diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/theme.spec.ts b/apps/web/e2e/theme.spec.ts
index 0dc4e9e..44beb5b 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/theme.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/theme.spec.ts
@@ -64,3 +64,53 @@ test('theme choice applies instantly, persists, and system mode follows the OS',
 
   await context.close();
 });
+
+test('the top-bar toggle cycles the mode and stays in sync with the radios', async ({
+  browser,
+}) => {
+  const context = await contextForUser(browser, BASE, 'fixture-user');
+  const page = await context.newPage();
+  await page.emulateMedia({ colorScheme: 'light' });
+  await page.goto('/settings');
+  await page.locator('.settings-fieldset').waitFor();
+  const toggle = page.locator('.topbar__theme');
+
+  // Default System → ein Klick zykelt in Radio-Reihenfolge weiter zu Hell,
+  // dann Dunkel, dann zurück zu System; die Radios folgen (issue #182).
+  await toggle.click();
+  await expect(radio(page, 'light')).toBeChecked();
+  expect(await effectiveTheme(page)).toBe('light');
+
+  await toggle.click();
+  await expect(radio(page, 'dark')).toBeChecked();
+  expect(await effectiveTheme(page)).toBe('dark');
+
+  await toggle.click();
+  await expect(radio(page, 'system')).toBeChecked();
+  expect(await effectiveTheme(page)).toBe('light'); // helles OS
+
+  // Auch andersherum: eine Radio-Wahl versetzt den Zyklus des Toggles.
+  await radio(page, 'dark').check();
+  await toggle.click();
+  await expect(radio(page, 'system')).toBeChecked();
+
+  // Persistenz wie bei den Radios (gleicher localStorage-Key).
+  await toggle.click(); // → light
+  await page.reload();
+  await page.locator('.settings-fieldset').waitFor();
+  await expect(radio(page, 'light')).toBeChecked();
+  expect(await effectiveTheme(page)).toBe('light');
+
+  await context.close();
+});
+
+test('the theme toggle works for signed-out visitors', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.emulateMedia({ colorScheme: 'light' });
+  await page.goto(`${BASE}/login`);
+  const toggle = page.locator('.topbar__theme');
+  await toggle.waitFor();
+
+  await toggle.click(); // System → Hell
+  await toggle.click(); // Hell → Dunkel
+  expect(await effectiveTheme(page)).toBe('dark');
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/src/layout/TopBar.tsx b/apps/web/src/layout/TopBar.tsx
index de45722..991bc6d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/layout/TopBar.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/layout/TopBar.tsx
@@ -1,21 +1,49 @@
 import type { PondView } from '@dorfteich/shared';
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
-import { Menu, Search, Settings } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Menu, Monitor, Moon, Search, Settings, Sun } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { Link, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { useAuth } from '../auth/auth-context';
+import { IconButton } from '../components/IconButton';
 import { apiGet } from '../lib/api';
 import { isTypingTarget } from '../lib/keyboard';
 import { useDismissable } from '../lib/use-dismissable';
 import { SearchPalette } from '../search/SearchPalette';
 import { NotificationsBell } from '../notifications/NotificationsBell';
+import { nextThemeMode, useThemeMode, type ThemeMode } from '../theme/theme';
 import { usePageActionsSlot } from './page-actions';
 import { PondSwitcher } from './PondSwitcher';
 import { useCurrentPondRoute } from './use-pond-route';
 
 import { singleKeyShortcutsDisabled } from '../lib/single-key-shortcuts';
+
+/** Icon per CHOSEN mode (not per effective theme): the monitor tells the
+ * user "following the OS" apart from an explicit light/dark pick. */
+const THEME_MODE_ICONS: Record<ThemeMode, typeof Sun> = {
+  light: Sun,
+  dark: Moon,
+  system: Monitor,
+};
+
+/** Three-way theme cycle (issue #182) — sits between the bell and the user
