diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.test.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.test.tsx
index 7283166f87..5171e73648 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.test.tsx
@@ -472,9 +472,16 @@ describe("CommandPalette", () => {
     const rootFooter = screen
       .getByTestId("command-palette")
       .querySelector("[data-palette-footer]");
-    expectText(rootFooter, "Select");
-    expectText(rootFooter, "Run");
-    expect(rootFooter?.textContent).not.toContain("Open");
+    expectText(rootFooter, "Close");
+    expect(rootFooter?.textContent).not.toContain("Select");
+    expect(rootFooter?.textContent).not.toContain("Run");
+    expectAttribute(rootFooter, "aria-hidden", "true");
+    const rootDescriptionId = searchField().getAttribute("aria-describedby");
+    expect(rootDescriptionId).not.toBeNull();
+    expectText(
+      document.getElementById(rootDescriptionId ?? ""),
+      "Use Escape to close the command palette.",
+    );
 
     const threadRows = within(bucketGroup("Threads")).getAllByRole("option");
     expect(threadRows.map((row) => row.textContent)).toEqual([
@@ -531,13 +538,15 @@ describe("CommandPalette", () => {
     const modeSelect = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Threads search" });
     expectAttribute(modeSelect, "aria-pressed", "true");
     expect(modeSelect.querySelector('[data-icon="Search"]')).not.toBeNull();
+    expectClasses(modeSelect.parentElement, "bg-state-active");
+    expectNoClasses(modeSelect.parentElement, "bg-background/70");
     expectAttribute(
       screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Return to commands" }),
       "data-tab-pill-close",
     );
-    expect(
-      screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Thread scope" }).textContent,
-    ).toContain("All");
+    const scope = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Thread scope" });
+    expect(scope.textContent).toContain("All");
+    expectClasses(scope, "text-subtle-foreground", "opacity-70");
     expectText(screen.getByTestId("command-palette"), "Split");
     const footer = screen
       .getByTestId("command-palette")
@@ -549,10 +558,20 @@ describe("CommandPalette", () => {
       "px-4",
       "py-2",
     );
+    expectAttribute(footer, "aria-hidden", "true");
     for (const keycap of footer?.querySelectorAll("kbd") ?? []) {
       expectClasses(
         keycap,
-        "rounded",
+        "rounded-sm",
+        "bg-state-hover",
+        "font-sans",
+        "font-normal",
+        "tabular-nums",
+        "text-subtle-foreground",
+        "opacity-60",
+      );
+      expectNoClasses(
+        keycap,
         "border-border/70",
         "bg-background/70",
         "font-mono",
@@ -568,8 +587,19 @@ describe("CommandPalette", () => {
         "text-subtle-foreground",
       );
     }
-    expectText(footer, "Backspace");
+    expect(footer?.textContent).not.toContain("Backspace");
+    expect(footer?.textContent).not.toContain("Select");
+    expect(footer?.textContent).not.toContain("Open");
     expectText(footer, "Esc");
+    const threadInput = screen.getByRole("combobox", {
+      name: "Search threads",
+    });
+    const threadDescriptionId = threadInput.getAttribute("aria-describedby");
+    expect(threadDescriptionId).not.toBeNull();
+    expectText(
+      document.getElementById(threadDescriptionId ?? ""),
+      "Use Command-Enter or Control-Enter to open the selected thread in a split. Use Escape to return to commands.",
+    );
 
     fireEvent.keyDown(screen.getByRole("combobox"), { key: "Escape" });
     await waitFor(() =>
@@ -851,6 +881,12 @@ describe("CommandPalette", () => {
     expect(within(results).getByRole("option").textContent).toContain(
       "matching draft",
     );
+    expectText(
+      within(results)
+        .getByRole("option")
+        .querySelector("[data-palette-thread-metadata]"),
+      "Palette project",
+    );
     fireEvent.keyDown(scope, { key: "Escape" });
     expect(document.activeElement).toBe(input);
 
