diff --git a/src-node/package-lock.json b/src-node/package-lock.json
index 706395b31e..051245b909 100644
--- a/src-node/package-lock.json
+++ b/src-node/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
     "name": "@phcode/node-core",
-    "version": "5.1.17-0",
+    "version": "5.1.18-0",
     "lockfileVersion": 3,
     "requires": true,
     "packages": {
         "": {
             "name": "@phcode/node-core",
-            "version": "5.1.17-0",
+            "version": "5.1.18-0",
             "hasInstallScript": true,
             "license": "GNU-AGPL3.0",
             "dependencies": {
diff --git a/src/extensionsIntegrated/Phoenix/phoenix-tour.js b/src/extensionsIntegrated/Phoenix/phoenix-tour.js
index c600789338..6635a58205 100644
--- a/src/extensionsIntegrated/Phoenix/phoenix-tour.js
+++ b/src/extensionsIntegrated/Phoenix/phoenix-tour.js
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
 
     let $overlay = null;
     let _rafId = null;
+    let _resizeObserver = null;
+    let _positionHandler = null;
     let _timers = [];
 
     // Per-step: tracks a click on the highlighted target while the
@@ -97,10 +99,22 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
             clearTimeout(_timers[i]);
         }
         _timers = [];
+    }
+
+    function _stopTracking() {
         if (_rafId) {
             cancelAnimationFrame(_rafId);
             _rafId = null;
         }
+        if (_resizeObserver) {
+            _resizeObserver.disconnect();
+            _resizeObserver = null;
+        }
+        if (_positionHandler) {
+            window.removeEventListener("scroll", _positionHandler, true);
+            window.removeEventListener("resize", _positionHandler);
+            _positionHandler = null;
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -169,6 +183,7 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
 
     function _teardown() {
         _clearTimers();
+        _stopTracking();
         _detachStepClickMetric();
         _cancelStep2AIPeek();
         if ($overlay) {
@@ -185,8 +200,12 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
         }
         $overlay = $(
             '<div class="phoenix-tour-overlay" data-tip-placement="right">' +
-              '<div class="phoenix-tour-ring"></div>' +
-              '<div class="phoenix-tour-ring phoenix-tour-ring-2"></div>' +
+              '<div class="phoenix-tour-halo-outer"></div>' +
+              '<div class="phoenix-tour-halo-mid"></div>' +
+              '<div class="phoenix-tour-focus-ring"></div>' +
+              '<div class="phoenix-tour-pulse-ring"></div>' +
+              '<div class="phoenix-tour-pulse-ring phoenix-tour-pulse-ring-2"></div>' +
+              '<div class="phoenix-tour-pulse-ring phoenix-tour-pulse-ring-3"></div>' +
               '<div class="phoenix-tour-tooltip">' +
                 '<div class="phoenix-tour-step"></div>' +
                 '<div class="phoenix-tour-text"></div>' +
@@ -197,6 +216,22 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
         $overlay.appendTo(document.body);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Restart the ring animations at the new target so every step gets a
+     * fresh ripple → settle sequence, not the leftover settled rings from
+     * the previous step. The reflow read between class toggles is what
+     * makes the CSS animations restart; without it the browser coalesces
+     * the remove+add and nothing replays.
+     */
+    function _enterStep() {
+        if (!$overlay) {
+            return;
+        }
+        $overlay.removeClass("phoenix-tour-animating");
+        void $overlay[0].offsetWidth;
+        $overlay.addClass("phoenix-tour-visible phoenix-tour-animating");
+    }
+
     function _setText(text) {
         if ($overlay) {
             // `text` may include `\n` for multi-line steps; CSS uses
@@ -241,28 +276,53 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
     }
 
     function _trackTarget($target, placement) {
-        function update() {
-            if (!$overlay || !$target.length || !$target[0].isConnected) {
-                _rafId = null;
-                return;
+        // Tour targets are stationary toolbar buttons, so we position once
+        // and then react to scroll/resize/target-size changes via observers
+        // — avoids the compositor cost of a per-frame rAF loop on low-end
+        // hardware. The rAF below is only a short poll for targets that
+        // aren't laid out yet (zero-size on first call).
+        _stopTracking();
+        if (!$overlay || !$target.length) {
+            return;
+        }
+        $overlay.attr("data-tip-placement", placement || "right");
+        const targetEl = $target[0];
+
+        function position() {
+            if (!$overlay || !targetEl.isConnected) {
+                return false;
             }
-            const r = $target[0].getBoundingClientRect();
+            const r = targetEl.getBoundingClientRect();
             if (r.width === 0 && r.height === 0) {
-                _rafId = requestAnimationFrame(update);
-                return;
+                return false;
             }
             const cx = r.left + r.width / 2;
             const cy = r.top + r.height / 2;
             const el = $overlay[0];
             el.style.left = cx + "px";
             el.style.top = cy + "px";
-            _rafId = requestAnimationFrame(update);
+            return true;
         }
-        if (_rafId) {
-            cancelAnimationFrame(_rafId);
+
+        function attachObservers() {
+            _positionHandler = position;
+            if (typeof ResizeObserver !== "undefined") {
+                _resizeObserver = new ResizeObserver(position);
+                _resizeObserver.observe(targetEl);
+            }
+            window.addEventListener("scroll", _positionHandler, true);
+            window.addEventListener("resize", _positionHandler);
         }
-        $overlay.attr("data-tip-placement", placement || "right");
-        update();
+
+        function pollUntilVisible() {
+            if (position()) {
+                _rafId = null;
+                attachObservers();
+                return;
+            }
+            _rafId = requestAnimationFrame(pollUntilVisible);
+        }
+        pollUntilVisible();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -297,7 +357,7 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
         // demo is too quick to read.
         _setText(Strings.PHOENIX_TOUR_DESIGN_MODE);
         _setActions([]); // hidden during the auto-demo
-        $overlay.addClass("phoenix-tour-visible");
+        _enterStep();
 
