diff --git a/i18n/default_de.json b/i18n/default_de.json
index 5473a88..b9875a9 100644
--- a/i18n/default_de.json
+++ b/i18n/default_de.json
@@ -425,14 +425,18 @@
   "Appearance": "Darstellung",
   "API docs": "API-Doku",
   "Can view API documentation": "Kann API-Dokumentation anzeigen",
-  "Use default color": "Standardfarbe verwenden",
-  "Using the default color applies the global system appearance.": "Standardfarbe verwenden heißt: Es werden die globalen Systemeinstellungen für die Darstellung genutzt.",
+  "Appearance is controlled per tenant. If a field is left at the system default, the app renders in light theme without a brand accent.": "Die Darstellung wird pro Mandant gesteuert. Wenn ein Feld auf Systemstandard bleibt, rendert die App im hellen Theme ohne Markenakzent.",
+  "No brand color": "Keine Markenfarbe",
+  "Use system default (no brand accent)": "Systemstandard verwenden (kein Markenakzent)",
+  "When enabled the tenant renders without a brand accent color.": "Wenn aktiv, rendert der Mandant ohne Markenakzent-Farbe.",
+  "Use system default (light)": "Systemstandard verwenden (hell)",
+  "The theme used for users in this tenant who have no personal preference.": "Das Theme für Nutzer dieses Mandanten, die keine persönliche Präferenz gesetzt haben.",
+  "Use system default (allowed)": "Systemstandard verwenden (erlaubt)",
   "Inactive tenants are excluded from user access and tenant-scoped data.": "Inaktive Mandanten werden vom Benutzerzugriff und mandantenspezifischen Daten ausgeschlossen.",
   "Status & meta": "Status & Meta",
   "Audit": "Audit",
   "Overview": "Übersicht",
   "Choose color": "Farbe wählen",
-  "Be careful - this resets the tenants color": "Achtung – das setzt die Primärfarbe des Mandanten zurück",
   "Code": "Code",
   "Cost center": "Kostenstelle",
   "Department code already exists": "Abteilungscode existiert bereits",
@@ -757,10 +761,8 @@
   "Default theme is invalid": "Standard-Theme ist ungültig",
   "User theme policy is invalid": "Benutzer-Theme-Richtlinie ist ungültig",
   "Theme change is disabled for this tenant": "Theme-Wechsel ist für diesen Mandanten deaktiviert",
-  "Inherit global setting": "Globale Einstellung übernehmen",
   "Force allow user theme": "Benutzer-Theme erlauben (erzwingen)",
   "Force disallow user theme": "Benutzer-Theme verbieten (erzwingen)",
-  "If set, this tenant uses its own default theme instead of the global setting.": "Wenn gesetzt, verwendet dieser Mandant sein eigenes Standard-Theme statt der globalen Einstellung.",
   "Controls whether users in this tenant can choose their own theme.": "Steuert, ob Benutzer in diesem Mandanten ihr eigenes Theme wählen können.",
   "Tenants can override color and theme behavior in their appearance settings.": "Mandanten können Farbe und Theme-Verhalten in ihren Darstellungs-Einstellungen überschreiben.",
   "User theme policy": "Benutzer-Theme-Richtlinie",
diff --git a/i18n/default_en.json b/i18n/default_en.json
index 18d626c..02c4bcc 100644
--- a/i18n/default_en.json
+++ b/i18n/default_en.json
@@ -425,14 +425,18 @@
   "Appearance": "Appearance",
   "API docs": "API docs",
   "Can view API documentation": "Can view API documentation",
-  "Use default color": "Use default color",
-  "Using the default color applies the global system appearance.": "Using the default color applies the global system appearance.",
+  "Appearance is controlled per tenant. If a field is left at the system default, the app renders in light theme without a brand accent.": "Appearance is controlled per tenant. If a field is left at the system default, the app renders in light theme without a brand accent.",
+  "No brand color": "No brand color",
+  "Use system default (no brand accent)": "Use system default (no brand accent)",
+  "When enabled the tenant renders without a brand accent color.": "When enabled the tenant renders without a brand accent color.",
+  "Use system default (light)": "Use system default (light)",
+  "The theme used for users in this tenant who have no personal preference.": "The theme used for users in this tenant who have no personal preference.",
+  "Use system default (allowed)": "Use system default (allowed)",
   "Inactive tenants are excluded from user access and tenant-scoped data.": "Inactive tenants are excluded from user access and tenant-scoped data.",
   "Status & meta": "Status & meta",
