diff --git a/static/app.css b/static/app.css
index 69fd905..b4b64da 100644
--- a/static/app.css
+++ b/static/app.css
@@ -226,4 +226,7 @@ footer {
 
 #reload-button svg.rotate {
   animation: rotate-icon 0.5s linear;
+  transition: opacity 1s ease;
+  opacity: 0;
+  cursor: auto;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/static/app.js b/static/app.js
index 730d554..6c352aa 100644
--- a/static/app.js
+++ b/static/app.js
@@ -175,99 +175,113 @@ function attachEventListeners() {
     });
   });
 
+// Cache common DOM elements
+const nowPlayingInfo = document.getElementById('nowPlayingInfo');
+const audioPlayer = document.getElementById('globalAudio');
+const playerButton = document.querySelector('.player-button');
+const audioPlayerContainer = document.getElementById('audioPlayerContainer');
+const footer = document.querySelector('footer');
+
 // Global variable to store the current fetch's AbortController.
 let currentFetchController = null;
 
 document.querySelectorAll('.play-file').forEach(link => {
   link.addEventListener('click', async function (event) {
     event.preventDefault();
-    const fileType = this.getAttribute('data-file-type');
-    const relUrl = this.getAttribute('data-url');
-    const nowPlayingInfo = document.getElementById('nowPlayingInfo');
 
+    const { fileType, url: relUrl, index } = this.dataset;
+    
     // Remove the class from all file items.
     document.querySelectorAll('.file-item').forEach(item => {
       item.classList.remove('currently-playing');
     });
 
     if (fileType === 'music') {
-      const idx = this.getAttribute('data-index');
-      const audioPlayer = document.getElementById('globalAudio');
-      const playerButton = document.querySelector('.player-button');
-
-      // Update currentMusicIndex based on the clicked element.
-      currentMusicIndex = idx !== null ? parseInt(idx) : -1;
-
-      // Show the audio player container.
-      document.getElementById('audioPlayerContainer').style.display = "block"
-
-      // Add the class to the clicked file item's parent.
+      // Update the current music index.
+      currentMusicIndex = index !== undefined ? parseInt(index) : -1;
+      
+      // Display the audio player container.
+      audioPlayerContainer.style.display = "block";
+      
+      // Mark the clicked item as currently playing.
       this.closest('.file-item').classList.add('currently-playing');
 
-      // Abort any previous fetch if it is still running.
+      // Abort any previous fetch if still running.
       if (currentFetchController) {
         currentFetchController.abort();
       }
-      // Create a new AbortController for the current fetch.
       currentFetchController = new AbortController();
 
+      // Pause the audio and clear its source.
       audioPlayer.pause();
-      audioPlayer.src = ''; // Clear existing source.
-      // only show this if it takes longer. avoid flicker
-      let loaderTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
+      audioPlayer.src = '';
+
+      // Set a timeout to display a loader message if needed.
+      const loaderTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
         playerButton.innerHTML = playIcon;
         nowPlayingInfo.textContent = "Wird geladen...";
       }, 500);
-      document.querySelector('footer').style.display = 'flex';
+      
+      footer.style.display = 'flex';
 
-      const mediaUrl = '/media/' + relUrl;
+      const mediaUrl = `/media/${relUrl}`;
 
