diff --git a/.changeset/jetbrains-session-hover.md b/.changeset/jetbrains-session-hover.md
index 0a1b8d81b27..181ad76ac4a 100644
--- a/.changeset/jetbrains-session-hover.md
+++ b/.changeset/jetbrains-session-hover.md
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 "@kilocode/kilo-jetbrains": patch
 ---
 
-Refine JetBrains session card hover styling and link completed read file rows to files in the IDE.
+Refine JetBrains session transcript styling with subtler tool rows, prompt-styled user messages, and underlined read file links that open files in the IDE.
diff --git a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/MessageView.kt b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/MessageView.kt
index 886437a11ee..52081071d76 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/MessageView.kt
+++ b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/MessageView.kt
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ import ai.kilocode.client.session.ui.style.SessionEditorStyle
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.ui.style.SessionEditorStyleTarget
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.views.base.PartView
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.ui.style.SessionUiStyle
-import com.intellij.ui.RoundedLineBorder
 import com.intellij.util.ui.JBUI
+import java.awt.Graphics
+import java.awt.Graphics2D
+import java.awt.RenderingHints
 
 /**
  * A single message container inside a [TurnView].
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ class MessageView(
 
     init {
         isOpaque = false
+        if (msg.info.role == SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_ROLE) background = style.editorScheme.defaultBackground
         border = if (msg.info.role == SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_ROLE) {
             userBorder()
         } else {
@@ -55,7 +58,7 @@ class MessageView(
         for ((_, content) in msg.parts) {
             if (content is StepFinish) continue
             if (isHidden(content)) continue
-            val view = ViewFactory.create(content, openFile)
+            val view = view(content)
             view.applyStyle(style)
             parts[content.id] = view
             add(view)
@@ -95,7 +98,7 @@ class MessageView(
             refresh()
             return
         }
-        val view = ViewFactory.create(content, openFile)
+        val view = view(content)
         view.applyStyle(style)
         parts[content.id] = view
         add(view)
@@ -107,7 +110,7 @@ class MessageView(
         val at = components.indexOfFirst { it === existing }.takeIf { it >= 0 } ?: componentCount
         parts.remove(content.id)
         remove(existing)
-        val view = ViewFactory.create(content, openFile)
+        val view = view(content)
         view.applyStyle(style)
         parts[content.id] = view
         add(view, at)
@@ -147,7 +150,7 @@ class MessageView(
         for ((_, content) in msg.parts) {
             if (content is StepFinish) continue
             if (isHidden(content)) continue
-            val view = ViewFactory.create(content, openFile)
+            val view = view(content)
             view.applyStyle(style)
             parts[content.id] = view
             add(view)
@@ -161,6 +164,12 @@ class MessageView(
         border = assistantBorder()
     }
 
+    private fun view(content: Content) = if (msg.info.role == SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_ROLE) {
+        ViewFactory.createUser(content, openFile)
+    } else {
+        ViewFactory.create(content, openFile)
+    }
+
     /** Append a streaming delta to the renderer for [contentId]. */
     fun appendDelta(contentId: String, delta: String) {
         val part = parts[contentId] ?: return
@@ -179,22 +188,41 @@ class MessageView(
 
     override fun applyStyle(style: SessionEditorStyle) {
         this.style = style
+        if (msg.info.role == SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_ROLE) background = style.editorScheme.defaultBackground
         for (view in parts.values) view.applyStyle(style)
         refresh()
     }
 
+    override fun paintComponent(g: Graphics) {
+        if (msg.info.role != SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_ROLE) {
+            super.paintComponent(g)
+            return
+        }
+        val g2 = g.create() as Graphics2D
+        try {
+            g2.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING, RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON)
+            val arc = JBUI.scale(JBUI.getInt("Button.arc", SessionUiStyle.View.Prompt.CORNER_ARC))
+            g2.color = style.editorScheme.defaultBackground
+            g2.fillRoundRect(0, 0, width, height, arc, arc)
+            g2.color = SessionUiStyle.View.line()
+            val w = width - 1
+            val h = height - 1
+            if (w > 0 && h > 0) g2.drawRoundRect(0, 0, w, h, arc, arc)
+        } finally {
+            g2.dispose()
+        }
+        super.paintComponent(g)
+    }
+
     private fun refresh() {
         revalidate()
         repaint()
     }
 