   "Audit": "Audit",
   "Overview": "Overview",
   "Choose color": "Choose color",
-  "Be careful - this resets the tenants color": "Be careful - this resets the tenant color",
   "Code": "Code",
   "Cost center": "Cost center",
   "Department code already exists": "Department code already exists",
@@ -757,10 +761,8 @@
   "Default theme is invalid": "Default theme is invalid",
   "User theme policy is invalid": "User theme policy is invalid",
   "Theme change is disabled for this tenant": "Theme change is disabled for this tenant",
-  "Inherit global setting": "Inherit global setting",
   "Force allow user theme": "Force allow user theme",
   "Force disallow user theme": "Force disallow user theme",
-  "If set, this tenant uses its own default theme instead of the global setting.": "If set, this tenant uses its own default theme instead of the global setting.",
   "Controls whether users in this tenant can choose their own theme.": "Controls whether users in this tenant can choose their own theme.",
   "Tenants can override color and theme behavior in their appearance settings.": "Tenants can override color and theme behavior in their appearance settings.",
   "User theme policy": "User theme policy",
diff --git a/pages/admin/tenants/_form.phtml b/pages/admin/tenants/_form.phtml
index df7181f..920aef9 100644
--- a/pages/admin/tenants/_form.phtml
+++ b/pages/admin/tenants/_form.phtml
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ $openOverrideCard = $detailsOpenAll;
 
     <div data-tab-panel="visibility">
       <blockquote data-variant="info">
-        <?php e(t('Using the default color applies the global system appearance.')); ?>
+        <?php e(t('Appearance is controlled per tenant. If a field is left at the system default, the app renders in light theme without a brand accent.')); ?>
       </blockquote>
       <div class="grid">
         <fieldset>
@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ $openOverrideCard = $detailsOpenAll;
         <fieldset>
           <legend>
             <small>
-              <?php e(t('Use default color')); ?>
+              <?php e(t('No brand color')); ?>
             </small>
           </legend>
           <label class="app-field">
@@ -962,29 +962,29 @@ $openOverrideCard = $detailsOpenAll;
               data-color-default="<?php e($defaultPrimaryColor); ?>"
               <?php e($useDefaultPrimaryColor ? 'checked' : ''); ?>
               <?php e($readonlyAttr); ?>>
-            <span><?php e(t('Use default color')); ?></span>
+            <span><?php e(t('Use system default (no brand accent)')); ?></span>
           </label>
-          <small class="muted"><?php e(t('Be careful - this resets the tenants color')); ?></small>
+          <small class="muted"><?php e(t('When enabled the tenant renders without a brand accent color.')); ?></small>
         </fieldset>
       </div>
       <div class="grid">
         <fieldset>
           <legend><small><?php e(t('Default theme')); ?></small></legend>
           <select name="default_theme" <?php e($disabledAttr); ?>>
-            <option value=""><?php e(t('Inherit global setting')); ?></option>
+            <option value=""><?php e(t('Use system default (light)')); ?></option>
             <?php foreach ($themes as $themeKey => $themeLabel): ?>
               <option value="<?php e($themeKey); ?>" <?php e($tenantDefaultTheme === $themeKey ? 'selected' : ''); ?>>
                 <?php e(t($themeLabel)); ?>
               </option>
             <?php endforeach; ?>
           </select>
-          <small class="muted"><?php e(t('If set, this tenant uses its own default theme instead of the global setting.')); ?></small>
+          <small class="muted"><?php e(t('The theme used for users in this tenant who have no personal preference.')); ?></small>
         </fieldset>
         <fieldset>
           <legend><small><?php e(t('User theme policy')); ?></small></legend>
           <select name="allow_user_theme_mode" <?php e($disabledAttr); ?>>
             <option value="" <?php e($tenantAllowUserThemeMode === '' ? 'selected' : ''); ?>>
-              <?php e(t('Inherit global setting')); ?>
+              <?php e(t('Use system default (allowed)')); ?>
             </option>
             <option value="1" <?php e($tenantAllowUserThemeMode === '1' ? 'selected' : ''); ?>>
               <?php e(t('Force allow user theme')); ?>