diff --git a/.changeset/calm-themes-follow.md b/.changeset/calm-themes-follow.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0293c32e81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/calm-themes-follow.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@emdash-cms/admin": patch
+---
+
+Fixes the admin appearance toggle so every click changes the visible color scheme. The admin follows the system preference whenever the selected appearance matches it.
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index d4705349c7..ed1379a5e2 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 545a062ace..491f2d3ef9 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-editor-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index 92ad6a0663..1ac09eecf5 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 3a747fb80a..6334016894 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-byline-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index c5400181d2..37444bc723 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 3351c7fac0..9aecc41f92 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-field-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index 5fa5243521..12483c800f 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 6ceac5b737..a7f5f2d6a2 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-date-range-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index 60b6f6ddb6..e7c14303e9 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index a5da628a60..18e9761fe7 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index 54880994fd..1efc8a6ab2 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 7a6c0f8a38..ddc60df239 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-list-status-filter-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index a75b5bb96d..4aa5978740 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 56ea358dcb..31cf633e74 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/content-new-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index da352b3a39..6641d06742 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 9362c4bea1..6d3f148caa 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index 6a1565c96d..c611092535 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index 9ffb29d096..3c81878b06 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 4bdaec5de6..e31c870026 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-mobile-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index cd7d15cf10..cc125eaf19 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/media-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index e2a1cac322..cf21b8c4ea 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 07322f7455..21252403b4 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/menus-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-ltr-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-ltr-chromium-linux.png
index 509e755206..29b875bc13 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-ltr-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-ltr-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-rtl-chromium-linux.png b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-rtl-chromium-linux.png
index 3407207dde..12150afd4b 100644
Binary files a/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-rtl-chromium-linux.png and b/e2e/tests/visual-regression.spec.ts-snapshots/settings-rtl-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeProvider.tsx b/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeProvider.tsx
index 3e6a1a3cfb..277bfe9c4a 100644
--- a/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeProvider.tsx
+++ b/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeProvider.tsx
@@ -79,7 +79,11 @@ export function ThemeProvider({ children, defaultTheme = "system" }: ThemeProvid
 
 	const setTheme = React.useCallback((newTheme: Theme) => {
 		setThemeState(newTheme);
-		localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, newTheme);
+		if (newTheme === "system") {
+			localStorage.removeItem(STORAGE_KEY);
+		} else {
+			localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, newTheme);
+		}
 	}, []);
 
 	const value = React.useMemo(
diff --git a/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeToggle.tsx b/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeToggle.tsx
index fc084718ad..fcb0dc86c6 100644
--- a/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeToggle.tsx
+++ b/packages/admin/src/components/ThemeToggle.tsx
@@ -1,45 +1,34 @@
 import { Button } from "@cloudflare/kumo";
 import { useLingui } from "@lingui/react/macro";
-import { Sun, Moon, Monitor } from "@phosphor-icons/react";
-import * as React from "react";
+import { Sun, Moon } from "@phosphor-icons/react";
 
 import { useTheme } from "./ThemeProvider";
 
-/**
- * Theme toggle button that cycles through: system -> light -> dark
- */
 export function ThemeToggle() {
 	const { t } = useLingui();
-	const { theme, setTheme, resolvedTheme } = useTheme();
+	const { setTheme, resolvedTheme } = useTheme();
 
-	const cycleTheme = () => {
-		const order: ["system", "light", "dark"] = ["system", "light", "dark"];
-		const currentIndex = order.indexOf(theme);
-		const nextIndex = (currentIndex + 1) % order.length;
-		setTheme(order[nextIndex]!);
+	const toggleTheme = () => {
+		const nextTheme = resolvedTheme === "light" ? "dark" : "light";
+		const systemTheme = window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches
+			? "dark"
+			: "light";
+		setTheme(nextTheme === systemTheme ? "system" : nextTheme);
 	};
 
-	const resolvedLabel = resolvedTheme === "light" ? t`light` : t`dark`;
-	const label =
-		theme === "system" ? t`System (${resolvedLabel})` : theme === "light" ? t`Light` : t`Dark`;
+	const label = resolvedTheme === "light" ? t`Switch to dark` : t`Switch to light`;
 
 	return (
 		<Button
 			variant="ghost"
 			shape="square"
 			size="sm"
-			aria-label={t`Toggle theme (current: ${label})`}
-			onClick={cycleTheme}
-			title={t`Theme: ${label}`}
+			aria-label={label}
+			onClick={toggleTheme}
+			title={label}
 		>
-			{theme === "system" ? (
-				<Monitor className="h-4 w-4" />
-			) : theme === "light" ? (
-				<Sun className="h-4 w-4" />
-			) : (
-				<Moon className="h-4 w-4" />
-			)}
-			<span className="sr-only">{t`Toggle theme (current: ${label})`}</span>
+			{resolvedTheme === "light" ? <Sun className="h-4 w-4" /> : <Moon className="h-4 w-4" />}
+			<span className="sr-only">{label}</span>
 		</Button>
 	);
 }
diff --git a/packages/admin/tests/components/Header.test.tsx b/packages/admin/tests/components/Header.test.tsx
index 7ecdb9e637..36f18fd80f 100644
--- a/packages/admin/tests/components/Header.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/admin/tests/components/Header.test.tsx
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ const { Header } = await import("../../src/components/Header");
 // Constants
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-const THEME_BUTTON_REGEX = /Toggle theme/;
+const THEME_BUTTON_REGEX = /Switch to (light|dark)/;
 
