diff --git a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/app.tsx b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/app.tsx
index 32d3d64e8..c65096f2d 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/app.tsx
+++ b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/app.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useState } from "react";
-import { render, Text, useInput } from "ink";
+import { render, Text, useApp, useInput } from "ink";
 import { DEFAULT_TUI_ACTIONS } from "./actions.js";
 import { normalizeTuiError } from "./errors.js";
 import { searchTuiActions } from "./palette.js";
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ import { getTerminalCapabilities } from "./terminal.js";
 import { CommandPalette } from "./views/CommandPalette.js";
 import { HomeView } from "./views/HomeView.js";
 
+const ENTER_ALTERNATE_SCREEN = "\u001B[?1049h\u001B[H\u001B[2J";
+const EXIT_ALTERNATE_SCREEN = "\u001B[?1049l";
+
 function createSnapshotFailure(error: unknown): TuiStatusSnapshot {
   const unknownSubsystem = { state: "unknown" as const, label: "unknown" };
   return {
@@ -25,6 +28,7 @@ function createSnapshotFailure(error: unknown): TuiStatusSnapshot {
 }
 
 export function MatrixTuiApp({ initialSnapshot, noColor = false }: { initialSnapshot?: TuiStatusSnapshot; noColor?: boolean }) {
+  const { exit } = useApp();
   const [snapshot, setSnapshot] = useState<TuiStatusSnapshot | null>(initialSnapshot ?? null);
   const [paletteOpen, setPaletteOpen] = useState(false);
   const [paletteQuery, setPaletteQuery] = useState("");
@@ -44,6 +48,10 @@ export function MatrixTuiApp({ initialSnapshot, noColor = false }: { initialSnap
       setSelectedIndex(0);
       return;
     }
+    if (!paletteOpen && input === "q") {
+      exit();
+      return;
+    }
     if (paletteOpen && key.upArrow) {
       setSelectedIndex((value) => Math.max(0, value - 1));
       return;
@@ -101,13 +109,48 @@ export function MatrixTuiApp({ initialSnapshot, noColor = false }: { initialSnap
   }
 
   if (paletteOpen) {
-    return <CommandPalette results={paletteResults} query={paletteQuery} selectedIndex={selectedIndex} noColor={capabilities.noColor} />;
+    return (
+      <CommandPalette
+        results={paletteResults}
+        query={paletteQuery}
+        selectedIndex={selectedIndex}
+        columns={capabilities.columns}
+        noColor={capabilities.noColor}
+      />
+    );
   }
 
-  return <HomeView snapshot={snapshot} columns={capabilities.columns} noColor={capabilities.noColor} />;
+  return <HomeView snapshot={snapshot} columns={capabilities.columns} rows={capabilities.rows} noColor={capabilities.noColor} />;
+}
+
+export function shouldUseAlternateScreen({
+  stdout = process.stdout,
+  env = process.env,
+}: {
+  stdout?: NodeJS.WriteStream & { isTTY?: boolean };
+  env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+} = {}): boolean {
+  return stdout.isTTY === true && env.TERM !== "dumb" && env.MATRIX_TUI_FULLSCREEN !== "0";
 }
 
 export async function launchTui(options: { noColor?: boolean } = {}): Promise<void> {
+  const useAlternateScreen = shouldUseAlternateScreen();
+  if (useAlternateScreen) {
+    process.stdout.write(ENTER_ALTERNATE_SCREEN);
+    const restoreAlternateScreen = () => {
+      process.stdout.write(EXIT_ALTERNATE_SCREEN);
+    };
+    process.once("exit", restoreAlternateScreen);
+    try {
+      const { waitUntilExit } = render(<MatrixTuiApp noColor={options.noColor} />);
+      await waitUntilExit();
+    } finally {
+      process.removeListener("exit", restoreAlternateScreen);
+      restoreAlternateScreen();
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
   const { waitUntilExit } = render(<MatrixTuiApp noColor={options.noColor} />);
   await waitUntilExit();
 }
diff --git a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/CommandPalette.tsx b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/CommandPalette.tsx
index 72e97dc8f..739059c16 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/CommandPalette.tsx
+++ b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/CommandPalette.tsx
@@ -2,27 +2,47 @@ import React from "react";
 import { Box, Text } from "ink";
 import type { TuiAction } from "../actions.js";
 
