diff --git a/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts b/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
index 76e3215ef..fcb79f42f 100644
--- a/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
+++ b/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
@@ -527,17 +527,6 @@ async function createClientGame(
       { signal: graphicsListenerAbort.signal },
     );
 
-    // Push the small-player glow Strength to the pass (which is a pure consumer)
-    // on the settings-changed event, so moving the slider updates the glow live
-    // even while the settings modal has the sim paused.
-    view.setSmallPlayerGlowStrength(userSettings.highlightGlowStrength());
-    globalThis.addEventListener(
-      `${USER_SETTINGS_CHANGED_EVENT}:settings.highlightGlowStrength`,
-      () =>
-        view.setSmallPlayerGlowStrength(userSettings.highlightGlowStrength()),
-      { signal: graphicsListenerAbort.signal },
-    );
-
     // Re-resolve names drawn on the map when the anonymous-names setting toggles
     // so they switch live, like the leaderboard.
     globalThis.addEventListener(
diff --git a/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts b/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts
index 268f54449..e22d2cf9e 100644
--- a/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts
+++ b/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ const RAIL_THICKNESS_MIN = 0.5;
 const RAIL_THICKNESS_MAX = 3;
 const RAIL_THICKNESS_STEP = 0.1;
 
+// Small-player glow strength is shown as a percentage: 0% = off, 100% = the
+// glow's full brightness.
+const GLOW_STRENGTH_MIN = 0;
+const GLOW_STRENGTH_MAX = 100;
+const GLOW_STRENGTH_STEP = 5;
+
 // "Ambient light" level shown to the player: 0 = no darkening (lighting off),
 // 10 = darkest with the strongest glow. Mapped linearly onto the renderer's
 // ambient value (1 = identity, AMBIENT_MIN = darkest).
@@ -541,6 +547,29 @@ export class GraphicsSettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
     this.patchPassEnabled({ fallout: !this.currentFallout() });
   }
 
+  private patchSmallPlayerGlow(
+    patch: Partial<GraphicsOverrides["smallPlayerGlow"]>,
+  ) {
+    const current = this.userSettings.graphicsOverrides();
+    this.userSettings.setGraphicsOverrides({
+      ...current,
+      smallPlayerGlow: { ...current.smallPlayerGlow, ...patch },
+    });
+    this.requestUpdate();
+  }
+
+  private currentGlowStrength(): number {
+    return (
+      this.userSettings.graphicsOverrides().smallPlayerGlow?.strength ??
+      renderDefaults.smallPlayerGlow.strength
+    );
+  }
+
+  private onGlowStrengthChange(event: Event) {
+    const value = parseFloat((event.target as HTMLInputElement).value) / 100;
+    this.patchSmallPlayerGlow({ strength: value });
+  }
+
   /** Whether colorblind mode is currently enabled. */
   private currentColorblind(): boolean {
     return (
@@ -619,6 +648,7 @@ export class GraphicsSettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
     const nukeColor = this.currentNukeColor();
     const ambientLevel = this.currentAmbientLevel();
     const unitGlow = this.currentUnitGlow();
+    const glowStrength = this.currentGlowStrength();
     const colorblind = this.currentColorblind();
 
     return html`
@@ -1258,6 +1288,31 @@ export class GraphicsSettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
               </div>
             </button>
 
