diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index 595ba32bc290c..a34792269a601 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
   /** The tab the hidden-tabs row opens; the group thread still owns ordering and selection. */
   displayThread: SidebarThreadSummary;
   variant: "card" | "slim";
-  // Settled rows un-settle, snoozed rows wake, hidden rows unhide, and cards settle.
+  // The category determines the action independently of the row layout.
   variantAction: SidebarRowAction;
   // False on environments whose server predates thread.settle/unsettle:
   // the lifecycle affordances hide entirely rather than fail on click.
@@ -1604,6 +1604,39 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
     },
     [onUnhide, rowThreadRef],
   );
+  const rowAction =
+    variantAction === "unhide"
+      ? {
+          label: "Unhide thread",
+          text: "Unhide",
+          Icon: EyeIcon,
+          onClick: handleUnhideClick,
+          supported: true,
+        }
+      : variantAction === "unsnooze"
+        ? {
+            label: "Wake thread now",
+            text: "Wake",
+            Icon: AlarmClockOffIcon,
+            onClick: handleUnsnoozeClick,
+            supported: props.snoozeSupported,
+          }
+        : variantAction === "unsettle"
+          ? {
+              label: "Un-settle thread",
+              text: "Un-settle",
+              Icon: Undo2Icon,
+              onClick: handleUnsettleClick,
+              supported: props.settlementSupported,
+            }
+          : {
+              label: "Settle thread",
+              text: "Settle",
+              Icon: CheckIcon,
+              onClick: handleSettleClick,
+              supported: props.settlementSupported,
+            };
+  const RowActionIcon = rowAction.Icon;
   const handleUnpinClick = useCallback(
     (event: ReactMouseEvent) => {
       event.preventDefault();
@@ -2243,11 +2276,16 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
                             ) : null}
                           </span>
                         )
-                      ) : unifyTabs ? null : (
+                      ) : unifyTabs ? null : variantAction === "unsnooze" &&
+                        props.snoozeWakeLabelText !== null ? (
+                        props.snoozeWakeLabelText
+                      ) : variantAction === "unsettle" ? (
+                        settledTimeLabel(thread)
+                      ) : (
                         threadTimeLabel(thread)
                       )}
                     </span>
-                    {props.settlementSupported ||
+                    {rowAction.supported ||
                     showSnoozeButton ||
                     hasUnsentDraft ||
                     onNewTab ||
@@ -2305,14 +2343,14 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
                             timestampFormat={props.timestampFormat}
                           />
                         ) : null}
-                        {props.settlementSupported ? (
+                        {rowAction.supported ? (
                           <Tooltip>
                             <TooltipTrigger
                               render={
                                 <button
                                   type="button"
-                                  aria-label="Settle thread"
-                                  onClick={handleSettleClick}
+                                  aria-label={rowAction.label}
+                                  onClick={rowAction.onClick}
                                   onPointerDown={handleActionPointerDown}
                                   className={cn(
                                     "inline-flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 rounded-md bg-transparent px-1.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground",
@@ -2322,10 +2360,10 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
                                 />
                               }
                             >
-                              <CheckIcon className="size-3.5" />
-                              Settle
+                              <RowActionIcon className="size-3.5" />
+                              {rowAction.text}
                             </TooltipTrigger>
-                            <TooltipPopup>Settle thread</TooltipPopup>
+                            <TooltipPopup>{rowAction.label}</TooltipPopup>
                           </Tooltip>
                         ) : null}
                         {showUnpinnedPinAction ? (
@@ -3449,6 +3487,7 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
   const { hiddenTabThreads: tabThreadGroups, tabEnvironmentIds } = useHiddenTabThreads(threads);
   const { createTab, closeTab } = useThreadTabActions();
   const splitViewActions = useSplitViewActions();
+  const threadViews = useClientSettings((s) => s.sidebarThreadViews);
   const showTabs = useClientSettings((s) => s.sidebarShowTabs);
   const tabLimit = useClientSettings((s) => s.sidebarTabLimit);
   const tabSortOrder = useClientSettings((s) => s.sidebarTabSortOrder);
@@ -4250,7 +4289,15 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
     >();
     if (listedTabsByRowKey.size === 0) return layouts;
     const cardByKey = new Map(
-      [...pinnedThreads, ...activeThreads].map((thread) => [sidebarThreadKey(thread), thread]),
+      [
+        ...(threadViews.pinned === "card" ? pinnedThreads : []),
+        ...(threadViews.active === "card" ? activeThreads : []),
+        ...(threadViews.working === "card" ? workingThreads : []),
+        ...(threadViews.grouped === "card" ? visibleGroups.flatMap((group) => group.threads) : []),
+        ...(threadViews.hidden === "card" ? visibleHiddenThreads : []),
+        ...(threadViews.snoozed === "card" ? visibleSnoozedThreads : []),
+        ...(threadViews.settled === "card" ? renderedSettledThreads : []),
+      ].map((thread) => [sidebarThreadKey(thread), thread]),
     );
     for (const [rowKey, rowTabs] of listedTabsByRowKey) {
       const card = cardByKey.get(rowKey);
@@ -4271,6 +4318,12 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
     return layouts;
   }, [
     activeThreads,
+    workingThreads,
+    visibleGroups,
+    visibleHiddenThreads,
+    visibleSnoozedThreads,
+    renderedSettledThreads,
+    threadViews,
     expandedTabRowKey,
     heldTabOrder,
     listedTabsByRowKey,
@@ -6720,17 +6773,8 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
                         const threadKey = scopedThreadKey(
                           scopeThreadRef(thread.environmentId, thread.id),
                         );
-                        // Settled and snoozed are the ONLY things that collapse a
-                        // row: every other thread is a full card. Density comes
-                        // from users (or the auto rules) actually parking work,
-                        // not from the sidebar second-guessing what still matters.
-                        // Working rows stay cards so their live status shows.
-                        const isCard =
-                          section === "active" ||
-                          section === "pinned" ||
-                          section === "working" ||
-                          section === "grouped";
-                        const rowVariant = isCard ? "card" : "slim";
+                        const rowVariant = threadViews[section];
+                        const isCard = rowVariant === "card";
                         const rowTabs = tabsByRowKey.get(threadKey);
                         const rowTabsOpen = listedTabsByRowKey.has(threadKey);
                         const rowTabLayout = tabLayoutByRowKey.get(threadKey);
@@ -6746,7 +6790,7 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
                             thread={thread}
                             displayThread={displayThread}
                             variant={rowVariant}
-                            // Snoozed rows wake, settled rows un-settle, and cards settle.
+                            // Each category keeps its action in either view.
                             variantAction={
                               section === "hidden"
                                 ? "unhide"
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx
index 2440c61a3ca8f..d1fac986d54aa 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ import {
   MIN_TERMINAL_LINE_HEIGHT,
   type QuitConfirmationMode,
   SidebarProjectSortOrder,
+  SidebarThreadView,
 } from "@t3tools/contracts/settings";
 import {
   DEFAULT_SIDEBAR_TAB_LIMIT,
@@ -590,6 +591,9 @@ export function useSettingsRestore(onRestored?: () => void) {
       DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarProjectGroupingMode
         ? ["Project Grouping"]
         : []),
+      ...(!Equal.equals(settings.sidebarThreadViews, DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarThreadViews)
+        ? ["Thread views"]
+        : []),
       ...(settings.sidebarShowTabs !== DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarShowTabs ||
       settings.sidebarTabLimit !== DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarTabLimit
         ? ["Tabs in sidebar"]
@@ -769,6 +773,7 @@ export function useSettingsRestore(onRestored?: () => void) {
       settings.autoResumeLimitedThreads,
       settings.snoozeLimitedThreads,
       settings.sidebarProjectGroupingMode,
+      settings.sidebarThreadViews,
       settings.sidebarShowTabs,
       settings.sidebarTabLimit,
       settings.sidebarTabSortOrder,
@@ -872,6 +877,7 @@ export function useSettingsRestore(onRestored?: () => void) {
       environmentIdentificationMode: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.environmentIdentificationMode,
       glassOpacity: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.glassOpacity,
       panelAnimationDurationMs: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.panelAnimationDurationMs,
+      sidebarThreadViews: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarThreadViews,
       sidebarThreadPreviewCount: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarThreadPreviewCount,
       sidebarProjectGroupingMode: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarProjectGroupingMode,
       sidebarShowTabs: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarShowTabs,
@@ -2547,6 +2553,66 @@ export function GeneralSettingsPanel() {
 
