diff --git a/src/app/(auth)/layout.tsx b/src/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
index 3724163..860c365 100644
--- a/src/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { Scissors } from "lucide-react";
 import { getBranding } from "@/lib/business/branding";
+import { AuthHeader } from "@/features/auth/components/auth-header";
 
 /**
  * Every auth page (sign-in, register, forgot-password, verify) shares
@@ -24,14 +24,7 @@ export default async function AuthLayout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNo
   return (
     <div className="flex min-h-screen flex-col bg-stone p-6">
       <div id="main-content" className="mx-auto flex w-full max-w-md flex-1 flex-col justify-center">
-        <div className="mb-8 flex h-16 w-16 items-center justify-center rounded-[1.25rem] bg-ink text-3xl text-white shadow-xl shadow-ink/20">
-          {branding.logoUrl ? (
-            // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element -- external, business-supplied URL.
-            <img src={branding.logoUrl} alt="" className="h-full w-full rounded-[1.25rem] object-cover" />
-          ) : (
-            <Scissors className="h-7 w-7" aria-hidden="true" />
-          )}
-        </div>
+        <AuthHeader logoUrl={branding.logoUrl} />
         {children}
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/app/(auth)/register/page.tsx b/src/app/(auth)/register/page.tsx
index fa8021b..18a746d 100644
--- a/src/app/(auth)/register/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(auth)/register/page.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export default async function RegisterPage() {
   return (
     <div>
       <h1 className="mb-2 text-3xl font-bold tracking-tight">Join {branding.name}</h1>
-      <p className="mb-10 text-muted">Create an account to track your appointments and loyalty.</p>
+      <p className="mb-5 text-sm text-muted">Create an account to track your appointments &amp; loyalty.</p>
       {/* useSearchParams in RegisterForm requires a Suspense boundary. */}
       <Suspense>
         <RegisterForm />
diff --git a/src/app/(auth)/sign-in/page.tsx b/src/app/(auth)/sign-in/page.tsx
index 6a37132..8fce6db 100644
--- a/src/app/(auth)/sign-in/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(auth)/sign-in/page.tsx
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ export default async function SignInPage() {
   const branding = await getBranding();
   return (
     <div>
-      <h1 className="mb-2 text-4xl font-bold tracking-tight">Welcome back to {branding.name}</h1>
-      <p className="mb-12 leading-relaxed text-muted">
+      <h1 className="mb-2 text-2xl font-bold tracking-tight">Welcome back to {branding.name}</h1>
+      <p className="mb-12 text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted">
         Please enter your credentials to access your appointments.
       </p>
       {/* useSearchParams in SignInForm requires a Suspense boundary. */}
diff --git a/src/app/(customer)/home/page.tsx b/src/app/(customer)/home/page.tsx
index 4f67b63..0e49857 100644
--- a/src/app/(customer)/home/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(customer)/home/page.tsx
@@ -143,12 +143,12 @@ export default async function CustomerHomePage() {
     <div>
       {/* Hero — an owner-managed gallery (see /owner/settings/gallery), matching the content width rather than bleeding edge-to-edge. */}
       {heroGalleryImages.length > 0 && (
-        <div className="mx-auto max-w-2xl px-6 pt-4 bg-white border-line border-b">
+        <div className="mx-auto max-w-2xl pb-1 bg-white border-line border-b">
           <ImageGallery images={heroGalleryImages} />
         </div>
       )}
 
-      <main className="mx-auto max-w-2xl bg-white px-6 py-6">
+      <main className="mx-auto max-w-2xl bg-white px-6 pt-3 pb-6">
         {/* {session?.user && (
           <p className="text-muted mb-1 text-sm">
             Good to see you, {session.user.name?.split(" ")[0] ?? "there"}
diff --git a/src/app/page.tsx b/src/app/page.tsx
index 8f818cd..01a0ee6 100644
--- a/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -33,41 +33,50 @@ export default async function WelcomePage() {
   const [branding, business] = await Promise.all([getBranding(), getPrimaryBusiness()]);
   const guestBookingEnabled = business.bookingRule?.allowGuestBooking ?? false;
 
