diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/MainActivity.kt
index c18e284b..df84b87d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/MainActivity.kt
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 package com.bitchat.android
 
 import android.content.Intent
+import android.os.Build
 import android.os.Bundle
 import android.util.Log
 import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
 import androidx.activity.OnBackPressedCallback
 import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
+import androidx.activity.enableEdgeToEdge
 import androidx.activity.viewModels
+import androidx.core.view.WindowCompat
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
 import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
 import androidx.compose.material3.Surface
@@ -65,6 +68,12 @@ class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
     override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
         
+        // Enable edge-to-edge display for modern Android look
+        enableEdgeToEdge()
+        
+        // Make status bar transparent and content can extend behind it
+        WindowCompat.setDecorFitsSystemWindows(window, false)
+        
         // Initialize permission management
         permissionManager = PermissionManager(this)
         // Initialize core mesh service first
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatScreen.kt
index 1f121da0..76d6f17d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatScreen.kt
@@ -70,18 +70,26 @@ fun ChatScreen(viewModel: ChatViewModel) {
     }
 
     // Use WindowInsets to handle keyboard properly
-    Box(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+    Box(
+        modifier = Modifier
+            .fillMaxSize()
+            .background(colorScheme.background) // Extend background to fill entire screen including status bar
+    ) {
         val headerHeight = 42.dp
         
         // Main content area that responds to keyboard/window insets
         Column(
             modifier = Modifier
                 .fillMaxSize()
-                .background(colorScheme.background)
                 .windowInsetsPadding(WindowInsets.ime) // This handles keyboard insets
+                .windowInsetsPadding(WindowInsets.navigationBars) // Add bottom padding when keyboard is not expanded
         ) {
-            // Header spacer - creates space for the floating header
-            Spacer(modifier = Modifier.height(headerHeight))
+            // Header spacer - creates exact space for the floating header (status bar + compact header)
+            Spacer(
+                modifier = Modifier
+                    .windowInsetsPadding(WindowInsets.statusBars)
+                    .height(headerHeight)
+            )
 
             // Messages area - takes up available space, will compress when keyboard appears
             MessagesList(
@@ -180,6 +188,16 @@ fun ChatScreen(viewModel: ChatViewModel) {
             onLocationChannelsClick = { showLocationChannelsSheet = true }
         )
 
+        // Divider under header - positioned after status bar + header height
+        HorizontalDivider(
+            modifier = Modifier
+                .fillMaxWidth()
+                .windowInsetsPadding(WindowInsets.statusBars)
+                .offset(y = headerHeight)
+                .zIndex(1f),
+            color = colorScheme.outline.copy(alpha = 0.3f)
+        )
+
         val alpha by animateFloatAsState(
             targetValue = if (showSidebar) 0.5f else 0f,
             animationSpec = tween(
@@ -267,8 +285,7 @@ private fun ChatInputSection(
 ) {
     Surface(
         modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth(),
-        color = colorScheme.background,
-        shadowElevation = 8.dp
+        color = colorScheme.background
     ) {
         Column {
             HorizontalDivider(color = colorScheme.outline.copy(alpha = 0.3f))
@@ -324,11 +341,9 @@ private fun ChatFloatingHeader(
     Surface(
         modifier = Modifier
             .fillMaxWidth()
-            .height(headerHeight)
             .zIndex(1f)
-            .windowInsetsPadding(WindowInsets.statusBars), // Only respond to status bar
-        color = colorScheme.background.copy(alpha = 0.95f),
-        shadowElevation = 8.dp
+            .windowInsetsPadding(WindowInsets.statusBars), // Extend into status bar area
+        color = colorScheme.background // Solid background color extending into status bar
     ) {
         TopAppBar(
             title = {
@@ -351,18 +366,10 @@ private fun ChatFloatingHeader(
             },
             colors = TopAppBarDefaults.topAppBarColors(
                 containerColor = Color.Transparent
-            )
+            ),
+            modifier = Modifier.height(headerHeight) // Ensure compact header height
         )
     }
-
-    // Divider under header
-    HorizontalDivider(
-        modifier = Modifier
-            .fillMaxWidth()
-            .offset(y = headerHeight)
-            .zIndex(1f),
-        color = colorScheme.outline.copy(alpha = 0.3f)
-    )
 }
 
 @Composable
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values-night/themes.xml b/app/src/main/res/values-night/themes.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c016b73b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values-night/themes.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<resources xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
+    <!-- Dark theme -->
+    <style name="Theme.BitchatAndroid" parent="Theme.AppCompat.DayNight.NoActionBar">
+        <!-- Enable edge-to-edge content -->
+        <item name="android:windowTranslucentStatus">false</item>
+        <item name="android:windowTranslucentNavigation">false</item>
+        <item name="android:statusBarColor">@android:color/transparent</item>
+        <item name="android:navigationBarColor">@android:color/transparent</item>
+        <item name="android:windowLightStatusBar" tools:targetApi="23">false</item>
+        <item name="android:windowLightNavigationBar" tools:targetApi="27">false</item>
+        <!-- Ensure smooth transitions -->
+        <item name="android:windowActivityTransitions">true</item>
+        <item name="android:windowContentTransitions">true</item>
+    </style>
+</resources>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/themes.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/themes.xml
index 8de638d1..0466e0f8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/themes.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/themes.xml
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@
 <resources xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
     <!-- Base application theme -->
     <style name="Theme.BitchatAndroid" parent="Theme.AppCompat.DayNight.NoActionBar">
-        <!-- Customize your theme here. -->
+        <!-- Enable edge-to-edge content -->
+        <item name="android:windowTranslucentStatus">false</item>
+        <item name="android:windowTranslucentNavigation">false</item>
+        <item name="android:statusBarColor">@android:color/transparent</item>
+        <item name="android:navigationBarColor">@android:color/transparent</item>
+        <item name="android:windowLightStatusBar" tools:targetApi="23">true</item>
+        <item name="android:windowLightNavigationBar" tools:targetApi="27">true</item>
+        <!-- Ensure smooth transitions -->
+        <item name="android:windowActivityTransitions">true</item>
+        <item name="android:windowContentTransitions">true</item>
     </style>
 </resources>