diff --git a/JobTrackerApi/Program.cs b/JobTrackerApi/Program.cs
index 0985f2b..c4ecc85 100644
--- a/JobTrackerApi/Program.cs
+++ b/JobTrackerApi/Program.cs
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@ using System.Data.Common;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.JwtBearer;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity;
+using Microsoft.AspNetCore.DataProtection;
 using Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens;
 using JobTrackerApi.Models;
 using JobTrackerApi.Services;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt;
 using System.Net;
+using System.IO;
 using System.Security.Cryptography;
 using JobTrackerApi.Services.JobImport;
 using JobTrackerApi.Services.JobImport.Plugins;
@@ -74,7 +76,22 @@ builder.Services.AddCors(options =>
 
 // Add controllers
 builder.Services.AddControllers();
-builder.Services.AddDataProtection();
+var dataRoot = (builder.Configuration["Data:Root"] ?? "").Trim();
+if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(dataRoot))
+{
+    dataRoot = builder.Environment.ContentRootPath;
+}
+if (!Path.IsPathRooted(dataRoot))
+{
+    dataRoot = Path.Combine(builder.Environment.ContentRootPath, dataRoot);
+}
+Directory.CreateDirectory(dataRoot);
+var dataProtectionKeysPath = Path.Combine(dataRoot, "keys");
+Directory.CreateDirectory(dataProtectionKeysPath);
+
+builder.Services.AddDataProtection()
+    .PersistKeysToFileSystem(new DirectoryInfo(dataProtectionKeysPath))
+    .SetApplicationName("JobTracker");
 builder.Services.AddHostedService<RulesHostedService>();
 builder.Services.AddHostedService<DailyExportHostedService>();
 builder.Services.AddHostedService<JobEnrichmentHostedService>();
diff --git a/JobTrackerApi/Services/GmailOAuthService.cs b/JobTrackerApi/Services/GmailOAuthService.cs
index 172ec44..87bd27b 100644
--- a/JobTrackerApi/Services/GmailOAuthService.cs
+++ b/JobTrackerApi/Services/GmailOAuthService.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using System.Net.Http.Headers;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Text.Json;
+using System.Security.Cryptography;
 using JobTrackerApi.Data;
 using JobTrackerApi.Models;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.DataProtection;
@@ -230,7 +231,15 @@ public sealed class GmailOAuthService : IGmailOAuthService
             return _protector.Unprotect(connection.EncryptedAccessToken);
         }
 
-        var refreshToken = _protector.Unprotect(connection.EncryptedRefreshToken);
+        string refreshToken;
+        try
+        {
+            refreshToken = _protector.Unprotect(connection.EncryptedRefreshToken);
+        }
+        catch (CryptographicException)
+        {
+            throw new InvalidOperationException("Your stored Gmail connection can no longer be decrypted after a server key change. Disconnect Gmail and connect it again.");
+        }
         var refreshed = await RefreshAccessTokenAsync(refreshToken, cancellationToken);
         var accessToken = refreshed.access_token?.Trim();
         if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(accessToken))
diff --git a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/Correspondence.tsx b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/Correspondence.tsx
index 469216a..152b60b 100644
--- a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/Correspondence.tsx
+++ b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/Correspondence.tsx
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ function parseRawEmail(raw: string): {
   const to = headers["to"];
   const dateRaw = headers["date"];
 
-  let iso: string | undefined = undefined;
+  let iso: string | undefined;
   if (dateRaw) {
     const d = new Date(dateRaw);
     if (!Number.isNaN(+d)) iso = d.toISOString();
@@ -114,8 +114,12 @@ export default function Correspondence({ jobId }: { jobId: number }) {
         },
       });
       setGmailMessages(res.data);
-    } catch {
-      toast("Failed to load Gmail messages.", "error");
+    } catch (error: any) {
+      const message =
+        error?.response?.data && typeof error.response.data === "string"
+          ? error.response.data
+          : "Failed to load Gmail messages.";
+      toast(message, "error");
     } finally {
       setGmailMessagesLoading(false);
     }
@@ -284,10 +288,7 @@ export default function Correspondence({ jobId }: { jobId: number }) {
                       maxWidth: "80%",
                       borderRadius: 3,
                       p: 1.25,
-                      border: `1px solid ${alpha(
-                        accent,
-                        theme.palette.mode === "dark" ? 0.32 : 0.22,
-                      )}`,
+                      border: `1px solid ${alpha(accent, theme.palette.mode === "dark" ? 0.32 : 0.22)}`,
                       background: alpha(accent, theme.palette.mode === "dark" ? 0.14 : 0.1),
                       color: "text.primary",
                     }}
@@ -302,13 +303,10 @@ export default function Correspondence({ jobId }: { jobId: number }) {
                       {m.content}
                     </Typography>
 
