diff --git a/offlineu_core.py b/offlineu_core.py
index 842a1ee..9bf3fda 100644
--- a/offlineu_core.py
+++ b/offlineu_core.py
@@ -1790,23 +1790,6 @@ def build_study_guide_markdown(course: Course) -> str:
 current_course = None
 
 
-def _split_continue_watching(all_views: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Tuple[List[Dict[str, Any]], List[Dict[str, Any]]]:
-    """
-    Split the recent-views list (already carrying percent_watched/completed,
-    see get_recent_views_for_display) into 'Continue Watching' - genuinely
-    in-progress lessons - and the remaining 'Recently Viewed' entries, each
-    capped at 5 for the dashboard. Reuses the same underlying history rather
-    than a separate library-wide progress index (see plan notes).
-    """
-    continue_watching = [v for v in all_views if 0 < v['percent_watched'] < 100][:5]
-    continue_ids = {(v.get('course_path'), v.get('lesson_path')) for v in continue_watching}
-    recent_views = [
-        v for v in all_views
-        if (v.get('course_path'), v.get('lesson_path')) not in continue_ids
-    ][:5]
-    return continue_watching, recent_views
-
-
 def format_duration(seconds: int) -> str:
     """Render a duration in seconds as e.g. '3h 24m' or '45m' (under an hour)."""
     total_minutes = max(0, int(seconds)) // 60
@@ -1819,7 +1802,7 @@ def index():
     """Main dashboard"""
     global current_course
 
-    continue_watching, recent_views = _split_continue_watching(get_recent_views_for_display())
+    recent_views = get_recent_views_for_display()[:8]
 
     if current_course is None:
         # One scan covers stats/stale-courses/heatmap - see _scan_library_activity.
@@ -1827,7 +1810,6 @@ def index():
         return render_template('course_dashboard.html',
                                course=None,
                                stats={'total_lessons': 0, 'completed_lessons': 0, 'completion_percentage': 0},
-                               continue_watching=continue_watching,
                                recent_views=recent_views,
                                recently_added=get_recently_added_courses(),
                                library_stats=format_library_stats(scan),
@@ -1851,7 +1833,6 @@ def index():
     return render_template('course_dashboard.html',
                            course=current_course,
                            stats=stats,
-                           continue_watching=continue_watching,
                            recent_views=recent_views,
                            has_note=bool(course_has_any_notes(current_course)),
                            is_queued=os.path.abspath(current_course.path) in get_next_up_paths(),
diff --git a/templates/course_dashboard.html b/templates/course_dashboard.html
index 3aa8e2e..a5d4459 100644
--- a/templates/course_dashboard.html
+++ b/templates/course_dashboard.html
@@ -206,6 +206,12 @@
             border-radius: var(--radius);
             padding: 20px;
             margin-bottom: 20px;
+        }
+
+        #library-card {
+            /* the one card that's a primary action (browse/search/load a
+               course) rather than a passive info/list card - every other
+               card getting the same accent stripe made nothing stand out */
             border-left: 4px solid var(--accent);
         }
 
@@ -380,6 +386,16 @@
             transform: rotate(-90deg);
         }
 
+        .card-header-label {
+            display: flex;
+            align-items: center;
+            gap: 8px;
+        }
+        .card-icon {
+            flex-shrink: 0;
+            color: var(--text-primary);
+        }
+
         .card-body {
             overflow: hidden;
             max-height: 3000px;
@@ -1088,7 +1104,7 @@
 
         <div class="container">
             <div class="card" id="library-card">
-                <h2>Your Courses</h2>
+                <h2><span class="card-header-label"><svg class="card-icon" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><rect x="3" y="3" width="8" height="8" rx="1.5"></rect><rect x="13" y="3" width="8" height="8" rx="1.5"></rect><rect x="3" y="13" width="8" height="8" rx="1.5"></rect><rect x="13" y="13" width="8" height="8" rx="1.5"></rect></svg>Your Courses</span></h2>
                 <div class="library-toolbar">
                     <input type="text" id="library-search-input" class="library-search-input"
                            placeholder="Search courses…" oninput="handleLibrarySearchInput(this.value)">
@@ -1124,7 +1140,7 @@
         {% if library_stats and library_stats.total_courses %}
         <div class="container">
             <div class="card">
-                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="library-stats">📊 Library Stats</h2>
+                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="library-stats"><span class="card-header-label"><svg class="card-icon" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><line x1="6" y1="20" x2="6" y2="14"></line><line x1="12" y1="20" x2="12" y2="8"></line><line x1="18" y1="20" x2="18" y2="11"></line></svg>Library Stats</span></h2>
                 <div class="card-body">
                     <div class="stats-grid">
                         <div class="stats-tile">
@@ -1166,7 +1182,7 @@
         {% if next_up %}
         <div class="container">
             <div class="card" id="next-up-card">
-                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="next-up">📌 Next Up</h2>
+                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="next-up"><span class="card-header-label"><svg class="card-icon" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><line x1="8" y1="6" x2="20" y2="6"></line><line x1="8" y1="12" x2="20" y2="12"></line><line x1="8" y1="18" x2="20" y2="18"></line><circle cx="4" cy="6" r="1"></circle><circle cx="4" cy="12" r="1"></circle><circle cx="4" cy="18" r="1"></circle></svg>Next Up</span></h2>
                 <div class="card-body" id="next-up-list">
                     {% for item in next_up %}
                     <div class="lesson-item" data-path="{{ item.path }}">
@@ -1193,7 +1209,7 @@
         {% if stale_courses %}
         <div class="container">
             <div class="card">
-                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="pick-back-up">⏰ Pick Back Up</h2>
+                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="pick-back-up"><span class="card-header-label"><svg class="card-icon" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><path d="M3 12a9 9 0 1 0 3-6.7"></path><polyline points="3 4 3 9 8 9"></polyline></svg>Pick Back Up</span></h2>
                 <div class="card-body">
                     {% for item in stale_courses %}
                     {{ render_course_row(item, 'Last touched ' + item.last_touched_display) }}
@@ -1205,7 +1221,7 @@
         {% if recently_added %}
         <div class="container">
             <div class="card">
-                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="recently-added">🆕 Recently Added</h2>
+                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="recently-added"><span class="card-header-label"><svg class="card-icon" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="9"></circle><line x1="12" y1="8" x2="12" y2="16"></line><line x1="8" y1="12" x2="16" y2="12"></line></svg>Recently Added</span></h2>
                 <div class="card-body">
                     {% for item in recently_added %}
                     {{ render_course_row(item, item.added_display) }}
@@ -1214,22 +1230,10 @@
             </div>
         </div>
         {% endif %}
-        {% if continue_watching %}
-        <div class="container">
-            <div class="card">
-                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="continue-watching">▶ Continue Watching</h2>
-                <div class="card-body">
-                    {% for view in continue_watching %}
-                    {{ render_view_row(view) }}
-                    {% endfor %}
-                </div>
-            </div>
-        </div>
-        {% endif %}
         {% if recent_views %}
         <div class="container">
             <div class="card">
-                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="recently-viewed">🕐 Recently Viewed</h2>
+                <h2 class="collapsible-header" data-card-id="recently-viewed"><span class="card-header-label"><svg class="card-icon" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="9"></circle><polygon points="10 8 16 12 10 16 10 8"></polygon></svg>Recently Viewed</span></h2>
                 <div class="card-body">
                     {% for view in recent_views %}
                     {{ render_view_row(view) }}