diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/RightSidebar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/RightSidebar.tsx
index 767d61f..9aa98b0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/RightSidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/RightSidebar.tsx
@@ -145,26 +145,51 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
     },
   })
 
+  // Bulk equivalents — used when more than one photo is selected so the
+  // rating / color / discard buttons apply to the whole selection.
+  const invalidatePhotoQueries = () => {
+    queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['photo'] })
+    queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['photos'] })
+  }
+  const bulkRatingMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: ({ ids, rating }: { ids: string[]; rating: number }) =>
+      photosApi.bulkSetRating(ids, rating),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+  })
+  const bulkColorMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: ({ ids, color }: { ids: string[]; color: string | null }) =>
+      photosApi.bulkSetColor(ids, color),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+  })
+  const bulkDiscardMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: (ids: string[]) => photosApi.bulkDiscard(ids),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+  })
+  const bulkRestoreMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: (ids: string[]) => photosApi.bulkRestore(ids),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+  })
+
   // Membership in the active heap (for the Pick toggle button).
   const { activeHeap, memberIds: activeHeapMembers } = useActiveHeapMembers()
   const isInActiveHeap =
     !!activePhotoId && activeHeapMembers.has(activePhotoId)
 
   const heapMutation = useMutation({
-    mutationFn: ({ remove }: { remove: boolean }) => {
-      if (!activeHeap || !activePhotoId) return Promise.resolve(null)
+    mutationFn: ({ ids, remove }: { ids: string[]; remove: boolean }) => {
+      if (!activeHeap || ids.length === 0) return Promise.resolve(null)
       return remove
-        ? heapsApi.removePhotos(activeHeap.id, [activePhotoId])
-        : heapsApi.addPhotos(activeHeap.id, [activePhotoId])
+        ? heapsApi.removePhotos(activeHeap.id, ids)
+        : heapsApi.addPhotos(activeHeap.id, ids)
     },
     // Optimistic flip so the badge / button label update instantly.
-    onMutate: ({ remove }) => {
-      if (!activeHeap || !activePhotoId) return { previous: undefined }
+    onMutate: ({ ids, remove }) => {
+      if (!activeHeap || ids.length === 0) return { previous: undefined }
       const key = ['heap-photo-ids', activeHeap.id] as const
       const previous = queryClient.getQueryData<string[]>(key)
       const set = new Set(previous ?? [])
-      if (remove) set.delete(activePhotoId)
-      else set.add(activePhotoId)
+      if (remove) ids.forEach((id) => set.delete(id))
+      else ids.forEach((id) => set.add(id))
       queryClient.setQueryData<string[]>(key, Array.from(set))
       return { previous }
     },
@@ -277,8 +302,30 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
     updateMutation.mutate({ user_notes: next || null })
   }
 
+  // Apply a rating / color / discard to the current selection. Falls back
+  // to the single-photo path when only one photo is selected so the
+  // RightSidebar matches the keyboard shortcut behaviour exactly.
+  const applyRating = (value: number) => {
+    if (selectedPhotos.length > 1) {
+      bulkRatingMutation.mutate({ ids: selectedPhotos, rating: value })
+    } else {
+      updateMutation.mutate({ rating: value })
+    }
+  }
   const setColor = (label: ColorLabel | null) => {
-    updateMutation.mutate({ color_label: label })
+    if (selectedPhotos.length > 1) {
+      bulkColorMutation.mutate({ ids: selectedPhotos, color: label })
+    } else {
+      updateMutation.mutate({ color_label: label })
+    }
+  }
+  const applyDiscard = (next: boolean) => {
+    if (selectedPhotos.length > 1) {
+      if (next) bulkDiscardMutation.mutate(selectedPhotos)
+      else bulkRestoreMutation.mutate(selectedPhotos)
+    } else {
+      updateMutation.mutate({ is_discarded: next })
+    }
   }
 
   const exif = useMemo(() => parseExif(photo?.exif_json ?? null), [photo?.exif_json])
@@ -317,62 +364,70 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
         </button>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Quick Actions — operate on the active photo */}
-      {photo && !multipleSelected && (
+      {/* Quick Actions */}
+      {photo && (
         <div className="space-y-3 border-b border-border p-4">
-          {/* Filename (editable, renames the file on disk) */}
-          <div>
-            <label className="mb-1 block text-xs text-text-muted">Filename</label>
-            <input
-              type="text"
-              value={filenameDraft}
-              onChange={(e) => setFilenameDraft(e.target.value)}
-              onBlur={commitFilename}
-              onKeyDown={(e) => {
-                if (e.key === 'Enter') {
-                  e.currentTarget.blur()
-                } else if (e.key === 'Escape') {
-                  setFilenameDraft(photo.filename ?? '')
-                  e.currentTarget.blur()
-                }
-              }}
-              className="w-full rounded border border-border bg-bg px-2 py-1 font-mono text-xs text-text focus:border-primary focus:outline-none"
-            />
-          </div>
+          {multipleSelected && (
+            <p className="text-xs text-text-muted">
+              Rating, color, and flag apply to all {selectedPhotos.length} selected.
+            </p>
+          )}
 
