diff --git a/Components/Layout/SessionSidebar.razor b/Components/Layout/SessionSidebar.razor
index 14cbef93d6..42ba32cea4 100644
--- a/Components/Layout/SessionSidebar.razor
+++ b/Components/Layout/SessionSidebar.razor
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ else if (IsFlyoutPanel)
         <div class="new-session">
             <input type="text" id="flyoutSessionNameInput" placeholder="Session name..." @oninput="OnSessionNameInput" />
             <div class="session-options-row">
-                <select @bind="selectedModel" class="model-select">
+                <select @bind="selectedModel" @bind:after="SaveSelectedModel" class="model-select">
                     @foreach (var model in availableModels)
                     {
                         <option value="@model">@model</option>
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ else
         <div class="new-session">
             <input type="text" id="sessionNameInput" placeholder="Session name..." @oninput="OnSessionNameInput" />
             <div class="session-options-row">
-                <select @bind="selectedModel" class="model-select">
+                <select @bind="selectedModel" @bind:after="SaveSelectedModel" class="model-select">
                     @foreach (var model in availableModels)
                     {
                         <option value="@model">@model</option>
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ else
     };
 
     private string selectedModel = "claude-opus-4.6";
+    private string _lastSavedModel = "";
     private string sessionFilter = "";
     private bool isCreating = false;
     private bool hasSessionName = false;
@@ -270,18 +271,27 @@ else
         await OnToggleFlyout.InvokeAsync();
     }
 
-    private readonly string[] availableModels = new[]
+    private static readonly string[] _fallbackModels = new[]
     {
         "claude-opus-4.6",
+        "claude-opus-4.6-fast",
+        "claude-opus-4.5",
         "claude-sonnet-4.5",
         "claude-sonnet-4",
         "claude-haiku-4.5",
         "gpt-5.2",
+        "gpt-5.2-codex",
         "gpt-5.1",
+        "gpt-5.1-codex",
+        "gpt-5.1-codex-max",
+        "gpt-5.1-codex-mini",
         "gpt-5",
         "gpt-5-mini",
+        "gpt-4.1",
         "gemini-3-pro-preview",
     };
+    private IReadOnlyList<string> availableModels =>
+        CopilotService.AvailableModels.Count > 0 ? CopilotService.AvailableModels : _fallbackModels;
 
     private IEnumerable<PersistedSessionInfo> filteredPersistedSessions => 
         (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(sessionFilter) 
@@ -302,6 +312,16 @@ else
         CopilotService.OnSessionComplete += HandleSessionComplete;
         RefreshSessions();
         LoadPersistedSessions();
+
+        // Restore last selected model
+        var uiState = CopilotService.LoadUiState();
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(uiState?.SelectedModel))
+            selectedModel = uiState.SelectedModel;
+    }
+
+    private void SaveSelectedModel()
+    {
+        CopilotService.SaveUiState(currentPage, selectedModel: selectedModel);
     }
 
     private HashSet<string> completedSessions = new();
@@ -334,8 +354,28 @@ else
         }
     }
 
+    private DateTime _lastSidebarRefresh = DateTime.MinValue;
+    private bool _sidebarRefreshPending;
+
     private void RefreshSessions()
     {
+        var now = DateTime.UtcNow;
+        if ((now - _lastSidebarRefresh).TotalMilliseconds < 500)
+        {
+            if (!_sidebarRefreshPending)
+            {
+                _sidebarRefreshPending = true;
+                _ = Task.Delay(500).ContinueWith(_ => InvokeAsync(() => {
+                    _sidebarRefreshPending = false;
+                    _lastSidebarRefresh = DateTime.UtcNow;
+                    sessions = CopilotService.GetAllSessions().ToList();
+                    LoadPersistedSessions();
+                    StateHasChanged();
+                }));
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+        _lastSidebarRefresh = now;
         sessions = CopilotService.GetAllSessions().ToList();
         LoadPersistedSessions();
         InvokeAsync(StateHasChanged);
diff --git a/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor b/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor
index e08cf22a52..75ddd00ccb 100644
--- a/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor
+++ b/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@
                         </div>
                         <span class="status-sep">·</span>
                         <select class="inline-model-select" value="@GetExpandedModel(session)" @onchange="e => SetExpandedModel(session, e.Value?.ToString())">
+                            @{ var sessionModel = GetSessionModel(session); }
+                            @if (!availableModels.Contains(sessionModel))
+                            {
+                                <option value="@sessionModel">@sessionModel</option>
+                            }
                             @foreach (var m in availableModels)
                             {
                                 <option value="@m">@m</option>
@@ -190,7 +195,7 @@
                         <button class="card-close" @onclick="() => CloseSession(session.Name)" title="Close session">✕</button>
                     </div>
                     <div class="card-context">
-                        <span class="card-model">@session.Model</span>
+                        <span class="card-model">@GetSessionModel(session)</span>
                         @if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(session.WorkingDirectory))
                         {
                             <span class="card-dir" title="@session.WorkingDirectory">📁 @ShortenPath(session.WorkingDirectory)</span>
@@ -203,11 +208,14 @@
 
