diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/duplicates/DuplicatesView.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/duplicates/DuplicatesView.svelte
index e6d1c91..800b745 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/duplicates/DuplicatesView.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/duplicates/DuplicatesView.svelte
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 	import type { DuplicateGroup } from '$lib/services/adapters/duplicates';
 	import StackGroupCard from './StackGroupCard.svelte';
 	import CrossFolderGroupCard from './CrossFolderGroupCard.svelte';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
+	import { AlertCircle, CheckCircle2, Copy } from 'lucide-svelte';
 
 	type Tab = 'stacks' | 'cross-folder';
 
@@ -75,20 +77,24 @@
 {#if activeTab === 'stacks'}
 	<div role="tabpanel" aria-label="Stack duplicates" class="px-6 py-4 pb-6">
 		{#if pending}
-			<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Loading stacks…</p>
+			<InlineLoader label="Loading stacks…" />
 		{:else if error}
-			<p class="text-sm text-destructive">
-				Could not load stacks: {error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'unknown error'}
-			</p>
+			<EmptyState
+				tone="destructive"
+				icon={AlertCircle}
+				title="Could not load stacks"
+				description={error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'unknown error'}
+			/>
 		{:else if groups.length === 0}
-			<div class="max-w-prose space-y-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-				<p>No stacks.</p>
-				<p class="text-xs">
-					PhotoPrism stacks byte-identical (or EXIF-identical) files. If you don't have
-					any, this tab stays empty. Cross-folder copies PhotoPrism rejected at index
-					time live under the Cross-folder tab.
-				</p>
-			</div>
+			<EmptyState icon={Copy} title="No stacks">
+				{#snippet descriptionSnippet()}
+					<p>
+						PhotoPrism stacks byte-identical (or EXIF-identical) files. If you don't have
+						any, this tab stays empty. Cross-folder copies PhotoPrism rejected at index
+						time live under the Cross-folder tab.
+					</p>
+				{/snippet}
+			</EmptyState>
 		{:else}
 			<div class="space-y-3">
 				{#each groups as group, i (group.photo.UID)}
@@ -122,22 +128,26 @@
 		</header>
 