+const MATRIX_GREEN = "#00ff41";
+
+function actionDescription(action: TuiAction): string {
+  return action.intents[0] ?? action.aliases[0] ?? action.group;
+}
+
+function paddedTitle(title: string, targetWidth: number): string {
+  return title.length >= targetWidth ? `${title}  ` : title.padEnd(targetWidth);
+}
+
 export function CommandPalette({
   results,
   query,
   selectedIndex = 0,
+  columns = 80,
   noColor = false,
 }: {
   results: readonly TuiAction[];
   query: string;
   selectedIndex?: number;
+  columns?: number;
   noColor?: boolean;
 }) {
+  const width = Math.min(Math.max(1, columns), 76);
+  const titleColumnWidth = Math.min(34, Math.max(1, Math.floor((width - 4) / 2)));
+
   return (
-    <Box borderStyle="single" borderColor={noColor ? undefined : "yellow"} flexDirection="column" paddingX={1}>
-      <Text bold>Command Palette</Text>
-      <Text>{`/${query}`}</Text>
+    <Box borderStyle="single" borderColor={noColor ? undefined : MATRIX_GREEN} flexDirection="column" paddingX={1} paddingY={1} width={width}>
+      <Box justifyContent="space-between">
+        <Text bold color={noColor ? undefined : MATRIX_GREEN}>MATRIX COMMANDS</Text>
+        <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "gray"}>esc closes</Text>
+      </Box>
+      <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "gray"}>{`/${query}`}</Text>
       {results.map((action, index) => (
-        <Box key={action.id}>
-          <Text color={noColor ? undefined : index === selectedIndex ? "yellow" : undefined}>
-            {index === selectedIndex ? "> " : "  "}{action.title}
+        <Box key={action.id} marginTop={1} flexDirection="column">
+          <Text color={noColor ? undefined : index === selectedIndex ? MATRIX_GREEN : undefined}>
+            {index === selectedIndex ? "> " : "  "}{paddedTitle(action.title, titleColumnWidth)}{action.group}
+          </Text>
+          <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "gray"}>
+            {"    "}{actionDescription(action)}
           </Text>
-          <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "gray"}>  {action.group}</Text>
         </Box>
       ))}
       {results.length === 0 && <Text>No commands found</Text>}
diff --git a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/HomeView.tsx b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/HomeView.tsx
index ba115752c..b7b0bdd79 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/HomeView.tsx
+++ b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/HomeView.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { Box, Text } from "ink";
 import { Mascot } from "./Mascot.js";
 import type { TuiStatusSnapshot } from "../status.js";
 
+const MATRIX_GREEN = "#00ff41";
+
 function stateLabel(snapshot: TuiStatusSnapshot): string {
   if (snapshot.overall === "unauthenticated") {
     return "login required";
@@ -10,37 +12,79 @@ function stateLabel(snapshot: TuiStatusSnapshot): string {
   return snapshot.overall;
 }
 
+function stateColor(_snapshot: TuiStatusSnapshot): string {
+  return MATRIX_GREEN;
+}
+
 export function HomeView({
   snapshot,
   columns = 80,
+  rows = 24,
   noColor = false,
 }: {
   snapshot: TuiStatusSnapshot;
   columns?: number;
+  rows?: number;
   noColor?: boolean;
 }) {
   const narrow = columns < 80;
+  const wide = columns >= 92;
+  const extraWide = columns >= 124;
+  const stageWidth = Math.max(40, Math.min(columns, extraWide ? 120 : wide ? 96 : 76));
+  const fullScreenHeight = rows >= 30 ? rows : undefined;
   const sessionLabel = `${snapshot.sessions.count} ${snapshot.sessions.count === 1 ? "session" : "sessions"}`;
   const status = `${stateLabel(snapshot)} · ${snapshot.profile.name} · ${snapshot.gateway.label} · ${sessionLabel}`;
+  const color = noColor ? undefined : stateColor(snapshot);
 
