diff --git a/static/app.js b/static/app.js
index d753b12..3fe4e00 100644
--- a/static/app.js
+++ b/static/app.js
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ async function refreshAll() {
       const status = statusResult.value;
       updateEventsTable(status.events || [], status.total_active);
       updateStatusBar(status.summary || {}, status.last_check || '', status.daemon_ok);
+      if (typeof window.gandalfNotifUpdate === 'function') window.gandalfNotifUpdate(status.events || []);
     } else {
       showToast('Status data unavailable', 'warning');
     }
diff --git a/templates/base.html b/templates/base.html
index e4e0887..e605a11 100644
--- a/templates/base.html
+++ b/templates/base.html
@@ -140,6 +140,38 @@
       {% if user.groups and 'admin' in user.groups %}
       <span class="lt-badge lt-badge-admin" aria-label="Administrator">ADMIN</span>
       {% endif %}
+
+      <!-- Notification bell — shows active monitoring alerts -->
+      <div class="lt-notif-dropdown-wrap" id="lt-notif-wrap">
+        <button type="button"
+                class="lt-btn lt-btn-ghost lt-btn-sm lt-notif-bell-btn"
+                id="lt-notif-bell"
+                aria-label="Active alerts"
+                aria-expanded="false"
+                aria-controls="lt-notif-panel"
+                title="Active alerts">&#x1F514;</button>
+        <div class="lt-notif-panel" id="lt-notif-panel" aria-hidden="true" role="dialog" aria-label="Active alerts">
+          <div class="lt-notif-panel-header">
+            <span>Active Alerts</span>
+            <button type="button" class="lt-notif-panel-clear" id="lt-notif-clear-btn">Mark all read</button>
+          </div>
+          <div class="lt-notif-panel-list" id="lt-notif-list">
+            <div style="padding:0.75rem;font-size:0.75rem;color:var(--text-muted);text-align:center">Loading&hellip;</div>
+          </div>
+          <div class="lt-notif-panel-footer">
+            <a href="{{ url_for('index') }}" class="lt-btn lt-btn-ghost lt-btn-sm" style="width:100%;text-align:center;display:block;font-size:0.72rem">View dashboard</a>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <!-- ⌘K affordance -->
+      <button type="button"
+              class="lt-btn lt-btn-ghost lt-btn-sm"
+              title="Command palette (Ctrl+K)"
+              aria-label="Open command palette"
+              onclick="if(window.lt&&lt.cmdPalette)lt.cmdPalette.open()"
+              style="font-size:0.65rem;opacity:0.55;letter-spacing:0.03em;padding:0.2rem 0.45rem">&#x2315;&nbsp;K</button>
+
       <button type="button" class="lt-theme-btn" id="lt-theme-btn"
               aria-label="Toggle theme" title="Toggle light/dark mode">&#x2600;</button>
     </div>
@@ -170,12 +202,19 @@
     {% block content %}{% endblock %}
   </main>
 
-  <!-- FOOTER -->
+  <!-- FOOTER — context-sensitive per page -->
   <footer class="lt-footer" role="contentinfo">
     <nav class="lt-footer-hints" aria-label="Keyboard shortcuts">
-      <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ Ctrl+K ]</span> SEARCH</span>
-      <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
-      <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ R ]</span> REFRESH</span>
+      {% if request.endpoint == 'index' %}
+        <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ R ]</span> REFRESH</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ S ]</span> SUPPRESS</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+      {% elif request.endpoint == 'links_page' %}
+        <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ R ]</span> REFRESH</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+      {% endif %}
+      <button type="button" class="lt-footer-hint" data-action="open-settings"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ * ]</span> CFG</button>
       <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
       <button type="button" class="lt-footer-hint" data-action="show-keyboard-help"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ ? ]</span> HELP</button>
     </nav>
@@ -194,9 +233,11 @@
           <thead><tr><th>Shortcut</th><th>Action</th></tr></thead>
           <tbody>
             <tr><td>Ctrl / &#x2318; + K</td><td>Command palette</td></tr>
-            <tr><td>R</td><td>Refresh dashboard data</td></tr>
+            <tr><td>R</td><td>Refresh data (Dashboard / Link Debug)</td></tr>
+            <tr><td>S</td><td>Quick-suppress alert (Dashboard)</td></tr>
+            <tr><td>*</td><td>Open settings</td></tr>
             <tr><td>?</td><td>Show this help</td></tr>
-            <tr><td>ESC</td><td>Close modal</td></tr>
+            <tr><td>ESC</td><td>Close modal / panel</td></tr>
           </tbody>
         </table>
       </div>
@@ -206,6 +247,45 @@
     </div>
   </div>
 
