diff --git a/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts b/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts
index 9b7edb06..0576dcf2 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import type { Approval, DashboardSummary, HeartbeatRun, Issue, JoinRequest } from "@paperclipai/shared";
 import {
+  getApprovalsForTab,
   computeInboxBadgeData,
   getRecentTouchedIssues,
   getUnreadTouchedIssues,
   loadLastInboxTab,
   RECENT_ISSUES_LIMIT,
   saveLastInboxTab,
+  shouldShowInboxSection,
 } from "./inbox";
 
 const storage = new Map<string, string>();
@@ -46,6 +48,19 @@ function makeApproval(status: Approval["status"]): Approval {
   };
 }
 
+function makeApprovalWithTimestamps(
+  id: string,
+  status: Approval["status"],
+  updatedAt: string,
+): Approval {
+  return {
+    ...makeApproval(status),
+    id,
+    createdAt: new Date(updatedAt),
+    updatedAt: new Date(updatedAt),
+  };
+}
+
 function makeJoinRequest(id: string): JoinRequest {
   return {
     id,
@@ -231,6 +246,52 @@ describe("inbox helpers", () => {
     expect(issues).toHaveLength(2);
   });
 
+  it("shows recent approvals in updated order and unread approvals as actionable only", () => {
+    const approvals = [
+      makeApprovalWithTimestamps("approval-approved", "approved", "2026-03-11T02:00:00.000Z"),
+      makeApprovalWithTimestamps("approval-pending", "pending", "2026-03-11T01:00:00.000Z"),
+      makeApprovalWithTimestamps(
+        "approval-revision",
+        "revision_requested",
+        "2026-03-11T03:00:00.000Z",
+      ),
+    ];
+
+    expect(getApprovalsForTab(approvals, "recent", "all").map((approval) => approval.id)).toEqual([
+      "approval-revision",
+      "approval-approved",
+      "approval-pending",
+    ]);
+    expect(getApprovalsForTab(approvals, "unread", "all").map((approval) => approval.id)).toEqual([
+      "approval-revision",
+      "approval-pending",
+    ]);
+    expect(getApprovalsForTab(approvals, "all", "resolved").map((approval) => approval.id)).toEqual([
+      "approval-approved",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("can include sections on recent without forcing them to be unread", () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldShowInboxSection({
+        tab: "recent",
+        hasItems: true,
+        showOnRecent: true,
+        showOnUnread: false,
+        showOnAll: false,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      shouldShowInboxSection({
+        tab: "unread",
+        hasItems: true,
+        showOnRecent: true,
+        showOnUnread: false,
+        showOnAll: false,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("limits recent touched issues before unread badge counting", () => {
     const issues = Array.from({ length: RECENT_ISSUES_LIMIT + 5 }, (_, index) => {
       const issue = makeIssue(String(index + 1), index < 3);
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts b/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts
index 88447a98..9edba8ac 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export const ACTIONABLE_APPROVAL_STATUSES = new Set(["pending", "revision_reques
 export const DISMISSED_KEY = "paperclip:inbox:dismissed";
 export const INBOX_LAST_TAB_KEY = "paperclip:inbox:last-tab";
 export type InboxTab = "recent" | "unread" | "all";
+export type InboxApprovalFilter = "all" | "actionable" | "resolved";
 
 export interface InboxBadgeData {
   inbox: number;
@@ -104,6 +105,46 @@ export function getUnreadTouchedIssues(issues: Issue[]): Issue[] {
   return issues.filter((issue) => issue.isUnreadForMe);
 }
 
+export function getApprovalsForTab(
+  approvals: Approval[],
+  tab: InboxTab,
+  filter: InboxApprovalFilter,
+): Approval[] {
+  const sortedApprovals = [...approvals].sort(
+    (a, b) => normalizeTimestamp(b.updatedAt) - normalizeTimestamp(a.updatedAt),
+  );
+
+  if (tab === "recent") return sortedApprovals;
+  if (tab === "unread") {
+    return sortedApprovals.filter((approval) => ACTIONABLE_APPROVAL_STATUSES.has(approval.status));
+  }
+  if (filter === "all") return sortedApprovals;
+
+  return sortedApprovals.filter((approval) => {
+    const isActionable = ACTIONABLE_APPROVAL_STATUSES.has(approval.status);
+    return filter === "actionable" ? isActionable : !isActionable;
+  });
+}
+
+export function shouldShowInboxSection({
+  tab,
+  hasItems,
+  showOnRecent,
+  showOnUnread,
+  showOnAll,
+}: {
+  tab: InboxTab;
+  hasItems: boolean;
+  showOnRecent: boolean;
+  showOnUnread: boolean;
+  showOnAll: boolean;
+}): boolean {
+  if (!hasItems) return false;
+  if (tab === "recent") return showOnRecent;
+  if (tab === "unread") return showOnUnread;
+  return showOnAll;
+}
+
 export function computeInboxBadgeData({
   approvals,
   joinRequests,
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/Inbox.tsx b/ui/src/pages/Inbox.tsx
index a00cc9b8..bf580f33 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/Inbox.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/Inbox.tsx
@@ -43,10 +43,13 @@ import { PageTabBar } from "../components/PageTabBar";
 import type { HeartbeatRun, Issue, JoinRequest } from "@paperclipai/shared";
 import {
   ACTIONABLE_APPROVAL_STATUSES,
+  getApprovalsForTab,
   getLatestFailedRunsByAgent,
   getRecentTouchedIssues,
+  InboxApprovalFilter,
   type InboxTab,
   saveLastInboxTab,
+  shouldShowInboxSection,
 } from "../lib/inbox";
 import { useDismissedInboxItems } from "../hooks/useInboxBadge";
 
