diff --git a/src/components/Lightbox.tsx b/src/components/Lightbox.tsx
index f9b7cf3..bedb93f 100644
--- a/src/components/Lightbox.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Lightbox.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
-import { motion, AnimatePresence } from "framer-motion";
+import { motion, AnimatePresence, type Transition } from "framer-motion";
 import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
 import { revealItemInDir } from "@tauri-apps/plugin-opener";
 import { useGalleryStore, ImageTag, ImageExif, AiRating } from "../store";
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ interface ViewTransform {
 }
 
 const IDENTITY_VIEW: ViewTransform = { zoom: 1, panX: 0, panY: 0 };
+const SLIDESHOW_EASE: [number, number, number, number] = [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1];
 const SLIDESHOW_CONTROLS_IDLE_MS = 5000;
 const SLIDESHOW_LOAD_MORE_THRESHOLD = 3;
 
@@ -165,6 +166,7 @@ export function Lightbox() {
   const totalImages = useGalleryStore((state) => state.totalImages);
   const slideshowIntervalSeconds = useGalleryStore((state) => state.slideshowIntervalSeconds);
   const slideshowOrder = useGalleryStore((state) => state.slideshowOrder);
+  const slideshowTransition = useGalleryStore((state) => state.slideshowTransition);
 
   // Tracks the image id that is currently displayed, used to discard async
   // tag mutations that resolve after the user has navigated to another image.
@@ -195,12 +197,14 @@ export function Lightbox() {
   const [slideshowPaused, setSlideshowPaused] = useState(false);
   const [slideshowControlsVisible, setSlideshowControlsVisible] = useState(true);
   const [slideshowLoadingMore, setSlideshowLoadingMore] = useState(false);
+  const [slideshowMotionStep, setSlideshowMotionStep] = useState(0);
 
   const lightboxRootRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const imageViewportRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const imgRef = useRef<HTMLImageElement>(null);
   const slideshowControlsIdleTimeoutRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
   const slideshowPointerRef = useRef<{ x: number; y: number } | null>(null);
+  const slideshowRandomSeenRef = useRef<Set<number>>(new Set());
 
   const currentIndex = selectedImage ? images.findIndex((image) => image.id === selectedImage.id) : -1;
   const slideshowImages = useMemo(
@@ -212,6 +216,41 @@ export function Lightbox() {
     : -1;
   const slideshowPosition = slideshowIndex >= 0 ? slideshowIndex + 1 : Math.min(slideshowImages.length, 1);
   const slideshowControlsShown = slideshowControlsVisible;
+  const slideshowMotionDirections = [
+    { x: -1, y: 0.45 },
+    { x: 1, y: -0.45 },
+    { x: -0.7, y: -0.55 },
+    { x: 0.7, y: 0.55 },
+  ];
+  const slideshowMotionDirection =
+    slideshowMotionDirections[slideshowMotionStep % slideshowMotionDirections.length];
+  const slideshowImageInitial = { opacity: 0, filter: "blur(8px)" };
+  const slideshowImageAnimate = { opacity: 1, filter: "blur(0px)" };
+  const slideshowImageExit = { opacity: 0, filter: "blur(4px)" };
+  const slideshowImageTransition: Transition = { duration: 0.72, ease: SLIDESHOW_EASE };
+  const slideshowImageContentInitial =
+    slideshowTransition === "gentle-motion"
+      ? {
+          scale: 1.012,
+          x: -8 * slideshowMotionDirection.x,
+          y: 8 * slideshowMotionDirection.y,
+        }
+      : { scale: 1.012 };
+  const slideshowImageContentAnimate =
+    slideshowTransition === "gentle-motion"
+      ? {
+          scale: 1.026,
+          x: 8 * slideshowMotionDirection.x,
+          y: -8 * slideshowMotionDirection.y,
+        }
+      : { scale: 1 };
+  const slideshowImageContentTransition: Transition =
+    slideshowTransition === "gentle-motion"
+      ? {
+          duration: slideshowIntervalSeconds + 0.75,
+          ease: "linear",
+        }
+      : { duration: 0.72, ease: SLIDESHOW_EASE };
   const canStartSlideshow = slideshowImages.length > 0;
   const canFindSimilar = selectedImage?.embedding_status === "ready";
   const canSearchRegion = canFindSimilar && selectedImage?.media_kind === "image";
@@ -265,9 +304,19 @@ export function Lightbox() {
       let nextIndex =
         (currentSlideshowIndex + direction + slideshowImages.length) % slideshowImages.length;
       if (slideshowOrder === "random") {
-        nextIndex = Math.floor(Math.random() * (slideshowImages.length - 1));
-        if (nextIndex >= currentSlideshowIndex) nextIndex += 1;
+        const currentId = slideshowImages[currentSlideshowIndex]?.id;
+        let candidates = slideshowImages.filter(
+          (image) => image.id !== currentId && !slideshowRandomSeenRef.current.has(image.id),
+        );
+        if (candidates.length === 0) {
+          slideshowRandomSeenRef.current = new Set(currentId == null ? [] : [currentId]);
+          candidates = slideshowImages.filter((image) => image.id !== currentId);
+        }
+        const nextImage = candidates[Math.floor(Math.random() * candidates.length)];
+        nextIndex = slideshowImages.findIndex((image) => image.id === nextImage.id);
+        slideshowRandomSeenRef.current.add(nextImage.id);
       }
+      setSlideshowMotionStep((step) => step + 1);
       openImage(slideshowImages[nextIndex]);
       if (revealControls) {
         showSlideshowControls();
@@ -309,6 +358,8 @@ export function Lightbox() {
       openImage(nextImage);
     }
 
