diff --git a/frontend/src/components/autotag-view/autotag-view.ts b/frontend/src/components/autotag-view/autotag-view.ts
index 13c62a3..e9a51fa 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/autotag-view/autotag-view.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/autotag-view/autotag-view.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ import { EventsOn } from '@runtime/runtime';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
 import { inlineDiff, normalizeStrict, isCosmeticDiff } from '../../utils/text-diff';
 import { libraryStore } from '../../store/library-store';
+import { notificationStore } from '../../store/notification-store';
+import { describeError, explainError } from '../../utils/describe-error';
+import { ViewLifecycleMixin } from '../../utils/view-lifecycle';
 
 type PendingItem = autotagservice.PendingItem;
 type ScoreView = autotagservice.ScoreView;
@@ -97,7 +100,13 @@ interface LengthDiffDetail {
  *  leave · U paste URL · ↑↓ navigate folders · Esc close dialogs.
  */
 @customElement('autotag-view')
-export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
+export class AutotagView extends ViewLifecycleMixin(LitElement) {
+    /* The A/S/L/U/F and arrow keys are registered shortcuts in the
+     * `autotag` panel scope, not a document listener of this view's own.
+     * Two document keydown handlers with no arbitration is finding H-2:
+     * on this page `s` both skipped the album and toggled shuffle. */
+    protected override shortcutScope = 'autotag';
+
     static override readonly styles = [
         designTokens,
         css`
@@ -1179,14 +1188,38 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
     // render the default gray question-mark icon.
     @state() private applyJobs: Map<string, ApplyJobState> = new Map();
 
+    private queueStarted = false;
     private unsubscribeLibraryStore?: () => void;
     private unsubscribeApplyEvents: Array<() => void> = [];
     private currentLibraryFilter: number | null = null;
 
-    override connectedCallback(): void {
-        super.connectedCallback();
-        document.addEventListener('keydown', this.onKeydown);
-        document.addEventListener('mousedown', this.onDocumentClickForMenu);
+    /** Everything here is torn down when the view leaves the screen, not
+     *  when it is disconnected — which never happens, because the view
+     *  is cached (see utils/view-lifecycle.ts). */
+    protected override onViewActivate(): void {
+        this.listenWhileActive(document, 'keydown', this.onKeydown as EventListener);
+        this.listenWhileActive(
+            document,
+            'mousedown',
+            this.onDocumentClickForMenu as EventListener,
+        );
+
+        for (const [event, handler] of [
+            ['shortcut:autotag-apply', () => void this.onApply()],
+            ['shortcut:autotag-skip', () => void this.onSkip()],
+            ['shortcut:autotag-leave', () => void this.onLeave()],
+            ['shortcut:autotag-paste', () => { this.dialog = 'paste'; }],
+            ['shortcut:autotag-search', () => this.openSearch()],
+            ['shortcut:autotag-next', () => void this.navigateFolder(1)],
+            ['shortcut:autotag-previous', () => void this.navigateFolder(-1)],
+        ] as Array<[string, () => void]>) {
+            this.listenWhileActive(document, event, () => {
+                // A dialog owns the keyboard while it is open.
+                if (this.dialog !== 'none') return;
+                handler();
+            });
+        }
+
         // Track the global library filter so the autotag queue
         // shows only folders from the currently-selected library.
         // null means "all libraries", which the backend treats as
@@ -1201,7 +1234,7 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
 
         // Listen for per-job progress events so the sidebar can
         // render running/completed/failed indicators.  EventsOn
-        // returns an unsubscribe; collected and called on disconnect.
+        // returns an unsubscribe; collected and called on deactivate.
         this.unsubscribeApplyEvents.push(
             EventsOn(Events.AutotagApplyStarted, (data: { groupKey: string; total: number }) => {
                 this.onApplyStarted(data);
@@ -1228,14 +1261,21 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
             }),
         );
 
-        void this.startQueue();
+        // Starting the queue resets the selection and refetches
+        // candidates over the network, so it happens once.  Returning to
+        // the page only needs the folder list, which is local and may
+        // have moved while the page was away.
+        if (this.queueStarted) {
+            void this.loadFolders();
+        } else {
+            this.queueStarted = true;
+            void this.startQueue();
+        }
     }
 
-    override disconnectedCallback(): void {
-        super.disconnectedCallback();
-        document.removeEventListener('keydown', this.onKeydown);
-        document.removeEventListener('mousedown', this.onDocumentClickForMenu);
+    protected override onViewDeactivate(): void {
         this.unsubscribeLibraryStore?.();
+        this.unsubscribeLibraryStore = undefined;
         for (const fn of this.unsubscribeApplyEvents) fn();
         this.unsubscribeApplyEvents = [];
         if (this.prefetchRefreshTimer !== undefined) {
@@ -1279,17 +1319,44 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
     private async onApplyFinished({ groupKey, succeeded, failed, error }:
         { groupKey: string; succeeded: number; failed: number; error: string }): Promise<void> {
         const allFailed = error !== '' || (succeeded === 0 && failed > 0);
+
+        // Some files carry the new tags and some the old, and there is
+        // no way to discover that later: Blocking, by the plan's rule
+        // (errors.C3).
+        if (succeeded > 0 && failed > 0) {
+            this.updateApplyJob(groupKey, {
+                state: 'failed',
+                error: `${failed} of ${succeeded + failed} tracks failed`,
+            });
+            notificationStore.blocking({
+                key: `autotag-partial:${groupKey}`,
+                title: 'This folder was only partly retagged',
+                text: `${succeeded} of ${succeeded + failed} tracks were written; ${failed} were not. The folder now holds a mix of old and new tags.`,
+                detail: error || undefined,
+            });
+            await this.loadFolders();
+
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (allFailed) {
             this.updateApplyJob(groupKey, {
                 state: 'failed',
                 error: error || `${failed} of ${failed} tracks failed`,
             });
-            // Toast the error so the user sees it.
-            this.errorMessage = error
-                ? `Apply failed: ${error}`
-                : `Apply failed: ${failed} of ${failed} tracks could not be written.`;
+            // Nothing was written, so nothing is inconsistent: this is
+            // something to retry, not something to interrupt for.
+            notificationStore.persistent({
+                key: 'autotag-apply',
+                title: 'Tags not written',
+                text: error
+                    ? explainError(error, 'That folder could not be retagged.')
+                    : `None of the ${failed} tracks in that folder could be written.`,
+                detail: error || undefined,
+            });
             // Refresh so the row picks up any DB state change.
             await this.loadFolders();
+
             return;
         }
 
@@ -1327,16 +1394,44 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
     private onWarningCancel = () => { this.dialog = 'none'; };
     private onWarningContinue = async () => {
         if (!this.current) return;
+
         this.markWarningAcked(this.current.libraryId);
-        await AckLibraryWarning(this.current.libraryId);
-        this.dialog = 'none';
+
+        // Unwrapped, a rejection here meant the lines after it — the
+        // one that closes the dialog — never ran, and the dialog sat
+        // there forever (errors.m6).
+        try {
+            await AckLibraryWarning(this.current.libraryId);
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error('autotag: could not record the warning ack', err);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'That acknowledgement could not be saved.',
+            );
+        } finally {
+            this.dialog = 'none';
+        }
+
         await this.executeApply();
     };
     private onLeaveCancel = () => { this.dialog = 'none'; };
     private onLeaveConfirm = async () => {
         if (!this.current) return;
+
         this.dialog = 'none';
-        await LeaveAsIs(this.current.groupKey);
+
+        try {
+            await LeaveAsIs(this.current.groupKey);
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error('autotag: leave-as-is failed', err);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'That folder could not be left as it is.',
+            );
+
+            return;
+        }
+
         await this.refreshAfterAction();
     };
 
@@ -1364,7 +1459,11 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
                 this.searchKind, query, this.searchArtist.trim(),
             );
         } catch (err) {
-            this.searchError = `Search failed: ${(err as Error).message}`;
+            console.error('autotag: candidate search failed', err);
+            this.searchError = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The catalog search did not answer.',
+            );
             this.searchResults = [];
         } finally {
             this.searchLoading = false;
@@ -1380,7 +1479,11 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
             this.score = await SelectSearchCandidate(groupKey, hit.kind, hit.mbid);
             this.selectedCandidateIdx = 0;
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = `Failed to load candidate: ${(err as Error).message}`;
+            console.error('autotag: could not load candidate', err);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'That candidate could not be loaded.',
+            );
         } finally {
             this.loading = false;
         }
@@ -1399,7 +1502,11 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
             await this.loadFolders();
             await this.reconcileSelection();
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = `Clear completed failed: ${(err as Error).message}`;
+            console.error('autotag: clear completed failed', err);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The completed folders could not be cleared.',
+            );
         }
     };
 
@@ -1470,7 +1577,11 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
             const list = await ListPendingFolders(this.libraryFilterID());
             this.folders = list ?? [];
         } catch (e) {
-            this.errorMessage = `Failed to load pending folders: ${(e as Error).message}`;
+            console.error('autotag: could not load pending folders', e);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                e,
+                'The pending folders could not be loaded.',
+            );
         }
     }
 
@@ -1517,7 +1628,11 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
                 await this.loadCandidates(this.current.groupKey);
             }
         } catch (e) {
-            this.errorMessage = `Failed to load folder: ${(e as Error).message}`;
+            console.error('autotag: could not load folder', e);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                e,
+                'That folder could not be loaded.',
+            );
         }
     }
 
