diff --git a/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/css/layout.css b/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/css/layout.css
index 1e062b0..a295be6 100644
--- a/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/css/layout.css
+++ b/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/css/layout.css
@@ -358,11 +358,19 @@
 
 .welcome-cards {
   display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(250px, 1fr));
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
+  grid-auto-rows: 1fr; /* both rows share the taller height → uniform cards */
   gap: 16px;
   margin-top: 34px;
 }
 
+/* Three cards (Desktop-only role, no Bitcoin card) → one symmetric row */
+@media (min-width: 681px) {
+  .welcome-cards:not(:has(#w-btc)) {
+    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
+  }
+}
+
 /* wrappers whose children become grid items */
 .welcome-dyn { display: contents; }
 
@@ -384,7 +392,7 @@
 }
 
 .w-network .ip-value {
-  font-size: 0.82rem;
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
   font-weight: 600;
   color: var(--text);
 }
@@ -408,9 +416,11 @@
   position: relative;
   overflow: hidden;
   min-width: 0;
+  min-height: 88px; /* uniform card height everywhere */
 }
 
 .widget:hover { border-color: var(--border-strong); }
+.widget.clickable:hover { transform: translateY(-1px); }
 
 .widget.clickable { cursor: pointer; }
 .widget.clickable:focus-visible {
@@ -465,11 +475,10 @@
 
 .widget .sub {
   margin-top: 4px;
-  font-size: 0.78rem;
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
+  line-height: 1.45;
   color: var(--text-2);
-  white-space: nowrap;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  overflow-wrap: anywhere;
 }
 
 .widget .sub b { color: var(--text); font-weight: 650; }
@@ -491,22 +500,6 @@
   transition: width 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.3, 0.7, 0.3, 1);
 }
 
-.w-chev {
-  margin-left: auto;
-  width: 30px;
-  height: 30px;
-  border-radius: 50%;
-  display: grid;
-  place-items: center;
-  color: var(--text-3);
-  flex-shrink: 0;
-}
-
-.w-chev svg { width: 15px; height: 15px; }
-.widget.clickable:hover .w-chev {
-  color: var(--text-2);
-  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.07);
-}
 
 /* ── Tiles area ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
diff --git a/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/js/dashboard.js b/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/js/dashboard.js
index 50a2e71..56a5c66 100644
--- a/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/js/dashboard.js
+++ b/app/sovran_systemsos_web/static/js/dashboard.js
@@ -232,7 +232,6 @@
       '<div class="widget clickable" id="w-systems" role="button" tabindex="0" title="System status and router setup">' +
         '<div class="widget-chip chip-green">' + icon("g-pulse") + '</div>' +
         '<div class="w-body"><h3>' + attentionTitle + '</h3><div class="sub">' + sub + '</div></div>' +
-        '<span class="w-chev">' + icon("g-chev") + '</span>' +
       '</div>';
 
     var wSys = document.getElementById("w-systems");
@@ -259,7 +258,6 @@
           '<div class="w-body"><h3>' + escHtml(btc.name) + ' — syncing timechain</h3>' +
           '<div class="w-bar"><div class="w-bar-fill" style="width:' + pct + '%"></div></div>' +
           '<div class="sub">Block <b>' + blocks + '</b> · ' + pct + '% · <span class="warn">' + escHtml(eta) + '</span></div></div>' +
-          '<span class="w-chev">' + icon("g-chev") + '</span>' +
         '</div>';
     } else {
       var btcDone = null;
@@ -270,20 +268,31 @@
           '<div class="widget clickable" id="w-btc" role="button" tabindex="0" title="' + escHtml(btcDone.name) + ' details">' +
             '<div class="widget-chip chip-btc"><img src="/static/icons/' + escHtml(btcDone.icon) + '.svg" alt="" style="width:46px;height:46px;display:block;object-fit:contain"/></div>' +
             '<div class="w-body"><h3>' + escHtml(btcDone.name) + '</h3><div class="sub"><span class="good">Fully synced</span>' + (blk ? ' · Block <b>' + blk + '</b>' : '') + '</div></div>' +
-            '<span class="w-chev">' + icon("g-chev") + '</span>' +
           '</div>';
       }
     }
 
-    /* Updates */
+    /* Updates — mirror the sidebar's read of the update state, so the card
+       never claims "up to date" while an update failed or needs a restart */
     var upd = (typeof window._lastUpdateCheck === "object" && window._lastUpdateCheck) ? window._lastUpdateCheck : null;
-    var hasUpdates = !!(upd && upd.available);
+    var updStatus = (upd && upd.status) || "idle";
+    var updTitle, updSub, updChip;
+    if (updStatus === "failed") {
+      updTitle = "Update failed"; updSub = "Click to retry the update"; updChip = "chip-amber";
+    } else if (updStatus === "reboot_required") {
+      updTitle = "Restart required"; updSub = "Click to restart and finish the update"; updChip = "chip-amber";
+    } else if (updStatus === "running") {
+      updTitle = "Update in progress"; updSub = "Installing the new system generation"; updChip = "chip-amber";
+    } else if (upd && upd.available) {
+      updTitle = "Updates available"; updSub = "Click to review and update"; updChip = "chip-amber";
+    } else {
+      updTitle = "System is up to date"; updSub = "Sovran_SystemsOS keeps itself current"; updChip = "chip-green";
+    }
     more +=
       '<div class="widget clickable" id="w-updates" role="button" tabindex="0" title="Check for system updates">' +
-        '<div class="widget-chip ' + (hasUpdates ? "chip-amber" : "chip-green") + '">' + icon("g-update") + '</div>' +
-        '<div class="w-body"><h3>' + (hasUpdates ? "Updates available" : "System is up to date") + '</h3>' +
-        '<div class="sub">' + (hasUpdates ? 'Click to review and update' : 'Sovran_SystemsOS keeps itself current') + '</div></div>' +
-        '<span class="w-chev">' + icon("g-chev") + '</span>' +
+        '<div class="widget-chip ' + updChip + '">' + icon("g-update") + '</div>' +
+        '<div class="w-body"><h3>' + updTitle + '</h3>' +
+        '<div class="sub">' + updSub + '</div></div>' +
       '</div>';
 
     $wcMore.innerHTML = more;