       try {
-        // Pass the signal to the fetch so it can be aborted.
+        // Perform a HEAD request to verify media availability.
         const response = await fetch(mediaUrl, { method: 'HEAD', signal: currentFetchController.signal });
-        clearTimeout(loaderTimeout); // done loading. stop timeout
+        clearTimeout(loaderTimeout);
+
         if (response.status === 403) {
           nowPlayingInfo.textContent = "Fehler: Zugriff verweigert.";
-          window.location.href = '/'; // Redirect if forbidden.
+          window.location.href = '/';
+          return;
         } else if (!response.ok) {
           nowPlayingInfo.textContent = `Fehler: Unerwarteter Status (${response.status}).`;
           console.error('Unexpected response status:', response.status);
-        } else {
-          audioPlayer.src = mediaUrl;
-          audioPlayer.load();
-          audioPlayer.play();
-          playerButton.innerHTML = pauseIcon;
-          const pathParts = relUrl.split('/');
-          const folderName = pathParts[pathParts.length - 2];
-          const fileName = pathParts.pop();
-          const pathStr = pathParts.join('/');
-          // write into hardware player
-          if ('mediaSession' in navigator) {
-            navigator.mediaSession.metadata = new MediaMetadata({
-              title: currentMusicFiles[currentMusicIndex].title,
-              artist: folderName,
-              artwork: [
-                { src: '/static/icons/logo-192x192.png', sizes: '192x192', type: 'image/png' }
-              ]
-            });
-          };
-          nowPlayingInfo.innerHTML = pathStr.replace(/\//g, ' > ') + '<br><span style="font-size: larger; font-weight: bold;">' + fileName.replace('.mp3', '') + '</span>';
-          // Delay preloading to avoid blocking playback
-          setTimeout(preload_audio, 1000);
-        };
+          return;
+        }
+        
+        // Set the media URL, load, and play the audio.
+        audioPlayer.src = mediaUrl;
+        audioPlayer.load();
+        await audioPlayer.play();
+        playerButton.innerHTML = pauseIcon;
+
+        // Process file path for display.
+        const pathParts = relUrl.split('/');
+        const folderName = pathParts[pathParts.length - 2];
+        const fileName = pathParts.pop();
+        const pathStr = pathParts.join('/');
+        
+        // Update Media Session metadata if available.
+        if ('mediaSession' in navigator) {
+          navigator.mediaSession.metadata = new MediaMetadata({
+            title: currentMusicFiles[currentMusicIndex].title,
+            artist: folderName,
+            artwork: [
+              { src: '/static/icons/logo-192x192.png', sizes: '192x192', type: 'image/png' }
+            ]
+          });
+        }
+        
+        nowPlayingInfo.innerHTML = pathStr.replace(/\//g, ' > ') +
+          '<br><span style="font-size: larger; font-weight: bold;">' +
+          fileName.replace('.mp3', '') + '</span>';
+        
+        // Delay preloading to avoid blocking playback.
+        setTimeout(preload_audio, 1000);
       } catch (error) {
-        // If the fetch was aborted, error.name will be 'AbortError'.
         if (error.name === 'AbortError') {
           console.log('Previous fetch aborted.');
         } else {
           console.error('Error fetching media:', error);
           nowPlayingInfo.textContent = "Fehler: Netzwerkproblem oder ungültige URL.";
-        };
-      };
+        }
+      }
     } else if (fileType === 'image') {
       // Open the gallery modal for image files.
       openGalleryModal(relUrl);
-    };
+    }
   });
 });
 
@@ -341,23 +355,20 @@ function reloadDirectory() {
   // Force reflow to reset the animation
   void reloadBtnSVG.offsetWidth;
   reloadBtnSVG.classList.add("rotate");
-
-  // Gradually fade out the button by reducing opacity over 500ms
-  setTimeout(() => {
-    reloadBtnSVG.classList.remove("rotate");
-    reloadBtn.style.transition = 'opacity 0.5s ease';
-    reloadBtn.style.opacity = '0';
-    isReloadButtonVisible = false; // Update the visibility status.
-  }, 500);
+  isReloadButtonVisible = false;
 
   // Gradually fade back in after 10 seconds
   setTimeout(() => {
+    reloadBtnSVG.classList.remove("rotate");
     reloadBtn.style.transition = 'opacity 0.5s ease';
     reloadBtn.style.opacity = '1';
-    isReloadButtonVisible = true; // Update the visibility status.
+    reloadBtn.style.pointer = 'cursor';
+    isReloadButtonVisible = true;
   }, 10000);
 }
 
+
+
 if ('mediaSession' in navigator) {
 
   // Handler for the play action