@@ -1548,7 +1663,11 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
             this.score = result;
         } catch (e) {
             if (this.current?.groupKey !== groupKey) return;
-            this.errorMessage = `Failed to score candidates: ${(e as Error).message}`;
+            console.error('autotag: could not score candidates', e);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                e,
+                'The candidates for this folder could not be scored.',
+            );
         } finally {
             this.loading = false;
         }
@@ -1647,8 +1766,14 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
             // from the UI, but defensive); other errors clear the
             // running state and surface a toast.
             if (!msg.includes('apply already in flight')) {
+                console.error('autotag: apply failed to start', e);
                 this.updateApplyJob(groupKey, { state: 'failed', error: msg });
-                this.errorMessage = `Apply failed: ${msg}`;
+                notificationStore.persistent({
+                    key: 'autotag-apply',
+                    title: 'Tags not written',
+                    text: explainError(e, 'That folder could not be retagged.'),
+                    detail: msg,
+                });
             }
         });
 
@@ -1659,17 +1784,43 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
 
     private async onSkip(): Promise<void> {
         if (!this.current) return;
-        await Skip(this.current.groupKey);
+
+        try {
+            await Skip(this.current.groupKey);
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error('autotag: skip failed', err);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'That folder could not be skipped.',
+            );
+
+            return;
+        }
+
         await this.refreshAfterAction();
     }
 
     private async onLeave(): Promise<void> {
         if (!this.current) return;
+
         if (this.topScore() < CONFIDENT_SCORE) {
             this.dialog = 'leave';
+
             return;
         }
-        await LeaveAsIs(this.current.groupKey);
+
+        try {
+            await LeaveAsIs(this.current.groupKey);
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error('autotag: leave-as-is failed', err);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'That folder could not be left as it is.',
+            );
+
+            return;
+        }
+
         await this.refreshAfterAction();
     }
 
@@ -1684,7 +1835,11 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
             this.dialog = 'none';
             this.pasteURL = '';
         } catch (e) {
-            this.errorMessage = `Paste URL failed: ${(e as Error).message}`;
+            console.error('autotag: paste URL failed', e);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                e,
+                'That release URL could not be used.',
+            );
         } finally {
             this.loading = false;
         }
@@ -1703,47 +1858,16 @@ export class AutotagView extends LitElement {
         }
     }
 
+    /** Escape closes this view's hand-rolled dialogs.  Everything else
+     *  the page binds is a registered shortcut in the `autotag` panel
+     *  scope, so the shortcut service is the only thing deciding what a
+     *  key means — including on the pages this view is not on. */
     private onKeydown = (e: KeyboardEvent): void => {
-        const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
-        if (target && (
-            target.tagName === 'INPUT' ||
-            target.tagName === 'TEXTAREA' ||
-            target.isContentEditable
-        )) {
-            if (e.key === 'Escape' && this.dialog !== 'none') {
-                e.preventDefault();
-                this.dialog = 'none';
-                this.pasteURL = '';
-            }
-            return;
-        }
+        if (e.key !== 'Escape' || this.dialog === 'none') return;
 
-        if (e.key === 'Escape') {
-            if (this.dialog !== 'none') {
-                e.preventDefault();
-                this.dialog = 'none';
-                this.pasteURL = '';
-            }
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if (this.dialog !== 'none') return;
-
-        switch (e.key.toLowerCase()) {
-            case 'a': e.preventDefault(); void this.onApply(); break;
-            case 's': e.preventDefault(); void this.onSkip(); break;
-            case 'l': e.preventDefault(); void this.onLeave(); break;
-            case 'u': e.preventDefault(); this.dialog = 'paste'; break;
-            case 'f': e.preventDefault(); this.openSearch(); break;
-            case 'arrowdown':
-                e.preventDefault();
-                void this.navigateFolder(1);
-                break;
-            case 'arrowup':
-                e.preventDefault();
-                void this.navigateFolder(-1);
-                break;
-        }
+        e.preventDefault();
+        this.dialog = 'none';
+        this.pasteURL = '';
     };
 
     /* ── Version clustering ── */
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/config-page/config-page.ts b/frontend/src/components/config-page/config-page.ts
index f5a4ddd..3412084 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/config-page/config-page.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/config-page/config-page.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ import {
     GetScanConcurrency,
     SetScanConcurrency,
 } from '@go/config/Config';
+import { GetIndexStatus } from '@go/explore/Service';
 import { DirectoryPicker } from '@go/frontendutil/FrontendUtil';
+import { notificationStore } from '@store/notification-store';
+import { describeError, explainError } from '@utils/describe-error';
 import type { library } from '@go/models';
 import { ThemeController } from '@store/controllers/theme-controller';
 import { TrackListController } from '@store/controllers/tracklist-controller';
@@ -22,6 +25,7 @@ import { FavoritesController } from '@store/controllers/favorites-controller';
 import { GetAllPlaylists } from '@go/playlist/Service';
 import type { playlist } from '@go/models';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
+import { ViewLifecycleMixin } from '../../utils/view-lifecycle';
 import type { ConfigFieldChangeEvent } from './config-field';
 import type { BackgroundShade } from '@store/theme-store';
 import type { IconStyle } from '@store/favorites-store';
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@ const SCROLL_CHANGE_EVENT = 'yj-scroll-mode-changed';
 // ===================================================================
 
 @customElement('config-page')
-export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
+export class ConfigPage extends ViewLifecycleMixin(LitElement) {
     // --- Theme controller for reading/writing theme state ---
     private themeCtrl = new ThemeController(this);
 
@@ -164,6 +168,48 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
             scope: 'panel:track-list',
             defaultKey: 'Delete',
         },
+        'autotag.apply': {
+            label: 'Apply Match',
+            category: 'Autotag',
+            scope: 'panel:autotag',
+            defaultKey: 'A',
+        },
+        'autotag.skip': {
+            label: 'Skip Folder',
+            category: 'Autotag',
+            scope: 'panel:autotag',
+            defaultKey: 'S',
+        },
+        'autotag.leave': {
+            label: 'Leave As Is',
+            category: 'Autotag',
+            scope: 'panel:autotag',
+            defaultKey: 'L',
+        },
+        'autotag.paste': {
+            label: 'Paste Release URL',
+            category: 'Autotag',
+            scope: 'panel:autotag',
+            defaultKey: 'U',
+        },
+        'autotag.search': {
+            label: 'Search Candidates',
+            category: 'Autotag',
+            scope: 'panel:autotag',
+            defaultKey: 'F',
+        },
+        'autotag.next': {
+            label: 'Next Folder',
+            category: 'Autotag',
+            scope: 'panel:autotag',
+            defaultKey: 'Down',
+        },
+        'autotag.previous': {
+            label: 'Previous Folder',
+            category: 'Autotag',
+            scope: 'panel:autotag',
+            defaultKey: 'Up',
+        },
     };
 
     // --- Now Playing state ---
@@ -179,20 +225,20 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
     @state() private removingLibraryId: number | null = null;
     @state() private removalImpact: library.RemovalImpact | null = null;
     @state() private isRemoving = false;
-    @state() private toastMessage = '';
-    @state() private toastVisible = false;
     @state() private activeMenuId: number | null = null;
     @state() private concurrencyMode = 'auto';
     @state() private indexStatus: explore.IndexStatus | null = null;
+    /** Three states, not one: the panel used to say "Loading status…"
+     *  for the entire session, because the only thing that ever set
+     *  `indexStatus` was an event that fires on *change* (errors.M3). */
+    @state() private indexStatusFailed = false;
     @state() private shortcutConflict: {
         newAction: string;
         newKey: string;
         existingAction: string;
     } | null = null;
 
-    private toastTimer?: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
     private cancelIndexStatus?: () => void;
-    private indexPollTimer?: ReturnType<typeof setInterval>;
     private cancelLibraryAdded?: () => void;
     private cancelLibraryRenamed?: () => void;
     private cancelLibraryRemoved?: () => void;
@@ -805,35 +851,6 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
             );
         }
 
-        .toast {
-            position: fixed;
-            bottom: 80px;
-            left: 50%;
-            transform: translateX(-50%);
-            background: var(--yj-bg-surface, #2a2a2a);
-            color: var(--yj-text-primary, #fff);
-            padding: 0.75em 1.5em;
-            border-radius: 8px;
-            box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
-            font-size: var(--yj-text-sm, 13px);
-            z-index: 2000;
-            border: 1px solid var(--yj-border, #444);
-            animation: toast-in 0.2s ease-out;
-        }
-
-        @keyframes toast-in {
-            from {
-                opacity: 0;
-                transform: translateX(-50%)
-                    translateY(10px);
-            }
-            to {
-                opacity: 1;
-                transform: translateX(-50%)
-                    translateY(0);
-            }
-        }
-
         .spinner {
             display: inline-block;
             width: 14px;
@@ -982,14 +999,31 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
             color: var(--yj-text-tertiary, #888);
         }
 
+        .index-status-failed {
+            align-items: center;
+            color: var(--yj-text-secondary, #b3b3b3);
+            display: flex;
+            font-size: var(--yj-text-sm);
+            gap: 0.5em;
+        }
+
+        .index-status-failed .link {
+            background: none;
+            border: none;
+            color: var(--yj-accent, #ffd43b);
+            cursor: pointer;
+            font: inherit;
+            padding: 0;
+            text-decoration: underline;
+        }
+
     `;
 
     // ===================================================================
     // LIFECYCLE
     // ===================================================================
 
-    override connectedCallback(): void {
-        super.connectedCallback();
+    protected override onViewActivate(): void {
         void this.loadLibraries();
         void this.loadPlaylists();
         this.scrollMode =
@@ -1010,28 +1044,27 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
             () => void this.loadLibraries(),
         );
 
-        document.addEventListener('click', this.handleDocumentClick);
+        this.listenWhileActive(document, 'click', this.handleDocumentClick);
 
         // Listen for index status events (pushed from Go, no binding calls).
         this.cancelIndexStatus = EventsOn(
             Events.IndexStatusChanged,
             (status: explore.IndexStatus) => {
-                console.log('IndexStatusChanged event received', status);
                 this.indexStatus = status;
+                this.indexStatusFailed = false;
             },
         );
+
+        // …and pull the current one, because that event only fires when
+        // a build *changes* state, and the steady state is no build.
+        void this.loadIndexStatus();
     }
 