 		{#if crossQuery.isFetching && !crossQuery.data}
-			<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Hashing files under originals…</p>
+			<InlineLoader label="Hashing files under originals…" />
 		{:else if crossQuery.isError}
-			<p class="text-sm text-destructive">
-				Scan failed: {crossQuery.error instanceof Error
+			<EmptyState
+				tone="destructive"
+				icon={AlertCircle}
+				title="Scan failed"
+				description={crossQuery.error instanceof Error
 					? crossQuery.error.message
 					: 'unknown error'}
-			</p>
+			/>
 		{:else if crossCount === 0}
-			<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-				No cross-folder duplicates found.
-				{#if crossQuery.data}
-					<span class="ml-1 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/70">
-						(scanned in {crossQuery.data.scannedMs} ms)
-					</span>
-				{/if}
-			</p>
+			<EmptyState icon={CheckCircle2} title="No cross-folder duplicates found">
+				{#snippet descriptionSnippet()}
+					{#if crossQuery.data}
+						<p class="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/70">
+							scanned in {crossQuery.data.scannedMs} ms
+						</p>
+					{/if}
+				{/snippet}
+			</EmptyState>
 		{:else}
 			<div class="space-y-3">
 				{#each crossQuery.data?.groups ?? [] as group, i (group.hash)}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/feedback/EmptyState.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/feedback/EmptyState.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..837729c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/feedback/EmptyState.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+<!--
+	Shared empty / no-data placeholder. Doubles as an error display when
+	`tone="destructive"` (swaps colors and announces with role=alert).
+	Use `size="compact"` inside sidebars where vertical space is tight.
+-->
+<script lang="ts">
+	import type { Component, Snippet } from 'svelte';
+
+	interface Props {
+		icon?: Component<any> | any;
+		title: string;
+		description?: string;
+		descriptionSnippet?: Snippet;
+		align?: 'left' | 'center';
+		tone?: 'muted' | 'destructive';
+		size?: 'compact' | 'default';
+		children?: Snippet;
+	}
+
+	let {
+		icon: Icon,
+		title,
+		description,
+		descriptionSnippet,
+		align,
+		tone = 'muted',
+		size = 'default',
+		children
+	}: Props = $props();
+
+	const resolvedAlign = $derived(align ?? (size === 'compact' ? 'left' : 'center'));
+	const isDestructive = $derived(tone === 'destructive');
+</script>
+
+{#if size === 'compact'}
+	<div
+		class="flex gap-1.5 px-3 py-2 text-[11px] {resolvedAlign === 'center'
+			? 'items-center justify-center text-center'
+			: 'items-start'} {isDestructive ? 'text-destructive' : 'text-muted-foreground'}"
+		role={isDestructive ? 'alert' : undefined}
+		aria-live={isDestructive ? 'assertive' : undefined}
+	>
+		{#if Icon}
+			<Icon class="h-3 w-3 shrink-0 {resolvedAlign === 'left' ? 'mt-0.5' : ''}" aria-hidden="true" />
+		{/if}
+		<div class="min-w-0">
+			<span>{title}</span>
+			{#if descriptionSnippet}
+				<div class="mt-0.5 opacity-80">{@render descriptionSnippet()}</div>
+			{:else if description}
+				<div class="mt-0.5 opacity-80">{description}</div>
+			{/if}
+			{#if children}
+				<div class="mt-1.5">{@render children()}</div>
+			{/if}
+		</div>
+	</div>
+{:else}
+	<div
+		class="flex flex-col gap-2 p-8 {resolvedAlign === 'center'
+			? 'items-center text-center'
+			: 'items-start text-left'}"
+		role={isDestructive ? 'alert' : undefined}
+		aria-live={isDestructive ? 'assertive' : undefined}
+	>
+		{#if Icon}
+			<Icon
+				class="h-5 w-5 {isDestructive ? 'text-destructive' : 'text-muted-foreground/70'}"
+				aria-hidden="true"
+			/>
+		{/if}
+		<p class="text-sm font-medium {isDestructive ? 'text-destructive' : ''}">{title}</p>
+		{#if descriptionSnippet}
+			<div class="max-w-prose space-y-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+				{@render descriptionSnippet()}
+			</div>
+		{:else if description}
+			<p class="max-w-prose text-xs text-muted-foreground">{description}</p>
+		{/if}
+		{#if children}
+			<div class="mt-2">{@render children()}</div>
+		{/if}
+	</div>
+{/if}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/feedback/InlineLoader.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/feedback/InlineLoader.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f456cef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/feedback/InlineLoader.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+<!--
+	Tiny "Loading…" indicator: spinner + label. Use this for in-flight queries
+	in sidebars, popovers, and right rails. For the initial photo-grid load,
+	use SkeletonGrid instead (layout-preserving).
+-->
+<script lang="ts">
+	import { Loader2 } from 'lucide-svelte';
+
+	interface Props {
+		label?: string;
+		size?: 'sm' | 'default';
+		align?: 'left' | 'center';
+		srOnly?: boolean;
+		polite?: boolean;
+	}
+
+	let {
+		label = 'Loading…',
+		size = 'default',
+		align = 'left',
+		srOnly = false,
+		polite = true
+	}: Props = $props();
+
+	const textSize = $derived(size === 'sm' ? 'text-[11px]' : 'text-xs');
+	const iconSize = $derived(size === 'sm' ? 'h-3 w-3' : 'h-3.5 w-3.5');
+	const padding = $derived(size === 'sm' ? 'px-3 py-2' : 'px-3 py-2');
+	const justify = $derived(align === 'center' ? 'justify-center' : 'justify-start');
+</script>
+
+<p
+	role="status"
+	aria-busy="true"
+	aria-live={polite ? 'polite' : 'off'}
+	class="flex items-center gap-1.5 {padding} {textSize} {justify} text-muted-foreground"
+>
+	<Loader2 class="{iconSize} animate-spin" aria-hidden="true" />
+	<span class={srOnly ? 'sr-only' : ''}>{label}</span>
+</p>
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/feedback/index.ts b/web/src/lib/components/feedback/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9f5041
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/feedback/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+export { default as EmptyState } from './EmptyState.svelte';
+export { default as InlineLoader } from './InlineLoader.svelte';
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/layout/HeapConvertDialog.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/layout/HeapConvertDialog.svelte
index 971cc0a..44d5921 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/layout/HeapConvertDialog.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/layout/HeapConvertDialog.svelte
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 	import { Dialog } from 'bits-ui';
 	import { createMutation, createQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/svelte-query';
 	import { toast } from 'svelte-sonner';
-	import { FolderInput, Loader2 } from 'lucide-svelte';
+	import { FolderInput, FolderOpen, Loader2 } from 'lucide-svelte';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
 	import {
 		convertHeap,
 		listFolders,
@@ -153,11 +154,14 @@
 				</div>
 				<div class="max-h-[200px] overflow-y-auto">
 					{#if foldersQuery.isPending}
-						<p class="px-2 py-1 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">Loading folders…</p>
+						<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading folders…" />
 					{:else if (foldersQuery.data ?? []).length === 0}
-						<p class="px-2 py-1 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
-							No folders. Create one from the sidebar first.
-						</p>
+						<EmptyState
+							size="compact"
+							icon={FolderOpen}
+							title="No folders"
+							description="Create one from the sidebar first."
+						/>
 					{:else}
 						<!-- Root row: lets the user drop the heap directly into
 						     originals/ without picking a subfolder. The empty
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/layout/LeftSidebar.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/layout/LeftSidebar.svelte
index 975ac7d..4ffda77 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/layout/LeftSidebar.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/layout/LeftSidebar.svelte
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@
 		Copy,
 		Download,
 		FolderInput,
+		FolderOpen,
 		FolderPlus,
+		Layers,
 		LogOut,
 		Moon,
 		Pencil,
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@
 		Sun,
 		Trash2
 	} from 'lucide-svelte';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
 
