diff --git a/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/TabHome.js b/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/TabHome.js
index 7e715704e..fa8fa6b2b 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/TabHome.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/TabHome.js
@@ -178,14 +178,6 @@ const TabHome = {
         h += '</div>';
         h += '</div>';
 
-        // Desktop switch card (spans full width)
-        // h += '<div class="bento-card bento-desktop-switch">';
-        // h += '<div class="bento-desktop-switch-inner">';
-        // h += '<span class="bento-desktop-switch-text">Looking for Puter\'s desktop interface?</span>';
-        // h += '<button class="bento-desktop-switch-btn">Switch to Desktop</button>';
-        // h += '</div>';
-        // h += '</div>';
-
         // Usage card (spans full width on second row)
         h += '<div class="bento-card bento-usage">';
         h +=
@@ -208,6 +200,23 @@ const TabHome = {
         h += '</div>';
         h += '</div>';
 
+        // Open Desktop card (spans full width, links to the desktop interface)
+        h += '<a href="/desktop" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="bento-card bento-desktop allow-native-ctxmenu">';
+        h += '<div class="bento-card-fancy-icon bento-card-fancy-icon-desktop">';
+        h +=
+            '<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8"><rect x="2" y="3" width="20" height="14" rx="2"/><line x1="8" y1="21" x2="16" y2="21"/><line x1="12" y1="17" x2="12" y2="21"/></svg>';
+        h += '</div>';
+        h += '<div class="bento-card-fancy-text">';
+        h += `<h2>${i18n('open_desktop')}</h2>`;
+        h += '<span class="bento-card-fancy-subtitle">';
+        h +=
+            '<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><line x1="5" y1="12" x2="19" y2="12"/><polyline points="12 5 19 12 12 19"/></svg>';
+        h += 'Switch to the desktop interface';
+        h += '</span>';
+        h += '</div>';
+        h += '<span class="bento-desktop-arrow">›</span>';
+        h += '</a>';
+
         h += '</div>';
         return h;
     },
@@ -271,11 +280,6 @@ const TabHome = {
             },
         );
 
-        // Handle desktop switch button
-        $el_window.on('click', '.bento-desktop-switch-btn', function () {
-            window.location.href = '/desktop';
-        });
-
         // Handle "Save Account" warning click
         $el_window.on('click', '.bento-save-account-warning', function (e) {
             e.preventDefault();
diff --git a/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/UIDashboard.js b/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/UIDashboard.js
index 12820b787..8fdedf1b9 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/UIDashboard.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/UI/Dashboard/UIDashboard.js
@@ -106,12 +106,6 @@ async function UIDashboard (options) {
             }
             h += '</div>';
 
-            // Open Desktop button, pinned above user options
-            h += `<a class="dashboard-sidebar-item dashboard-desktop-btn allow-native-ctxmenu" href="/desktop" data-tooltip="${html_encode(i18n('open_desktop'))}">`;
-                h += '<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5"><rect x="2" y="3" width="20" height="14" rx="2"/><line x1="8" y1="21" x2="16" y2="21"/><line x1="12" y1="17" x2="12" y2="21"/></svg>';
-                h += i18n('open_desktop');
-            h += '</a>';
-
             // User options button at bottom
             h += '<div class="dashboard-user-options">';
                 h += '<div class="dashboard-user-btn">';
diff --git a/src/gui/src/css/dashboard.css b/src/gui/src/css/dashboard.css
index eb2b1d9a0..013efcb25 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/css/dashboard.css
+++ b/src/gui/src/css/dashboard.css
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@
     --dashboard-bento-usage-surface: #eef2ff;
     --dashboard-bento-usage-header-bg: #e0e7ff;
     --dashboard-bento-usage-bar-fill: #ea580c;
+    /* Emerald (matches the green icon accent used elsewhere) */
+    --dashboard-bento-desktop-icon-bg: #059669;
+    --dashboard-bento-desktop-icon-shadow: rgba(5, 150, 105, 0.22);
+    --dashboard-bento-desktop-surface: #ecfdf5;
+    --dashboard-bento-desktop-header-bg: #d1fae5;
 
