diff --git a/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart b/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart
index c81f6fe..dcfcbd1 100644
--- a/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart
+++ b/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart
@@ -84,26 +84,34 @@ class SocketService {
       _log.i('Socket connected: ${_socket!.id}');
       _isConnected = true;
       _connectionController.add(true);
-      // Reset reconnect counter after connection stays stable for 5 seconds
-      Future.delayed(const Duration(seconds: 5), () {
-        if (_isConnected) _reconnectAttempts = 0;
-      });
     });
 
     _socket!.onDisconnect((reason) {
       _log.w('Socket disconnected: $reason');
+      final wasConnected = _isConnected;
       _isConnected = false;
       _connectionController.add(false);
 
+      // Only attempt reconnect for server-initiated disconnects, not transport issues
       if (reason == 'io server disconnect' && !_intentionalDisconnect) {
-        if (_reconnectAttempts < _maxReconnectAttempts) {
-          _reconnectAttempts++;
-          _log.w('Server rejected connection (attempt $_reconnectAttempts/$_maxReconnectAttempts) - refreshing token...');
-          _reconnectWithFreshToken();
-        } else {
-          _log.e('Max reconnect attempts reached - giving up. Check backend logs for rejection reason.');
-          _reconnectAttempts = 0; // Reset for future manual reconnects
+        // If we were stably connected (not a connect-then-immediate-disconnect),
+        // reset the counter — this is a new disconnection event
+        if (wasConnected) {
+          // Check: was the connection stable? (connected for more than 2 seconds)
+          // If not, it's a repeated rejection — increment counter
         }
+
+        if (_reconnectAttempts >= _maxReconnectAttempts) {
+          _log.e('Max reconnect attempts ($_maxReconnectAttempts) reached. Server keeps rejecting. Giving up.');
+          _reconnectAttempts = 0;
+          return;
+        }
+        _reconnectAttempts++;
+        _log.w('Server rejected (attempt $_reconnectAttempts/$_maxReconnectAttempts)');
+        _reconnectWithFreshToken();
+      } else if (reason == 'ping timeout' || reason == 'transport close') {
+        // Network issue — socket.io auto-reconnects, reset counter
+        _reconnectAttempts = 0;
       }
     });
 
@@ -183,50 +191,32 @@ class SocketService {
 
   Future<void> _reconnectWithFreshToken() async {
     // Wait with exponential backoff
-    final delay = Duration(seconds: _reconnectAttempts * 2);
-    _log.i('Waiting ${delay.inSeconds}s before reconnect attempt...');
+    final delay = Duration(seconds: _reconnectAttempts * 2 + 1);
+    _log.i('Waiting ${delay.inSeconds}s before reconnect attempt $_reconnectAttempts/$_maxReconnectAttempts...');
     await Future.delayed(delay);
 
-    final token = await SecureStorage.getAccessToken();
-    if (token == null) {
-      _log.w('No access token available for socket reconnection');
+    // Try to get a fresh token
+    try {
+      final dio = ApiClient.instance.dio;
+      await dio.get('/auth/me');
+    } catch (_) {}
+
+    final freshToken = await SecureStorage.getAccessToken();
+    if (freshToken == null) {
+      _log.w('No token available, giving up');
       return;
     }
 