-  const hasBackground = !!(branding.welcomeBackgroundDesktopUrl || branding.welcomeBackgroundMobileUrl);
+  // The hero card's photo — the welcome-specific background the owner
+  // uploaded for this exact screen takes priority (it was purpose-built for
+  // it, see BrandingInfo.welcomeBackgroundMobileUrl/DesktopUrl); the
+  // general-purpose cover shot is only a fallback for a business that
+  // configured a cover image but never set a dedicated welcome background.
+  // Desktop and mobile keep their own independent images, same as before.
+  const heroImageMobileUrl = branding.welcomeBackgroundMobileUrl ?? branding.welcomeBackgroundDesktopUrl ?? branding.coverImageUrl;
+  const heroImageDesktopUrl = branding.welcomeBackgroundDesktopUrl ?? branding.welcomeBackgroundMobileUrl ?? branding.coverImageUrl;
+
+  const hasHeroImage = !!(heroImageMobileUrl || heroImageDesktopUrl);
 
   return (
     <div id="main-content" className="relative flex min-h-screen flex-col justify-end overflow-hidden bg-ink px-8 pb-16 text-white">
-      {/* Desktop/mobile are independent images (not one image cropped two ways) — see BrandingInfo.welcomeBackgroundDesktopUrl/MobileUrl. Falls back to the plain bg-ink above when neither is set. */}
-      {branding.welcomeBackgroundDesktopUrl && (
-        <div
-          className="absolute inset-0 hidden bg-cover bg-center md:block"
-          style={{ backgroundImage: `url(${branding.welcomeBackgroundDesktopUrl})` }}
-          aria-hidden="true"
-        />
-      )}
-      {branding.welcomeBackgroundMobileUrl && (
+      {/* Full-bleed background — desktop/mobile are independent images, not one crop stretched two ways. */}
+      {heroImageMobileUrl && (
         <div
           className="absolute inset-0 block bg-cover bg-center md:hidden"
-          style={{ backgroundImage: `url(${branding.welcomeBackgroundMobileUrl})` }}
+          style={{ backgroundImage: `url(${heroImageMobileUrl})` }}
           aria-hidden="true"
         />
       )}
-      {hasBackground && (
+      {heroImageDesktopUrl && (
+        <div
+          className="absolute inset-0 hidden bg-cover bg-center md:block"
+          style={{ backgroundImage: `url(${heroImageDesktopUrl})` }}
+          aria-hidden="true"
+        />
+      )}
+      {hasHeroImage && (
         <div className="from-ink via-ink/60 absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t to-transparent" aria-hidden="true" />
       )}
 
-      <div className="relative z-10 flex flex-1 flex-col justify-end">
-        <div className="mb-8 flex h-16 w-16 items-center justify-center rounded-2xl bg-white text-ink">
+      <div className="relative z-10 mx-auto flex w-full max-w-sm flex-1 flex-col justify-end">
+        <div className="mx-auto mb-8 flex items-center justify-center overflow-hidden text-ink">
           {branding.logoUrl ? (
             // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element -- external, business-supplied URL; not a build-time-known local asset for next/image.
-            <img src={branding.logoUrl} alt="" className="h-full w-full rounded-2xl object-cover" />
+            <img src={branding.logoUrl} alt="" className="h-48 w-48 object-cover" />
           ) : (
-            <Scissors className="h-7 w-7" aria-hidden="true" />
+            <Scissors className="h-8 w-8" aria-hidden="true" />
           )}
         </div>
-        <h1 className="mb-4 text-5xl font-bold tracking-tight">{branding.name}</h1>
-        <p className="mb-12 max-w-xs text-lg text-white/70">
-          Book your next visit in seconds — services, staff and loyalty rewards in one place.
+        <h1 className="mb-4 text-3xl font-bold tracking-tight">{branding.name}</h1>
+        <p className="mb-8 max-w-xs text-lg text-white/85">
+              Find, book &amp; manage your appointments with ease.
         </p>
 
