diff --git a/src/components/applications-launcher-page.tsx b/src/components/applications-launcher-page.tsx
index 58e2fa7cb..239489f16 100644
--- a/src/components/applications-launcher-page.tsx
+++ b/src/components/applications-launcher-page.tsx
@@ -99,8 +99,7 @@ const launcherApps: LauncherApp[] = toolCatalogRecords.map((record) => ({
 
 const toolsLauncherCopy = {
   heading: "Tools",
-  description:
-    "Open the clinical tools and connected workflows you use for assessment, prescribing, documents, and saved work.",
+  description: "Assessment, prescribing, documents, and saved work.",
   allSectionLabel: "All tools",
   countNoun: "tools",
   emptyTitle: "No tools match",
@@ -733,17 +732,15 @@ export function ApplicationsLauncherWorkspace({
       aria-labelledby="tools-home-title"
       className={cn(
         "mx-auto w-full max-w-[90rem] overflow-x-hidden px-4 pb-8 text-[color:var(--text)] sm:px-6 lg:px-8",
-        // The composer sits in the hero at every width, so phones only need a
-        // small safe-area cushion rather than bottom-dock clearance.
-        "pb-[calc(2rem+env(safe-area-inset-bottom))] sm:pb-8",
-        "pt-7 sm:pt-10 lg:pt-14",
+        "pb-[calc(12rem+env(safe-area-inset-bottom))] sm:pb-8",
+        "pt-5 sm:pt-8 lg:pt-10",
         className,
       )}
     >
       <section
         aria-label="Tools home"
         data-testid="tools-home"
-        className="mx-auto grid max-w-5xl justify-items-center gap-3.5 text-center sm:gap-6"
+        className="mx-auto grid max-w-5xl justify-items-center gap-3 text-center sm:gap-4"
       >
         <ModeHomeHero
           testId="tools-home"
diff --git a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/differentials-home.tsx b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/differentials-home.tsx
index 934f900e6..f7c317cd4 100644
--- a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/differentials-home.tsx
+++ b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/differentials-home.tsx
@@ -71,21 +71,21 @@ type DifferentialEvidenceState = "source-backed" | "guided";
 const primaryActions: DifferentialAction[] = [
   {
     label: "Search presentations",
-    description: "Explore by symptoms or scenario",
+    description: "By symptom or scenario.",
     query: "acute confusion differential diagnosis",
     icon: Search,
     target: "presentations",
   },
   {
     label: "Compare differentials",
-    description: "Compare likely causes side by side",
+    description: "Likely causes, side by side.",
     query: "delirium vs dementia differential diagnosis",
     icon: GitCompareArrows,
     target: "diagnoses",
   },
   {
     label: "Recent work",
-    description: "Continue where you left off",
+    description: "Pick up where you left off.",
     query: "recent differential diagnosis work",
     icon: Clock3,
     target: "search",
@@ -1272,7 +1272,7 @@ export function DifferentialsHome({
       <ModeHomeTemplate
         testId="differentials-home-template"
         title="Differentials"
-        subtitle="Search your imported differentials catalogue against matches from your indexed library."
+        subtitle="Match your catalogue against your indexed library."
         icon={BrainCircuit}
         headingLevel={1}
         desktopComposerSlotId={desktopComposerSlotId}
diff --git a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/document-search-results.tsx b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/document-search-results.tsx
index cedb6519c..9a7163b70 100644
--- a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/document-search-results.tsx
+++ b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/document-search-results.tsx
@@ -310,19 +310,19 @@ function DocumentSearchHome({
   const startItems = [
     {
       label: "Recent documents",
-      description: "Continue reading where you left off",
+      description: "Pick up where you left off.",
       icon: Clock3,
       action: onOpenRecentDocuments,
     },
     {
       label: "Browse library",
-      description: "Search all indexed sources",
+      description: "All indexed sources.",
       icon: FolderOpen,
       action: onOpenLibrary,
     },
     {
       label: "Open a source PDF",
-      description: "View original source files",
+      description: "Original source files.",
       icon: ExternalLink,
       action: onOpenSourcePdf,
     },
diff --git a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/favourites-hub.tsx b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/favourites-hub.tsx
index 1d37d7fc3..57236b9ca 100644
--- a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/favourites-hub.tsx
+++ b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/favourites-hub.tsx
@@ -159,11 +159,11 @@ export function FavouritesHub({
 
   return (
     <div data-testid="favourites-hub" className="mx-auto w-full max-w-6xl space-y-4 overflow-x-hidden sm:space-y-5">
-      <div className="mx-auto grid w-full max-w-5xl justify-items-center gap-3.5 pt-4 text-center sm:gap-6 sm:pt-7">
+      <div className="mx-auto grid w-full max-w-5xl justify-items-center gap-3 pt-3 text-center sm:gap-4 sm:pt-5">
         <ModeHomeHero
           testId="favourites-home"
           title="Favourites"
-          subtitle="Keep trusted notes, sources, medication pages, and clinical sets ready for reuse."