-    override disconnectedCallback(): void {
-        super.disconnectedCallback();
+    protected override onViewDeactivate(): void {
         this.cancelLibraryAdded?.();
         this.cancelLibraryRenamed?.();
         this.cancelLibraryRemoved?.();
 
-        document.removeEventListener('click', this.handleDocumentClick);
-
-        if (this.toastTimer) clearTimeout(this.toastTimer);
-        if (this.indexPollTimer) clearInterval(this.indexPollTimer);
         this.cancelIndexStatus?.();
     }
 
@@ -1058,17 +1091,29 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
     // ===================================================================
 
     private handleAddLibrary = async (): Promise<void> => {
-        try {
-            const dir = await DirectoryPicker();
+        let dir = '';
 
-            if (dir) {
-                await AddLibrary(dir);
-            }
+        try {
+            dir = await DirectoryPicker();
+
+            if (!dir) return;
+
+            await AddLibrary(dir);
         } catch (err) {
-            console.error(
-                'Failed to add library:',
-                err,
-            );
+            console.error('Failed to add library:', err);
+            notificationStore.persistent({
+                key: 'library-add',
+                title: 'Library not added',
+                text: explainError(
+                    err,
+                    'That folder could not be added as a library.',
+                ),
+                detail: dir,
+                action: {
+                    label: 'Try again',
+                    run: () => void this.handleAddLibrary(),
+                },
+            });
         }
     };
 
@@ -1083,10 +1128,21 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
             e.preventDefault();
 
             if (this.editingLibraryId !== null && this.editingName.trim()) {
+                const name = this.editingName.trim();
+
                 try {
-                    await RenameLibrary(this.editingLibraryId, this.editingName.trim());
+                    await RenameLibrary(this.editingLibraryId, name);
                 } catch (err) {
                     console.error('Failed to rename library:', err);
+                    notificationStore.persistent({
+                        key: 'library-rename',
+                        title: 'Library not renamed',
+                        text: explainError(
+                            err,
+                            `“${name}” could not be used as a library name.`,
+                        ),
+                        detail: String(err),
+                    });
                 }
             }
 
@@ -1130,16 +1186,23 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
             this.removingLibraryId = null;
             this.removalImpact = null;
             this.isRemoving = false;
-            this.showToast(
-                `Removed '${libName}' (${summary?.tracksDeleted ?? 0} tracks deleted)`,
-            );
+            notificationStore.transient({
+                tone: 'success',
+                key: 'library-remove',
+                text: `Removed “${libName}” — ${summary?.tracksDeleted ?? 0} tracks deleted.`,
+            });
             void this.loadLibraries();
         } catch (err) {
             this.isRemoving = false;
             this.removingLibraryId = null;
             this.removalImpact = null;
             console.error('Failed to remove library:', err);
-            this.showToast(`Failed to remove '${libName}': ${String(err)}`);
+            notificationStore.persistent({
+                key: 'library-remove',
+                title: 'Library not removed',
+                text: `Could not remove “${libName}”. ${describeError(err)}`,
+                detail: String(err),
+            });
         }
     };
 
@@ -1165,15 +1228,14 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
         }
     };
 
-    private showToast(message: string): void {
-        this.toastMessage = message;
-        this.toastVisible = true;
-
-        if (this.toastTimer) clearTimeout(this.toastTimer);
-
-        this.toastTimer = setTimeout(() => {
-            this.toastVisible = false;
-        }, 8000);
+    private async loadIndexStatus(): Promise<void> {
+        try {
+            this.indexStatus = await GetIndexStatus();
+            this.indexStatusFailed = false;
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error('Failed to read index status:', err);
+            this.indexStatusFailed = true;
+        }
     }
 
     private handleConcurrencyChange = (
@@ -1184,12 +1246,19 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
         SetScanConcurrency(mode)
             .then(() => {
                 this.concurrencyMode = mode;
-                this.showToast(
-                    'Storage type saved. Takes effect on next scan.',
-                );
+                notificationStore.transient({
+                    tone: 'success',
+                    key: 'storage-type',
+                    text: 'Storage type saved. Takes effect on next scan.',
+                });
             })
             .catch((err: unknown) => {
-                this.showToast(`Failed to save storage type: ${err}`);
+                console.error('Failed to save storage type:', err);
+                notificationStore.transient({
+                    key: 'storage-type',
+                    text: `Could not save the storage type. ${describeError(err)}`,
+                    detail: String(err),
+                });
             });
     };
 
@@ -1511,7 +1580,7 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
                                                         ? html`<span class="tier-detail">${t.detail}</span>`
                                                         : nothing}
                                                     ${t.state === 'error'
-                                                        ? html`<span class="tier-error">${t.error}</span>`
+                                                        ? html`<span class="tier-error">${describeError(t.error, 'This part of the index could not be built.')}</span>`
                                                         : nothing}
                                                 </div>
                                             `,
@@ -1527,7 +1596,18 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
                                         ? html`<div class="index-waiting">Waiting for index build…</div>`
                                         : nothing}
                         `
-                        : html`<div class="index-loading">Loading status…</div>`}
+                        : this.indexStatusFailed
+                            ? html`<div class="index-status-failed">
+                                  <span>The index status could not be read.</span>
+                                  <button
+                                      type="button"
+                                      class="link"
+                                      @click=${() => void this.loadIndexStatus()}
+                                  >
+                                      Retry
+                                  </button>
+                              </div>`
+                            : html`<div class="index-loading">Loading status…</div>`}
                 </div>
             </config-section>
         `;
@@ -2133,10 +2213,6 @@ export class ConfigPage extends LitElement {
                       `
                     : nothing}
             </config-section>
-
-            ${this.toastVisible
-                ? html`<div class="toast">${this.toastMessage}</div>`
-                : nothing}
         `;
     }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/config-page/download-clients.ts b/frontend/src/components/config-page/download-clients.ts
index 2efa1d8..3581e60 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/config-page/download-clients.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/config-page/download-clients.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import { DirectoryPicker } from '@go/frontendutil/FrontendUtil';
 import { GetDownloadPreferences, SetDownloadPreferences } from '@go/config/Config';
 import { SetPreferences } from '@go/download/Service';
 import type { download } from '@go/models';
+import { describeError, explainError } from '@utils/describe-error';
+import { confirmAction } from '@components/confirm-dialog/confirm-dialog';
 import './config-section';
 
 /**
@@ -416,7 +418,7 @@ export class DownloadClients extends LitElement {
                         size="small"
                         appearance="plain"
                         variant="danger"
-                        @click=${() => this.deleteProvider(provider)}
+                        @click=${() => void this.deleteProvider(provider)}
                     >
                         Remove
                     </wa-button>
@@ -643,7 +645,11 @@ export class DownloadClients extends LitElement {
 
             this.cancelEdit();
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = String(err);
+            console.error('Failed to add download client:', err);
+            this.errorMessage = explainError(
+                err,
+                'That client could not be saved.',
+            );
         }
     };
 
@@ -670,7 +676,11 @@ export class DownloadClients extends LitElement {
 
             this.cancelEdit();
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = String(err);
+            console.error('Failed to save download client:', err);
+            this.errorMessage = explainError(
+                err,
+                'Those changes could not be saved.',
+            );
         }
     }
 
@@ -685,13 +695,33 @@ export class DownloadClients extends LitElement {
         return out;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Removing a client discards its stored credentials, which cannot
+     * be recovered — and it used to happen on one click (errors.m4).
+     */
     private async deleteProvider(provider: DownloadProvider) {
+        const ok = await confirmAction({
+            title: `Remove “${provider.name}”?`,
+            message:
+                'YellowJacket will stop using this client for downloads.',
+            impact:
+                'Its stored credentials are deleted and cannot be recovered.',
+            confirmLabel: 'Remove client',
+            danger: true,
+        });
+
+        if (!ok) return;
+
         this.errorMessage = '';
 
         try {
             await downloadStore.deleteProvider(provider.id);
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = String(err);
+            console.error('Failed to remove download client:', err);
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'That client could not be removed.',
+            );
         }
     }
 
@@ -706,6 +736,9 @@ export class DownloadClients extends LitElement {
                 [provider.id]: { ok: true, message: 'Connected.' },
             };
         } catch (err) {
+            // Deliberately verbatim: a connection test's error is the
+            // user's debugging tool for a misconfigured client, and is
+            // the documented exception to describeError() (errors.M9).
             this.testResults = {
                 ...this.testResults,
                 [provider.id]: { ok: false, message: String(err) },
@@ -740,7 +773,11 @@ export class DownloadClients extends LitElement {
             await SetPreferences(this.prefs);
             this.prefsSaved = true;
         } catch (err) {
-            this.prefsError = String(err);
+            console.error('Failed to save download preferences:', err);
+            this.prefsError = describeError(
+                err,
+                'Those preferences could not be saved.',
+            );
         } finally {
             this.prefsSaving = false;
         }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/download-picker/download-picker.ts b/frontend/src/components/download-picker/download-picker.ts
index 226ac63..3888985 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/download-picker/download-picker.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/download-picker/download-picker.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import type { DownloadCandidate } from '@store/download-store';
 import { downloadStore } from '@store/download-store';
 import type { download } from '@go/models';
 import './candidate-row';
+import { explainError } from '@utils/describe-error';
 
 /**
  * The "find this album" dialog: searches every enabled download client,
@@ -123,8 +124,17 @@ export class DownloadPicker extends LitElement {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Monotonic search version. Closing and reopening the dialog for a
+     * different album used to let the first search's result overwrite
+     * the second's (errors.m8); the guard is `explore-view`'s.
+     */
+    private searchVersion = 0;
+
     /** Runs the search that populates the dialog. */
     private async search(): Promise<void> {
+        const version = ++this.searchVersion;
+
         this.searching = true;
         this.errorMessage = '';
         this.candidates = [];
@@ -141,13 +151,23 @@ export class DownloadPicker extends LitElement {
                 expected: this.expected ?? [],
             } as download.SearchRequest);
 
