diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/i18n/messages.ts b/App/frontend/desktop/src/i18n/messages.ts
index 9cfa30be8..ece125ab9 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/i18n/messages.ts
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/i18n/messages.ts
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ export const zhCNMessages = {
   "agent.activity.thinking": "思考中",
   "agent.activity.workedBriefly": "工作了一会儿",
   "agent.activity.workedFor": "工作了 {duration}",
-  "agent.activity.thoughtBriefly": "思考一下",
+  "agent.activity.thoughtBriefly": "简短思考",
   "agent.activity.thoughtFor": "已思考 {duration}",
   "agent.activity.stepsDone": "执行了 {count} 步",
   "agent.activity.stepsDoneOne": "执行了 1 步",
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/agent-thread-messages.tsx b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/agent-thread-messages.tsx
index 62ce67da5..ea8ba8c40 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/agent-thread-messages.tsx
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/agent-thread-messages.tsx
@@ -2501,9 +2501,6 @@ function ThoughtSegmentBlock(props: { text: string; isLive: boolean; isOnlySegme
             : <ChevronRight size={12} aria-hidden="true" className="agent-narration-block__chevron" />}
         </button>
       ) : null}
-      {!props.isOnlySegment && props.isLive && open ? (
-        <p className="agent-activity-segment__live-thought-label">{props.t("agent.activity.thinking")}</p>
-      ) : null}
       {open ? (
         <div className="agent-activity-segment__body">
           <ReasoningMarkdown text={props.text} />
@@ -2522,6 +2519,15 @@ function ThoughtSegmentBlock(props: { text: string; isLive: boolean; isOnlySegme
  */
 function useFollowAlongOpen(isLive: boolean): { open: boolean; onToggle: (next: boolean) => void } {
   const [manualOpen, setManualOpen] = useState<boolean | null>(null);
+  const wasLiveRef = useRef(isLive);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (wasLiveRef.current && !isLive) {
+      setManualOpen(null);
+    }
+    wasLiveRef.current = isLive;
+  }, [isLive]);
+
   return {
     open: manualOpen ?? isLive,
     onToggle: (next: boolean) => setManualOpen(next)
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.css b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.css
index 272b988c3..08732b128 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.css
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.css
@@ -2914,16 +2914,20 @@
   padding: 6px 11px;
   border: 0;
   border-radius: var(--radius-btn, 8px);
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-action-sky) 4%, var(--color-background-paper));
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-text-ink) 3%, var(--color-background-paper));
   color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-text-ink) 66%, transparent);
   font-size: 12px;
   line-height: 18px;
   cursor: pointer;
   transition: background-color 120ms ease, color 120ms ease;
 }
+.pinned-command-chip--legal-shortcut {
+  min-width: 112px;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
 .pinned-command-chip:hover:not(:disabled) {
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-action-sky) 10%, var(--color-background-paper));
-  color: var(--color-action-sky-hover);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-text-ink) 7%, var(--color-background-paper));
+  color: var(--color-text-ink);
 }
 .pinned-command-chip:focus-visible {
   outline: none;
@@ -2937,6 +2941,9 @@
   background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-action-sky) 14%, var(--color-background-paper));
   color: var(--color-action-sky-hover);
 }
+.pinned-command-chip[data-open="true"]:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-action-sky) 20%, var(--color-background-paper));
+}
 .agent-conversation-panel[data-waiting-card="true"] .agent-conversation-scroll {
   padding-bottom: calc(var(--agent-question-overlay-height, var(--agent-composer-overlay-height, 120px)) + 8px);
 }
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.tsx b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.tsx
index 87574baed..64f4a59d2 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.tsx
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/conversation-features.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ export function conversationFeaturePanelOverlays(width: number | null | undefine
   return width != null && width > 0 && width < SHARED_ROW_PRIMARY_RESERVE + SHARED_ROW_MIN_PANE_WIDTH;
 }
 
