diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index d6c7d58..eefdcfa 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -1527,10 +1527,15 @@ session with **no other memory of this project**. So:
     `min-width: 1024px`, after ~900 ms) as a welcome/sign-in offer; dismissal is
     remembered in `skatespots:desktop-welcome-dismissed`, and it also offers the
     normal `SignupDialog`. It reuses the existing methods (browser extension,
-    bunker/signer, Amber on Android, nsec, and the **NostrConnect QR**), which is
-    what the reference screenshot showed — the dialog is still **tabbed**, not
-    the reference's 3-card layout (a restyle would need a visual QA pass).
-    ⚠️ `SignupDialog` is a **default-only** export, so lazy-load it as
+    bunker/signer, Amber on Android, nsec, and the **NostrConnect QR**).
+    **3-card restyle (2026-10-26):** `LoginDialog` now leads with a **three-card
+    chooser** — Browser extension / Signer (Bunker on desktop, Amber on Android) /
+    **Sign in with your phone** (NostrConnect) — plus a quiet **Secret Key** link;
+    the cards are a **controlled tab chooser** (`loginTab` state) over the existing
+    panels, and the NostrConnect QR moved from the bunker tab into its own
+    `connect` panel. Verified with a headless 1280×900 screenshot of the
+    auto-opened welcome modal. ⚠️ `SignupDialog` is a **default-only** export, so
+    lazy-load it as
     `lazy(() => import('…/SignupDialog'))`.
   - **First-run checklist + backup-reminder gating (fixed 2026-10-12).** Two
     onboarding prompts nagged returning users:
@@ -2288,6 +2293,17 @@ Rules:
   `xlsx@0.18.5` (two high; **no fix published**) and `zod` (patch). Dev-dep CVEs
   don't ship to users; `xlsx` is lazy-loaded for exports. Run `--force` to apply
   the fixable ones (gated on tests).
+  ⚠️ **`--force` on 2026-10-26 failed the gate and auto-reverted:** the blind
+  `npm update` cut OSV findings 107 → 13 but produced **duplicate transitive
+  copies** (`@tanstack/query-core` nested under `react-query-persist-client`;
+  `@nostrify/nostrify`/`@nostrify/types` nested under `@nostrify/react`) and a
+  **TypeScript bump** (TS 5.9 typed-array errors in `stashBackup`/`usePushNotifications`),
+  so `tsc` failed. The remaining fixes are mostly **major** (vitest 4,
+  react-router 7, zod 4) plus **`xlsx@0.18.5` with no fix** (we only *write*
+  XLSX for export, so the parse-side CVEs likely don't apply — verify before
+  replacing). Lesson: do NOT rely on a blanket `npm update`; update in curated
+  batches (pin `typescript`, add `overrides`/`npm dedupe` for the duplicated
+  packages, keep majors as their own migrations) and let the timer gate each.
 
 ### Community relay — self-hosted Newlay (2026-10-12)
 
diff --git a/src/components/auth/LoginDialog.tsx b/src/components/auth/LoginDialog.tsx
index 6184819..c9e6919 100644
--- a/src/components/auth/LoginDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/auth/LoginDialog.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { Shield, UserPlus, Sparkles, Cloud, Smartphone, Check, Loader2, KeyRound
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle, DialogDescription } from "@/components/ui/dialog";
-import { Tabs, TabsContent, TabsList, TabsTrigger } from '@/components/ui/tabs';
+import { Tabs, TabsContent } from '@/components/ui/tabs';
 import { useLoginActions } from '@/hooks/useLoginActions';
 import { useToast } from '@/hooks/useToast';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ export const LoginDialog: React.FC<LoginDialogProps> = ({ isOpen, onClose, onLog
   const { toast } = useToast();
 
   const isAndroid = /Android/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
+  // Which login method panel is showing. The three method cards below switch it.
+  const [loginTab, setLoginTab] = useState<'amber' | 'bunker' | 'nsec' | 'extension' | 'connect'>(
+    isAndroid ? 'amber' : 'bunker',
+  );
 
   // Step 1: open Amber
   // - On Capacitor (ZapStore APK): use the native plugin — direct Promise, no redirects needed
@@ -349,21 +353,46 @@ export const LoginDialog: React.FC<LoginDialogProps> = ({ isOpen, onClose, onLog
             <div className='flex-1 border-t border-gray-800' />
           </div>
 
