fix(ui): apply the saved appearance settings at startup

Low-spec mode, theme effects, blur, UI and noise opacity and the
console scanline reached the live effects state only once the Settings
page or the first-run wizard was opened. "Effects off" and low-spec
therefore reverted at every launch, and the animated defaults kept the
main loop busy (91% of a core on an idle Lite wallet whose effects were
saved off).

- App::applyVisualSettings(): one low-spec-aware path from the saved
  prefs to the effects state, used at startup (after the skin, since
  setActiveSkin reloads the effect config), by the low-spec hotkey, the
  wizard and the Settings page.
- Low-spec stays a runtime-only override. The Settings page shows the
  overrides but persists the real prefs from its snapshot, and opening
  it under low-spec no longer turns theme effects and blur back on.
  Unticking a low-spec in the wizard that was loaded rather than ticked
  there now restores the saved prefs.
- Theme effects on/off always pairs with reduced transparency (the
  rainbow, shimmer and glare layers), as at startup and in the hotkeys.
- kAcrylicMaxBlur moves to imgui_acrylic.h, so startup clamps blur
  values saved in the old 0-4 range the way the slider does.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/app.cpp

@@ -491,6 +491,12 @@ bool App::init()
         skinMgr.setActiveSkin(skinId);
     }
 
+    // Apply the saved appearance prefs (low-spec, theme effects, blur, opacity, noise). Until now they
+    // only took effect once the Settings page or wizard was opened, so "effects off" / low-spec reverted
+    // at every launch and the animated defaults kept the main loop rendering continuously. After the
+    // skin, because setActiveSkin reloads the effect config (not the enabled flag).
+    applyVisualSettings();
+
     // Apply saved language
     std::string lang = settings_->getLanguage();
     if (!lang.empty()) {
@@ -583,6 +589,31 @@ bool App::init()
 // ============================================================================
 // Pre-frame: font atlas rebuilds (must run BEFORE ImGui::NewFrame)
 // ============================================================================
+void App::applyVisualSettings()
+{
+    if (!settings_) return;
+    namespace fx = ui::effects;
+    const bool lowSpec = settings_->getLowSpecMode();
+    fx::setLowSpecMode(lowSpec);
+    if (lowSpec) {
+        // Low-spec overrides the heavy effects at runtime only; the saved prefs stay as they are so
+        // turning low-spec off restores them.
+        fx::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(0.0f);
+        fx::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(1.0f);
+        fx::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(false);
+        fx::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(true);
+        ui::ConsoleTab::s_scanline_enabled = false;
+    } else {
+        const bool effects = settings_->getThemeEffectsEnabled();
+        fx::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(std::min(settings_->getBlurMultiplier(), fx::kAcrylicMaxBlur));
+        fx::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(settings_->getUIOpacity());
+        fx::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(effects);
+        fx::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(!effects);
+        ui::ConsoleTab::s_scanline_enabled = settings_->getScanlineEnabled();
+    }
+    fx::ImGuiAcrylic::SetNoiseOpacity(settings_->getNoiseOpacity());
+}
+
 void App::preFrame()
 {
     ImGuiIO& io = ImGui::GetIO();
@@ -1465,28 +1496,15 @@ void App::handleGlobalShortcuts()
     // (checked BEFORE Ctrl+Down so it doesn't also trigger theme effects)
     if (io.KeyCtrl && io.KeyShift && !io.WantTextInput && ImGui::IsKeyPressed(ImGuiKey_DownArrow)) {
         bool newLow = !ui::effects::isLowSpecMode();
-        ui::effects::setLowSpecMode(newLow);
-        if (newLow) {
-            // Disable all heavy effects at runtime (don't overwrite saved prefs)
-            ui::effects::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(0.0f);
-            ui::effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(1.0f);
-            ui::effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(false);
-            ui::effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(true);
-            if (settings_) {
-                settings_->setLowSpecMode(true);
-                settings_->setWindowOpacity(1.0f);
-                settings_->save();
-            }
+        if (settings_) {
+            // Persist the mode (and the opaque window low-spec implies) but not the effect prefs:
+            // applyVisualSettings overrides them at runtime, so turning low-spec off restores them.
+            settings_->setLowSpecMode(newLow);
+            if (newLow) settings_->setWindowOpacity(1.0f);
+            settings_->save();
+            applyVisualSettings();
         } else {
-            // Restore effect settings from saved preferences
-            if (settings_) {
-                settings_->setLowSpecMode(false);
-                settings_->save();
-                ui::effects::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(settings_->getBlurMultiplier());
-                ui::effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(settings_->getUIOpacity());
-                ui::effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(settings_->getThemeEffectsEnabled());
-                ui::effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(!settings_->getThemeEffectsEnabled());
-            }
+            ui::effects::setLowSpecMode(newLow);
         }
         ui::Notifications::instance().info(newLow ? TR("appx_low_spec_mode_enabled") : TR("appx_low_spec_mode_disabled"));
     }

