diff --git a/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/app.rs b/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/app.rs
index ba194dc20d..b2fe908759 100644
--- a/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/app.rs
+++ b/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/app.rs
@@ -56,18 +56,11 @@ impl Application {
 
         let poll_timeout = Timespec {
             tv_sec: 0,
-            tv_nsec: 200_000_000,
+            tv_nsec: 100_000_000,
         };
         let mut prev_size = tui.size();
 
-        // Main event loop — poll stdin with 200 ms timeout so the
-        // terminal size can be checked between key presses.  When the
-        // user resizes the window without typing, poll times out, we
-        // detect the new size, and trigger a redraw.
         loop {
-            // Handle pending external execution (subshell or command line)
-            // before reading the next key. This runs every iteration
-            // regardless of which code path set the flag.
             if let Some(action) = take_external_action(&mut fm) {
                 tui = run_external(tui, &mut shell_manager, action)?;
                 render(&mut tui, &mut fm)?;
@@ -84,6 +77,13 @@ impl Application {
             }
 
             if !poll_fds[0].revents().contains(PollFlags::IN) {
+                fm.frame_count = fm.frame_count.wrapping_add(1);
+                fm.sync_animations();
+                fm.spinner.tick();
+                let toast_active = fm.toasts.tick();
+                if fm.spinner.is_active() || toast_active || fm.panel_switch_anim < 100 {
+                    render(&mut tui, &mut fm)?;
+                }
                 continue;
             }
 
@@ -306,6 +306,7 @@ fn render(tui: &mut Tui, fm: &mut FileManager) -> Result<()> {
     let area = ratatui::layout::Rect::new(0, 0, w, h);
     tui.terminal_mut().draw(|frame| {
         fm.render(frame, area);
+        fm.toasts.render(frame, area, &fm.theme);
     })?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/filemanager/mod.rs b/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/filemanager/mod.rs
index 52575568a6..90793bb156 100644
--- a/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/filemanager/mod.rs
+++ b/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/filemanager/mod.rs
@@ -194,6 +194,14 @@ pub struct FileManager {
     /// config.toml` and is updated whenever the user confirms one of
     /// the three options dialogs.
     pub runtime: crate::config::RuntimeConfig,
+    /// Spinner for background-job / loading indicators.
+    pub spinner: crate::widget::Spinner,
+    /// Toast notification manager (slide-in completion messages).
+    pub toasts: crate::widget::ToastManager,
+    /// Global animation frame counter (incremented every tick).
+    pub frame_count: u64,
+    /// Panel-switch animation percent (0 = just switched, 100 = settled).
+    pub panel_switch_anim: u8,
 }
 
 /// A copy or move operation that hit a destination-exists conflict
@@ -382,6 +390,10 @@ impl FileManager {
             pending_op: None,
             pending_ctrl_x: false,
             runtime: crate::config::RuntimeConfig::default(),
+            spinner: crate::widget::Spinner::new(),
+            toasts: crate::widget::ToastManager::new(),
+            frame_count: 0,
+            panel_switch_anim: 100,
         })
     }
 
@@ -420,9 +432,29 @@ impl FileManager {
     /// Switch focus to the other panel.
     pub fn switch_focus(&mut self) {
         self.active = self.active.other();
+        self.panel_switch_anim = 0;
         self.status.set_message("Switched panel");
     }
 
+    /// Sync spinner and toast state with background jobs.
+    /// Starts the spinner when any job is Running; stops it when all
+    /// are done. Pushes a toast for each newly-completed job.
+    pub fn sync_animations(&mut self) {
+        if self.panel_switch_anim < 100 {
+            self.panel_switch_anim = self.panel_switch_anim.saturating_add(25);
+        }
+        let snapshots = {
+            let reg = self.jobs.lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+            reg.list()
+        };
+        let any_running = snapshots.iter().any(|s| matches!(s.state, jobs::JobState::Running));
+        if any_running {
+            self.spinner.start();
+        } else {
+            self.spinner.stop();
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Swap the two panels (left ↔ right).
     pub fn swap_panels(&mut self) {
         std::mem::swap(&mut self.left, &mut self.right);
diff --git a/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/terminal/popup.rs b/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/terminal/popup.rs
index 16b52bed7d..80364fd77a 100644
--- a/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/terminal/popup.rs
+++ b/local/recipes/tui/tlc/source/src/terminal/popup.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 //! Shared popup helpers for centered modal surfaces.
 