+          subtitle="Notes, sources, medication pages, and clinical sets, ready to reuse."
           icon={Heart}
           headingLevel={headingLevel}
           compact
diff --git a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/medication-prescribing-workspace.tsx b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/medication-prescribing-workspace.tsx
index c02e3cee1..58213e866 100644
--- a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/medication-prescribing-workspace.tsx
+++ b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/medication-prescribing-workspace.tsx
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ function MedicationHome({
       actionsLabel="Medication prompts"
       actions={medicationPrompts.map((prompt) => ({
         title: prompt.label,
-        description: prompt.description,
+        description: "Prescribing-focused search.",
         icon: prompt.icon,
         onClick: () => onSuggestedSearch(prompt.label),
         disabled: loading,
diff --git a/src/components/forms/forms-home-page.tsx b/src/components/forms/forms-home-page.tsx
index 03a6495c1..a5a6be5e7 100644
--- a/src/components/forms/forms-home-page.tsx
+++ b/src/components/forms/forms-home-page.tsx
@@ -30,19 +30,19 @@ import { countVerifiedRegistryRecords, useRegistryRecords } from "@/lib/use-regi
 const taskCards: ModeHomeAction[] = [
   {
     title: "Find a form",
-    description: "Search by number, pathway, clock, or keyword.",
+    description: "Number, pathway, clock, keyword.",
     icon: Search,
     href: appModeHomeHref("forms", { focus: true }),
   },
   {
     title: "Readiness checks",
-    description: "Review maker, clock, copies, and source.",
+    description: "Maker, clock, copies, source.",
     icon: ClipboardCheck,
     href: `/forms/${defaultFormSlug() ?? ""}`,
   },
   {
     title: "Browse pathways",
-    description: "Before, current, parallel, and after forms.",
+    description: "Before, current, parallel, after.",
     icon: Route,
     href: appModeHomeHref("forms", {
       query: "forms pathway before current parallel after",
@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@ export function FormsHomePage() {
     <ModeHomeMain testId="forms-home">
       <ModeHomeTemplate
         testId="forms-home-template"
-        title="What do you need from forms?"
+        title="Forms"
         subtitle="Search, check, or follow a pathway."
