diff --git a/frontend/src/components/preview/PreviewView.tsx b/frontend/src/components/preview/PreviewView.tsx
index 1a09dbe..dcf5937 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/preview/PreviewView.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/preview/PreviewView.tsx
@@ -138,13 +138,17 @@ export function PreviewView() {
   useHotkeys('right', goNext, { preventDefault: true })
   useHotkeys('i', () => setInfoPanelOpen((v) => !v), { preventDefault: true })
 
-  // Preload the immediate neighbors so arrow nav feels instant. Skip videos
-  // (browsers can't preload them via Image()) and skip when at the edges.
+  // Preload the ±5 neighbor thumbnails so arrow nav feels instant. Cheap
+  // because getPreviewImageSrc returns the 1280px thumb; the current photo's
+  // full-res /proxy upgrade is handled separately inside PreviewImage. Skip
+  // videos (browsers can't preload them via Image()) and clamp to bounds.
   useEffect(() => {
-    const neighbors: Photo[] = []
-    if (safeIndex > 0) neighbors.push(photos[safeIndex - 1])
-    if (safeIndex < photos.length - 1) neighbors.push(photos[safeIndex + 1])
-    for (const p of neighbors) {
+    const PRELOAD_RADIUS = 5
+    const start = Math.max(0, safeIndex - PRELOAD_RADIUS)
+    const end = Math.min(photos.length - 1, safeIndex + PRELOAD_RADIUS)
+    for (let i = start; i <= end; i++) {
+      if (i === safeIndex) continue
+      const p = photos[i]
       if (isVideo(p)) continue
       const img = new Image()
       img.src = getPreviewImageSrc(p)