+export function recordingShortcutOpen(compactOpen: boolean,
+  pluginRecording: Pick<RecordingPanelSession, "status"> | null | undefined, pluginRecordingHidden: boolean): boolean {
+  // A completed interview may remain in the right panel, but this shortcut
+  // has already switched back to controlling the independent recording card.
+  return compactOpen || Boolean(pluginRecording && pluginRecording.status !== "done" && !pluginRecordingHidden);
+}
+
 function PersistentPluginRecorder(props: {
   owner: string; host: ReactElement<ComponentProps<typeof PluginCapabilityHost>> | null;
   onSession(owner: string, session: RecordingPanelSession | null): void;
@@ -269,7 +276,7 @@ export function useConversationFeatures(options: {
     ? selectPinnedCommandsForLegalWorkflow(selectConversationPinnedCommands(targets, calls), legalFlowCardOpen)
     : [];
   const shortcuts = <PinnedPluginCommandBar targets={pinnedTargets} disabled={!clients}
-    recordingOpen={recording.compactOpen || Boolean(pluginRecording && !hiddenRecordings.has(recordingOwner))}
+    recordingOpen={recordingShortcutOpen(recording.compactOpen, pluginRecording, hiddenRecordings.has(recordingOwner))}
     active={selectOpenPinnedCapabilities(prepared, ui?.dismissedCallIds, pinnedCapabilities, ui?.hiddenCallIds)}
     onRecordingPress={toggleCompactRecording} onPress={({ plugin, command }) => void invoke(plugin, command)} />;
   const artifactPanel = preview && clients?.plugins ? <PluginArtifactPreviewPanel artifact={preview}
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/home-page.tsx b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/home-page.tsx
index c01b8e68e..4eaa397a7 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/home-page.tsx
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/home-page.tsx
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ import {
 import { AgentAttachmentCard, splitAgentAttachmentName } from "./agent-file-attachment-chip.js";
 import { AgentGoalBar, type AgentGoalControlRequest } from "./agent-goal-bar.js";
 import { AgentQueuedMessageList, queuedComposerEditDecision } from "./agent-queued-message-list.js";
+import { agentOutputSignature, useStalledOutputShimmer } from "./agent-stall-shimmer.js";
 import { AgentThreadMessages, ChatImageLightbox } from "./agent-thread-messages.js";
 import { AgentThreadPanel, PLUGIN_RECORDING_TAB_ID, useAgentThreadPanel } from "./agent-thread-panel.js";
 import { hasPendingBrowserOpen, MEMMY_BROWSER_OPEN_EVENT } from "./browser-panel.js";
@@ -946,6 +947,7 @@ export function HomePage() {
   const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const [workspaceLayoutRef, workspaceRowWidth] = useSharedRowWidth<HTMLDivElement>();
   const conversationPanelRef = useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
+  const conversationContentRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const composerOverlayRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const [questionDockTarget, setQuestionDockTarget] = useState<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const pendingStatusChatRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
@@ -1203,6 +1205,11 @@ export function HomePage() {
       state.agent.optimisticSendingByChatId[state.agent.currentChatId]
     )
   );
+  useStalledOutputShimmer(
+    conversationContentRef,
+    (isCurrentAgentRunning || isCurrentGoalActive) && !pendingCardKey,
+    agentOutputSignature(state.agent.messages)
+  );
   const currentTaskCompletedUnseen = state.agent.chatWindowFocused && state.agent.chatViewVisible && !state.agent.blankDraftActive
     ? false
     : state.agent.tasks.find((task) => task.chatId === state.agent.currentChatId)?.completedUnseen;
@@ -3182,7 +3189,7 @@ export function HomePage() {
             onWheel={markAgentConversationUserScrollIntent}
             onTouchMove={markAgentConversationUserScrollIntent}
           >
-            <div className="agent-conversation-content agent-conversation-column space-y-3">
+            <div ref={conversationContentRef} className="agent-conversation-content agent-conversation-column space-y-3">
               {displayConnectionStatus !== "connected" && (
                 <div className="text-center">
                   <span className="inline-flex text-[11px] px-3 py-1 rounded-tag bg-background-paper text-text-ink/55 border border-border-stone/30">
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/plugin-conversation-controls.tsx b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/plugin-conversation-controls.tsx
index f62cd3b2f..43131009d 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/plugin-conversation-controls.tsx
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/plugin-conversation-controls.tsx
@@ -104,13 +104,15 @@ export function PinnedPluginCommandBar(props: {
         // of the top-bar page and pending material collection calls.
         const recording = target.command.topbar === true;
         const open = recording ? props.recordingOpen : props.active.has(`${target.plugin.id}:${target.command.capabilityId}`);
+        const legalShortcut = target.plugin.id === "legal-labor"
+          && (target.command.command === "/legal-guide" || target.command.command === "/legal-record");
         return (
           <button
             key={`${target.plugin.id}:${target.command.command}`}
             type="button"
             disabled={props.disabled}
             title={target.command.description}
-            className="pinned-command-chip"
+            className={`pinned-command-chip${legalShortcut ? " pinned-command-chip--legal-shortcut" : ""}`}
             // These buttons stay on screen while their card is open, so without
             // this the card and the button that raised it look unrelated.
             data-open={open ? "true" : undefined}
@@ -345,4 +347,4 @@ export function selectPluginCallsForConversation(
   const normalizedActiveId = normalizePluginConversationId(activeConversationId);
   if (!normalizedActiveId) return [];
   return calls.filter((call) => normalizePluginConversationId(call.conversationId) === normalizedActiveId);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/agent-thread-messages.test.tsx b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/agent-thread-messages.test.tsx
index 84102947c..4f00f22de 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/agent-thread-messages.test.tsx
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/agent-thread-messages.test.tsx
@@ -664,11 +664,11 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
     expect(html).toContain("agent-activity-segment--narration");
     expect(html).toContain(draft);
     expect(html).not.toContain("agent-narration-block__preview");
-    expect(html).toContain("思考一下");
+    expect(html).toContain("简短思考");
     expect(html).not.toContain("先规划三轮循环。");
     expect(html).not.toContain("agent-chat-bubble--assistant");
     expect(html).not.toContain("agent-message-copy-button--left");
-    expect(html.indexOf("思考一下")).toBeLessThan(html.indexOf("我来帮你规划国庆出行方案"));
+    expect(html.indexOf("简短思考")).toBeLessThan(html.indexOf("我来帮你规划国庆出行方案"));
   });
 