+use ratatui::buffer::Buffer;
 use ratatui::layout::Rect;
-use ratatui::style::Style;
+use ratatui::style::{Modifier, Style};
 use ratatui::text::{Line, Span};
-use ratatui::widgets::{Block, Borders, Clear};
+use ratatui::widgets::{Block, BorderType, Borders, Clear};
 use ratatui::Frame;
 
 use crate::terminal::color::Theme;
@@ -41,7 +42,49 @@ pub fn mc_copy_move_rect(area: Rect, height: u16) -> Rect {
     centered_cols_rect(area, ((area.width * 2) / 3).max(68), height)
 }
 
+/// Render a drop shadow one cell below-right of `area`.
+///
+/// Fills the offset rectangle with the dark shade character (`▓`)
+/// so the popup appears to "float" above the underlying surface.
+/// Must be called **before** [`render_popup`] so the shadow is
+/// painted underneath the `Clear` widget.
+fn render_drop_shadow(buf: &mut Buffer, area: Rect, shadow_color: ratatui::style::Color) {
+    let style = Style::default().fg(shadow_color);
+    for y in (area.y + 1)..area.bottom() {
+        if let Some(cell) = buf.cell_mut((area.right(), y)) {
+            cell.set_char('▓').set_style(style);
+        }
+    }
+    for x in area.x..=area.right() {
+        if let Some(cell) = buf.cell_mut((x, area.bottom())) {
+            cell.set_char('▓').set_style(style);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Apply `Modifier::DIM` to every cell in `full_area` that is **outside**
+/// `popup_area`.  Creates a focus-scrim effect around the modal.
+fn render_backdrop_dim(buf: &mut Buffer, full_area: Rect, popup_area: Rect) {
+    for y in full_area.top()..full_area.bottom() {
+        for x in full_area.left()..full_area.right() {
+            if x >= popup_area.left()
+                && x < popup_area.right()
+                && y >= popup_area.top()
+                && y < popup_area.bottom()
+            {
+                continue;
+            }
+            if let Some(cell) = buf.cell_mut((x, y)) {
+                let existing = cell.style();
+                cell.set_style(existing.add_modifier(Modifier::DIM));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Render a standard popup shell and return its inner area.
+///
+/// Uses rounded borders and a drop shadow for a premium look.
 pub fn render_popup(frame: &mut Frame, area: Rect, title: impl Into<String>, theme: &Theme) -> Rect {
     let dialog_default = mc_skin::color_pair(theme.name, "dialog", "_default_");
     let dialog_title = mc_skin::color_pair(theme.name, "dialog", "dtitle");
@@ -49,9 +92,12 @@ pub fn render_popup(frame: &mut Frame, area: Rect, title: impl Into<String>, the
     let border_fg = dialog_title.map(|p| p.fg).unwrap_or(theme.border);
     let title_fg = dialog_title.map(|p| p.fg).unwrap_or(theme.title_fg);
     let title_bg = dialog_title.map(|p| p.bg).unwrap_or(theme.title_bg);
+
+    render_drop_shadow(frame.buffer_mut(), area, theme.shadow());
     frame.render_widget(Clear, area);
     let block = Block::default()
         .borders(Borders::ALL)
+        .border_type(BorderType::Rounded)
         .border_style(Style::default().fg(border_fg).bg(body_bg))
         .style(Style::default().bg(body_bg))
         .title(Span::styled(
@@ -63,6 +109,20 @@ pub fn render_popup(frame: &mut Frame, area: Rect, title: impl Into<String>, the
     inner
 }
 
+/// Like [`render_popup`] but also dims the surrounding content for a
+/// stronger focus effect.
+pub fn render_popup_focused(
+    frame: &mut Frame,
+    full_area: Rect,
+    area: Rect,
+    title: impl Into<String>,
+    theme: &Theme,
+) -> Rect {
+    let inner = render_popup(frame, area, title, theme);
+    render_backdrop_dim(frame.buffer_mut(), full_area, area);
+    inner
+}
+
 fn push_mc_button(
     spans: &mut Vec<Span<'static>>,
     label: &str,