+            if (version !== this.searchVersion) return;
+
             this.downloadId = result.downloadId;
             this.candidates = result.candidates ?? [];
             this.autoPicked = result.autoPicked;
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = String(err);
+            if (version !== this.searchVersion) return;
+
+            console.error('download search failed', err);
+            this.errorMessage = explainError(
+                err,
+                'The search did not finish.',
+            );
         } finally {
-            this.searching = false;
+            if (version === this.searchVersion) {
+                this.searching = false;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -161,7 +181,11 @@ export class DownloadPicker extends LitElement {
             await downloadStore.pick(this.downloadId, event.detail.candidateId);
             this.close();
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = String(err);
+            console.error('download pick failed', err);
+            this.errorMessage = explainError(
+                err,
+                'That download could not be started.',
+            );
         } finally {
             this.picking = false;
         }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/downloads-view/downloads-view.ts b/frontend/src/components/downloads-view/downloads-view.ts
index 7cfd315..53c833a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/downloads-view/downloads-view.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/downloads-view/downloads-view.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import { designTokens } from '../../styles/tokens.css';
 import { downloadStore, stateLabel } from '@store/download-store';
 import type { Request, RequestSummary, DownloadView as DownloadRecord } from '@store/download-store';
 import { libraryStore } from '@store/library-store';
+import { notificationStore } from '@store/notification-store';
+import { describeError } from '@utils/describe-error';
+import { confirmAction } from '../confirm-dialog/confirm-dialog';
+import { ViewLifecycleMixin } from '../../utils/view-lifecycle';
 
 type Tab = 'requests' | 'downloads';
 
@@ -22,7 +26,7 @@ type Tab = 'requests' | 'downloads';
  * attempt history nothing rendered before this page existed.
  */
 @customElement('downloads-view')
-export class DownloadsView extends LitElement {
+export class DownloadsView extends ViewLifecycleMixin(LitElement) {
     @state() private tab: Tab = 'requests';
 
     @state() private requests: Request[] = [];
@@ -39,7 +43,6 @@ export class DownloadsView extends LitElement {
     /** Ticks so "next check in …" ages while the page is open. */
     @state() private nowMs = Date.now();
 
-    private clockTimer?: ReturnType<typeof setInterval>;
 
     private unsubscribe: (() => void) | null = null;
 
@@ -196,9 +199,7 @@ export class DownloadsView extends LitElement {
         `,
     ];
 
-    override connectedCallback(): void {
-        super.connectedCallback();
-
+    protected override onViewActivate(): void {
         this.unsubscribe = downloadStore.subscribe(() => {
             this.requests = downloadStore.requests;
             this.downloads = downloadStore.downloads;
@@ -212,18 +213,16 @@ export class DownloadsView extends LitElement {
         });
 
         // A "next check" that never moves reads as a stuck page, so the
-        // relative times re-render on their own.
-        this.clockTimer = setInterval(() => {
+        // relative times re-render on their own — while the page is on
+        // screen, where a re-render can be seen.
+        this.intervalWhileActive(() => {
             this.nowMs = Date.now();
         }, 30_000);
     }
 
-    override disconnectedCallback(): void {
-        super.disconnectedCallback();
-
+    protected override onViewDeactivate(): void {
         this.unsubscribe?.();
         this.unsubscribe = null;
-        clearInterval(this.clockTimer);
     }
 
     override render() {
@@ -295,8 +294,7 @@ export class DownloadsView extends LitElement {
                           <wa-button
                               size="small"
                               appearance="plain"
-                              @click=${() =>
-                                  void downloadStore.clearSatisfiedRequests()}
+                              @click=${() => void this.clearSatisfied()}
                           >
                               Clear found
                           </wa-button>
@@ -450,11 +448,7 @@ export class DownloadsView extends LitElement {
                               <wa-button
                                   size="small"
                                   appearance="plain"
-                                  @click=${() =>
-                                      void downloadStore.pauseRequest(
-                                          request.id,
-                                          request.state !== 'paused',
-                                      )}
+                                  @click=${() => void this.pause(request)}
                               >
                                   ${request.state === 'paused' ? 'Resume' : 'Pause'}
                               </wa-button>
@@ -470,13 +464,77 @@ export class DownloadsView extends LitElement {
             <wa-button
                 size="small"
                 appearance="plain"
-                @click=${() => void downloadStore.removeRequest(request.id)}
+                aria-label="Stop following"
+                @click=${() => void this.removeRequest(request)}
             >
                 <wa-icon name="xmark"></wa-icon>
             </wa-button>
         `;
     }
 
+    /** What to call a request in a sentence. */
+    private static describeRequest(request: Request): string {
+        return request.artist || request.title || request.mbid || 'that request';
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removing a durable request used to be one unconfirmed click with
+     * the promise thrown away (errors.M7) — on a subscription the user
+     * may have been building for months.
+     */
+    private async removeRequest(request: Request): Promise<void> {
+        const name = DownloadsView.describeRequest(request);
+        const ok = await confirmAction({
+            title: `Stop following “${name}”?`,
+            message:
+                request.scope === 'all'
+                    ? 'YellowJacket will stop looking for this artist’s releases.'
+                    : 'YellowJacket will stop looking for this release.',
+            impact: 'Anything already downloaded stays in your library.',
+            confirmLabel: 'Stop following',
+            danger: true,
+        });
+
+        if (!ok) return;
+
+        try {
+            await downloadStore.removeRequest(request.id);
+        } catch (err) {
+            this.report(`remove “${name}”`, err);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private async pause(request: Request): Promise<void> {
+        const paused = request.state !== 'paused';
+
+        try {
+            await downloadStore.pauseRequest(request.id, paused);
+        } catch (err) {
+            this.report(
+                `${paused ? 'pause' : 'resume'} “${DownloadsView.describeRequest(request)}”`,
+                err,
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    private async clearSatisfied(): Promise<void> {
+        try {
+            await downloadStore.clearSatisfiedRequests();
+        } catch (err) {
+            this.report('clear the found requests', err);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** Persistent: the row is still there, and retrying is the point. */
+    private report(what: string, err: unknown): void {
+        console.error(`downloads: could not ${what}`, err);
+        notificationStore.persistent({
+            key: 'download-request',
+            text: `Could not ${what}. ${describeError(err)}`,
+            detail: String(err),
+        });
+    }
+
     /** Widens or narrows what an artist subscription covers. */
     private async toggleScope(request: Request): Promise<void> {
         try {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/explore-album-details/explore-album-details.ts b/frontend/src/components/explore-album-details/explore-album-details.ts
index e387488..60fad2e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/explore-album-details/explore-album-details.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/explore-album-details/explore-album-details.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ type MBTrack = explore.MBTrack;
 import { exploreCache } from '../../store/explore-cache';
 import { libraryStore } from '../../store/library-store';
 import { artistLink, exploreLinkStyles } from '../../utils/explore-link';
+import { describeError } from '../../utils/describe-error';
 import { EventsOn } from '@runtime/runtime';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
 import '@awesome.me/webawesome/dist/components/icon/icon.js';
@@ -664,22 +665,13 @@ export class ExploreAlbumDetails extends LitElement {
 
         // Local-only album (no MBID) — populate entirely from library.
         if (!mbid && this.localAlbumId) {
-            console.log(
-                `[explore-album] loading local-only: "${this.albumName}" (id=${this.localAlbumId})`,
-            );
 
             await this.hydrateLocalOnly();
 
-            console.log(
-                `[explore-album] loaded (local-only): "${this.albumName}"`,
-            );
 
             return;
         }
 
-        console.log(
-            `[explore-album] loading: "${this.albumName}" (${mbid})`,
-        );
 
         // Phase 0: hydrate from explore cache (instant).
         const cached = exploreCache.getAlbum(mbid);
@@ -692,7 +684,6 @@ export class ExploreAlbumDetails extends LitElement {
                 primaryType: 'Album',
             } as MBReleaseGroup;
             this.loadingInfo = false;
-            console.log(`[explore-album] hydrated from cache: "${cached.title}"`);
         }
 
         // Phase 1: hydrate tracklist from local library if available.
@@ -712,9 +703,6 @@ export class ExploreAlbumDetails extends LitElement {
         // Fire cover art resolution immediately — doesn't wait for release group.
         this.resolveCoverArt();
 
-        console.log(
-            `[explore-album] data requests fired: "${this.albumName}" (${mbid})`,
-        );
     }
 
     /**
@@ -874,9 +862,6 @@ export class ExploreAlbumDetails extends LitElement {
         this.buildClusters();
         this.loadingReleases = false;
 
-        console.log(
-            `[explore-album] hydrated ${localTracks.length} tracks from library`,
-        );
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -908,9 +893,11 @@ export class ExploreAlbumDetails extends LitElement {
             this.releaseGroup = await LookupReleaseGroup(mbid);
             this.resolveCoverArt();
         } catch (err) {
-            const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            this.errorInfo = msg;
-            console.error(`[explore-album] LookupReleaseGroup error: ${msg}`);
+            console.error('[explore-album] LookupReleaseGroup error', err);
+            this.errorInfo = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The catalog did not answer for this album.',
+            );
         } finally {
             this.loadingInfo = false;
         }
@@ -965,9 +952,11 @@ export class ExploreAlbumDetails extends LitElement {
                 this.catalogPending = false;
             }
         } catch (err) {
-            const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            this.errorReleases = msg;
-            console.error(`[explore-album] BrowseReleases error: ${msg}`);
+            console.error('[explore-album] BrowseReleases error', err);
+            this.errorReleases = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The catalog did not answer for this album\u2019s versions.',
+            );
             this.loadingReleases = false;
             this.catalogPending = false;
         }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/explore-artist-details/explore-artist-details.ts b/frontend/src/components/explore-artist-details/explore-artist-details.ts
index 403cf9a..dba15a3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/explore-artist-details/explore-artist-details.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/explore-artist-details/explore-artist-details.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import { libraryStore } from '../../store/library-store';
 import { downloadStore } from '../../store/download-store';
 import '@awesome.me/webawesome/dist/components/button/button.js';
 import { trackLink, exploreLinkStyles } from '../../utils/explore-link';
+import { describeError } from '../../utils/describe-error';
 import { GetAlbumsByArtist } from '@go/library/Library';
 import { EventsOn } from '@runtime/runtime';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
@@ -1014,9 +1015,6 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
 