   it("counts every row in the group label — web search plus grep reads 浏览了 2 处", () => {
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
     expect(html).toContain("工作中");
     // The thought was superseded by the tool step, so it folds to its
     // one-line label; the prose re-appears on demand, not by default.
-    expect(html).toContain("思考一下");
+    expect(html).toContain("简短思考");
     expect(html).not.toContain("先判断要不要查资料。");
     expect(html).toContain("准备读取本地说明。");
     expect(html).not.toContain("正在执行 2 个步骤");
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
     expect(html).not.toContain("text-status-success");
   });
 
-  it("labels the live thought after a tool so the older thought heading cannot appear to own it", () => {
+  it("keeps the live thought after a tool while the earlier thought folds", () => {
     const html = renderToString(
       <I18nProvider language="zh-CN">
         <AgentThreadMessages chatScopeKey="chat-thought-tool-thought" isSending messages={[
@@ -1100,14 +1100,13 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
       </I18nProvider>
     );
 
-    const oldThought = html.indexOf("思考一下");
+    const oldThought = html.indexOf("简短思考");
     const tool = html.indexOf("Generate review sections");
-    const liveThought = html.indexOf("agent-activity-segment__live-thought-label");
     const liveBody = html.indexOf("All 4 paragraphs saved; continue.");
     expect(oldThought).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
     expect(tool).toBeGreaterThan(oldThought);
-    expect(liveThought).toBeGreaterThan(tool);
-    expect(liveBody).toBeGreaterThan(liveThought);
+    expect(liveBody).toBeGreaterThan(tool);
+    expect(html).not.toContain("agent-activity-segment__live-thought-label");
     expect(html).not.toContain("先生成小节。");
   });
 
@@ -1145,7 +1144,7 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
     expect(html).toContain("Keep markdown lists compact.");
     expect(html).toContain("<strong>Decision</strong>");
     expect(html).not.toContain("The user wants a detailed introduction<br");
-    expect(html).not.toContain("思考一下</span>");
+    expect(html).not.toContain("简短思考</span>");
   });
 
   it("renders the complete decoded Windows error in tool details", () => {
@@ -1629,7 +1628,7 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
     // header, separate from the always-visible final answer bubble below it.
     expect(html).toContain('aria-expanded="false"');
     expect(html).toContain('data-icon="chevron-right"');
-    expect(html).toContain("思考一下");
+    expect(html).toContain("简短思考");
     expect(html).not.toContain("data-reasoning-key=");
     expect(html).toContain("最终回答");
     // Reasoning body is only rendered when the user expands the collapsed cluster.
@@ -1681,7 +1680,7 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
     // Reasoning finished but answer is still streaming → cluster collapses (reasoning not running).
     expect(html).toContain('aria-expanded="false"');
     expect(html).toContain('data-icon="chevron-right"');
-    expect(html).toContain("思考一下");
+    expect(html).toContain("简短思考");
     expect(html).not.toContain("data-reasoning-key=");
     expect(html).toContain("正在回答");
     // Reasoning body is only rendered when the user expands the collapsed cluster.
@@ -1711,7 +1710,7 @@ describe("AgentThreadMessages", () => {
       </I18nProvider>
     );
 
