diff --git a/assets/css/styles.css b/assets/css/styles.css
index 639b43f..f77af04 100644
--- a/assets/css/styles.css
+++ b/assets/css/styles.css
@@ -132,11 +132,12 @@ body {
 }
 
 .sidebar-menu .nav-link.active {
-    color: var(--brand-dark, #0d47a1);
+    color: var(--cat-color, var(--brand-dark, #0d47a1));
     background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95);
     font-weight: 600;
     box-shadow: 0 4px 14px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18);
     transform: translateX(3px);
+    border-left: 3px solid var(--cat-color, var(--brand, #1565c0));
 }
 
 .sidebar-menu .nav-link i {
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ body {
 }
 .sidebar-menu li.sidebar-section:hover { color: rgba(255,255,255,.9); background: rgba(255,255,255,.07); }
 .sidebar-menu li.sidebar-section.has-active {
-    border-left-color: rgba(255,255,255,.7);
+    border-left-color: var(--cat-color, rgba(255,255,255,.7));
     background: rgba(255,255,255,.1);
     color: #fff;
 }
diff --git a/core/Layout.php b/core/Layout.php
index 6a49f79..a9cf26e 100644
--- a/core/Layout.php
+++ b/core/Layout.php
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class Layout
     <!-- Font Awesome 6 -->
     <link href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/6.4.0/css/all.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
     <!-- Estilos del sistema -->
-    <link href="<?= $base ?>/assets/css/styles.css?v=13" rel="stylesheet">
+    <link href="<?= $base ?>/assets/css/styles.css?v=14" rel="stylesheet">
 
     <style>
         :root {
diff --git a/shared/components/sidebar.php b/shared/components/sidebar.php
index 564b60c..935f503 100644
--- a/shared/components/sidebar.php
+++ b/shared/components/sidebar.php
@@ -135,6 +135,16 @@ $_base = defined('APP_URL') ? rtrim(APP_URL, '/') : '';
     <ul class="sidebar-menu" id="sb-menu">
 
 <?php
+// ── Paleta de colores por categoría ────────────────────────────────────────
+$_catPalette = [
+    'lab'         => '#60a5fa',
+    'bot'         => '#4ade80',
+    'turnero'     => '#fbbf24',
+    'clinico'     => '#c084fc',
+    'formularios' => '#22d3ee',
+    'sistema'     => '#94a3b8',
+];
+
 // ── Renderizado dinámico desde ModuleRegistry ───────────────────────────────
 if (class_exists('ModuleRegistry', false)) {
     $sidebarGroups = ModuleRegistry::forSidebar();
@@ -155,10 +165,12 @@ if (class_exists('ModuleRegistry', false)) {
                 if ($__route && $_isActive($__route) !== '') { $_catHasActive = true; break; }
             }
         }
-        $catId = 'sb-cat-' . htmlspecialchars($catKey, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
+        $catId    = 'sb-cat-' . htmlspecialchars($catKey, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
+        $_catColor = $_catPalette[$catKey] ?? '#94a3b8';
 ?>
         <li class="sidebar-section<?= $_catHasActive ? ' has-active' : '' ?>"
             data-cat="<?= $catId ?>"
+            style="--cat-color:<?= $_catColor ?>"
             onclick="sbToggleCat('<?= $catId ?>',this,event)">
             <span class="sb-cat-label">
                 <i class="<?= htmlspecialchars($catData['icon'], ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') ?> me-1"></i>
@@ -166,7 +178,7 @@ if (class_exists('ModuleRegistry', false)) {
             </span>
             <i class="fas fa-chevron-down sb-chevron"></i>
         </li>
-        <li class="sb-group" id="<?= $catId ?>">
+        <li class="sb-group" id="<?= $catId ?>" style="--cat-color:<?= $_catColor ?>">
             <ul>
 <?php   foreach ($catData['modules'] as $slug => $mod):
             $links = $mod['links'] ?? [];