diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/preview/InlinePreview.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/preview/InlinePreview.svelte
index 0bcb338..e9ca698 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/preview/InlinePreview.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/preview/InlinePreview.svelte
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 	import { createQuery } from '@tanstack/svelte-query';
 	import { getPhoto } from '$lib/services/photoprism';
 	import { thumbUrl, videoUrl } from '$lib/stores/session.svelte';
-	import { setAnchor, setFocused } from '$lib/stores/selection.svelte';
+	import { selection, setAnchor, setFocused } from '$lib/stores/selection.svelte';
+	import SelectionDeck from '$lib/components/preview/SelectionDeck.svelte';
 	import VideoPlayer from '$lib/components/preview/VideoPlayer.svelte';
 	import { isVideo, primaryFile, videoFile, type PpPhoto } from '$lib/types/photoprism';
 
@@ -21,6 +22,14 @@
 	}
 	let { uid, order }: Props = $props();
 
+	// Multi-select swaps the single-photo pane for a fanned deck of the
+	// selected thumbnails. Reads `selection.ids` directly (already in
+	// scope via the import) so the host doesn't need to thread it
+	// through as a prop. Spreading SvelteSet preserves insertion order,
+	// so the most recently picked card sits on top of the fan.
+	const selectedUids = $derived([...selection.ids]);
+	const multiSelect = $derived(selectedUids.length >= 2);
+
 	const photoQuery = createQuery<PpPhoto>(() => ({
 		queryKey: ['photo', uid ?? ''],
 		queryFn: () => getPhoto(uid as string),
@@ -38,7 +47,9 @@
 </script>
 
