diff --git a/web/src/client/app.ts b/web/src/client/app.ts
index fd90da75..ba2ed157 100644
--- a/web/src/client/app.ts
+++ b/web/src/client/app.ts
@@ -288,25 +288,77 @@ export class VibeTunnelApp extends LitElement {
     if (!this.initialLoadComplete) {
       this.loading = true;
     }
-    try {
-      const headers = authClient.getAuthHeader();
-      const response = await fetch('/api/sessions', { headers });
-      if (response.ok) {
-        this.sessions = (await response.json()) as Session[];
-        this.clearError();
-      } else if (response.status === 401) {
-        // Authentication failed, redirect to login
-        this.handleLogout();
-        return;
-      } else {
+
+    const performLoad = async () => {
+      try {
+        const headers = authClient.getAuthHeader();
+        const response = await fetch('/api/sessions', { headers });
+        if (response.ok) {
+          this.sessions = (await response.json()) as Session[];
+          this.clearError();
+        } else if (response.status === 401) {
+          // Authentication failed, redirect to login
+          this.handleLogout();
+          return;
+        } else {
+          this.showError('Failed to load sessions');
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        logger.error('error loading sessions:', error);
         this.showError('Failed to load sessions');
+      } finally {
+        this.loading = false;
+        this.initialLoadComplete = true;
+      }
+    };
+
+    // Use view transition for initial load with fade effect
+    if (
+      !this.initialLoadComplete &&
+      'startViewTransition' in document &&
+      typeof document.startViewTransition === 'function'
+    ) {
+      logger.log('🎨 Using View Transition API for initial session load');
+      // Add initial-load class for specific CSS handling
+      document.body.classList.add('initial-session-load');
+
+      const transition = document.startViewTransition(async () => {
+        await performLoad();
+        await this.updateComplete;
+      });
+
+      // Log when transition is ready
+      transition.ready
+        .then(() => {
+          logger.log('✨ Initial load view transition ready');
+        })
+        .catch((err) => {
+          logger.error('❌ Initial load view transition failed:', err);
+        });
+
+      // Clean up the class after transition completes
+      transition.finished
+        .finally(() => {
+          logger.log('✅ Initial load view transition finished');
+          document.body.classList.remove('initial-session-load');
+        })
+        .catch(() => {
+          // Ignore errors, just make sure we clean up
+          document.body.classList.remove('initial-session-load');
+        });
+    } else {
+      // Regular load without transition
+      if (!this.initialLoadComplete) {
+        logger.log('🎨 Using CSS animation fallback for initial load');
+        document.body.classList.add('initial-session-load');
+        await performLoad();
+        // Remove class after animation completes
+        setTimeout(() => {
+          document.body.classList.remove('initial-session-load');
+        }, 600);
+      } else {
+        await performLoad();
       }
-    } catch (error) {
-      logger.error('error loading sessions:', error);
-      this.showError('Failed to load sessions');
-    } finally {
-      this.loading = false;
-      this.initialLoadComplete = true;
     }
   }
 
@@ -875,6 +927,7 @@ export class VibeTunnelApp extends LitElement {
   };
 
   private handleOpenSettings = () => {
+    console.log('🎯 handleOpenSettings called in app.ts');
     this.showSettings = true;
   };
 
diff --git a/web/src/client/components/full-header.ts b/web/src/client/components/full-header.ts
index 965dc621..2cdc71b7 100644
--- a/web/src/client/components/full-header.ts
+++ b/web/src/client/components/full-header.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 import { html } from 'lit';
 import { customElement } from 'lit/decorators.js';
 import { HeaderBase } from './header-base.js';
-import type { Session } from './session-list.js';
 import './terminal-icon.js';
 import './notification-status.js';
 
diff --git a/web/src/client/styles.css b/web/src/client/styles.css
index 2c8684ae..d7e32b16 100644
--- a/web/src/client/styles.css
+++ b/web/src/client/styles.css
@@ -161,7 +161,20 @@
 
   /* Authentication styles */
   .auth-container {
-    @apply min-h-screen bg-dark-bg flex items-center justify-center p-4;
+    @apply bg-dark-bg flex items-center justify-center p-4;
+    min-height: 100vh;
+    min-height: 100dvh; /* Dynamic viewport height for mobile */
+  }
+  
+  @media (max-width: 768px) {
+    .auth-container {
+      @apply py-8; /* Add vertical padding on mobile */
+      min-height: 100vh;
+      min-height: 100dvh;
+      /* Allow natural scrolling if content exceeds viewport */
+      overflow-y: auto;
+      -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;
+    }
   }
 
   .auth-header {
@@ -365,6 +378,55 @@ body.sessions-showing .space-y-2 > div:nth-child(n+9) { animation-delay: 0.4s; }
   }
 }
 
+/* Initial session load animation */
+@keyframes initialLoad {
+  from {
+    opacity: 0;
+  }
+  to {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+}
+
+/* Apply fade animation to session cards during initial load */
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card {
+  animation: initialLoad 0.4s ease-out backwards;
+}
+
+/* Stagger animation for initial load */
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(1) { animation-delay: 0s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(2) { animation-delay: 0.05s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(3) { animation-delay: 0.1s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(4) { animation-delay: 0.15s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(5) { animation-delay: 0.2s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(6) { animation-delay: 0.25s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(7) { animation-delay: 0.3s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(8) { animation-delay: 0.35s; }
+body.initial-session-load .session-flex-responsive > session-card:nth-child(n+9) { animation-delay: 0.4s; }
+
+/* View transition specific styles for initial load */
+::view-transition-old(root) {
+  animation: 90ms ease-out fade-out;
+}
+
+::view-transition-new(root) {
+  animation: 210ms ease-in fade-in;
+}
+
+body.initial-session-load ::view-transition-new(root) {
+  animation-duration: 400ms;
+}
+
+@keyframes fade-in {
+  from { opacity: 0; }
+  to { opacity: 1; }
+}
+
+@keyframes fade-out {
+  from { opacity: 1; }
+  to { opacity: 0; }
+}
+
 /* View transition names for smoother morphing */
 .session-card {
   view-transition-name: session-card;