                     <div class="card-messages">
                         @{
-                            List<ChatMessage> lastMessages;
-                            try { lastMessages = session.History.TakeLast(6).ToList(); }
-                            catch { lastMessages = new(); }
+                            var cardMsgs = GetCardMessages(session.Name, session.History);
+                            var hasMoreCard = session.History.Count > cardMsgs.Count;
+                        }
+                        @if (hasMoreCard)
+                        {
+                            <button class="load-more-btn" @onclick="() => LoadMoreCardMessages(session.Name)">▲ Load earlier messages (@(session.History.Count - cardMsgs.Count) more)</button>
                         }
-                        <ChatMessageList Messages="lastMessages"
+                        <ChatMessageList Messages="cardMsgs"
                                          StreamingContent="@(streamingBySession.TryGetValue(session.Name, out var s) ? s : "")"
                                          CurrentToolName="@(currentToolBySession.TryGetValue(session.Name, out var t) ? t : "")"
                                          ToolActivities="@(toolActivitiesBySession.TryGetValue(session.Name, out var ta) ? ta : new())"
@@ -449,8 +457,25 @@
         ");
     }
 
+    private DateTime _lastRefresh = DateTime.MinValue;
+    private bool _refreshPending;
+
     private async Task SafeRefreshAsync()
     {
+        // Throttle to max ~4 refreshes per second to avoid blocking UI interactions
+        var now = DateTime.UtcNow;
+        if ((now - _lastRefresh).TotalMilliseconds < 250)
+        {
+            if (!_refreshPending)
+            {
+                _refreshPending = true;
+                _ = Task.Delay(250).ContinueWith(_ => InvokeAsync(SafeRefreshAsync));
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+        _lastRefresh = now;
+        _refreshPending = false;
+
         // Capture all card input values before re-render wipes them
         try
         {
@@ -793,6 +818,8 @@
     }
 
     private const int DefaultMessageWindow = 25;
+    private const int DefaultCardMessageWindow = 10;
+    private Dictionary<string, int> cardMessageCounts = new();
 
     private List<ChatMessage> GetWindowedMessages(string sessionName, IReadOnlyList<ChatMessage> history)
     {
@@ -808,6 +835,26 @@
         }
     }
 
+    private List<ChatMessage> GetCardMessages(string sessionName, IReadOnlyList<ChatMessage> history)
+    {
+        var limit = cardMessageCounts.TryGetValue(sessionName, out var c) ? c : DefaultCardMessageWindow;
+        try
+        {
+            if (history.Count <= limit) return history.ToList();
+            return history.Skip(history.Count - limit).ToList();
+        }
+        catch (InvalidOperationException)
+        {
+            return history.ToArray().TakeLast(limit).ToList();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void LoadMoreCardMessages(string sessionName)
+    {
+        var current = cardMessageCounts.TryGetValue(sessionName, out var c) ? c : DefaultCardMessageWindow;
+        cardMessageCounts[sessionName] = current + 15;
+    }
+
     private void LoadMoreExpandedMessages(string sessionName)
     {
         var current = expandedMessageCounts.TryGetValue(sessionName, out var c) ? c : DefaultMessageWindow;
@@ -816,23 +863,32 @@
 
     // === Model, plan mode, font, token helpers ===
 
-    private readonly string[] availableModels = new[]
+    private static readonly string[] _fallbackModels = new[]
     {
-        "claude-opus-4.6", "claude-sonnet-4.5", "claude-sonnet-4", "claude-haiku-4.5",
-        "gpt-5.2", "gpt-5.1", "gpt-5", "gpt-5-mini", "gemini-3-pro-preview",
+        "claude-opus-4.6", "claude-opus-4.6-fast", "claude-opus-4.5", "claude-sonnet-4.5", "claude-sonnet-4", "claude-haiku-4.5",
+        "gpt-5.2", "gpt-5.2-codex", "gpt-5.1", "gpt-5.1-codex", "gpt-5.1-codex-max", "gpt-5.1-codex-mini", "gpt-5", "gpt-5-mini", "gpt-4.1",
+        "gemini-3-pro-preview",
     };
+    private IReadOnlyList<string> availableModels =>
+        CopilotService.AvailableModels.Count > 0 ? CopilotService.AvailableModels : _fallbackModels;
 