     --dashboard-shadow-subtle: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04);
     --dashboard-shadow-light: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06);
@@ -166,6 +171,10 @@ body {
         --dashboard-bento-usage-surface: #1c1d2e;
         --dashboard-bento-usage-header-bg: #252a42;
         --dashboard-bento-usage-bar-fill: #fb923c;
+        --dashboard-bento-desktop-icon-bg: #10b981;
+        --dashboard-bento-desktop-icon-shadow: rgba(16, 185, 129, 0.32);
+        --dashboard-bento-desktop-surface: #16241f;
+        --dashboard-bento-desktop-header-bg: #172e26;
 
         --dashboard-shadow-subtle: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
         --dashboard-shadow-light: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
@@ -404,17 +413,6 @@ body {
     font-weight: 500;
 }
 
-/* Open Desktop button pinned above user options */
-.dashboard-desktop-btn {
-    border: 1px solid var(--dashboard-border);
-    margin-bottom: 0;
-    justify-content: center;
-}
-
-.dashboard-sidebar.collapsed .dashboard-desktop-btn {
-    border: none;
-}
-
 /* User options button at bottom of sidebar */
 .dashboard-user-options {
     border-top: 1px solid var(--dashboard-border);
@@ -1257,6 +1255,11 @@ input.myapps-search::placeholder {
     color: #fff;
 }
 
+.dashboard .bento-card-fancy-icon-desktop {
+    background-color: var(--dashboard-bento-desktop-icon-bg);
+    color: #fff;
+}
+
 .dashboard .bento-card-fancy-text {
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
@@ -1397,46 +1400,39 @@ input.myapps-search::placeholder {
     color: var(--dashboard-text-tertiary);
 }
 
-/* Desktop switch bento card */
-.dashboard .bento-desktop-switch {
+/* Open Desktop bento card (full width; links to the desktop interface) */
+.dashboard .bento-desktop {
     grid-column: 1 / -1;
-    min-height: auto;
-    background-color: var(--dashboard-bento-apps-surface);
-    padding: 16px 24px;
-}
-
-.dashboard .bento-desktop-switch-inner {
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
-    justify-content: space-between;
-    gap: 16px;
-}
-
-.dashboard .bento-desktop-switch-text {
-    font-size: 14px;
-    font-weight: 500;
-    color: var(--dashboard-text-secondary);
-}
-
-.dashboard .bento-desktop-switch-btn {
-    flex-shrink: 0;
-    padding: 8px 16px;
-    font-size: 13px;
-    font-weight: 500;
-    color: var(--dashboard-background);
-    background: var(--dashboard-icon-blue-start);
-    border: 1px solid var(--dashboard-primary);
-    border-radius: 8px;
-    cursor: pointer;
+    gap: 14px;
+    padding: 18px 24px;
+    background-color: var(--dashboard-bento-desktop-header-bg);
     text-decoration: none;
-    transition: background 0.15s, color 0.15s;
+    color: inherit;
+    transition: box-shadow 0.15s ease;
 }
 
 @media (hover: hover) {
-    .dashboard .bento-desktop-switch-btn:hover {
-        background: var(--dashboard-icon-blue-end);
-        color: white;
+    .dashboard .bento-desktop:hover {
+        box-shadow:
+            0 2px 4px var(--dashboard-shadow-subtle),
+            0 10px 28px var(--dashboard-bento-desktop-icon-shadow);
     }
+
+    .dashboard .bento-desktop:hover .bento-desktop-arrow {
+        transform: translateX(3px);
+        color: var(--dashboard-text-primary);
+    }
+}
+
+.dashboard .bento-desktop-arrow {
+    margin-left: auto;
+    font-size: 22px;
+    font-weight: 300;
+    line-height: 1;
+    color: var(--dashboard-text-hint);
+    transition: transform 0.15s ease, color 0.15s ease;
 }
 
 /* Usage bento card (cool indigo surfaces; orange bars stay as progress accent) */
@@ -1712,6 +1708,11 @@ input.myapps-search::placeholder {
         gap: 12px;
     }
 
+    .dashboard .bento-desktop {
+        padding: 16px 20px;
+        gap: 12px;
+    }
+
     .dashboard .bento-card-fancy-icon {
         width: 40px;
         height: 40px;