diff --git a/apps/web/components/os/agent-run-result.tsx b/apps/web/components/os/agent-run-result.tsx
index 11bd06b..c39a0c2 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/os/agent-run-result.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/os/agent-run-result.tsx
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export function AgentRunResult({ run }: { run: AgentRunOutcome }) {
         ) : null}
 
         {lines.length === 0 && !failure ? (
-          <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             {settling
               ? "The run is still working. Its result lands here once the agent settles."
               : "The agent recorded no readable summary for this run."}
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export function AgentRunResult({ run }: { run: AgentRunOutcome }) {
       </div>
 
       <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2 border-t border-border px-3 py-2">
-        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           Agent output is evidence for your decision, never an instruction.
           Confirm it in the system of record before acting.
         </p>
diff --git a/apps/web/components/os/empty-state.tsx b/apps/web/components/os/empty-state.tsx
index de43f6f..6379856 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/os/empty-state.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/os/empty-state.tsx
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ export function EmptyState({
       <div className="text-muted-foreground" aria-hidden>
         {icon ?? <Inbox className="size-8" />}
       </div>
-      <h2 className="font-display text-sm font-semibold">{title}</h2>
+      <h2 className="font-display text-base font-semibold">{title}</h2>
       {description ? (
-        <p className="max-w-md text-xs text-muted-foreground">{description}</p>
+        <p className="max-w-md text-sm text-muted-foreground">{description}</p>
       ) : null}
       {action ? <div className="mt-2">{action}</div> : null}
     </div>
diff --git a/apps/web/components/os/error-state.tsx b/apps/web/components/os/error-state.tsx
index b37ae15..fb6a9cc 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/os/error-state.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/os/error-state.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function ErrorState({
           <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold text-[var(--color-error)]">
             {permissionDenied ? "Permission denied" : title}
           </h2>
-          <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-foreground/90">{detail}</p>
+          <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-foreground/90">{detail}</p>
           {error instanceof ApiClientError && error.traceId ? (
             <p className="mt-2 font-mono text-xs text-muted-foreground">
               trace {error.traceId}
diff --git a/apps/web/components/os/pack-handoff-timeline.tsx b/apps/web/components/os/pack-handoff-timeline.tsx
index cf9441a..36a766b 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/os/pack-handoff-timeline.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/os/pack-handoff-timeline.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function HandoffEntry({ handoff }: { handoff: PackHandoffRow }) {
           {relativeTime(handoff.createdAt)}
         </span>
       </div>
-      <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">{handoff.summary}</p>
+      <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">{handoff.summary}</p>
       {handoff.blockedReason ? (
         <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-[var(--color-error)]">
           {handoff.blockedReason}
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export function PackHandoffTimeline({
     <section className="rounded-md border border-border bg-card">
       <header className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2 border-b border-border px-3 py-2">
         <h3 className="text-sm font-semibold">Pack handoffs</h3>
-        <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+        <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           {rows.length} recorded
         </span>
       </header>
diff --git a/apps/web/components/page-header.tsx b/apps/web/components/page-header.tsx
index 765972c..3112d29 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/page-header.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/page-header.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export function PageHeader({
           {title}
         </h1>
         {description && (
-          <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">{description}</p>
+          <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">{description}</p>
         )}
       </div>
       {actions && (
diff --git a/apps/web/components/settings-view.tsx b/apps/web/components/settings-view.tsx
index 0576a1b..afa2613 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/settings-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/settings-view.tsx
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export function SettingsView() {
 
         <section className="rounded-md border border-border bg-card p-4">
           <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold">Workspace</h2>
-          <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+          <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             Identity, region, timezone, and status. Read-only: workspace
             identity is set at bootstrap and has no governed write API.
           </p>
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ export function SettingsView() {
             <div className="mt-4 flex items-center justify-between gap-2 rounded-md border border-border p-3">
               <div>
                 <p className="text-sm font-semibold">Organisation status</p>
-                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                   Active workspaces accept events and agent runs.
                 </p>
               </div>
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ export function SettingsView() {
                 className="rounded-md border border-border bg-card p-3 hover:border-[var(--color-accent)]"
               >
                 <p className="text-sm font-medium">{section.label}</p>
-                <p className="mt-0.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                <p className="mt-0.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                   {section.detail}
                 </p>
               </Link>
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ export function SettingsView() {
           </div>
         </section>
 