-    expect(html).toContain("思考一下");
+    expect(html).toContain("简短思考");
     expect(html).toContain("data-activity-key=");
     expect(html).toContain("完成。");
     expect(html).not.toContain("data-reasoning-key=");
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/conversation-features.interaction.test.tsx b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/conversation-features.interaction.test.tsx
index aeb8ada00..f6e238e30 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/conversation-features.interaction.test.tsx
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/pages/tests/conversation-features.interaction.test.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { createRoot, type Root } from "react-dom/client";
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { I18nProvider } from "../../i18n/i18n-provider.js";
 import { PluginUiProvider, usePluginUi } from "../../app/plugin-ui-context.js";
-import { conversationFeaturePanelOverlays, recordingArchiveMaterials, useConversationFeatures } from "../conversation-features.js";
+import { conversationFeaturePanelOverlays, recordingArchiveMaterials, recordingShortcutOpen, useConversationFeatures } from "../conversation-features.js";
 import type { AgentChatMessage } from "../../state/agent-chat-slice.js";
 
 (globalThis as typeof globalThis & { IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT: boolean }).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ describe("conversation feature integration", () => {
     expect(features.pluginRecordingSession?.status).toBe("idle");
   });
 
+  it("does not keep the recording shortcut active for a completed interview", () => {
+    expect(recordingShortcutOpen(false, { status: "recording" }, false)).toBe(true);
+    expect(recordingShortcutOpen(false, { status: "done" }, false)).toBe(false);
+    expect(recordingShortcutOpen(false, { status: "recording" }, true)).toBe(false);
+    expect(recordingShortcutOpen(true, { status: "done" }, false)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("overlays a standalone artifact preview when both columns cannot fit", () => {
     expect(conversationFeaturePanelOverlays(659)).toBe(true);
     expect(conversationFeaturePanelOverlays(660)).toBe(false);
diff --git a/App/frontend/desktop/src/styles.css b/App/frontend/desktop/src/styles.css
index 2673ad028..a727dbe7f 100644
--- a/App/frontend/desktop/src/styles.css
+++ b/App/frontend/desktop/src/styles.css
@@ -3730,6 +3730,40 @@ body.memmy-thread-panel-fullscreen .app-frame-main {
   margin-bottom: 0;
 }
 
+/* A quiet running turn sweeps its last visible line after three seconds. */
+.agent-stall-shimmer {
+  background-image:
+    linear-gradient(90deg, transparent, var(--color-action-sky-hover), transparent),
+    linear-gradient(var(--agent-stall-ink), var(--agent-stall-ink));
+  background-repeat: no-repeat;
+  background-size: var(--agent-stall-band) var(--agent-stall-height), 100% 100%;
+  background-position: var(--agent-stall-from) var(--agent-stall-y), 0 0;
+  -webkit-background-clip: text;
+  background-clip: text;
+  -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
+  animation: agent-stall-sweep 1.8s linear infinite;
+}
+
+.agent-stall-shimmer :where(code, .agent-activity-diff, .agent-activity-diff *) {
+  -webkit-text-fill-color: currentColor;
+}
+
+@keyframes agent-stall-sweep {
+  from {
+    background-position: var(--agent-stall-from) var(--agent-stall-y), 0 0;
+  }
+  to {
+    background-position: var(--agent-stall-to) var(--agent-stall-y), 0 0;
+  }
+}
+
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .agent-stall-shimmer {
+    animation: none;
+    background-position: calc((var(--agent-stall-from) + var(--agent-stall-to)) / 2) var(--agent-stall-y), 0 0;
+  }
+}
+
 .agent-thinking-pulse {
   display: inline-block;
   width: 6px;
@@ -4301,14 +4335,6 @@ button.agent-activity-file-link.agent-activity-timeline-item__detail {
   margin: 8px 0 4px;
 }
 
-.agent-activity-segment__live-thought-label {
-  margin: 0;
-  padding: 2px 0;
-  color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-text-ink) 50%, transparent);
-  font-size: 15px;
-  line-height: 26.25px;
-}
-
 /* Thinking-chain rail: a 2px hairline-coloured bar spanning the full height
    of the reasoning text, 12px clear of the glyphs. */
 .agent-reasoning-panel__body > .agent-message-content.agent-message-content--reasoning,