src/app.h

@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ public:
     float logicDeltaTime() const { return logic_dt_; }
     static constexpr float kMaxLogicDeltaSeconds = 6.0f;
 
+    /**
+     * @brief Push the saved appearance prefs (low-spec, theme effects, blur, UI and noise opacity,
+     * console scanline) to the live effects state. Low-spec overrides the rest without touching the
+     * saved values. Called at startup, by the low-spec hotkey, the first-run wizard and the Settings
+     * page, so every path applies the same thing.
+     */
+    void applyVisualSettings();
+
     /**
      * @brief Pre-frame tasks that must run BEFORE ImGui::NewFrame().
      *

src/app_wizard.cpp

@@ -357,13 +357,9 @@ void App::renderFirstRunWizard() {
                 if (lang.first == wiz_cur_lang) { wiz_language_index = idx; break; }
                 idx++;
             }
-            // Apply loaded settings to runtime so visuals match slider values
-            ui::effects::setLowSpecMode(wiz_low_spec);
-            ui::effects::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(wiz_blur_amount);
-            ui::effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(wiz_ui_opacity);
-            ui::effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(wiz_theme_effects);
-            ui::effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(!wiz_theme_effects);
-            ui::ConsoleTab::s_scanline_enabled = wiz_scanline;
+            // Apply the loaded settings to the runtime (same low-spec-aware path as startup) so the
+            // visuals match the slider values
+            applyVisualSettings();
             wiz_appearance_init = true;
         }
 
@@ -538,6 +534,9 @@ void App::renderFirstRunWizard() {
             settings_->setScanlineEnabled(wiz_scanline);
             settings_->setLowSpecMode(wiz_low_spec);
             settings_->save();
+            // Make the runtime match what was just saved, both ways: unticking a low-spec that was
+            // loaded rather than ticked here has no snapshot, so the branch above pushes nothing.
+            applyVisualSettings();
         }
         ImGui::PopStyleVar();
         ImGui::SameLine();

src/ui/effects/imgui_acrylic.h

@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ namespace dragonx {
 namespace ui {
 namespace effects {
 
+// Top of the Acrylic slider's range (the blur-radius multiplier at 100%). The panels frost at full
+// alpha now, so this only controls how BLURRY the max is — kept gentle (the old max of 4.0 was way
+// too strong). Saved values from the old 0–4 range are clamped to it wherever they're applied.
+inline constexpr float kAcrylicMaxBlur = 1.25f;
+
 /**
  * @brief ImGui integration for acrylic effects
  * 

src/ui/pages/settings_page.cpp

@@ -60,10 +60,8 @@ namespace ui {
 
 using namespace material;
 
-// Top of the Acrylic slider's range (the blur-radius multiplier at 100%). The panels frost at full
-// alpha now, so this only controls how BLURRY the max is — kept gentle (the old max of 4.0 was way
-// too strong). The slider still reads 0–100%; this is just what 100% maps to.
-static constexpr float kAcrylicMaxBlur = 1.25f;
+// Top of the Acrylic slider's range; the slider reads 0–100% of it (shared with App::applyVisualSettings).
+static constexpr float kAcrylicMaxBlur = effects::kAcrylicMaxBlur;
 
