diff --git a/crates/gpu/src/lib.rs b/crates/gpu/src/lib.rs
index bdfd5b3ea..ee88430b4 100644
--- a/crates/gpu/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/gpu/src/lib.rs
@@ -55,15 +55,40 @@ fn env_disabled() -> bool {
     *OFF.get_or_init(|| std::env::var("LIGHTCRAFT_GPU").is_ok_and(|v| matches!(v.trim(), "0" | "off" | "false" | "no")))
 }
 
+#[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+static GPU: std::sync::OnceLock<Option<ctx::Gpu>> = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
+
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 pub(crate) fn device() -> Option<&'static ctx::Gpu> {
-    static GPU: std::sync::OnceLock<Option<ctx::Gpu>> = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
     if env_disabled() {
         return None;
     }
     GPU.get_or_init(|| std::panic::catch_unwind(ctx::Gpu::new).ok().flatten()).as_ref()
 }
 
+/// Create the device and compile the kernels on a background thread now (app start), so the
+/// first render doesn't wait ~0.3–0.4 s for it and the UI thread never does.
+pub fn warm_up() {
+    #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+    if !env_disabled() && GPU.get().is_none() {
+        let _ = std::thread::Builder::new().name("lc-gpu-init".into()).spawn(|| {
+            let _ = device();
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+/// Has device creation finished (successfully or not)? Never blocks — for status displays.
+pub fn ready() -> bool {
+    #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+    {
+        env_disabled() || GPU.get().is_some()
+    }
+    #[cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")]
+    {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
 /// Whether a usable GPU adapter exists and GPU rendering is enabled (creates the device on first
 /// use).
 pub fn available() -> bool {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
index 5ee69e57e..c92203028 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ pub fn inspect(app: &LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) -> Value {
         "selection": app.session.selection.ids.iter().map(|p| p.0).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
         "activeMask": app.session.active_mask,
         "widgetCount": app.widgets.len(),
-        "perf": {"frameMs": app.perf.frame_ms, "fps": app.perf.fps, "lastRenderMs": app.renderer.last_main_ms, "renderQueue": app.renderer.queued(), "rendersInFlight": app.renderer.in_flight(), "rendersDone": app.renderer.completed, "thumbTextures": app.renderer.thumb_textures(), "gpu": lightcraft_engine::gpu::available().then(lightcraft_engine::gpu::adapter_name).flatten()},
+        "perf": {"frameMs": app.perf.frame_ms, "fps": app.perf.fps, "lastRenderMs": app.renderer.last_main_ms, "renderQueue": app.renderer.queued(), "rendersInFlight": app.renderer.in_flight(), "rendersDone": app.renderer.completed, "thumbTextures": app.renderer.thumb_textures(), "gpu": (lightcraft_engine::gpu::ready() && lightcraft_engine::gpu::available()).then(lightcraft_engine::gpu::adapter_name).flatten()},
         "loupe": app.loupe_shown.map(|(p, src)| json!({"photo": p.0, "source": src, "pending": app.renderer.is_pending(crate::render::Slot::Main)})),
         "status": app.ui.status,
     })
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
index e7718c169..757301ea0 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ pub struct LightcraftApp {
 
 impl LightcraftApp {
     pub fn new(session: Session, services: Services) -> Self {
+        // GPU device + kernels off the UI thread, before the first photo is opened
+        lightcraft_engine::gpu::warm_up();
         Self {
             session,
             ui: UiState::default(),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/detail.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/detail.rs
index f3a819ca4..5abcca6a0 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/detail.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/detail.rs
@@ -146,6 +146,27 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
         let job = if interacting { job.draft() } else { job };
         app.renderer.request(Slot::Main, job, 100);
     }
+    // once this photo is on screen: prepare its neighbours in filmstrip order (source decoded and
+    // kept, view render cached) so stepping to them is instant
+    if !interacting && !app.renderer.is_pending(Slot::Main) && app.renderer.textures.get(&Slot::Main).is_some_and(|t| t.photo == id) {
+        let ids = app.session.visible_cloned();
+        if let Some(i) = ids.iter().position(|p| *p == id) {
+            let next = ids.get(i + 1).copied();
+            let prev = i.checked_sub(1).and_then(|j| ids.get(j)).copied();
+            for (n, nid) in [next, prev].into_iter().enumerate() {
+                let Some(nid) = nid else { continue };
+                let Some(np) = app.session.catalog.photo(nid).cloned() else { continue };
+                let nf = Frame::with_lens(np.width.max(1) as usize, np.height.max(1) as usize, &np.develop, !crop_tool, np.embedded_lens.as_ref());
+                let na = nf.aspect() as f32;
+                let nr = fit_rect(main_area, na, app.ui.zoom, [np.width.max(1) as usize, np.height.max(1) as usize], ppp, app.ui.pan);
+                let nw = (nr.width().max(nr.height()) * ppp).min(2560.0) as usize;
+                let (w, h) = if na >= 1.0 { (nw, (nw as f32 / na) as usize) } else { ((nw as f32 * na) as usize, nw) };
+                if let Some(job) = app.session.loupe_job(nid, w.max(8), h.max(8), !crop_tool) {
+                    app.renderer.prefetch(Slot::Prefetch(n as u8), job, PREFETCH_PRIORITY);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
     // until the loupe has this photo: show its cached render / embedded preview / a thumbnail
     if app.renderer.textures.get(&Slot::Main).is_none_or(|t| t.photo != id)
         && let Some(q) = app.session.quick_view_job(id, want.max(8), !crop_tool)
@@ -215,6 +236,9 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     resp.context_menu(|ui| super::grid::context_menu(app, ui, id));
 }
 