+  <!-- SETTINGS MODAL -->
+  <div id="lt-settings-modal" class="lt-modal-overlay" aria-hidden="true">
+    <div class="lt-modal" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" aria-labelledby="settings-modal-title">
+      <div class="lt-modal-header">
+        <span class="lt-modal-title" id="settings-modal-title">Settings</span>
+        <button type="button" class="lt-modal-close" data-modal-close aria-label="Close">&#x2715;</button>
+      </div>
+      <div class="lt-modal-body">
+        <div class="lt-form-group">
+          <label class="lt-label">Auto-refresh interval</label>
+          <div class="duration-pills" id="settings-refresh-pills">
+            <button type="button" class="pill" data-refresh-interval="15">15 s</button>
+            <button type="button" class="pill" data-refresh-interval="30">30 s</button>
+            <button type="button" class="pill" data-refresh-interval="60">1 min</button>
+            <button type="button" class="pill" data-refresh-interval="300">5 min</button>
+            <button type="button" class="pill" data-refresh-interval="0">Off</button>
+          </div>
+          <div class="lt-field-hint" id="settings-refresh-hint"></div>
+        </div>
+        <div class="lt-divider" style="margin:1rem 0 0.75rem"></div>
+        <div class="lt-kv-grid">
+          <div class="lt-kv-row">
+            <span class="lt-kv-label">User</span>
+            <span class="lt-kv-value lt-text-cyan">{{ user.name or user.username }}</span>
+          </div>
+          {% if user.groups %}
+          <div class="lt-kv-row">
+            <span class="lt-kv-label">Groups</span>
+            <span class="lt-kv-value">{{ user.groups | join(', ') }}</span>
+          </div>
+          {% endif %}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      <div class="lt-modal-footer">
+        <button type="button" class="lt-btn" data-modal-close>Close</button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+
   <script>
     const GANDALF_CONFIG = {
       ticket_web_url: "{{ config.get('ticket_api', {}).get('web_url', 'http://t.lotusguild.org/ticket/') }}"
@@ -224,35 +304,189 @@
 