-    private string GetExpandedModel(AgentSessionInfo session)
+    private string GetSessionModel(AgentSessionInfo session)
     {
-        if (usageBySession.TryGetValue(session.Name, out var u) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(u.Model) && availableModels.Contains(u.Model))
+        // Priority: 1) actual model from usage events, 2) user override, 3) session config, 4) first available
+        if (usageBySession.TryGetValue(session.Name, out var u) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(u.Model))
             return u.Model;
         if (modelOverrideBySession.TryGetValue(session.Name, out var m))
             return m;
-        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(session.Model) && session.Model != "resumed" && availableModels.Contains(session.Model))
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(session.Model) && session.Model != "resumed")
             return session.Model;
         return availableModels[0];
     }
 
+    private string GetExpandedModel(AgentSessionInfo session)
+    {
+        return GetSessionModel(session);
+    }
+
     private void SetExpandedModel(AgentSessionInfo session, string? model)
     {
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(model)) return;
diff --git a/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor.css b/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor.css
index b368a1b0c3..bd00797ac9 100644
--- a/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor.css
+++ b/Components/Pages/Dashboard.razor.css
@@ -113,6 +113,12 @@
     border-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.15);
 }
 
+.session-card:focus-within {
+    border-color: rgba(78,168,209,0.6);
+    box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px rgba(78,168,209,0.3), 0 0 16px rgba(78,168,209,0.15);
+    background: rgba(78,168,209,0.06);
+}
+
 /* === Expanded card — mirrors Chat (Home.razor) layout === */
 .expanded-card {
     display: flex;
@@ -437,6 +443,23 @@
     border-radius: 8px;
 }
 
+.card-messages .load-more-btn {
+    background: rgba(78,168,209,0.1);
+    border: 1px solid rgba(78,168,209,0.2);
+    border-radius: 6px;
+    color: rgba(78,168,209,0.7);
+    font-size: 0.7rem;
+    padding: 0.3rem 0.6rem;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    text-align: center;
+    flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+.card-messages .load-more-btn:hover {
+    background: rgba(78,168,209,0.2);
+    color: #4ea8d1;
+}
+
 .card-empty {
     color: rgba(255,255,255,0.3);
     text-align: center;
diff --git a/MauiProgram.cs b/MauiProgram.cs
index 2fdc31c9e9..b6f8588d8e 100644
--- a/MauiProgram.cs
+++ b/MauiProgram.cs
@@ -60,18 +60,26 @@ public static MauiApp CreateMauiApp()
 #if MACCATALYST
 		builder.ConfigureLifecycleEvents(events =>
 		{
-			events.AddiOS(ios => ios.SceneWillConnect((scene, session, options) =>
+			events.AddiOS(ios =>
 			{
-				if (scene is UIWindowScene windowScene)
+				ios.SceneWillConnect((scene, session, options) =>
 				{
-					var titlebar = windowScene.Titlebar;
-					if (titlebar != null)
+					if (scene is UIWindowScene windowScene)
 					{
-						titlebar.TitleVisibility = UITitlebarTitleVisibility.Hidden;
-						titlebar.Toolbar = null;
+						var titlebar = windowScene.Titlebar;
+						if (titlebar != null)
+						{
+							titlebar.TitleVisibility = UITitlebarTitleVisibility.Hidden;
+							titlebar.Toolbar = null;
+						}
 					}
-				}
-			}));
+				});
+				ios.OnActivated(app =>
+				{
+					// Clear dock badge when app becomes active
+					app.ApplicationIconBadgeNumber = 0;
+				});
+			});
 		});
 #endif
 
diff --git a/Services/CopilotService.cs b/Services/CopilotService.cs
index f15547eeb3..b31a47eacf 100644
--- a/Services/CopilotService.cs
+++ b/Services/CopilotService.cs
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ private static string FindProjectDir()
     public string? ActiveSessionName => _activeSessionName;
     public ChatDatabase ChatDb => _chatDb;
     public ConnectionMode CurrentMode { get; private set; } = ConnectionMode.Embedded;
+    public List<string> AvailableModels { get; private set; } = new();
 
     public CopilotService(ChatDatabase chatDb, ServerManager serverManager, WsBridgeClient bridgeClient)
     {
@@ -227,6 +228,9 @@ public async Task InitializeAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
 
         OnStateChanged?.Invoke();
 
