diff --git a/src/theme/__tests__/standard-theme.test.ts b/src/theme/__tests__/standard-theme.test.ts
index 5f71ea12..e1543204 100644
--- a/src/theme/__tests__/standard-theme.test.ts
+++ b/src/theme/__tests__/standard-theme.test.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,15 @@ import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
 import { DARK_COLORS, LIGHT_COLORS } from '../tokens';
 
 // The standard theme's roles from branding/APP.md ("Tokens used here"),
-// which follow the webmail's app/globals.css.
+// which follow the webmail's app/globals.css (muted-foreground raised to
+// 4.5:1 in 9f6c7b99c).
 describe('standard theme tokens match the webmail', () => {
   it('light', () => {
     expect(LIGHT_COLORS.background).toBe('#ffffff');
     expect(LIGHT_COLORS.text).toBe('#0f172a');
     expect(LIGHT_COLORS.popover).toBe('#ffffff');
     expect(LIGHT_COLORS.border).toBe('#e2e8f0');
-    expect(LIGHT_COLORS.mutedForeground).toBe('#64748b');
+    expect(LIGHT_COLORS.mutedForeground).toBe('#59687c');
   });
 
   it('dark: white primary with near-black text on neutral greys', () => {
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ describe('standard theme tokens match the webmail', () => {
     expect(DARK_COLORS.primaryForeground).toBe('#171717');
     expect(DARK_COLORS.popover).toBe('#1c1c1c');
     expect(DARK_COLORS.border).toBe('rgba(128, 128, 128, 0.3)');
-    expect(DARK_COLORS.mutedForeground).toBe('#a3a3a3');
+    expect(DARK_COLORS.mutedForeground).toBe('#adadad');
     expect(DARK_COLORS.muted).toBe('#262626');
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/theme/__tests__/theme-contrast.test.ts b/src/theme/__tests__/theme-contrast.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f56bc0c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/theme/__tests__/theme-contrast.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { DARK_COLORS, LIGHT_COLORS, type ThemePalette } from '../tokens';
+import { BUILTIN_THEMES } from '../builtin-themes';
+
+// Text contrast of every built-in theme, light and dark (WCAG 1.4.3, webmail
+// 9f6c7b99c and lib/__tests__/theme-contrast.test.ts). Grey text used to sit
+// at 2.6:1 on white (textMuted #94a3b8) and 3.2:1 on dark surfaces (#737373
+// on #262626); it carries dates, previews, hints and placeholders all over
+// the app.
+
+type Rgb = [number, number, number];
+
+function parse(color: string): { rgb: Rgb; a: number } {
+  const hex = /^#([0-9a-f]{3}|[0-9a-f]{6})$/i.exec(color);
+  if (hex) {
+    const v = hex[1].length === 3 ? hex[1].split('').map((ch) => ch + ch).join('') : hex[1];
+    return { rgb: [0, 2, 4].map((i) => parseInt(v.slice(i, i + 2), 16)) as Rgb, a: 1 };
+  }
+  const rgba = /^rgba?\(\s*([\d.]+)\s*,\s*([\d.]+)\s*,\s*([\d.]+)\s*(?:,\s*([\d.]+)\s*)?\)$/i.exec(color);
+  if (!rgba) throw new Error(`unparsed colour ${color}`);
+  return { rgb: [Number(rgba[1]), Number(rgba[2]), Number(rgba[3])], a: rgba[4] === undefined ? 1 : Number(rgba[4]) };
+}
+
+/** Opaque rgb of `color`, laid over `under` when it has alpha. */
+function solid(color: string, under: Rgb): Rgb {
+  const c = parse(color);
+  return c.rgb.map((v, i) => v * c.a + under[i] * (1 - c.a)) as Rgb;
+}
+
+function luminance([r, g, b]: Rgb): number {
+  const [lr, lg, lb] = [r, g, b].map((v) => {
+    const c = v / 255;
+    return c <= 0.03928 ? c / 12.92 : ((c + 0.055) / 1.055) ** 2.4;
+  });
+  return 0.2126 * lr + 0.7152 * lg + 0.0722 * lb;
+}
+
+function ratio(fg: string, ground: string, page: string): number {
+  const bg = solid(ground, solid(page, [255, 255, 255]));
+  const l1 = luminance(solid(fg, bg));
+  const l2 = luminance(bg);
+  return (Math.max(l1, l2) + 0.05) / (Math.min(l1, l2) + 0.05);
+}
+
+const palettes: Array<[string, ThemePalette]> = [
+  ['default light', LIGHT_COLORS],
+  ['default dark', DARK_COLORS],
+  ...BUILTIN_THEMES.flatMap((theme): Array<[string, ThemePalette]> => [
+    [`${theme.name} light`, { ...LIGHT_COLORS, ...theme.light } as ThemePalette],
+    [`${theme.name} dark`, { ...DARK_COLORS, ...theme.dark } as ThemePalette],