         {settings.legacySidebarEnabled ? null : (
           <>
+            <SettingsRow
+              {...searchableSetting("sidebar-thread-views")}
+              description="Choose detailed cards or compact rows independently for each thread category."
+              resetAction={
+                !Equal.equals(
+                  settings.sidebarThreadViews,
+                  DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarThreadViews,
+                ) ? (
+                  <SettingResetButton
+                    label="thread views"
+                    onClick={() =>
+                      updateSettings({
+                        sidebarThreadViews: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.sidebarThreadViews,
+                      })
+                    }
+                  />
+                ) : undefined
+              }
+            />
+            {(
+              [
+                ["active", "Active"],
+                ["pinned", "Pinned"],
+                ["working", "Working"],
+                ["grouped", "Grouped"],
+                ["hidden", "Hidden"],
+                ["snoozed", "Snoozed"],
+                ["settled", "Settled"],
+              ] as const
+            ).map(([category, label]) => (
+              <SettingsRow
+                key={category}
+                title={`${label} threads`}
+                control={
+                  <Select
+                    value={settings.sidebarThreadViews[category]}
+                    onValueChange={(value) => {
+                      if (value === "card" || value === "slim") {
+                        updateSettings({
+                          sidebarThreadViews: { ...settings.sidebarThreadViews, [category]: value },
+                        });
+                      }
+                    }}
+                  >
+                    <SelectTrigger aria-label={`${label} thread view`} size="sm">
+                      <SelectValue>
+                        {settings.sidebarThreadViews[category] === "card" ? "Detailed" : "Compact"}
+                      </SelectValue>
+                    </SelectTrigger>
+                    <SelectPopup>
+                      {SidebarThreadView.literals.map((view) => (
+                        <SelectItem key={view} value={view}>
+                          {view === "card" ? "Detailed" : "Compact"}
+                        </SelectItem>
+                      ))}
+                    </SelectPopup>
+                  </Select>
+                }
+              />
+            ))}
             <SettingsRow
               {...searchableSetting("sidebar-tabs")}
               description={`List a chat's tabs under it in the sidebar. Past the limit, the rest fold behind a "more" row.`}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/settings/settingsSearch.ts b/apps/web/src/components/settings/settingsSearch.ts
index 1b2c71e772860..f84c18562d3b8 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/settings/settingsSearch.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/settings/settingsSearch.ts
@@ -304,6 +304,14 @@ export const SETTINGS_SEARCH_ITEMS = [
     to: "/settings/general",
     searchTerms: ["combine matching repositories environments sidebar"],
   },
+  {
+    id: "sidebar-thread-views",
+    title: "Thread views",
+    to: "/settings/general",
+    searchTerms: [
+      "sidebar detailed compact cards rows active pinned working grouped hidden snoozed settled",
+    ],
+  },
   {
     id: "sidebar-tabs",
     title: "Tabs in sidebar",
diff --git a/docs/fork-differences.md b/docs/fork-differences.md
index 6e9d207565c74..c9fc6c56eba62 100644
--- a/docs/fork-differences.md
+++ b/docs/fork-differences.md
@@ -509,6 +509,19 @@ app's navigation history, the same as the `navigation.back` and `navigation.forw
 