         // Local-only artist (no MBID) — populate from library store.
         if (!mbid && this.localArtistId) {
-            console.log(
-                `[explore-artist] loading local-only: "${this.artistName}" (id=${this.localArtistId})`,
-            );
 
             this.loadingArtist = false;
             this.loadingTracks = false;
@@ -1027,16 +1025,10 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
 
             this.hydrateLocalOnly();
 
-            console.log(
-                `[explore-artist] loaded (local-only): "${this.artistName}"`,
-            );
 
             return;
         }
 
-        console.log(
-            `[explore-artist] loading: "${this.artistName}" (${mbid})`,
-        );
 
         // Phase 0: hydrate from caches (instant, no Go calls).
         this.hydrateFromCache(mbid);
@@ -1068,9 +1060,6 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
 
         // checkLibrary now runs from fetchReleaseGroups when data arrives.
 
-        console.log(
-            `[explore-artist] data requests fired: "${this.artistName}" (${mbid})`,
-        );
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1290,9 +1279,11 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
         try {
             this.artist = await LookupArtist(mbid);
         } catch (err) {
-            const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            this.errorArtist = msg;
-            console.error(`[explore-artist] LookupArtist error: ${msg}`);
+            console.error('[explore-artist] LookupArtist error', err);
+            this.errorArtist = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The catalog did not answer.',
+            );
         } finally {
             this.loadingArtist = false;
         }
@@ -1326,10 +1317,7 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
 
             void this.batchResolveTrackThumbnails(tracks, mapping);
         } catch (err) {
-            const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            console.error(
-                `[explore-artist] TopRecordingsForArtist error: ${msg}`,
-            );
+            console.error('[explore-artist] TopRecordingsForArtist error', err);
         } finally {
             // An empty first pass may mean a background discography fetch
             // is still in flight (the artist wasn't indexed yet).  Keep
@@ -1419,10 +1407,7 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
             // are the most likely to be clicked from the artist page.
             this.prefetchReleases(rgs?.map((r) => r.releaseGroupMbid) ?? []);
         } catch (err) {
-            const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            console.error(
-                `[explore-artist] TopReleaseGroupsForArtist error: ${msg}`,
-            );
+            console.error('[explore-artist] TopReleaseGroupsForArtist error', err);
             this.topReleaseGroups = [];
         } finally {
             // See fetchTopTracks: hold the spinner while a background
@@ -1462,12 +1447,12 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
             // one from here is instant instead of a cold MB browse.
             this.prefetchReleases(rgs?.map((r) => r.mbid) ?? []);
         } catch (err) {
-            const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            this.errorReleases = msg;
-            this.catalogPending = false;
-            console.error(
-                `[explore-artist] BrowseReleaseGroups error: ${msg}`,
+            console.error('[explore-artist] BrowseReleaseGroups error', err);
+            this.errorReleases = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The catalog did not answer for this artist\u2019s albums.',
             );
+            this.catalogPending = false;
         } finally {
             // BrowseReleaseGroups is index-first + async: an empty result on
             // a cold artist means the discography is still being fetched in
@@ -1498,10 +1483,7 @@ export class ExploreArtistDetails extends LitElement {
             this.similarArtists = artists ?? [];
         } catch (err) {
             // D024: graceful degradation — silently omit similar artists on failure.
-            const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            console.error(
-                `[explore-artist] SimilarArtists error: ${msg}`,
-            );
+            console.error('[explore-artist] SimilarArtists error', err);
             this.similarArtists = [];
         } finally {
             // SimilarArtists is DB-first + async: an empty result on the
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/explore-view/explore-view.ts b/frontend/src/components/explore-view/explore-view.ts
index 8b2f7ba..6fd8321 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/explore-view/explore-view.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/explore-view/explore-view.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,17 @@ import { customElement, state, query as litQuery } from 'lit/decorators.js';
 import { designTokens } from '../../styles/tokens.css';
 import { SearchLocal, SearchLyrics, GetThumbnail, GetThumbnails, GetArtistImageURL, RecordSearchClick } from '@go/explore/Service';
 import { libraryStore } from '../../store/library-store';
-import { exploreCache } from '../../store/explore-cache';
+import { exploreCache, ARTIST_IMAGE_CACHE_LIMIT } from '../../store/explore-cache';
 import { queueStore } from '../../store/queue-store';
 import { artistLink, trackLink, exploreLinkStyles } from '../../utils/explore-link';
+import { describeError } from '../../utils/describe-error';
 import '@awesome.me/webawesome/dist/components/icon/icon.js';
 import '../library-status-indicator/library-status-indicator.js';
 import '../top-results-row/top-results-row.js';
 import { explore } from '@go/models';
+import { ViewLifecycleMixin } from '../../utils/view-lifecycle';
+import { registerCacheProbe } from '../../utils/cache-stats';
+import { LRUMap } from '../../utils/lru-map';
 type ThumbnailRequest = explore.ThumbnailRequest;
 type MBSearchResult = explore.MBSearchResult;
 type LyricsResult = explore.LyricsResult;
@@ -25,6 +29,32 @@ const SEARCH_DEBOUNCE_MS = 180;
 
 const MAX_SECTION_RESULTS = 10;
 
+/*
+ * Caps for the two art caches (`perf.M7`).
+ *
+ * Both were unbounded, on a view that never unmounts: twelve searches
+ * retained 8.48 MB and were still climbing 0.7 MB per search.  The caps
+ * come from the measured cost of an entry — a cover thumbnail is ~27 kB
+ * of base64, an artist photo ~128 kB — so each is set to hold roughly a
+ * dozen searches' worth and then stop:
+ *
+ *   thumbnails     96 × ~27 kB  ≈ 2.6 MB ceiling
+ *   artist images  32 × ~128 kB ≈ 4.1 MB ceiling
+ *
+ * Both are comfortably larger than one screen of results, which matters:
+ * a cap below the visible count would evict art that is still rendered,
+ * and the re-render would fetch it again immediately.  A search shows at
+ * most `MAX_SECTION_RESULTS` artists and ~15 release groups, so these
+ * are ~3× and ~6× a screenful — six searches of history for covers,
+ * which is far more than the "go back to the previous search" the cache
+ * exists to serve.
+ *
+ * `ARTIST_IMAGE_CACHE_LIMIT` is shared with `explore-cache.ts`, which
+ * holds the *same* data URLs for the detail pages.  Bounding one and
+ * not the other frees nothing.
+ */
+const THUMBNAIL_CACHE_LIMIT = 96;
+
 
 /** Hash a string to a hue value 0–360 for avatar coloring. */
 function nameToHue(name: string): number {
@@ -79,7 +109,7 @@ function getArtistAlbumArt(artistName: string): string {
 }
 
 @customElement('explore-view')
-export class ExploreView extends LitElement {
+export class ExploreView extends ViewLifecycleMixin(LitElement) {
     /* ── State ── */
 
     @state() private searchQuery = '';
@@ -96,10 +126,29 @@ export class ExploreView extends LitElement {
     private searchVersion = 0;
     /** Debounce timer for live search-as-you-type. */
     private searchDebounceTimer?: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
-    private thumbnailCache = new Map<string, string>();
-    private artistImageCache = new Map<string, string>();
+    private thumbnailCache = new LRUMap<string, string>(THUMBNAIL_CACHE_LIMIT);
+    private artistImageCache = new LRUMap<string, string>(ARTIST_IMAGE_CACHE_LIMIT);
     private libraryMBIDs = new Set<string>();
 
+    constructor() {
+        super();
+
+        // Registered from the constructor rather than on connect: this is
+        // a cached primary view, so it connects once, and a measurement
+        // must be able to read the caches whether or not Explore is the
+        // view currently on screen.
+        const stat = (m: LRUMap<string, string>) => () => {
+            let chars = 0;
+
+            for (const v of m.values()) chars += v.length;
+
+            return { entries: m.size, chars, limit: m.limit };
+        };
+
+        registerCacheProbe('explore.thumbnails', stat(this.thumbnailCache));
+        registerCacheProbe('explore.artistImages', stat(this.artistImageCache));
+    }
+
     @litQuery('input') private inputEl!: HTMLInputElement;
 
     /* ── Styles ── */
@@ -592,9 +641,13 @@ export class ExploreView extends LitElement {
 
     override disconnectedCallback() {
         super.disconnectedCallback();
-        if (this.searchDebounceTimer) {
-            clearTimeout(this.searchDebounceTimer);
-        }
+        this.cancelPendingSearch();
+    }
+
+    /** A debounced search that lands after the user has left the page is
+     *  a query nobody asked for, against a 1.1 M-row index. */
+    protected override onViewDeactivate(): void {
+        this.cancelPendingSearch();
     }
 
     /* ── Search Logic ── */
@@ -707,19 +760,16 @@ export class ExploreView extends LitElement {
         this.loading = true;
         this.error = '';
 
-        const startTime = performance.now();
-        console.log(`[explore] search started: "${query}" (${this.searchMode})`);
-
         // Lyrics mode: a single FTS lyric search over the library.
         if (this.searchMode === 'lyrics') {
-            void this.executeLyricsSearch(version, query, startTime);
+            void this.executeLyricsSearch(version, query);
             return;
         }
 
