diff --git a/assets/icons/inbox_stroke2_corner2_rounded.svg b/assets/icons/inbox_stroke2_corner2_rounded.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2cbed7ce7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/icons/inbox_stroke2_corner2_rounded.svg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><path fill="#000" d="M19 14h-2.417a5 5 0 0 1-9.166 0H5v4a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h12a1 1 0 0 0 1-1v-4Zm0-8a1 1 0 0 0-.898-.995L18 5H6a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v6h3.126a1 1 0 0 1 .969.751 3.001 3.001 0 0 0 5.81 0l.056-.16a1 1 0 0 1 .913-.591H19V6Zm2 12a3 3 0 0 1-3 3H6a3 3 0 0 1-3-3V6a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h12l.154.004A3 3 0 0 1 21 6v12Z"/></svg>
diff --git a/src/components/icons/Inbox.tsx b/src/components/icons/Inbox.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fad9fdbb9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/icons/Inbox.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import {createSinglePathSVG} from './TEMPLATE'
+
+export const Inbox_Stroke2_Corner2_Rounded = createSinglePathSVG({
+  path: 'M19 14h-2.417a5 5 0 0 1-9.166 0H5v4a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h12a1 1 0 0 0 1-1v-4Zm0-8a1 1 0 0 0-.898-.995L18 5H6a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v6h3.126a1 1 0 0 1 .969.751 3.001 3.001 0 0 0 5.81 0l.056-.16a1 1 0 0 1 .913-.591H19V6Zm2 12a3 3 0 0 1-3 3H6a3 3 0 0 1-3-3V6a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h12l.154.004A3 3 0 0 1 21 6v12Z',
+})
diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/ChatList.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/ChatList.tsx
index 03a641de86..9d87db6360 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/ChatList.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/ChatList.tsx
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ import {NewChat} from '#/components/dms/dialogs/NewChatDialog'
 import {useRefreshOnFocus} from '#/components/hooks/useRefreshOnFocus'
 import {ArrowRotateCounterClockwise_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as RetryIcon} from '#/components/icons/ArrowRotate'
 import {CircleInfo_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as CircleInfoIcon} from '#/components/icons/CircleInfo'
-import {Message_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as MessageIcon} from '#/components/icons/Message'
-import {PlusLarge_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as PlusIcon} from '#/components/icons/Plus'
+import {
+  Message_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as MessageIcon,
+  MessagePlus_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as NewChatIcon,
+} from '#/components/icons/Message'
 import {SettingsGear2_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as SettingsIcon} from '#/components/icons/SettingsGear2'
 import * as Layout from '#/components/Layout'
 import {Link} from '#/components/Link'
@@ -346,12 +348,14 @@ export function Header({newChatControl}: {newChatControl: DialogControlProps}) {
   const requireEmailVerification = useRequireEmailVerification()
   const leftConvos = useLeftConvos()
 
-  const {data: inboxData, hasNextPage: hasMoreRequests} = useListConvosQuery({
-    status: 'request',
-  })
+  const {data: unreadInboxData, hasNextPage: hasMoreRequests} =
+    useListConvosQuery({
+      status: 'request',
+      readState: 'unread',
+    })
 
   const inboxAllConvos =
-    inboxData?.pages
+    unreadInboxData?.pages
       .flatMap(page => page.convos)
       .filter(
         convo =>
@@ -371,48 +375,38 @@ export function Header({newChatControl}: {newChatControl: DialogControlProps}) {
     ],
   })
 
-  const requestsLink = (
-    <InboxRequests
-      count={inboxAllConvos.length}
-      more={hasMoreRequests ?? false}
-    />
-  )
-
-  const settingsLink = (
-    <Link
-      to="/messages/settings"
-      label={l`Chat settings`}
-      size="small"
-      variant="ghost"
-      color="secondary"
-      shape="round"
-      style={[a.justify_center]}>
-      <ButtonIcon icon={SettingsIcon} size="lg" />
-    </Link>
-  )
-
   return (
     <Layout.Header.Outer>
       {gtMobile ? (
         <>
-          <Layout.Header.Content>
+          <Layout.Header.Content align="left">
             <Layout.Header.TitleText>
               <Trans>Chats</Trans>
             </Layout.Header.TitleText>
           </Layout.Header.Content>
 