-    private fun userBorder() = JBUI.Borders.compound(
-        RoundedLineBorder(SessionUiStyle.View.line(), JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_BORDER_ARC)),
-        JBUI.Borders.empty(
-            JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_BORDER_VERTICAL_PADDING),
-            JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Message.USER_BORDER_HORIZONTAL_PADDING),
-        ),
-    )!!
+    private fun userBorder() = JBUI.Borders.empty(
+        JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Prompt.SHELL_VERTICAL_PADDING),
+        JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Prompt.SHELL_HORIZONTAL_PADDING),
+    )
 
     private fun assistantBorder() = JBUI.Borders.empty()
 }
diff --git a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TextView.kt b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TextView.kt
index 86ab85cdbec..af19d386ef6 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TextView.kt
+++ b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TextView.kt
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import java.awt.BorderLayout
  *
  * Supports both full-replacement ([update]) and streaming append ([appendDelta]).
  */
-class TextView(text: Text) : PartView() {
+class TextView(text: Text, transparent: Boolean = false) : PartView() {
 
     override val contentId: String = text.id
 
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class TextView(text: Text) : PartView() {
     init {
         layout = BorderLayout()
         isOpaque = false
+        md.opaque = !transparent
         applyStyle(SessionEditorStyle.current())
         add(md.component, BorderLayout.CENTER)
         if (text.content.isNotEmpty()) md.set(text.content.toString())
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ class TextView(text: Text) : PartView() {
     /** Current markdown source — used by tests to assert rendered content. */
     fun markdown(): String = md.markdown()
 
+    internal fun contentOpaque() = md.opaque
+
     override fun applyStyle(style: SessionEditorStyle) {
         val changed = md.font != style.transcriptFont || md.codeFont != style.editorFamily
         if (md.font != style.transcriptFont) md.font = style.transcriptFont
diff --git a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolView.kt b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolView.kt
index 0c16a68112c..e3dac956d48 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolView.kt
+++ b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolView.kt
@@ -9,11 +9,9 @@ import ai.kilocode.client.session.model.ToolExecState
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.model.ToolKind
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.ui.style.SessionEditorStyle
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.ui.style.SessionUiStyle
-import ai.kilocode.client.session.views.base.PrimarySessionPartView
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.views.base.SecondarySessionPartView
 import ai.kilocode.client.ui.UiStyle
 import com.intellij.icons.AllIcons
-import com.intellij.ui.components.ActionLink
 import com.intellij.ui.components.JBLabel
 import com.intellij.ui.components.JBScrollPane
 import com.intellij.ui.components.JBTextArea
@@ -22,8 +20,11 @@ import com.intellij.xml.util.XmlStringUtil
 import java.awt.BorderLayout
 import java.awt.CardLayout
 import java.awt.Color
+import java.awt.Cursor
 import java.awt.Dimension
 import java.awt.Font
+import java.awt.event.MouseAdapter
+import java.awt.event.MouseEvent
 import javax.swing.Box
 import javax.swing.Icon
 import javax.swing.JComponent
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ import javax.swing.ScrollPaneConstants
 
 /** Renders non-read tool calls with VS Code-inspired rows/cards. */
 class ToolView(tool: Tool, private val parts: ToolParts = toolParts(tool)) :
-    PrimarySessionPartView(parts.header, parts.scroll) {
+    SecondarySessionPartView(parts.header, parts.scroll) {
 
     override val contentId: String = tool.id
 
@@ -189,7 +190,9 @@ class ReadToolView(
     internal fun horizontalPolicy() = parts.scroll.horizontalScrollBarPolicy
     internal fun bodyMaxRows() = SessionUiStyle.View.Tool.BODY_LINES
     internal fun linkVisible() = parts.link.isVisible
-    internal fun linkText() = parts.link.text ?: ""
+    internal fun linkText() = parts.label
+    internal fun linkMarkup() = parts.link.text ?: ""
+    internal fun linkForeground() = parts.link.foreground
     internal fun linkHref() = parts.href
     internal fun openLink() = parts.openLink()
 
