload && typeof payload === 'object' ? (payload as Record<string, unknown>) : {}
 }
 
-export function usePreviewRouting({
-  baseHandleGatewayEvent,
-  currentCwd,
-  requestGateway
-}: PreviewRoutingOptions) {
+export function usePreviewRouting({ baseHandleGatewayEvent, currentCwd, requestGateway }: PreviewRoutingOptions) {
   const restartPreviewServer = useCallback(
     async (url: string, context?: string) => {
       const sessionId = $focusedRuntimeId.get()
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-controls.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-controls.tsx
index a33608b5edd6..7dbc9335f71e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-controls.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-controls.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   ContextMenu,
   ContextMenuCheckboxItem,
   ContextMenuContent,
+  ContextMenuItem,
   ContextMenuLabel,
   ContextMenuSeparator,
   ContextMenuTrigger
@@ -13,8 +14,9 @@ import {
 import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { Tip, TipKeybindLabel, Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipProvider, TooltipTrigger } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
+import { useKeybindHint } from '@/lib/keybinds/use-keybind-hint'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
-import { $statusbarHiddenIds, setStatusbarItemVisible } from '@/store/statusbar-prefs'
+import { $statusbarHiddenIds, setStatusbarItemVisible, toggleStatusbarVisible } from '@/store/statusbar-prefs'
 
 // Shared chrome styling for interactive statusbar items (button / link / menu
 // trigger). The 'text' variant intentionally omits hover/transition/disabled.
@@ -121,7 +123,8 @@ export function StatusbarControls({ className, leftItems = [], items = [], ...pr
 
 /** Right-click the bar to choose what it shows. Lists every item that named
  *  itself with `toggleLabel`, in bar order (left cluster then right), so the
- *  menu reads like the surface it edits. */
+ *  menu reads like the surface it edits. Hiding the whole bar lives at the
+ *  bottom — VS Code puts it on the same context menu. */
 function StatusbarVisibilityMenu({
   hiddenIds,
   items,
@@ -151,32 +154,44 @@ function StatusbarVisibilityMenu({
     })
   }, [items, leftItems])
 
-  if (toggles.length === 0) {
-    return null
-  }
-
   return (
     <ContextMenuContent className="w-52">
-      <ContextMenuLabel>{copy.customizeTitle}</ContextMenuLabel>
-      <ContextMenuSeparator />
-      {toggles.map(item => (
-        <ContextMenuCheckboxItem
-          checked={item.lockedVisible || !hiddenIds.includes(item.id)}
-          disabled={item.lockedVisible}
-          key={item.id}
-          onCheckedChange={checked => setStatusbarItemVisible(item.id, checked)}
-          // Radix closes the menu on select; keep it open so several items can
-          // be toggled in one pass (this is a preferences surface, not a
-          // command list).
-          onSelect={event => event.preventDefault()}
-        >
-          <span className="truncate">{item.toggleLabel}</span>
-        </ContextMenuCheckboxItem>
-      ))}
+      {toggles.length > 0 && (
+        <>
+          <ContextMenuLabel>{copy.customizeTitle}</ContextMenuLabel>
+          <ContextMenuSeparator />
+          {toggles.map(item => (
+            <ContextMenuCheckboxItem
+              checked={item.lockedVisible || !hiddenIds.includes(item.id)}
+              disabled={item.lockedVisible}
+              key={item.id}
+              onCheckedChange={checked => setStatusbarItemVisible(item.id, checked)}
+              // Radix closes the menu on select; keep it open so several items can
+              // be toggled in one pass (this is a preferences surface, not a
+              // command list).
+              onSelect={event => event.preventDefault()}
+            >
+              <span className="truncate">{item.toggleLabel}</span>
+            </ContextMenuCheckboxItem>
+          ))}
+          <ContextMenuSeparator />
+        </>
+      )}
+      <ContextMenuItem onSelect={toggleStatusbarVisible}>
+        <span className="truncate">{copy.hideStatusbar}</span>
+        <StatusbarHideHint />
+      </ContextMenuItem>
     </ContextMenuContent>
   )
 }
 
+/** The live ⌘⇧S hint on the hide row — the way back once the bar is gone. */
+function StatusbarHideHint() {
+  const hint = useKeybindHint('view.toggleStatusbar')
+
+  return hint ? <span className="ml-auto pl-2 text-(--ui-text-quaternary)">{hint}</span> : null
+}
+
 /** Memoized: `useStatusbarItems` rebuilds the item array whenever ANY of its
  *  inputs change, but each individual item object is usually identical across
  *  those rebuilds. Without this, one changed item (the running timer, say)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-visibility.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-visibility.test.tsx
index 04defbe29479..9d334a0330dc 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-visibility.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/statusbar-visibility.test.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ import { MemoryRouter } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 import { StatusbarControls, type StatusbarItem } from '@/app/shell/statusbar-controls'
-import { $statusbarHiddenIds, STATUSBAR_HIDDEN_BY_DEFAULT } from '@/store/statusbar-prefs'
+import {
+  $statusbarHiddenIds,
+  $statusbarVisible,
+  STATUSBAR_HIDDEN_BY_DEFAULT,
+  toggleStatusbarVisible
+} from '@/store/statusbar-prefs'
 