 	const qc = useQueryClient();
 
@@ -757,9 +760,9 @@
 			</div>
 		</div>
 		{#if foldersQuery.isPending}
-			<p class="px-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+			<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading folders…" />
 		{:else if !hasSubfolders}
-			<p class="mt-1 px-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">No subfolders.</p>
+			<EmptyState size="compact" icon={FolderOpen} title="No subfolders" />
 		{:else if rootExpanded}
 			<!--
 				depth=1 visually nests the top-level subfolders one indent
@@ -795,11 +798,11 @@
 		</div>
 
 		{#if heapsQuery.isPending}
-			<p class="px-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+			<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading heaps…" />
 		{:else if heapsQuery.isError}
-			<p class="px-2 text-[11px] text-destructive">Failed to load heaps</p>
+			<EmptyState size="compact" tone="destructive" title="Failed to load heaps" />
 		{:else if (heapsQuery.data ?? []).length === 0}
-			<p class="px-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">No heaps yet.</p>
+			<EmptyState size="compact" icon={Layers} title="No heaps yet" />
 		{:else}
 			<ul>
 				{#each heapsQuery.data ?? [] as heap (heap.UID)}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/layout/SettingsDialog.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/layout/SettingsDialog.svelte
index a7bd7a2..94e48a4 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/layout/SettingsDialog.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/layout/SettingsDialog.svelte
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 	import { Dialog, Tabs } from 'bits-ui';
 	import { createMutation, createQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/svelte-query';
 	import { toast } from 'svelte-sonner';
-	import { Loader2, RefreshCw, Settings, X } from 'lucide-svelte';
+	import { AlertCircle, CheckCircle2, Loader2, RefreshCw, Settings, X } from 'lucide-svelte';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
 	import {
 		cancelImport,
 		cancelIndex,
@@ -418,11 +419,16 @@
 						</button>
 					</div>
 					{#if errorsQuery.isPending}
-						<p class="px-1 text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+						<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading error log…" />
 					{:else if errorsQuery.isError}
-						<p class="px-1 text-destructive">Could not load error log.</p>
+						<EmptyState
+							size="compact"
+							tone="destructive"
+							icon={AlertCircle}
+							title="Could not load error log"
+						/>
 					{:else if (errorsQuery.data ?? []).length === 0}
-						<p class="px-1 text-muted-foreground">No errors logged.</p>
+						<EmptyState size="compact" icon={CheckCircle2} title="No errors logged" />
 					{:else}
 						<ul
 							class="max-h-[55vh] space-y-1 overflow-y-auto rounded border border-border bg-background p-2 font-mono text-[11px]"
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/preview/PreviewPane.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/preview/PreviewPane.svelte
index bb02ac0..6b3473f 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/preview/PreviewPane.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/preview/PreviewPane.svelte
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 	import { setAnchor, setFocused } from '$lib/stores/selection.svelte';
 	import VideoPlayer from '$lib/components/preview/VideoPlayer.svelte';
 	import { isVideo, primaryFile, videoFile, type PpPhoto } from '$lib/types/photoprism';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
+	import { AlertCircle, Image as ImageIcon } from 'lucide-svelte';
 