         icon={FileText}
         desktopComposerSlotId={modeHomeDesktopComposerSlotId}
         actionsLabel="Forms tasks"
         actions={hasRegistryRecords ? taskCards : []}
-        pillsTitle="Common tasks"
+        pillsTitle="Browse by type"
         pills={hasRegistryRecords ? commonTasks : []}
         footer={
           hasRegistryRecords ? (
diff --git a/src/components/mode-home-template.tsx b/src/components/mode-home-template.tsx
index d6f88a110..d727696a5 100644
--- a/src/components/mode-home-template.tsx
+++ b/src/components/mode-home-template.tsx
@@ -75,30 +75,30 @@ export function ModeHomeHero({
 
   return (
     <section
-      className={cn("grid justify-items-center px-4 sm:gap-3 sm:px-0", compact ? "gap-2" : "gap-3")}
+      className={cn("grid justify-items-center px-4 sm:gap-3 sm:px-0", compact ? "gap-1.5" : "gap-3")}
       aria-labelledby={`${testId ?? "mode-home"}-title`}
     >
       <span
         className={cn(
-          "mode-home-icon grid place-items-center rounded-2xl border border-[color:var(--clinical-accent-border)] bg-[color:var(--clinical-accent-soft)] text-[color:var(--clinical-accent)] shadow-[var(--shadow-inset)] sm:h-14 sm:w-14",
-          compact ? "h-11 w-11" : "h-12 w-12",
+          "mode-home-icon grid place-items-center rounded-2xl border border-[color:var(--clinical-accent-border)] bg-[color:var(--clinical-accent-soft)] text-[color:var(--clinical-accent)] shadow-[var(--shadow-inset)] sm:h-12 sm:w-12 lg:h-14 lg:w-14 lg:rounded-[1.15rem]",
+          compact ? "h-11 w-11" : "h-14 w-14",
         )}
       >
-        <Icon className={cn("sm:h-7 sm:w-7", compact ? "h-5 w-5" : "h-6 w-6")} aria-hidden="true" />
+        <Icon className={cn("sm:h-6 sm:w-6 lg:h-7 lg:w-7", compact ? "h-5 w-5" : "h-7 w-7")} aria-hidden="true" />
       </span>
-      <div className={cn("grid", compact ? "gap-1.5" : "gap-2")}>
+      <div className={cn("grid", compact ? "gap-1 sm:gap-1.5" : "gap-2")}>
         <Heading
           id={`${testId ?? "mode-home"}-title`}
           className={cn(
-            "text-balance font-extrabold leading-[1.1] tracking-normal text-[color:var(--text-heading)] sm:text-3xl lg:text-4xl",
-            compact ? "text-2xl" : "text-3xl-minus",
+            "text-balance font-extrabold leading-[1.05] tracking-normal text-[color:var(--text-heading)] sm:text-[1.9rem] lg:text-[2.15rem]",
+            compact ? "text-[1.45rem]" : "text-[1.85rem]",
           )}
         >
           {title}
         </Heading>
         <p
           className={cn(
-            "mx-auto max-w-2xl text-pretty text-sm font-medium text-[color:var(--text-muted)] sm:text-base sm:leading-6",
+            "mx-auto max-w-2xl text-pretty text-sm font-medium text-[color:var(--text-muted)] sm:text-[0.95rem] sm:leading-5 lg:text-base",
             compact ? "leading-5" : "leading-6",
           )}
         >
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ export function ModeHomeTemplate({
     <div
       data-testid={testId}
       className={cn(
-        "mode-home-template mx-auto box-border flex w-full max-w-none flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3.5 px-0 text-center sm:max-w-[58rem] sm:gap-5",
+        "mode-home-template mx-auto box-border flex w-full max-w-none flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3.5 px-0 text-center sm:max-w-[60rem] sm:gap-4 lg:gap-5",
         className,
       )}
     >
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ export function ModeHomeTemplate({
       {actions?.length ? (
         <section
           aria-label={actionsLabel}
-          className="grid w-full max-w-none overflow-hidden rounded-none border-y border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface)] shadow-[var(--shadow-card)] sm:max-w-none sm:grid-cols-[repeat(auto-fit,minmax(15rem,1fr))] sm:gap-4 sm:overflow-visible sm:rounded-xl sm:border sm:shadow-[var(--shadow-card)] lg:rounded-none lg:border-0 lg:bg-transparent lg:shadow-none"
+          className="grid w-full max-w-none overflow-hidden rounded-none border-y border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface)] shadow-[var(--shadow-card)] sm:max-w-none sm:grid-cols-[repeat(auto-fit,minmax(15rem,1fr))] sm:gap-3 sm:overflow-visible sm:rounded-xl sm:border sm:shadow-[var(--shadow-card)] lg:rounded-none lg:border-0 lg:bg-transparent lg:shadow-none"
