diff --git a/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx b/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx
index 62de722d..63e0d2e6 100644
--- a/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ const Bookmarks: React.FC<BookmarksProps> = ({ relayPool, onLogout }) => {
   const [isCollapsed, setIsCollapsed] = useState(false)
   const [isHighlightsCollapsed, setIsHighlightsCollapsed] = useState(false)
   const [viewMode, setViewMode] = useState<ViewMode>('cards')
+  const [showUnderlines, setShowUnderlines] = useState(true)
   const activeAccount = Hooks.useActiveAccount()
   const accountManager = Hooks.useAccountManager()
 
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ const Bookmarks: React.FC<BookmarksProps> = ({ relayPool, onLogout }) => {
           markdown={readerContent?.markdown}
           selectedUrl={selectedUrl}
           highlights={highlights}
+          showUnderlines={showUnderlines}
         />
       </div>
       <div className="pane highlights">
@@ -133,6 +135,7 @@ const Bookmarks: React.FC<BookmarksProps> = ({ relayPool, onLogout }) => {
           onToggleCollapse={() => setIsHighlightsCollapsed(!isHighlightsCollapsed)}
           onSelectUrl={handleSelectUrl}
           selectedUrl={selectedUrl}
+          onToggleUnderlines={setShowUnderlines}
         />
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx b/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx
index 71e611c0..034acf46 100644
--- a/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ interface ContentPanelProps {
   markdown?: string
   selectedUrl?: string
   highlights?: Highlight[]
+  showUnderlines?: boolean
 }
 
 const ContentPanel: React.FC<ContentPanelProps> = ({ 
@@ -21,7 +22,8 @@ const ContentPanel: React.FC<ContentPanelProps> = ({
   html, 
   markdown, 
   selectedUrl,
-  highlights = []
+  highlights = [],
+  showUnderlines = true
 }) => {
   const contentRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   
@@ -88,13 +90,27 @@ const ContentPanel: React.FC<ContentPanelProps> = ({
     console.log('🔍 useEffect triggered:', {
       hasContentRef: !!contentRef.current,
       relevantHighlightsCount: relevantHighlights.length,
-      hasHtml: !!html
+      hasHtml: !!html,
+      showUnderlines
     })
     
-    if (!contentRef.current || relevantHighlights.length === 0) {
+    if (!contentRef.current || relevantHighlights.length === 0 || !showUnderlines) {
       console.log('⚠️ Skipping highlight application:', {
-        reason: !contentRef.current ? 'no contentRef' : 'no relevant highlights'
+        reason: !contentRef.current ? 'no contentRef' : 
+                !showUnderlines ? 'underlines hidden' :
+                'no relevant highlights'
       })
+      
+      // If underlines are hidden, remove any existing highlights
+      if (!showUnderlines && contentRef.current) {
+        const marks = contentRef.current.querySelectorAll('mark.content-highlight')
+        marks.forEach(mark => {
+          const text = mark.textContent || ''
+          const textNode = document.createTextNode(text)
+          mark.parentNode?.replaceChild(textNode, mark)
+        })
+      }
+      
       return
     }
     
@@ -119,7 +135,7 @@ const ContentPanel: React.FC<ContentPanelProps> = ({
     }, 100)
     
     return () => clearTimeout(timer)
-  }, [relevantHighlights, html])
+  }, [relevantHighlights, html, showUnderlines])
 
   const highlightedMarkdown = useMemo(() => {
     if (!markdown || relevantHighlights.length === 0) return markdown
diff --git a/src/components/HighlightsPanel.tsx b/src/components/HighlightsPanel.tsx
index 9e743fa9..4b445271 100644
--- a/src/components/HighlightsPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/HighlightsPanel.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import React, { useMemo } from 'react'
+import React, { useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import { FontAwesomeIcon } from '@fortawesome/react-fontawesome'
-import { faChevronRight, faChevronLeft, faHighlighter } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons'
+import { faChevronRight, faChevronLeft, faHighlighter, faEye, faEyeSlash } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons'
 import { Highlight } from '../types/highlights'
 import { HighlightItem } from './HighlightItem'
 
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ interface HighlightsPanelProps {
   onToggleCollapse: () => void
   onSelectUrl?: (url: string) => void
   selectedUrl?: string
+  onToggleUnderlines?: (show: boolean) => void
 }
 
 export const HighlightsPanel: React.FC<HighlightsPanelProps> = ({
@@ -19,8 +20,17 @@ export const HighlightsPanel: React.FC<HighlightsPanelProps> = ({
   isCollapsed,
   onToggleCollapse,
   onSelectUrl,
-  selectedUrl
+  selectedUrl,
+  onToggleUnderlines
 }) => {
+  const [showUnderlines, setShowUnderlines] = useState(true)
+  
+  const handleToggleUnderlines = () => {
+    const newValue = !showUnderlines
+    setShowUnderlines(newValue)
+    onToggleUnderlines?.(newValue)
+  }
+  
   // Filter highlights to show only those relevant to the current URL
   const filteredHighlights = useMemo(() => {
     if (!selectedUrl) return highlights
@@ -68,14 +78,26 @@ export const HighlightsPanel: React.FC<HighlightsPanelProps> = ({
           <h3>Highlights</h3>
           {!loading && <span className="count">({filteredHighlights.length})</span>}
         </div>
-        <button
-          onClick={onToggleCollapse}
-          className="toggle-highlights-btn"
-          title="Collapse highlights panel"
-          aria-label="Collapse highlights panel"
-        >
-          <FontAwesomeIcon icon={faChevronRight} rotation={180} />
-        </button>
+        <div className="highlights-actions">
+          {filteredHighlights.length > 0 && (
+            <button
+              onClick={handleToggleUnderlines}
+              className="toggle-underlines-btn"
+              title={showUnderlines ? 'Hide underlines' : 'Show underlines'}
+              aria-label={showUnderlines ? 'Hide underlines' : 'Show underlines'}
+            >
+              <FontAwesomeIcon icon={showUnderlines ? faEye : faEyeSlash} />
+            </button>
+          )}
+          <button
+            onClick={onToggleCollapse}
+            className="toggle-highlights-btn"
+            title="Collapse highlights panel"
+            aria-label="Collapse highlights panel"
+          >
+            <FontAwesomeIcon icon={faChevronRight} rotation={180} />
+          </button>
+        </div>
       </div>
 
       {loading ? (
diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
index 45439d29..68a9fb31 100644
--- a/src/index.css
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -1136,6 +1136,13 @@ body {
   font-size: 0.875rem;
 }
 
+.highlights-actions {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.toggle-underlines-btn,
 .toggle-highlights-btn {
   background: transparent;
   color: #ddd;
@@ -1151,11 +1158,13 @@ body {
   transition: all 0.2s ease;
 }
 
+.toggle-underlines-btn:hover,
 .toggle-highlights-btn:hover {
   background: #2a2a2a;
   color: #fff;
 }
 
+.toggle-underlines-btn:active,
 .toggle-highlights-btn:active {
   transform: translateY(1px);
 }