diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/NotebookItem.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/NotebookItem.tsx
index 559dfd8b..55315a09 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/NotebookItem.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/NotebookItem.tsx
@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ export const NotebookItem = memo(function NotebookItem({
           dropPosition && `drop-${dropPosition}`,
           isDragging && 'dragging'
         )}
+        data-chrome-press=""
         style={depth > 0 ? { paddingLeft: `${8 + depth * 16}px` } : undefined}
         onClick={handleClick}
         onDoubleClick={handleDoubleClick}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
index cbae1cd4..aac510b8 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../hooks/useNavigation';
 import { EnableSyncModal } from '../sync';
 import { useSyncOnboarding } from '../../hooks/useSyncOnboarding';
+import { bindChromePress } from '../../motion/chromePress';
 import { SidebarHeader } from './SidebarHeader';
 import { SidebarBreadcrumb } from './SidebarBreadcrumb';
 import { SidebarQuickFilters } from './SidebarQuickFilters';
@@ -216,6 +217,9 @@ export function Sidebar({ onOpenGraph }: SidebarProps) {
     return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKey);
   }, [inWorkspace, exitWorkspace]);
 
+  const sidebarRef = useRef<HTMLElement>(null);
+  useEffect(() => bindChromePress(sidebarRef.current), []);
+
   const prevNotebookId = useRef<string | null>(selectedNotebookId);
   const [paneDirection, setPaneDirection] = useState<'in' | 'out'>('in');
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -233,7 +237,7 @@ export function Sidebar({ onOpenGraph }: SidebarProps) {
   }, [selectedNotebookId, notebookContext.path]);
 
   return (
-    <aside className={sc('sidebar')} aria-label="Main sidebar">
+    <aside ref={sidebarRef} className={sc('sidebar')} aria-label="Main sidebar">
       <SidebarHeader
         onSettingsClick={() => window.dripnex.windows.openSettings()}
         onOpenGraph={onOpenGraph}
@@ -259,7 +263,10 @@ export function Sidebar({ onOpenGraph }: SidebarProps) {
 
         {!isNotebookContext && (
           <div className={sc('sidebar-templates')}>
-            <div className={sc('sidebar-row', selectedNotebookId === 'templates' && 'selected')}>
+            <div
+              className={sc('sidebar-row', selectedNotebookId === 'templates' && 'selected')}
+              data-chrome-press=""
+            >
               <button
                 type="button"
                 className={sc('sidebar-row-main')}
@@ -344,6 +351,7 @@ export function Sidebar({ onOpenGraph }: SidebarProps) {
           <button
             type="button"
             className={sc('sidebar-row', 'sidebar-trash', globalFilter === 'trash' && 'selected')}
+            data-chrome-press=""
             onClick={goToTrash}
             aria-pressed={globalFilter === 'trash'}
           >
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarQuickFilters.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarQuickFilters.tsx
index c999b4aa..068b1bc4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarQuickFilters.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarQuickFilters.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const QuickFilterItem = memo(function QuickFilterItem({
     <button
       type="button"
       className={sc('sidebar-row', isSelected && 'selected')}
+      data-chrome-press=""
       onClick={onClick}
       aria-pressed={isSelected}
     >
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/StatusFilters.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/StatusFilters.tsx
index 54ee3265..ecf2903b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/StatusFilters.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/StatusFilters.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export const StatusFilters = memo(function StatusFilters({
           key={status}
           type="button"
           className={sc('sidebar-row', selectedStatus === status && 'selected')}
+          data-chrome-press=""
           onClick={() => onSelectStatus(selectedStatus === status ? null : status)}
