diff --git a/src/frontend/src/App.tsx b/src/frontend/src/App.tsx
index c2a64a7..35421a8 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Routes, Route, Navigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { Sidebar } from './components/Sidebar';
 import { ToastProvider } from './components/Toast';
+import { useTheme } from './hooks/useTheme';
 import { Channels } from './pages/Channels';
 import { ChannelDetail } from './pages/ChannelDetail';
 import { Library } from './pages/Library';
@@ -10,6 +11,8 @@ import { SettingsPage } from './pages/Settings';
 import { SystemPage } from './pages/System';
 
 function AuthenticatedLayout() {
+  // Apply theme from settings to documentElement at the app root
+  useTheme();
   return (
     <div style={{ display: 'flex', minHeight: '100vh' }}>
       <Sidebar />
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/hooks/useTheme.ts b/src/frontend/src/hooks/useTheme.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a94dbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontend/src/hooks/useTheme.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useAppSettings } from '../api/hooks/useSystem';
+
+/**
+ * Reads the user-configured theme from app settings and applies it
+ * to the document element. Falls back to localStorage (set by the
+ * inline script in index.html) then 'dark'.
+ *
+ * Call once near the app root so theme stays in sync across all pages.
+ */
+export function useTheme(): 'dark' | 'light' {
+  const { data: settings } = useAppSettings();
+  const theme: 'dark' | 'light' = settings?.theme ?? (localStorage.getItem('tubearr-theme') as 'dark' | 'light') ?? 'dark';
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    document.documentElement.dataset.theme = theme;
+    localStorage.setItem('tubearr-theme', theme);
+  }, [theme]);
+
+  return theme;
+}
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/pages/ChannelDetail.tsx b/src/frontend/src/pages/ChannelDetail.tsx
index 99dafb1..9e96b53 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/pages/ChannelDetail.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/pages/ChannelDetail.tsx
@@ -1891,12 +1891,12 @@ export function ChannelDetail() {
             alignItems: 'center',
             gap: 'var(--space-3)',
             padding: 'var(--space-3) var(--space-5)',
-            backgroundColor: 'rgba(30, 32, 40, 0.75)',
+            backgroundColor: 'var(--glass-bg)',
             backdropFilter: 'blur(16px) saturate(1.4)',
             WebkitBackdropFilter: 'blur(16px) saturate(1.4)',
-            border: '1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08)',
+            border: '1px solid var(--glass-border)',
             borderRadius: 'var(--radius-xl)',
-            boxShadow: '0 8px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35), inset 0 0.5px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06)',
+            boxShadow: 'var(--shadow-md)',
           }}
         >
           <span
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx b/src/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
index 64c4105..413796a 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
     }
   }, [appSettings]);
 
-  // Apply theme to document element + localStorage for instant apply on load
+  // Apply theme preview immediately when user toggles (before save).
+  // The App-level useTheme hook reconciles with the API value after save.
   useEffect(() => {
     document.documentElement.dataset.theme = theme;
     localStorage.setItem('tubearr-theme', theme);
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/styles/global.css b/src/frontend/src/styles/global.css
index eb1bc1f..704be1c 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/styles/global.css
+++ b/src/frontend/src/styles/global.css
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ a:hover {
 }
 
 ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
-  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
+  background: var(--bg-selected);
   border-radius: 3px;
 }
 
 ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover {
-  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15);
+  background: var(--border-light);
 }
 
 /* ── Buttons base ── */
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ tr:hover {
   background: linear-gradient(
     90deg,
     var(--bg-input) 25%,
-    rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04) 50%,
+    var(--bg-hover) 50%,
     var(--bg-input) 75%
   );
   background-size: 200% 100%;