diff --git a/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts b/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts
index 0460c7c..a2019e7 100644
--- a/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts
+++ b/extension/src/popup/components/item-form.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,19 @@
 
 import { navigate, getState, setState, escapeHtml, popOutToTab, isInTab } from '../../shared/state';
 import type { Item, ItemType } from '../../shared/types';
+import {
+  GLYPH_TYPE_LOGIN, GLYPH_TYPE_SECURE_NOTE, GLYPH_TYPE_TOTP,
+  GLYPH_TYPE_CARD, GLYPH_TYPE_IDENTITY, GLYPH_TYPE_KEY, GLYPH_TYPE_DOCUMENT,
+} from '../../shared/glyphs';
 
-const TYPE_OPTIONS: Array<{ type: ItemType; icon: string; label: string }> = [
-  { type: 'login', icon: '🔑', label: 'login' },
-  { type: 'secure_note', icon: '📝', label: 'secure note' },
-  { type: 'identity', icon: '👤', label: 'identity' },
-  { type: 'card', icon: '💳', label: 'card' },
-  { type: 'key', icon: '🔐', label: 'key' },
-  { type: 'document', icon: '📄', label: 'document' },
-  { type: 'totp', icon: '⏱️', label: 'totp' },
+const TYPE_OPTIONS: Array<{ type: ItemType; icon: string; label: string; description: string }> = [
+  { type: 'login',       icon: GLYPH_TYPE_LOGIN,       label: 'Login',         description: 'Username + password' },
+  { type: 'secure_note', icon: GLYPH_TYPE_SECURE_NOTE, label: 'Secure Note',   description: 'Encrypted text note' },
+  { type: 'identity',    icon: GLYPH_TYPE_IDENTITY,    label: 'Identity',      description: 'Personal details' },
+  { type: 'card',        icon: GLYPH_TYPE_CARD,        label: 'Card',          description: 'Credit / debit card' },
+  { type: 'key',         icon: GLYPH_TYPE_KEY,         label: 'SSH / API Key', description: 'Keys and tokens' },
+  { type: 'document',    icon: GLYPH_TYPE_DOCUMENT,    label: 'Document',      description: 'File attachment' },
+  { type: 'totp',        icon: GLYPH_TYPE_TOTP,        label: 'TOTP',          description: '2FA authenticator' },
 ];
 import * as login from './types/login';
 import * as secureNote from './types/secure-note';
@@ -54,36 +58,36 @@ export function renderItemForm(app: HTMLElement, mode: 'add' | 'edit'): void {
 function renderTypeSelection(app: HTMLElement): void {
   app.innerHTML = `
     <div class="pad">
-      <div style="display:flex; align-items:center; gap:12px;">
-        <button class="btn" id="back-btn">← back</button>
-        <h3 style="margin:0;">new item</h3>
+      <div style="display:flex; align-items:center; gap:12px; margin-bottom:12px;">
+        <button class="btn" id="back-btn">◂ back</button>
+        <span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:600;">New item</span>
         <span style="flex:1;"></span>
-        ${isInTab() ? '' : '<button class="btn" id="popout-btn" title="Open in tab">⤴</button>'}
+        ${isInTab() ? '' : '<button class="btn" id="popout-btn" title="Open in tab">⧉</button>'}
       </div>
-      ${isInTab() ? '<div class="form-subtitle">esc to cancel</div>' : '<div style="margin-bottom:16px;"></div>'}
-      <div class="type-select-list">
+      <div class="type-card-grid">
         ${TYPE_OPTIONS.map((opt) => `
-          <button class="type-select-row" data-type="${opt.type}">
-            <span class="type-select-icon">${opt.icon}</span>
-            <span>${escapeHtml(opt.label)}</span>
+          <button class="type-card" data-type="${opt.type}">
+            <span class="type-card__icon" aria-hidden="true">${opt.icon}</span>
+            <span class="type-card__label">${escapeHtml(opt.label)}</span>
+            <span class="type-card__desc">${escapeHtml(opt.description)}</span>
           </button>
         `).join('')}
       </div>
+      <div class="keyhints"><span><kbd>Esc</kbd> back</span></div>
     </div>
   `;
 
   document.getElementById('back-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => navigate('list'));
   document.getElementById('popout-btn')?.addEventListener('click', popOutToTab);
+  document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
+    if (e.key === 'Escape') navigate('list');
+  }, { once: true });
 
   document.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>('[data-type]').forEach((btn) => {
     btn.addEventListener('click', () => {
       const type = btn.dataset.type as ItemType;
       setState({ newType: type });
-      if (type === 'login' || type === 'secure_note') {
-        renderItemForm(app, 'add');
-      } else {
-        popOutToTab();
-      }
+      renderItemForm(app, 'add');
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/extension/src/popup/styles.css b/extension/src/popup/styles.css
index f1a73a7..ad64c1c 100644
--- a/extension/src/popup/styles.css
+++ b/extension/src/popup/styles.css
@@ -1635,3 +1635,29 @@ textarea {
   font-size: 11px;
   color: var(--text-muted, #8b949e);
 }
+
+.type-card-grid {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
+  gap: 8px;
+  margin-bottom: 12px;
+}
+
+.type-card {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: flex-start;
+  padding: 10px 12px;
+  background: var(--bg-elevated, #161b22);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-mid, #30363d);
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  text-align: left;
+  transition: border-color 0.15s;
+}
+
+.type-card:hover { border-color: var(--gold-base, #a88a4a); }
+
+.type-card__icon  { font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 4px; }
+.type-card__label { font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; }
+.type-card__desc  { font-size: 10px; color: var(--text-muted, #8b949e); margin-top: 2px; }