diff --git a/frontend/app/admin/invites/page.tsx b/frontend/app/admin/invites/page.tsx
index 0354bbd..c87234a 100644
--- a/frontend/app/admin/invites/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/admin/invites/page.tsx
@@ -1174,11 +1174,6 @@ export default function AdminInviteManagementPage() {
       title="Invites"
       subtitle="Create access links, apply account profiles, deliver invitations, and see what needs attention."
       rail={inviteManagementRail}
-      actions={
-        <button type="button" className="ghost-button" onClick={() => router.push('/profile/invites?view=user')}>
-          View as user
-        </button>
-      }
     >
       <section className="admin-section">
         {error && <div className="error-banner">{error}</div>}
diff --git a/frontend/app/globals.css b/frontend/app/globals.css
index de38290..2c07192 100644
--- a/frontend/app/globals.css
+++ b/frontend/app/globals.css
@@ -181,6 +181,107 @@ body {
   align-items: center;
 }
 
+.signed-in-context {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 10px;
+}
+
+.user-view-toggle {
+  min-height: 34px;
+  padding: 7px 12px;
+  border: 1px solid rgba(126, 215, 255, 0.28);
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  background: rgba(14, 165, 233, 0.08);
+  color: #bfeaff;
+  box-shadow: none;
+  font-size: 0.72rem;
+  font-weight: 800;
+  letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+}
+
+.user-view-toggle.is-active {
+  border-color: rgba(251, 191, 36, 0.5);
+  background: rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.13);
+  color: #fde68a;
+}
+
+.user-view-banner {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 18px;
+  margin: 14px 0;
+  padding: 12px 16px;
+  border: 1px solid rgba(251, 191, 36, 0.38);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.13), rgba(14, 165, 233, 0.06));
+  color: #f8e7b2;
+}
+
+.user-view-banner > div {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: baseline;
+  gap: 12px;
+}
+
+.user-view-banner strong {
+  color: #fde68a;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.06em;
+}
+
+.user-view-banner span {
+  color: var(--muted);
+}
+
+.user-view-banner button {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+  padding: 8px 12px;
+  border-color: rgba(251, 191, 36, 0.32);
+  background: rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.12);
+  color: #fde68a;
+  box-shadow: none;
+}
+
+.signed-in-header span {
+  display: block;
+  margin-top: 4px;
+  color: #fde68a;
+  font-size: 0.72rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 720px) {
+  .signed-in-context {
+    margin-left: auto;
+  }
+
+  .user-view-toggle {
+    min-height: 30px;
+    padding: 5px 9px;
+    font-size: 0.64rem;
+  }
+
+  .user-view-banner {
+    align-items: stretch;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 10px;
+  }
+
+  .user-view-banner > div {
+    align-items: flex-start;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 4px;
+  }
+
+  .user-view-banner button {
+    width: 100%;
+  }
+}
+
 .avatar-button {
   width: 44px;
   height: 44px;
diff --git a/frontend/app/layout.tsx b/frontend/app/layout.tsx
index e3323bb..101153a 100644
--- a/frontend/app/layout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/layout.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import './globals.css'
 import './ops-redesign.css'
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
-import HeaderActions from './ui/HeaderActions'
-import HeaderIdentity from './ui/HeaderIdentity'
 import BrandingFavicon from './ui/BrandingFavicon'
 import BrandingLogo from './ui/BrandingLogo'
+import HeaderActions from './ui/HeaderActions'
+import HeaderIdentity from './ui/HeaderIdentity'
 import SiteStatus from './ui/SiteStatus'
+import UserViewBanner from './ui/UserViewBanner'
 