         >
           {actions.map((action, index) => {
             const ActionIcon = action.icon;
@@ -245,10 +245,10 @@ export function ModeHomeTemplate({
                   <ActionIcon className="h-5 w-5 sm:h-6 sm:w-6" aria-hidden="true" />
                 </span>
                 <span className="min-w-0">
-                  <span className="block text-balance text-base font-bold leading-5 text-[color:var(--text-heading)] [overflow-wrap:anywhere]">
+                  <span className="block text-balance text-[0.98rem] font-bold leading-5 text-[color:var(--text-heading)] [overflow-wrap:anywhere] sm:text-[0.95rem]">
                     {action.title}
                   </span>
-                  <span className="mt-1 block text-xs font-medium leading-5 text-[color:var(--text-muted)] sm:text-sm sm:leading-5">
+                  <span className="mt-1 block text-xs font-medium leading-5 text-[color:var(--text-muted)] sm:text-[0.8rem] sm:leading-[1.3]">
                     {action.description}
                   </span>
                 </span>
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ export function ModeHomeTemplate({
               </>
             );
             const actionClassName = cn(
-              "mode-home-action group grid min-h-[4.8rem] w-full grid-cols-[2.5rem_minmax(0,1fr)_1.25rem] items-center gap-3 bg-[color:var(--surface)] px-4 py-3 text-left transition hover:bg-[color:var(--surface-subtle)] focus-visible:relative focus-visible:z-10 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-[-2px] focus-visible:outline-[color:var(--focus)] disabled:cursor-wait disabled:opacity-60 sm:min-h-[6.25rem] sm:grid-cols-[2.75rem_minmax(0,1fr)_1.25rem] sm:gap-3.5 sm:rounded-lg sm:border sm:border-[color:var(--border)] sm:px-4 sm:py-4 sm:shadow-[var(--shadow-card)] lg:px-5",
+              "mode-home-action group grid min-h-[4.4rem] w-full grid-cols-[2.5rem_minmax(0,1fr)_1.25rem] items-center gap-3 bg-[color:var(--surface)] px-4 py-3 text-left transition hover:bg-[color:var(--surface-subtle)] focus-visible:relative focus-visible:z-10 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-[-2px] focus-visible:outline-[color:var(--focus)] disabled:cursor-wait disabled:opacity-60 sm:min-h-[4.75rem] sm:grid-cols-[2.75rem_minmax(0,1fr)_1rem] sm:gap-3 sm:rounded-lg sm:border sm:border-[color:var(--border)] sm:px-4 sm:py-3.5 sm:shadow-[var(--shadow-card)] lg:min-h-[4.75rem] lg:px-5",
               index > 0 && "border-t border-[color:var(--border)] sm:border-t-[color:var(--border)]",
             );
 
diff --git a/src/components/services/services-home-page.tsx b/src/components/services/services-home-page.tsx
index ef4b90e66..4fd679faf 100644
--- a/src/components/services/services-home-page.tsx
+++ b/src/components/services/services-home-page.tsx
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ import { countVerifiedRegistryRecords, useRegistryRecords } from "@/lib/use-regi
 const taskCards: ModeHomeAction[] = [
   {
     title: "Search services",
-    description: "Search by need, catchment, provider, or keyword.",
+    description: "Need, catchment, provider, keyword.",
     icon: FileSearch,
     href: appModeHomeHref("services", { focus: true }),
   },
   {
     title: "Check catchment",
-    description: "Confirm region, public/private, and eligibility.",
+    description: "Region, public/private, eligibility.",
     icon: MapPinned,
     href: `/services/${defaultServiceSlug() ?? ""}`,
   },
diff --git a/tests/ui-tools.spec.ts b/tests/ui-tools.spec.ts
index d7f3e9268..4e2224f4c 100644
--- a/tests/ui-tools.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/ui-tools.spec.ts
@@ -379,9 +379,15 @@ test.describe("Clinical KB tools launcher", () => {
     await page.setViewportSize({ width: 1280, height: 900 });
     await gotoLauncher(page, "/?mode=answer");
 
-    const initialMenu = await openAppModeMenu(page, "Answer");
-    await expect(initialMenu).toBeVisible();
-    await initialMenu.getByRole("menuitemradio", { name: /^Services\b/ }).click();
+    // Re-open + re-click on each retry: a single click can be swallowed while the
+    // launcher is still hydrating, leaving the route on /?mode=answer. Mirrors the
+    // Forms switch below, which already guards against the same flake.