           aria-pressed={selectedStatus === status}
           data-status={status}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/TagsList.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/TagsList.tsx
index ba66cd89..ed45d641 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/TagsList.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/TagsList.tsx
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ export function TagsList({ selectedTag, onSelectTag, counts, filterQuery = '' }:
               <button
                 type="button"
                 className={sc('sidebar-row', 'tags-list-item', tag === selectedTag && 'selected')}
+                data-chrome-press=""
                 onClick={() => handleTagClick(tag)}
               >
                 <span
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/chromePress.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/chromePress.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c3d0d61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/chromePress.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import {
+  CHROME_HOVER_PX,
+  CHROME_PRESS_ATTR,
+  CHROME_PRESS_PX,
+  CHROME_PRESS_SELECTOR,
+  chromeMotionName,
+  chromePressPhase,
+} from '../chromePress';
+import { playMotion, setMotionScale, setPerformanceLow } from '../gsapRuntime';
+
+const here = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+const sidebarSrc = readFileSync(join(here, '../../components/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx'), 'utf8');
+const filtersSrc = readFileSync(
+  join(here, '../../components/sidebar/SidebarQuickFilters.tsx'),
+  'utf8'
+);
+const statusSrc = readFileSync(join(here, '../../components/sidebar/StatusFilters.tsx'), 'utf8');
+const tagsSrc = readFileSync(join(here, '../../components/sidebar/TagsList.tsx'), 'utf8');
+const notebookSrc = readFileSync(join(here, '../../components/sidebar/NotebookItem.tsx'), 'utf8');
+
+describe('chromePressPhase', () => {
+  it('prefers press over hover', () => {
+    expect(chromePressPhase(false, false)).toBe('rest');
+    expect(chromePressPhase(true, false)).toBe('hover');
+    expect(chromePressPhase(true, true)).toBe('press');
+    expect(chromePressPhase(false, true)).toBe('press');
+  });
+
+  it('maps phases to motion names', () => {
+    expect(chromeMotionName('hover')).toBe('chrome-hover');
+    expect(chromeMotionName('press')).toBe('chrome-press');
+    expect(chromeMotionName('rest')).toBe('chrome-rest');
+  });
+
+  it('targets data-chrome-press so CSS modules do not hide rows', () => {
+    expect(CHROME_PRESS_ATTR).toBe('data-chrome-press');
+    expect(CHROME_PRESS_SELECTOR).toBe('[data-chrome-press]');
+    expect(CHROME_HOVER_PX).toBe(6);
+    expect(CHROME_PRESS_PX).toBe(8);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('chrome-press runtime', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    setMotionScale(1);
+    setPerformanceLow(false);
+  });
+
+  it('hovers 6px and presses 8px in 120–140ms', () => {
+    const row = { opacity: 1, x: 0, y: 0, scale: 1 };
+    const target = row as unknown as Element;
+
+    const hover = playMotion('chrome-hover', target);
+    expect(hover?.vars.duration).toBeCloseTo(0.14);
+    expect(hover?.vars.x).toBe(CHROME_HOVER_PX);
+    expect(hover?.vars.y).toBe(0);
+
+    const press = playMotion('chrome-press', target);
+    expect(press?.vars.duration).toBeCloseTo(0.12);
+    expect(press?.vars.x).toBe(CHROME_PRESS_PX);
+
+    const rest = playMotion('chrome-rest', target);
+    expect(rest?.vars.duration).toBeCloseTo(0.14);
+    expect(rest?.vars.x).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('snaps when Performance is Low', () => {
+    setPerformanceLow(true);
+    const row = { opacity: 1, x: 6, y: 0, scale: 1 };
+    expect(playMotion('chrome-hover', row as unknown as Element)).toBeNull();
+    expect(row.x).toBe(0);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('sidebar chrome wiring', () => {
+  it('delegates GSAP chrome-press from the sidebar root onto marked rows', () => {
+    expect(sidebarSrc).toContain('bindChromePress');
+    expect(sidebarSrc).toContain('data-chrome-press');
+    expect(filtersSrc).toContain('data-chrome-press');
