diff --git a/static/app.css b/static/app.css
index fade374..82b6729 100644
--- a/static/app.css
+++ b/static/app.css
@@ -623,6 +623,14 @@ footer .audio-player-container {
   border-radius: 12px;
   background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f6f8fc);
   box-shadow: var(--card-shadow);
+  aspect-ratio: 1 / 1;
+}
+
+.image-item .image-link {
+  display: block;
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  line-height: 0;
 }
 
 /* the filename overlay, centered at bottom */
@@ -651,11 +659,12 @@ footer .audio-player-container {
 .thumbnail {
   width: 100%;
   height: 100%;
+  display: block;
   object-fit: cover;
 }
 
 .thumbnail-fallback {
-  object-fit: contain;
+  object-fit: cover;
   background: #e5e5e5;
 }
 
diff --git a/static/gallery.css b/static/gallery.css
index c757e5e..f907350 100644
--- a/static/gallery.css
+++ b/static/gallery.css
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
   position: fixed;
   z-index: 3000;
   inset: 0;
+  --gallery-edge-gap: 10px;
   background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.82);
   background-image:
     radial-gradient(circle at 50% 15%, rgba(42, 42, 42, 0.52), rgba(8, 8, 8, 0.95) 56%, #000 100%);
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@
 
 #gallery-stage {
   position: absolute;
-  inset: 82px 22px 96px;
+  inset: var(--gallery-edge-gap);
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 
@@ -42,8 +43,8 @@
   top: 50%;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
-  max-width: min(96vw, calc(100vw - 80px));
-  max-height: calc(100vh - 190px);
+  max-width: calc(100vw - (var(--gallery-edge-gap) * 2));
+  max-height: calc(100vh - (var(--gallery-edge-gap) * 2));
   object-fit: contain;
   margin: auto;
   display: block;
@@ -258,7 +259,7 @@
 #gallery-filename,
 #gallery-position {
   color: #fff;
-  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.42);
   border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.16);
   border-radius: 8px;
   padding: 0.45rem 0.72rem;
@@ -285,10 +286,10 @@
   background:
     linear-gradient(
       90deg,
-      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95) 0%,
-      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95) var(--filename-progress),
-      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.62) var(--filename-progress),
-      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.62) 100%
+      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.56) 0%,
+      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.56) var(--filename-progress),
+      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44) var(--filename-progress),
+      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44) 100%
     );
   z-index: 0;
 }
@@ -310,7 +311,7 @@
   left: 0;
   width: 100%;
   height: 100%;
-  padding: 0.45rem 0.72rem;
+  padding: inherit;
   box-sizing: border-box;
   z-index: 2;
   overflow: hidden;
@@ -365,13 +366,17 @@
 }
 
 @media (max-width: 860px) {
+  #gallery-modal {
+    --gallery-edge-gap: 8px;
+  }
+
   #gallery-stage {
-    inset: 74px 10px 110px;
+    inset: var(--gallery-edge-gap);
   }
 
   #gallery-modal-content {
-    max-width: calc(100vw - 20px);
-    max-height: calc(100vh - 210px);
+    max-width: calc(100vw - (var(--gallery-edge-gap) * 2));
+    max-height: calc(100vh - (var(--gallery-edge-gap) * 2));
     border-radius: 10px;
   }
 
@@ -453,13 +458,17 @@
 }
 
 @media (max-height: 520px) and (orientation: landscape) {
+  #gallery-modal {
+    --gallery-edge-gap: 6px;
+  }
+
   #gallery-stage {
-    inset: 44px 10px 60px;
+    inset: var(--gallery-edge-gap);
   }
 
   #gallery-modal-content {
-    max-width: calc(100vw - 20px);
-    max-height: calc(100vh - 112px);
+    max-width: calc(100vw - (var(--gallery-edge-gap) * 2));
+    max-height: calc(100vh - (var(--gallery-edge-gap) * 2));
     border-radius: 8px;
   }
 
diff --git a/static/gallery.js b/static/gallery.js
index 656c830..e34138f 100644
--- a/static/gallery.js
+++ b/static/gallery.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ if (typeof currentGalleryIndex === "undefined") {
 }
 
 let currentExifRequestId = 0;
+const previewRefreshInFlight = new Set();
 
 function encodeGalleryPath(relUrl) {
   if (!relUrl) {
@@ -40,6 +41,73 @@ function encodeGalleryPath(relUrl) {
     .join('/');
 }
 