 class TestResizeObserver {
   observe() {}
@@ -22,6 +27,7 @@ beforeAll(() => {
 afterEach(() => {
   cleanup()
   $statusbarHiddenIds.set([...STATUSBAR_HIDDEN_BY_DEFAULT])
+  $statusbarVisible.set(true)
 })
 
 const item = (id: string, label: string, extra: Partial<StatusbarItem> = {}): StatusbarItem => ({
@@ -118,3 +124,26 @@ describe('statusbar item visibility', () => {
     expect(within(statusbar).getByText('Session timer')).toBeTruthy()
   })
 })
+
+describe('whole-bar visibility', () => {
+  it('hides the bar from the context menu, leaving the keybind as the way back', async () => {
+    const statusbar = bar([item('gateway-health', 'Gateway')])
+
+    openContextMenu(statusbar)
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('menuitem', { name: /hide status bar/i }))
+
+    expect($statusbarVisible.get()).toBe(false)
+
+    toggleStatusbarVisible()
+    expect($statusbarVisible.get()).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('offers the hide row even when no item opted into the show/hide list', async () => {
+    const statusbar = bar([{ id: 'plugin-thing', label: 'Plugin thing', variant: 'action' }])
+
+    openContextMenu(statusbar)
+
+    expect(await screen.findByRole('menuitem', { name: /hide status bar/i })).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('menuitemcheckbox')).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx
index fc920ff2ca7a..b46d4068479e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ export function TreeGroup({
         <ZoneMenu {...zoneMenu}>
           <div
             className={cn(
-              'flex h-full w-7 shrink-0 cursor-pointer select-none flex-col items-stretch bg-(--pane-tab-strip-bg) [--pane-tab-strip-bg:var(--theme-card-seed)]',
+              'flex h-full w-7 shrink-0 cursor-pointer select-none flex-col items-stretch bg-(--ui-sidebar-surface-background)',
               // Strip line faces the content the zone collapsed away from.
               railSide === 'right' ? PANE_TAB_STRIP_LINE_LEFT : PANE_TAB_STRIP_LINE_RIGHT
             )}
@@ -397,11 +397,11 @@ export function TreeGroup({
       {headerVisible && (
         <ZoneMenu {...zoneMenu}>
           <div
-            // Active = sidebar surface (merges into body). Strip =
-            // `--theme-card-seed` (VS Code `tab.inactiveBackground`). No bottom
-            // rule — the active tab's primary underline is the only seam.
+            // Strip and active tab both sit on the sidebar surface, so the
+            // header reads as one piece of chrome with the titlebar above it.
+            // No bottom rule — the active tab's primary underline is the only seam.
             // data-zone-tabstrip: a drop over here STACKS (drag-session reads it).
-            className="group/pane-header relative flex h-7 shrink-0 select-none bg-(--pane-tab-strip-bg) [-webkit-app-region:no-drag] [--pane-tab-active-bg:var(--ui-sidebar-surface-background)] [--pane-tab-strip-bg:var(--theme-card-seed)]"
+            className="group/pane-header relative flex h-7 shrink-0 select-none bg-(--ui-sidebar-surface-background) [-webkit-app-region:no-drag] [--pane-tab-active-bg:var(--ui-sidebar-surface-background)]"
             data-zone-tabstrip={node.id}
             onContextMenu={e => {
               setMenuPane(
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/pane-tab.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/pane-tab.tsx
index 5606e9a7f288..eb553a770e5a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/pane-tab.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/pane-tab.tsx
@@ -23,10 +23,12 @@ const TAB_ACTIVE = 'h-full text-foreground [--tab-bg:var(--pane-tab-active-bg,va
 // so it costs no layout and can't shift the tab.
 const TAB_ACTIVE_UNDERLINE = 'shadow-[inset_0_-2px_0_var(--pane-tab-active-accent,var(--theme-primary))]'
 
-// Inactive = gutter. Hover DARKENS: active is the lighter content surface, so a
-// lightening wash made the two nearly indistinguishable.
+// Inactive = gutter, defaulting to the shared chrome surface so a strip that
+// sets no vars still matches the sidebar/titlebar instead of falling through to
+// the raw (unmixed) card seed. Hover DARKENS: surfaces this close in value need
+// a darkening wash to register at all.
 const TAB_IDLE =
-  'text-(--ui-text-tertiary) [--tab-bg:var(--pane-tab-strip-bg,var(--theme-card-seed))] hover:shadow-[inset_0_0_0_100vmax_color-mix(in_srgb,#000_var(--ui-tab-hover-darken),transparent)] hover:text-(--ui-text-secondary)'
+  'text-(--ui-text-tertiary) [--tab-bg:var(--pane-tab-strip-bg,var(--ui-sidebar-surface-background))] hover:shadow-[inset_0_0_0_100vmax_color-mix(in_srgb,#000_var(--ui-tab-hover-darken),transparent)] hover:text-(--ui-text-secondary)'
 