         // Offline search over the local popularity index via Wails RPC.
         // No network, and no owned-library seed — the index is the sole
         // source of catalog results.
-        void this.executeIndexSearch(version, query, startTime);
+        void this.executeIndexSearch(version, query);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -775,7 +825,7 @@ export class ExploreView extends LitElement {
         return result;
     }
 
-    private async executeIndexSearch(version: number, query: string, startTime: number) {
+    private async executeIndexSearch(version: number, query: string) {
         try {
             // Local FTS index only — no network.  Returns null when the
             // index has no hits, in which case we keep the owned-library
@@ -809,19 +859,16 @@ export class ExploreView extends LitElement {
             this.loadThumbnails();
             this.loadArtistImages();
             this.checkLibrary();
-
-            const elapsed = (performance.now() - startTime).toFixed(0);
-            console.log(
-                `[explore] search completed: "${query}" in ${elapsed}ms — ` +
-                    `artists=${result.artists?.length ?? 0}, ` +
-                    `albums=${result.releaseGroups?.length ?? 0}, ` +
-                    `tracks=${result.recordings?.length ?? 0}`,
-            );
         } catch (err) {
             if (version !== this.searchVersion) return;
-            const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            this.error = message;
-            console.error(`[explore] search error: "${query}" — ${message}`);
+
+            console.error(`[explore] search error: "${query}"`, err);
+            // Inline: this failure belongs to the results panel, and
+            // the panel is what the user is looking at (errors.M9).
+            this.error = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The catalog search did not answer.',
+            );
         } finally {
             if (version === this.searchVersion) {
                 this.loading = false;
@@ -831,22 +878,20 @@ export class ExploreView extends LitElement {
 
     /* ── Lyrics Search ── */
 
-    private async executeLyricsSearch(version: number, query: string, startTime: number) {
+    private async executeLyricsSearch(version: number, query: string) {
         try {
             const hits = await SearchLyrics(query);
             if (version !== this.searchVersion) return;
 
             this.lyricsResults = hits ?? [];
-
-            const elapsed = (performance.now() - startTime).toFixed(0);
-            console.log(
-                `[explore] lyrics search: "${query}" in ${elapsed}ms — ` +
-                    `hits=${this.lyricsResults.length}`,
-            );
         } catch (err) {
             if (version !== this.searchVersion) return;
-            this.error = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-            console.error(`[explore] lyrics search error: "${query}" — ${this.error}`);
+
+            console.error(`[explore] lyrics search error: "${query}"`, err);
+            this.error = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The lyric search did not answer.',
+            );
         } finally {
             if (version === this.searchVersion) {
                 this.loading = false;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/first-run-wizard/first-run-wizard.ts b/frontend/src/components/first-run-wizard/first-run-wizard.ts
index b7a3842..41262f7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/first-run-wizard/first-run-wizard.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/first-run-wizard/first-run-wizard.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
     GetAllLibrariesWithTrackCounts,
 } from '@go/library/Library';
 import { DirectoryPicker } from '@go/frontendutil/FrontendUtil';
+import { describeError, explainError } from '@utils/describe-error';
 
 /**
  * First-run setup wizard.
@@ -236,7 +237,10 @@ export class FirstRunWizard extends LitElement {
 
             if (dir) this.selectedDirectory = dir;
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = `Could not open folder picker: ${err}`;
+            this.errorMessage = describeError(
+                err,
+                'The folder picker could not be opened.',
+            );
             console.error('First-run wizard: directory picker failed:', err);
         }
     };
@@ -256,7 +260,10 @@ export class FirstRunWizard extends LitElement {
 
             this.active = false;
         } catch (err) {
-            this.errorMessage = `Could not add the folder: ${err}`;
+            this.errorMessage = explainError(
+                err,
+                'That folder could not be added.',
+            );
             console.error('First-run wizard: add library failed:', err);
         } finally {
             this.saving = false;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/genre-details/genre-details.ts b/frontend/src/components/genre-details/genre-details.ts
index 61f84bc..a012a9a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/genre-details/genre-details.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/genre-details/genre-details.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
 import { EventsOn } from '@runtime/runtime';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
 import { libraryStore } from '@store/library-store';
+import { describeError } from '@utils/describe-error';
 import '@awesome.me/webawesome/dist/components/icon/icon.js';
 import '@components/track-list/track-list.js';
 import { designTokens } from '../../styles/tokens.css';
@@ -27,6 +28,12 @@ export class GenreDetails extends LitElement {
     @state()
     private loading = true;
 
+    /** A failed genre query used to be handed to `<track-list>` as an
+     *  empty array, so it was indistinguishable from a slow one
+     *  (errors.M2). */
+    @state()
+    private loadError = '';
+
     private scanCompleteCleanup: (() => void) | null =
         null;
 
@@ -38,6 +45,21 @@ export class GenreDetails extends LitElement {
             height: 100%;
         }
 
+        .load-error {
+            color: var(--yj-text-secondary, #b3b3b3);
+            padding: 1em;
+        }
+
+        .load-error button {
+            background: none;
+            border: 1px solid var(--yj-border, #495057);
+            border-radius: 4px;
+            color: inherit;
+            cursor: pointer;
+            font: inherit;
+            padding: 4px 10px;
+        }
+
         /* ====================================
          * Header
          * ==================================== */
@@ -179,6 +201,8 @@ export class GenreDetails extends LitElement {
     private async loadTracks() {
         if (!this.genreName) return;
 
+        this.loadError = '';
+
         try {
             const libId =
                 libraryStore.getSelectedLibraryId();
@@ -192,11 +216,12 @@ export class GenreDetails extends LitElement {
                       this.genreName,
                   );
         } catch (error) {
-            console.error(
-                'Error loading genre tracks:',
-                error,
-            );
+            console.error('Error loading genre tracks:', error);
             this.tracks = [];
+            this.loadError = describeError(
+                error,
+                `The tracks for “${this.genreName}” could not be loaded.`,
+            );
         } finally {
             this.loading = false;
         }
@@ -274,9 +299,19 @@ export class GenreDetails extends LitElement {
                 </div>
             </div>
             <div class="content">
-                <track-list
-                    .externalTracks=${this.tracks}
-                ></track-list>
+                ${this.loadError
+                    ? html`<div class="load-error" data-testid="genre-error">
+                          <p>${this.loadError}</p>
+                          <button
+                              type="button"
+                              @click=${() => void this.loadTracks()}
+                          >
+                              Try again
+                          </button>
+                      </div>`
+                    : html`<track-list
+                          .externalTracks=${this.tracks}
+                      ></track-list>`}
             </div>
         `;
     }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/home-view/home-view.ts b/frontend/src/components/home-view/home-view.ts
index d18749f..3cd9b74 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/home-view/home-view.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/home-view/home-view.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { libraryStore } from '@store/library-store';
 import { EventsOn } from '@runtime/runtime';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
 import { designTokens } from '../../styles/tokens.css';
+import { ViewLifecycleMixin } from '../../utils/view-lifecycle';
 
 type Shelf = home.Shelf;
 
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ const KIND_ICONS: Record<string, string> = {
  * cover do the two things a cover should: open the album, or play it.
  */
 @customElement('home-view')
-export class HomeView extends LitElement {
+export class HomeView extends ViewLifecycleMixin(LitElement) {
     @state() private shelves: Shelf[] = [];
 
     @state() private loading = true;
@@ -194,8 +195,10 @@ export class HomeView extends LitElement {
         `,
     ];
 
-    override connectedCallback(): void {
-        super.connectedCallback();
+    protected override onViewActivate(): void {
+        // Reloaded on arrival rather than kept live: the shelves are a
+        // judgement about the whole library, so the answer while the
+        // page is off screen is of no interest to anyone.
         void this.load();
 
         // A finished scan changes what every shelf would say, and the
@@ -204,12 +207,10 @@ export class HomeView extends LitElement {
         this.unsubScan = EventsOn(Events.LibraryScanComplete, () => {
             void this.load();
         });
-    }
-
-    override disconnectedCallback(): void {
-        super.disconnectedCallback();
-        this.unsubScan?.();
-        this.unsubScan = undefined;
+        this.whileActive(() => {
+            this.unsubScan?.();
+            this.unsubScan = undefined;
+        });
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-controls.ts b/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-controls.ts
index 8b94368..a1fdd01 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-controls.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-controls.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 import { jobStore } from '@store/job-store';
+import { notificationStore } from '@store/notification-store';
+import { describeError } from '@utils/describe-error';
+
+import { confirmAction } from '../confirm-dialog/confirm-dialog';
 
 export type JobControlAction = 'pause' | 'resume' | 'cancel' | 'dismiss';
 
@@ -7,31 +11,57 @@ export interface JobControlDetail {
     action: JobControlAction;
 }
 
+const VERB: Record<JobControlAction, string> = {
+    pause: 'pause',
+    resume: 'resume',
+    cancel: 'cancel',
+    dismiss: 'dismiss',
+};
+
 /**
  * Applies a `job-control` event emitted by a `<job-row>`.
  *
  * Shared by every host that renders job rows — the top-bar popover, the
  * jobs page, and the details drawer — so a control behaves identically
  * wherever it is pressed, and so no host can forget to wire one up.
+ *
+ * This is used directly as a DOM listener, so its promise is discarded:
+ * a rejection has to be caught *here* or it is an unhandled rejection
+ * and a button that silently does nothing (errors.M4).
  */
 export async function applyJobControl(e: Event): Promise<void> {
     const { id, action } = (e as CustomEvent).detail as JobControlDetail;
 
-    if (action === 'cancel' && !confirmCancel(id)) return;
+    if (action === 'cancel' && !(await confirmCancel(id))) return;
 