 function TestWrapper({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
 	const qc = new QueryClient({
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ describe("Header", () => {
 				<Header />
 			</TestWrapper>,
 		);
-		// ThemeToggle renders a button with aria-label "Toggle theme (current: …)"
+		// ThemeToggle exposes its next action in the aria-label.
 		// (Kumo 2.x wraps `<Button title>` as a Tooltip popup, not a DOM title.)
 		const themeButton = screen.getByLabelText(THEME_BUTTON_REGEX);
 		await expect.element(themeButton).toBeInTheDocument();
diff --git a/packages/admin/tests/components/ThemeToggle.test.tsx b/packages/admin/tests/components/ThemeToggle.test.tsx
index 88495abdb3..e3f44cc6fa 100644
--- a/packages/admin/tests/components/ThemeToggle.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/admin/tests/components/ThemeToggle.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as React from "react";
-import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi } from "vitest";
 
 import { ThemeProvider } from "../../src/components/ThemeProvider";
 import { ThemeToggle } from "../../src/components/ThemeToggle";
@@ -13,60 +13,73 @@ function TestThemeToggle({ defaultTheme = "system" as "system" | "light" | "dark
 	);
 }
 
+function mockSystemTheme(theme: "light" | "dark") {
+	vi.spyOn(window, "matchMedia").mockImplementation(
+		(query) =>
+			({
+				matches: query === "(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" && theme === "dark",
+				media: query,
+				onchange: null,
+				addEventListener: vi.fn(),
+				removeEventListener: vi.fn(),
+				dispatchEvent: vi.fn(),
+				addListener: vi.fn(),
+				removeListener: vi.fn(),
+			}) satisfies MediaQueryList,
+	);
+}
+
 describe("ThemeToggle", () => {
 	beforeEach(() => {
+		vi.restoreAllMocks();
 		localStorage.clear();
 		document.documentElement.removeAttribute("data-theme");
 	});
 
 	// Kumo 2.x's <Button title="..."> wraps the button in a Tooltip popup
-	// rather than setting the native `title` attribute. The current theme is
-	// also exposed in `aria-label`, which is what these assertions read.
+	// rather than setting the native `title` attribute. The action is also
+	// exposed in `aria-label`, which is what these assertions read.
 
-	it("renders with system theme by default", async () => {
+	it("offers dark when the system theme is light", async () => {
+		mockSystemTheme("light");
 		const screen = await render(<TestThemeToggle />);
 		const button = screen.getByRole("button");
 		await expect.element(button).toBeInTheDocument();
-		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", expect.stringContaining("System"));
+		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", "Switch to dark");
 	});
 
-	it("cycles from system to light on click", async () => {
+	it("switches from the light system theme to a dark override", async () => {
+		mockSystemTheme("light");
 		const screen = await render(<TestThemeToggle />);
 		const button = screen.getByRole("button");
 		await button.click();
-		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", expect.stringContaining("Light"));
+		await expect.element(document.documentElement).toHaveAttribute("data-mode", "dark");
+		expect(localStorage.getItem("emdash-theme")).toBe("dark");
 	});
 
-	it("cycles through system -> light -> dark -> system", async () => {
+	it("switches from the dark system theme to a light override", async () => {
+		mockSystemTheme("dark");
 		const screen = await render(<TestThemeToggle />);
 		const button = screen.getByRole("button");
-
-		// Start: system
-		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", expect.stringContaining("System"));
-
-		// Click 1: light
-		await button.click();
-		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", expect.stringContaining("Light"));
-
-		// Click 2: dark
-		await button.click();
-		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", expect.stringContaining("Dark"));
-
-		// Click 3: back to system
 		await button.click();
-		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", expect.stringContaining("System"));
+		await expect.element(document.documentElement).toHaveAttribute("data-mode", "light");
+		expect(localStorage.getItem("emdash-theme")).toBe("light");
 	});
 
-	it("persists theme to localStorage", async () => {
+	it("returns to the system theme by removing a matching override", async () => {
+		mockSystemTheme("light");
+		localStorage.setItem("emdash-theme", "dark");
 		const screen = await render(<TestThemeToggle />);
 		const button = screen.getByRole("button");
-		await button.click(); // system -> light
-		expect(localStorage.getItem("emdash-theme")).toBe("light");
+		await button.click();
+		await expect.element(document.documentElement).toHaveAttribute("data-mode", "light");
+		expect(localStorage.getItem("emdash-theme")).toBeNull();
 	});
 
 	it("starts with light theme when defaultTheme is light", async () => {
+		mockSystemTheme("light");
 		const screen = await render(<TestThemeToggle defaultTheme="light" />);
 		const button = screen.getByRole("button");
-		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", expect.stringContaining("Light"));
+		await expect.element(button).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", "Switch to dark");
 	});
 });