+  ]),
+];
+
+const TEXT = ['text', 'textSecondary', 'textMuted', 'mutedForeground'] as const;
+// The grounds text is drawn on: the page, cards, sheets and popovers, and
+// the grey fills of rows, chips and inputs.
+const GROUNDS = ['background', 'surface', 'card', 'popover', 'secondary', 'muted'] as const;
+
+describe.each(palettes)('%s', (_name, palette) => {
+  it.each(TEXT)('%s reaches 4.5:1 on every ground', (fg) => {
+    for (const ground of GROUNDS) {
+      expect(ratio(palette[fg], palette[ground], palette.background), `${fg} ${palette[fg]} on ${ground} ${palette[ground]}`)
+        .toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(4.5);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/theme/builtin-themes.ts b/src/theme/builtin-themes.ts
index c6fdbbcb..6b72bb05 100644
--- a/src/theme/builtin-themes.ts
+++ b/src/theme/builtin-themes.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 // scripts in the parity work (2026-08-29). Each theme overrides the subset of
 // ThemePalette that the CSS defines; everything else keeps the base palette.
 // Regenerate rather than hand-edit when the webmail themes change.
+// The text tokens (foreground, card/popover foreground, muted-foreground)
+// were taken again after the webmail raised them to 4.5:1 (9f6c7b99c);
+// src/theme/__tests__/theme-contrast.test.ts checks them.
 //
 // Mapping (webmail --color-* -> ThemePalette): primary -> primary,
 // primaryDark, textLink, navActive; ring -> primaryLight, borderFocus;
@@ -47,8 +50,8 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       card: '#ffffff',
       cardForeground: '#09090b',
       text: '#09090b',
-      textSecondary: '#71717a',
-      textMuted: '#71717a',
+      textSecondary: '#66666e',
+      textMuted: '#66666e',
       textInverse: '#ffffff',
       textLink: '#3b82f6',
       border: '#e4e4e7',
@@ -63,14 +66,14 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       info: '#3b82f6',
       infoForeground: '#ffffff',
       unread: '#3b82f6',
-      read: '#71717a',
+      read: '#66666e',
       navActive: '#3b82f6',
-      navInactive: '#71717a',
+      navInactive: '#66666e',
       navBadge: '#ef4444',
       secondary: '#f4f4f5',
       secondaryForeground: '#18181b',
       muted: '#f4f4f5',
-      mutedForeground: '#71717a',
+      mutedForeground: '#66666e',
       accent: '#dbeafe',
       accentForeground: '#1d4ed8',
       selection: '#dbeafe',
@@ -257,8 +260,8 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       card: '#eff1f5',
       cardForeground: '#4c4f69',
       text: '#4c4f69',
-      textSecondary: '#6c6f85',
-      textMuted: '#6c6f85',
+      textSecondary: '#5c5f77',
+      textMuted: '#5c5f77',
       textInverse: '#eff1f5',
       textLink: '#8839ef',
       border: '#ccd0da',
@@ -273,14 +276,14 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       info: '#1e66f5',
       infoForeground: '#eff1f5',
       unread: '#8839ef',
-      read: '#6c6f85',
+      read: '#5c5f77',
       navActive: '#8839ef',
-      navInactive: '#6c6f85',
+      navInactive: '#5c5f77',
       navBadge: '#d20f39',
       secondary: '#e6e9ef',
       secondaryForeground: '#4c4f69',
       muted: '#dce0e8',
-      mutedForeground: '#6c6f85',
+      mutedForeground: '#5c5f77',
       accent: '#8839ef',
       accentForeground: '#eff1f5',
       selection: '#dce0e8',
@@ -307,8 +310,8 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       card: '#313244',
       cardForeground: '#cdd6f4',
       text: '#cdd6f4',
-      textSecondary: '#a6adc8',
-      textMuted: '#a6adc8',
+      textSecondary: '#b3b9d0',
+      textMuted: '#b3b9d0',
       textInverse: '#1e1e2e',
       textLink: '#cba6f7',
       border: '#45475a',
@@ -323,14 +326,14 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       info: '#89b4fa',
       infoForeground: '#1e1e2e',
       unread: '#cba6f7',
-      read: '#a6adc8',
+      read: '#b3b9d0',
       navActive: '#cba6f7',
-      navInactive: '#a6adc8',
+      navInactive: '#b3b9d0',