@@ -227,7 +230,7 @@ class ReadToolView(
                 parts.href = target.path
                 changed = true
             }
-            changed = setText(parts.link, tail(target.path).ifBlank { target.path }) || changed
+            changed = setLinkText(parts, tail(target.path).ifBlank { target.path }) || changed
             changed = show(parts, true) || changed
             return changed
         }
@@ -265,7 +268,7 @@ class ToolParts(
     val glyph: JBLabel,
     val title: JBLabel,
     val sub: JBLabel,
-    val link: ActionLink,
+    val link: JBLabel,
     val slot: JPanel,
     val state: JBLabel,
     val center: JPanel,
@@ -275,6 +278,7 @@ class ToolParts(
     private val open: ((String) -> Unit)? = null,
 ) {
     var href: String? = null
+    var label: String = ""
 
     fun openLink() {
         val value = href ?: return
@@ -290,10 +294,17 @@ private fun toolParts(tool: Tool, openFile: ((String) -> Unit)? = null): ToolPar
     val glyph = JBLabel()
     val title = JBLabel()
     val sub = JBLabel().apply { foreground = UiStyle.Colors.weak() }
-    val link = ActionLink("") { parts.openLink() }.apply {
+    val link = JBLabel().apply {
         isVisible = false
         isFocusable = false
+        foreground = UiStyle.Colors.weak()
+        cursor = Cursor.getPredefinedCursor(Cursor.HAND_CURSOR)
         setRequestFocusEnabled(false)
+        addMouseListener(object : MouseAdapter() {
+            override fun mouseClicked(e: MouseEvent) {
+                parts.openLink()
+            }
+        })
     }
     val slot = JPanel(CardLayout()).apply {
         isOpaque = false
@@ -368,9 +379,11 @@ private fun setText(label: JBLabel, text: String): Boolean {
     return true
 }
 
-private fun setText(link: ActionLink, text: String): Boolean {
-    if (link.text == text) return false
-    link.text = text
+private fun setLinkText(parts: ToolParts, text: String): Boolean {
+    val value = if (text.isBlank()) "" else XmlStringUtil.wrapInHtml("<u>${XmlStringUtil.escapeString(text)}</u>")
+    if (parts.label == text && parts.link.text == value) return false
+    parts.label = text
+    parts.link.text = value
     return true
 }
 
@@ -380,7 +393,7 @@ private fun show(parts: ToolParts, link: Boolean): Boolean {
     return true
 }
 
-private fun subtitleText(parts: ToolParts): String = if (parts.link.isVisible) parts.link.text ?: "" else parts.sub.text
+private fun subtitleText(parts: ToolParts): String = if (parts.link.isVisible) parts.label else parts.sub.text
 
 private fun setIcon(label: JBLabel, icon: Icon): Boolean {
     if (label.icon === icon) return false
diff --git a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ViewFactory.kt b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ViewFactory.kt
index 9c430651d74..62f72c5f095 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ViewFactory.kt
+++ b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/main/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ViewFactory.kt
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ object ViewFactory {
         is Generic -> GenericView(content)
     }
 
+    fun createUser(content: Content, openFile: (String) -> Unit): PartView = when (content) {
+        is Text -> TextView(content, transparent = true)
+        else -> create(content, openFile)
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns true when [view] must be replaced by a new renderer for [content].
      * This happens when a running question tool (rendered as [ToolView]) completes
diff --git a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ReadToolViewTest.kt b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ReadToolViewTest.kt
index c31d4e65ab9..0a270461248 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ReadToolViewTest.kt
+++ b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ReadToolViewTest.kt
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import ai.kilocode.client.session.model.Tool
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.model.ToolExecState
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.model.toolKind
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.views.base.SecondarySessionPartView
+import ai.kilocode.client.ui.UiStyle
 import com.intellij.testFramework.fixtures.BasePlatformTestCase
 import javax.swing.ScrollPaneConstants
 
