diff --git a/links/api_views.py b/links/api_views.py
index 90a589c..1a7f719 100644
--- a/links/api_views.py
+++ b/links/api_views.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from rest_framework.pagination import PageNumberPagination
 from .models import Link, ImageCollection, Image, FileUpload
 from .serializers import LinkSerializer, ImageCollectionSerializer, ImageSerializer, ImageDescriptionSerializer
 from .storage import R2Storage
-from .file_views import _save_uploaded_file, FileSaveError
+from .file_views import _save_uploaded_file, FileSaveError, _generate_thumbnail
 import uuid
 import logging
 import os
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ class ImageCollectionViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
                 # Persist to the files backend (FILE_UPLOADS_FOLDER + FileUpload record)
                 try:
                     upload = _save_uploaded_file(file)
+                    # Pre-generate thumbnail so the first grid view is instant
+                    _generate_thumbnail(upload)
                 except FileSaveError as exc:
                     logger.error(f"Storage upload failed: {exc}", exc_info=True)
                     raise ValueError(f"Storage upload failed: {exc}")
diff --git a/links/file_views.py b/links/file_views.py
index bc2a361..edda014 100644
--- a/links/file_views.py
+++ b/links/file_views.py
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@ def _stream_file(file_path, mime_type, disposition, range_header=None):
     so we parse the header ourselves and reply with ``206 Partial Content`` and
     a ``Content-Range`` header. Without this, the media element can only play
     sequentially and seeking fails.
+
+    Files stored via FileUpload get a random hex ``stored_name`` that never
+    changes for a given pk, so inline media responses are safe to cache long
+    term (``public, max-age=31536000, immutable``) — this keeps repeated views
+    off the (possibly small) NFS-backed uploads volume. Attachment downloads
+    are marked no-store.
     """
     size = os.path.getsize(file_path)
 
@@ -110,6 +116,10 @@ def _stream_file(file_path, mime_type, disposition, range_header=None):
         response['Content-Length'] = size
         response['Accept-Ranges'] = 'bytes'
         response['Content-Disposition'] = disposition
+        if 'inline' in disposition:
+            response['Cache-Control'] = 'public, max-age=31536000, immutable'
+        else:
+            response['Cache-Control'] = 'private, no-store'
         return response
 
     # Parse "bytes=start-end" (end optional; multiple ranges not supported here).
@@ -156,6 +166,10 @@ def _stream_file(file_path, mime_type, disposition, range_header=None):
     response['Content-Range'] = f'bytes {start}-{end}/{size}'
     response['Accept-Ranges'] = 'bytes'
     response['Content-Disposition'] = disposition
+    if 'inline' in disposition:
+        response['Cache-Control'] = 'public, max-age=31536000, immutable'
+    else:
+        response['Cache-Control'] = 'private, no-store'
     # Ensure the file handle is closed when the response finalises.
     response.close = fh.close
     return response
@@ -237,7 +251,10 @@ class FileThumbnailView(View):
         thumb = _generate_thumbnail(record)
         if not thumb or not os.path.exists(thumb):
             raise Http404('No thumbnail available for this file')
-        return FileResponse(open(thumb, 'rb'), content_type='image/jpeg')
+        response = FileResponse(open(thumb, 'rb'), content_type='image/jpeg')
+        # Thumbnail path is derived from the immutable stored_name → cache forever.
+        response['Cache-Control'] = 'public, max-age=31536000, immutable'
+        return response
 
 
 class FileListView(View):
@@ -259,6 +276,10 @@ class FileUploadView(View):
         for f in uploaded:
             try:
                 record = _save_uploaded_file(f)
+                # Pre-generate the thumbnail for images so the first page view
+                # is instant (and the NFS volume isn't hammered by lazy gen).
+                if record.is_image:
+                    _generate_thumbnail(record)
             except FileSaveError as exc:
                 logger.error("Upload failed for %s: %s", f.name, exc)
                 errors.append({'name': f.name, 'error': str(exc)})
@@ -399,7 +420,12 @@ class FileUploadViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
         errors = []
         for f in uploaded:
             try:
-                created.append(_save_uploaded_file(f))
+                record = _save_uploaded_file(f)
+                # Pre-generate the thumbnail for images so the first page view
+                # is instant (and the NFS volume isn't hammered by lazy gen).
+                if record.is_image:
+                    _generate_thumbnail(record)
+                created.append(record)
             except FileSaveError as exc:
                 logger.error("Upload failed for %s: %s", f.name, exc)
                 errors.append({'name': f.name, 'error': str(exc)})
diff --git a/links/templates/links/files/list.html b/links/templates/links/files/list.html
index c336b49..b2e9a89 100644
--- a/links/templates/links/files/list.html
+++ b/links/templates/links/files/list.html
@@ -162,6 +162,32 @@
     .layout-btn { width: 38px; height: 32px; }
   }
 