       navBadge: '#f38ba8',
       secondary: '#313244',
       secondaryForeground: '#cdd6f4',
       muted: '#313244',
-      mutedForeground: '#a6adc8',
+      mutedForeground: '#b3b9d0',
       accent: '#45475a',
       accentForeground: '#cba6f7',
       selection: 'rgba(203, 166, 247, 0.2)',
@@ -360,10 +363,10 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       surfaceHover: '#268bd2',
       surfaceActive: '#eee8d5',
       card: '#fdf6e3',
-      cardForeground: '#657b83',
-      text: '#657b83',
-      textSecondary: '#93a1a1',
-      textMuted: '#93a1a1',
+      cardForeground: '#073642',
+      text: '#073642',
+      textSecondary: '#4f6369',
+      textMuted: '#4f6369',
       textInverse: '#fdf6e3',
       textLink: '#268bd2',
       border: '#eee8d5',
@@ -378,20 +381,20 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       info: '#268bd2',
       infoForeground: '#fdf6e3',
       unread: '#268bd2',
-      read: '#93a1a1',
+      read: '#4f6369',
       navActive: '#268bd2',
-      navInactive: '#93a1a1',
+      navInactive: '#4f6369',
       navBadge: '#dc322f',
       secondary: '#eee8d5',
       secondaryForeground: '#586e75',
       muted: '#eee8d5',
-      mutedForeground: '#93a1a1',
+      mutedForeground: '#4f6369',
       accent: '#268bd2',
       accentForeground: '#fdf6e3',
       selection: '#eee8d5',
       selectionForeground: '#268bd2',
       popover: '#fdf6e3',
-      popoverForeground: '#657b83',
+      popoverForeground: '#073642',
       chart1: '#268bd2',
       chart2: '#859900',
       chart3: '#b58900',
@@ -410,10 +413,10 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       surfaceHover: '#073642',
       surfaceActive: '#073642',
       card: '#073642',
-      cardForeground: '#93a1a1',
-      text: '#839496',
-      textSecondary: '#586e75',
-      textMuted: '#586e75',
+      cardForeground: '#aab7b7',
+      text: '#aab7b7',
+      textSecondary: '#9aa7a7',
+      textMuted: '#9aa7a7',
       textInverse: '#002b36',
       textLink: '#268bd2',
       border: '#073642',
@@ -428,20 +431,20 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       info: '#268bd2',
       infoForeground: '#002b36',
       unread: '#268bd2',
-      read: '#586e75',
+      read: '#9aa7a7',
       navActive: '#268bd2',
-      navInactive: '#586e75',
+      navInactive: '#9aa7a7',
       navBadge: '#dc322f',
       secondary: '#073642',
       secondaryForeground: '#93a1a1',
       muted: '#073642',
-      mutedForeground: '#586e75',
+      mutedForeground: '#9aa7a7',
       accent: '#073642',
       accentForeground: '#268bd2',
       selection: 'rgba(38, 139, 210, 0.2)',
       selectionForeground: '#268bd2',
       popover: '#073642',
-      popoverForeground: '#93a1a1',
+      popoverForeground: '#aab7b7',
       chart1: '#268bd2',
       chart2: '#859900',
       chart3: '#b58900',
@@ -467,8 +470,8 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       card: '#ffffff',
       cardForeground: '#27353a',
       text: '#27353a',
-      textSecondary: '#737677',
-      textMuted: '#737677',
+      textSecondary: '#646768',
+      textMuted: '#646768',
       textInverse: '#ffffff',
       textLink: '#37beff',
       border: '#dddddd',
@@ -483,14 +486,14 @@ export const BUILTIN_THEMES: BuiltinTheme[] = [
       info: '#37beff',
       infoForeground: '#ffffff',
       unread: '#ffd452',
-      read: '#737677',
+      read: '#646768',
       navActive: '#37beff',
-      navInactive: '#737677',
+      navInactive: '#646768',
       navBadge: '#ff5552',
       secondary: '#f4f4f4',
       secondaryForeground: '#27353a',
       muted: '#f4f4f4',
-      mutedForeground: '#737677',
+      mutedForeground: '#646768',
       accent: '#e6f6ff',
       accentForeground: '#0070a8',
       selection: '#ebf8ff',
diff --git a/src/theme/tokens.ts b/src/theme/tokens.ts
index 5b146b88..2ae71a10 100644
--- a/src/theme/tokens.ts
+++ b/src/theme/tokens.ts
@@ -136,8 +136,10 @@ export const DARK_COLORS: ThemePalette = {
   cardForeground: '#fafafa',
 