+    expect(statusSrc).toContain('data-chrome-press');
+    expect(tagsSrc).toContain('data-chrome-press');
+    expect(notebookSrc).toContain('data-chrome-press');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/gsapRuntime.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/gsapRuntime.test.ts
index 5156866d..89ff266c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/gsapRuntime.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/gsapRuntime.test.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,16 @@ describe('gsapRuntime', () => {
     expect(panel?.vars.duration).toBeCloseTo(0.18);
     expect(panel?.vars.x).toBe(0);
     gsap.killTweensOf(row);
+
+    const hover = playMotion('chrome-hover', target);
+    expect(hover?.vars.duration).toBeCloseTo(0.14);
+    expect(hover?.vars.x).toBe(6);
+    gsap.killTweensOf(row);
+
+    const press = playMotion('chrome-press', target);
+    expect(press?.vars.duration).toBeCloseTo(0.12);
+    expect(press?.vars.x).toBe(8);
+    gsap.killTweensOf(row);
   });
 
   it('snaps gate-in when Performance is Low', () => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/chromePress.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/chromePress.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3d0896b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/chromePress.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+import { playMotion, type MotionEventName } from './gsapRuntime';
+
+/** Rows that play chrome-hover / chrome-press. CSS modules hash class names. */
+export const CHROME_PRESS_ATTR = 'data-chrome-press';
+export const CHROME_PRESS_SELECTOR = `[${CHROME_PRESS_ATTR}]`;
+
+export const CHROME_HOVER_PX = 6;
+export const CHROME_PRESS_PX = 8;
+
+export type ChromePressPhase = 'hover' | 'press' | 'rest';
+
+export function chromePressPhase(hovering: boolean, pressing: boolean): ChromePressPhase {
+  if (pressing) return 'press';
+  if (hovering) return 'hover';
+  return 'rest';
+}
+
+export function chromeMotionName(phase: ChromePressPhase): MotionEventName {
+  if (phase === 'hover') return 'chrome-hover';
+  if (phase === 'press') return 'chrome-press';
+  return 'chrome-rest';
+}
+
+export function chromeRowFromTarget(
+  target: EventTarget | null,
+  selector = CHROME_PRESS_SELECTOR
+): Element | null {
+  if (!(target instanceof Element)) return null;
+  return target.closest(selector);
+}
+
+/** Delegate hover/press on `[data-chrome-press]` descendants. */
+export function bindChromePress(
+  root: Element | null,
+  selector = CHROME_PRESS_SELECTOR
+): () => void {
+  if (!root) return () => undefined;
+
+  let hoverRow: Element | null = null;
+  let pressRow: Element | null = null;
+
+  const play = (phase: ChromePressPhase, el: Element | null) => {
+    if (el) playMotion(chromeMotionName(phase), el);
+  };
+
+  const onOver = (event: Event) => {
+    const row = chromeRowFromTarget(event.target, selector);
+    if (!row || row === hoverRow) return;
+    if (hoverRow && hoverRow !== pressRow) play('rest', hoverRow);
+    hoverRow = row;
+    if (pressRow !== row) play('hover', row);
+  };
+
+  const onOut = (event: Event) => {
+    const row = hoverRow;
+    if (!row) return;
+    const related = 'relatedTarget' in event ? event.relatedTarget : null;
+    if (related instanceof Node && row.contains(related)) return;
+    hoverRow = null;
+    if (pressRow === row) return;
+    play('rest', row);
+  };
+
+  const onDown = (event: Event) => {
+    if ('button' in event && event.button !== 0) return;
+    const row = chromeRowFromTarget(event.target, selector);
+    if (!row) return;
+    pressRow = row;
+    play('press', row);
+  };
+
+  const onUp = () => {
+    const row = pressRow;
+    pressRow = null;
+    if (!row) return;
+    play(hoverRow === row ? 'hover' : 'rest', row);
+  };
+
+  root.addEventListener('pointerover', onOver);
+  root.addEventListener('pointerout', onOut);
+  root.addEventListener('pointerdown', onDown);
+  root.addEventListener('pointerup', onUp);
+  root.addEventListener('pointercancel', onUp);
+
+  return () => {
+    root.removeEventListener('pointerover', onOver);
+    root.removeEventListener('pointerout', onOut);
+    root.removeEventListener('pointerdown', onDown);
