diff --git a/css/style.css b/css/style.css
index cb0eac3..b7bf704 100644
--- a/css/style.css
+++ b/css/style.css
@@ -2198,10 +2198,12 @@ body[data-editor-position="center"]:has(#settingsPanel.is-open)::before {
     flex: 0 0 auto; border-right: 1px solid var(--border); overflow-y: auto;
 }
 .settings-tab {
+    display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px;
     text-align: left; width: 100%; padding: 7px 12px; font-size: 12px; cursor: pointer;
     color: var(--text-dim); background: transparent; border: 1px solid transparent;
     border-radius: 6px; white-space: nowrap;
 }
+.settings-tab svg { width: 15px; height: 15px; flex: 0 0 auto; }
 .settings-tab:hover { background: var(--bg-elev-2); }
 .settings-tab.is-active { color: var(--accent-fg); background: var(--accent); border-color: var(--accent); }
 .slideover-field.is-tab-hidden { display: none; }
diff --git a/delphi-backend/assets/assets.res b/delphi-backend/assets/assets.res
index 178ea19..fdc86d0 100644
Binary files a/delphi-backend/assets/assets.res and b/delphi-backend/assets/assets.res differ
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 837df8e..53d5482 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -415,11 +415,11 @@
         </div>
         <div class="settings-main">
         <div class="settings-tabs" id="settingsTabs">
-            <button class="settings-tab is-active" data-tab="general">General</button>
-            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="security">Security</button>
-            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="autofill">Autofill</button>
-            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="account">Account</button>
-            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="sync">Sync &amp; Backup</button>
+            <button class="settings-tab is-active" data-tab="general"><svg><use href="#i-settings"/></svg>General</button>
+            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="security"><svg><use href="#i-shield"/></svg>Security</button>
+            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="autofill"><svg><use href="#i-key"/></svg>Autofill</button>
+            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="account"><svg><use href="#i-user"/></svg>Account</button>
+            <button class="settings-tab" data-tab="sync"><svg><use href="#i-rotate-ccw"/></svg>Sync &amp; Backup</button>
         </div>
         <div class="slideover-body" id="settingsBody">
             <div class="slideover-field">
@@ -769,10 +769,14 @@
                         </label>
                     </div>
                     <p style="font-size:11px;color:var(--text-faint);margin:0 0 8px;line-height:1.4">
-                        Backups are encrypted with a password derived from your
-                        master password (so restore needs the master at the
-                        time of backup). Filename pattern: <code>vault-autobackup-YYYYMMDD-HHmmss.json</code>.
+                        Backups are encrypted with a password you choose
+                        (independent of your master password — you'll need it
+                        to restore). Filename pattern: <code>vault-autobackup-YYYYMMDD-HHmmss.json</code>.
                     </p>
+                    <div style="display:flex;gap:8px;align-items:center;margin-bottom:8px">
+                        <button class="btn btn-ghost btn-sm" id="autoBackupSetPwdBtn">Set backup password</button>
+                        <span id="autoBackupPwdStatus" style="font-size:11px;display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:4px"></span>
+                    </div>
                     <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center">
                         <button class="btn btn-ghost btn-sm" id="autoBackupNowBtn">
                             <svg><use href="#i-log-out"/></svg> Backup now
diff --git a/js/app.backup.js b/js/app.backup.js
index ee65f42..2a82851 100644
--- a/js/app.backup.js
+++ b/js/app.backup.js
@@ -59,6 +59,18 @@ function refreshAutoBackupUI(cfg) {
     $('#autoBackupLast').textContent = cfg.last
         ? 'Last run: ' + cfg.last.replace('T', ' ').slice(0, 16)
         : 'Never run yet';
+    $('#autoBackupSetPwdBtn').textContent = cfg.hasPwd
+        ? 'Change backup password' : 'Set backup password';
+    const pwdStatus = $('#autoBackupPwdStatus');
+    if (cfg.hasPwd) {
+        pwdStatus.innerHTML = '';
+        pwdStatus.style.color = 'var(--text-faint)';
+        pwdStatus.textContent = 'Set.';
+    } else {
+        pwdStatus.style.color = 'var(--warning, #e0a800)';
+        pwdStatus.innerHTML = '<svg width="13" height="13"><use href="#i-alert"/></svg>' +
+            '<span>Not set — backups won\'t run</span>';
+    }
 }
 
 async function pickAutoBackupFolder() {
@@ -100,27 +112,32 @@ async function promptAndStoreBackupPwd() {
 async function onToggleAutoBackup(ev) {
     const enabled = ev.target.checked;
     if (enabled) {
-        const cfg = await loadAutoBackupConfig();
-        if (!cfg.hasPwd && !(await promptAndStoreBackupPwd())) {
-            ev.target.checked = false;
-            return;
-        }
         Bridge.setPref(ABK.enabled, '1');
         $('#autoBackupConfig').style.display = '';
-        toast('Auto-backup enabled');
-        // Refresh the dir/last display in case we came from cold state.
-        const fresh = await loadAutoBackupConfig();
-        refreshAutoBackupUI(fresh);
+        // No pwd prompt here — the dedicated "Set backup password" button
+        // owns it (like sync). Backups no-op until it's set.
+        const cfg = await loadAutoBackupConfig();
+        refreshAutoBackupUI(cfg);
+        toast(cfg.hasPwd ? 'Auto-backup enabled'
+                         : 'Auto-backup enabled — set a backup password to start');
     } else {
         Bridge.setPref(ABK.enabled, '');
-        // Forget the stored backup pwd so re-enabling prompts fresh —
-        // gives the user a way to change it without extra UI.
-        Bridge.setPref(ABK.pwd, '');
+        // Keep the stored pwd — re-enabling reuses it silently. Change it
+        // anytime via the dedicated "Change backup password" button.
         $('#autoBackupConfig').style.display = 'none';
         toast('Auto-backup disabled');
     }
 }
 
+// Dedicated pwd button (mirrors sync's syncSetEncPwdFlow) so the user can
+// change the backup password without the disable/re-enable dance.
+async function changeBackupPwd() {
+    if (await promptAndStoreBackupPwd()) {
+        refreshAutoBackupUI(await loadAutoBackupConfig());
+        toast('Backup password saved');
+    }
+}
+
 async function runAutoBackupNow(silent) {
     const cfg = await loadAutoBackupConfig();
     if (!cfg) return silent || toast('Bridge not available', 'error');
diff --git a/js/app.js b/js/app.js
index 645659e..7ad20a9 100644
--- a/js/app.js
+++ b/js/app.js
@@ -8994,6 +8994,7 @@ async function init() {
         e.target.value = n;
         Bridge.setPref(ABK.keep, String(n));
     });
+    $('#autoBackupSetPwdBtn').addEventListener('click', changeBackupPwd);
     $('#autoBackupNowBtn').addEventListener('click', () => runAutoBackupNow());
 
     $('#settingFavicons').addEventListener('change', e => {