+ * menu; also rendered for signed-out visitors (device-local preference). */
+function ThemeToggle(): React.JSX.Element {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const [mode, setMode] = useThemeMode();
+  const Icon = THEME_MODE_ICONS[mode];
+  return (
+    <IconButton
+      className="topbar__theme"
+      label={t('settings:appearance.cycle', { mode: t(`settings:appearance.${mode}`) })}
+      onClick={() => setMode(nextThemeMode(mode))}
+    >
+      <Icon aria-hidden />
+    </IconButton>
+  );
+}
+
 interface TopBarProps {
   sidebarCollapsed: boolean;
   onToggleSidebar: () => void;
@@ -108,6 +136,7 @@ export function TopBar({ sidebarCollapsed, onToggleSidebar }: TopBarProps): Reac
       )}
       {searchOpen && user && <SearchPalette onClose={() => setSearchOpen(false)} />}
       {user && <NotificationsBell />}
+      <ThemeToggle />
       {user ? (
         <div className="user-menu" ref={userMenuRef}>
           <button
diff --git a/apps/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx b/apps/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
index d72e4e9..5f89205 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { WatchesSection } from '../watches/WatchesSection';
 import { useDocumentTitle } from '../lib/use-document-title';
 import { SINGLE_KEY_SHORTCUTS_KEY } from '../lib/single-key-shortcuts';
 import { usePersistentState } from '../lib/use-persistent-state';
-import { applyTheme, THEME_MODE_KEY, type ThemeMode } from '../theme/theme';
+import { useThemeMode, type ThemeMode } from '../theme/theme';
 interface SessionView {
   id: string;
   createdAt: string;
@@ -51,11 +51,9 @@ export function SettingsPage(): React.JSX.Element {
  * InteractionSection eine lokale Geräte-Einstellung, kein Server-Zustand. */
 function AppearanceSection(): React.JSX.Element {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
-  const [mode, setMode] = usePersistentState<ThemeMode>(THEME_MODE_KEY, 'system');
-  const choose = (value: ThemeMode): void => {
-    setMode(value);
-    applyTheme(value);
-  };
+  // Shared hook instead of usePersistentState: keeps the radios and the
+  // top-bar theme toggle (issue #182) in sync within the same document.
+  const [mode, setMode] = useThemeMode();
   const options: { value: ThemeMode; label: string }[] = [
     { value: 'light', label: t('settings:appearance.light') },
     { value: 'dark', label: t('settings:appearance.dark') },
@@ -73,7 +71,7 @@ function AppearanceSection(): React.JSX.Element {
               name="theme-mode"
               value={option.value}
               checked={mode === option.value}
-              onChange={() => choose(option.value)}
+              onChange={() => setMode(option.value)}
             />
             {option.label}
           </label>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/theme/theme.test.ts b/apps/web/src/theme/theme.test.ts
index e1ae55d..611491a 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/theme/theme.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/theme/theme.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 // @vitest-environment jsdom
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
-import { applyTheme, readStoredThemeMode, resolveTheme, THEME_MODE_KEY } from './theme';
+import {
+  applyTheme,
+  nextThemeMode,
+  readStoredThemeMode,
+  resolveTheme,
+  setThemeMode,
+  THEME_MODE_KEY,
+} from './theme';
 
 /** Node ≥ 22 ships its own (unconfigured, undefined) localStorage global
  * that shadows jsdom's — give the tests a real in-memory one. */
@@ -92,3 +99,25 @@ describe('applyTheme', () => {
     for (const meta of metas) expect(meta.getAttribute('content')).toBe('#2f6f4f');
   });
 });
+
+describe('nextThemeMode', () => {
+  it('cycles light -> dark -> system -> light (radio order)', () => {
+    expect(nextThemeMode('light')).toBe('dark');
+    expect(nextThemeMode('dark')).toBe('system');
+    expect(nextThemeMode('system')).toBe('light');