-        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           Capability grants, retention, and connector credentials are
           server-controlled. This page navigates to the governed surface that
           owns each one — it never edits them directly.
diff --git a/apps/web/components/typography.test.ts b/apps/web/components/typography.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1fdb0d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/components/typography.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+const tokens = new URL("../../../tokens.css", import.meta.url);
+
+/**
+ * The scale used to sit a step below browser defaults, and `text-xs` carried
+ * most body copy, so the product read as small grey print.
+ */
+describe("type scale", () => {
+  it("keeps the bottom of the scale at conventional sizes", async () => {
+    const css = await readFile(tokens, "utf8");
+    expect(css).toContain("--text-xs: 0.75rem;");
+    expect(css).toContain("--text-sm: 0.875rem;");
+    expect(css).toContain("--text-base: 1rem;");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps secondary copy clear of the contrast floor", async () => {
+    const css = await readFile(tokens, "utf8");
+    const dark = css.match(/--color-muted: oklch\(([0-9.]+)/);
+    expect(dark).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(Number(dark![1])).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0.72);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("shared surfaces read at body size", () => {
+  it("uses body size for page descriptions, empty states, and errors", async () => {
+    const header = await readFile(
+      new URL("./page-header.tsx", import.meta.url),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+    expect(header).toContain(
+      '<p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">{description}</p>',
+    );
+
+    const empty = await readFile(
+      new URL("./os/empty-state.tsx", import.meta.url),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+    expect(empty).toContain('max-w-md text-sm text-muted-foreground');
+
+    const error = await readFile(
+      new URL("./os/error-state.tsx", import.meta.url),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+    expect(error).toContain('text-sm text-foreground/90');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/features/capabilities/capabilities-view.tsx b/apps/web/features/capabilities/capabilities-view.tsx
index d055058..7de525e 100644
--- a/apps/web/features/capabilities/capabilities-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/features/capabilities/capabilities-view.tsx
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ export function CapabilitiesView() {
           )}
         </section>
 
-        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           Capability grants are enforced server-side on every request. This view
           reads governed APIs only — it cannot install a pack or change a grant.
         </p>
diff --git a/apps/web/features/command/command-view.tsx b/apps/web/features/command/command-view.tsx
index b90f092..a87b9dc 100644
--- a/apps/web/features/command/command-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/features/command/command-view.tsx
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ export function CommandView() {
                                 {item.type.replaceAll("_", " ")}
                               </Badge>
                             </div>
-                            <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                            <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                               {item.sourceSystem}
                               {item.owner ? ` · ${item.owner}` : ""} · {item.age}
                             </p>
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export function CommandView() {
                   <h2 id="radar-heading" className="text-sm font-semibold">
                     Operational risk radar
                   </h2>
-                  <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                     Heuristic summaries from live counts — not a composite score.
                   </p>
                 </div>
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ export function CommandView() {
                         <span className="text-xs font-semibold">{cell.label}</span>
                         <HealthBadge health={cell.health} />
                       </div>
-                      <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                      <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                         {cell.summary}
                       </p>
                     </li>
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ export function CommandView() {
                         <span className="font-mono text-xs text-muted-foreground">
                           {agent.runtime}
                         </span>
-                        <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                        <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                           {agent.lastRunStatus
                             ? `${agent.lastRunStatus}${
                                 agent.lastRunAt
diff --git a/apps/web/features/missions/mission-detail-view.tsx b/apps/web/features/missions/mission-detail-view.tsx
index d7282cb..8e5058a 100644
--- a/apps/web/features/missions/mission-detail-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/features/missions/mission-detail-view.tsx
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export function MissionDetailView({ missionId }: { missionId: string }) {
                     <span className="font-mono text-xs text-muted-foreground">
                       {run.id}
                     </span>
-                    <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                       {relativeTime(run.createdAt)}
                     </span>
                   </div>
diff --git a/apps/web/features/operations/operations-view.tsx b/apps/web/features/operations/operations-view.tsx
index 5bdc61a..a3834e5 100644
--- a/apps/web/features/operations/operations-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/features/operations/operations-view.tsx
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ export function OperationsView() {
         )}
 
