diff --git a/ui/src/e2e/chat-composer-focus.e2e.test.ts b/ui/src/e2e/chat-composer-focus.e2e.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4d4ba72262e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/e2e/chat-composer-focus.e2e.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import { expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { installMockGateway } from "../test-helpers/control-ui-e2e.ts";
+import { createControlUiE2eSuite } from "./control-ui-e2e-suite.test-support.ts";
+
+const suite = createControlUiE2eSuite({
+  name: "Control UI chat composer focus",
+});
+
+suite.define(() => {
+  it("uses a visible neutral focus treatment in dark and light themes", async () => {
+    await suite.withPage({ viewport: { width: 1440, height: 900 } }, async ({ page }) => {
+      const gateway = await installMockGateway(page);
+      await page.goto(`${suite.server.baseUrl}chat`);
+      await gateway.waitForRequest("chat.startup");
+
+      const composer = page.locator(".agent-chat__input");
+      const textarea = composer.locator("textarea");
+      await composer.waitFor({ state: "visible" });
+
+      for (const theme of ["dark", "light"] as const) {
+        await page.evaluate((nextTheme) => {
+          document.documentElement.dataset.theme = "claw";
+          document.documentElement.dataset.themeMode = nextTheme;
+        }, theme);
+        await textarea.evaluate((element) => element.blur());
+        await page.waitForTimeout(150);
+        const unfocused = await composer.evaluate((element) => {
+          const style = getComputedStyle(element);
+          return { borderColor: style.borderColor, boxShadow: style.boxShadow };
+        });
+
+        await textarea.focus();
+        await page.waitForTimeout(150);
+        const focused = await composer.evaluate((element) => {
+          const style = getComputedStyle(element);
+          const parseRgb = (color: string): [number, number, number] => {
+            const values = color
+              .match(/[\d.]+/g)
+              ?.slice(0, 3)
+              .map(Number);
+            if (!values || values.length !== 3) {
+              throw new Error(`expected an RGB color, received ${color}`);
+            }
+            return (
+              color.startsWith("color(srgb") ? values.map((value) => value * 255) : values
+            ) as [number, number, number];
+          };
+          const luminance = (color: string): number => {
+            const linearize = (channel: number) => {
+              const normalized = channel / 255;
+              return normalized <= 0.04045
+                ? normalized / 12.92
+                : ((normalized + 0.055) / 1.055) ** 2.4;
+            };
+            const channels = parseRgb(color);
+            return (
+              0.2126 * linearize(channels[0]) +
+              0.7152 * linearize(channels[1]) +
+              0.0722 * linearize(channels[2])
+            );
+          };
+          const borderLuminance = luminance(style.borderColor);
+          const surfaceLuminance = luminance(style.backgroundColor);
+          const borderChannels = parseRgb(style.borderColor);
+          const contrast =
+            (Math.max(borderLuminance, surfaceLuminance) + 0.05) /
+            (Math.min(borderLuminance, surfaceLuminance) + 0.05);
+
+          return {
+            borderColor: style.borderColor,
+            boxShadow: style.boxShadow,
+            contrast,
+            neutralChannelSpread: Math.max(...borderChannels) - Math.min(...borderChannels),
+          };
+        });
+
+        expect(focused.borderColor).not.toBe(unfocused.borderColor);
+        expect(focused.boxShadow).not.toBe(unfocused.boxShadow);
+        expect(focused.neutralChannelSpread).toBeLessThanOrEqual(24);
+        expect(focused.contrast).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(3);
+      }
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ui/src/styles/chat/layout.css b/ui/src/styles/chat/layout.css
index 071c0446bff8..ceab28ce9e20 100644
--- a/ui/src/styles/chat/layout.css
+++ b/ui/src/styles/chat/layout.css
@@ -2358,8 +2358,12 @@ openclaw-chat-video-player {
 }
 
 .agent-chat__input:focus-within {
-  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 30%, var(--border));
-  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px var(--accent-subtle);
+  /* Focus is a neutral state, not an accent/status signal. This mix clears 3:1
+     against the composer surface in both claw themes; the halo keeps it legible. */
+  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--muted) 72%, var(--border));
+  box-shadow:
+    0 0 0 3px color-mix(in srgb, var(--muted) 14%, transparent),
+    var(--shadow-sm);
 }
 
 .agent-chat__input--prefill-attention {