+function findBrowserThumbnailByRelUrl(relUrl) {
+  if (!relUrl) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  const links = document.querySelectorAll('.image-link[data-url]');
+  for (const link of links) {
+    if ((link.dataset.url || '') === relUrl) {
+      return link.querySelector('img.thumbnail');
+    }
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+function isFallbackThumbnail(imgEl) {
+  if (!imgEl) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const src = imgEl.getAttribute('src') || '';
+  return imgEl.classList.contains('thumbnail-fallback') || src.startsWith('data:image/');
+}
+
+function delay(ms) {
+  return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
+}
+
+async function refreshBrowserThumbnailIfMissing(relUrl) {
+  if (!relUrl || previewRefreshInFlight.has(relUrl)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const thumbImg = findBrowserThumbnailByRelUrl(relUrl);
+  if (!thumbImg || !isFallbackThumbnail(thumbImg)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const baseThumbUrl = thumbImg.dataset.thumbUrl;
+  if (!baseThumbUrl) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  previewRefreshInFlight.add(relUrl);
+  const separator = baseThumbUrl.includes('?') ? '&' : '?';
+
+  try {
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 2; attempt++) {
+      const refreshUrl = `${baseThumbUrl}${separator}_=${Date.now()}-${attempt}`;
+      const response = await fetch(refreshUrl, { method: 'GET', cache: 'no-store' }).catch(() => null);
+      if (response && response.ok && response.status !== 204) {
+        thumbImg.classList.remove('thumbnail-fallback');
+        if (typeof handleThumbnailLoad === 'function') {
+          thumbImg.onload = () => handleThumbnailLoad(thumbImg);
+        }
+        if (typeof handleThumbnailError === 'function') {
+          thumbImg.onerror = () => handleThumbnailError(thumbImg);
+        }
+        thumbImg.src = refreshUrl;
+        return;
+      }
+      if (attempt === 0) {
+        await delay(250);
+      }
+    }
+  } finally {
+    previewRefreshInFlight.delete(relUrl);
+  }
+}
+
 function escapeHtml(value) {
   return String(value === undefined || value === null ? '' : value).replace(/[&<>"']/g, (char) => ({
     '&': '&amp;',
@@ -276,6 +344,11 @@ function showGalleryNav() {
   }, 1000);
 }
 
+function hideGalleryNav() {
+  clearTimeout(navHideTimer);
+  document.querySelectorAll('.gallery-nav').forEach(btn => btn.classList.add('nav-hidden'));
+}
+
 function clamp(value, min, max) {
   return Math.min(Math.max(value, min), max);
 }
@@ -375,6 +448,7 @@ function showGalleryImage(relUrl) {
       clearTimeout(loaderTimeout);
       loader.style.display = 'none';
       updateFilenameDisplay(relUrl);
+      refreshBrowserThumbnailIfMissing(relUrl);
   
       // Select all current images in the gallery stage
       const existingImages = stage.querySelectorAll('img');
@@ -449,8 +523,12 @@ function showGalleryImage(relUrl) {
 
 function preloadNextImage() {
   if (currentGalleryIndex < currentGalleryImages.length - 1) {
+    const nextRelUrl = currentGalleryImages[currentGalleryIndex + 1];
     const nextImage = new Image();
-    nextImage.src = '/media/' + currentGalleryImages[currentGalleryIndex + 1];
+    nextImage.onload = function () {
+      refreshBrowserThumbnailIfMissing(nextRelUrl);
+    };
+    nextImage.src = '/media/' + nextRelUrl;
   }
 }
 
@@ -703,7 +781,6 @@ function handlePinchStart(e) {
     pinchStartMidY = (e.touches[0].pageY + e.touches[1].pageY) / 2;
     pinchStartTranslateX = currentTranslateX;
     pinchStartTranslateY = currentTranslateY;
-    showGalleryNav();
     return;
   }
 
@@ -736,7 +813,11 @@ function handlePinchMove(e) {
     currentTranslateX = pinchStartTranslateX + (midX - pinchStartMidX);
     currentTranslateY = pinchStartTranslateY + (midY - pinchStartMidY);
     applyImageTransform(e.currentTarget);
-    showGalleryNav();
+    if (currentScale > 1.01) {
+      showGalleryNav();
+    } else {
+      hideGalleryNav();
+    }
     return;
   }
 
@@ -776,6 +857,9 @@ function handlePinchEnd(e) {
       currentScale = 1;
       currentTranslateX = 0;
       currentTranslateY = 0;
+      applyImageTransform(image);
+      hideGalleryNav();
+      return;
     }
     applyImageTransform(image);
     showGalleryNav();