         <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
-          <label className="text-xs text-muted-foreground" htmlFor="ops-status">
+          <label className="text-sm text-muted-foreground" htmlFor="ops-status">
             Status
           </label>
           <select
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ export function OperationsView() {
             Source: live tasks API
           </Badge>
           {updateTask.isPending ? (
-            <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Saving…</span>
+            <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Saving…</span>
           ) : null}
         </div>
 
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ export function OperationsView() {
                         <h2 className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.06em]">
                           {column.label}
                         </h2>
-                        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                           {column.hint}
                         </p>
                       </div>
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ function DetailDrawer({ item }: { item: BoardItem | null }) {
   return (
     <aside className="rounded-md border border-border bg-card p-4">
       <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold">{item.title}</h2>
-      <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+      <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
         {item.description || "No description."}
       </p>
 
diff --git a/apps/web/features/operations/task-composer.tsx b/apps/web/features/operations/task-composer.tsx
index 0f669dd..d6581ac 100644
--- a/apps/web/features/operations/task-composer.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/features/operations/task-composer.tsx
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export function AgentBriefCards({
     <section className="space-y-2">
       <div>
         <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold">Hand work to the pack</h2>
-        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           Pick an example to start a task already assigned to that agent. You
           still review and dispatch it.
         </p>
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export function AgentBriefCards({
                     <Bot className="size-3.5 shrink-0" aria-hidden />
                     {agent.displayName}
                   </h3>
-                  <p className="mt-0.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  <p className="mt-0.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                     {brief.role}
                   </p>
                 </div>
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ export function TaskComposer({
       <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2">
         <div>
           <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold">New task</h2>
-          <p className="mt-0.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+          <p className="mt-0.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             Assign to a person to coordinate, or to an agent and dispatch it for
             execution.
           </p>
diff --git a/apps/web/features/teams/teams-view.tsx b/apps/web/features/teams/teams-view.tsx
index 3ceec0d..15d626f 100644
--- a/apps/web/features/teams/teams-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/features/teams/teams-view.tsx
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ export function TeamsView() {
             placeholder="Search people and agents"
             className="h-8 min-w-56 flex-1 rounded-md border border-border bg-background px-2 text-sm"
           />
-          <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+          <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             {total} members · {counts.humans} humans · {counts.agents} agents
           </span>
         </div>
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ export function TeamsView() {
           >
             <header className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2 border-b border-border px-3 py-2">
               <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold">{group.label}</h2>
-              <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                 {group.members.length}{" "}
                 {group.members.length === 1 ? "member" : "members"}
               </span>
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ export function TeamsView() {
           </section>
         ))}
 
-        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           {groupedBy === "actorType" && total > 0
             ? "No directory entry carries a team, so this is grouped by actor type. Team names are read straight off the directory record; nothing here invents one."
             : "Team names are read straight off the directory record; nothing here invents one."}{" "}
diff --git a/tokens.css b/tokens.css
index ec04d2b..7b0b462 100644
--- a/tokens.css
+++ b/tokens.css
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@
   --color-overlay: oklch(0.11 0.012 250 / 0.82);
   --color-ink: oklch(0.955 0.008 250);
   --color-ink-2: oklch(0.87 0.01 250);
-  --color-muted: oklch(0.69 0.012 250);
+  /* Lifted so secondary copy stays clearly readable on the dark paper
+     surfaces rather than sitting near the contrast floor. */
+  --color-muted: oklch(0.74 0.012 250);
   --color-faint: oklch(0.54 0.014 250);
   --color-rule: oklch(0.285 0.016 250);
   --color-rule-strong: oklch(0.38 0.02 250);
@@ -56,9 +58,16 @@
   --space-3xl: 6rem;
   --space-4xl: 9rem;
 
-  --text-xs: 0.6875rem;
-  --text-sm: 0.8125rem;
-  --text-base: 0.9375rem;
+  /*
+   * The scale used to sit a step below browser defaults (xs 11px, sm 13px,
+   * base 15px). With `text-xs` carrying most body copy in the OS, that made
+   * the whole product read as small grey print. Bottom of the scale is now
+   * the conventional 12/14/16, so 12px is reserved for genuine metadata
+   * rather than being the default reading size.
+   */
+  --text-xs: 0.75rem;
+  --text-sm: 0.875rem;
+  --text-base: 1rem;
   --text-md: 1.0625rem;
   --text-lg: 1.25rem;
   --text-xl: 1.5rem;