 	interface Props {
 		uid: string | null;
@@ -58,11 +60,11 @@
 
 <div class="relative flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center bg-black/40 p-4">
 	{#if uid === null}
-		<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Select a photo to preview.</p>
+		<EmptyState icon={ImageIcon} title="Select a photo to preview" />
 	{:else if photoQuery.isPending}
-		<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+		<InlineLoader label="Loading photo…" align="center" />
 	{:else if photoQuery.isError}
-		<p class="text-sm text-destructive">Failed to load photo.</p>
+		<EmptyState tone="destructive" icon={AlertCircle} title="Failed to load photo" />
 	{:else if photoQuery.data}
 		{@const pf = primaryFile(photoQuery.data)}
 		{#if showChevrons && currentIndex > 0}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/RelatedStrip.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/RelatedStrip.svelte
index 4b5b69f..b60ba30 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/RelatedStrip.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/RelatedStrip.svelte
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 	import { thumbUrl } from '$lib/stores/session.svelte';
 	import { setFocused } from '$lib/stores/selection.svelte';
 	import type { PpPhoto } from '$lib/types/photoprism';
+	import { Loader2 } from 'lucide-svelte';
 
 	interface Props {
 		title: string;
@@ -62,7 +63,15 @@
 </script>
 
 {#if stripQuery.isPending}
-	<div class="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/70">Loading {title.toLowerCase()}…</div>
+	<div
+		class="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/70"
+		role="status"
+		aria-busy="true"
+		aria-live="polite"
+	>
+		<Loader2 class="h-2.5 w-2.5 animate-spin" aria-hidden="true" />
+		<span>Loading {title.toLowerCase()}…</span>
+	</div>
 {:else if stripQuery.isError}
 	<!-- Errors shouldn't break the sidebar; just hide the strip. -->
 	{null}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/TagsBrowserSidebar.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/TagsBrowserSidebar.svelte
index 293ffca..5a488ed 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/TagsBrowserSidebar.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/sidebar/TagsBrowserSidebar.svelte
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 		starLabel
 	} from '$lib/utils/tagGroups';
 	import type { PpPhoto } from '$lib/types/photoprism';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
+	import { Hash, Tag } from 'lucide-svelte';
 