       // Command palette
       lt.cmdPalette.init([
-        { id: 'nav-dashboard',    group: 'Navigate', icon: '~', label: 'Dashboard',    action: function() { window.location.href = '/'; } },
-        { id: 'nav-links',        group: 'Navigate', icon: '↗', label: 'Link Debug',   action: function() { window.location.href = '/links'; } },
-        { id: 'nav-inspector',    group: 'Navigate', icon: '⬡', label: 'Inspector',    action: function() { window.location.href = '/inspector'; } },
-        { id: 'nav-suppressions', group: 'Navigate', icon: '🔕', label: 'Suppressions', action: function() { window.location.href = '/suppressions'; } },
-        { id: 'help-shortcuts',   group: 'Help',     icon: '?', label: 'Keyboard Shortcuts', action: function() { lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help'); } },
-        { id: 'help-theme',       group: 'Help',     icon: '*', label: 'Toggle Theme',  action: function() { lt.theme.toggle(); } },
-        { id: 'action-refresh',   group: 'Actions',  icon: '↻', label: 'Refresh Data', kbd: 'R', action: function() { if (typeof refreshAll === 'function') refreshAll(); } },
+        { id: 'nav-dashboard',    group: 'Navigate', icon: '~',  label: 'Dashboard',          action: function() { window.location.href = '/'; } },
+        { id: 'nav-links',        group: 'Navigate', icon: '↗',  label: 'Link Debug',          action: function() { window.location.href = '/links'; } },
+        { id: 'nav-inspector',    group: 'Navigate', icon: '⬡',  label: 'Inspector',           action: function() { window.location.href = '/inspector'; } },
+        { id: 'nav-suppressions', group: 'Navigate', icon: '🔕', label: 'Suppressions',        action: function() { window.location.href = '/suppressions'; } },
+        { id: 'action-refresh',   group: 'Actions',  icon: '↻',  label: 'Refresh Data',  kbd: 'R', action: function() { lt.autoRefresh.now(); } },
+        { id: 'action-suppress',  group: 'Actions',  icon: '🔕', label: 'New Suppression', kbd: 'S', action: function() { if (typeof openSuppressModal === 'function') openSuppressModal('host','',''); else window.location.href='/suppressions'; } },
+        { id: 'help-shortcuts',   group: 'Help',     icon: '?',  label: 'Keyboard Shortcuts',  kbd: '?', action: function() { lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help'); } },
+        { id: 'help-settings',    group: 'Help',     icon: '*',  label: 'Settings',             kbd: '*', action: function() { lt.modal.open('lt-settings-modal'); } },
+        { id: 'help-theme',       group: 'Help',     icon: '☀',  label: 'Toggle Theme',         action: function() { lt.theme.toggle(); } },
       ]);
     }
 
-    // Footer hint actions
+    // ── Global footer + key actions ───────────────────────────────────────
     document.addEventListener('click', function(e) {
       var btn = e.target.closest('[data-action]');
       if (!btn) return;
-      if (btn.getAttribute('data-action') === 'show-keyboard-help' && window.lt) {
-        lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help');
-      }
+      var action = btn.getAttribute('data-action');
+      if (action === 'show-keyboard-help' && window.lt)  lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help');
+      if (action === 'open-settings' && window.lt)       lt.modal.open('lt-settings-modal');
     });
 
-    lt.keys.on('r', function() {
-      if (typeof refreshAll === 'function') refreshAll();
+    lt.keys.on('r', function() { lt.autoRefresh.now(); });
+    lt.keys.on('?', function() { if (window.lt) lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help'); });
+    lt.keys.on('*', function() { if (window.lt) lt.modal.open('lt-settings-modal'); });
+    lt.keys.on('s', function() {
+      if (typeof openSuppressModal === 'function') openSuppressModal('host', '', '');
     });
 