+    root.removeEventListener('pointerup', onUp);
+    root.removeEventListener('pointercancel', onUp);
+    if (pressRow) play('rest', pressRow);
+    else if (hoverRow) play('rest', hoverRow);
+  };
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/gsapRuntime.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/gsapRuntime.ts
index 4e49f9ea..00b27e02 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/gsapRuntime.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/gsapRuntime.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ export type MotionEventName =
   | 'list-select'
   | 'welcome-in'
   | 'gate-in'
-  | 'sidebar-in';
+  | 'sidebar-in'
+  | 'chrome-hover'
+  | 'chrome-press'
+  | 'chrome-rest';
 
 export interface MotionPlayOptions {
   onComplete?: () => void;
@@ -180,6 +183,33 @@ export function playMotion(
       }
     );
   }
+  if (name === 'chrome-hover') {
+    return gsap.to(target, {
+      x: 6,
+      y: 0,
+      duration: scaledDuration(140),
+      ease,
+      onComplete: options.onComplete,
+    });
+  }
+  if (name === 'chrome-press') {
+    return gsap.to(target, {
+      x: 8,
+      y: 0,
+      duration: scaledDuration(120),
+      ease,
+      onComplete: options.onComplete,
+    });
+  }
+  if (name === 'chrome-rest') {
+    return gsap.to(target, {
+      x: 0,
+      y: 0,
+      duration: scaledDuration(140),
+      ease,
+      onComplete: options.onComplete,
+    });
+  }
   if (name === 'welcome-in' || name === 'gate-in') {
     return gsap.fromTo(
       target,
diff --git a/docs/research/2026-08-28-electron-ux-quality.md b/docs/research/2026-08-28-electron-ux-quality.md
index 8444e861..57a3e899 100644
--- a/docs/research/2026-08-28-electron-ux-quality.md
+++ b/docs/research/2026-08-28-electron-ux-quality.md
@@ -115,3 +115,4 @@ Every 10 minutes: one significant UX/UI change, a plugin, or a palette — never
 - 2026-08-28 — Source-mode Wrap as Strikethrough / Unwrap Strikethrough: wraps the selection as `~~text~~`; peels the mark under the cursor. Fences, tilde runs, and existing marks skipped. Does not rewrite the rest of the note. Files: `apps/desktop/src/renderer/plugins/wrapStrike.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/plugins/index.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/plugins/__tests__/editorPacks.test.ts`.
 - 2026-08-28 — Source-mode Jump to Next/Previous Strikethrough: next `~~text~~`, wraps, fences and tilde runs skipped. Does not rewrite. Files: `apps/desktop/src/renderer/plugins/jumpStrike.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/plugins/wrapStrike.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/plugins/index.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/plugins/__tests__/editorPacks.test.ts`.
 - 2026-08-28 — GSAP `panel-in` on the AI aside (8px from the right). Width snaps; inner `.ai-panel` no longer owns the tween so overflow does not clip it. Reduced-motion / Low skip the enter. Files: `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/gsapRuntime.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/panelIn.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/App.tsx`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/ai/AiPanel.tsx`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/styles/global.css`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/panelIn.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/gsapRuntime.test.ts`.
+- 2026-08-28 — GSAP `chrome-hover` / `chrome-press` on sidebar rows (6px hover, 8px press). Delegated from the sidebar root onto `[data-chrome-press]`. Reduced-motion / Low snap to rest. Files: `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/gsapRuntime.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/chromePress.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarQuickFilters.tsx`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/StatusFilters.tsx`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/TagsList.tsx`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/sidebar/NotebookItem.tsx`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/chromePress.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/src/renderer/motion/__tests__/gsapRuntime.test.ts`.