+  /* ---------- Type filter bar ---------- */
+  .filter-bar {
+    display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; gap: 0.45rem;
+    padding: 0.1rem 1.8rem 1.1rem;
+  }
+  .filter-chip {
+    display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.4rem;
+    min-height: 32px; padding: 0.3rem 0.85rem;
+    border-radius: 980px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07);
+    background: #fff; color: var(--apple-gray);
+    font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: 600; cursor: pointer;
+    transition: background 0.25s ease, color 0.25s ease, border-color 0.25s ease, transform 0.2s var(--apple-ease);
+  }
+  .filter-chip:hover { background: #f0f0f3; }
+  .filter-chip:active { transform: scale(0.96); }
+  .filter-chip.active {
+    background: var(--apple-blue); color: #fff; border-color: var(--apple-blue);
+  }
+  .chip-count {
+    display: inline-flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
+    min-width: 20px; height: 20px; padding: 0 0.35rem;
+    border-radius: 980px; font-size: 0.7rem; font-weight: 700;
+    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06); color: var(--apple-gray);
+  }
+  .filter-chip.active .chip-count { background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.24); color: #fff; }
+
   /* ---------- Grid view (macOS Finder style) ---------- */
   .file-grid {
     display: grid; gap: 0.9rem; padding: 0.6rem 1.8rem 1.6rem;
@@ -450,7 +476,7 @@
             <div class="library-title-group">
                 <h2 id="files-heading" class="section-title">{% trans "Files" %}</h2>
                 <p class="library-count">
-                    <span x-text="visibleFiles.length">{{ files.count }}</span>
+                    <span x-text="filterType !== 'all' ? visibleFiles.length + ' / ' + allFiles.length : visibleFiles.length"></span>
                     <span x-text="visibleFiles.length === 1 ? '{% trans "file" %}' : '{% trans "files" %}'">{% trans "files" %}</span>
                 </p>
             </div>
@@ -491,6 +517,21 @@
             </div>
         </div>
 
+        <!-- Type filter bar (persisted in localStorage) -->
+        <div class="filter-bar" role="group" aria-label="{% trans 'Filter by file type' %}">
+            <button type="button" class="filter-chip" :class="filterType === 'all' ? 'active' : ''"
+                    @click="setFilter('all')" aria-pressed="filterType === 'all'">
+                {% trans "All" %}<span class="chip-count" x-text="countOf('all')"></span>
+            </button>
+            <template x-for="t in filterTypes" :key="t.key">
+                <button type="button" class="filter-chip" :class="filterType === t.key ? 'active' : ''"
+                        @click="setFilter(t.key)" x-show="countOf(t.key) > 0"
+                        :aria-pressed="filterType === t.key">
+                    <span x-text="t.label"></span><span class="chip-count" x-text="countOf(t.key)"></span>
+                </button>
+            </template>
+        </div>
+
         <!-- Hidden JSON template of each initial file -->
         <script id="initial-file-data" type="application/json" aria-hidden="true">
         [{% for file in files %}{
@@ -927,6 +968,17 @@
 function fileManager() {
     return {
         visibleFiles: [],
+        allFiles: [],
+        filterType: 'all',
+        filterTypes: [
+            { key: 'image', label: '{% trans "Image" %}' },
+            { key: 'video', label: '{% trans "Video" %}' },
+            { key: 'audio', label: '{% trans "Audio" %}' },
+            { key: 'text', label: '{% trans "Text" %}' },
+            { key: 'document', label: '{% trans "Document" %}' },
+            { key: 'archive', label: '{% trans "Archive" %}' },
+            { key: 'binary', label: '{% trans "Other" %}' },
+        ],
         uploads: [],
         hudOpen: false,
         layout: 'list',
@@ -947,10 +999,18 @@ function fileManager() {
 
             // Seed initial file list from server-rendered JSON
             try {
-                this.visibleFiles = JSON.parse(document.getElementById('initial-file-data').textContent);
+                this.allFiles = JSON.parse(document.getElementById('initial-file-data').textContent);
             } catch (e) {
-                this.visibleFiles = [];
+                this.allFiles = [];
             }
+
+            // Restore persisted type filter
+            try {
+                const savedFilter = localStorage.getItem('links-files-filter');
+                if (savedFilter && this.filterTypes.some(t => t.key === savedFilter)) this.filterType = savedFilter;
+            } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
+
+            this.applyFilter();
             // Build file list for preview keyboard navigation
             this.fileList = this.visibleFiles.map(f => ({ name: f.name, mimeType: f.mime_type, url: f.download_url }));
 
@@ -1072,6 +1132,42 @@ function fileManager() {
             track.scrollBy({ left: dir * step, behavior: 'smooth' });
         },
 
