diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.html b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.html
index 0fa048529..9998539e6 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.html
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.html
@@ -3,7 +3,18 @@
     [class.external-playback-dock--compact]="compact()"
     [class.external-playback-dock--error]="session().status === 'error'"
 >
-    <div class="external-playback-dock__artwork">
+    <button
+        type="button"
+        class="external-playback-dock__artwork"
+        [class.external-playback-dock__artwork--interactive]="
+            artworkInteractive()
+        "
+        [disabled]="!artworkInteractive()"
+        [attr.aria-label]="
+            artworkInteractive() ? 'Open in playlist' : null
+        "
+        (click)="onArtworkClick()"
+    >
         @if (showArtwork()) {
             <img
                 [src]="artworkUrl()"
@@ -16,29 +27,27 @@
                 <mat-icon>{{ artworkPlaceholderIcon() }}</mat-icon>
             </div>
         }
-    </div>
+    </button>
 
     <div class="external-playback-dock__meta">
-        <div class="external-playback-dock__topline">
-            <span class="external-playback-dock__chip">{{
-                playerLabel()
-            }}</span>
-            @if (!compact()) {
-                <span class="external-playback-dock__caption">
-                    External player
-                </span>
-            }
-        </div>
         <div class="external-playback-dock__title">{{ session().title }}</div>
         <div class="external-playback-dock__status">
+            <span class="external-playback-dock__chip">{{ playerLabel() }}</span>
+            <span
+                class="external-playback-dock__status-separator"
+                aria-hidden="true"
+                >·</span
+            >
             @if (showSpinner()) {
-                <mat-spinner diameter="14" strokeWidth="3"></mat-spinner>
-            } @else {
-                <mat-icon>{{
-                    session().status === 'error' ? 'error' : 'play_arrow'
+                <mat-spinner diameter="12" strokeWidth="2"></mat-spinner>
+            } @else if (showStatusIcon()) {
+                <mat-icon class="external-playback-dock__status-icon">{{
+                    statusIcon()
                 }}</mat-icon>
             }
-            <span>{{ statusLabel() }}</span>
+            <span class="external-playback-dock__status-text">{{
+                statusLabel()
+            }}</span>
         </div>
     </div>
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.scss b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.scss
index 91991507b..29158fd71 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.scss
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.scss
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     align-items: center;
     gap: 14px;
     min-height: 72px;
-    padding: 8px 14px;
+    padding: 2px 14px;
     border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--mat-sys-outline-variant) 60%, transparent);
     border-radius: 15px 15px 0 0;
     background:
@@ -59,10 +59,17 @@
 .external-playback-dock__artwork {
     width: 48px;
     height: 48px;
+    padding: 0;
+    border: 0;
     border-radius: 14px;
     overflow: hidden;
     background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--mat-sys-surface-container-highest) 92%, transparent);
     box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.18);
+    color: inherit;
+    cursor: default;
+    transition:
+        transform 0.18s ease,
+        box-shadow 0.18s ease;
 
     img,
     .external-playback-dock__placeholder {
@@ -74,6 +81,22 @@
         object-fit: cover;
         display: block;
     }
+
+    &--interactive {
+        cursor: pointer;
+
+        &:hover {
+            transform: scale(1.04);
+            box-shadow:
+                inset 0 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.32),
+                0 6px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.28);
+        }
+
+        &:focus-visible {
+            outline: 2px solid var(--mat-sys-primary);
+            outline-offset: 2px;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 .external-playback-dock__placeholder {
@@ -86,30 +109,21 @@
     min-width: 0;
 }
 
-.external-playback-dock__topline {
-    display: flex;
-    align-items: center;
-    gap: 8px;
-    margin-bottom: 3px;
-}
-
 .external-playback-dock__chip {
     display: inline-flex;
     align-items: center;
-    height: 20px;
-    padding: 0 8px;
+    height: 18px;
     border-radius: 999px;
-    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--mat-sys-primary-container) 82%, transparent);
-    color: var(--mat-sys-on-primary-container);
-    font-size: 0.68rem;
-    font-weight: 700;
-    letter-spacing: 0.08em;
-}
-
-.external-playback-dock__caption {
+    background: color-mix(
+        in srgb,
+        var(--mat-sys-surface-container-highest) 80%,
+        transparent
+    );
     color: var(--mat-sys-on-surface-variant);
-    font-size: 0.72rem;
-    text-transform: uppercase;
+    border: 1px solid
+        color-mix(in srgb, var(--mat-sys-outline-variant) 70%, transparent);
+    font-size: 0.66rem;
+    font-weight: 700;
     letter-spacing: 0.08em;
 }
 
@@ -120,20 +134,33 @@
     font-size: 0.95rem;
     font-weight: 700;
     color: var(--mat-sys-on-surface);
+    margin-bottom: 2px;
 }
 