+  });
+});
+
+describe('setThemeMode', () => {
+  it('persists (JSON-encoded), applies, and notifies listeners', () => {
+    const notified = vi.fn();
+    window.addEventListener('dorfteich:theme-mode', notified);
+    setThemeMode('dark');
+    window.removeEventListener('dorfteich:theme-mode', notified);
+
+    expect(window.localStorage.getItem(THEME_MODE_KEY)).toBe('"dark"');
+    expect(readStoredThemeMode()).toBe('dark');
+    expect(document.documentElement.dataset.theme).toBe('dark');
+    expect(notified).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/src/theme/theme.ts b/apps/web/src/theme/theme.ts
index ea3f97a..aa5636d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/theme/theme.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/theme/theme.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,40 @@ export function applyTheme(mode: ThemeMode): void {
     .forEach((meta) => meta.setAttribute('content', THEME_COLOR[theme]));
 }
 
+/** Same-document change signal for useThemeMode(): usePersistentState keeps
+ * its state per hook instance, so the top-bar toggle and the settings radios
+ * would drift without a shared event (issue #182). */
+const THEME_MODE_EVENT = 'dorfteich:theme-mode';
+
+/** Cycle order of the top-bar toggle — mirrors the settings radio order. */
+export function nextThemeMode(mode: ThemeMode): ThemeMode {
+  return mode === 'light' ? 'dark' : mode === 'dark' ? 'system' : 'light';
+}
+
+/** The single write path for the mode: persist (JSON, same encoding as
+ * usePersistentState), apply, and notify every useThemeMode() instance. */
+export function setThemeMode(mode: ThemeMode): void {
+  try {
+    window.localStorage.setItem(THEME_MODE_KEY, JSON.stringify(mode));
+  } catch {
+    // Storage may be unavailable (private mode); still apply for this page.
+  }
+  applyTheme(mode);
+  window.dispatchEvent(new Event(THEME_MODE_EVENT));
+}
+
+/** Reactive view of the stored mode, shared across components: reads once,
+ * then follows THEME_MODE_EVENT from any setter instance. */
+export function useThemeMode(): [ThemeMode, (mode: ThemeMode) => void] {
+  const [mode, setMode] = useState<ThemeMode>(readStoredThemeMode);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onChange = (): void => setMode(readStoredThemeMode());
+    window.addEventListener(THEME_MODE_EVENT, onChange);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener(THEME_MODE_EVENT, onChange);
+  }, []);
+  return [mode, setThemeMode];
+}
+
 /** Follow OS scheme changes live while the stored mode is 'system'.
  * Called once at startup (main.tsx). */
 export function initSystemThemeListener(): void {
diff --git a/packages/shared/i18n/de/settings.json b/packages/shared/i18n/de/settings.json
index f9ec6a0..9099253 100644
--- a/packages/shared/i18n/de/settings.json
+++ b/packages/shared/i18n/de/settings.json
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
     "light": "Hell",
     "dark": "Dunkel",
     "system": "Systemeinstellung",
-    "hint": "„Systemeinstellung“ folgt dem Hell-/Dunkel-Modus des Geräts. Gilt für dieses Gerät."
+    "hint": "„Systemeinstellung“ folgt dem Hell-/Dunkel-Modus des Geräts. Gilt für dieses Gerät.",
+    "cycle": "Farbschema wechseln (aktuell: {{mode}})"
   },
   "interaction": {
     "title": "Bedienung",
diff --git a/packages/shared/i18n/en/settings.json b/packages/shared/i18n/en/settings.json
index f34d578..d57a228 100644
--- a/packages/shared/i18n/en/settings.json
+++ b/packages/shared/i18n/en/settings.json
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
     "light": "Light",
     "dark": "Dark",
     "system": "System setting",
-    "hint": "“System setting” follows the device’s light/dark mode. Applies to this device."
+    "hint": "“System setting” follows the device’s light/dark mode. Applies to this device.",
+    "cycle": "Switch color scheme (current: {{mode}})"
   },
   "interaction": {
     "title": "Interaction",