+            <div
+              class="flex gap-3 items-center w-full text-left p-3 hover:bg-slate-700 rounded-sm text-white transition-colors"
+            >
+              <div class="flex-1">
+                <div class="font-medium">
+                  ${translateText("user_setting.highlight_glow_strength_label")}
+                </div>
+                <div class="text-sm text-slate-400">
+                  ${translateText("user_setting.highlight_small_players_desc")}
+                </div>
+                <input
+                  type="range"
+                  min=${GLOW_STRENGTH_MIN}
+                  max=${GLOW_STRENGTH_MAX}
+                  step=${GLOW_STRENGTH_STEP}
+                  .value=${String(glowStrength * 100)}
+                  @input=${this.onGlowStrengthChange}
+                  class="w-full border border-slate-500 rounded-lg"
+                />
+              </div>
+              <div class="text-sm text-slate-400 w-12 text-right">
+                ${Math.round(glowStrength * 100)}%
+              </div>
+            </div>
+
             <div
               class="px-3 py-1 text-xs font-semibold text-slate-400 uppercase tracking-wider mt-2"
             >
diff --git a/src/client/hud/layers/SettingsModal.ts b/src/client/hud/layers/SettingsModal.ts
index 8b9880a0c..14c40e79a 100644
--- a/src/client/hud/layers/SettingsModal.ts
+++ b/src/client/hud/layers/SettingsModal.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import { ShowGraphicsSettingsModalEvent } from "./GraphicsSettingsModal";
 const cursorPriceIcon = assetUrl("images/CursorPriceIconWhite.svg");
 const emojiIcon = assetUrl("images/EmojiIconWhite.svg");
 const exitIcon = assetUrl("images/ExitIconWhite.svg");
-const highlightIcon = assetUrl("images/HighlightIconWhite.svg");
 const mouseIcon = assetUrl("images/MouseIconWhite.svg");
 const ninjaIcon = assetUrl("images/NinjaIconWhite.svg");
 const settingsIcon = assetUrl("images/SettingIconWhite.svg");
@@ -205,12 +204,6 @@ export class SettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
     this.requestUpdate();
   }
 
-  private onHighlightGlowStrengthChange(event: Event) {
-    const strength = parseFloat((event.target as HTMLInputElement).value) / 100;
-    this.userSettings.setHighlightGlowStrength(strength);
-    this.requestUpdate();
-  }
-
   render() {
     if (!this.isVisible) {
       return null;
@@ -357,36 +350,6 @@ export class SettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
               </div>
             </button>
 
-            <div
-              class="flex gap-3 items-center w-full text-left p-3 hover:bg-slate-700 rounded-sm text-white transition-colors"
-            >
-              <img
-                src=${highlightIcon}
-                alt="highlightGlowStrength"
-                width="20"
-                height="20"
-              />
-              <div class="flex-1">
-                <div class="font-medium">
-                  ${translateText("user_setting.highlight_glow_strength_label")}
-                </div>
-                <div class="text-sm text-slate-400">
-                  ${translateText("user_setting.highlight_small_players_desc")}
-                </div>
-                <input
-                  type="range"
-                  min="0"
-                  max="500"
-                  .value=${this.userSettings.highlightGlowStrength() * 100}
-                  @input=${this.onHighlightGlowStrengthChange}
-                  class="w-full border border-slate-500 rounded-lg"
-                />
-              </div>
-              <div class="text-sm text-slate-400">
-                ${Math.round(this.userSettings.highlightGlowStrength() * 100)}%
-              </div>
-            </div>
-
             <button
               class="flex gap-3 items-center w-full text-left p-3 hover:bg-slate-700 rounded-sm text-white transition-colors"
               @click="${this.onToggleAlertFrameButtonClick}"
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts b/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts
index f18a3b1df..bb175182e 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ export const GraphicsOverridesSchema = z
         railThickness: z.number(),
       })
       .partial(),
+    smallPlayerGlow: z
+      .object({
+        // Aura around small players' territory: 0 = off, 1 = full brightness.
+        strength: z.number(),
+      })
+      .partial(),
     passEnabled: z
       .object({
         fx: z.boolean(),
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts b/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts
index 42b10a0e3..0aa4cd6df 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts
@@ -36,10 +36,6 @@ import type { RenderSettings } from "./RenderSettings";
 export class MapRenderer {
   private renderer: GPURenderer | null = null;
   private resizeObs: ResizeObserver | null = null;
-  // Persisted so a WebGL context restore (which recreates GPURenderer via
-  // initRenderer) reapplies the user's chosen glow strength instead of
-  // resetting it to the pass default until the next settings change.
-  private smallPlayerGlowStrength = 1;
 
   /**
    * Called after a lost WebGL context is restored and the renderer has been
@@ -93,8 +89,6 @@ export class MapRenderer {
 
     const rect = this.canvas.getBoundingClientRect();
     if (rect.width > 0) this.renderer.resize(rect.width, rect.height);
-    // Reapply state that lives outside RenderSettings so it survives a restore.
-    this.renderer.setSmallPlayerGlowStrength(this.smallPlayerGlowStrength);
   };
 
   private handleContextLost = (e: Event) => {
@@ -233,12 +227,6 @@ export class MapRenderer {
     this.renderer?.updateSmallPlayerGlow(set);
   }
 