+    slideshowRandomSeenRef.current = new Set([nextImage.id]);
+    setSlideshowMotionStep(0);
     exitRegionMode();
     setView(IDENTITY_VIEW);
     setSlideshowPaused(false);
@@ -632,19 +683,26 @@ export function Lightbox() {
               }}
               onPointerMove={handleSlideshowPointerMove}
             >
-              <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
+              <AnimatePresence initial={false}>
                 {selectedImage.media_kind === "image" ? (
-                  <motion.img
+                  <motion.div
                     key={selectedImage.id}
-                    src={mediaSrc(selectedImage.path) ?? ""}
-                    alt={selectedImage.filename}
-                    className="max-h-full max-w-full object-contain"
-                    draggable={false}
-                    initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 1.012, filter: "blur(8px)" }}
-                    animate={{ opacity: 1, scale: 1, filter: "blur(0px)" }}
-                    exit={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.992, filter: "blur(4px)" }}
-                    transition={{ duration: 0.72, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
-                  />
+                    className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center"
+                    initial={slideshowImageInitial}
+                    animate={slideshowImageAnimate}
+                    exit={slideshowImageExit}
+                    transition={slideshowImageTransition}
+                  >
+                    <motion.img
+                      src={mediaSrc(selectedImage.path) ?? ""}
+                      alt={selectedImage.filename}
+                      className="max-h-full max-w-full object-contain"
+                      draggable={false}
+                      initial={slideshowImageContentInitial}
+                      animate={slideshowImageContentAnimate}
+                      transition={slideshowImageContentTransition}
+                    />
+                  </motion.div>
                 ) : (
                   <motion.div
                     key="slideshow-waiting"
diff --git a/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx b/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx
index 08340b5..60df8f1 100644
--- a/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SettingsModal.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
-import { AppTheme, CleanupOrphanedThumbnailsResult, DatabaseInfo, OrphanedThumbnailsInfo, SlideshowOrder, TaggerAcceleration, TaggerModel, TaggingQueueScope, VacuumResult, useGalleryStore } from "../store";
+import { AppTheme, CleanupOrphanedThumbnailsResult, DatabaseInfo, OrphanedThumbnailsInfo, SlideshowOrder, SlideshowTransition, TaggerAcceleration, TaggerModel, TaggingQueueScope, VacuumResult, useGalleryStore } from "../store";
 import { FfmpegStatusRow } from "./onboarding/StepWelcome";
 import { ThemedDropdown } from "./ThemedDropdown";
 import { getChangelogForVersion } from "../changelog";
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ export function SettingsModal() {
   const setSlideshowIntervalSeconds = useGalleryStore((state) => state.setSlideshowIntervalSeconds);
   const slideshowOrder = useGalleryStore((state) => state.slideshowOrder);
   const setSlideshowOrder = useGalleryStore((state) => state.setSlideshowOrder);
+  const slideshowTransition = useGalleryStore((state) => state.slideshowTransition);
+  const setSlideshowTransition = useGalleryStore((state) => state.setSlideshowTransition);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!settingsOpen) return;
@@ -851,6 +853,20 @@ export function SettingsModal() {
                       ]}
                     />
                   </SettingsItem>
+                  <SettingsItem
+                    label="Transition"
+                    description="Soft fade keeps images still. Gentle motion adds a slow, subtle drift while the next image settles in."
+                  >
+                    <ThemedDropdown
+                      value={slideshowTransition}
+                      onChange={(value) => setSlideshowTransition(value as SlideshowTransition)}
+                      ariaLabel="Slideshow transition"
+                      options={[
+                        { value: "soft-fade", label: "Soft fade" },
+                        { value: "gentle-motion", label: "Gentle motion" },
+                      ]}
+                    />
+                  </SettingsItem>
                 </SettingsGroup>
 