 	interface Props {
 		category: TagCategory;
@@ -214,13 +216,15 @@
 
 	{#if category === 'labels'}
 		{#if labelsQuery.isPending}
-			<p class="px-3 py-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">Loading labels…</p>
+			<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading labels…" />
 		{:else if labelsQuery.isError}
-			<p class="px-3 py-2 text-[11px] text-destructive">Failed to load labels.</p>
+			<EmptyState size="compact" tone="destructive" title="Failed to load labels" />
 		{:else if filteredLabels.length === 0}
-			<p class="px-3 py-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
-				{filterText ? 'No labels match the filter.' : 'No labels yet.'}
-			</p>
+			<EmptyState
+				size="compact"
+				icon={Tag}
+				title={filterText ? 'No labels match the filter' : 'No labels yet'}
+			/>
 		{:else}
 			<div bind:this={scrollEl} class="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto">
 				{#each visibleLabels as label (label.UID ?? label.Slug)}
@@ -276,17 +280,21 @@
 		{/if}
 	{:else if category === 'keywords'}
 		{#if keywordsQuery.isPending}
-			<p class="px-3 py-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
-				Loading keywords… (aggregates from photo details — first load may take a few seconds)
-			</p>
+			<InlineLoader
+				size="sm"
+				label="Loading keywords… (aggregates from photo details — first load may take a few seconds)"
+			/>
 		{:else if keywordsQuery.isError}
-			<p class="px-3 py-2 text-[11px] text-destructive">Failed to load keywords.</p>
+			<EmptyState size="compact" tone="destructive" title="Failed to load keywords" />
 		{:else if filteredKeywords.length === 0}
-			<p class="px-3 py-2 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
-				{filterText
-					? 'No keywords match the filter.'
-					: 'No user-set keywords yet. Add them from a photo’s right-sidebar metadata panel.'}
-			</p>
+			<EmptyState
+				size="compact"
+				icon={Hash}
+				title={filterText ? 'No keywords match the filter' : 'No user-set keywords yet'}
+				description={filterText
+					? undefined
+					: 'Add them from a photo’s right-sidebar metadata panel.'}
+			/>
 		{:else}
 			<div bind:this={scrollEl} class="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto">
 				{#each visibleKeywords as kw (kw.keyword)}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/BulkActionBar.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/BulkActionBar.svelte
index 821d1ed..ca34d08 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/BulkActionBar.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/BulkActionBar.svelte
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 	import { filters } from '$lib/stores/filters.svelte';
 	import { push as pushUndo } from '$lib/stores/undo.svelte';
 	import { isAuthenticated } from '$lib/stores/session.svelte';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
+	import { Layers } from 'lucide-svelte';
 
 	const qc = useQueryClient();
 	let busy = $state(false);
@@ -288,9 +290,9 @@
 							class="absolute bottom-full right-0 mb-2 max-h-72 w-56 overflow-y-auto rounded-md border border-border bg-background p-1 text-xs shadow-lg"
 						>
 							{#if heapsQuery.isPending}
-								<p class="px-2 py-1 text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+								<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading heaps…" />
 							{:else if (heapsQuery.data ?? []).length === 0}
-								<p class="px-2 py-1 text-muted-foreground">No heaps yet</p>
+								<EmptyState size="compact" icon={Layers} title="No heaps yet" />
 							{:else}
 								{#each heapsQuery.data ?? [] as heap, i (heap.UID)}
 									<button
diff --git a/web/src/routes/+page.svelte b/web/src/routes/+page.svelte
index 0695f21..896338c 100644
--- a/web/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/web/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -56,6 +56,16 @@
   import RightSidebar from "$lib/components/sidebar/RightSidebar.svelte";
   import SkeletonGrid from "$lib/components/timeline/SkeletonGrid.svelte";
   import Toolbar from "$lib/components/layout/Toolbar.svelte";
+  import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from "$lib/components/feedback";
+  import {
+    AlertCircle,
+    Archive,
+    EyeOff,
+    ImageOff,
+    Layers,
+    MousePointerClick,
+    Sparkles,
+  } from "lucide-svelte";
   import { type PpPhoto } from "$lib/types/photoprism";
 