-    switch (action) {
-        case 'pause':
-            await jobStore.pause(id);
-            break;
-        case 'resume':
-            await jobStore.resume(id);
-            break;
-        case 'cancel':
-            await jobStore.cancel(id);
-            break;
-        case 'dismiss':
-            await jobStore.dismiss(id);
-            break;
+    try {
+        switch (action) {
+            case 'pause':
+                await jobStore.pause(id);
+                break;
+            case 'resume':
+                await jobStore.resume(id);
+                break;
+            case 'cancel':
+                await jobStore.cancel(id);
+                break;
+            case 'dismiss':
+                await jobStore.dismiss(id);
+                break;
+        }
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error(`job ${action} failed`, err);
+
+        const job = jobStore.getJob(id);
+        const name = job?.title ?? 'that job';
+
+        // Transient: the button visibly did not take, and the next
+        // JobsChanged snapshot says what is actually true.
+        notificationStore.transient({
+            key: `job-${action}`,
+            text: `Could not ${VERB[action]} ${name}. ${describeError(err)}`,
+            detail: String(err),
+        });
     }
 }
 
@@ -40,15 +70,20 @@ export async function applyJobControl(e: Event): Promise<void> {
  * so it is worth a confirmation even though the checkpoint survives. A
  * library scan is cheap to re-run — don't nag for that one.
  */
-function confirmCancel(id: string): boolean {
+function confirmCancel(id: string): Promise<boolean> {
     const job = jobStore.getJob(id);
 
-    if (job?.kind !== 'index-build') return true;
+    if (job?.kind !== 'index-build') return Promise.resolve(true);
 
-    return window.confirm(
-        'Stop building the search index?\n\n' +
+    return confirmAction({
+        title: 'Stop building the search index?',
+        message:
             'Progress is checkpointed, so you can resume later without ' +
-            're-downloading. Until it finishes, search results stay ' +
-            'limited to your own library.',
-    );
+            're-downloading.',
+        impact:
+            'Until it finishes, search results stay limited to your own ' +
+            'library.',
+        confirmLabel: 'Stop building',
+        danger: true,
+    });
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-format.ts b/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-format.ts
index 1bacd9f..10d5bd7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-format.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/jobs/job-format.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ export function jobIcon(job: Job): string {
             return 'folder';
         case 'index-build':
             return 'database';
+        case 'autotag-apply':
+            return 'tags';
         default:
             return 'gear';
     }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/jobs/jobs-view.ts b/frontend/src/components/jobs/jobs-view.ts
index ee4b692..e19eac5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/jobs/jobs-view.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/jobs/jobs-view.ts
@@ -13,10 +13,14 @@ import { EventsOn } from '@runtime/runtime';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
 import { jobStore } from '@store/job-store';
 import type { Job } from '@store/job-store';
+import { notificationStore } from '@store/notification-store';
+import { describeError } from '@utils/describe-error';
+import { confirmAction } from '../confirm-dialog/confirm-dialog';
 import './job-row';
 import './job-details-drawer';
 import { applyJobControl } from './job-controls';
 import { jobStateStyles } from './job-format';
+import { ViewLifecycleMixin } from '../../utils/view-lifecycle';
 
 type LibraryInfo = library.Info;
 
@@ -36,7 +40,7 @@ const TERMINAL_STATES: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set([
  * one implementation, two placements, so the two can never disagree.
  */
 @customElement('jobs-view')
-export class JobsView extends LitElement {
+export class JobsView extends ViewLifecycleMixin(LitElement) {
     @state()
     private jobs: Job[] = [];
 
@@ -49,6 +53,15 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
     @state()
     private drawerOpen = false;
 
+    /**
+     * Set between pressing a scan button and the job snapshot that
+     * proves it started. `anyScanning` is derived from `JobsChanged`,
+     * which is coalesced at 250 ms — long enough for a second click to
+     * start a second scan (errors.M5).
+     */
+    @state()
+    private starting = false;
+
     private unsubscribe: (() => void) | null = null;
 
     private eventCleanups: Array<() => void> = [];
@@ -221,8 +234,7 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
         `,
     ];
 
-    override connectedCallback(): void {
-        super.connectedCallback();
+    protected override onViewActivate(): void {
         this.unsubscribe = jobStore.subscribe(() => {
             this.jobs = jobStore.jobs;
         });
@@ -243,8 +255,7 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
         }
     }
 
-    override disconnectedCallback(): void {
-        super.disconnectedCallback();
+    protected override onViewDeactivate(): void {
         this.unsubscribe?.();
         this.unsubscribe = null;
         this.eventCleanups.forEach((off) => off());
@@ -273,20 +284,52 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
         this.drawerOpen = false;
     };
 
-    private async startScan(id: number) {
+    /**
+     * Run something that starts a job, holding the buttons until the
+     * snapshot lands and saying so when it does not start at all.
+     *
+     * Persistent, not a toast: the user asked for work to happen, it
+     * did not, and retrying is exactly the useful response.
+     */
+    private async startJob(
+        what: string,
+        start: () => Promise<unknown>,
+        retry: () => void,
+    ): Promise<void> {
+        if (this.starting) return;
+
+        this.starting = true;
+
         try {
-            await ScanLibrary(id);
+            await start();
         } catch (err) {
-            console.error('Failed to start scan:', err);
+            console.error(`${what} failed:`, err);
+            notificationStore.persistent({
+                key: 'scan-start',
+                title: 'Scan did not start',
+                text: `${what} failed. ${describeError(err)}`,
+                detail: String(err),
+                action: { label: 'Try again', run: retry },
+            });
+        } finally {
+            this.starting = false;
         }
     }
 
+    private async startScan(id: number) {
+        await this.startJob(
+            'Scanning that library',
+            () => ScanLibrary(id),
+            () => void this.startScan(id),
+        );
+    }
+
     private async startAllScans() {
-        try {
-            await ScanAllLibraries();
-        } catch (err) {
-            console.error('Failed to start scans:', err);
-        }
+        await this.startJob(
+            'Scanning your libraries',
+            () => ScanAllLibraries(),
+            () => void this.startAllScans(),
+        );
     }
 
     private async clearFinished() {
@@ -294,22 +337,25 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
     }
 
     private async fullRescan() {
-        if (
-            !window.confirm(
-                'Full rescan deletes ALL library data — including ' +
-                    'downloaded cover art — and rebuilds it from your ' +
-                    'files.\n\nThis is not the same as "Scan now", which ' +
-                    'only picks up what changed. Continue?',
-            )
-        ) {
-            return;
-        }
+        const ok = await confirmAction({
+            title: 'Full rescan',
+            message:
+                'This deletes all library data — including downloaded ' +
+                'cover art — and rebuilds it from your files.',
+            impact:
+                'It is not the same as “Scan now”, which only picks up ' +
+                'what changed.',
+            confirmLabel: 'Rebuild everything',
+            danger: true,
+        });
 
-        try {
-            await FullRescan();
-        } catch (err) {
-            console.error('Full rescan failed:', err);
-        }
+        if (!ok) return;
+
+        await this.startJob(
+            'The full rescan',
+            () => FullRescan(),
+            () => void this.fullRescan(),
+        );
     }
 
     private renderJobList(list: Job[], emptyText: string) {
@@ -393,6 +439,7 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
                     : html`
                           <button
                               class="action"
+                              ?disabled=${this.starting}
                               @click=${() => this.startScan(lib.id)}
                           >
                               <wa-icon name="arrows-rotate"></wa-icon>
@@ -431,7 +478,9 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
                     <h2>Libraries</h2>
                     <button
                         class="action"
-                        ?disabled=${anyScanning || this.libraries.length === 0}
+                        ?disabled=${anyScanning ||
+                        this.starting ||
+                        this.libraries.length === 0}
                         @click=${this.startAllScans}
                     >
                         <wa-icon name="arrows-rotate"></wa-icon>
@@ -467,7 +516,9 @@ export class JobsView extends LitElement {
                         </div>
                         <button
                             class="action danger"
-                            ?disabled=${anyScanning}
+                            ?disabled=${anyScanning ||
+                            this.starting ||
+                            this.libraries.length === 0}
                             @click=${this.fullRescan}
                         >
                             <wa-icon name="triangle-exclamation"></wa-icon>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/playlist-picker/playlist-picker.ts b/frontend/src/components/playlist-picker/playlist-picker.ts
index 78f07f3..f6074d5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/playlist-picker/playlist-picker.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/playlist-picker/playlist-picker.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import {
 import { Events } from '../../events';
 import type { playlist } from '@go/models';
 import '@components/duplicate-tracks-dialog/duplicate-tracks-dialog.js';
+import { notificationStore } from '@store/notification-store';
+import { describeError } from '@utils/describe-error';
 import type { DuplicateTracksDialog } from '@components/duplicate-tracks-dialog/duplicate-tracks-dialog.js';
 
 /**
@@ -188,6 +190,14 @@ export class PlaylistPicker extends LitElement {
             this.dispatchComplete();
         } catch (err) {
             console.error('Failed to add tracks to playlist:', err);
+            // Transient: the picker closes either way, and the tracks
+            // simply are not there — nothing to undo, only to retry
+            // (errors.m7).
+            notificationStore.transient({
+                key: 'playlist-add',
+                text: `Could not add ${this.filePaths.length === 1 ? 'that track' : `those ${this.filePaths.length} tracks`} to the playlist. ${describeError(err)}`,
+                detail: String(err),
+            });
         } finally {
             this.loading = false;
         }
@@ -223,6 +233,11 @@ export class PlaylistPicker extends LitElement {
             this.dispatchComplete();
         } catch (err) {
             console.error('Failed to create playlist:', err);
+            notificationStore.transient({
+                key: 'playlist-create',
+                text: `Could not create “${name}”. ${describeError(err)}`,
+                detail: String(err),
+            });
         } finally {
             this.loading = false;
         }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/playlist-view/playlist-view.ts b/frontend/src/components/playlist-view/playlist-view.ts
index 5d6edf7..a15ffce 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/playlist-view/playlist-view.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/playlist-view/playlist-view.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ import {
     getActiveDragPlaylistId,
 } from '@utils/drag-controller';
 import { contextMenuStyles } from '@utils/context-menu-controller.js';
+import { describeError } from '@utils/describe-error';
+import { notificationStore } from '@store/notification-store';
+import { confirmAction } from '@components/confirm-dialog/confirm-dialog';
+import { ViewLifecycleMixin } from '@utils/view-lifecycle';
 import { FavoritesController } from '@store/controllers/favorites-controller';
 import '@components/duplicate-tracks-dialog/duplicate-tracks-dialog.js';
 import type { DuplicateTracksDialog } from '@components/duplicate-tracks-dialog/duplicate-tracks-dialog.js';
@@ -51,7 +55,7 @@ interface PlaylistEntry {
 }
 
