diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index 1baa6e2..cbc011f 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const { app, BrowserWindow, session, desktopCapturer, ipcMain, clipboard } = require('electron');
 const { autoUpdater } = require('electron-updater');
 const path = require('path');
+const packageJson = require('./package.json');
 
 const updateState = {
     status: 'idle', // idle | checking | available | downloading | downloaded | not-available | error
@@ -24,6 +25,22 @@ function isNewerVersionAvailable(info) {
 
 let updateCheckInProgress = false;
 
+function resolveBackendUrl() {
+    const configuredUrl = (process.env.CHATTZ_URL || process.env.APP_BASE_URL || '').trim();
+    if (configuredUrl) {
+        return configuredUrl.replace(/\/$/, '');
+    }
+
+    const packagedFallback = typeof packageJson.homepage === 'string'
+        ? packageJson.homepage.trim()
+        : '';
+    if (app.isPackaged && packagedFallback) {
+        return packagedFallback.replace(/\/$/, '');
+    }
+
+    return 'http://localhost:3000';
+}
+
 async function runUpdateCheck(reason = 'manual') {
     if (updateCheckInProgress) {
         console.log(`Update check skipped (${reason}): another check is already in progress`);
@@ -56,8 +73,9 @@ async function runUpdateCheck(reason = 'manual') {
 
 function createWindow() {
     const sess = session.fromPartition('persist:chattz');
-    const backendUrl = (process.env.CHATTZ_URL || process.env.APP_BASE_URL || 'http://localhost:3000').replace(/\/$/, '');
+    const backendUrl = resolveBackendUrl();
     const backendOrigin = new URL(backendUrl).origin;
+    console.log(`Desktop backend URL: ${backendUrl}`);
 
     const win = new BrowserWindow({
         width: 1200,
diff --git a/static/shared/app-core.js b/static/shared/app-core.js
index aaaa0b4..deee4bc 100644
--- a/static/shared/app-core.js
+++ b/static/shared/app-core.js
@@ -576,50 +576,103 @@ function renderChannels() {
         pList.style.paddingLeft = "24px";
         for (const p of participants) {
           const pRow = document.createElement("div");
-          pRow.className = `channel-row ${p.is_speaking ? 'voice-speaking' : ''}`;
+          pRow.className = `channel-row voice-participant-row ${p.is_speaking ? 'voice-speaking' : ''}`;
+          pRow.style.display = "block";
           pRow.style.padding = "2px 8px";
           pRow.style.flexWrap = "wrap";
 
-          let sliderHtml = '';
-          if (p.user_id !== state.me.id) {
-            const vol = state.userVolumes.get(p.user_id) ?? 1.0;
-            const isVisible = state.voice.visibleVolumeSliders.has(p.user_id);
-            sliderHtml = `
-              <div class="user-volume-control ${isVisible ? 'show-volume' : ''}" data-user-id="${p.user_id}">
-                <i data-lucide="volume-2" style="width: 12px; height: 12px; opacity: 0.6;"></i>
-                <input type="range" min="0" max="2" step="0.1" value="${vol}" class="volume-slider">
-                <span class="vol-pct">${Math.round(vol * 100)}%</span>
-              </div>
-            `;
+          const topRow = document.createElement("div");
+          topRow.style.display = "flex";
+          topRow.style.alignItems = "center";
+          topRow.style.gap = "8px";
+          topRow.style.width = "100%";
+
+          const avatar = document.createElement("div");
+          avatar.className = "avatar";
+          avatar.style.width = "20px";
+          avatar.style.height = "20px";
+          avatar.style.fontSize = "10px";
+          avatar.textContent = shortName(p.display_name);
+          topRow.appendChild(avatar);
+
+          const name = document.createElement("span");
+          name.style.flex = "1";
+          name.style.overflow = "hidden";
+          name.style.textOverflow = "ellipsis";
+          name.textContent = p.display_name;
+          topRow.appendChild(name);
+
+          const isRemoteParticipant = p.user_id !== state.me.id;
+          if (isRemoteParticipant) {
+            const volumeToggle = document.createElement("button");
+            volumeToggle.type = "button";
+            volumeToggle.title = "Toggle volume slider";
+            volumeToggle.style.display = "grid";
+            volumeToggle.style.placeItems = "center";
+            volumeToggle.style.width = "20px";
+            volumeToggle.style.height = "20px";
+            volumeToggle.style.color = "var(--text-muted)";
+            volumeToggle.innerHTML = '<i data-lucide="volume-2" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;"></i>';
+            topRow.appendChild(volumeToggle);
+
+            volumeToggle.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+              toggleVolumeSlider(e);
+            });
           }
 