@@ -57,7 +60,6 @@ type InboxCategoryFilter =
   | "approvals"
   | "failed_runs"
   | "alerts";
-type InboxApprovalFilter = "all" | "actionable" | "resolved";
 type SectionKey =
   | "issues_i_touched"
   | "join_requests"
@@ -362,10 +364,7 @@ export function Inbox() {
   }, [heartbeatRuns]);
 
   const allApprovals = useMemo(
-    () =>
-      [...(approvals ?? [])].sort(
-        (a, b) => new Date(b.createdAt).getTime() - new Date(a.createdAt).getTime(),
-      ),
+    () => getApprovalsForTab(approvals ?? [], "recent", "all"),
     [approvals],
   );
 
@@ -374,14 +373,10 @@ export function Inbox() {
     [allApprovals],
   );
 
-  const filteredAllApprovals = useMemo(() => {
-    if (allApprovalFilter === "all") return allApprovals;
-
-    return allApprovals.filter((approval) => {
-      const isActionable = ACTIONABLE_APPROVAL_STATUSES.has(approval.status);
-      return allApprovalFilter === "actionable" ? isActionable : !isActionable;
-    });
-  }, [allApprovals, allApprovalFilter]);
+  const approvalsToRender = useMemo(
+    () => getApprovalsForTab(approvals ?? [], tab, allApprovalFilter),
+    [approvals, tab, allApprovalFilter],
+  );
 
   const agentName = (id: string | null) => {
     if (!id) return null;
@@ -516,21 +511,36 @@ export function Inbox() {
     allCategoryFilter === "everything" || allCategoryFilter === "failed_runs";
   const showAlertsCategory = allCategoryFilter === "everything" || allCategoryFilter === "alerts";
 
-  const approvalsToRender = tab === "all" ? filteredAllApprovals : actionableApprovals;
-  const showTouchedSection =
-    tab === "all"
-      ? showTouchedCategory && hasTouchedIssues
-      : tab === "unread"
-        ? unreadTouchedIssues.length > 0
-        : hasTouchedIssues;
+  const showTouchedSection = shouldShowInboxSection({
+    tab,
+    hasItems: tab === "unread" ? unreadTouchedIssues.length > 0 : hasTouchedIssues,
+    showOnRecent: hasTouchedIssues,
+    showOnUnread: unreadTouchedIssues.length > 0,
+    showOnAll: showTouchedCategory && hasTouchedIssues,
+  });
   const showJoinRequestsSection =
     tab === "all" ? showJoinRequestsCategory && hasJoinRequests : tab === "unread" && hasJoinRequests;
-  const showApprovalsSection = tab === "all"
-    ? showApprovalsCategory && filteredAllApprovals.length > 0
-    : actionableApprovals.length > 0;
-  const showFailedRunsSection =
-    tab === "all" ? showFailedRunsCategory && hasRunFailures : tab === "unread" && hasRunFailures;
-  const showAlertsSection = tab === "all" ? showAlertsCategory && hasAlerts : tab === "unread" && hasAlerts;
+  const showApprovalsSection = shouldShowInboxSection({
+    tab,
+    hasItems: approvalsToRender.length > 0,
+    showOnRecent: approvalsToRender.length > 0,
+    showOnUnread: actionableApprovals.length > 0,
+    showOnAll: showApprovalsCategory && approvalsToRender.length > 0,
+  });
+  const showFailedRunsSection = shouldShowInboxSection({
+    tab,
+    hasItems: hasRunFailures,
+    showOnRecent: hasRunFailures,
+    showOnUnread: hasRunFailures,
+    showOnAll: showFailedRunsCategory && hasRunFailures,
+  });
+  const showAlertsSection = shouldShowInboxSection({
+    tab,
+    hasItems: hasAlerts,
+    showOnRecent: hasAlerts,
+    showOnUnread: hasAlerts,
+    showOnAll: showAlertsCategory && hasAlerts,
+  });
 
   const visibleSections = [
     showFailedRunsSection ? "failed_runs" : null,