-  /** Set the small-player glow Strength (0 = off, 1 = default, capped at 5). */
-  setSmallPlayerGlowStrength(strength: number): void {
-    this.smallPlayerGlowStrength = strength;
-    this.renderer?.setSmallPlayerGlowStrength(strength);
-  }
-
   // ---- Selection box ----
 
   /** Set multiple selected units (multi-select). Pass [] to clear. */
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/RenderOverrides.ts b/src/client/render/gl/RenderOverrides.ts
index 4219c70b9..58c445f84 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/RenderOverrides.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/RenderOverrides.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ export function applyGraphicsOverrides(
   if (overrides.railroad?.railThickness !== undefined) {
     settings.railroad.railThickness = overrides.railroad.railThickness;
   }
+  if (overrides.smallPlayerGlow?.strength !== undefined) {
+    settings.smallPlayerGlow.strength = overrides.smallPlayerGlow.strength;
+  }
   if (overrides.passEnabled?.fx !== undefined) {
     settings.passEnabled.fx = overrides.passEnabled.fx;
   }
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts b/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts
index 1b93fedcf..118c31e94 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@ export interface RenderSettings {
     color: number[]; // RGB, each 0–1
     alpha: number; // peak opacity (0–1)
     pulseSpeed: number; // breath animation speed
+    strength: number; // opacity fade: 0 = off, 1 = full brightness (default 0.25)
   };
   altView: {
     gridFontSize: number;
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts b/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
index 530743a7e..0a589a01e 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
@@ -917,10 +917,6 @@ export class GPURenderer {
     this.smallPlayerGlowPass.update(set);
   }
 
-  setSmallPlayerGlowStrength(strength: number): void {
-    this.smallPlayerGlowPass.setGlowStrength(strength);
-  }
-
   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Queries
   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/passes/SmallPlayerGlowPass.ts b/src/client/render/gl/passes/SmallPlayerGlowPass.ts
index f0da3350f..8328d2fc9 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/passes/SmallPlayerGlowPass.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/passes/SmallPlayerGlowPass.ts
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ export class SmallPlayerGlowPass {
   private dirty = false; // aura needs rebuilding (set changed)
   private animTime = 0;
   private lastTime = 0;
-  private lastPasses = 1; // last width the aura was blurred at (to detect change)
-  private glowStrength = 1; // pushed via setGlowStrength; 0 = off, 1 = default, capped at 5
 
   constructor(
     gl: WebGL2RenderingContext,
@@ -123,16 +121,6 @@ export class SmallPlayerGlowPass {
     this.quadVao = createFullscreenQuad(gl);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Push the glow Strength (0 = off, 1 = default, capped at 5). The client reads
-   * it from UserSettings and pushes it here so the pass stays a pure consumer
-   * (passes never read game/DOM state directly); pushing on the settings-changed
-   * event keeps it live even while the settings modal has the sim paused.
-   */
-  setGlowStrength(strength: number): void {
-    this.glowStrength = strength;
-  }
-
   /** Push the highlight set (1 byte per owner smallID), or null to disable. */
   update(set: Uint8Array | null): void {
     if (set === null) {
@@ -156,13 +144,6 @@ export class SmallPlayerGlowPass {
     this.dirty = true;
   }
 
-  // Strength (0 = off, 1 = default width) -> blur iterations; each iteration
-  // widens the Gaussian aura. Non-linear so the slider ramps gently low and
-  // grows fast toward the top: 500% ≈ 82 passes (very wide). Clamped for perf.
-  private passesFor(strength: number): number {
-    return Math.min(96, Math.max(1, Math.round(strength ** 2.74)));
-  }
-
   // One separable-blur axis: sample `src`, write the blurred result into `dst`.
   private blurAxis(
     src: RenderTarget,
@@ -180,9 +161,11 @@ export class SmallPlayerGlowPass {
   }
 