 Code: `SidebarHistoryNavigation` in `apps/web/src/components/sidebar/SidebarChrome.tsx`.
 
+## Sidebar thread views
+
+On web and desktop, **Settings → General → Thread views** chooses detailed cards or compact
+rows independently for active, pinned, working, grouped, hidden, snoozed, and settled threads.
+Hidden threads default to detailed cards; snoozed and settled threads default to compact rows.
+These client preferences also apply when several categories share the sidebar and when chat
+tabs are expanded.
+
+Code: [`Sidebar.tsx`](../apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx),
+[`SettingsPanels.tsx`](../apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx), and
+[`settings.ts`](../packages/contracts/src/settings.ts). User guide:
+[thread-sidebar.md](./user/thread-sidebar.md#hide-a-thread).
+
 ## Sidebar filter menu
 
 On web and desktop, one filter button in the sidebar header replaces upstream's project picker.
diff --git a/docs/user/thread-sidebar.md b/docs/user/thread-sidebar.md
index 3256c2afcee99..c76d24577d120 100644
--- a/docs/user/thread-sidebar.md
+++ b/docs/user/thread-sidebar.md
@@ -448,6 +448,10 @@ appears in the inbox. Pick **Hidden** under **Show** in the filter menu, describ
 thread** from a thread's menu, or the eye on its row on web and desktop, to put it back. Hidden threads are saved on the server, so they stay
 hidden on your other devices.
 
