diff --git a/android/BUILD.gn b/android/BUILD.gn
index f392bf2eb47..a6822278f4b 100644
--- a/android/BUILD.gn
+++ b/android/BUILD.gn
@@ -469,6 +469,7 @@ android_resources("java_resources") {
     "java/brave-res/drawable/new_wallet.xml",
     "java/brave-res/drawable/news_button_bg.xml",
     "java/brave-res/drawable/news_settings_following_count_bg.xml",
+    "java/brave-res/drawable/news_settings_item_bg.xml",
     "java/brave-res/drawable/notification_button_rounded_bg.xml",
     "java/brave-res/drawable/notification_on_button_background.xml",
     "java/brave-res/drawable/notification_rationale_dialog_background.xml",
diff --git a/android/java/brave-res/drawable/news_settings_item_bg.xml b/android/java/brave-res/drawable/news_settings_item_bg.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..805a7c7c9bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/android/java/brave-res/drawable/news_settings_item_bg.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- Copyright (c) 2026 The Brave Authors. All rights reserved.
+     This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+     License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
+     You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+-->
+<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
+    <item android:state_focused="true">
+        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
+            <solid android:color="@color/news_settings_item_highlight" />
+            <corners android:radius="12dp" />
+        </shape>
+    </item>
+    <item android:state_hovered="true">
+        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
+            <solid android:color="@color/news_settings_item_highlight" />
+            <corners android:radius="12dp" />
+        </shape>
+    </item>
+    <item android:state_pressed="true">
+        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
+            <solid android:color="@color/news_settings_item_highlight" />
+            <corners android:radius="12dp" />
+        </shape>
+    </item>
+    <item>
+        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
+            <solid android:color="@android:color/transparent" />
+            <corners android:radius="12dp" />
+        </shape>
+    </item>
+</selector>
diff --git a/android/java/brave-res/layout/brave_news_settings.xml b/android/java/brave-res/layout/brave_news_settings.xml
index f236899b691..ad1f1482ad5 100644
--- a/android/java/brave-res/layout/brave_news_settings.xml
+++ b/android/java/brave-res/layout/brave_news_settings.xml
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginTop="32dp"
                android:layout_marginHorizontal="16dp"
+               android:focusable="true"
+               android:clickable="true"
+               android:background="@drawable/news_settings_item_bg"
                android:visibility="gone">
 
                <ImageView
@@ -191,6 +194,9 @@
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginTop="24dp"
                android:layout_marginHorizontal="16dp"
+               android:focusable="true"
+               android:clickable="true"
+               android:background="@drawable/news_settings_item_bg"
                android:visibility="gone">
 
                <ImageView
@@ -236,6 +242,9 @@
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginTop="24dp"
                android:layout_marginHorizontal="16dp"
+               android:focusable="true"
+               android:clickable="true"
+               android:background="@drawable/news_settings_item_bg"
                android:visibility="gone">
 
                <ImageView
@@ -281,6 +290,9 @@
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginHorizontal="16dp"
                android:layout_marginVertical="24dp"
+               android:focusable="true"
+               android:clickable="true"
+               android:background="@drawable/news_settings_item_bg"
                android:visibility="gone">
 
                <ImageView
diff --git a/android/java/res/values-night/brave_colors.xml b/android/java/res/values-night/brave_colors.xml
index 3195af00164..e788ba2922f 100644
--- a/android/java/res/values-night/brave_colors.xml
+++ b/android/java/res/values-night/brave_colors.xml
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
     <color name="news_settings_icon_bg_color">#0DFFFFFF</color>
     <color name="news_settings_following_count_color">#D9F0F2FF</color>
     <color name="news_settings_following_count_bg_color">#1AFFFFFF</color>
+    <color name="news_settings_item_highlight">@color/material_primary_20</color>
 
     <!-- Sync colors -->
     <color name="brave_sync_bg_color">@android:color/transparent</color>
diff --git a/android/java/res/values/brave_colors.xml b/android/java/res/values/brave_colors.xml
index 87e980af57c..f57a0f69ee5 100644
--- a/android/java/res/values/brave_colors.xml
+++ b/android/java/res/values/brave_colors.xml
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@
     <color name="news_settings_following_count_bg_color">#1A000000</color>
     <color name="news_settings_optin_color">#CCCCCC</color>
     <color name="news_settings_unfollow_color">#4C54D2</color>
+    <color name="news_settings_item_highlight">@color/material_primary_95</color>
 
     <!-- Incognito mode colors -->
     <color name="toolbar_background_primary_dark">@color/primitive_private_window_5</color>