diff --git a/src-tauri/src/windows.rs b/src-tauri/src/windows.rs
index b9d14c12..a47340ad 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/windows.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/windows.rs
@@ -796,9 +796,13 @@ pub fn open_settings_window(
     #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
     crate::linux_window_state::prepare(app, &mut config);
     let builder = WebviewWindowBuilder::from_config(app, &config);
-    // AppKit child windows can disappear when dragged to another display's Space.
-    // The settings label already tracks ownership and parent-close cleanup.
-    #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+    // Windows: an owned child (WS_POPUP) of a borderless parent gets no DWM
+    // shadow, leaving the frameless settings window flat against its parent.
+    // Ownership is tracked by the `settings-<parent>` label instead
+    // (parent-close cleanup, menu modality), so only Linux keeps the native
+    // parent link. AppKit child windows can disappear when dragged to another
+    // display's Space, so macOS keeps it too.
+    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
     let builder = builder.and_then(|b| b.parent(&parent));
     let window = builder
         .and_then(|b| dev_font_preferences(b).build())
diff --git a/src/features/settings/window/bridge.ts b/src/features/settings/window/bridge.ts
index 3aa20209..e78722cf 100644
--- a/src/features/settings/window/bridge.ts
+++ b/src/features/settings/window/bridge.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 /**
  * Settings window ↔ its project window.
  *
- * Settings live in a native child window `settings-<parent>` (see
- * src-tauri/src/windows.rs) that only runs the settings pages. The action
+ * Settings live in a separate window `settings-<parent>` (see
+ * src-tauri/src/windows.rs) that only runs the settings pages (a native
+ * child of the parent on macOS/Linux; top-level on Windows so DWM paints
+ * its shadow). The action
  * registry stays in the project window: it sends the settings window a
  * description of every action (Keymap page, links that run actions) and runs
  * the actions the settings window forwards.