@@ -897,22 +933,26 @@ describe("CommandPalette", () => {
     expect(rows[1]?.textContent).toContain("Draft");
     expect(rows[2]?.textContent).toContain("Title recent-archived");
     expect(rows[2]?.textContent).toContain("Archived");
-    expect(results.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-state]")).toBeNull();
     expect(results.querySelector("[data-icon]")).toBeNull();
     for (const row of rows) {
       expectClasses(
         row.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-metadata]"),
         "text-subtle-foreground",
+        "opacity-70",
       );
     }
-    expectClasses(
-      within(rows[1] as HTMLElement).getByText("Draft"),
-      "text-subtle-foreground",
-    );
-    expectClasses(
-      within(rows[2] as HTMLElement).getByText("Archived"),
-      "text-subtle-foreground",
-    );
+    expect(
+      rows[1]?.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-metadata]")?.textContent,
+    ).toBe("Palette project");
+    expect(
+      rows[2]?.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-metadata]")?.textContent,
+    ).toBe("Palette project · just now");
+    const draftState = rows[1]?.lastElementChild;
+    const archivedState = rows[2]?.lastElementChild;
+    expectText(draftState, "Draft");
+    expectText(archivedState, "Archived");
+    expectClasses(draftState, "shrink-0", "text-subtle-foreground");
+    expectClasses(archivedState, "shrink-0", "text-subtle-foreground");
     expect(within(results).queryAllByRole("group")).toHaveLength(0);
     expect(within(results).queryByText("Recent")).toBeNull();
   });
@@ -985,9 +1025,15 @@ describe("CommandPalette", () => {
       expectClasses(
         row.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-metadata]"),
         "text-subtle-foreground",
+        "opacity-70",
       );
     }
-    expect(results.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-state]")).toBeNull();
+    expect(
+      rows[1]?.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-metadata]")?.textContent,
+    ).toBe("Palette project");
+    expect(
+      rows[2]?.querySelector("[data-palette-thread-metadata]")?.textContent,
+    ).toBe("Palette project · just now");
     expect(within(results).queryAllByRole("group")).toHaveLength(0);
     expect(within(results).queryByText("Recent")).toBeNull();
     expect(results.textContent).not.toContain("1/1");
diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.tsx
index 2113331a92..4530c3fded 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/commands/CommandPalette.tsx
@@ -54,11 +54,9 @@ import {
 import { PaletteShell } from "./PaletteShell";
 
 const PALETTE_INPUT_LABEL = "Search commands";
+const PALETTE_INPUT_DESCRIPTION = "Use Escape to close the command palette.";
 const PALETTE_PLACEHOLDER = "Search commands…";
-const ROOT_FOOTER_KEYS = [
-  { keys: ["↑↓"], label: "Select" },
-  { keys: ["↵"], label: "Run" },
-] as const;
+const ROOT_FOOTER_KEYS = [{ keys: ["Esc"], label: "Close" }] as const;
 const MODE_ENTRY_HANDLER_PRIORITY = 100;
 const MODE_BY_ACTION_ID = new Map(
   PALETTE_MODES.map((mode) => [
@@ -359,6 +357,7 @@ export function CommandPalette({
                 : `${optionIdPrefix}-${activeIndex}`
             }
             footerKeys={ROOT_FOOTER_KEYS}
+            inputDescription={PALETTE_INPUT_DESCRIPTION}
             inputLabel={PALETTE_INPUT_LABEL}
             listId={listId}
             listLabel="Commands"
diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/commands/PaletteShell.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/commands/PaletteShell.tsx
index b5d5b38ac4..6eafcba185 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/commands/PaletteShell.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/commands/PaletteShell.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,21 @@
-import type { KeyboardEventHandler, ReactNode, Ref } from "react";
+import {
+  useId,
+  type KeyboardEventHandler,
+  type ReactNode,
+  type Ref,
+} from "react";
 import { useComposedRefs } from "@radix-ui/react-compose-refs";
 import { Icon } from "@bb/shared-ui/icon";
+import { cn } from "@bb/shared-ui/lib/utils";
 import { useScrollOverflowState } from "@/components/thread/timeline/useScrollOverflowState";
 import { TabPill } from "@/components/ui/tab-pill";
+import { APP_COMMAND_ACCESSORY_PILL_CLASS } from "./AppCommandShortcutHint";
+
+export const PALETTE_FOOTER_KEYCAP_CLASS = cn(
+  APP_COMMAND_ACCESSORY_PILL_CLASS,
+  "min-w-5 py-0.5",
+);
+export const PALETTE_FOOTER_LABEL_CLASS = "text-subtle-foreground opacity-70";
 