   draw(cameraMatrix: Float32Array): void {
-    // Strength is pushed by the client (not tick-gated), so a slider change is
-    // live even while the sim is paused (e.g. the settings modal is open).
-    const strength = this.glowStrength;
+    // Strength is a graphics override read from the live settings slice each
+    // frame (not tick-gated), so a slider change is live even while the sim is
+    // paused (e.g. the graphics settings modal is open). Clamped to 1 so a
+    // value persisted from the old 500% range can't over-brighten.
+    const strength = Math.min(1, this.settings.strength);
     if (!this.active || strength <= 0) return;
 
     const gl = this.gl;
@@ -199,11 +182,6 @@ export class SmallPlayerGlowPass {
     }
     this.lastTime = now;
     const pulse = 0.5 + 0.5 * Math.sin(this.animTime);
-    const passes = this.passesFor(strength);
-    if (passes !== this.lastPasses) {
-      this.dirty = true; // width changed -> rebuild the aura this frame
-      this.lastPasses = passes;
-    }
 
     // Rebuild the blurred aura only when the set changed (~1/s); its inputs
     // don't move faster than that. The composite below still runs every frame.
@@ -222,14 +200,11 @@ export class SmallPlayerGlowPass {
         gl.drawArrays(gl.TRIANGLES, 0, 6);
       });
 
-      // Separable blur, iterated `passes` times to widen the aura (more
-      // iterations = wider Gaussian). Each pass: horizontal A->B, vertical B->A.
+      // Separable blur: horizontal A->B, then vertical B->A.
       gl.useProgram(this.blurProg);
       gl.activeTexture(gl.TEXTURE0);
-      for (let k = 0; k < passes; k++) {
-        this.blurAxis(a, b, 1 / a.w, 0); // horizontal A->B
-        this.blurAxis(b, a, 0, 1 / b.h); // vertical B->A
-      }
+      this.blurAxis(a, b, 1 / a.w, 0); // horizontal A->B
+      this.blurAxis(b, a, 0, 1 / b.h); // vertical B->A
       this.dirty = false;
     }
 
@@ -243,9 +218,9 @@ export class SmallPlayerGlowPass {
       gl.uniformMatrix3fv(this.uCompositeCam, false, cameraMatrix);
       gl.uniform2f(this.uCompositeMapSize, this.mapW, this.mapH);
       gl.uniform3fv(this.uGlowColor, s.color);
-      // Widening spreads the mask thinner, so scale intensity up to keep the
-      // glow about as bright (wider, not darker), capped by the shader's alpha.
-      gl.uniform1f(this.uIntensity, s.alpha * pulse * Math.sqrt(passes));
+      // Strength fades the glow linearly: 1 = the aura's full alpha, 0.1 =
+      // barely visible.
+      gl.uniform1f(this.uIntensity, s.alpha * pulse * strength);
       gl.activeTexture(gl.TEXTURE0);
       gl.bindTexture(gl.TEXTURE_2D, a.tex);
       gl.bindVertexArray(this.mapVao);
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json b/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json
index 5c39eeb26..80568685c 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json
@@ -322,7 +322,8 @@
   "smallPlayerGlow": {
     "color": [1.0, 0.12, 0.1],
     "alpha": 0.9,
-    "pulseSpeed": 0.003
+    "pulseSpeed": 0.003,
+    "strength": 0.25
   },
   "altView": {
     "gridFontSize": 24,
diff --git a/src/core/game/UserSettings.ts b/src/core/game/UserSettings.ts
index 3895a7abc..8b7f730a0 100644
--- a/src/core/game/UserSettings.ts
+++ b/src/core/game/UserSettings.ts
@@ -137,13 +137,6 @@ export class UserSettings {
     return this.getBool("settings.emojis", true);
   }
 
-  highlightGlowStrength() {
-    // 0 = off, 1 = default; capped at 5 (the 500% slider max) so a value
-    // persisted from an older, larger range can't display/apply above it.
-    const v = this.getFloat("settings.highlightGlowStrength", 1);
-    return Math.min(5, Math.max(0, v));
-  }
-
   performanceOverlay() {
     return this.getBool(PERFORMANCE_OVERLAY_KEY, false);
   }
@@ -196,10 +189,6 @@ export class UserSettings {
     this.setBool("settings.emojis", !this.emojis());
   }
 