   return (
-    <Box flexDirection="column" width={Math.max(40, Math.min(columns, 100))}>
-      <Box justifyContent="center" marginBottom={1}>
-        <Text bold color={noColor ? undefined : "cyan"}>Matrix OS</Text>
-      </Box>
-      <Box borderStyle="single" borderColor={noColor ? undefined : "gray"} flexDirection="column" paddingX={1}>
-        <Text>{'Ask Hermes... "review my current PR"'}</Text>
-        <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "blue"}>Build · Hermes  Codex  Shell</Text>
-      </Box>
-      <Box marginTop={1} justifyContent="space-between">
-        <Text>{"/ commands   tab agents   s sessions"}</Text>
-        {!narrow && <Mascot state={snapshot.overall} noColor={noColor} />}
+    <Box
+      flexDirection="column"
+      width={stageWidth}
+      height={fullScreenHeight}
+      justifyContent={fullScreenHeight ? "center" : undefined}
+      alignItems="center"
+    >
+      <Box flexDirection="column" alignItems="center" marginBottom={1}>
+        <Text bold color={noColor ? undefined : MATRIX_GREEN}>MATRIX OS</Text>
       </Box>
-      <Box marginTop={1}>
-        <Text color={noColor ? undefined : snapshot.overall === "healthy" ? "green" : "yellow"}>{status}</Text>
+
+      {!narrow && !extraWide && (
+        <Box marginBottom={1} justifyContent="center">
+          <Mascot state={snapshot.overall} noColor={noColor} />
+        </Box>
+      )}
+
+      <Box width="100%" justifyContent="center">
+        <Box flexDirection="column" width={wide ? 64 : "100%"}>
+          <Box borderStyle="single" borderColor={noColor ? undefined : "gray"} flexDirection="row">
+            <Box width={2} flexShrink={0} backgroundColor={noColor ? undefined : MATRIX_GREEN}>
+              <Text color={noColor ? undefined : MATRIX_GREEN}>|</Text>
+            </Box>
+            <Box flexDirection="column" paddingX={1} paddingY={1}>
+              <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "gray"}>{'Ask Matrix... "review my current PR"'}</Text>
+              <Text color={noColor ? undefined : MATRIX_GREEN}>Build    Matrix    Codex    Shell</Text>
+              <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "gray"}>/ commands    tab agents    s sessions    q quit</Text>
+            </Box>
+          </Box>
+
+          <Box marginTop={1} flexDirection="column">
+            <Text color={color}>{status}</Text>
+            {snapshot.blockingActions.length > 0 && (
+              <Text color={noColor ? undefined : MATRIX_GREEN}>{`Next: /${snapshot.blockingActions[0]}`}</Text>
+            )}
+          </Box>
+        </Box>
+        {extraWide && (
+          <Box marginLeft={3}>
+            <Mascot state={snapshot.overall} noColor={noColor} />
+          </Box>
+        )}
       </Box>
-      {snapshot.blockingActions.length > 0 && (
-        <Text color={noColor ? undefined : "yellow"}>{`Next: /${snapshot.blockingActions[0]}`}</Text>
+
+      {narrow && (
+        <Box marginTop={1}>
+          <Mascot state={snapshot.overall} noColor={noColor} compact />
+        </Box>
       )}
     </Box>
   );
diff --git a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/Mascot.tsx b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/Mascot.tsx
index 521ca1642..abf7f34e4 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/Mascot.tsx
+++ b/packages/sync-client/src/cli/tui/views/Mascot.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,55 @@
 import React from "react";
-import { Text } from "ink";
+import { Box, Text } from "ink";
 import type { TuiOverallState } from "../status.js";
 