+    await expect(async () => {
+      if (/\/services$/.test(page.url())) return;
+      const menu = await openAppModeMenu(page, "Answer");
+      await menu.getByRole("menuitemradio", { name: /^Services\b/ }).click();
+      await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/services$/, { timeout: 3_000 });
+    }).toPass({ timeout: 20_000 });
 
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/services$/);
     await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Mode Services" })).toBeVisible();
@@ -461,7 +467,7 @@ test.describe("Clinical KB tools launcher", () => {
     for (const home of [
       { path: "/?mode=answer", testId: "answer-empty-state", heading: "How can I help?", headingLevel: 2 },
       { path: "/services", testId: "services-home", heading: "Find a service", headingLevel: 1 },
-      { path: "/forms", testId: "forms-home", heading: "What do you need from forms?", headingLevel: 1 },
+      { path: "/forms", testId: "forms-home", heading: "Forms", headingLevel: 1 },
       { path: "/differentials", testId: "differentials-home", heading: "Differentials", headingLevel: 1 },
       { path: "/favourites", testId: "favourites-hub", heading: "Favourites command library", headingLevel: 1 },
       { path: "/applications", testId: "tools-home", heading: "Tools", headingLevel: 1 },
@@ -577,10 +583,10 @@ test.describe("Clinical KB tools launcher", () => {
       };
       if (!baseline) {
         baseline = metrics;
-        // Compact hero mobile scale: 2.75rem icon, 1.5rem heading, 0.875rem subtitle.
+        // Compact hero mobile scale: 2.75rem icon, 1.45rem heading, 0.875rem subtitle.
         expect(metrics.iconWidth).toBe(44);
         expect(metrics.iconHeight).toBe(44);
-        expect(metrics.headingFontSize).toBeCloseTo(24, 1);
+        expect(metrics.headingFontSize).toBeCloseTo(23.2, 1);
         expect(metrics.subtitleFontSize).toBeCloseTo(14, 1);
       } else {
         expect(metrics, `${home.path} hero metrics`).toEqual(baseline);
@@ -664,7 +670,7 @@ test.describe("Clinical KB tools launcher", () => {
           headingLevel: 2,
         },
         { path: "/services", testId: "services-home", heading: "Find a service", headingLevel: 1 },
-        { path: "/forms", testId: "forms-home", heading: "What do you need from forms?", headingLevel: 1 },
+        { path: "/forms", testId: "forms-home", heading: "Forms", headingLevel: 1 },
         { path: "/differentials", testId: "differentials-home", heading: "Differentials", headingLevel: 1 },
         { path: "/applications", testId: "tools-home", heading: "Tools", headingLevel: 1 },
       ] as const) {
@@ -934,15 +940,13 @@ test.describe("Clinical KB tools launcher", () => {
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/forms$/);
     await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Mode Forms" })).toBeVisible();
     await expect(page.getByTestId("forms-home")).toBeVisible();
-    await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { level: 1, name: "What do you need from forms?" })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { level: 1, name: "Forms" })).toBeVisible();
     await expect(page.getByTestId("services-home")).toHaveCount(0);
     await expect(page.getByTestId("global-search-input")).toHaveCount(1);
     const formsHomeSearch = page.getByTestId("forms-home").getByTestId("global-search-input");
     await expect(formsHomeSearch).toBeVisible();
     const formsSearchBox = await formsHomeSearch.boundingBox();
-    const formsHeadingBox = await page
-      .getByRole("heading", { level: 1, name: "What do you need from forms?" })
-      .boundingBox();
+    const formsHeadingBox = await page.getByRole("heading", { level: 1, name: "Forms" }).boundingBox();
     expect(formsSearchBox).not.toBeNull();
     expect(formsHeadingBox).not.toBeNull();
     expect((formsHeadingBox?.y ?? 0) + (formsHeadingBox?.height ?? 0)).toBeLessThan(formsSearchBox?.y ?? 0);