diff --git a/color-tool b/color-tool
index 646dbff..1960a95 100755
--- a/color-tool
+++ b/color-tool
@@ -341,6 +341,19 @@ reset_config() {
 
 # ── Help ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+# Replace the $HOME prefix with ~/ only when the path actually starts with
+# $HOME — avoids false matches on other users' home dirs or custom XDG roots.
+tilde_path() {
+  local path="$1"
+  if [[ "$path" == "$HOME/"* ]]; then
+    printf '%s' "~/${path#"$HOME/"}"
+  elif [[ "$path" == "$HOME" ]]; then
+    printf '%s' "~"
+  else
+    printf '%s' "$path"
+  fi
+}
+
 show_help() {
   printf "\n"
   # Title: "color" in a rainbow gradient, "-tool" in bold
@@ -362,7 +375,7 @@ show_help() {
   printf "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}--set-config${RESET}   Update the configuration ${DIM}(e.g. --set-config desktop --copy)${RESET}\n"
   printf "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}--reset-config${RESET} Restore the configuration file to its default values\n"
   printf "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}--check-deps${RESET}   Check system dependencies and environment support\n"
-  printf "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}--install${RESET}      Install to %s/ and symlink into %s/\n" "$DATA_DIR" "$BIN_DIR"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}--install${RESET}      Install to %s/ and symlink into %s/\n" "$(tilde_path "$DATA_DIR")" "$(tilde_path "$BIN_DIR")"
   printf "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}--uninstall${RESET}    Remove installed files and optionally the configuration\n"
   printf "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}--help${RESET}, ${BOLD}${CYAN}-h${RESET}     Show this help message\n\n"
 
@@ -371,7 +384,7 @@ show_help() {
   printf "  ${CYAN}${0##*/}${RESET} --pick --output rgb,hsl --json\n"
   printf "  ${CYAN}${0##*/}${RESET} \"rgb(255, 100, 0)\" --output hex,hsla\n\n"
 
-  printf "  ${BOLD}${YELLOW}Config${RESET}  ${DIM}%s${RESET}\n" "$CONFIG_FILE"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}${YELLOW}Config${RESET}  ${DIM}%s${RESET}\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_FILE")"
   printf "  ${DIM}[defaults]${RESET} keys: ${CYAN}output json swatch name copy pick notify${RESET}\n"
   printf "  ${DIM}[desktop]${RESET}  keys: ${CYAN}output json name notify copy swatch${RESET}  ${DIM}(pick always on)${RESET}\n\n"
 }
@@ -651,7 +664,7 @@ do_install() {
   local dirs=("$BIN_DIR" "$DATA_DIR" "$CONFIG_DIR" "$APP_DIR")
   for dir in "${dirs[@]}"; do
     if [[ ! -d "$dir" ]]; then
-      printf "  ${DIM}Creating %s...${RESET}\n" "$dir"
+      printf "  ${DIM}Creating %s...${RESET}\n" "$(tilde_path "$dir")"
       mkdir -p "$dir"
     fi
   done
@@ -665,9 +678,9 @@ do_install() {
   # Config setup
   if [[ ! -f "$CONFIG_FILE" ]]; then
     write_default_config
-    printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}config${RESET}  %s  ${DIM}(sample created)${RESET}\n" "$CONFIG_FILE"
+    printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}config${RESET}  %s  ${DIM}(sample created)${RESET}\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_FILE")"
   else
-    printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}config${RESET}  %s\n" "$CONFIG_FILE"
+    printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}config${RESET}  %s\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_FILE")"
   fi
 
   # Desktop Entry (using consolidated BIN_PATH)
@@ -686,13 +699,13 @@ NoDisplay=false
 EOF
 
   # Summary output
-  printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}app${RESET}     %s\n" "$DESKTOP_FILE"
-  printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}data${RESET}    %s/\n" "$DATA_DIR"
-  printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}bin${RESET}     %s -> %s\n" "$BIN_PATH" "$DATA_DIR/color-tool"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}app${RESET}     %s\n" "$(tilde_path "$DESKTOP_FILE")"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}data${RESET}    %s/\n" "$(tilde_path "$DATA_DIR")"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}bin${RESET}     %s -> %s\n" "$(tilde_path "$BIN_PATH")" "$(tilde_path "$DATA_DIR/color-tool")"
 
   # Path verification
   if [[ ":$PATH:" != *":$BIN_DIR:"* ]]; then
-    printf "\n${BOLD}${YELLOW}Warning:${RESET} %s is not in your PATH.\n" "$BIN_DIR"
+    printf "\n${BOLD}${YELLOW}Warning:${RESET} %s is not in your PATH.\n" "$(tilde_path "$BIN_DIR")"
     suggest_path_add "$BIN_DIR"
   fi
 