+        // Fetch available models dynamically
+        _ = FetchAvailableModelsAsync();
+
         // Restore previous sessions (includes subscribing to untracked server sessions in Persistent mode)
         await RestorePreviousSessionsAsync(cancellationToken);
     }
@@ -1207,7 +1211,7 @@ void Invoke(Action action)
                 var uTokenLimit = uData?.GetType().GetProperty("TokenLimit")?.GetValue(uData) as int?;
                 var uInputTokens = uData?.GetType().GetProperty("InputTokens")?.GetValue(uData) as int?;
                 var uOutputTokens = uData?.GetType().GetProperty("OutputTokens")?.GetValue(uData) as int?;
-                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(uModel) && state.Info.Model == "resumed")
+                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(uModel))
                     state.Info.Model = uModel;
                 Invoke(() => OnUsageInfoChanged?.Invoke(sessionName, new SessionUsageInfo(uModel, uCurrentTokens, uTokenLimit, uInputTokens, uOutputTokens)));
                 break;
@@ -1217,7 +1221,7 @@ void Invoke(Action action)
                 var aModel = aData?.GetType().GetProperty("Model")?.GetValue(aData)?.ToString();
                 var aInput = aData?.GetType().GetProperty("InputTokens")?.GetValue(aData) as int?;
                 var aOutput = aData?.GetType().GetProperty("OutputTokens")?.GetValue(aData) as int?;
-                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(aModel) && state.Info.Model == "resumed")
+                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(aModel))
                     state.Info.Model = aModel;
                 if (aInput.HasValue || aOutput.HasValue)
                 {
@@ -1232,6 +1236,17 @@ void Invoke(Action action)
                 state.Info.IsProcessing = false;
                 Invoke(() => OnStateChanged?.Invoke());
                 break;
+
+            case SessionModelChangeEvent modelChange:
+                var newModel = modelChange.Data?.NewModel;
+                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(newModel))
+                {
+                    state.Info.Model = newModel;
+                    Debug($"Session '{sessionName}' model changed to: {newModel}");
+                    Invoke(() => OnUsageInfoChanged?.Invoke(sessionName, new SessionUsageInfo(newModel, null, null, null, null)));
+                    Invoke(() => OnStateChanged?.Invoke());
+                }
+                break;
                 
             default:
                 break;
@@ -1376,6 +1391,7 @@ private void CompleteResponse(SessionState state)
         // Fire completion notification
         var summary = response.Length > 100 ? response[..100] + "..." : response;
         OnSessionComplete?.Invoke(state.Info.Name, summary);
+        IncrementBadge();
 
         // Auto-dispatch next queued message
         if (state.Info.MessageQueue.Count > 0)
@@ -1782,7 +1798,7 @@ public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
         }
     }
 
-    public void SaveUiState(string currentPage, string? activeSession = null, int? fontSize = null)
+    public void SaveUiState(string currentPage, string? activeSession = null, int? fontSize = null, string? selectedModel = null)
     {
         try
         {
@@ -1791,7 +1807,8 @@ public void SaveUiState(string currentPage, string? activeSession = null, int? f
             {
                 CurrentPage = currentPage,
                 ActiveSession = activeSession ?? _activeSessionName,
-                FontSize = fontSize ?? existing?.FontSize ?? 20
+                FontSize = fontSize ?? existing?.FontSize ?? 20,
+                SelectedModel = selectedModel ?? existing?.SelectedModel
             };
             var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(state);
             File.WriteAllText(UiStateFile, json);
@@ -1905,6 +1922,60 @@ public void SetSessionAlias(string sessionId, string alias)
         catch { }
         return null;
     }
+
+    // Dock badge for completed sessions
+    private int _badgeCount;
+
+    private void IncrementBadge()
+    {
+#if MACCATALYST || IOS
+        _badgeCount++;
+        MainThread.BeginInvokeOnMainThread(() =>
+        {
+            try { UIKit.UIApplication.SharedApplication.ApplicationIconBadgeNumber = _badgeCount; }
+            catch { }
+        });
+#endif
+    }
+
+    public void ClearBadge()
+    {
+#if MACCATALYST || IOS
+        _badgeCount = 0;
+        MainThread.BeginInvokeOnMainThread(() =>
+        {
+            try { UIKit.UIApplication.SharedApplication.ApplicationIconBadgeNumber = 0; }
+            catch { }
+        });
+#endif
+    }
+
+    private async Task FetchAvailableModelsAsync()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            if (_client == null) return;
+            var modelList = await _client.ListModelsAsync();
+            if (modelList != null && modelList.Count > 0)
+            {
+                var models = modelList
+                    .Where(m => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(m.Name))
+                    .Select(m => m.Name!)
+                    .OrderBy(m => m)
+                    .ToList();
+                if (models.Count > 0)
+                {
+                    AvailableModels = models;
+                    Debug($"Loaded {models.Count} models from SDK");
+                    OnStateChanged?.Invoke();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Debug($"Failed to fetch models: {ex.Message}");
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 public class UiState
@@ -1912,6 +1983,7 @@ public class UiState
     public string CurrentPage { get; set; } = "/";
     public string? ActiveSession { get; set; }
     public int FontSize { get; set; } = 20;
+    public string? SelectedModel { get; set; }
 }
 
 public class ActiveSessionEntry