 <div class="relative flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center bg-black/30 p-4">
-	{#if uid === null}
+	{#if multiSelect}
+		<SelectionDeck uids={selectedUids} />
+	{:else if uid === null}
 		<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Select a photo to preview.</p>
 	{:else if photoQuery.isPending}
 		<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/preview/SelectionDeck.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/preview/SelectionDeck.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..922351c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/preview/SelectionDeck.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+<!--
+	Multi-select deck. Renders the selected thumbnails as a fanned spread
+	of cards in the inline preview pane. Each new selection flies onto
+	the deck; each removal shrinks out. Layout reflow on add/remove is
+	driven by CSS transforms transitioning between the recomputed fan
+	positions.
+
+	Hashes come from the per-photo TanStack cache (populated by the
+	timeline + the right-sidebar's getPhoto query); we walk the photos-
+	infinite-query cache as a fallback for photos the user selected
+	before the right sidebar had a chance to fetch them. Anything not
+	found is skipped silently — the deck just renders the resolvable
+	subset, which keeps this surface side-effect-free (no fetches just
+	to draw a thumbnail spread).
+-->
+<script lang="ts">
+	import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/svelte-query';
+	import { fly, scale } from 'svelte/transition';
+	import { cubicOut } from 'svelte/easing';
+	import { thumbUrl } from '$lib/stores/session.svelte';
+	import { primaryFile, type PpPhoto } from '$lib/types/photoprism';
+
+	interface Props {
+		uids: string[];
+	}
+	let { uids }: Props = $props();
+
+	const qc = useQueryClient();
+
+	/** Resolve a uid to its primary-file hash by walking TanStack's caches.
+	 *  Order: per-photo cache first (cheapest), then any infinite-query
+	 *  entry under `['photos', …]` — both shapes (flat list and Infinite-
+	 *  Data envelope) are handled because the timeline uses the envelope
+	 *  while pools/sidebars use the flat list. Mirrors the cachedPhoto
+	 *  helper in gridKeyNav.ts. */
+	function lookup(uid: string): string | null {
+		const direct = qc.getQueryData<PpPhoto>(['photo', uid]);
+		if (direct) return primaryFile(direct).Hash ?? null;
+		const lists = qc.getQueriesData({ queryKey: ['photos'] });
+		for (const [, data] of lists) {
+			if (!data) continue;
+			if (Array.isArray(data)) {
+				const hit = (data as PpPhoto[]).find((p) => p.UID === uid);
+				if (hit) return primaryFile(hit).Hash ?? null;
+				continue;
+			}
+			const pages = (data as { pages?: PpPhoto[][] }).pages;
+			if (!Array.isArray(pages)) continue;
+			for (const page of pages) {
+				const hit = page?.find?.((p) => p.UID === uid);
+				if (hit) return primaryFile(hit).Hash ?? null;
+			}
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	interface Card {
+		uid: string;
+		hash: string;
+	}
+	const cards = $derived<Card[]>(
+		uids
+			.map((uid) => {
+				const hash = lookup(uid);
+				return hash ? { uid, hash } : null;
+			})
+			.filter((c): c is Card => c !== null)
+	);
+
+	/** Fan geometry. The spread tightens as the deck grows so 20 cards
+	 *  still fit visually; small selections (2–4) get wide-stance spreads
+	 *  so each card reads as its own surface. The `mid`-relative offset
+	 *  keeps the deck centred regardless of count. */
+	function transform(i: number, n: number): string {
+		if (n <= 1) return 'translateX(0) rotate(0deg)';
+		const mid = (n - 1) / 2;
+		const off = i - mid;
+		// Tighter angle + offset as N grows; cap so very large selections
+		// don't degenerate to a single overlapping pile or, conversely,
+		// spread past the pane edges.
+		const angleStep = Math.min(9, 30 / n);
+		const transStep = Math.min(60, 220 / n);
+		const angle = off * angleStep;
+		const tx = off * transStep;
+		return `translateX(${tx}px) rotate(${angle}deg)`;
+	}
+</script>
+
+<div class="relative flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center overflow-hidden">
+	{#if cards.length === 0}
+		<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Selection has no resolvable thumbnails yet.</p>
+	{/if}
+	{#each cards as card, i (card.uid)}
+		<img
+			src={thumbUrl(card.hash, 'fit_720')}
+			alt=""
+			class="absolute max-h-[80%] max-w-[60%] rounded-lg object-contain shadow-2xl ring-1 ring-black/40 transition-transform duration-300 ease-out"
+			style="transform: {transform(i, cards.length)}; z-index: {i};"
+			in:fly={{ y: -180, duration: 320, easing: cubicOut }}
+			out:scale={{ start: 0.5, duration: 220, easing: cubicOut }}
+		/>
+	{/each}
+	<!-- Count chip so the user can see at a glance how many photos are
+	     in the bulk selection without counting cards. -->
+	{#if cards.length > 0}
+		<div
+			class="pointer-events-none absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-background/85 px-2.5 py-1 text-xs font-medium shadow"
+		>
+			{cards.length} selected
+		</div>
+	{/if}
+</div>
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoGrid.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoGrid.svelte
index 88cf453..dbaf47c 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoGrid.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoGrid.svelte
@@ -81,13 +81,6 @@
 		setFocused(uid);
 		setAnchor(uid);
 	}
-
-	function onOpenPreview(uid: string) {
-		selection.ids.clear();
-		selection.ids.add(uid);
-		setFocused(uid);
-		setAnchor(uid);
-	}
 </script>
 
 <div data-photo-grid class="grid gap-2" style="grid-template-columns: {tracks};">
@@ -99,7 +92,6 @@
 				selected={sel}
 				onClick={(e) => onClick(e, photo.UID)}
 				onDblclick={(e) => onDblclick(e, photo.UID)}
-				onOpenPreview={() => onOpenPreview(photo.UID)}
 			/>
 		</div>
 	{/each}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoTile.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoTile.svelte
index 3cf4102..c23f293 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoTile.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/PhotoTile.svelte
@@ -2,20 +2,17 @@
 	Single photo tile — shared by the timeline (+page.svelte) and the flat
 	drill-in grids (PhotoGrid.svelte) so the tile chrome is single-sourced
 	and can't drift between the two. Owns: thumbnail, selection animation,
-	video badge, and the hover-only "open preview" affordance.
+	and the video badge.
 