+/// Neighbour prefetch: below on-screen thumbnails, above background thumbnail refreshes.
+const PREFETCH_PRIORITY: u32 = 4;
+
 fn quick_name(q: lightcraft_engine::media::QuickSource) -> &'static str {
     use lightcraft_engine::media::QuickSource;
     match q {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/render.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/render.rs
index 2bb946534..e7f052f5c 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/render.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/render.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ pub enum Slot {
     Preview,
     Before,
     Compare(u8),
+    /// Background preparation of a neighbouring photo (no texture: its decoded source and view
+    /// render are cached by the engine). 0 = next, 1 = previous.
+    Prefetch(u8),
 }
 
 pub struct Tex {
@@ -62,6 +65,8 @@ pub struct Renderer {
     stages: HashMap<Slot, Arc<StageCache>>,
     /// Slot → key of the last quick job requested for it (each is tried once).
     quick_tried: HashMap<Slot, u64>,
+    /// Prefetch slot → key of the last job submitted (each runs once).
+    prefetched: HashMap<Slot, u64>,
 }
 
 impl Default for Renderer {
@@ -76,6 +81,7 @@ impl Default for Renderer {
             keep_pixels: false,
             stages: HashMap::new(),
             quick_tried: HashMap::new(),
+            prefetched: HashMap::new(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -114,6 +120,18 @@ impl Renderer {
         self.pool.submit(slot, key, priority, Box::new(move || job.run()));
     }
 
+    /// Prepare a photo in the background (a [`Slot::Prefetch`] job runs once per key; a newer one
+    /// replaces it while queued). Memory stays bounded by the engine's source caches.
+    pub fn prefetch(&mut self, slot: Slot, job: RenderJob, priority: u32) {
+        if self.prefetched.get(&slot) == Some(&job.key) {
+            return;
+        }
+        self.prefetched.insert(slot, job.key);
+        self.pending.insert(slot, (job.key, priority));
+        let key = job.key;
+        self.pool.submit(slot, key, priority, Box::new(move || job.run()));
+    }
+
     /// Is a request for `slot` queued or running?
     pub fn is_pending(&self, slot: Slot) -> bool {
         self.pending.contains_key(&slot)
@@ -160,6 +178,9 @@ impl Renderer {
             let Ok(rendered) = r.rendered else {
                 continue;
             };
+            if matches!(slot, Slot::Prefetch(_)) {
+                continue;
+            }
             if let Slot::ThumbQuick(id) = slot {
                 if self.textures.contains_key(&Slot::Thumb(id)) {
                     continue; // the real thumbnail won the race
diff --git a/docs/gpu-pipeline.md b/docs/gpu-pipeline.md
index 3dc9299d2..88f19924f 100644
--- a/docs/gpu-pipeline.md
+++ b/docs/gpu-pipeline.md
@@ -74,7 +74,19 @@ so CPU numbers are pessimistic; the GPU numbers are less affected):
 | export render 6000×4000 | 1037–1414 ms | 291–330 ms |
 
 GPU timings include the readback of the 8-bit result and the histogram. Device creation + kernel
-compilation: ~0.4 s once per process (lazily, on the first GPU render).
+compilation: ~0.4 s once per process — the desktop app starts it on a background thread at launch
+(`lightcraft_gpu::warm_up`), so the first loupe render doesn't wait for it; other processes create
+the device on their first GPU render. `lightcraft_gpu::ready()` asks without blocking.
+
+## Opening a photo (M5.4)
+- The loupe shows a stand-in at once (`media::QuickJob`): the photo's cached view render for its
+  current settings, else (raws with their import look) the embedded camera JPEG, else a
+  thumbnail-level render; the full render replaces it in place.
+- Raw sources for previews (2560 px) and thumbnails are binned straight from the mosaic
+  (`RawImage::develop_binned`, 2× for a 24 MP preview); only exports / 1:1 demosaic at full size.
+- The next and previous photos in filmstrip order are prepared in the background once the current
+  one is rendered (decoded source kept, view render cached): stepping through photos shows the
+  developed image in ~50 ms.
 
 ## Open items
 - Keep the loupe texture on the GPU (render into an `egui-wgpu` texture on eframe's device instead of