diff --git a/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx b/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx
index bf567091b3..383b5a1610 100644
--- a/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import {Button, ButtonIcon, ButtonText} from '#/components/Button'
 import * as Dialog from '#/components/Dialog'
 import {useInteractionState} from '#/components/hooks/useInteractionState'
 import {MagnifyingGlass_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as SearchIcon} from '#/components/icons/MagnifyingGlass'
-import {PersonGroup_Stroke2_Corner2_Rounded as PersonGroupIcon} from '#/components/icons/Person'
 import {TimesLarge_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as X} from '#/components/icons/Times'
 import {boostInterests, InterestTabs} from '#/components/InterestTabs'
 import * as ProfileCard from '#/components/ProfileCard'
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ export function FollowDialog({guide}: {guide: Follow10ProgressGuide}) {
         size={gtMobile ? 'small' : 'large'}
         color="primary"
         variant="solid">
-        <ButtonIcon icon={PersonGroupIcon} />
         <ButtonText>
           <Trans>Find people to follow</Trans>
         </ButtonText>
diff --git a/src/components/ProgressGuide/List.tsx b/src/components/ProgressGuide/List.tsx
index 1750b0ffcf..bb962cfe46 100644
--- a/src/components/ProgressGuide/List.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ProgressGuide/List.tsx
@@ -2,24 +2,41 @@ import {type StyleProp, View, type ViewStyle} from 'react-native'
 import {msg, Trans} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 
+import {useProfileFollowsQuery} from '#/state/queries/profile-follows'
+import {useSession} from '#/state/session'
 import {
   useProgressGuide,
   useProgressGuideControls,
 } from '#/state/shell/progress-guide'
+import {UserAvatar} from '#/view/com/util/UserAvatar'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
 import {Button, ButtonIcon} from '#/components/Button'
+import {Person_Stroke2_Corner2_Rounded as PersonIcon} from '#/components/icons/Person'
 import {TimesLarge_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Times} from '#/components/icons/Times'
 import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
 import {FollowDialog} from './FollowDialog'
 import {ProgressGuideTask} from './Task'
 
+const TOTAL_AVATARS = 10
+
 export function ProgressGuideList({style}: {style?: StyleProp<ViewStyle>}) {
   const t = useTheme()
   const {_} = useLingui()
+  const {currentAccount} = useSession()
   const followProgressGuide = useProgressGuide('follow-10')
   const followAndLikeProgressGuide = useProgressGuide('like-10-and-follow-7')
   const guide = followProgressGuide || followAndLikeProgressGuide
   const {endProgressGuide} = useProgressGuideControls()
+  const {data: follows} = useProfileFollowsQuery(currentAccount?.did, {
+    limit: TOTAL_AVATARS,
+  })
+
+  const actualFollowsCount = follows?.pages?.[0]?.follows?.length ?? 0
+
+  // Hide if user already follows 10+ people
+  if (guide?.guide === 'follow-10' && actualFollowsCount >= TOTAL_AVATARS) {
+    return null
+  }
 
   if (guide) {
     return (
@@ -36,9 +53,8 @@ export function ProgressGuideList({style}: {style?: StyleProp<ViewStyle>}) {
           a.pl_md,
         ]}>
         <View style={[a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.justify_between]}>
-          <Text
-            style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_medium, a.font_semi_bold, a.text_sm]}>
-            <Trans>Getting Started</Trans>
+          <Text style={[t.atoms.text, a.font_semi_bold, a.text_md]}>
+            <Trans>Follow 10 people to get started</Trans>
           </Text>
           <Button
             variant="ghost"
@@ -53,12 +69,7 @@ export function ProgressGuideList({style}: {style?: StyleProp<ViewStyle>}) {
         </View>
         {guide.guide === 'follow-10' && (
           <>
-            <ProgressGuideTask
-              current={guide.numFollows + 1}
-              total={10 + 1}
-              title={_(msg`Follow 10 accounts`)}
-              subtitle={_(msg`Bluesky is better with friends!`)}
-            />
+            <StackedAvatars follows={follows?.pages?.[0]?.follows} />
             <FollowDialog guide={guide} />
           </>
         )}
@@ -83,3 +94,69 @@ export function ProgressGuideList({style}: {style?: StyleProp<ViewStyle>}) {
   }
   return null
 }
+
+function StackedAvatars({follows}: {follows?: {avatar?: string}[]}) {
+  const t = useTheme()
+  const avatarSize = 38
+  const overlap = 11
+
+  // Use actual follows count, not the guide's event counter
+  const followedAvatars = follows?.slice(0, TOTAL_AVATARS) ?? []