-                    <Typography
-                      variant="caption"
-                      sx={{ display: "block", mt: 0.75, color: "text.secondary" }}
-                    >
+                    <Typography variant="caption" sx={{ display: "block", mt: 0.75, color: "text.secondary" }}>
                       {isMe ? "Me" : "Company"}
-                      {m.channel ? ` · ${m.channel}` : ""}
-                      {m.date ? ` · ${new Date(m.date).toLocaleString()}` : ""}
+                      {m.channel ? ` - ${m.channel}` : ""}
+                      {m.date ? ` - ${new Date(m.date).toLocaleString()}` : ""}
                     </Typography>
                   </Box>
                 </Box>
@@ -403,7 +401,11 @@ export default function Correspondence({ jobId }: { jobId: number }) {
                 <Box>
                   <Typography sx={{ fontWeight: 800 }}>Google Gmail</Typography>
                   <Typography variant="body2" sx={{ color: "text.secondary" }}>
-                    {gmailLoading ? "Checking connection..." : gmailStatus?.connected ? `Connected as ${gmailStatus.gmailAddress}` : "Connect your Gmail account to browse recent emails."}
+                    {gmailLoading
+                      ? "Checking connection..."
+                      : gmailStatus?.connected
+                        ? `Connected as ${gmailStatus.gmailAddress}`
+                        : "Connect your Gmail account to browse recent emails."}
                   </Typography>
                 </Box>
                 <Box sx={{ display: "flex", gap: 1, flexWrap: "wrap" }}>
diff --git a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/JobFlowBar.tsx b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/JobFlowBar.tsx
index e945af5..eb34bbb 100644
--- a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/JobFlowBar.tsx
+++ b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/JobFlowBar.tsx
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ export default function JobFlowBar({ job, history = [] }: { job: JobApplication
           <React.Fragment key={`${item.key}-${item.at.toISOString()}`}>
             <Chip
               icon={item.icon as React.ReactElement}
-              label={`${item.label} · ${item.at.toLocaleDateString()}`}
+              label={`${item.label} - ${item.at.toLocaleDateString()}`}
               sx={{
                 fontWeight: 800,
                 color: theme.palette.getContrastText(item.color),
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ export default function JobFlowBar({ job, history = [] }: { job: JobApplication
             />
             {index < items.length - 1 ? (
               <Typography sx={{ color: "text.secondary", fontWeight: 900 }}>
-                ?
+                {"->"}
               </Typography>
             ) : null}
           </React.Fragment>
diff --git a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/KanbanBoard.tsx b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/KanbanBoard.tsx
index 44c1e40..1223c7c 100644
--- a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/KanbanBoard.tsx
+++ b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/KanbanBoard.tsx
@@ -131,19 +131,19 @@ export default function KanbanBoard() {
                       cursor: "grab",
                       borderRadius: 3,
                       border: `1px solid ${alpha(c, theme.palette.mode === "dark" ? 0.22 : 0.14)}`,
-                      background: theme.palette.mode === "dark" ? "rgba(15,23,42,0.55)" : "rgba(255,255,255,0.8)",
+                      background: theme.palette.mode === "dark" ? "#f8fafc" : "rgba(255,255,255,0.96)",
                       backdropFilter: "blur(8px)",
-                      color: theme.palette.text.primary,
+                      color: "#0f172a",
                     }}
                   >
                     <CardContent sx={{ p: 1.25, "&:last-child": { pb: 1.25 } }}>
                       <Box sx={{ display: "flex", justifyContent: "space-between", gap: 1 }}>
-                        <Typography sx={{ fontWeight: 800, lineHeight: 1.25 }}>
+                        <Typography sx={{ fontWeight: 800, lineHeight: 1.25, color: "#0f172a" }}>
                           {j.company?.name ?? ""}
                         </Typography>
                         <IconButton
                           size="small"
-                          sx={{ color: theme.palette.text.primary }}
+                          sx={{ color: "#0f172a" }}
                           onClick={(e) => {
                             e.stopPropagation();
                             setMenuJobId(j.id);
@@ -153,12 +153,12 @@ export default function KanbanBoard() {
                           <MoreHorizIcon fontSize="small" />
                         </IconButton>
                       </Box>
-                      <Typography variant="body2" sx={{ color: "text.secondary" }}>
+                      <Typography variant="body2" sx={{ color: "#475569" }}>
                         {j.jobTitle}
                       </Typography>
                       <Box sx={{ display: "flex", gap: 1, mt: 1, flexWrap: "wrap" }}>
-                        <Chip size="small" label={`${j.daysSince}d`} />
-                        {j.location ? <Chip size="small" label={j.location} /> : null}
+                        <Chip size="small" label={`${j.daysSince}d`} sx={{ color: "#0f172a", backgroundColor: "rgba(148,163,184,0.18)" }} />
+                        {j.location ? <Chip size="small" label={j.location} sx={{ color: "#0f172a", backgroundColor: "rgba(148,163,184,0.18)" }} /> : null}
                       </Box>
                     </CardContent>
                   </Card>
diff --git a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/RemindersView.tsx b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/RemindersView.tsx
index 1fc6714..f2f6557 100644
--- a/job-tracker-ui/src/components/RemindersView.tsx
+++ b/job-tracker-ui/src/components/RemindersView.tsx
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export default function RemindersView() {
             <Box>
               <Typography sx={{ fontWeight: 900, lineHeight: 1.25 }}>
                 {j.company?.name ?? ""}{" "}
-                <span style={{ fontWeight: 700, opacity: 0.7 }}>·</span>{" "}
+                <span style={{ fontWeight: 700, opacity: 0.7 }}>�</span>{" "}
                 {j.jobTitle}
               </Typography>
               <Box sx={{ display: "flex", gap: 1, mt: 0.5, flexWrap: "wrap" }}>