diff --git a/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx b/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx
index acc85e7..d99dbd0 100644
--- a/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx
@@ -23,10 +23,12 @@ export function ChatList() {
   const [messageResults, setMessageResults] = useState<Message[]>([]);
   const [archivedChats, setArchivedChats] = useState<typeof chats>([]);
   const [searchLoading, setSearchLoading] = useState(false);
-  const [tab, setTab] = useState<"all" | "contacts" | "people" | "groups" | "channels" | "archived">("all");
+  const [tab, setTab] = useState<"all" | "people" | "groups" | "channels" | "archived">("all");
   const [archivedLoading, setArchivedLoading] = useState(false);
   const [contactsLoading, setContactsLoading] = useState(false);
   const [contacts, setContacts] = useState<UserSearchItem[]>([]);
+  const [contactsOpen, setContactsOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [contactsSearch, setContactsSearch] = useState("");
   const [contactEmail, setContactEmail] = useState("");
   const [contactEmailError, setContactEmailError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [ctxChatId, setCtxChatId] = useState<number | null>(null);
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ export function ChatList() {
   }, [tab, chats.length]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (tab !== "contacts") {
+    if (!contactsOpen) {
       return;
     }
     let cancelled = false;
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ export function ChatList() {
     return () => {
       cancelled = true;
     };
-  }, [tab]);
+  }, [contactsOpen]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const term = search.trim();
@@ -273,7 +275,7 @@ export function ChatList() {
               <button className="block w-full rounded px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm hover:bg-slate-800" onClick={() => { void openSavedMessages(); setMenuOpen(false); }}>
                 Saved Messages
               </button>
-              <button className="block w-full rounded px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm hover:bg-slate-800" onClick={() => { setTab("contacts"); setMenuOpen(false); }}>
+              <button className="block w-full rounded px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm hover:bg-slate-800" onClick={() => { setContactsOpen(true); setMenuOpen(false); }}>
                 Contacts
               </button>
               <button className="block w-full rounded px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm hover:bg-slate-800" onClick={() => { setSettingsOpen(true); setMenuOpen(false); }}>
@@ -338,7 +340,7 @@ export function ChatList() {
                       className="rounded bg-slate-700 px-2 py-1 text-[10px] hover:bg-slate-600"
                       onClick={async () => {
                         await addContact(user.id);
-                        if (tab === "contacts") {
+                        if (contactsOpen) {
                           setContacts(await listContacts());
                         }
                       }}
@@ -433,10 +435,38 @@ export function ChatList() {
         {tab === "archived" && !archivedLoading && archivedChats.length === 0 ? (
           <p className="px-4 py-3 text-xs text-slate-400">Archive is empty</p>
         ) : null}
-        {tab === "contacts" && contactsLoading ? (
-          <p className="px-4 py-3 text-xs text-slate-400">Loading contacts...</p>
+        {pinnedVisibleChats.length > 0 ? (
+          <p className="px-4 py-2 text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-slate-400">Pinned</p>
         ) : null}
-        {tab === "contacts" ? (
+        {pinnedVisibleChats.map(renderChatRow)}
+        {regularVisibleChats.length > 0 ? (
+          <p className="px-4 py-2 text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-slate-400">Chats</p>
+        ) : null}
+        {regularVisibleChats.map(renderChatRow)}
+      </div>
+      {contactsOpen ? (
+        <div className="absolute inset-0 z-30 flex flex-col bg-slate-900">
+          <div className="border-b border-slate-700/50 px-4 py-3">
+            <div className="mb-3 flex items-center gap-2">
+              <button
+                className="rounded-lg bg-slate-700/70 px-2 py-1.5 text-xs"
+                onClick={() => {
+                  setContactsOpen(false);
+                  setContactsSearch("");
+                }}
+                type="button"
+              >
+                Back
+              </button>
+              <p className="text-sm font-semibold">Contacts</p>
+            </div>
+            <input
+              className="w-full rounded-full border border-slate-700/80 bg-slate-800/80 px-3 py-2 text-sm outline-none placeholder:text-slate-400 focus:border-sky-500"
+              placeholder="Search contacts"
+              value={contactsSearch}
+              onChange={(e) => setContactsSearch(e.target.value)}
+            />
+          </div>
           <div className="border-b border-slate-800/60 px-4 py-3">
             <p className="mb-2 text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-slate-400">Add contact (Email)</p>
             <div className="flex gap-2">