-  setHighlightGlowStrength(value: number) {
-    this.setFloat("settings.highlightGlowStrength", value);
-  }
-
   // Performance overlay specifically needs a direct setter for Shift-D
   setPerformanceOverlay(value: boolean) {
     this.setBool(PERFORMANCE_OVERLAY_KEY, value);
diff --git a/tests/GraphicsOverrides.test.ts b/tests/GraphicsOverrides.test.ts
index 0dca3733d..fe8688c00 100644
--- a/tests/GraphicsOverrides.test.ts
+++ b/tests/GraphicsOverrides.test.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,17 @@ describe("GraphicsOverridesSchema", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  test("accepts partial smallPlayerGlow overrides", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      { smallPlayerGlow: {} },
+      { smallPlayerGlow: { strength: 0 } },
+      { smallPlayerGlow: { strength: 0.5 } },
+    ];
+    for (const c of cases) {
+      expect(GraphicsOverridesSchema.safeParse(c).success).toBe(true);
+    }
+  });
+
   test("accepts partial lighting overrides", () => {
     const cases = [
       { lighting: {} },
@@ -128,6 +139,11 @@ describe("GraphicsOverridesSchema", () => {
         railroad: { railThickness: "wide" },
       }).success,
     ).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      GraphicsOverridesSchema.safeParse({
+        smallPlayerGlow: { strength: "strong" },
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
     expect(
       GraphicsOverridesSchema.safeParse({
         lighting: { ambient: "dark" },
@@ -374,6 +390,28 @@ describe("applyGraphicsOverrides", () => {
     expect(z.railThickness).toBe(defaults.railThickness);
   });
 
+  test("applies smallPlayerGlow strength override (including 0 = off)", () => {
+    expect(
+      gen({ smallPlayerGlow: { strength: 0.5 } }).smallPlayerGlow.strength,
+    ).toBe(0.5);
+    expect(
+      gen({ smallPlayerGlow: { strength: 0 } }).smallPlayerGlow.strength,
+    ).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test("smallPlayerGlow strength absent → keeps default of 0.25", () => {
+    expect(gen({}).smallPlayerGlow.strength).toBe(0.25);
+    expect(gen({ smallPlayerGlow: {} }).smallPlayerGlow.strength).toBe(0.25);
+  });
+
+  test("smallPlayerGlow override leaves other glow fields at defaults", () => {
+    const defaults = createRenderSettings().smallPlayerGlow;
+    const g = gen({ smallPlayerGlow: { strength: 0.25 } }).smallPlayerGlow;
+    expect(g.alpha).toBe(defaults.alpha);
+    expect(g.pulseSpeed).toBe(defaults.pulseSpeed);
+    expect(g.color).toEqual(defaults.color);
+  });
+
   test("ambient < 1 sets ambient and enables the lighting pass", () => {
     const l = gen({ lighting: { ambient: 0.5 } }).lighting;
     expect(l.ambient).toBe(0.5);
diff --git a/tests/UserSettings.test.ts b/tests/UserSettings.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 911c40ee9..000000000
--- a/tests/UserSettings.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-import { UserSettings } from "../src/core/game/UserSettings";
-
-describe("UserSettings highlight glow strength", () => {
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    localStorage.clear();
-    // UserSettings keeps a static in-memory cache; reset it too so each test
-    // reads fresh from the (cleared) localStorage.
-    (
-      UserSettings as unknown as { cache: Map<string, string | null> }
-    ).cache.clear();
-  });
-
-  it("defaults to 1 (100%, on)", () => {
-    expect(new UserSettings().highlightGlowStrength()).toBe(1);
-  });
-
-  it("persists a set value, including 0 (off)", () => {
-    const s = new UserSettings();
-    s.setHighlightGlowStrength(2.5);
-    expect(s.highlightGlowStrength()).toBe(2.5);
-    s.setHighlightGlowStrength(0);
-    expect(s.highlightGlowStrength()).toBe(0);
-  });
-
-  it("shares state across instances via the static cache", () => {
-    // The settings modal and the renderer's frame builder each hold their own
-    // UserSettings; a change in one must be visible to the other.
-    new UserSettings().setHighlightGlowStrength(3);
-    expect(new UserSettings().highlightGlowStrength()).toBe(3);
-  });
-});