 export const metadata = {
   title: 'Magent',
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ export default function RootLayout({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
               <HeaderActions />
             </div>
           </header>
+          <UserViewBanner />
           <SiteStatus />
           {children}
         </div>
diff --git a/frontend/app/lib/viewMode.ts b/frontend/app/lib/viewMode.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3eaca5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/app/lib/viewMode.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+
+const USER_VIEW_STORAGE_KEY = 'magent_user_view_preview'
+const USER_VIEW_EVENT = 'magent:user-view-change'
+
+const readUserViewPreview = () => {
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return false
+  return window.sessionStorage.getItem(USER_VIEW_STORAGE_KEY) === '1'
+}
+
+const applyDocumentMode = (enabled: boolean) => {
+  if (typeof document === 'undefined') return
+  document.documentElement.dataset.userView = enabled ? 'true' : 'false'
+}
+
+export const setUserViewPreview = (enabled: boolean) => {
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return
+  if (enabled) {
+    window.sessionStorage.setItem(USER_VIEW_STORAGE_KEY, '1')
+  } else {
+    window.sessionStorage.removeItem(USER_VIEW_STORAGE_KEY)
+  }
+  applyDocumentMode(enabled)
+  window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(USER_VIEW_EVENT, { detail: { enabled } }))
+}
+
+export const useUserViewPreview = () => {
+  const [enabled, setEnabled] = useState(false)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const sync = () => {
+      const nextValue = readUserViewPreview()
+      applyDocumentMode(nextValue)
+      setEnabled(nextValue)
+    }
+    sync()
+    window.addEventListener(USER_VIEW_EVENT, sync)
+    window.addEventListener('storage', sync)
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener(USER_VIEW_EVENT, sync)
+      window.removeEventListener('storage', sync)
+    }
+  }, [])
+
+  return enabled
+}
diff --git a/frontend/app/profile/invites/page.tsx b/frontend/app/profile/invites/page.tsx
index bee4440..2090650 100644
--- a/frontend/app/profile/invites/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/profile/invites/page.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import { authFetch, clearToken, getApiBase, getToken } from '../../lib/auth'
+import { useUserViewPreview } from '../../lib/viewMode'
 
 type ProfileInfo = {
   username: string
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ export default function ProfileInvitesPage() {
   const [inviteManagedByMaster, setInviteManagedByMaster] = useState(false)
   const [masterInviteTemplate, setMasterInviteTemplate] = useState<OwnedInvitesResponse['master_invite']>(null)
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
-  const [viewAsUser, setViewAsUser] = useState(false)
+  const viewAsUser = useUserViewPreview()
 
   const signupBaseUrl = useMemo(() => {
     if (typeof window === 'undefined') return '/signup'
@@ -136,7 +137,6 @@ export default function ProfileInvitesPage() {
   }
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    setViewAsUser(new URLSearchParams(window.location.search).get('view') === 'user')
     if (!getToken()) {
       router.push('/login')
       return
@@ -309,11 +309,6 @@ export default function ProfileInvitesPage() {
 
   const canManageInvites = profile?.role === 'admin' || inviteAccessEnabled
 
-  const enterUserView = () => {
-    setViewAsUser(true)
-    router.replace('/profile/invites?view=user')
-  }
-
   if (loading) {
     return <main className="card">Loading invite tools...</main>
   }
@@ -330,16 +325,6 @@ export default function ProfileInvitesPage() {
           </p>
         </div>
         <div className="admin-inline-actions">
-          {profile?.role === 'admin' && !viewAsUser ? (
-            <button type="button" className="ghost-button" onClick={enterUserView}>
-              View as user
-            </button>
-          ) : null}
-          {profile?.role === 'admin' && viewAsUser ? (
-            <button type="button" onClick={() => router.push('/admin/invites')}>
-              Return to admin view
-            </button>
-          ) : null}
           <button type="button" className="ghost-button" onClick={() => router.push('/profile')}>
             Back to profile
           </button>
diff --git a/frontend/app/ui/HeaderIdentity.tsx b/frontend/app/ui/HeaderIdentity.tsx
index 0ba8025..8180dac 100644
--- a/frontend/app/ui/HeaderIdentity.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/ui/HeaderIdentity.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@
 