-    // Avatar image error fallback — hide broken img, reveal initials beneath
+    // ── Avatar image error fallback ───────────────────────────────────────
     document.addEventListener('error', function(e) {
       if (e.target.tagName === 'IMG' && e.target.closest('.lt-avatar')) {
         e.target.classList.add('lt-avatar-img-err');
       }
     }, true);
+
+    // ── Settings modal ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    (function() {
+      var LS_KEY = 'gandalf_settings';
+      var DEFAULT = { refreshInterval: 30 };
+
+      function loadSettings() {
+        try { return Object.assign({}, DEFAULT, JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(LS_KEY) || '{}')); }
+        catch(_) { return Object.assign({}, DEFAULT); }
+      }
+
+      function saveSettings(s) {
+        try { localStorage.setItem(LS_KEY, JSON.stringify(s)); } catch(_) {}
+        if (typeof window.onGandalfSettingsChanged === 'function') window.onGandalfSettingsChanged(s);
+      }
+
+      function applyRefreshPillUI(interval) {
+        document.querySelectorAll('#settings-refresh-pills .pill').forEach(function(p) {
+          p.classList.toggle('active', parseInt(p.dataset.refreshInterval) === interval);
+        });
+        var hint = document.getElementById('settings-refresh-hint');
+        if (hint) {
+          if (interval === 0)        hint.textContent = 'Auto-refresh disabled.';
+          else if (interval < 60)    hint.textContent = 'Refreshes every ' + interval + ' seconds.';
+          else                       hint.textContent = 'Refreshes every ' + Math.floor(interval/60) + ' minute' + (interval > 60 ? 's' : '') + '.';
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Init pill UI from saved settings
+      var _settings = loadSettings();
+      applyRefreshPillUI(_settings.refreshInterval);
+
+      // Expose for pages that need to read it (e.g. index.html for autoRefresh)
+      window.gandalfSettings = _settings;
+
+      document.addEventListener('click', function(e) {
+        var pill = e.target.closest('#settings-refresh-pills .pill[data-refresh-interval]');
+        if (!pill) return;
+        var interval = parseInt(pill.dataset.refreshInterval);
+        _settings.refreshInterval = interval;
+        saveSettings(_settings);
+        applyRefreshPillUI(interval);
+      });
+    })();
+
+    // ── Notification Bell — shows active monitoring alerts ────────────────
+    (function() {
+      var bell     = document.getElementById('lt-notif-bell');
+      var panel    = document.getElementById('lt-notif-panel');
+      var list     = document.getElementById('lt-notif-list');
+      var clearBtn = document.getElementById('lt-notif-clear-btn');
+      var wrapEl   = document.getElementById('lt-notif-wrap');
+      if (!bell || !panel) return;
+
+      var _open      = false;
+      var _lastEvents = [];
+      var LS_READ_KEY = 'gandalf_notif_read_before';
+
+      function getReadBefore() {
+        try { return parseInt(localStorage.getItem(LS_READ_KEY) || '0'); } catch(_) { return 0; }
+      }
+      function setReadBefore(ts) {
+        try { localStorage.setItem(LS_READ_KEY, String(ts)); } catch(_) {}
+      }
+
+      function esc(s) {
+        return (window.lt && lt.escHtml) ? lt.escHtml(String(s)) : String(s).replace(/&/g,'&amp;').replace(/</g,'&lt;').replace(/>/g,'&gt;');
+      }
+
+      function toMs(dateStr) {
+        if (!dateStr) return 0;
+        return new Date(dateStr.replace(' UTC','Z').replace(' ','T')).getTime();
+      }
+
+      function fmtAgo(dateStr) {
+        var diff = Math.floor((Date.now() - toMs(dateStr)) / 1000);
+        if (diff < 60)    return diff + 's ago';
+        if (diff < 3600)  return Math.floor(diff/60) + 'm ago';
+        if (diff < 86400) return Math.floor(diff/3600) + 'h ago';
+        return Math.floor(diff/86400) + 'd ago';
+      }
+
+      var SEV_DOT = { critical: 'var(--red)', warning: 'var(--amber)' };
+
+      function renderAlerts(events) {
+        _lastEvents = events || [];
+        var readBefore = getReadBefore();
+        var active = _lastEvents.filter(function(e) { return e.severity !== 'info'; });
+        var unreadCount = active.filter(function(e) { return toMs(e.last_seen) > readBefore; }).length;
+        lt.notif.set(bell, unreadCount);
+
+        if (!active.length) {
+          list.innerHTML = '<div style="padding:1rem;font-size:0.75rem;color:var(--text-muted);text-align:center">&#x2714; No active alerts</div>';
+          return;
+        }
+        list.innerHTML = active.slice(0, 25).map(function(e) {
+          var isUnread = toMs(e.last_seen) > readBefore;
+          var dotColor = SEV_DOT[e.severity] || 'var(--text-muted)';
+          return '<div class="lt-notif-item' + (isUnread ? ' lt-notif-item--unread' : '') + '">' +
+            '<div class="lt-notif-dot' + (isUnread ? '' : ' lt-notif-dot--read') + '" style="background:' + dotColor + ';border-radius:50%;margin-top:4px"></div>' +
+            '<div class="lt-notif-item-body">' +
+              '<div class="lt-notif-item-title">' + esc(e.target_name) + (e.target_detail ? ' &middot; ' + esc(e.target_detail) : '') + '</div>' +
+              '<div class="lt-notif-item-time">' + esc(e.event_type.replace(/_/g,' ')) + ' &middot; ' + fmtAgo(e.last_seen) + '</div>' +
+            '</div></div>';
+        }).join('');
+      }
+
+      function fetchAlerts(andRender) {
+        fetch('/api/status', { credentials: 'same-origin' })
+          .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
+          .then(function(data) {
+            var events = data.events || [];
+            if (andRender) {
+              renderAlerts(events);
+            } else {
+              _lastEvents = events;
+              var readBefore = getReadBefore();
+              var active = events.filter(function(e) { return e.severity !== 'info'; });
+              var unread = active.filter(function(e) { return toMs(e.last_seen) > readBefore; }).length;
+              lt.notif.set(bell, unread);
+            }
+          })
+          .catch(function() {
+            if (andRender) list.innerHTML = '<div style="padding:0.75rem;font-size:0.75rem;color:var(--text-muted);text-align:center">Could not load</div>';
+          });
+      }
+
+      function openPanel()  { _open = true;  panel.removeAttribute('aria-hidden'); bell.setAttribute('aria-expanded','true');  fetchAlerts(true); }
+      function closePanel() { _open = false; panel.setAttribute('aria-hidden','true'); bell.setAttribute('aria-expanded','false'); }
+
+      bell.addEventListener('click', function(e) { e.stopPropagation(); _open ? closePanel() : openPanel(); });
+
+      if (clearBtn) {
+        clearBtn.addEventListener('click', function() {
+          setReadBefore(Date.now());
+          renderAlerts(_lastEvents);
+        });
+      }
+
+      document.addEventListener('click', function(e) { if (_open && wrapEl && !wrapEl.contains(e.target)) closePanel(); });
+      document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e) { if (e.key === 'Escape' && _open) closePanel(); });
+
+      // Initial badge load + poll every 60 s
+      fetchAlerts(false);
+      setInterval(function() { fetchAlerts(_open); }, 60000);
+
+      // Allow refreshAll() to also push fresh events to the bell
+      window.gandalfNotifUpdate = function(events) { renderAlerts(events); };
+    })();
   </script>
 
