diff --git a/src/app/components/DirectorySlideshow.tsx b/src/app/components/DirectorySlideshow.tsx
index daecf09..5ba7e92 100644
--- a/src/app/components/DirectorySlideshow.tsx
+++ b/src/app/components/DirectorySlideshow.tsx
@@ -1,19 +1,63 @@
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, Pause, Play } from 'lucide-react';
 import { listDirectory, getWebDAVBaseUrl, type EntryInfo } from '../webdav';
 import { IMAGE_EXTS } from './MediaEntry';
 
+// Module-level cache: persists for the lifetime of the page session.
+// Preloading via a detached Image warms the browser's HTTP cache, so setting
+// the same src on a visible <img> later is instantaneous.
+const imgCache = new Map<string, HTMLImageElement>();
+
+function preloadImage(url: string, onLoad?: () => void) {
+  let el = imgCache.get(url);
+  if (!el) {
+    el = new Image();
+    imgCache.set(url, el);
+    el.src = url;
+  }
+  if (el.complete) {
+    onLoad?.();
+  } else if (onLoad) {
+    el.addEventListener('load', onLoad, { once: true });
+  }
+}
+
 interface Props {
   path: string;
 }
 
 export default function DirectorySlideshow({ path }: Props) {
   const [images, setImages]   = useState<EntryInfo[]>([]);
-  const [idx, setIdx]         = useState(0);
+  const [dotIdx, setDotIdx]   = useState(0);   // dot indicator (advances immediately)
+  const [showIdx, setShowIdx] = useState(0);   // displayed image (advances when loaded)
   const [paused, setPaused]   = useState(() => localStorage.getItem('slideshow.paused') === '1');
   const [touched, setTouched] = useState(false);
-  const touchTimer = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined>(undefined);
 
+  const touchTimer  = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>(undefined);
+  const intervalRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setInterval>>(undefined);
+  const pendingRef  = useRef(-1);   // target we are currently loading toward
+  const imagesRef   = useRef<EntryInfo[]>([]);
+  const showIdxRef  = useRef(0);
+
+  useEffect(() => { imagesRef.current = images; }, [images]);
+  useEffect(() => { showIdxRef.current = showIdx; }, [showIdx]);
+
+  // Navigate to target: dots move immediately, image waits until loaded.
+  const navigateTo = useCallback((target: number) => {
+    const imgs = imagesRef.current;
+    if (!imgs.length) return;
+    target = ((target % imgs.length) + imgs.length) % imgs.length;
+    pendingRef.current = target;
+    setDotIdx(target);
+    preloadImage(getWebDAVBaseUrl() + imgs[target].path, () => {
+      if (pendingRef.current === target) {
+        setShowIdx(target);
+        showIdxRef.current = target;
+      }
+    });
+  }, []);
+
+  // Fetch directory listing and preload all images eagerly.
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!path) { setImages([]); return; }
     listDirectory(path)
@@ -23,31 +67,48 @@ export default function DirectorySlideshow({ path }: Props) {
           const ext = e.name.split('.').pop()?.toLowerCase() ?? '';
           return IMAGE_EXTS.has(ext);
         });
+        const base = getWebDAVBaseUrl();
+        // Warm the cache for every image — no callback, fire and forget.
+        imgs.forEach(img => preloadImage(base + img.path));
         setImages(imgs);
+
         const saved = parseInt(localStorage.getItem(`slideshow.idx:${path}`) ?? '0', 10);
-        setIdx(imgs.length > 0 ? Math.min(saved, imgs.length - 1) : 0);
+        const start = imgs.length > 0 ? Math.min(saved, imgs.length - 1) : 0;
+        // Navigate to the initial index through the normal path so the
+        // onLoad guard is respected even on first display.
+        pendingRef.current = start;
+        setDotIdx(start);
+        preloadImage(base + (imgs[start]?.path ?? ''), () => {
+          if (pendingRef.current === start) {
+            setShowIdx(start);
+            showIdxRef.current = start;
+          }
+        });
       })
       .catch(() => setImages([]));
   }, [path]);
 