 interface PaletteModeChipProps {
   clearLabel: string;
@@ -16,6 +29,7 @@ interface PaletteShellProps {
   accessory?: ReactNode;
   children: ReactNode;
   footerKeys: readonly { keys: readonly string[]; label: string }[];
+  inputDescription: string;
   inputLabel: string;
   inputRef?: Ref<HTMLInputElement>;
   listId: string;
@@ -33,6 +47,7 @@ export function PaletteShell({
   accessory,
   children,
   footerKeys,
+  inputDescription,
   inputLabel,
   inputRef,
   listId,
@@ -44,6 +59,7 @@ export function PaletteShell({
   placeholder,
   value,
 }: PaletteShellProps) {
+  const inputDescriptionId = useId();
   const overflow = useScrollOverflowState<HTMLDivElement>({
     measureOverflow: true,
   });
@@ -67,9 +83,7 @@ export function PaletteShell({
           className="flex h-10 items-center gap-2 px-3"
           data-palette-input-frame
         >
-          {modeChip === undefined ? null : (
-            <PaletteModeChip {...modeChip} />
-          )}
+          {modeChip === undefined ? null : <PaletteModeChip {...modeChip} />}
           <input
             ref={inputRef}
             autoFocus
@@ -77,6 +91,7 @@ export function PaletteShell({
             aria-expanded
             aria-controls={listId}
             aria-activedescendant={activeDescendantId}
+            aria-describedby={inputDescriptionId}
             aria-label={inputLabel}
             autoComplete="off"
             spellCheck={false}
@@ -86,6 +101,9 @@ export function PaletteShell({
             onChange={(event) => onInputChange(event.target.value)}
             onKeyDown={onInputKeyDown}
           />
+          <span id={inputDescriptionId} className="sr-only">
+            {inputDescription}
+          </span>
           {accessory}
         </div>
       </div>
@@ -121,6 +139,7 @@ export function PaletteShell({
         </div>
       </div>
       <div
+        aria-hidden
         className="relative z-10 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-x-4 gap-y-1 rounded-b-[inherit] border-t border-border bg-surface-recessed-soft-solid px-4 py-2 text-xs text-subtle-foreground"
         data-palette-footer
       >
@@ -133,20 +152,18 @@ export function PaletteShell({
               {hint.keys.map((keys, index) => (
                 <span key={keys} className="inline-flex items-center gap-1">
                   {index === 0 ? null : (
-                    <span
-                      aria-hidden
-                      className="text-muted-foreground/60"
-                    >
+                    <span aria-hidden className="text-muted-foreground/60">
                       /
                     </span>
                   )}
-                  <kbd className="inline-flex min-w-5 items-center justify-center rounded border border-border/70 bg-background/70 px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-xs leading-none text-muted-foreground shadow-xs">
-                    {keys}
-                  </kbd>
+                  <kbd className={PALETTE_FOOTER_KEYCAP_CLASS}>{keys}</kbd>
                 </span>
               ))}
             </span>
-            <span className="opacity-70" data-palette-footer-label>
+            <span
+              className={PALETTE_FOOTER_LABEL_CLASS}
+              data-palette-footer-label
+            >
               {hint.label}
             </span>
           </span>
diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/commands/ThreadSearchPaletteMode.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/commands/ThreadSearchPaletteMode.tsx
index c567fa667f..c4b6a59ace 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/commands/ThreadSearchPaletteMode.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/commands/ThreadSearchPaletteMode.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ import {
 } from "@/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search";
 import { windowPaletteThreadSearchText } from "@/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search-window";
 import type { PaletteModeViewProps } from "@/lib/command-palette/palette-mode";
-import { PaletteShell } from "./PaletteShell";
+import { PALETTE_FOOTER_LABEL_CLASS, PaletteShell } from "./PaletteShell";
 
 export function ThreadSearchPaletteMode({
   onExit,
@@ -253,8 +253,7 @@ export function ThreadSearchPaletteMode({
       ? "Searching threads"
       : trimmedQuery.length === 1
         ? "Type at least 2 characters"
-        : (navigation.isLoading || archivedThreads.isLoading) &&
-            result.isRecent
+        : (navigation.isLoading || archivedThreads.isLoading) && result.isRecent
           ? "Loading recent threads"
           : result.isRecent
             ? "No recent threads"
@@ -276,6 +275,7 @@ export function ThreadSearchPaletteMode({
         />
       }
       footerKeys={presentation.footerKeys}
+      inputDescription={presentation.inputDescription}
       inputLabel="Search threads"
       inputRef={inputRef}
       listId={listId}
@@ -349,7 +349,10 @@ function ThreadSearchScopeFilter({
         aria-haspopup="listbox"
         aria-expanded={open}
         aria-label="Thread scope"
-        className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md px-2 py-1 text-xs text-subtle-foreground outline-none hover:bg-state-hover hover:text-foreground focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring"
+        className={cn(
+          "inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md px-2 py-1 text-xs outline-none hover:bg-state-hover hover:text-foreground focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring",
+          PALETTE_FOOTER_LABEL_CLASS,
+        )}
         onClick={() => setOpen((value) => !value)}
         onKeyDown={(event) => {
           if (event.key === "ArrowDown" || event.key === "ArrowUp") {
@@ -477,13 +480,18 @@ function ThreadSearchPaletteRow({
             ranges={primary.highlightRanges}
           />
         </span>
-        <span
-          className="block min-w-0 truncate text-xs leading-4 text-subtle-foreground"
-          title={row.metadataText}
-          data-palette-thread-metadata
-        >
-          {row.metadataText}
-        </span>
+        {row.metadataText.length === 0 ? null : (
+          <span
+            className={cn(
+              "block min-w-0 truncate text-xs leading-4",
+              PALETTE_FOOTER_LABEL_CLASS,
+            )}
+            title={row.metadataText}
+            data-palette-thread-metadata
+          >
+            {row.metadataText}
+          </span>
+        )}
       </span>
       {stateLabel === null ? null : (
         <span
diff --git a/apps/app/src/components/ui/tab-pill.tsx b/apps/app/src/components/ui/tab-pill.tsx
index 99ffdb98d5..7bdc0c4a94 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/components/ui/tab-pill.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/components/ui/tab-pill.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ interface TabPillCloseAction {
 