@@ -472,48 +502,69 @@ export function ChatList() {
             </div>
             {contactEmailError ? <p className="mt-1 text-[11px] text-red-400">{contactEmailError}</p> : null}
           </div>
-        ) : null}
-        {tab === "contacts" && !contactsLoading && contacts.length === 0 ? (
-          <p className="px-4 py-3 text-xs text-slate-400">No contacts yet</p>
-        ) : null}
-        {tab === "contacts"
-          ? contacts.map((user) => (
-              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 border-b border-slate-800/60 px-4 py-3" key={`contact-${user.id}`}>
-                <button
-                  className="min-w-0 flex-1 text-left"
-                  onClick={async () => {
-                    const chat = await createPrivateChat(user.id);
-                    const updatedChats = await getChats();
-                    useChatStore.setState({ chats: updatedChats, activeChatId: chat.id });
-                  }}
-                  type="button"
-                >
-                  <p className="truncate text-sm font-semibold">{user.name}</p>
-                  <p className="truncate text-xs text-slate-400">{user.email || `@${user.username}`}</p>
-                </button>
-                <button
-                  className="rounded bg-slate-700 px-2 py-1 text-[10px] text-red-200 hover:bg-slate-600"
-                  onClick={async () => {
-                    await removeContact(user.id);
-                    setContacts((prev) => prev.filter((item) => item.id !== user.id));
-                  }}
-                  type="button"
-                >
-                  Remove
-                </button>
-              </div>
-            ))
-          : null}
-
-        {tab !== "contacts" && pinnedVisibleChats.length > 0 ? (
-          <p className="px-4 py-2 text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-slate-400">Pinned</p>
-        ) : null}
-        {tab !== "contacts" ? pinnedVisibleChats.map(renderChatRow) : null}
-        {tab !== "contacts" && regularVisibleChats.length > 0 ? (
-          <p className="px-4 py-2 text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-slate-400">Chats</p>
-        ) : null}
-        {tab !== "contacts" ? regularVisibleChats.map(renderChatRow) : null}
-      </div>
+          <div className="tg-scrollbar flex-1 overflow-auto">
+            {contactsLoading ? (
+              <p className="px-4 py-3 text-xs text-slate-400">Loading contacts...</p>
+            ) : null}
+            {!contactsLoading &&
+            contacts.filter((user) => {
+              const term = contactsSearch.trim().toLowerCase();
+              if (!term) {
+                return true;
+              }
+              return (
+                (user.name || "").toLowerCase().includes(term) ||
+                (user.username || "").toLowerCase().includes(term) ||
+                (user.email || "").toLowerCase().includes(term)
+              );
+            }).length === 0 ? (
+              <p className="px-4 py-3 text-xs text-slate-400">No contacts yet</p>
+            ) : null}
+            {!contactsLoading
+              ? contacts
+                  .filter((user) => {
+                    const term = contactsSearch.trim().toLowerCase();
+                    if (!term) {
+                      return true;
+                    }
+                    return (
+                      (user.name || "").toLowerCase().includes(term) ||
+                      (user.username || "").toLowerCase().includes(term) ||
+                      (user.email || "").toLowerCase().includes(term)
+                    );
+                  })
+                  .map((user) => (
+                    <div className="flex items-center gap-2 border-b border-slate-800/60 px-4 py-3" key={`contact-${user.id}`}>
+                      <button
+                        className="min-w-0 flex-1 text-left"
+                        onClick={async () => {
+                          const chat = await createPrivateChat(user.id);
+                          const updatedChats = await getChats();
+                          useChatStore.setState({ chats: updatedChats, activeChatId: chat.id });
+                          setContactsOpen(false);
+                          setContactsSearch("");
+                        }}
+                        type="button"
+                      >
+                        <p className="truncate text-sm font-semibold">{user.name}</p>
+                        <p className="truncate text-xs text-slate-400">{user.email || `@${user.username}`}</p>
+                      </button>
+                      <button
+                        className="rounded bg-slate-700 px-2 py-1 text-[10px] text-red-200 hover:bg-slate-600"
+                        onClick={async () => {
+                          await removeContact(user.id);
+                          setContacts((prev) => prev.filter((item) => item.id !== user.id));
+                        }}
+                        type="button"
+                      >
+                        Remove
+                      </button>
+                    </div>
+                  ))
+              : null}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
       <NewChatPanel />
 
       {ctxChatId && ctxPos