diff --git a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp
index 142eaa8d86..902efb894c 100644
--- a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp
@@ -80,25 +80,35 @@ void main_window::Init()
 	// hide utilities from the average user
 	ui->menuUtilities->menuAction()->setVisible(guiSettings->GetValue(gui::m_showDebugTab).toBool());
 
+	// for highdpi resize toolbar icons and height dynamically
+	// choose factors to mimic Gui-Design in main_window.ui
+	// TODO: delete this in case Qt::AA_EnableHighDpiScaling is enabled in main.cpp
+#ifdef _WIN32
+	const int toolIconHeight = menuBar()->sizeHint().height() * 1.5;
+	ui->toolBar->setIconSize(QSize(toolIconHeight, toolIconHeight));
+#endif
+
+	const int toolBarHeight = ui->toolBar->sizeHint().height();
+
+	// resize toolbar actions
+	for (const auto& act : ui->toolBar->actions())
+	{
+		if (act->isSeparator())
+		{
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		ui->toolBar->widgetForAction(act)->setMinimumWidth(toolBarHeight);
+	}
+
+	ui->sizeSliderContainer->setFixedWidth(toolBarHeight * 5);
+
 	// add toolbar widgets (crappy Qt designer is not able to)
 	ui->toolBar->setObjectName("mw_toolbar");
 	ui->sizeSlider->setRange(0, gui::gl_max_slider_pos);
 	ui->toolBar->addWidget(ui->sizeSliderContainer);
-	ui->toolBar->addSeparator();
 	ui->toolBar->addWidget(ui->mw_searchbar);
 
-	// for highdpi resize toolbar icons and height dynamically
-	// choose factors to mimic Gui-Design in main_window.ui
-	// TODO: in case Qt::AA_EnableHighDpiScaling is enabled in main.cpp we only need the else branch
-#ifdef _WIN32
-	const int toolBarHeight = menuBar()->sizeHint().height() * 1.5;
-	ui->toolBar->setIconSize(QSize(toolBarHeight, toolBarHeight));
-#else
-	const int toolBarHeight = ui->toolBar->iconSize().height();
-#endif
-	ui->sizeSliderContainer->setFixedWidth(toolBarHeight * 5);
-	ui->sizeSlider->setFixedHeight(toolBarHeight * 0.65f);
-
 	CreateActions();
 	CreateDockWindows();
 	CreateConnects();
@@ -779,6 +789,7 @@ void main_window::OnEmuRun()
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setText(tr("&Pause\tCtrl+P"));
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setIcon(m_icon_pause);
 	ui->toolbar_start->setIcon(m_icon_pause);
+	ui->toolbar_start->setText(tr("Pause"));
 	ui->toolbar_start->setToolTip(tr("Pause emulation"));
 	EnableMenus(true);
 
@@ -800,6 +811,7 @@ void main_window::OnEmuResume()
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setText(tr("&Pause\tCtrl+P"));
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setIcon(m_icon_pause);
 	ui->toolbar_start->setIcon(m_icon_pause);
+	ui->toolbar_start->setText(tr("Pause"));
 	ui->toolbar_start->setToolTip(tr("Pause emulation"));
 }
 
@@ -812,6 +824,7 @@ void main_window::OnEmuPause()
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setText(tr("&Resume\tCtrl+E"));
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setIcon(m_icon_play);
 	ui->toolbar_start->setIcon(m_icon_play);
+	ui->toolbar_start->setText(tr("Play"));
 	ui->toolbar_start->setToolTip(tr("Resume emulation"));
 }
 