         // Auto-demo: enter design mode, hold, exit, then show "Next".
         _timers.push(setTimeout(function () {
@@ -352,6 +412,7 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
             }
         ]);
         _attachStepClickMetric(2, $tab);
+        _enterStep();
         // Auto-peek the AI panel for a couple of seconds so the user gets
         // a glance at its contents, then revert.
         _runStep2AIPeek();
@@ -384,6 +445,7 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
                 }
             }
         ]);
+        _enterStep();
         // Intentionally do NOT advance on a real click of the target — only
         // the Next button advances.
     }
@@ -477,6 +539,7 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
                 }
             }
         ]);
+        _enterStep();
     }
 
     function _shouldRun() {
diff --git a/src/styles/Extn-PhoenixTour.less b/src/styles/Extn-PhoenixTour.less
index 88ce05e8ff..50adfbdfd6 100644
--- a/src/styles/Extn-PhoenixTour.less
+++ b/src/styles/Extn-PhoenixTour.less
@@ -38,7 +38,18 @@
     }
 }
 
-.phoenix-tour-ring {
+/* Two-phase ring system:
+   1. ~3.2s of animated pulse (three staggered ripples) — the initial
+      attention-grab.
+   2. Pulse fades out and a settled focus halo appears: two soft radial
+      gradient annuli (transparent centers, feathered edges) plus a crisp
+      ring snug around the target icon. Reads as a deliberate spotlight,
+      not a stalled ripple. Pulse is bounded (not infinite) so weak GPUs
+      aren't stuck rasterizing scaling box-shadowed elements forever. */
+
+/* Phase 1: 3 staggered pulse rings, 1.6s each at 0.8s intervals → ripple
+   stays continuously visible from t=0 to t=3.2s. */
+.phoenix-tour-pulse-ring {
     position: absolute;
     left: 50%;
     top: 50%;
@@ -48,12 +59,20 @@
     border: 2px solid #4aa3ff;
     border-radius: 50%;
     box-shadow: 0 0 12px rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.45);
-    opacity: 0.9;
-    animation: phoenix-tour-pulse 1.6s ease-out infinite;
+    opacity: 0;
+    pointer-events: none;
 }
 
-.phoenix-tour-ring-2 {
-    animation-delay: 0.8s;
+.phoenix-tour-overlay.phoenix-tour-animating {
+    .phoenix-tour-pulse-ring {
+        animation: phoenix-tour-pulse 1.6s ease-out forwards;
+    }
+    .phoenix-tour-pulse-ring-2 {
+        animation-delay: 0.8s;
+    }
+    .phoenix-tour-pulse-ring-3 {
+        animation-delay: 1.6s;
+    }
 }
 
 @keyframes phoenix-tour-pulse {
@@ -70,6 +89,76 @@
     }
 }
 
+/* Phase 2: settled focus halo. All three layers share a common animation
+   that fades them in (with a slight inward-settle stagger) once the pulse
+   phase ends, then idles. */
+.phoenix-tour-halo-outer,
+.phoenix-tour-halo-mid,
+.phoenix-tour-focus-ring {
+    position: absolute;
+    left: 50%;
+    top: 50%;
+    border-radius: 50%;
+    pointer-events: none;
+    opacity: 0;
+}
+
+/* Wide soft outer glow — gentle "spotlight" reaching the surrounding UI.
+   Transparent at the very center so the inner layers and icon show
+   through, transparent again at the disc edge so it feathers into the
+   background instead of looking like a hard circle. */
+.phoenix-tour-halo-outer {
+    width: 180px;
+    height: 180px;
+    margin: -90px 0 0 -90px;
+    background: radial-gradient(circle closest-side,
+        transparent 38%,
+        rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.09) 55%,
+        rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.05) 75%,
+        transparent 100%);
+}
+
+/* Mid annulus — denser ring of fill that gives the halo visible structure
+   without resorting to a hard outline. */
+.phoenix-tour-halo-mid {
+    width: 96px;
+    height: 96px;
+    margin: -48px 0 0 -48px;
+    background: radial-gradient(circle closest-side,
+        transparent 28%,
+        rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.20) 50%,
+        rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.10) 75%,
+        transparent 100%);
+}
+
+/* Crisp focus ring at the icon — the unambiguous "this one" marker. */
+.phoenix-tour-focus-ring {
+    width: 38px;
+    height: 38px;
+    margin: -19px 0 0 -19px;
+    border: 2px solid rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.95);
+    background: rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.08);
+    box-shadow: 0 0 14px rgba(74, 163, 255, 0.55);
+}
+
+.phoenix-tour-overlay.phoenix-tour-animating {
+    .phoenix-tour-halo-outer,
+    .phoenix-tour-halo-mid,
+    .phoenix-tour-focus-ring {
+        animation: phoenix-tour-settle 600ms ease-out forwards;
+    }
+    /* Settle inward: outer halo first, then mid, then the crisp ring snaps
+       in last — feels like the ripples collapsing into a focus indicator. */
+    .phoenix-tour-halo-outer  { animation-delay: 3.2s; }
+    .phoenix-tour-halo-mid    { animation-delay: 3.35s; }
+    .phoenix-tour-focus-ring  { animation-delay: 3.5s; }
+}
+
+@keyframes phoenix-tour-settle {
+    0%   { opacity: 0; transform: scale(0.9); }
+    100% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
+}
+
 /* Tooltip — sits below-right of the ring so it stays within the viewport
    even when the target is near the top of the window (both tour targets,
    the design-mode button and the AI sidebar tab, sit at the top). Solid