diff --git a/src/lib/components/AboutPanel.svelte b/src/lib/components/AboutPanel.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f240b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/components/AboutPanel.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  import { openUrl } from "@tauri-apps/plugin-opener";
+  import { getVersion } from "@tauri-apps/api/app";
+  import { onMount } from "svelte";
+
+  interface Props {
+    onClose: () => void;
+  }
+
+  const { onClose }: Props = $props();
+
+  let appVersion = $state("");
+
+  onMount(async () => {
+    appVersion = await getVersion();
+  });
+
+  const links = {
+    source: "https://git.nhcarrigan.com/nhcarrigan/hikari-desktop",
+    discord: "https://chat.nhcarrigan.com",
+    website: "https://nhcarrigan.com",
+    license: "https://docs.nhcarrigan.com/legal/license/",
+    changelog: "https://git.nhcarrigan.com/nhcarrigan/hikari-desktop/releases",
+  };
+</script>
+
+<div
+  class="fixed inset-0 bg-black/50 backdrop-blur-sm z-50 flex items-center justify-center p-4"
+  onclick={onClose}
+  role="button"
+  tabindex="0"
+  onkeydown={(e) => e.key === "Escape" && onClose()}
+>
+  <div
+    class="bg-[var(--bg-primary)] border border-[var(--border-color)] rounded-lg shadow-xl max-w-md w-full p-6"
+    onclick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+    onkeydown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+    role="dialog"
+    aria-labelledby="about-title"
+    tabindex="-1"
+  >
+    <div class="flex items-center justify-between mb-4">
+      <h2 id="about-title" class="text-xl font-semibold text-gray-100">About Hikari Desktop</h2>
+      <button
+        onclick={onClose}
+        class="p-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-gray-300 transition-colors"
+        aria-label="Close"
+      >
+        <svg class="w-5 h-5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+          <path
+            stroke-linecap="round"
+            stroke-linejoin="round"
+            stroke-width="2"
+            d="M6 18L18 6M6 6l12 12"
+          />
+        </svg>
+      </button>
+    </div>
+
+    <div class="space-y-4 text-sm">
+      <div>
+        <h3 class="font-medium text-gray-200 mb-2">What is Hikari Desktop?</h3>
+        <p class="text-gray-400">
+          Hikari Desktop is an AI-powered desktop assistant that brings Claude directly to your
+          desktop. Built with love using Tauri, Svelte, and Rust for a fast, native experience.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+
+      <div>
+        <h3 class="font-medium text-gray-200 mb-2">Version</h3>
+        <p class="text-gray-400 mb-1">
+          {appVersion || "Loading..."}
+        </p>
+        <button
+          onclick={() => openUrl(links.changelog)}
+          class="text-[var(--accent-primary)] hover:text-[var(--accent-primary-hover)] transition-colors underline"
+        >
+          View Changelog
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      <div>
+        <h3 class="font-medium text-gray-200 mb-2">Source Code</h3>
+        <button
+          onclick={() => openUrl(links.source)}
+          class="text-[var(--accent-primary)] hover:text-[var(--accent-primary-hover)] transition-colors underline"
+        >
+          View on Git
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      <div>
+        <h3 class="font-medium text-gray-200 mb-2">Support & Community</h3>
+        <p class="text-gray-400 mb-1">Found a bug or have a suggestion?</p>
+        <button
+          onclick={() => openUrl(links.discord)}
+          class="text-[var(--accent-primary)] hover:text-[var(--accent-primary-hover)] transition-colors underline"
+        >
+          Join our Discord
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      <div>
+        <h3 class="font-medium text-gray-200 mb-2">Built with 💕 by</h3>
+        <button
+          onclick={() => openUrl(links.website)}
+          class="text-[var(--accent-primary)] hover:text-[var(--accent-primary-hover)] transition-colors underline"
+        >
+          Naomi Carrigan
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      <div>
+        <h3 class="font-medium text-gray-200 mb-2">License</h3>
+        <p class="text-gray-400 mb-1">
+          This project is open source and available under our license terms.
+        </p>
+        <button
+          onclick={() => openUrl(links.license)}
+          class="text-[var(--accent-primary)] hover:text-[var(--accent-primary-hover)] transition-colors underline"
+        >
+          View License
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      <div class="pt-4 mt-4 border-t border-[var(--border-color)]">
+        <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 text-center">
+          Copyright © {new Date().getFullYear()} Naomi Carrigan. All rights reserved.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<style>
+  /* Ensure the panel appears above other content */
+  [role="dialog"] {
+    animation: slideIn 0.2s ease-out;
+  }
+
+  @keyframes slideIn {
+    from {
+      opacity: 0;
+      transform: scale(0.95);
+    }
+    to {
+      opacity: 1;
+      transform: scale(1);
+    }
+  }
+</style>
diff --git a/src/lib/components/HelpPanel.svelte b/src/lib/components/HelpPanel.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..412c646
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/components/HelpPanel.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  interface Props {
+    onClose: () => void;