                 <SettingsGroup title="Updates">
diff --git a/src/store.ts b/src/store.ts
index e572f67..ea3b32e 100644
--- a/src/store.ts
+++ b/src/store.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ const LIGHTBOX_AUTOPLAY_KEY = "phokus.lightboxAutoplay";
 const LIGHTBOX_AUTO_MUTE_KEY = "phokus.lightboxAutoMute";
 const SLIDESHOW_INTERVAL_KEY = "phokus.slideshowIntervalSeconds";
 const SLIDESHOW_ORDER_KEY = "phokus.slideshowOrder";
+const SLIDESHOW_TRANSITION_KEY = "phokus.slideshowTransition";
 
 export interface Folder {
   id: number;
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ export type SimilarScope = "all_media" | "current_folder" | "current_album";
 export type ExploreMode = "visual" | "tags";
 export type AppTheme = "phokus" | "subtle-light" | "conventional-dark";
 export type SlideshowOrder = "sequential" | "random";
+export type SlideshowTransition = "soft-fade" | "gentle-motion";
 
 export interface ImageRecord {
   id: number;
@@ -419,6 +421,7 @@ interface GalleryState {
   lightboxAutoMute: boolean;
   slideshowIntervalSeconds: number;
   slideshowOrder: SlideshowOrder;
+  slideshowTransition: SlideshowTransition;
   // Per-folder background-worker pause flags, shared by the BackgroundTasks
   // bar and the sidebar folder context menu.
   workerPaused: Record<number, Record<WorkerKey, boolean>>;
@@ -549,6 +552,7 @@ interface GalleryState {
   setLightboxAutoMute: (enabled: boolean) => void;
   setSlideshowIntervalSeconds: (seconds: number) => void;
   setSlideshowOrder: (order: SlideshowOrder) => void;
+  setSlideshowTransition: (transition: SlideshowTransition) => void;
   loadWorkerStates: () => Promise<void>;
   setWorkerPaused: (folderId: number, worker: WorkerKey, paused: boolean) => void;
   setAllWorkersPaused: (folderId: number, paused: boolean) => void;
@@ -674,6 +678,12 @@ function initialSlideshowOrder(): SlideshowOrder {
   return stored === "random" ? "random" : "sequential";
 }
 
+function initialSlideshowTransition(): SlideshowTransition {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return "soft-fade";
+  const stored = window.localStorage.getItem(SLIDESHOW_TRANSITION_KEY);
+  return stored === "gentle-motion" ? "gentle-motion" : "soft-fade";
+}
+
 function initialTheme(): AppTheme {
   if (typeof window === "undefined") return "phokus";
   const saved = window.localStorage.getItem(THEME_KEY);
@@ -936,6 +946,7 @@ export const useGalleryStore = create<GalleryState>((set, get) => ({
   lightboxAutoMute: initialBoolSetting(LIGHTBOX_AUTO_MUTE_KEY, false),
   slideshowIntervalSeconds: initialNumberSetting(SLIDESHOW_INTERVAL_KEY, 6, 3, 60),
   slideshowOrder: initialSlideshowOrder(),
+  slideshowTransition: initialSlideshowTransition(),
   workerPaused: {},
 
   appVersion: null,
@@ -2037,6 +2048,11 @@ export const useGalleryStore = create<GalleryState>((set, get) => ({
     set({ slideshowOrder: order });
   },
 
+  setSlideshowTransition: (transition) => {
+    window.localStorage.setItem(SLIDESHOW_TRANSITION_KEY, transition);
+    set({ slideshowTransition: transition });
+  },
+
   loadWorkerStates: async () => {
     const folderIds = get().folders.map((folder) => folder.id);
     if (folderIds.length === 0) {