+  const remainingSlots = TOTAL_AVATARS - followedAvatars.length
+
+  // Total width calculation: first avatar + (remaining * visible portion)
+  const totalWidth = avatarSize + (TOTAL_AVATARS - 1) * (avatarSize - overlap)
+
+  return (
+    <View style={[a.flex_row, a.self_start, {width: totalWidth}]}>
+      {/* Show followed user avatars */}
+      {followedAvatars.map((follow, i) => (
+        <View
+          key={i}
+          style={[
+            a.rounded_full,
+            {
+              marginLeft: i === 0 ? 0 : -overlap,
+              zIndex: TOTAL_AVATARS - i,
+              borderWidth: 2,
+              borderColor: t.atoms.bg_contrast_25.backgroundColor,
+            },
+          ]}>
+          <UserAvatar
+            type="user"
+            size={avatarSize - 4}
+            avatar={follow.avatar}
+          />
+        </View>
+      ))}
+      {/* Show placeholder avatars for remaining slots */}
+      {Array(remainingSlots)
+        .fill(0)
+        .map((_, i) => (
+          <View
+            key={`placeholder-${i}`}
+            style={[
+              a.align_center,
+              a.justify_center,
+              a.rounded_full,
+              t.atoms.bg_contrast_100,
+              {
+                width: avatarSize,
+                height: avatarSize,
+                marginLeft:
+                  followedAvatars.length === 0 && i === 0 ? 0 : -overlap,
+                zIndex: TOTAL_AVATARS - followedAvatars.length - i,
+                borderWidth: 2,
+                borderColor: t.atoms.bg_contrast_25.backgroundColor,
+              },
+            ]}>
+            <PersonIcon
+              width={18}
+              height={18}
+              fill={t.atoms.text_contrast_low.color}
+            />
+          </View>
+        ))}
+    </View>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/state/queries/profile.ts b/src/state/queries/profile.ts
index 9d30288d40..be31aa94c5 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/profile.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/profile.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {type Shadow} from '#/state/cache/types'
 import {type ImageMeta} from '#/state/gallery'
 import {STALE} from '#/state/queries'
 import {resetProfilePostsQueries} from '#/state/queries/post-feed'
+import {RQKEY as PROFILE_FOLLOWS_RQKEY} from '#/state/queries/profile-follows'
 import {
   unstableCacheProfileView,
   useUnstableProfileViewCache,
@@ -247,6 +248,7 @@ export function useProfileFollowMutationQueue(
 ) {
   const agent = useAgent()
   const queryClient = useQueryClient()
+  const {currentAccount} = useSession()
   const did = profile.did
   const initialFollowingUri = profile.viewer?.following
   const followMutation = useProfileFollowMutation(
@@ -283,6 +285,44 @@ export function useProfileFollowMutationQueue(
         followingUri: finalFollowingUri,
       })
 
+      // Optimistically update profile follows cache for avatar displays
+      if (currentAccount?.did) {
+        queryClient.setQueryData(
+          PROFILE_FOLLOWS_RQKEY(currentAccount.did),
+          (old: any) => {
+            if (!old?.pages?.[0]) return old
+            if (finalFollowingUri) {
+              // Add the followed profile to the beginning
+              const alreadyExists = old.pages[0].follows.some(
+                (f: any) => f.did === profile.did,
+              )
+              if (alreadyExists) return old
+              return {
+                ...old,
+                pages: [
+                  {
+                    ...old.pages[0],
+                    follows: [profile, ...old.pages[0].follows],
+                  },
+                  ...old.pages.slice(1),
+                ],
+              }
+            } else {
+              // Remove the unfollowed profile
+              return {
+                ...old,
+                pages: old.pages.map((page: any) => ({
+                  ...page,
+                  follows: page.follows.filter(
+                    (f: any) => f.did !== profile.did,
+                  ),
+                })),
+              }
+            }
+          },
+        )
+      }
+
       if (finalFollowingUri) {
         agent.app.bsky.graph
           .getSuggestedFollowsByActor({
diff --git a/src/view/shell/desktop/Feeds.tsx b/src/view/shell/desktop/Feeds.tsx
index b8a53982b0..496946de90 100644
--- a/src/view/shell/desktop/Feeds.tsx
+++ b/src/view/shell/desktop/Feeds.tsx
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export function DesktopFeeds() {
            * Small padding prevents overflow prior to actually overflowing the
            * height of the screen with lots of feeds.