@@ -47,6 +48,8 @@ class ReadToolViewTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
         assertTrue(view.linkVisible())
         assertEquals("SessionUiLayoutTest.kt", view.linkText())
         assertEquals(path, view.linkHref())
+        assertTrue(view.linkMarkup().contains("<u>SessionUiLayoutTest.kt</u>"))
+        assertEquals(UiStyle.Colors.weak().rgb, view.linkForeground().rgb)
         assertTrue(view.labelText().contains("SessionUiLayoutTest.kt"))
 
         view.openLink()
diff --git a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolViewTest.kt b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolViewTest.kt
index 6ace5750c4f..4f373abf1d5 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolViewTest.kt
+++ b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/ToolViewTest.kt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import ai.kilocode.client.session.model.ToolExecState
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.model.toolKind
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.ui.style.SessionEditorStyle
 import ai.kilocode.client.session.ui.style.SessionUiStyle
+import ai.kilocode.client.session.views.base.SecondarySessionPartView
 import com.intellij.testFramework.fixtures.BasePlatformTestCase
 import javax.swing.ScrollPaneConstants
 
@@ -79,6 +80,20 @@ class ToolViewTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
         assertTrue(view.bodyCreated())
     }
 
+    fun `test bash tool uses secondary chrome`() {
+        val view = ToolView(tool("p1", "bash", ToolExecState.COMPLETED))
+        val base: Any = view
+
+        assertTrue(base is SecondarySessionPartView)
+    }
+
+    fun `test unknown tool uses secondary chrome`() {
+        val view = ToolView(tool("p1", "mystery", ToolExecState.COMPLETED))
+        val base: Any = view
+
+        assertTrue(base is SecondarySessionPartView)
+    }
+
     fun `test bash toggle collapses and expands`() {
         val t = tool("p1", "bash", ToolExecState.COMPLETED).also {
             it.input = mapOf("command" to "git log")
diff --git a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TurnViewTest.kt b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TurnViewTest.kt
index 729f876e1f0..8887e216639 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TurnViewTest.kt
+++ b/packages/kilo-jetbrains/frontend/src/test/kotlin/ai/kilocode/client/session/views/TurnViewTest.kt
@@ -96,6 +96,27 @@ class TurnViewTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
         assertEquals("assistant", mv.role)
     }
 
+    fun `test user message uses prompt shell padding`() {
+        val mv = MessageView(msg("u1", "user"), openFile)
+        val ins = mv.border.getBorderInsets(mv)
+
+        assertEquals(JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Prompt.SHELL_VERTICAL_PADDING), ins.top)
+        assertEquals(JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Prompt.SHELL_VERTICAL_PADDING), ins.bottom)
+        assertEquals(JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Prompt.SHELL_HORIZONTAL_PADDING), ins.left)
+        assertEquals(JBUI.scale(SessionUiStyle.View.Prompt.SHELL_HORIZONTAL_PADDING), ins.right)
+        assertFalse(mv.isOpaque)
+    }
+
+    fun `test assistant message remains borderless`() {
+        val mv = MessageView(msg("a1", "assistant"), openFile)
+        val ins = mv.border.getBorderInsets(mv)
+
+        assertEquals(0, ins.top)
+        assertEquals(0, ins.bottom)
+        assertEquals(0, ins.left)
+        assertEquals(0, ins.right)
+    }
+
     fun `test upsertPart adds a new TextView for Text content`() {
         val mv = MessageView(msg("a1", "assistant"), openFile)
         val text = ai.kilocode.client.session.model.Text("p1")
@@ -106,6 +127,26 @@ class TurnViewTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
         assertTrue(mv.part("p1") is TextView)
     }
 
+    fun `test user text view is transparent`() {
+        val mv = MessageView(msg("u1", "user"), openFile)
+        val text = ai.kilocode.client.session.model.Text("p1")
+        text.content.append("hello")
+
+        mv.upsertPart(text)
+
+        assertFalse((mv.part("p1") as TextView).contentOpaque())
+    }
+
+    fun `test assistant text view remains opaque`() {
+        val mv = MessageView(msg("a1", "assistant"), openFile)
+        val text = ai.kilocode.client.session.model.Text("p1")
+        text.content.append("hello")
+
+        mv.upsertPart(text)
+
+        assertTrue((mv.part("p1") as TextView).contentOpaque())
+    }
+
     fun `test upsertPart updates existing part rather than adding duplicate`() {
         val mv = MessageView(msg("a1", "assistant"), openFile)
         val t1 = ai.kilocode.client.session.model.Text("p1").also { it.content.append("v1") }