@@ -709,67 +722,67 @@ do_uninstall() {
   printf "  ${DIM}Removing binary symlink...${RESET}\n"
   if [[ -L "$BIN_PATH" ]]; then
     if rm "$BIN_PATH"; then
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}bin${RESET}     Removed %s\n" "$BIN_PATH"
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}bin${RESET}     Removed %s\n" "$(tilde_path "$BIN_PATH")"
     else
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}bin${RESET}     Failed to remove %s\n" "$BIN_PATH" >&2
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}bin${RESET}     Failed to remove %s\n" "$(tilde_path "$BIN_PATH")" >&2
       errors=$((errors + 1))
     fi
   elif [[ -e "$BIN_PATH" ]]; then
-    printf "  ${BOLD}${YELLOW}bin${RESET}     %s is not a symlink — skipping\n" "$BIN_PATH"
+    printf "  ${BOLD}${YELLOW}bin${RESET}     %s is not a symlink — skipping\n" "$(tilde_path "$BIN_PATH")"
   else
-    printf "  ${DIM}bin${RESET}     %s not found — skipping\n" "$BIN_PATH"
+    printf "  ${DIM}bin${RESET}     %s not found — skipping\n" "$(tilde_path "$BIN_PATH")"
   fi
 
   # 2. Desktop entry
   printf "  ${DIM}Removing desktop entry...${RESET}\n"
   if [[ -f "$DESKTOP_FILE" ]]; then
     if rm "$DESKTOP_FILE"; then
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}app${RESET}     Removed %s\n" "$DESKTOP_FILE"
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}app${RESET}     Removed %s\n" "$(tilde_path "$DESKTOP_FILE")"
     else
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}app${RESET}     Failed to remove %s\n" "$DESKTOP_FILE" >&2
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}app${RESET}     Failed to remove %s\n" "$(tilde_path "$DESKTOP_FILE")" >&2
       errors=$((errors + 1))
     fi
   else
-    printf "  ${DIM}app${RESET}     %s not found — skipping\n" "$DESKTOP_FILE"
+    printf "  ${DIM}app${RESET}     %s not found — skipping\n" "$(tilde_path "$DESKTOP_FILE")"
   fi
 
   # 3. Data directory
   printf "  ${DIM}Removing data directory...${RESET}\n"
   if [[ -d "$DATA_DIR" ]]; then
     if rm -rf "$DATA_DIR"; then
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}data${RESET}    Removed %s/\n" "$DATA_DIR"
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}data${RESET}    Removed %s/\n" "$(tilde_path "$DATA_DIR")"
     else
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}data${RESET}    Failed to remove %s/\n" "$DATA_DIR" >&2
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}data${RESET}    Failed to remove %s/\n" "$(tilde_path "$DATA_DIR")" >&2
       errors=$((errors + 1))
     fi
   else
-    printf "  ${DIM}data${RESET}    %s not found — skipping\n" "$DATA_DIR"
+    printf "  ${DIM}data${RESET}    %s not found — skipping\n" "$(tilde_path "$DATA_DIR")"
   fi
 
   # 4. Config directory — prompt if interactive, skip silently if not
   if [[ -d "$CONFIG_DIR" ]]; then
     if [[ -t 0 ]]; then
       printf "\n  ${BOLD}${YELLOW}?${RESET}  Remove configuration directory?\n"
-      printf "      ${DIM}%s/${RESET}\n" "$CONFIG_DIR"
+      printf "      ${DIM}%s/${RESET}\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_DIR")"
       printf "      ${BOLD}[y/N]${RESET} "
       local answer
       read -r answer
       if [[ "${answer,,}" == "y" || "${answer,,}" == "yes" ]]; then
         remove_config=1
       else
-        printf "  ${BOLD}${DIM}config${RESET}  %s/ kept\n" "$CONFIG_DIR"
+        printf "  ${BOLD}${DIM}config${RESET}  %s/ kept\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_DIR")"
       fi
     else
-      printf "  ${DIM}config${RESET}  Non-interactive mode — keeping %s/\n" "$CONFIG_DIR"
+      printf "  ${DIM}config${RESET}  Non-interactive mode — keeping %s/\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_DIR")"
     fi
   fi
 
   if [[ $remove_config -eq 1 ]]; then
     printf "  ${DIM}Removing configuration directory...${RESET}\n"
     if rm -rf "$CONFIG_DIR"; then
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}config${RESET}  Removed %s/\n" "$CONFIG_DIR"
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${GREEN}config${RESET}  Removed %s/\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_DIR")"
     else
-      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}config${RESET}  Failed to remove %s/\n" "$CONFIG_DIR" >&2
+      printf "  ${BOLD}${RED}config${RESET}  Failed to remove %s/\n" "$(tilde_path "$CONFIG_DIR")" >&2
       errors=$((errors + 1))
     fi
   fi
@@ -790,9 +803,9 @@ do_uninstall() {
     local path="${paths[$i]}"
     printf "  "
     if [[ ! -e "$path" && ! -L "$path" ]]; then
-      printf "${GREEN}✔${RESET} %-8s %s\n" "$label" "$path"
+      printf "${GREEN}✔${RESET} %-8s %s\n" "$label" "$(tilde_path "$path")"
     else
-      printf "${RED}✘${RESET} %-8s %s ${RED}(still present)${RESET}\n" "$label" "$path"
+      printf "${RED}✘${RESET} %-8s %s ${RED}(still present)${RESET}\n" "$label" "$(tilde_path "$path")"
       verify_errors=$((verify_errors + 1))
     fi
   done