+  // Persist dot position.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (images.length <= 1 || paused) return;
-    const t = setInterval(() => setIdx(i => (i + 1) % images.length), 4000);
-    return () => clearInterval(t);
-  }, [images.length, paused]);
+    if (!images.length) return;
+    localStorage.setItem(`slideshow.idx:${path}`, String(dotIdx));
+  }, [dotIdx, path, images.length]);
 
+  // Auto-advance: fires 4 s after the previous image actually appeared.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (images.length === 0) return;
-    localStorage.setItem(`slideshow.idx:${path}`, String(idx));
-  }, [idx, path, images.length]);
+    clearInterval(intervalRef.current);
+    if (images.length <= 1 || paused) return;
+    intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
+      navigateTo(showIdxRef.current + 1);
+    }, 4000);
+    return () => clearInterval(intervalRef.current);
+  }, [images.length, paused, navigateTo]);
 
   useEffect(() => () => clearTimeout(touchTimer.current), []);
 
   if (images.length === 0) return null;
-
-  const current = images[idx];
-  const prev = () => setIdx(i => (i - 1 + images.length) % images.length);
-  const next = () => setIdx(i => (i + 1) % images.length);
+  const currentImage = images[showIdx];
+  if (!currentImage) return null;
 
   const handleTouch = () => {
     setTouched(true);
@@ -60,42 +121,44 @@ export default function DirectorySlideshow({ path }: Props) {
   return (
     <div className="mb-3 rounded-lg overflow-hidden">
       <div className="relative group h-48" onPointerDown={handleTouch}>
+        {/* No key prop — keep the element mounted across slides so the browser
+            applies the cached src synchronously with no blank flash. */}
         <img
-          key={current.path}
-          src={getWebDAVBaseUrl() + current.path}
-          alt={current.name}
+          src={getWebDAVBaseUrl() + currentImage.path}
+          alt={currentImage.name}
           className="w-full h-full object-contain"
         />
 
         {images.length > 1 && (
           <>
-            {/* Prev / next */}
             <div className={`absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-between px-2 pointer-events-none transition-opacity duration-200 ${controlsVisible}`}>
-              <button onClick={prev} className="pointer-events-auto p-1 rounded-full bg-black/50 text-white hover:bg-black/70">
+              <button onClick={() => navigateTo(dotIdx - 1)} className="pointer-events-auto p-1 rounded-full bg-black/50 text-white hover:bg-black/70">
                 <ChevronLeft className="w-5 h-5" />
               </button>
-              <button onClick={next} className="pointer-events-auto p-1 rounded-full bg-black/50 text-white hover:bg-black/70">
+              <button onClick={() => navigateTo(dotIdx + 1)} className="pointer-events-auto p-1 rounded-full bg-black/50 text-white hover:bg-black/70">
                 <ChevronRight className="w-5 h-5" />
               </button>
             </div>
 
-            {/* Pause / play — centered */}
             <div className={`absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center pointer-events-none transition-opacity duration-200 ${controlsVisible}`}>
               <button
-                onClick={() => setPaused(p => { const next = !p; localStorage.setItem('slideshow.paused', next ? '1' : '0'); return next; })}
+                onClick={() => setPaused(p => {
+                  const next = !p;
+                  localStorage.setItem('slideshow.paused', next ? '1' : '0');
+                  return next;
+                })}
                 className="pointer-events-auto p-3 rounded-full bg-black/50 text-white hover:bg-black/70"
               >
                 {paused ? <Play className="w-7 h-7" /> : <Pause className="w-7 h-7" />}
               </button>
             </div>
 
-            {/* Dots */}
             <div className={`absolute bottom-0 left-0 right-0 flex justify-center gap-1.5 py-1.5 transition-opacity duration-200 ${controlsVisible}`}>
               {images.map((_, i) => (
                 <button
                   key={i}
-                  onClick={() => setIdx(i)}
-                  className={`w-1.5 h-1.5 rounded-full transition-colors ${i === idx ? 'bg-white' : 'bg-white/40'}`}
+                  onClick={() => navigateTo(i)}
+                  className={`w-1.5 h-1.5 rounded-full transition-colors ${i === dotIdx ? 'bg-white' : 'bg-white/40'}`}
                 />
               ))}
             </div>