+        // ── Type filtering ──────────────────────────────────────────
+        fileTypeOf(f) {
+            const m = (f.mime_type || '').toLowerCase();
+            if (m.startsWith('image/')) return 'image';
+            if (m.startsWith('video/')) return 'video';
+            if (m.startsWith('audio/')) return 'audio';
+            if (m.startsWith('text/')) return 'text';
+            const docs = [
+                'application/pdf', 'application/msword', 'application/rtf',
+                'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document',
+                'application/vnd.ms-excel',
+                'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet',
+                'application/vnd.ms-powerpoint',
+                'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation',
+            ];
+            if (docs.includes(m)) return 'document';
+            if (/(zip|gzip|tar|rar|7z|compress|x-7z|x-zip|x-tar|x-gzip|x-rar|x-compressed)/.test(m)) return 'archive';
+            return 'binary';
+        },
+        countOf(t) {
+            if (t === 'all') return this.allFiles.length;
+            return this.allFiles.filter(f => this.fileTypeOf(f) === t).length;
+        },
+        setFilter(t) {
+            this.filterType = t;
+            try { localStorage.setItem('links-files-filter', t); } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
+            this.applyFilter();
+        },
+        applyFilter() {
+            this.visibleFiles = this.filterType === 'all'
+                ? [...this.allFiles]
+                : this.allFiles.filter(f => this.fileTypeOf(f) === this.filterType);
+            this.fileList = this.visibleFiles.map(f => ({ name: f.name, mimeType: f.mime_type, url: f.download_url }));
+            this.$nextTick(() => this._applyCoverFlow());
+        },
+
         // ── Uploads ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
         uploadFiles(fileList) {
             this.hudOpen = true;
@@ -1119,10 +1215,12 @@ function fileManager() {
                                     is_image: (rec.mime_type || guessMime(file.name)).startsWith('image/'),
                                     thumbnail_url: rec.thumbnail_url || '',
                                 };
-                                // Avoid inserting duplicate (key by id)
-                                if (!this.visibleFiles.some(x => String(x.id) === String(newFile.id))) {
-                                    this.visibleFiles.unshift(newFile);
-                                    this.fileList.unshift({ name: newFile.name, mimeType: newFile.mime_type, url: newFile.download_url });
+                                // Avoid inserting duplicate (key by id); add to the source
+                                // list and re-apply the active filter so the new row shows
+                                // only when it matches the current type filter.
+                                if (!this.allFiles.some(x => String(x.id) === String(newFile.id))) {
+                                    this.allFiles.unshift(newFile);
+                                    this.applyFilter();
                                     this.$nextTick(() => this._applyCoverFlow());
                                 }
                             });
@@ -1163,12 +1261,8 @@ function fileManager() {
         },
 
         removeFile(id) {
-            const idx = this.visibleFiles.findIndex(f => String(f.id) === String(id));
-            if (idx !== -1) this.visibleFiles.splice(idx, 1);
-            const fidx = this.fileList.findIndex(f => f.url === (idx !== -1 ? 'placeholder' : ''));
-            // rebuild fileList to keep preview nav in sync
-            this.fileList = this.visibleFiles.map(f => ({ name: f.name, mimeType: f.mime_type, url: f.download_url }));
-            this.$nextTick(() => this._applyCoverFlow());
+            this.allFiles = this.allFiles.filter(f => String(f.id) !== String(id));
+            this.applyFilter();
         },
 
         // ── Preview modal ────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/tests/test_files_api.py b/tests/test_files_api.py
index 1fb3773..7e0d838 100644
--- a/tests/test_files_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_files_api.py
@@ -252,3 +252,44 @@ class TestFilesAPI:
         if os.path.exists(record.file_path):
             os.remove(record.file_path)
         assert client.get(f"/ui/files/{pk}/thumb/").status_code == 404
+
+    # ── Cache headers (NFS-friendly) ────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def test_thumbnail_cache_control_immutable(self, client, api_client):
+        """Thumbnails are content-addressed by the immutable stored_name."""
+        pk = api_client.post(
+            f"{self.BASE}", {"files": _real_png()}, format="multipart"
+        ).json()[0]["id"]
+        r = client.get(f"/ui/files/{pk}/thumb/")
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+        assert r["Cache-Control"] == "public, max-age=31536000, immutable"
+
+    def test_inline_download_cache_control(self, client, api_client):
+        """Inline media (images) must be cacheable so repeated views skip NFS."""
+        uploaded = api_client.post(
+            f"{self.BASE}", {"files": _real_png()}, format="multipart"
+        ).json()[0]
+        r = client.get(f"/ui/files/{uploaded['id']}-{uploaded['name']}")
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+        assert "max-age=31536000" in r["Cache-Control"]
+        assert "immutable" in r["Cache-Control"]
+
+    def test_attachment_download_no_store(self, client, api_client):
+        """Non-media (attachment) downloads must not be cached."""
+        uploaded = api_client.post(
+            f"{self.BASE}", {"files": _pdf()}, format="multipart"
+        ).json()[0]
+        r = client.get(f"/ui/files/{uploaded['id']}-{uploaded['name']}")
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+        assert (r["Content-Disposition"] or "").startswith("attachment")
+        assert r["Cache-Control"] == "private, no-store"
+
+    def test_upload_pre_generates_thumbnail(self, api_client):
+        """Image uploads pre-generate the thumbnail so first view is instant."""
+        uploaded = api_client.post(
+            f"{self.BASE}", {"files": _real_png()}, format="multipart"
+        ).json()[0]
+        from links.models import FileUpload
+
+        record = FileUpload.objects.get(pk=uploaded["id"])
+        assert os.path.exists(record.thumb_path)