+  }
+
+  const { onClose }: Props = $props();
+
+  const sections = [
+    {
+      title: "Getting Started",
+      items: [
+        "Enter your Claude API key in Settings (gear icon)",
+        "Set your working directory and click Connect",
+        "Start chatting with Hikari - your AI assistant!",
+      ],
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Key Features",
+      items: [
+        "🗂️ File Management: Hikari can read, write, and edit files in your project",
+        "💻 Terminal Access: Execute commands and run scripts",
+        "🔍 Code Search: Find files and search through code",
+        "🌐 Web Access: Fetch information from the web",
+        "📊 MCP Servers: Connect to external tools via Model Context Protocol",
+        "📁 Multi-tab Support: Work on multiple conversations simultaneously",
+      ],
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Available Commands",
+      items: [
+        "Type naturally - Hikari understands context!",
+        "Ask to read, create, or modify files",
+        "Request code explanations or debugging help",
+        "Have Hikari run tests or build commands",
+        "Search for specific functions or patterns",
+      ],
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Tips & Tricks",
+      items: [
+        "💡 Use the stats panel to track your usage",
+        "🎯 Be specific about file paths and requirements",
+        "🔒 Grant tool permissions as needed for security",
+        "📌 Pin important conversations for quick access",
+        "🎨 Customize your theme and preferences in Settings",
+      ],
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Keyboard Shortcuts",
+      items: [
+        "Ctrl/Cmd + Enter: Send message",
+        "Ctrl/Cmd + K: Clear chat (when supported)",
+        "Escape: Close modals and panels",
+      ],
+    },
+  ];
+</script>
+
+<div
+  class="fixed inset-0 bg-black/50 backdrop-blur-sm z-50 flex items-center justify-center p-4"
+  onclick={onClose}
+  role="button"
+  tabindex="0"
+  onkeydown={(e) => e.key === "Escape" && onClose()}
+>
+  <div
+    class="bg-[var(--bg-primary)] border border-[var(--border-color)] rounded-lg shadow-xl max-w-2xl w-full max-h-[80vh] overflow-hidden flex flex-col"
+    onclick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+    onkeydown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+    role="dialog"
+    aria-labelledby="help-title"
+    tabindex="-1"
+  >
+    <div class="flex items-center justify-between p-6 pb-4 border-b border-[var(--border-color)]">
+      <h2 id="help-title" class="text-xl font-semibold text-gray-100">How to Use Hikari Desktop</h2>
+      <button
+        onclick={onClose}
+        class="p-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-gray-300 transition-colors"
+        aria-label="Close"
+      >
+        <svg class="w-5 h-5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+          <path
+            stroke-linecap="round"
+            stroke-linejoin="round"
+            stroke-width="2"
+            d="M6 18L18 6M6 6l12 12"
+          />
+        </svg>
+      </button>
+    </div>
+
+    <div class="overflow-y-auto flex-1 p-6 space-y-6">
+      {#each sections as section (section.title)}
+        <div>
+          <h3 class="font-medium text-gray-200 mb-3">{section.title}</h3>
+          <ul class="space-y-2 text-sm text-gray-400">
+            {#each section.items as item (item)}
+              <li class="flex items-start">
+                <span class="text-[var(--accent-primary)] mr-2 mt-0.5">•</span>
+                <span>{item}</span>
+              </li>
+            {/each}
+          </ul>
+        </div>
+      {/each}
+
+      <div class="pt-4 border-t border-[var(--border-color)]">
+        <p class="text-sm text-gray-500">
+          <strong>Need more help?</strong> Join our Discord community for support and updates!
+        </p>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<style>
+  /* Ensure the panel appears above other content */
+  [role="dialog"] {
+    animation: slideIn 0.2s ease-out;
+  }
+
+  @keyframes slideIn {
+    from {
+      opacity: 0;
+      transform: scale(0.95) translateY(10px);
+    }
+    to {
+      opacity: 1;
+      transform: scale(1) translateY(0);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /* Custom scrollbar styling */
+  .overflow-y-auto {
+    scrollbar-width: thin;
+    scrollbar-color: var(--border-color) transparent;
+  }
+
+  .overflow-y-auto::-webkit-scrollbar {
+    width: 8px;
+  }
+
+  .overflow-y-auto::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
+    background: transparent;
+  }
+
+  .overflow-y-auto::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
+    background-color: var(--border-color);
+    border-radius: 4px;
+  }
+
+  .overflow-y-auto::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover {
+    background-color: var(--accent-primary);
+  }
+</style>
diff --git a/src/lib/components/StatusBar.svelte b/src/lib/components/StatusBar.svelte
index 5693a00..10c5d54 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/StatusBar.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/StatusBar.svelte
@@ -15,9 +15,12 @@
   import type { ConnectionStatus } from "$lib/types/messages";
   import { onMount } from "svelte";
   import StatsDisplay from "./StatsDisplay.svelte";
+  import AboutPanel from "./AboutPanel.svelte";
+  import HelpPanel from "./HelpPanel.svelte";
   import { achievementProgress } from "$lib/stores/achievements";
 