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import { authFetch, clearToken, getApiBase, getToken, logout } from '../lib/auth'
+import { setUserViewPreview, useUserViewPreview } from '../lib/viewMode'
 
 export default function HeaderIdentity() {
   const [identity, setIdentity] = useState<{ username: string; role?: string } | null>(null)
   const [buildNumber, setBuildNumber] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
+  const viewAsUser = useUserViewPreview()
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const token = getToken()
@@ -27,6 +29,9 @@ export default function HeaderIdentity() {
         const data = await response.json()
         if (data?.username) {
           setIdentity({ username: data.username, role: data.role })
+          if (data.role !== 'admin') {
+            setUserViewPreview(false)
+          }
         }
         const siteResponse = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/site/public`)
         if (siteResponse.ok) {
@@ -50,6 +55,7 @@ export default function HeaderIdentity() {
   const label = `${identity.username}${identity.role ? ` (${identity.role})` : ''}`
   const initial = identity.username.slice(0, 1).toUpperCase()
   const signOut = async () => {
+    setUserViewPreview(false)
     await logout().catch(() => undefined)
     clearToken()
     if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
@@ -58,39 +64,54 @@ export default function HeaderIdentity() {
   }
 
   return (
-    <div className="signed-in-menu">
-      <button
-        type="button"
-        className="avatar-button"
-        onClick={() => setOpen((prev) => !prev)}
-        aria-haspopup="true"
-        aria-expanded={open}
-        title={label}
-      >
-        {initial}
-      </button>
-      {open && (
-        <div className="signed-in-dropdown">
-          <div className="signed-in-header">Signed in as {label}</div>
-          <div className="signed-in-actions">
-            <a href="/profile" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>
-              My profile
-            </a>
-            {identity.role === 'admin' ? (
-              <a href="/admin" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>
-                Settings
+    <div className="signed-in-context">
+      {identity.role === 'admin' ? (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className={`user-view-toggle ${viewAsUser ? 'is-active' : ''}`}
+          aria-pressed={viewAsUser}
+          onClick={() => setUserViewPreview(!viewAsUser)}
+        >
+          {viewAsUser ? 'Exit user view' : 'View as user'}
+        </button>
+      ) : null}
+      <div className="signed-in-menu">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="avatar-button"
+          onClick={() => setOpen((prev) => !prev)}
+          aria-haspopup="true"
+          aria-expanded={open}
+          title={label}
+        >
+          {initial}
+        </button>
+        {open && (
+          <div className="signed-in-dropdown">
+            <div className="signed-in-header">
+              Signed in as {label}
+              {viewAsUser ? <span>Previewing user view</span> : null}
+            </div>
+            <div className="signed-in-actions">
+              <a href="/profile" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>
+                My profile
               </a>
-            ) : null}
-            <a href="/changelog" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>
-              Changelog
-            </a>
-            <button type="button" className="signed-in-signout" onClick={() => void signOut()}>
-              Sign out
-            </button>
+              {identity.role === 'admin' ? (
+                <a href="/admin" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>
+                  Settings
+                </a>
+              ) : null}
+              <a href="/changelog" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>
+                Changelog
+              </a>
+              <button type="button" className="signed-in-signout" onClick={() => void signOut()}>
+                Sign out
+              </button>
+            </div>
+            {buildNumber ? <div className="signed-in-build">Build {buildNumber}</div> : null}
           </div>
-          {buildNumber ? <div className="signed-in-build">Build {buildNumber}</div> : null}
-        </div>
-      )}
+        )}
+      </div>
     </div>
   )
 }
diff --git a/frontend/app/ui/UserViewBanner.tsx b/frontend/app/ui/UserViewBanner.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e41515a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/app/ui/UserViewBanner.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { setUserViewPreview, useUserViewPreview } from '../lib/viewMode'
+
+export default function UserViewBanner() {
+  const enabled = useUserViewPreview()
+
+  if (!enabled) return null
+
+  return (
+    <div className="user-view-banner" role="status">
+      <div>
+        <strong>User view</strong>
+        <span>You are previewing the non-admin experience. Your account and backend permissions remain admin.</span>
+      </div>
+      <button type="button" onClick={() => setUserViewPreview(false)}>
+        Exit user view
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  )
+}