-          {/* Title (editable) */}
-          <div>
-            <label className="mb-1 block text-xs text-text-muted">Title</label>
-            <input
-              type="text"
-              value={titleDraft}
-              onChange={(e) => setTitleDraft(e.target.value)}
-              onBlur={commitTitle}
-              onKeyDown={(e) => {
-                if (e.key === 'Enter') {
-                  e.currentTarget.blur()
-                } else if (e.key === 'Escape') {
-                  setTitleDraft(photo.user_title ?? '')
-                  e.currentTarget.blur()
-                }
-              }}
-              placeholder="No title"
-              className="w-full rounded border border-border bg-bg px-2 py-1 text-sm text-text placeholder-text-faint focus:border-primary focus:outline-none"
-            />
-          </div>
+          {/* Per-photo fields — only meaningful for a single selection */}
+          {!multipleSelected && (
+            <>
+              <div>
+                <label className="mb-1 block text-xs text-text-muted">Filename</label>
+                <input
+                  type="text"
+                  value={filenameDraft}
+                  onChange={(e) => setFilenameDraft(e.target.value)}
+                  onBlur={commitFilename}
+                  onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
+                      e.currentTarget.blur()
+                    } else if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+                      setFilenameDraft(photo.filename ?? '')
+                      e.currentTarget.blur()
+                    }
+                  }}
+                  className="w-full rounded border border-border bg-bg px-2 py-1 font-mono text-xs text-text focus:border-primary focus:outline-none"
+                />
+              </div>
 
-          {/* Notes (editable) */}
-          <div>
-            <label className="mb-1 block text-xs text-text-muted">Notes</label>
-            <textarea
-              value={notesDraft}
-              onChange={(e) => setNotesDraft(e.target.value)}
-              onBlur={commitNotes}
-              placeholder="Add notes…"
-              rows={3}
-              className="w-full resize-none rounded border border-border bg-bg px-2 py-1 text-sm text-text placeholder-text-faint focus:border-primary focus:outline-none"
-            />
-          </div>
+              <div>
+                <label className="mb-1 block text-xs text-text-muted">Title</label>
+                <input
+                  type="text"
+                  value={titleDraft}
+                  onChange={(e) => setTitleDraft(e.target.value)}
+                  onBlur={commitTitle}
+                  onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
+                      e.currentTarget.blur()
+                    } else if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+                      setTitleDraft(photo.user_title ?? '')
+                      e.currentTarget.blur()
+                    }
+                  }}
+                  placeholder="No title"
+                  className="w-full rounded border border-border bg-bg px-2 py-1 text-sm text-text placeholder-text-faint focus:border-primary focus:outline-none"
+                />
+              </div>
+
+              <div>
+                <label className="mb-1 block text-xs text-text-muted">Notes</label>
+                <textarea
+                  value={notesDraft}
+                  onChange={(e) => setNotesDraft(e.target.value)}
+                  onBlur={commitNotes}
+                  placeholder="Add notes…"
+                  rows={3}
+                  className="w-full resize-none rounded border border-border bg-bg px-2 py-1 text-sm text-text placeholder-text-faint focus:border-primary focus:outline-none"
+                />
+              </div>
+            </>
+          )}
 