   text: '#fafafa',
-  textSecondary: '#a3a3a3',
-  textMuted: '#737373',
+  // The webmail's dark muted-foreground (9f6c7b99c): 4.5:1 or more on the
+  // background and on the #262626 surfaces. #737373 was 3.2:1 on those.
+  textSecondary: '#adadad',
+  textMuted: '#adadad',
   textInverse: '#0a0a0a',
   // Links stay blue (webmail: info) so they read as links on a white-primary
   // theme.
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ export const DARK_COLORS: ThemePalette = {
   infoForeground: '#ffffff',
 
   unread: '#60a5fa',
-  read: '#a3a3a3',
+  read: '#adadad',
   starred: '#fbbf24',
   flagged: '#ef4444',
   draft: '#a78bfa',
@@ -179,13 +181,13 @@ export const DARK_COLORS: ThemePalette = {
   tags: TAGS,
 
   navActive: '#fafafa',
-  navInactive: '#a3a3a3',
+  navInactive: '#adadad',
   navBadge: '#ef4444',
 
   secondary: '#262626',
   secondaryForeground: '#fafafa',
   muted: '#262626',
-  mutedForeground: '#a3a3a3',
+  mutedForeground: '#adadad',
   accent: '#1e3a8a',
   accentForeground: '#dbeafe',
 
@@ -232,8 +234,10 @@ export const LIGHT_COLORS: ThemePalette = {
   cardForeground: '#0f172a',
 
   text: '#0f172a',
-  textSecondary: '#64748b',
-  textMuted: '#94a3b8',
+  // The webmail's light muted-foreground (9f6c7b99c): 4.5:1 or more on white
+  // and on the slate fills. #94a3b8 was 2.6:1 on white.
+  textSecondary: '#59687c',
+  textMuted: '#59687c',
   textInverse: '#ffffff',
   textLink: '#1d4ed8',
 
@@ -255,7 +259,7 @@ export const LIGHT_COLORS: ThemePalette = {
   infoForeground: '#ffffff',
 
   unread: '#3b82f6',
-  read: '#64748b',
+  read: '#59687c',
   starred: '#eab308',
   flagged: '#ef4444',
   draft: '#a855f7',
@@ -273,13 +277,13 @@ export const LIGHT_COLORS: ThemePalette = {
   tags: LIGHT_TAGS,
 
   navActive: '#3b82f6',
-  navInactive: '#64748b',
+  navInactive: '#59687c',
   navBadge: '#ef4444',
 
   secondary: '#f8fafc',
   secondaryForeground: '#0f172a',
   muted: '#f1f5f9',
-  mutedForeground: '#64748b',
+  mutedForeground: '#59687c',
   accent: '#dbeafe',
   accentForeground: '#1e40af',