 // Helper: build "TranslatedLabel##id" for ImGui widgets that use label as ID
 static std::string TrId(const char* tr_key, const char* id) {
@@ -212,6 +210,7 @@ static void enterLowSpec(bool applyEffects) {
         effects::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(0.0f);
         effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(1.0f);
         effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(false);
+        effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(true);
         ConsoleTab::s_scanline_enabled = false;
     }
 }
@@ -230,6 +229,7 @@ static void exitLowSpec(bool applyEffects) {
         effects::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(s_settingsState.blur_amount);
         effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(s_settingsState.ui_opacity);
         effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled);
+        effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(!s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled);
         ConsoleTab::s_scanline_enabled = s_settingsState.scanline_enabled;
     }
     s_settingsState.low_spec_snapshot.valid = false;
@@ -374,7 +374,8 @@ static void evaluateLiteLifecycleRequestFromPageState(App* app) {
 
 // (APPEARANCE card now uses ChannelsSplit like all other cards)
 
-static void loadSettingsPageState(config::Settings* settings) {
+static void loadSettingsPageState(App* app) {
+    config::Settings* settings = app ? app->settings() : nullptr;
     if (!settings) return;
 
     s_settingsState.save_ztxs = settings->getSaveZtxs();
@@ -413,10 +414,8 @@ static void loadSettingsPageState(config::Settings* settings) {
 
     s_settingsState.balance_layout = settings->getBalanceLayout();
     s_settingsState.scanline_enabled = settings->getScanlineEnabled();
-    ConsoleTab::s_scanline_enabled = s_settingsState.scanline_enabled;
     s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled = settings->getThemeEffectsEnabled();
     s_settingsState.low_spec_mode = settings->getLowSpecMode();
-    effects::setLowSpecMode(s_settingsState.low_spec_mode);
     s_settingsState.reduce_motion = settings->getReduceMotion();
     s_settingsState.font_scale = settings->getFontScale();
     Layout::setUserFontScale(s_settingsState.font_scale);  // sync with Layout on load
@@ -444,11 +443,20 @@ static void loadSettingsPageState(config::Settings* settings) {
     snprintf(s_settingsState.rpc_password, sizeof(s_settingsState.rpc_password), "%s", rpcCfg.rpcpassword.c_str());
     s_settingsState.rpc_plaintext_remote = rpc::Connection::usesPlaintextRemote(rpcCfg);
 
-    // Apply loaded visual effects settings
-    effects::ImGuiAcrylic::ApplyBlurAmount(s_settingsState.blur_amount);
-    effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(s_settingsState.ui_opacity);
-    effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetNoiseOpacity(s_settingsState.noise_opacity);
-    effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled);
+    // Apply the loaded appearance prefs through the same low-spec-aware path as startup (it used to push
+    // the raw prefs, so opening Settings turned theme effects and blur back on under low-spec). Under
+    // low-spec the controls show the overrides and the snapshot keeps the saved prefs, so unticking
+    // low-spec restores them; enterLowSpec(false) only mirrors what applyVisualSettings applied.
+    app->applyVisualSettings();
+    if (!s_settingsState.low_spec_mode) {
+        s_settingsState.low_spec_snapshot.valid = false;
+    } else {
+        // Keep a snapshot already taken this session (a Reload after ticking low-spec here): it still
+        // holds the prefs from before low-spec, e.g. the window opacity low-spec saved as 1.0.
+        const LowSpecSnapshot kept = s_settingsState.low_spec_snapshot;
+        enterLowSpec(false);
+        if (kept.valid) s_settingsState.low_spec_snapshot = kept;
+    }
 
     s_settingsState.initialized = true;
 }
@@ -473,16 +481,22 @@ static void saveSettingsPageState(config::Settings* settings) {
         settings->setLanguage(it->first);
     }
 