-export function Mascot({ state, noColor }: { state: TuiOverallState; noColor?: boolean }) {
-  const face = state === "healthy" ? "[::]" : state === "unauthenticated" ? "[??]" : "[!!]";
-  return <Text color={noColor ? undefined : state === "healthy" ? "green" : "yellow"}>{face}</Text>;
+const MATRIX_GREEN = "#00ff41";
+
+const RABBIT_ART = [
+  "                      .@@.",
+  "                        .@@@@.",
+  "                          @@@@@",
+  "            .@@.           @@@@@.",
+  "             .@@@@oo.         @@@@.",
+  "                @@@@@@@o.      @@@'",
+  "                  '@@@@@@@@o.    @@.",
+  "                      'o@@@@@o.  @@'",
+  "                           '@@@o  .@@@@.",
+  "                                .@@@@@@@@.",
+  "                                @@@@@@@@@@",
+  "                                 '@@@@@@@'",
+  "",
+  "                      .@@@@oo.o@@@.  ..",
+  "            .@@@@o.   @@@@@@@@@@@@. .@@.",
+  "            @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@'  ''   .@@@@@.",
+  "             '@@@@'' '@@@'   ''    '''''",
+  "",
+  "        .@@@@@@@@@@o.  .@@@.  .@@@@@@@o.",
+  "       @@@@@@@@@@@@@@o.@@@@@o@@@@@@@@@@@@.",
+  "        '@@@'  '@@@'   '@@'   '@@' '@@@'",
+  "",
+  "   .@@@@.",
+  "  @@@@@@@. .@@@@@. .o@@@@@@@@@o. .@@@. .@@@.",
+  "  '@@@@'  @@@@@@@.@@@@@@@@@@@@@@.'@@@' '@@@'",
+];
+
+const COMPACT_RABBIT = "rabbit: .@@. @@@";
+
+function mascotColor(_state: TuiOverallState): string {
+  return MATRIX_GREEN;
+}
+
+export function Mascot({ state, noColor, compact = false }: { state: TuiOverallState; noColor?: boolean; compact?: boolean }) {
+  const color = noColor ? undefined : mascotColor(state);
+
+  if (compact) {
+    return <Text color={color}>{COMPACT_RABBIT}</Text>;
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <Box flexDirection="column" alignItems="center">
+      {RABBIT_ART.map((line, index) => (
+        <Text key={index} color={color}>{line}</Text>
+      ))}
+    </Box>
+  );
 }
diff --git a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/accessibility.test.tsx b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/accessibility.test.tsx
index e1c74af0f..cc8165b35 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/accessibility.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/accessibility.test.tsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ describe("TUI accessibility rendering", () => {
 
     expect(home).toContain("degraded");
     expect(home).toContain("gateway degraded");
-    expect(palette).toContain("Command Palette");
+    expect(palette).toContain("MATRIX COMMANDS");
     expect(`${home}${palette}`).not.toContain("\u001B[");
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/command-palette.test.tsx b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/command-palette.test.tsx
index 3e533eeeb..fd151d7cf 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/command-palette.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/command-palette.test.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import React from "react";
 import { renderToString } from "ink";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { DEFAULT_TUI_ACTIONS } from "../../src/cli/tui/actions.js";
+import { DEFAULT_TUI_ACTIONS, type TuiAction } from "../../src/cli/tui/actions.js";
 import { searchTuiActions } from "../../src/cli/tui/palette.js";
 import { CommandPalette } from "../../src/cli/tui/views/CommandPalette.js";
 
@@ -15,10 +15,45 @@ describe("command palette", () => {
 
   it("renders filtered commands with the selected row highlighted", () => {
     const results = searchTuiActions(DEFAULT_TUI_ACTIONS, "session", 8);
-    const output = renderToString(<CommandPalette results={results} query="session" selectedIndex={0} noColor />);
+    const output = renderToString(<CommandPalette results={results} query="session" selectedIndex={1} noColor />);
 
-    expect(output).toContain("Command Palette");
-    expect(output).toContain("Open shell sessions");
+    expect(output).toContain("MATRIX COMMANDS");
+    expect(output).toContain("> Open shell sessions");
     expect(output).toContain("Shell and Remote Run");
+    expect(output).toContain("attach to a session");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps no-color palette readable without ANSI escapes", () => {
+    const results = searchTuiActions(DEFAULT_TUI_ACTIONS, "doctor", 8);
+    const output = renderToString(<CommandPalette results={results} query="doctor" selectedIndex={0} noColor />);
+
+    expect(output).toContain("/doctor");
+    expect(output).toContain("> Run doctor");
+    expect(output).not.toContain("\u001B[");
+  });
+
+  it("caps palette width to the terminal columns", () => {
+    const results = searchTuiActions(DEFAULT_TUI_ACTIONS, "session", 8);
+    const output = renderToString(<CommandPalette results={results} query="session" selectedIndex={0} columns={32} noColor />);
+
+    for (const line of output.split("\n")) {
+      expect(line.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(32);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("uses narrower title padding in compact palettes", () => {
+    const compactAction: TuiAction = {
+      id: "test.open",
+      title: "Open",
+      group: "Utility",
+      aliases: ["open"],
+      intents: ["open command"],
+      danger: "none",
+      handler: "view",
+    };
+
+    const output = renderToString(<CommandPalette results={[compactAction]} query="open" selectedIndex={0} columns={32} noColor />);
+
+    expect(output).toContain("> Open          Utility");
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/home-render.test.tsx b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/home-render.test.tsx
index debdef191..0fa83f8ef 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/home-render.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/home-render.test.tsx
@@ -17,28 +17,52 @@ const baseSnapshot: TuiStatusSnapshot = {
 };
 
 describe("HomeView", () => {
-  it("renders prompt-first Matrix OS home with compact status", () => {
+  it("renders wide Matrix OS launcher with rabbit art, prompt, shortcuts, and status", () => {
     const output = renderToString(<HomeView snapshot={baseSnapshot} columns={100} noColor={false} />);
 