   // ── URL ↔ filter store sync ──────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -831,29 +841,42 @@
             {#if photosQuery.isPending}
               <SkeletonGrid />
             {:else if photosQuery.isError}
-              <p class="text-sm text-destructive">
-                Failed to load photos: {photosQuery.error instanceof Error
+              <EmptyState
+                tone="destructive"
+                icon={AlertCircle}
+                title="Failed to load photos"
+                description={photosQuery.error instanceof Error
                   ? photosQuery.error.message
                   : "unknown error"}
-              </p>
+              />
             {:else if photos.length === 0}
-              <p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                {#if filters.section === "archive"}
-                  Archive is empty.
-                {:else if filters.section === "review"}
-                  Nothing left to review. Photos PhotoPrism's indexer wasn't
-                  sure about land here — use Keep to accept them into the
-                  timeline or Archive to set them aside.
-                {:else if filters.section === "hidden"}
-                  No hidden photos. PhotoPrism auto-hides files it can't index
-                  (broken files, very low quality); they only ever show up here.
-                {:else if filters.section === "heap"}
-                  This heap has no photos yet. Select some photos and use the
-                  bulk bar's "＋ Add to heap" button.
-                {:else}
-                  No photos. Index a folder via PhotoPrism's reindex command.
-                {/if}
-              </p>
+              {#if filters.section === "archive"}
+                <EmptyState icon={Archive} title="Archive is empty" />
+              {:else if filters.section === "review"}
+                <EmptyState
+                  icon={Sparkles}
+                  title="Nothing left to review"
+                  description="Photos PhotoPrism's indexer wasn't sure about land here — use Keep to accept them into the timeline or Archive to set them aside."
+                />
+              {:else if filters.section === "hidden"}
+                <EmptyState
+                  icon={EyeOff}
+                  title="No hidden photos"
+                  description="PhotoPrism auto-hides files it can't index (broken files, very low quality); they only ever show up here."
+                />
+              {:else if filters.section === "heap"}
+                <EmptyState
+                  icon={Layers}
+                  title="This heap has no photos yet"
+                  description={'Select some photos and use the bulk bar’s “＋ Add to heap” button.'}
+                />
+              {:else}
+                <EmptyState
+                  icon={ImageOff}
+                  title="No photos"
+                  description="Index a folder via PhotoPrism's reindex command."
+                />
+              {/if}
             {:else}
               <div
                 data-photo-grid
@@ -920,9 +943,12 @@
                 }}
               ></div>
               {#if photosQuery.isFetchingNextPage}
-                <p class="py-3 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                  Loading more…
-                </p>
+                <InlineLoader
+                  size="sm"
+                  align="center"
+                  polite={false}
+                  label="Loading more photos…"
+                />
               {/if}
             {/if}
           </div>
@@ -944,15 +970,16 @@
         {:else if focusedPhotoQuery.data}
           <RightSidebar photo={focusedPhotoQuery.data} />
         {:else if focusedPhotoQuery.isFetching}
-          <p class="px-3 py-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+          <InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading metadata…" />
         {:else}
-          <div class="space-y-2 p-4 text-center">
-            <div class="text-xl">ⓘ</div>
-            <p class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-              Use arrow keys or <kbd class="rounded bg-muted px-1">⌘</kbd>+click
-              on a thumbnail to view its metadata here.
-            </p>
-          </div>
+          <EmptyState icon={MousePointerClick} title="No photo selected">
+            {#snippet descriptionSnippet()}
+              <p>
+                Use arrow keys or <kbd class="rounded bg-muted px-1">⌘</kbd
+                >+click on a thumbnail to view its metadata here.
+              </p>
+            {/snippet}
+          </EmptyState>
         {/if}
       </div>
       <!-- Resize handle on the left edge; mirrors the layout's left aside
diff --git a/web/src/routes/review/+page.svelte b/web/src/routes/review/+page.svelte
index 255cb82..a2dbf92 100644
--- a/web/src/routes/review/+page.svelte
+++ b/web/src/routes/review/+page.svelte
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
 	import BulkMetadataSidebar from '$lib/components/sidebar/BulkMetadataSidebar.svelte';
 	import CauseGroupCard from '$lib/components/review/CauseGroupCard.svelte';
 	import DuplicatesView from '$lib/components/duplicates/DuplicatesView.svelte';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
+	import { AlertCircle, Sparkles } from 'lucide-svelte';
 