            */
-          paddingVertical: 2,
+          paddingTop: 2,
           overflowY: 'auto',
         }),
       ]}>
@@ -112,40 +112,50 @@ export function DesktopFeeds() {
           a.self_start,
           a.rounded_sm,
           {paddingVertical: 6, paddingHorizontal: 8},
+          route.name === 'Feeds' && {backgroundColor: t.palette.primary_50},
         ]}>
-        {({hovered}) => (
-          <>
-            <View
-              style={[
-                a.align_center,
-                a.justify_center,
-                a.rounded_xs,
-                t.atoms.bg_contrast_50,
-                {
-                  width: 20,
-                  height: 20,
-                },
-              ]}>
-              <Plus
-                style={{width: 16, height: 16}}
-                fill={
-                  hovered
-                    ? t.atoms.text.color
-                    : t.atoms.text_contrast_medium.color
-                }
-              />
-            </View>
-            <Text
-              style={[
-                a.text_md,
-                a.leading_snug,
-                hovered ? t.atoms.text : t.atoms.text_contrast_medium,
-              ]}
-              numberOfLines={1}>
-              {_(msg`More feeds`)}
-            </Text>
-          </>
-        )}
+        {({hovered}) => {
+          const isActive = route.name === 'Feeds'
+          return (
+            <>
+              <View
+                style={[
+                  a.align_center,
+                  a.justify_center,
+                  a.rounded_xs,
+                  isActive
+                    ? {backgroundColor: t.palette.primary_100}
+                    : t.atoms.bg_contrast_50,
+                  {
+                    width: 20,
+                    height: 20,
+                  },
+                ]}>
+                <Plus
+                  style={{width: 16, height: 16}}
+                  fill={
+                    isActive || hovered
+                      ? t.atoms.text.color
+                      : t.atoms.text_contrast_medium.color
+                  }
+                />
+              </View>
+              <Text
+                style={[
+                  a.text_md,
+                  a.leading_snug,
+                  isActive
+                    ? [t.atoms.text, a.font_semi_bold]
+                    : hovered
+                      ? t.atoms.text
+                      : t.atoms.text_contrast_medium,
+                ]}
+                numberOfLines={1}>
+                {_(msg`More feeds`)}
+              </Text>
+            </>
+          )
+        }}
       </Link>
     </View>
   )
@@ -183,7 +193,6 @@ function FeedItem({
         a.self_start,
         a.rounded_sm,
         {paddingVertical: 6, paddingHorizontal: 8},
-        // current && t.atoms.bg_contrast_50,
         current && {backgroundColor: t.palette.primary_50},
       ]}>
       {isFollowing ? (
diff --git a/src/view/shell/desktop/RightNav.tsx b/src/view/shell/desktop/RightNav.tsx
index 2672fd1769..788df6e64c 100644
--- a/src/view/shell/desktop/RightNav.tsx
+++ b/src/view/shell/desktop/RightNav.tsx
@@ -100,25 +100,31 @@ export function DesktopRightNav({routeName}: {routeName: string}) {
                 email: currentAccount?.email,
                 handle: currentAccount?.handle,
               })}
+              style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}
               label={_(msg`Feedback`)}>
               {_(msg`Feedback`)}
             </InlineLinkText>
-            {' • '}
+            <Text style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_low]}>{' ∙ '}</Text>
           </>
         )}
         <InlineLinkText
           to="https://bsky.social/about/support/privacy-policy"
+          style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}
           label={_(msg`Privacy`)}>
           {_(msg`Privacy`)}
         </InlineLinkText>
-        {' • '}
+        <Text style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_low]}>{' ∙ '}</Text>
         <InlineLinkText
           to="https://bsky.social/about/support/tos"
+          style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}
           label={_(msg`Terms`)}>
           {_(msg`Terms`)}
         </InlineLinkText>
-        {' • '}
-        <InlineLinkText label={_(msg`Help`)} to={HELP_DESK_URL}>
+        <Text style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_low]}>{' ∙ '}</Text>
+        <InlineLinkText
+          label={_(msg`Help`)}
+          to={HELP_DESK_URL}
+          style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}>
           {_(msg`Help`)}
         </InlineLinkText>
       </Text>
diff --git a/src/view/shell/desktop/SidebarTrendingTopics.tsx b/src/view/shell/desktop/SidebarTrendingTopics.tsx
index 1d28e49f56..29b8f014b0 100644
--- a/src/view/shell/desktop/SidebarTrendingTopics.tsx
+++ b/src/view/shell/desktop/SidebarTrendingTopics.tsx
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ function Inner() {
                 <TrendingTopicLink
                   key={topic.link}
                   topic={topic}
+                  style={[a.self_start]}
                   onPress={() => {
                     logEvent('trendingTopic:click', {context: 'sidebar'})
                   }}>