   const DISCORD_URL = "https://chat.nhcarrigan.com";
+  const DONATE_URL = "https://donate.nhcarrigan.com";
 
   let connectionStatus: ConnectionStatus = $state("disconnected");
   let workingDirectory = $state("");
@@ -26,6 +29,8 @@
   let grantedToolsList: string[] = $state([]);
   let appVersion = $state("");
   let showStats = $state(false);
+  let showAbout = $state(false);
+  let showHelp = $state(false);
   const progress = $derived($achievementProgress);
   let currentConfig: HikariConfig = $state({
     model: null,
@@ -241,6 +246,45 @@
         />
       </svg>
     </button>
+    <button
+      onclick={() => openUrl(DONATE_URL)}
+      class="p-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-[var(--accent-primary)] transition-colors"
+      title="Support our work"
+    >
+      <svg class="w-5 h-5" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+        <path
+          d="M12 21.35l-1.45-1.32C5.4 15.36 2 12.28 2 8.5 2 5.42 4.42 3 7.5 3c1.74 0 3.41.81 4.5 2.09C13.09 3.81 14.76 3 16.5 3 19.58 3 22 5.42 22 8.5c0 3.78-3.4 6.86-8.55 11.54L12 21.35z"
+        />
+      </svg>
+    </button>
+    <button
+      onclick={() => (showAbout = true)}
+      class="p-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-[var(--accent-primary)] transition-colors"
+      title="About Hikari Desktop"
+    >
+      <svg class="w-5 h-5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+        <path
+          stroke-linecap="round"
+          stroke-linejoin="round"
+          stroke-width="2"
+          d="M13 16h-1v-4h-1m1-4h.01M21 12a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z"
+        />
+      </svg>
+    </button>
+    <button
+      onclick={() => (showHelp = true)}
+      class="p-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-[var(--accent-primary)] transition-colors"
+      title="Help"
+    >
+      <svg class="w-5 h-5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+        <path
+          stroke-linecap="round"
+          stroke-linejoin="round"
+          stroke-width="2"
+          d="M8.228 9c.549-1.165 2.03-2 3.772-2 2.21 0 4 1.343 4 3 0 1.4-1.278 2.575-3.006 2.907-.542.104-.994.54-.994 1.093m0 3h.01M21 12a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z"
+        />
+      </svg>
+    </button>
     <button
       onclick={() => openUrl(DISCORD_URL)}
       class="p-1 text-gray-500 hover:text-[var(--accent-primary)] transition-colors"
@@ -288,3 +332,11 @@
     <StatsDisplay />
   </div>
 {/if}
+
+{#if showAbout}
+  <AboutPanel onClose={() => (showAbout = false)} />
+{/if}
+
+{#if showHelp}
+  <HelpPanel onClose={() => (showHelp = false)} />
+{/if}
diff --git a/src/lib/notifications/soundPlayer.ts b/src/lib/notifications/soundPlayer.ts
index 8157a80..455acca 100644
--- a/src/lib/notifications/soundPlayer.ts
+++ b/src/lib/notifications/soundPlayer.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { NOTIFICATION_SOUNDS, type NotificationType } from "./types";
 