-          <Tabs defaultValue={isAndroid ? 'amber' : 'bunker'} className="w-full">
-            <TabsList className="grid w-full grid-cols-4 bg-black/50 border border-[#ff0040]/30 rounded-lg mb-4 h-auto p-1">
-              <TabsTrigger value="amber" className="flex items-center gap-1 text-xs py-2 px-1">
-                <Smartphone className="w-3 h-3" /><span>Amber</span>
-              </TabsTrigger>
-              <TabsTrigger value="bunker" className="flex items-center gap-1 text-xs py-2 px-1">
-                <Cloud className="w-3 h-3" /><span>Bunker</span>
-              </TabsTrigger>
-              <TabsTrigger value="nsec" className="flex items-center gap-1 text-xs py-2 px-1">
-                <KeyRound className="w-3 h-3" /><span>nsec</span>
-              </TabsTrigger>
-              <TabsTrigger value="extension" className="flex items-center gap-1 text-xs py-2 px-1">
-                <Shield className="w-3 h-3" /><span>Ext</span>
-              </TabsTrigger>
-            </TabsList>
+          <Tabs value={loginTab} onValueChange={(v) => setLoginTab(v as typeof loginTab)} className="w-full">
+            {/* Method cards — a clear three-way choice (the old 4-tab strip was
+                jargon-heavy). The secret-key option stays as a quiet link. */}
+            <div className="mb-3 grid grid-cols-3 gap-2">
+              {([
+                { id: 'extension', Icon: Shield, label: t('settingsUi.loginDialog.browserExtensionTitle') },
+                { id: isAndroid ? 'amber' : 'bunker', Icon: isAndroid ? Smartphone : Cloud, label: isAndroid ? t('settingsUi.loginDialog.loginWithAmber') : t('settingsUi.loginDialog.bunkerTitle') },
+                { id: 'connect', Icon: QrCode, label: t('settingsUi.loginDialog.signInWithPhone') },
+              ] as const).map(({ id, Icon, label }) => {
+                const active = loginTab === id;
+                return (
+                  <button
+                    key={id}
+                    type="button"
+                    onClick={() => setLoginTab(id)}
+                    className={cn(
+                      'flex min-h-0 flex-col items-center gap-1.5 rounded-xl border p-3 text-center transition-colors',
+                      active
+                        ? 'border-[#ccff00]/60 bg-[#ccff00]/10 text-[#ccff00]'
+                        : 'border-white/10 bg-black/40 text-gray-300 hover:border-white/25 hover:text-white',
+                    )}
+                  >
+                    <Icon className="h-5 w-5" />
+                    <span className="text-[11px] font-bold leading-tight">{label}</span>
+                  </button>
+                );
+              })}
+            </div>
+            <div className="mb-3 text-center">
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                onClick={() => setLoginTab('nsec')}
+                className={cn(
+                  'text-[11px] underline underline-offset-2',
+                  loginTab === 'nsec' ? 'text-yellow-300' : 'text-gray-500 hover:text-gray-300',
+                )}
+              >
+                {t('settingsUi.loginDialog.secretKeyTitle')}
+              </button>
+            </div>
 
             {/* ── AMBER TAB ── */}
             <TabsContent value='amber' className='space-y-3'>
@@ -476,8 +505,8 @@ export const LoginDialog: React.FC<LoginDialogProps> = ({ isOpen, onClose, onLog
 
             </TabsContent>
 
-            {/* ── BUNKER TAB ── */}
-            <TabsContent value='bunker' className='space-y-3'>
+            {/* ── NOSTR CONNECT TAB ── */}
+            <TabsContent value='connect' className='space-y-3'>
               {/* Phone pairing — the canonical "log in on desktop with the key
                   already on your phone" flow. Client-generated URI; the signer
                   scans and pairs over a relay. */}
@@ -545,7 +574,10 @@ export const LoginDialog: React.FC<LoginDialogProps> = ({ isOpen, onClose, onLog
                   </div>
                 )}
               </div>
+            </TabsContent>
 
+            {/* ── BUNKER TAB ── */}
+            <TabsContent value='bunker' className='space-y-3'>
               <div className='relative flex items-center'>
                 <div className='flex-1 border-t border-gray-800' />
                 <span className='px-3 text-xs text-gray-500'>{t('settingsUi.loginDialog.orPasteBunker')}</span>