diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/common.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/common.json
index 41c936d8..b5745952 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/common.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/common.json
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
     "reset": "Reset",
     "manage": "Manage",
     "connect": "Connect",
-    "disconnect": "Disconnect"
+    "disconnect": "Disconnect",
+    "close": "Close"
   },
   "states": {
     "loading": "Loading...",
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/settings.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/settings.json
index 6753c50f..30b0e904 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/settings.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/settings.json
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
         "agents": "Agents",
         "agentsDesc": "Coding agent configurations",
         "mcp": "MCP Servers",
-        "mcpDesc": "Model Context Protocol servers",
-        "backToApp": "Back to app"
+        "mcpDesc": "Model Context Protocol servers"
       }
     },
     "general": {
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/common.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/common.json
index 68b2f233..559afa6f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/common.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/common.json
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
     "reset": "Restablecer",
     "manage": "Gestionar",
     "connect": "Conectar",
-    "disconnect": "Desconectar"
+    "disconnect": "Desconectar",
+    "close": "Cerrar"
   },
   "states": {
     "loading": "Cargando...",
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/settings.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/settings.json
index f6cc62e3..116c412d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/settings.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es/settings.json
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
         "agents": "Agentes",
         "agentsDesc": "Configuraciones de agentes",
         "mcp": "Servidores MCP",
-        "mcpDesc": "Servidores de Protocolo de Contexto de Modelo (MCP)",
-        "backToApp": "Volver a la app"
+        "mcpDesc": "Servidores de Protocolo de Contexto de Modelo (MCP)"
       }
     },
     "general": {
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/common.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/common.json
index a5d7f180..0c6955ac 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/common.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/common.json
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
     "reset": "リセット",
     "manage": "管理",
     "connect": "接続",
-    "disconnect": "切断"
+    "disconnect": "切断",
+    "close": "閉じる"
   },
   "states": {
     "loading": "読み込み中...",
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/settings.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/settings.json
index 68e249dd..2989df61 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/settings.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja/settings.json
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
         "agents": "エージェント",
         "agentsDesc": "コーディングエージェントの設定",
         "mcp": "MCPサーバー",
-        "mcpDesc": "モデルコンテキストプロトコルサーバー",
-        "backToApp": "アプリに戻る"
+        "mcpDesc": "モデルコンテキストプロトコルサーバー"
       }
     },
     "general": {
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/common.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/common.json
index a994d897..6cff3a49 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/common.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/common.json
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
     "reset": "초기화",
     "manage": "관리",
     "connect": "연결",
-    "disconnect": "연결 해제"
+    "disconnect": "연결 해제",
+    "close": "닫기"
   },
   "states": {
     "loading": "로딩 중...",
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/settings.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/settings.json
index 2bb27698..896d19bb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/settings.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko/settings.json
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
         "agents": "에이전트",
         "agentsDesc": "코딩 에이전트 구성",
         "mcp": "MCP 서버",
-        "mcpDesc": "Model Context Protocol 서버",
-        "backToApp": "앱으로 돌아가기"
+        "mcpDesc": "Model Context Protocol 서버"
       }
     },
     "general": {
diff --git a/frontend/src/keyboard/registry.ts b/frontend/src/keyboard/registry.ts
index a8161ebc..42936230 100644
--- a/frontend/src/keyboard/registry.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/keyboard/registry.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export enum Scope {
   DIALOG = 'dialog',
   KANBAN = 'kanban',
   PROJECTS = 'projects',
+  SETTINGS = 'settings',
   EDIT_COMMENT = 'edit-comment',
   APPROVALS = 'approvals',
   FOLLOW_UP = 'follow-up',
@@ -62,6 +63,13 @@ export const keyBindings: KeyBinding[] = [
     description: 'Cancel comment',
     group: 'Comments',
   },
+  {
+    action: Action.EXIT,
+    keys: 'esc',
+    scopes: [Scope.SETTINGS],
+    description: 'Close settings',
+    group: 'Navigation',
+  },
 
   // Creation actions
   {
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx
index 7d9fc2d0..79153dd6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 import { NavLink, Outlet } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
-import { Settings, Cpu, Server, ArrowLeft } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Settings, Cpu, Server, X } from 'lucide-react';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { usePreviousPath } from '@/hooks/usePreviousPath';
+import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useHotkeysContext } from 'react-hotkeys-hook';
+import { useKeyExit } from '@/keyboard/hooks';
+import { Scope } from '@/keyboard/registry';
 
 const settingsNavigation = [
   {
@@ -23,20 +27,39 @@ const settingsNavigation = [
 export function SettingsLayout() {
   const { t } = useTranslation('settings');
   const goToPreviousPath = usePreviousPath();
+  const { enableScope, disableScope } = useHotkeysContext();
+
+  // Enable SETTINGS scope when component mounts
+  useEffect(() => {
+    enableScope(Scope.SETTINGS);
+    return () => {
+      disableScope(Scope.SETTINGS);
+    };
+  }, [enableScope, disableScope]);
+
+  // Register ESC keyboard shortcut
+  useKeyExit(goToPreviousPath, { scope: Scope.SETTINGS });
 
   return (
-    <div className="container mx-auto px-4 py-8">
+    <div className="container mx-auto">
+      {/* Header with title and close button */}
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-between sticky top-0 bg-background z-10 py-4 -mx-4 px-4">
+        <h1 className="text-2xl font-semibold">
+          {t('settings.layout.nav.title')}
+        </h1>
+        <Button
+          variant="ghost"
+          onClick={goToPreviousPath}
+          className="h-8 px-2 rounded-none border border-foreground/20 hover:border-foreground/30 transition-all hover:opacity-100 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-ring focus:ring-offset-2 flex items-center gap-1.5"
+        >
+          <X className="h-4 w-4" />
+          <span className="text-xs font-medium">ESC</span>
+        </Button>
+      </div>
       <div className="flex flex-col lg:flex-row gap-8">
         {/* Sidebar Navigation */}
-        <aside className="w-full lg:w-64 lg:shrink-0 lg:sticky lg:top-8 lg:h-fit lg:max-h-[calc(100vh-4rem)] lg:overflow-y-auto">
+        <aside className="w-full lg:w-64 lg:shrink-0 lg:sticky lg:top-24 lg:h-fit lg:max-h-[calc(100vh-8rem)] lg:overflow-y-auto">
           <div className="space-y-1">
-            <Button variant="ghost" onClick={goToPreviousPath} className="mb-4">
-              <ArrowLeft className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-              {t('settings.layout.nav.backToApp')}
-            </Button>
-            <h2 className="px-3 py-2 text-lg font-semibold">
-              {t('settings.layout.nav.title')}
-            </h2>
             <nav className="space-y-1">
               {settingsNavigation.map((item) => {
                 const Icon = item.icon;