         <div className="space-y-4">
diff --git a/src/components/ui/image-gallery.tsx b/src/components/ui/image-gallery.tsx
index e060839..7764c36 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/image-gallery.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/image-gallery.tsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export function ImageGallery({ images, className }: ImageGalleryProps) {
 
   return (
     <div className={cn("w-full", className)}>
-      <div className="bg-stone relative aspect-[16/9] w-full overflow-hidden rounded-md">
+      <div className="bg-stone relative aspect-[16/9] w-full overflow-hidden">
         {/* eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element -- local/user-supplied URL, same pattern used app-wide */}
         <img src={active.url} alt={active.caption ?? ""} className="h-full w-full object-cover" />
         {images.length > 1 && (
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export function ImageGallery({ images, className }: ImageGalleryProps) {
               type="button"
               onClick={() => goTo(activeIndex - 1)}
               aria-label="Previous image"
-              className="bg-ink/60 hover:bg-ink/80 absolute top-1/2 left-3 flex h-8 w-8 -translate-y-1/2 items-center justify-center rounded-md text-white"
+              className="bg-ink/60 hover:bg-ink/80 absolute top-1/2 left-3 flex h-8 w-8 -translate-y-1/2 items-center justify-center rounded-sm text-white"
             >
               <ChevronLeft className="h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true" />
             </button>
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export function ImageGallery({ images, className }: ImageGalleryProps) {
       </div>
 
       {images.length > 1 && (
-        <div className="mt-2 flex gap-2 overflow-x-auto pb-1">
+        <div className="px-1 mt-1 flex gap-1 overflow-x-auto">
           {images.map((image, index) => (
             <button
               key={image.id}
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export function ImageGallery({ images, className }: ImageGalleryProps) {
               aria-label={`Show image ${index + 1}`}
               aria-current={index === activeIndex}
               className={cn(
-                "h-14 w-20 shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-lg border-2",
+                "h-14 w-20 shrink-0 overflow-hidden border-2",
                 index === activeIndex ? "border-ink" : "border-transparent opacity-70",
               )}
             >
diff --git a/src/features/auth/components/auth-header.tsx b/src/features/auth/components/auth-header.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a941578
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/auth/components/auth-header.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { ArrowLeft, Scissors } from "lucide-react";
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { usePathname } from "next/navigation";
+
+/**
+ * The shared (auth) layout's top-left slot — the business logo by default,
+ * or a back button to the welcome screen on Sign In and Register, the two
+ * auth pages reached directly from Welcome's own buttons (so "back" has an
+ * obvious, single destination there). forgot-password/verify are reached
+ * from elsewhere in the auth flow instead, where a logo reads better than
+ * an ambiguous "back". A small Client Component rather than making the
+ * whole layout client-side, since `usePathname()` is the only piece that
+ * needs the browser.
+ */
+export function AuthHeader({ logoUrl }: { logoUrl: string | null }) {
+  const pathname = usePathname();
+
+  if (pathname === "/register" || pathname === "/sign-in") {
+    return (
+      <Link
+        href="/"
+        aria-label="Back to welcome"
+        className="mb-8 flex h-12 w-12 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-line text-ink hover:bg-white"
+      >
+        <ArrowLeft className="h-6 w-6" aria-hidden="true" />
+      </Link>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="mx-auto mb-8 flex items-center justify-center text-3xl text-white">
+      {logoUrl ? (
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element -- external, business-supplied URL.
+        <img src={logoUrl} alt="" className="h-40 w-40 object-cover" />
+      ) : (
+        <Scissors className="h-7 w-7" aria-hidden="true" />
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}