           {/* Rating */}
           <div>
@@ -381,9 +436,7 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
               {[1, 2, 3, 4, 5].map((value) => (
                 <button
                   key={value}
-                  onClick={() =>
-                    updateMutation.mutate({ rating: rating === value ? 0 : value })
-                  }
+                  onClick={() => applyRating(rating === value ? 0 : value)}
                   className="p-0.5"
                   title={`Set rating to ${value}`}
                 >
@@ -436,7 +489,17 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
             <label className="mb-1 block text-xs text-text-muted">Flag</label>
             <div className="flex gap-2">
               <button
-                onClick={() => heapMutation.mutate({ remove: isInActiveHeap })}
+                onClick={() => {
+                  const ids = selectedPhotos.length > 0
+                    ? selectedPhotos
+                    : activePhotoId ? [activePhotoId] : []
+                  if (!activeHeap || ids.length === 0) return
+                  // If every selected photo is already a member, remove
+                  // them; otherwise add the missing ones. Mirrors the
+                  // P keyboard shortcut behaviour exactly.
+                  const allMembers = ids.every((id) => activeHeapMembers.has(id))
+                  heapMutation.mutate({ ids, remove: allMembers })
+                }}
                 disabled={!activeHeap || heapMutation.isPending}
                 className={clsx(
                   'flex items-center gap-1 rounded px-2 py-1 text-sm transition-colors disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50',
@@ -456,9 +519,7 @@ export function RightSidebar() {
                 {isInActiveHeap ? 'Picked' : 'Pick'}
               </button>
               <button
-                onClick={() =>
-                  updateMutation.mutate({ is_discarded: !isDiscarded })
-                }
+                onClick={() => applyDiscard(!isDiscarded)}
                 className={clsx(
                   'flex items-center gap-1 rounded px-2 py-1 text-sm transition-colors',
                   isDiscarded
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts
index bb90882..cc5467f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts
@@ -55,10 +55,74 @@ export function useKeyboardShortcuts(props: KeyboardShortcutsProps) {
     },
   })
 
+  const invalidatePhotoQueries = () => {
+    queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['photo'] })
+    queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['photos'] })
+  }
+
+  const bulkRatingMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: ({ ids, rating }: { ids: string[]; rating: number }) =>
+      photosApi.bulkSetRating(ids, rating),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+    onError: (e: any) => toast.error('Bulk rating failed', e.message || 'Unknown error'),
+  })
+
+  const bulkColorMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: ({ ids, color }: { ids: string[]; color: string | null }) =>
+      photosApi.bulkSetColor(ids, color),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+    onError: (e: any) => toast.error('Bulk color failed', e.message || 'Unknown error'),
+  })
+
+  const bulkDiscardMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: (ids: string[]) => photosApi.bulkDiscard(ids),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+    onError: (e: any) => toast.error('Bulk discard failed', e.message || 'Unknown error'),
+  })
+
+  const bulkRestoreMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: (ids: string[]) => photosApi.bulkRestore(ids),
+    onSuccess: invalidatePhotoQueries,
+    onError: (e: any) => toast.error('Bulk restore failed', e.message || 'Unknown error'),
+  })
+
+  /** The set of photo ids the next culling action should apply to.
+   *  - Multi-selection → all selected photos
+   *  - Single selection → that one photo
+   *  - No selection but an activePhotoId set (last clicked) → that one
+   *  - Otherwise → empty
+   */
+  const cullTargets = (): string[] => {
+    const state = usePhotoStore.getState()
+    if (state.selectedPhotos.length > 0) return state.selectedPhotos
+    if (state.activePhotoId) return [state.activePhotoId]
+    return []
+  }
+
+  /** Apply a partial PhotoUpdate to the cull targets. Picks the right
+   *  bulk endpoint when there are 2+ photos so a single API call covers
+   *  the whole selection. */
   const updateActive = (data: PhotoUpdate) => {
-    const id = usePhotoStore.getState().activePhotoId
-    if (!id) return
-    updateMutation.mutate({ id, data })
+    const ids = cullTargets()
+    if (ids.length === 0) return
+
+    if (ids.length === 1) {
+      updateMutation.mutate({ id: ids[0], data })
+      return
+    }
+
+    // Multi-selection — fan out to the right bulk endpoint per field.
+    if (data.rating !== undefined) {
+      bulkRatingMutation.mutate({ ids, rating: data.rating })
+    }
+    if (data.color_label !== undefined) {
+      bulkColorMutation.mutate({ ids, color: data.color_label })
+    }
+    if (data.is_discarded === true) {
+      bulkDiscardMutation.mutate(ids)
+    } else if (data.is_discarded === false) {
+      bulkRestoreMutation.mutate(ids)
+    }
   }
 
   // P key (Pick): toggle the current selection's membership in the active
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/api.ts b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
index a737258..1e58b4c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,26 @@ export const photos = {
     return response.data
   },
 
+  /** Bulk set rating (0-5). */
+  bulkSetRating: async (photoIds: string[], rating: number) => {
+    const response = await api.post('/photos/bulk', {
+      ids: photoIds,
+      action: 'set_rating',
+      value: rating,
+    })
+    return response.data
+  },
+
+  /** Bulk set color label (or null to clear). */
+  bulkSetColor: async (photoIds: string[], color: string | null) => {
+    const response = await api.post('/photos/bulk', {
+      ids: photoIds,
+      action: 'set_color',
+      value: color,
+    })
+    return response.data
+  },
+
   /** Move photos into a target folder (or source root). Returns
    *  { moved, errors[] }. */
   move: async (photoIds: string[], targetId: string) => {