@@ -831,6 +844,7 @@ void main_window::OnEmuStop()
 	{
 		ui->toolbar_start->setEnabled(true);
 		ui->toolbar_start->setIcon(m_icon_restart);
+		ui->toolbar_start->setText(tr("Restart"));
 		ui->toolbar_start->setToolTip(tr("Restart emulation"));
 		ui->sysRebootAct->setEnabled(true);
 #ifdef _WIN32
@@ -840,6 +854,7 @@ void main_window::OnEmuStop()
 	else
 	{
 		ui->toolbar_start->setIcon(m_icon_play);
+		ui->toolbar_start->setText(tr("Play"));
 		ui->toolbar_start->setToolTip(Emu.IsReady() ? tr("Start emulation") : tr("Resume emulation"));
 	}
 #ifdef WITH_DISCORD_RPC
@@ -861,6 +876,7 @@ void main_window::OnEmuReady()
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setText(Emu.IsReady() ? tr("&Start\tCtrl+E") : tr("&Resume\tCtrl+E"));
 	ui->sysPauseAct->setIcon(m_icon_play);
 	ui->toolbar_start->setIcon(m_icon_play);
+	ui->toolbar_start->setText(tr("Play"));
 	ui->toolbar_start->setToolTip(Emu.IsReady() ? tr("Start emulation") : tr("Resume emulation"));
 	EnableMenus(true);
 }
diff --git a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.ui b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.ui
index 737e1f4646..ec047b9d51 100644
--- a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.ui
+++ b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.ui
@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@
       <x>280</x>
       <y>10</y>
       <width>181</width>
-      <height>21</height>
+      <height>31</height>
      </rect>
     </property>
     <property name="sizePolicy">
-     <sizepolicy hsizetype="Fixed" vsizetype="Preferred">
+     <sizepolicy hsizetype="Fixed" vsizetype="Expanding">
       <horstretch>0</horstretch>
       <verstretch>0</verstretch>
      </sizepolicy>
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
      <x>0</x>
      <y>0</y>
      <width>1058</width>
-     <height>26</height>
+     <height>21</height>
     </rect>
    </property>
    <property name="contextMenuPolicy">
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@
     </size>
    </property>
    <property name="toolButtonStyle">
-    <enum>Qt::ToolButtonIconOnly</enum>
+    <enum>Qt::ToolButtonTextUnderIcon</enum>
    </property>
    <property name="floatable">
     <bool>false</bool>
@@ -325,20 +325,16 @@
     <bool>false</bool>
    </attribute>
    <addaction name="toolbar_disc"/>
+   <addaction name="toolbar_refresh"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_fullscreen"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_snap"/>
-   <addaction name="separator"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_stop"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_start"/>
-   <addaction name="separator"/>
-   <addaction name="toolbar_controls"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_config"/>
-   <addaction name="separator"/>
-   <addaction name="toolbar_refresh"/>
+   <addaction name="toolbar_controls"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_list"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_grid"/>
    <addaction name="toolbar_sort"/>
-   <addaction name="separator"/>
   </widget>
   <action name="bootElfAct">
    <property name="text">
@@ -779,7 +775,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/pause.png</normaloff>:/Icons/pause.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>start</string>
+    <string>Start</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Pause emulation</string>
@@ -791,7 +787,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/stop.png</normaloff>:/Icons/stop.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>stop</string>
+    <string>Stop</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Stop emulation</string>
@@ -803,7 +799,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/configure.png</normaloff>:/Icons/configure.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>config</string>
+    <string>Config</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Configuration</string>
@@ -815,10 +811,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/controls.png</normaloff>:/Icons/controls.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>Controls</string>
-   </property>
-   <property name="iconText">
-    <string>Controls</string>
+    <string>Pads</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Configure controls</string>
@@ -851,7 +844,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/fullscreen.png</normaloff>:/Icons/fullscreen.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>fullscreen</string>
+    <string>FullScr</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Toggle fullscreen</string>
@@ -863,7 +856,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/list.png</normaloff>:/Icons/list.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>list</string>
+    <string>List</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Switch to list mode</string>
@@ -875,7 +868,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/grid.png</normaloff>:/Icons/grid.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>grid</string>
+    <string>Grid</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Switch to grid mode</string>
@@ -908,7 +901,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/refresh.png</normaloff>:/Icons/refresh.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>refresh</string>
+    <string>Refresh</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Refresh gamelist</string>
@@ -920,7 +913,7 @@
      <normaloff>:/Icons/disc.png</normaloff>:/Icons/disc.png</iconset>
    </property>
    <property name="text">
-    <string>disc</string>
+    <string>Disc</string>
    </property>
    <property name="toolTip">
     <string>Boot game</string>