-    // Visual effects settings
-    settings->setAcrylicEnabled(s_settingsState.acrylic_enabled);
-    settings->setAcrylicQuality(s_settingsState.blur_amount > 0.001f ? static_cast<int>(effects::AcrylicQuality::Low) : static_cast<int>(effects::AcrylicQuality::Off));
-    settings->setBlurMultiplier(s_settingsState.blur_amount);
-    settings->setUIOpacity(s_settingsState.ui_opacity);
-    settings->setWindowOpacity(s_settingsState.window_opacity);
+    // Visual effects settings. Under low-spec the controls show the low-spec overrides; persist the
+    // user's real prefs (held in the snapshot) instead, so low-spec stays a runtime-only override and
+    // turning it off restores them, the same as the hotkey.
+    const bool lowSpecOverrides = s_settingsState.low_spec_mode && s_settingsState.low_spec_snapshot.valid;
+    const LowSpecSnapshot& realPrefs = s_settingsState.low_spec_snapshot;
+    const float blur = lowSpecOverrides ? realPrefs.blur_amount : s_settingsState.blur_amount;
+    settings->setAcrylicEnabled(lowSpecOverrides ? realPrefs.acrylic_enabled : s_settingsState.acrylic_enabled);
+    settings->setAcrylicQuality(blur > 0.001f ? static_cast<int>(effects::AcrylicQuality::Low) : static_cast<int>(effects::AcrylicQuality::Off));
+    settings->setBlurMultiplier(blur);
+    settings->setUIOpacity(lowSpecOverrides ? realPrefs.ui_opacity : s_settingsState.ui_opacity);
+    settings->setWindowOpacity(s_settingsState.window_opacity);   // 1.0 under low-spec, as the hotkey saves it
     settings->setNoiseOpacity(s_settingsState.noise_opacity);
     settings->setGradientBackground(s_settingsState.gradient_background);
-    settings->setScanlineEnabled(s_settingsState.scanline_enabled);
-    settings->setThemeEffectsEnabled(s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled);
+    settings->setScanlineEnabled(lowSpecOverrides ? realPrefs.scanline_enabled : s_settingsState.scanline_enabled);
+    settings->setThemeEffectsEnabled(lowSpecOverrides ? realPrefs.theme_effects_enabled
+                                                      : s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled);
     settings->setLowSpecMode(s_settingsState.low_spec_mode);
     settings->setReduceMotion(s_settingsState.reduce_motion);
     settings->setFontScale(s_settingsState.font_scale);
@@ -616,7 +630,7 @@ static void renderSettingsTabBar(float availWidth) {
 void RenderSettingsPage(App* app) {
     // Load settings state on first render
     if (!s_settingsState.initialized && app->settings()) {
-        loadSettingsPageState(app->settings());
+        loadSettingsPageState(app);
     }
 
     // Sync low-spec / theme-effects state from runtime each frame
@@ -1022,6 +1036,9 @@ void RenderSettingsPage(App* app) {
                 efFlow(TR("theme_effects"));
                 if (ImGui::Checkbox(TrId("theme_effects", "effects").c_str(), &s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled)) {
                     effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setEnabled(s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled);
+                    // Paired with the enable flag everywhere (startup, hotkeys): off also drops the
+                    // translucent rainbow/shimmer/glare layers, so turning effects on has to restore them.
+                    effects::ThemeEffects::instance().setReducedTransparency(!s_settingsState.theme_effects_enabled);
                     saveSettingsPageState(app->settings());
                 }
                 if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_theme_effects"));
@@ -2664,7 +2681,7 @@ void RenderSettingsPage(App* app) {
             if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_save_settings"));
             af.next(material::ActionButtonWidth(TR("reset_to_defaults"), ICON_MD_RESTORE));
             if (material::ActionButton("##aboutreset", TR("reset_to_defaults"), ICON_MD_RESTORE, AT::Tertiary)) {
-                if (app->settings()) { loadSettingsPageState(app->settings()); Notifications::instance().info(TR("settings_reloaded")); }
+                if (app->settings()) { loadSettingsPageState(app); Notifications::instance().info(TR("settings_reloaded")); }
             }
             if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_reset_settings"));
         }