-          pRow.innerHTML = `
-            <div style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; width: 100%;">
-              <div class="avatar" style="width:20px;height:20px;font-size:10px">${shortName(p.display_name)}</div> 
-              <span style="flex: 1; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">${escapeHtml(p.display_name)}</span>
-              ${p.is_muted ? '<i data-lucide="mic-off" class="voice-muted-icon"></i>' : ''}
-            </div>
-            ${sliderHtml}
-          `;
+          if (p.is_muted) {
+            const muteIcon = document.createElement("i");
+            muteIcon.setAttribute("data-lucide", "mic-off");
+            muteIcon.className = "voice-muted-icon";
+            topRow.appendChild(muteIcon);
+          }
+
+          pRow.appendChild(topRow);
+
+          const volumeControl = document.createElement("div");
+          volumeControl.className = `user-volume-control ${state.voice.visibleVolumeSliders.has(p.user_id) ? 'show-volume' : ''}`;
+          volumeControl.dataset.userId = p.user_id;
+
+          if (isRemoteParticipant) {
+            const volumeIcon = document.createElement("i");
+            volumeIcon.setAttribute("data-lucide", "volume-2");
+            volumeIcon.style.width = "12px";
+            volumeIcon.style.height = "12px";
+            volumeIcon.style.opacity = "0.6";
+            volumeControl.appendChild(volumeIcon);
+
+            const slider = document.createElement("input");
+            slider.type = "range";
+            slider.min = "0";
+            slider.max = "2";
+            slider.step = "0.1";
+            slider.value = String(state.userVolumes.get(p.user_id) ?? 1.0);
+            slider.className = "volume-slider";
+            volumeControl.appendChild(slider);
+
+            const volumePct = document.createElement("span");
+            volumePct.className = "vol-pct";
+            volumePct.textContent = `${Math.round((state.userVolumes.get(p.user_id) ?? 1.0) * 100)}%`;
+            volumeControl.appendChild(volumePct);
 
-          const slider = pRow.querySelector('.volume-slider');
-          if (slider) {
             slider.addEventListener('input', (e) => {
               const val = parseFloat(e.target.value);
               state.userVolumes.set(p.user_id, val);
-              pRow.querySelector('.vol-pct').textContent = `${Math.round(val * 100)}%`;
+              volumePct.textContent = `${Math.round(val * 100)}%`;
 
               const gainNode = state.voice.peerGainNodes.get(p.user_id);
-              if (gainNode) {
+              if (gainNode && state.voice.audioContext) {
                 gainNode.gain.setTargetAtTime(val, state.voice.audioContext.currentTime, 0.05);
               }
             });
-            // Stop propagation to prevent joining channel again when clicking slider
-            slider.addEventListener('click', (e) => e.stopPropagation());
+
+            volumeControl.addEventListener('click', (e) => e.stopPropagation());
+            volumeControl.addEventListener('mousedown', (e) => e.stopPropagation());
+            pRow.appendChild(volumeControl);
           }
 
           const toggleVolumeSlider = (e) => {
-            if (p.user_id === state.me.id) return;
+            if (!isRemoteParticipant) return;
             e.preventDefault();
             e.stopPropagation();
             if (state.voice.visibleVolumeSliders.has(p.user_id)) {
@@ -633,6 +686,9 @@ function renderChannels() {
           // Electron can swallow contextmenu events on some platforms; use
           // right-button mousedown as a reliable fallback for slider toggle.
           pRow.addEventListener('contextmenu', toggleVolumeSlider);
+          pRow.addEventListener('auxclick', (e) => {
+            if (e.button === 2) toggleVolumeSlider(e);
+          });
           pRow.addEventListener('mousedown', (e) => {
             if (e.button === 2) toggleVolumeSlider(e);
           });