 class SoundPlayer {
   private audioCache: Map<NotificationType, HTMLAudioElement> = new Map();
-  private enabled: boolean = true;
+  private enabled: boolean = false; // Start disabled until config loads
   private globalVolume: number = 1.0;
 
   constructor() {
diff --git a/src/lib/stores/notifications.ts b/src/lib/stores/notifications.ts
index c001417..64f3599 100644
--- a/src/lib/stores/notifications.ts
+++ b/src/lib/stores/notifications.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,23 @@
-import { derived } from "svelte/store";
 import { configStore } from "./config";
 import { soundPlayer } from "$lib/notifications";
 
-// Sync notification settings with config
-export const notificationSettings = derived(configStore.config, ($config) => {
-  soundPlayer.setEnabled($config.notifications_enabled);
-  soundPlayer.setGlobalVolume($config.notification_volume);
+let unsubscribe: (() => void) | null = null;
 
-  return {
-    enabled: $config.notifications_enabled,
-    volume: $config.notification_volume,
-  };
-});
+// Initialize notification settings sync - call this once on app startup
+export function initNotificationSync() {
+  // Prevent duplicate subscriptions
+  if (unsubscribe) return;
 
-// Helper to update notification settings
-export async function updateNotificationSettings(enabled: boolean, volume: number) {
-  await configStore.updateConfig({
-    notifications_enabled: enabled,
-    notification_volume: volume,
+  unsubscribe = configStore.config.subscribe(($config) => {
+    soundPlayer.setEnabled($config.notifications_enabled);
+    soundPlayer.setGlobalVolume($config.notification_volume);
   });
 }
+
+// Cleanup function if needed
+export function cleanupNotificationSync() {
+  if (unsubscribe) {
+    unsubscribe();
+    unsubscribe = null;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/+page.svelte b/src/routes/+page.svelte
index c9d47eb..195de40 100644
--- a/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   import { onMount, onDestroy } from "svelte";
   import { initializeTauriListeners, cleanupTauriListeners } from "$lib/tauri";
   import { configStore, applyTheme } from "$lib/stores/config";
+  import { initNotificationSync, cleanupNotificationSync } from "$lib/stores/notifications";
   import { conversationsStore } from "$lib/stores/conversations";
   import "$lib/notifications/testNotifications";
   import Terminal from "$lib/components/Terminal.svelte";
@@ -29,12 +30,16 @@
       // Apply saved theme on startup
       const config = configStore.getConfig();
       applyTheme(config.theme);
+
+      // Initialize notification settings sync
+      initNotificationSync();
     }
   });
 
   onDestroy(() => {
     if (initialized) {
       cleanupTauriListeners();
+      cleanupNotificationSync();
       initialized = false;
     }
   });