 	type DupTab = 'stacks' | 'cross-folder';
 	type Tab = CauseKey | DupTab;
@@ -226,23 +228,27 @@
 		<div class="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col">
 			<main class="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto px-6 py-4 pb-6" use:gridKeyNav={{}}>
 				{#if reviewQuery.isPending}
-					<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Loading review queue…</p>
+					<InlineLoader label="Loading review queue…" />
 				{:else if reviewQuery.error}
-					<p class="text-sm text-destructive">
-						Could not load review queue: {reviewQuery.error instanceof Error
+					<EmptyState
+						tone="destructive"
+						icon={AlertCircle}
+						title="Could not load review queue"
+						description={reviewQuery.error instanceof Error
 							? reviewQuery.error.message
 							: 'unknown error'}
-					</p>
+					/>
 				{:else if groups.length === 0}
-					<div class="max-w-prose space-y-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-						<p>The review queue is empty.</p>
-						<p class="text-xs">
-							PhotoPrism's indexer flags photos with a low quality score for human
-							review. New arrivals with missing EXIF, low resolution, or unknown
-							cameras will land here. The Stacks and Cross-folder tabs above stay
-							available for duplicate cleanup.
-						</p>
-					</div>
+					<EmptyState icon={Sparkles} title="Nothing to review">
+						{#snippet descriptionSnippet()}
+							<p>
+								PhotoPrism's indexer flags photos with a low quality score for human
+								review. New arrivals with missing EXIF, low resolution, or unknown
+								cameras will land here. The Stacks and Cross-folder tabs above stay
+								available for duplicate cleanup.
+							</p>
+						{/snippet}
+					</EmptyState>
 				{:else if activeGroup}
 					{#key activeGroup.cause}
 						<CauseGroupCard group={activeGroup} />
@@ -263,7 +269,7 @@
 					{:else if focusedPhotoQuery.data}
 						<RightSidebar photo={focusedPhotoQuery.data} showRelated />
 					{:else if focusedPhotoQuery.isFetching}
-						<p class="px-3 py-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+						<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading metadata…" />
 					{/if}
 				</div>
 				<div
diff --git a/web/src/routes/tags/[category]/[[value]]/+page.svelte b/web/src/routes/tags/[category]/[[value]]/+page.svelte
index 671965c..230f7ad 100644
--- a/web/src/routes/tags/[category]/[[value]]/+page.svelte
+++ b/web/src/routes/tags/[category]/[[value]]/+page.svelte
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 	import RightSidebar from '$lib/components/sidebar/RightSidebar.svelte';
 	import SkeletonGrid from '$lib/components/timeline/SkeletonGrid.svelte';
 	import Toolbar from '$lib/components/layout/Toolbar.svelte';
+	import { EmptyState, InlineLoader } from '$lib/components/feedback';
+	import { AlertCircle, ImageOff, MousePointerClick, Tag } from 'lucide-svelte';
 	import type { PpPhoto } from '$lib/types/photoprism';
 
 	// URL-driven category + value. `isTagCategory` rejects typos so a stray
@@ -188,12 +190,11 @@
 
 {#if !selectedValue}
 	<main class="flex min-h-0 flex-1 items-center justify-center p-8">
-		<div class="max-w-sm space-y-2 text-center">
-			<p class="text-sm font-medium">Pick a {category ?? 'tag'} from the sidebar</p>
-			<p class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-				Click a row in the panel on the left to filter the photo grid by that tag.
-			</p>
-		</div>
+		<EmptyState
+			icon={Tag}
+			title={`Pick a ${category ?? 'tag'} from the sidebar`}
+			description="Click a row in the panel on the left to filter the photo grid by that tag."
+		/>
 	</main>
 {:else}
 	<div class="flex min-h-0 flex-1">
@@ -205,9 +206,9 @@
 				{#if showSkeleton}
 					<SkeletonGrid />
 				{:else if showError}
-					<p class="text-sm text-destructive">Failed to load photos.</p>
+					<EmptyState tone="destructive" icon={AlertCircle} title="Failed to load photos" />
 				{:else if drillPhotos.length === 0}
-					<p class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">No photos under this tag.</p>
+					<EmptyState icon={ImageOff} title="No photos under this tag" />
 				{:else}
 					<PhotoGrid photos={drillPhotos} />
 				{/if}
@@ -225,15 +226,16 @@
 					{:else if focusedPhotoQuery.data}
 						<RightSidebar photo={focusedPhotoQuery.data} />
 					{:else if focusedPhotoQuery.isFetching}
-						<p class="px-3 py-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+						<InlineLoader size="sm" label="Loading metadata…" />
 					{:else}
-						<div class="space-y-2 p-4 text-center">
-							<div class="text-xl">ⓘ</div>
-							<p class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-								Use arrow keys or <kbd class="rounded bg-muted px-1">⌘</kbd>+click on a
-								thumbnail to view its metadata here.
-							</p>
-						</div>
+						<EmptyState icon={MousePointerClick} title="No photo selected">
+							{#snippet descriptionSnippet()}
+								<p>
+									Use arrow keys or <kbd class="rounded bg-muted px-1">⌘</kbd>+click on a
+									thumbnail to view its metadata here.
+								</p>
+							{/snippet}
+						</EmptyState>
 					{/if}
 				</div>
 				<div