 interface TabPillProps {
   label: string;
+  className?: string;
   ariaLabel?: string;
   ariaKeyshortcuts?: string;
   iconOnly?: boolean;
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ interface TabPillProps {
 
 export function TabPill({
   label,
+  className,
   ariaLabel,
   ariaKeyshortcuts,
   iconOnly = false,
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@ export function TabPill({
         isActive
           ? cn(CONTEXT_SELECTION_SURFACE_CLASS, "text-foreground")
           : "text-muted-foreground hover:bg-state-hover",
+        className,
       )}
     >
       <button
diff --git a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-mode.ts b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-mode.ts
index 873a54d32e..d4b9973b9b 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-mode.ts
+++ b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-mode.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export interface PaletteModePresentation {
     keys: readonly string[];
     label: string;
   }[];
+  inputDescription: string;
   placeholder: string;
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-modes.ts b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-modes.ts
index b1d20b2330..1d83a263d4 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-modes.ts
+++ b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-modes.ts
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ export const PALETTE_MODES: readonly PaletteModeRegistration[] = [
     chip: { icon: "Search", label: "Threads" },
     placeholder: "Search title, project, or message…",
     footerKeys: [
-      { keys: ["↑↓"], label: "Select" },
-      { keys: ["↵"], label: "Open" },
       { keys: ["⌘↵"], label: "Split" },
-      { keys: ["Backspace", "Esc"], label: "Back" },
+      { keys: ["Esc"], label: "Back" },
     ],
+    inputDescription:
+      "Use Command-Enter or Control-Enter to open the selected thread in a split. Use Escape to return to commands.",
     View: ThreadSearchPaletteMode,
   },
 ];
diff --git a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.test.ts b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.test.ts
index 4d4e02a2bf..f9ef041e99 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.test.ts
+++ b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.test.ts
@@ -111,16 +111,21 @@ describe("buildPaletteThreadSearchRows", () => {
       "draft",
       "archived",
     ]);
+    expect(result.rows.map((row) => row.metadataText)).toEqual([
+      "Palette project · just now",
+      "Palette project · just now",
+      "Palette project · just now",
+    ]);
     expect(result.draftMatchCount).toBe(1);
   });
 
-  it("narrows lifecycle immediately without changing row anatomy", () => {
-    const result = build({
+  it("preserves metadata anatomy after narrowing lifecycle scope", () => {
+    const draftResult = build({
       drafts: [makeDraft("draft", "A matching local draft")],
       scope: "draft",
     });
 
-    expect(result.rows).toMatchObject([
+    expect(draftResult.rows).toMatchObject([
       {
         lifecycle: "draft",
         metadataText: "Palette project · just now",
@@ -128,6 +133,26 @@ describe("buildPaletteThreadSearchRows", () => {
         draftSlotId: "draft",
       },
     ]);
+
+    const archived = makeThread("archived", { archivedAt: NOW - 1 });
+    const archivedResult = build({
+      scope: "archived",
+      searchResponse: {
+        active: { results: [], total: 0 },
+        archived: {
+          total: 1,
+          results: [{ thread: archived, matches: [] }],
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(archivedResult.rows).toMatchObject([
+      {
+        lifecycle: "archived",
+        metadataText: "Palette project · just now",
+        threadId: "archived",
+      },
+    ]);
   });
 
   it("uses the matched message as primary while retaining title, project, and time metadata", () => {
diff --git a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.ts b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.ts
index c6473857a4..9acaa92dae 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.ts
+++ b/apps/app/src/lib/command-palette/palette-thread-search.ts
@@ -157,7 +157,9 @@ export function buildPaletteThreadSearchRows({
   const activeRows = isRecent
     ? recentThreads
         .slice(0, RECENT_THREAD_LIMIT)
-        .map((thread) => serverRow(thread, [], "active", projectNamesById, now))
+        .map((thread) =>
+          serverRow(thread, [], "active", projectNamesById, now),
+        )
     : isSearchable && searchResultsAreCurrent
       ? (searchResponse?.active.results ?? []).map((result) =>
           serverRow(