-    expect(output).toContain("Matrix OS");
-    expect(output).toContain("Ask Hermes");
+    expect(output).toContain("MATRIX OS");
+    expect(output).not.toContain("M   M   A   TTTTT");
+    expect(output).toContain(".@@@@oo.o@@@.");
+    expect(output).toContain("@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@");
+    expect(output).toContain("Ask Matrix");
+    expect(output).toContain("Build    Matrix");
+    expect(output).toContain("q quit");
     expect(output).toContain("cloud");
     expect(output).toContain("2 sessions");
-    expect(output).toContain("/ commands");
+    expect(output).toContain("healthy · cloud · ok · 2 sessions");
   });
 
-  it("keeps no-color output understandable", () => {
+  it("keeps no-color home output understandable without ANSI escapes", () => {
     const output = renderToString(<HomeView snapshot={baseSnapshot} columns={100} noColor />);
 
+    expect(output).toContain("MATRIX OS");
+    expect(output).toContain(".@@@@@@@@@@o.");
     expect(output).toContain("healthy");
     expect(output).not.toContain("\u001B[");
   });
 
-  it("hides mascot and preserves critical text in narrow terminals", () => {
+  it("fills tall terminals as a fullscreen launcher", () => {
+    const output = renderToString(<HomeView snapshot={baseSnapshot} columns={100} rows={40} noColor />);
+
+    expect(output.split("\n").length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(40);
+    expect(output).toContain("Ask Matrix");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps large rabbit art readable on normal-width terminals", () => {
+    const output = renderToString(<HomeView snapshot={baseSnapshot} columns={80} noColor />);
+
+    expect(output).toContain(".@@@@oo.o@@@.");
+    expect(output).toContain("Ask Matrix");
+    expect(output).toContain("healthy · cloud · ok · 2 sessions");
+  });
+
+  it("hides large art and preserves critical prompt/status text in narrow terminals", () => {
     const output = renderToString(<HomeView snapshot={baseSnapshot} columns={60} noColor />);
 
-    expect(output).toContain("Ask Hermes");
+    expect(output).toContain("MATRIX OS");
+    expect(output).toContain("Ask Matrix");
     expect(output).toContain("cloud");
-    expect(output).not.toContain("rabbit");
+    expect(output).toContain("rabbit: .@@. @@@");
+    expect(output).not.toContain(".@@@@oo.o@@@.");
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/launch.test.ts b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/launch.test.ts
index c90e26301..a1d2fe433 100644
--- a/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/launch.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sync-client/tests/tui/launch.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { shouldUseAlternateScreen } from "../../src/cli/tui/app.js";
 import { resolveTuiLaunchMode } from "../../src/cli/tui/launch.js";
 
 describe("TUI launch routing", () => {
@@ -49,4 +50,23 @@ describe("TUI launch routing", () => {
       expect(resolveTuiLaunchMode({ argv, stdinIsTTY: true, stdoutIsTTY: true }).mode).toBe("direct");
     }
   });
+
+  it("uses fullscreen alternate screen only for capable TTYs", () => {
+    expect(shouldUseAlternateScreen({
+      stdout: { isTTY: true } as NodeJS.WriteStream & { isTTY: boolean },
+      env: { TERM: "xterm-256color" },
+    })).toBe(true);
+    expect(shouldUseAlternateScreen({
+      stdout: { isTTY: true } as NodeJS.WriteStream & { isTTY: boolean },
+      env: { TERM: "dumb" },
+    })).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldUseAlternateScreen({
+      stdout: { isTTY: true } as NodeJS.WriteStream & { isTTY: boolean },
+      env: { TERM: "xterm-256color", MATRIX_TUI_FULLSCREEN: "0" },
+    })).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldUseAlternateScreen({
+      stdout: { isTTY: false } as NodeJS.WriteStream & { isTTY: boolean },
+      env: { TERM: "xterm-256color" },
+    })).toBe(false);
+  });
 });