 interface PaneTabProps extends React.ComponentProps<'div'> {
   active?: boolean
@@ -49,9 +51,9 @@ const isMetaClose = (event: { button: number; metaKey: boolean }) => event.butto
 /**
  * Editor tab shell — preview rail + zone headers + collapsed vertical rails.
  *
- * Strip sets `--pane-tab-active-bg` (content surface) and `--pane-tab-strip-bg`
- * (gutter; prefer `--theme-card-seed` = VS Code `tab.inactiveBackground`).
- * Active merges into content; inactive sits flush in the gutter.
+ * Defaults need no vars: the active tab takes the editor surface, inactive the
+ * sidebar one. Override `--pane-tab-active-bg` to change what the active tab
+ * merges into, `--pane-tab-strip-bg` for a gutter unlike the bar around it.
  */
 export const PaneTab = React.forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, PaneTabProps>(function PaneTab(
   {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
index 459792634bb0..360cb1ab7c23 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       'view.toggleSidebar': 'Toggle sessions sidebar',
       'view.toggleRightSidebar': 'Toggle file browser',
       'view.toggleReview': 'Toggle review pane',
+      'view.toggleStatusbar': 'Toggle status bar',
       'view.showFiles': 'Show file browser',
       'view.showTerminal': 'Toggle terminal',
       'view.newTerminal': 'New terminal',
@@ -2424,6 +2425,7 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       gatewayRestarting: 'restarting…',
       gatewayTitle: 'Hermes inference gateway status',
       customizeTitle: 'Show in status bar',
+      hideStatusbar: 'Hide status bar',
       toggleApprovalMode: 'Approvals',
       toggleBackendVersion: 'Backend version',
       toggleCommandCenter: 'Command Center',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
index 654961571532..2b62a2aaf2c4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -2030,6 +2030,7 @@ export interface Translations {
       gatewayRestarting: string
       gatewayTitle: string
       customizeTitle: string
+      hideStatusbar: string
       toggleApprovalMode: string
       toggleBackendVersion: string
       toggleCommandCenter: string
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
index f4b3377edcf5..491bf53cc9be 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       'view.toggleSidebar': '切换会话侧边栏',
       'view.toggleRightSidebar': '切换文件浏览器',
       'view.toggleReview': '切换审查面板',
+      'view.toggleStatusbar': '切换状态栏',
       'view.showFiles': '显示文件浏览器',
       'view.showTerminal': '显示终端',
       'view.terminalSelection': '将终端选区发送到输入框',
@@ -2600,6 +2601,7 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       gatewayRestarting: '重启中…',
       gatewayTitle: 'Hermes 推理网关状态',
       customizeTitle: '在状态栏中显示',
+      hideStatusbar: '隐藏状态栏',
       toggleApprovalMode: '审批',
       toggleBackendVersion: '后端版本',
       toggleCommandCenter: '命令中心',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/keybinds/actions.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/keybinds/actions.ts
index 618b386d2f33..368ab48e6bd9 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/keybinds/actions.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/keybinds/actions.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ export const KEYBIND_ACTIONS: readonly KeybindActionMeta[] = [
   // ── View (layout + appearance + the shortcuts panel itself) ───────────────
   { id: 'view.toggleSidebar', category: 'view', defaults: ['mod+b'] },
   { id: 'view.toggleRightSidebar', category: 'view', defaults: ['mod+j'] },
+  // ⌘⇧S — "s" for status bar. VS Code ships
+  // `workbench.action.toggleStatusbarVisibility` unbound (it's a chord-free
+  // gap in their View family) and Hermes has no chord dispatcher, so this
+  // takes the nearest free single combo instead of a ⌘K ⌘S two-stroke.
+  { id: 'view.toggleStatusbar', category: 'view', defaults: ['mod+shift+s'] },
   // ⌘G — "g" for git; the review pane is the source-control view.
   { id: 'view.toggleReview', category: 'view', defaults: ['mod+g'] },
   { id: 'view.showFiles', category: 'view', defaults: [] },
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/statusbar-prefs.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/statusbar-prefs.ts
index 177aa393f08a..cc3a330ae348 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/statusbar-prefs.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/statusbar-prefs.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
 import { Codecs, persistentAtom } from '@/lib/persisted'
 
 const STATUSBAR_HIDDEN_STORAGE_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.statusbarHidden'
+const STATUSBAR_VISIBLE_STORAGE_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.statusbarVisible'
+
+// Whole-bar visibility, VS Code's `workbench.statusBar.visible`. Hiding it
+// unmounts the bar (its 15s status poll goes with it), so the way back is the
+// `view.toggleStatusbar` keybind or the ⌘K row — never the bar itself.
+export const $statusbarVisible = persistentAtom(STATUSBAR_VISIBLE_STORAGE_KEY, true, Codecs.bool)
+
+export function toggleStatusbarVisible() {
+  $statusbarVisible.set(!$statusbarVisible.get())
+}
 
 // Items the bar hides until the user turns them on from its context menu. The
 // bar's job is to answer "is the backend healthy, where am I, what's it doing" —