 .external-playback-dock__status {
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
     gap: 6px;
-    margin-top: 4px;
     color: var(--mat-sys-on-surface-variant);
     font-size: 0.78rem;
+    min-width: 0;
 
-    mat-icon {
-        width: 16px;
-        height: 16px;
-        font-size: 16px;
+    .external-playback-dock__status-separator {
+        opacity: 0.55;
+        font-weight: 700;
+        line-height: 1;
+    }
+
+    .external-playback-dock__status-icon {
+        width: 14px;
+        height: 14px;
+        font-size: 14px;
+    }
+
+    .external-playback-dock__status-text {
+        overflow: hidden;
+        text-overflow: ellipsis;
+        white-space: nowrap;
     }
 
     mat-spinner {
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.ts
index 7e66f8226..4d4e6e6b5 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/external-playback-dock/external-playback-dock.component.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export class ExternalPlaybackDockComponent {
     readonly compact = input(false);
 
     readonly closeClicked = output<void>();
+    readonly artworkClicked = output<void>();
     private readonly artworkFailed = signal(false);
 
     readonly playerLabel = computed(() => this.session().player.toUpperCase());
@@ -38,25 +39,32 @@ export class ExternalPlaybackDockComponent {
     );
     readonly statusLabel = computed(() => {
         const session = this.session();
-        const player = this.playerLabel();
 
         switch (session.status) {
             case 'launching':
-                return `Opening in ${player}...`;
+                return 'Launching…';
             case 'opened':
-                return `Opened in ${player}`;
             case 'playing':
-                return `Playing in ${player}`;
+                return 'Opened';
             case 'error':
-                return session.error || `${player} failed to launch`;
+                return session.error || 'Playback failed';
             default:
-                return `${player} closed`;
+                return 'Closed';
         }
     });
 
+    readonly statusIcon = computed(() => {
+        const status = this.session().status;
+        if (status === 'error') return 'error_outline';
+        return 'open_in_new';
+    });
+
     readonly showSpinner = computed(
         () => this.session().status === 'launching'
     );
+    readonly showStatusIcon = computed(
+        () => this.session().status !== 'launching'
+    );
     readonly showArtwork = computed(
         () => !!this.artworkUrl() && !this.artworkFailed()
     );
@@ -72,6 +80,9 @@ export class ExternalPlaybackDockComponent {
                 return 'live_tv';
         }
     });
+    readonly artworkInteractive = computed(
+        () => !!this.session().contentInfo?.playlistId
+    );
     readonly showCloseButton = computed(
         () => this.session().canClose && this.session().status !== 'error'
     );
@@ -86,4 +97,9 @@ export class ExternalPlaybackDockComponent {
     onArtworkError(): void {
         this.artworkFailed.set(true);
     }
+
+    onArtworkClick(): void {
+        if (!this.artworkInteractive()) return;
+        this.artworkClicked.emit();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/services/workspace-shell.facade.ts b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/services/workspace-shell.facade.ts
index 35944df88..e526c8191 100644
--- a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/services/workspace-shell.facade.ts
+++ b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/services/workspace-shell.facade.ts
@@ -720,6 +720,23 @@ export class WorkspaceShellFacade {
         );
     }
 
+    openActiveExternalSessionTarget(): void {
+        const playlistId = this.externalPlaybackSession()?.contentInfo
+            ?.playlistId;
+        if (!playlistId) return;
+
+        const playlist = this.playlists().find((p) => p._id === playlistId);
+        if (!playlist) return;
+
+        if (playlist.serverUrl) {
+            void this.router.navigate(['/workspace', 'xtreams', playlistId]);
+        } else if (playlist.macAddress) {
+            void this.router.navigate(['/workspace', 'stalker', playlistId]);
+        } else {
+            void this.router.navigate(['/workspace', 'playlists', playlistId]);
+        }
+    }
+
     onSearchInput(value: string): void {
         this.searchQuery.set(value);
         this.scheduleSearchApply(value);
diff --git a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.html b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.html
index b561bfd0f..3492dec1e 100644
--- a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.html
+++ b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.html
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@
                 <app-external-playback-dock
                     [session]="session"
                     (closeClicked)="facade.closeActiveExternalSession()"
+                    (artworkClicked)="
+                        facade.openActiveExternalSessionTarget()
+                    "
                 />
             </footer>
         }
diff --git a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.scss b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.scss
index aff8d10ba..d077df539 100644
--- a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.scss
+++ b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.scss
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ app-workspace-shell-context-sidebar {
 .workspace-now-playing {
     grid-column: 2;
     grid-row: 3;
+    padding: 0;
+    background: var(--app-content-bg, var(--mat-sys-surface));
 }
 
 .workspace-content {