 @customElement('playlist-view')
-export class PlaylistView extends LitElement {
+export class PlaylistView extends ViewLifecycleMixin(LitElement) {
     private playlistCtrl = new PlaylistController(this);
     private searchCtrl = new SearchController(this);
     private favCtrl = new FavoritesController(this);
@@ -801,23 +805,31 @@ export class PlaylistView extends LitElement {
         super.connectedCallback();
         this.restoreSortPreferences();
         this.loadPlaylists();
-        document.addEventListener(
+    }
+
+    protected override onViewActivate(): void {
+        this.listenWhileActive(
+            document,
             'click',
             this.closePlaylistCtxMenuHandler,
         );
-        document.addEventListener(
+        this.listenWhileActive(
+            document,
             'contextmenu',
             this.closePlaylistCtxMenuHandler,
         );
-        document.addEventListener(
+        this.listenWhileActive(
+            document,
             'mousedown',
             this.playlistCtxMenuMousedownHandler,
         );
-        document.addEventListener(
+        this.listenWhileActive(
+            document,
             'click',
             this.clearSelectionHandler,
         );
-        document.addEventListener(
+        this.listenWhileActive(
+            document,
             'mousedown',
             this.sortDropdownCloseHandler,
         );
@@ -830,27 +842,6 @@ export class PlaylistView extends LitElement {
             clearTimeout(this.scrollDebounceTimer);
             this.scrollDebounceTimer = null;
         }
-
-        document.removeEventListener(
-            'click',
-            this.closePlaylistCtxMenuHandler,
-        );
-        document.removeEventListener(
-            'contextmenu',
-            this.closePlaylistCtxMenuHandler,
-        );
-        document.removeEventListener(
-            'mousedown',
-            this.playlistCtxMenuMousedownHandler,
-        );
-        document.removeEventListener(
-            'click',
-            this.clearSelectionHandler,
-        );
-        document.removeEventListener(
-            'mousedown',
-            this.sortDropdownCloseHandler,
-        );
     }
 
     override updated() {
@@ -1351,13 +1342,33 @@ export class PlaylistView extends LitElement {
                 break;
             case 'delete': {
                 if (this.selectedPlaylists.size > 1) {
-                    const ids = [...this.selectedPlaylists]
+                    const entries = [...this.selectedPlaylists]
                         .map(i => this.entries[i])
-                        .filter((e): e is PlaylistEntry => e !== undefined)
-                        .map(e => e.summary.ID);
+                        .filter((e): e is PlaylistEntry => e !== undefined);
+                    const tracks = entries.reduce(
+                        (sum, e) => sum + e.tracks.length,
+                        0,
+                    );
 
-                    for (const id of ids) {
-                        await DeletePlaylist(id);
+                    // The loop used to delete every selected playlist
+                    // with no prompt at all (errors.M6).
+                    const ok = await confirmAction({
+                        title: `Delete ${entries.length} playlists?`,
+                        message: entries
+                            .map((e) => e.summary.Name)
+                            .join(', '),
+                        impact: `${tracks.toLocaleString()} track entries will be removed. The audio files are not touched.`,
+                        confirmLabel: 'Delete playlists',
+                        danger: true,
+                    });
+
+                    if (!ok) break;
+
+                    for (const e of entries) {
+                        await this.deletePlaylist(
+                            e.summary.ID,
+                            e.summary.Name,
+                        );
                     }
 
                     this.selectedPlaylists = new Set();
@@ -1366,6 +1377,8 @@ export class PlaylistView extends LitElement {
                 } else {
                     await this.handleDeletePlaylist(
                         entry.summary.ID,
+                        entry.summary.Name,
+                        entry.tracks.length,
                     );
                 }
 
@@ -1380,15 +1393,54 @@ export class PlaylistView extends LitElement {
 
     private async handleDeletePlaylist(
         playlistID: number,
+        name = 'this playlist',
+        trackCount = 0,
     ) {
+        const ok = await confirmAction({
+            title: `Delete “${name}”?`,
+            message: 'The playlist is deleted; the audio files are not.',
+            impact:
+                trackCount > 0
+                    ? `${trackCount.toLocaleString()} track entries will be removed.`
+                    : undefined,
+            confirmLabel: 'Delete playlist',
+            danger: true,
+        });
+
+        if (!ok) return;
+
+        await this.deletePlaylist(playlistID, name);
+        await this.refreshPlaylists();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The delete itself, already confirmed. A partial failure used to
+     * look exactly like a success until the refresh put the playlist
+     * back (errors.M6), so it is Persistent: the thing the user asked
+     * for did not happen and retrying means something.
+     */
+    private async deletePlaylist(
+        playlistID: number,
+        name: string,
+    ): Promise<void> {
         try {
             await DeletePlaylist(playlistID);
-            await this.refreshPlaylists();
         } catch (err) {
-            console.error(
-                'Failed to delete playlist:',
-                err,
-            );
+            console.error('Failed to delete playlist:', err);
+            notificationStore.persistent({
+                key: 'playlist-delete',
+                text: `Could not delete “${name}”. ${describeError(err)}`,
+                detail: String(err),
+                coalescedText: (count) =>
+                    `Could not delete ${count} playlists.`,
+                action: {
+                    label: 'Try again',
+                    run: () =>
+                        void this.deletePlaylist(playlistID, name).then(() =>
+                            this.refreshPlaylists(),
+                        ),
+                },
+            });
         }
     }
 
@@ -1466,10 +1518,10 @@ export class PlaylistView extends LitElement {
                 'Failed to import playlist:',
                 err,
             );
-            this.importError =
-                err instanceof Error
-                    ? err.message
-                    : String(err);
+            this.importError = describeError(
+                err,
+                'That playlist file could not be imported.',
+            );
             setTimeout(() => {
                 this.importError = '';
             }, 6000);
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/smart-playlist-editor/smart-playlist-editor.ts b/frontend/src/components/smart-playlist-editor/smart-playlist-editor.ts
index c253a0c..6f75f89 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/smart-playlist-editor/smart-playlist-editor.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/smart-playlist-editor/smart-playlist-editor.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { customElement, property, state } from 'lit/decorators.js';
 import { library } from '@go/models';
 import { PreviewSmartPlaylist } from '@go/playlist/Service';
 import { libraryStore } from '@store/library-store';
+import { describeError } from '@utils/describe-error';
 import { designTokens } from '../../styles/tokens.css';
 import '@components/combobox/combobox.ts';
 
@@ -675,6 +676,14 @@ export class SmartPlaylistEditor extends LitElement {
         }, 300);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Monotonic request version. Debouncing only coalesces keystrokes
+     * *within* its window; a query slower than 300 ms overlaps the next
+     * one and whichever answers last used to win (errors.M8). This is
+     * `explore-view`'s guard, checked on all three paths.
+     */
+    private previewVersion = 0;
+
     private async runPreview() {
         // Skip preview if any rule is incomplete
         const incomplete = this.ruleRows.some(
@@ -690,19 +699,30 @@ export class SmartPlaylistEditor extends LitElement {
         }
 
         const json = this.buildRulesJSON();
+        const version = ++this.previewVersion;
+
         this.previewLoading = true;
         this.previewError = '';
 
         try {
             const tracks = await PreviewSmartPlaylist(json);
+
+            if (version !== this.previewVersion) return;
+
             this.previewTracks = tracks ?? [];
         } catch (error) {
+            if (version !== this.previewVersion) return;
+
             console.error('Smart playlist preview failed:', error);
-            this.previewError =
-                error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+            this.previewError = describeError(
+                error,
+                'The preview could not be built for these rules.',
+            );
             this.previewTracks = [];
         } finally {
-            this.previewLoading = false;
+            if (version === this.previewVersion) {
+                this.previewLoading = false;
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/track-details/track-details.ts b/frontend/src/components/track-details/track-details.ts
index 692edee..47cefe4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/track-details/track-details.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/track-details/track-details.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { GetTrackMBIDs } from '@go/library/Library';
 type TrackMBIDs = library.TrackMBIDs;
 import { ImageFilePicker, ReadFile } from '@go/frontendutil/FrontendUtil';
 import { libraryStore } from '../../store/library-store';
-import { EventsOn, EventsOff } from '@runtime/runtime';
+import { EventsOn } from '@runtime/runtime';
 import { Events } from '../../events';
 
 import '@awesome.me/webawesome/dist/components/dialog/dialog.js';
@@ -1714,8 +1714,10 @@ export class TrackDetails extends LitElement {
 
         const changes = this.buildBatchChanges();
 
-        // Listen for progress events.
-        EventsOn(
+        // Listen for progress events. Kept as the unsubscribe function
+        // EventsOn returns, rather than EventsOff(name), which removes
+        // *every* listener for that event (errors.p3).
+        const stopProgress = EventsOn(
             Events.BatchWriteProgress,
             (data: {
                 current: number;
@@ -1762,7 +1764,7 @@ export class TrackDetails extends LitElement {
                 ],
             };
         } finally {
-            EventsOff(Events.BatchWriteProgress);
+            stopProgress();
             this.batchProgress = null;
         }
     };