+On web and desktop, **Settings → General → Thread views** lets you choose detailed cards or
+compact rows separately for active, pinned, working, grouped, hidden, snoozed, and settled
+threads. Hidden threads start with detailed cards so their project and branch remain visible.
+
 ## Group threads
 
 Make your own groups, such as "Research" or "Later", to file threads away from your live list.
diff --git a/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts b/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts
index 62fcc8fb8eb9c..9387568b8d61f 100644
--- a/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts
@@ -1177,3 +1177,33 @@ describe("ServerSettings.removeAgentCreditsOnMerge", () => {
     ).toBe(true);
   });
 });
+
+describe("ClientSettings sidebar thread views", () => {
+  it("gives hidden threads detailed cards when upgrading existing settings", () => {
+    expect(decodeClientSettings({}).sidebarThreadViews).toEqual({
+      active: "card",
+      pinned: "card",
+      working: "card",
+      grouped: "card",
+      hidden: "card",
+      snoozed: "slim",
+      settled: "slim",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("round-trips independent category choices and defaults missing categories", () => {
+    const decoded = decodeClientSettings({
+      sidebarThreadViews: { hidden: "slim", settled: "card" },
+    });
+    expect(decoded.sidebarThreadViews.hidden).toBe("slim");
+    expect(decoded.sidebarThreadViews.settled).toBe("card");
+    expect(decoded.sidebarThreadViews.active).toBe("card");
+    expect(
+      decodeClientSettingsPatch({ sidebarThreadViews: decoded.sidebarThreadViews })
+        .sidebarThreadViews,
+    ).toEqual(decoded.sidebarThreadViews);
+    expect(() =>
+      decodeClientSettingsPatch({ sidebarThreadViews: { hidden: "invalid" } }),
+    ).toThrow();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts b/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts
index e69bf00f203ea..8ab0bef088dce 100644
--- a/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts
@@ -87,6 +87,21 @@ export const SidebarTabLimit = Schema.Int.check(
 );
 export type SidebarTabLimit = typeof SidebarTabLimit.Type;
 
+export const SidebarThreadView = Schema.Literals(["card", "slim"]);
+export type SidebarThreadView = typeof SidebarThreadView.Type;
+
+export const SidebarThreadViews = Schema.Struct({
+  active: SidebarThreadView.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("card" as const))),
+  pinned: SidebarThreadView.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("card" as const))),
+  working: SidebarThreadView.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("card" as const))),
+  grouped: SidebarThreadView.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("card" as const))),
+  hidden: SidebarThreadView.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("card" as const))),
+  snoozed: SidebarThreadView.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("slim" as const))),
+  settled: SidebarThreadView.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("slim" as const))),
+});
+export type SidebarThreadViews = typeof SidebarThreadViews.Type;
+const DEFAULT_SIDEBAR_THREAD_VIEWS = Schema.decodeSync(SidebarThreadViews)({});
+
 export const SidebarProjectGroupingMode = Schema.Literals([
   "repository",
   "repository_path",
@@ -536,6 +551,9 @@ export const ClientSettingsSchema = Schema.Struct({
   sidebarThreadPreviewCount: SidebarThreadPreviewCount.pipe(
     Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed(DEFAULT_SIDEBAR_THREAD_PREVIEW_COUNT)),
   ),
+  sidebarThreadViews: SidebarThreadViews.pipe(
+    Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed(DEFAULT_SIDEBAR_THREAD_VIEWS)),
+  ),
   // Off: a chat's tabs share one sidebar row. On: each tab is listed under it.
   sidebarShowTabs: Schema.Boolean.pipe(Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed(false))),
   // How many listed tabs show before the rest fold behind a "more" row; null shows all.
@@ -2129,6 +2147,7 @@ export const ClientSettingsPatch = Schema.Struct({
   sidebarProjectSortOrder: Schema.optionalKey(SidebarProjectSortOrder),
   sidebarThreadSortOrder: Schema.optionalKey(SidebarThreadSortOrder),
   sidebarThreadPreviewCount: Schema.optionalKey(SidebarThreadPreviewCount),
+  sidebarThreadViews: Schema.optionalKey(SidebarThreadViews),
   sidebarShowTabs: Schema.optionalKey(Schema.Boolean),
   sidebarTabLimit: Schema.optionalKey(Schema.NullOr(SidebarTabLimit)),
   sidebarTabSortOrder: Schema.optionalKey(SidebarTabSortOrder),