diff --git a/docs/PLAN.md b/docs/PLAN.md
index d24da5a..d3decd7 100644
--- a/docs/PLAN.md
+++ b/docs/PLAN.md
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ Updated: 2026-04-02
 15. Added editable System settings with shared validation, a system update API, service/port conflict protection, and UI coverage for local save flows.
 16. Simplified the System tab layout by removing the redundant Runtime card and collapsing those fields into a compact settings section.
 17. Moved panel auth to server-issued expiring tokens with `sessionStorage` persistence and Compose-configurable credentials/TTL.
-18. Reworked Settings to store panel language/theme in `localStorage`, added RU/EN UI switching, and made service deletion warn before cascading linked-user removal.
+18. Reworked Settings to store panel language/theme in `localStorage`, added RU/EN UI switching, made service deletion warn before cascading linked-user removal, and then simplified the preferences UI back into a compact inline strip with a light default theme.
diff --git a/src/SystemTab.tsx b/src/SystemTab.tsx
index e68064a..14daa84 100644
--- a/src/SystemTab.tsx
+++ b/src/SystemTab.tsx
@@ -71,60 +71,54 @@ export default function SystemTab({
     <>
       <form className="system-editor" onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
         <section className="page-grid single-column system-grid">
-          <article className="panel-card">
-            <div className="card-header">
-              <h2>{text.common.panelPreferences}</h2>
-            </div>
-            <div className="system-fields">
-              <label className="field-group">
-                {text.common.language}
-                <select
-                  value={preferences.language}
-                  onChange={(event) =>
-                    onPreferencesChange({
-                      ...preferences,
-                      language: event.target.value as PanelLanguage,
-                    })
-                  }
-                >
-                  <option value="en">{text.common.english}</option>
-                  <option value="ru">{text.common.russian}</option>
-                </select>
-              </label>
-              <label className="field-group">
-                {text.common.theme}
-                <select
-                  value={preferences.theme}
-                  onChange={(event) =>
-                    onPreferencesChange({
-                      ...preferences,
-                      theme: event.target.value as PanelTheme,
-                    })
-                  }
-                >
-                  <option value="light">{getThemeLabel(preferences.language, 'light')}</option>
-                  <option value="dark">{getThemeLabel(preferences.language, 'dark')}</option>
-                  <option value="system">{getThemeLabel(preferences.language, 'system')}</option>
-                </select>
-              </label>
-            </div>
-          </article>
-
           <article className="panel-card">
             <div className="card-header">
               <h2>{text.settings.title}</h2>
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                className="button-secondary"
-                onClick={() =>
-                  setDraft((current) => ({
-                    ...current,
-                    services: [...current.services, createServiceDraft(current.services)],
-                  }))
-                }
-              >
-                {text.common.addService}
-              </button>
+              <div className="settings-toolbar">
+                <label className="field-group compact-field">
+                  <span>{text.common.language}</span>
+                  <select
+                    value={preferences.language}
+                    onChange={(event) =>
+                      onPreferencesChange({
+                        ...preferences,
+                        language: event.target.value as PanelLanguage,
+                      })
+                    }
+                  >
+                    <option value="en">{text.common.english}</option>
+                    <option value="ru">{text.common.russian}</option>
+                  </select>
+                </label>
+                <label className="field-group compact-field">
+                  <span>{text.common.theme}</span>
+                  <select
+                    value={preferences.theme}
+                    onChange={(event) =>
+                      onPreferencesChange({
+                        ...preferences,
+                        theme: event.target.value as PanelTheme,
+                      })
+                    }
+                  >
+                    <option value="light">{getThemeLabel(preferences.language, 'light')}</option>
+                    <option value="dark">{getThemeLabel(preferences.language, 'dark')}</option>
+                    <option value="system">{getThemeLabel(preferences.language, 'system')}</option>
+                  </select>
+                </label>
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  className="button-secondary"
+                  onClick={() =>
+                    setDraft((current) => ({
+                      ...current,
+                      services: [...current.services, createServiceDraft(current.services)],
+                    }))
+                  }
+                >
+                  {text.common.addService}
+                </button>
+              </div>
             </div>
             <div className="service-editor-list">
               {draft.services.map((service, index) => (
diff --git a/src/app.css b/src/app.css
index 37b6a0a..849e76d 100644
--- a/src/app.css
+++ b/src/app.css
@@ -450,6 +450,23 @@ button,
   color: var(--muted);
 }
 
+.settings-toolbar {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: end;
+  gap: 12px;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+}
+
+.compact-field {
+  min-width: 220px;
+  flex: 0 1 240px;
+}
+
+.compact-field span {
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: 12px;
+}
+
 .toolbar-actions {
   flex-wrap: wrap;
 }
@@ -563,10 +580,6 @@ tbody tr:last-child td {
   display: block;
 }
 
-.system-settings-card {
-  gap: 12px;
-}
-
 .system-fields,
 .service-editor-grid {
   display: grid;
@@ -694,7 +707,8 @@ pre {
   }
 
   .shell-header,
-  .table-toolbar {
+  .table-toolbar,
+  .settings-toolbar {
     flex-direction: column;
     align-items: flex-start;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/panelPreferences.ts b/src/lib/panelPreferences.ts
index 2b4e6f5..35f530a 100644
--- a/src/lib/panelPreferences.ts
+++ b/src/lib/panelPreferences.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ export interface PanelPreferences {
   theme: PanelTheme;
 }
 
-const PREFERENCES_KEY = '3proxy-ui-panel-preferences';
+const PREFERENCES_KEY = '3proxy-ui-panel-preferences-v2';
 
 export const defaultPanelPreferences: PanelPreferences = {
   language: 'en',
-  theme: 'system',
+  theme: 'light',
 };
 
 export function loadPanelPreferences(): PanelPreferences {