 	Sizing is delegated to the caller — PhotoTile fills its container with
 	h-full w-full, so the timeline can wrap it in its windowing shell and
 	PhotoGrid can wrap it in an aspect-square cell.
 
 	Click semantics:
-	  - plain click  → onClick   (caller decides; both surfaces use it for select-only)
-	  - dblclick     → onDblclick (caller usually opens preview)
-	  - Maximize ico → onOpenPreview (single-click fallback for the
-	                                  not-yet-discovered dblclick gesture)
+	  - plain click → onClick   (caller decides; both surfaces use it for select-only)
+	  - dblclick    → onDblclick (caller usually opens preview)
 -->
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { Maximize2 } from "lucide-svelte";
   import { thumbSrc, thumbSrcSet, videoUrl } from "$lib/stores/session.svelte";
   import { view } from "$lib/stores/view.svelte";
   import { isVideo, primaryFile, type PpPhoto } from "$lib/types/photoprism";
@@ -25,9 +22,8 @@
     selected: boolean;
     onClick: (e: MouseEvent) => void;
     onDblclick: (e: MouseEvent) => void;
-    onOpenPreview: () => void;
   }
-  let { photo, selected, onClick, onDblclick, onOpenPreview }: Props = $props();
+  let { photo, selected, onClick, onDblclick }: Props = $props();
 
   const hash = $derived(photo.Hash ?? primaryFile(photo).Hash);
   const video = $derived(isVideo(photo));
@@ -68,10 +64,9 @@
 </script>
 
 <!--
-	Wrapper div carries `group` so the Maximize affordance can hover-reveal
-	off the same hover region as the image-scale hover. The Maximize button
-	sits as a sibling of the main tile button (not nested) — nesting <button>
-	in <button> is invalid HTML.
+	Wrapper div carries `group` so the image-scale hover effect can ride off
+	the same hover region. No nested buttons — the only interactive surface
+	is the tile button itself.
 -->
 <div
   class="group relative h-full w-full"
@@ -150,25 +145,4 @@
       >
     {/if}
   </button>
-  <!--
-		Hover-only "open preview" affordance. Single-click on this icon
-		opens the preview directly, giving users a one-click fallback for
-		the dblclick gesture (and a visual cue that previewing is a thing
-		at all). Hidden when the tile is selected — there'd be no preview
-		intent on a tile the user is in the middle of bulk-acting on.
-	-->
-  {#if !selected}
-    <button
-      type="button"
-      class="absolute bottom-1.5 right-1.5 hidden rounded bg-background/80 p-1 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground group-hover:block"
-      onclick={(e) => {
-        e.stopPropagation();
-        onOpenPreview();
-      }}
-      title="Open preview"
-      aria-label="Open preview"
-    >
-      <Maximize2 class="h-3 w-3" />
-    </button>
-  {/if}
 </div>
diff --git a/web/src/routes/+page.svelte b/web/src/routes/+page.svelte
index dd9e74c..f7d2e7e 100644
--- a/web/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/web/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -665,13 +665,6 @@
     setAnchor(uid);
   }
 
-  function onTileOpenPreview(uid: string) {
-    selection.ids.clear();
-    selection.ids.add(uid);
-    setFocused(uid);
-    setAnchor(uid);
-  }
-
   // Scroll root for the infinite-scroll IntersectionObserver. Bound by
   // the <main> element below; the sentinel's `root` references this so
   // the observer measures intersections relative to the timeline pane
@@ -905,7 +898,6 @@
                       selected={sel}
                       onClick={(e) => onTileClick(e, photo.UID)}
                       onDblclick={(e) => onTileDblclick(e, photo.UID)}
-                      onOpenPreview={() => onTileOpenPreview(photo.UID)}
                     />
                   {/if}
                 </div>