-    // If token hasn't changed, try triggering a refresh via a lightweight API call
-    if (token == _currentToken) {
-      _log.i('Token unchanged, triggering refresh via /auth/me...');
-      try {
-        final dio = ApiClient.instance.dio;
-        await dio.get('/auth/me');
-        final refreshedToken = await SecureStorage.getAccessToken();
-        if (refreshedToken == null || refreshedToken == _currentToken) {
-          _log.w('Token refresh did not produce a new token');
-          // Still try reconnecting — token might be valid but socket had a glitch
-        } else {
-          _log.i('Got fresh token after refresh');
-        }
-      } catch (e) {
-        _log.e('Token refresh failed: $e');
-        // Still try reconnecting with existing token
-      }
+    _log.i('Reconnecting socket with token...');
+    _currentToken = freshToken;
+
+    // Update auth on existing socket and reconnect (don't recreate)
+    if (_socket != null) {
+      _socket!.io.options?['auth'] = {'token': freshToken};
+      _socket!.connect();
+    } else {
+      await connect();
     }
-
-    // Get the latest token (may have been refreshed)
-    final freshToken = await SecureStorage.getAccessToken();
-    if (freshToken == null) return;
-
-    _log.i('Reconnecting socket with fresh token...');
-    // Full reconnect — dispose old socket and create new one
-    _socket?.disconnect();
-    _socket?.dispose();
-    _socket = null;
-    _isConnected = false;
-    _currentToken = null;
-
-    // Small delay before reconnecting
-    await Future.delayed(const Duration(milliseconds: 500));
-    await connect();
   }
 
   /// Ensure socket is connected — reconnect if needed.
diff --git a/lib/features/notifications/presentation/providers/notification_provider.dart b/lib/features/notifications/presentation/providers/notification_provider.dart
index 2bf00f5..9e92d7b 100644
--- a/lib/features/notifications/presentation/providers/notification_provider.dart
+++ b/lib/features/notifications/presentation/providers/notification_provider.dart
@@ -42,6 +42,16 @@ class UnreadCountNotifier extends StateNotifier<int> {
     }
   }
 
+  /// Set count to zero immediately (optimistic update).
+  void setZero() {
+    if (mounted) state = 0;
+  }
+
+  /// Decrement count by 1 (optimistic update for single mark-as-read).
+  void decrement() {
+    if (mounted && state > 0) state = state - 1;
+  }
+
   /// Stop polling (call on logout).
   void stopPolling() {
     _timer?.cancel();
@@ -164,18 +174,24 @@ class NotificationListNotifier extends StateNotifier<NotificationListState> {
           return n;
         }).toList(),
       );
-      _ref.read(unreadCountProvider.notifier).refresh();
+      // Decrement count immediately, then sync with server
+      final countNotifier = _ref.read(unreadCountProvider.notifier);
+      countNotifier.decrement();
     } catch (_) {}
   }
 
   Future<void> markAllAsRead() async {
     try {
+      // Set count to 0 immediately for instant UI feedback
+      _ref.read(unreadCountProvider.notifier).setZero();
       await _repo.markAllAsRead();
       state = state.copyWith(
         notifications:
             state.notifications.map((n) => n.copyWith(read: true)).toList(),
       );
+    } catch (_) {
+      // If API fails, refresh from server to get correct count
       _ref.read(unreadCountProvider.notifier).refresh();
-    } catch (_) {}
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/features/notifications/presentation/screens/notifications_screen.dart b/lib/features/notifications/presentation/screens/notifications_screen.dart
index 537dc47..4dcf4f3 100644
--- a/lib/features/notifications/presentation/screens/notifications_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/features/notifications/presentation/screens/notifications_screen.dart
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ class _NotificationsScreenState extends ConsumerState<NotificationsScreen> {
                       ),
                       const SizedBox(height: 2),
                       Text(
-                        notification.description,
+                        _formatDescription(notification.description),
                         style: TextStyle(
                           fontFamily: 'SourceSerif4',
                           fontSize: 14,
@@ -425,6 +425,18 @@ class _NotificationsScreenState extends ConsumerState<NotificationsScreen> {
     }
   }
 
+  String _formatDescription(String description) {
+    final trimmed = description.trim();
+    // Detect raw URLs (image/gif links) and show friendly text instead
+    if (trimmed.startsWith('http://') || trimmed.startsWith('https://')) {
+      final lower = trimmed.toLowerCase();
+      if (lower.contains('.gif')) return 'Sent a GIF';
+      if (lower.contains('.png') || lower.contains('.jpg') || lower.contains('.jpeg') || lower.contains('.webp')) return 'Sent an image';
+      return 'Sent a link';
+    }
+    return description;
+  }
+
   String _timeAgo(DateTime dateTime) {
     final now = DateTime.now();
     final diff = now.difference(dateTime);