 </body>
diff --git a/templates/index.html b/templates/index.html
index cd897a5..cefd5f9 100644
--- a/templates/index.html
+++ b/templates/index.html
@@ -463,7 +463,16 @@
 
 {% block scripts %}
 <script>
-  lt.autoRefresh.start(refreshAll, 30000);
+  // Start auto-refresh using saved settings interval (default 30 s)
+  var _savedInterval = (window.gandalfSettings && window.gandalfSettings.refreshInterval) || 30;
+  if (_savedInterval > 0) lt.autoRefresh.start(refreshAll, _savedInterval * 1000);
+
+  // When settings change, restart auto-refresh with new interval
+  window.onGandalfSettingsChanged = function(s) {
+    lt.autoRefresh.stop();
+    if (s.refreshInterval > 0) lt.autoRefresh.start(refreshAll, s.refreshInterval * 1000);
+  };
+
   document.getElementById('suppress-form')?.addEventListener('submit', submitSuppress);
   document.getElementById('sup-type')?.addEventListener('change', updateSuppressForm);
 
diff --git a/templates/links.html b/templates/links.html
index 70ad320..7881eb4 100644
--- a/templates/links.html
+++ b/templates/links.html
@@ -518,7 +518,13 @@ async function loadLinks() {
 }
 
 loadLinks();
-lt.autoRefresh.start(loadLinks, 60000);
+var _linksInterval = (window.gandalfSettings && window.gandalfSettings.refreshInterval) || 60;
+if (_linksInterval > 0) lt.autoRefresh.start(loadLinks, Math.max(_linksInterval, 15) * 1000);
+
+window.onGandalfSettingsChanged = function(s) {
+  lt.autoRefresh.stop();
+  if (s.refreshInterval > 0) lt.autoRefresh.start(loadLinks, Math.max(s.refreshInterval, 15) * 1000);
+};
 
 document.addEventListener('click', e => {
   const toggleTitle = e.target.closest('[data-action="toggle-panel"]');