           <View style={[a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.gap_sm]}>
-            {requestsLink}
-            {settingsLink}
+            <InboxRequests
+              count={inboxAllConvos.length}
+              more={hasMoreRequests}
+              variant="solid"
+            />
+            <Link
+              to="/messages/settings"
+              label={l`Chat settings`}
+              size="small"
+              color="secondary"
+              shape="round"
+              style={[a.justify_center]}>
+              <ButtonIcon icon={SettingsIcon} />
+            </Link>
             <Button
               label={l`New chat`}
               color="primary"
               size="small"
+              shape="round"
               onPress={wrappedOpenChatControl}>
-              <ButtonIcon icon={PlusIcon} />
-              <ButtonText>
-                <Trans>New chat</Trans>
-              </ButtonText>
+              <ButtonIcon icon={NewChatIcon} />
             </Button>
           </View>
         </>
@@ -424,8 +418,23 @@ export function Header({newChatControl}: {newChatControl: DialogControlProps}) {
               <Trans>Chats</Trans>
             </Layout.Header.TitleText>
           </Layout.Header.Content>
-          {requestsLink}
-          <Layout.Header.Slot>{settingsLink}</Layout.Header.Slot>
+          <InboxRequests
+            count={inboxAllConvos.length}
+            more={hasMoreRequests}
+            variant="ghost"
+          />
+          <Layout.Header.Slot>
+            <Link
+              to="/messages/settings"
+              label={l`Chat settings`}
+              size="small"
+              variant="ghost"
+              color="secondary"
+              shape="round"
+              style={[a.justify_center]}>
+              <ButtonIcon icon={SettingsIcon} size="lg" />
+            </Link>
+          </Layout.Header.Slot>
         </>
       )}
     </Layout.Header.Outer>
diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/components/InboxRequests.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/components/InboxRequests.tsx
index aeec64a924..fcb67601c1 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/components/InboxRequests.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/components/InboxRequests.tsx
@@ -3,15 +3,29 @@ import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react/macro'
 
 import {UNREAD_LIMIT} from '#/state/queries/messages/list-conversations'
 import {atoms as a} from '#/alf'
-import {InlineLinkText} from '#/components/Link'
+import {ButtonIcon, ButtonText} from '#/components/Button'
+import {Inbox_Stroke2_Corner2_Rounded as InboxIcon} from '#/components/icons/Inbox'
+import {Link} from '#/components/Link'
 
-export function InboxRequests({count, more}: {count: number; more: boolean}) {
+export function InboxRequests({
+  count,
+  more,
+  variant,
+}: {
+  count: number
+  more: boolean
+  variant?: 'ghost' | 'solid'
+}) {
   const {t: l} = useLingui()
 
-  if (count < 1) return null
+  const unread = count > 0
 
-  const label =
-    count >= UNREAD_LIMIT && more
+  const label = !unread
+    ? l({
+        message: `Requests`,
+        comment: 'Incoming message requests',
+      })
+    : count >= UNREAD_LIMIT && more
       ? l({
           message: `${count}+ requests`,
           comment: 'Displayed when the number of requests is greater than 20',
@@ -21,12 +35,43 @@ export function InboxRequests({count, more}: {count: number; more: boolean}) {
           other: '# requests',
         })
 
-  return (
-    <InlineLinkText
-      label={label}
-      to="/messages/inbox"
-      style={[a.text_md, a.font_medium]}>
-      {label}
-    </InlineLinkText>
-  )
+  switch (variant) {
+    case 'ghost': {
+      return (
+        <Link
+          label={label}
+          to="/messages/inbox"
+          size="small"
+          variant={unread ? 'solid' : 'ghost'}
+          color={unread ? 'primary_subtle' : 'secondary'}
+          shape={unread ? 'default' : 'round'}
+          style={[a.justify_center, unread && [a.gap_sm, a.pl_lg, a.pr_md]]}>
+          <ButtonIcon icon={InboxIcon} size="lg" />
+          {unread && (
+            <ButtonText style={[a.text_md, a.font_bold]}>
+              {count >= UNREAD_LIMIT && more
+                ? l({
+                    message: `${count}+`,
+                    comment:
+                      'Displayed when the number of requests is greater than 20',
+                  })
+                : count}
+            </ButtonText>
+          )}
+        </Link>
+      )
+    }
+    case 'solid': {
+      return (
+        <Link
+          label={label}
+          to="/messages/inbox"
+          color={unread ? 'primary_subtle' : 'secondary'}
+          size="small">
+          <ButtonIcon icon={InboxIcon} />
+          <ButtonText>{label}</ButtonText>
+        </Link>
+      )
+    }
+  }
 }