diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
index 7be9948..db7639e 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
@@ -264,10 +264,15 @@ pub async fn remove_folder(
         .into_iter()
         .find(|f| f.id == folder_id)
         .map(|f| PathBuf::from(f.path));
+    // Collect thumbnail paths before the cascade delete removes the rows.
+    let thumb_paths = db::get_thumbnail_paths_for_folder(&conn, folder_id).unwrap_or_default();
     db::delete_folder(&conn, folder_id).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     if let Some(path) = folder_path {
         watcher.remove_folder(&path);
     }
+    for thumb in &thumb_paths {
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(thumb);
+    }
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -1192,6 +1197,9 @@ pub async fn delete_images_from_disk(
     for r in records.into_iter().filter(|r| id_set.contains(&r.id)) {
         if std::fs::remove_file(&r.path).is_ok() {
             succeeded_ids.push(r.id);
+            if let Some(thumb) = &r.thumbnail_path {
+                let _ = std::fs::remove_file(thumb);
+            }
         }
     }
     if !succeeded_ids.is_empty() {
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/db.rs b/src-tauri/src/db.rs
index b2c02ba..2123d05 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/db.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/db.rs
@@ -1676,6 +1676,7 @@ pub fn search_tags_autocomplete(
 pub struct ImagePathRecord {
     pub id: i64,
     pub path: String,
+    pub thumbnail_path: Option<String>,
 }
 
 pub fn get_all_image_paths(
@@ -1683,19 +1684,69 @@ pub fn get_all_image_paths(
     folder_id: Option<i64>,
 ) -> Result<Vec<ImagePathRecord>> {
     let mut stmt = conn.prepare(
-        "SELECT id, path FROM images WHERE (?1 IS NULL OR folder_id = ?1) ORDER BY id",
+        "SELECT id, path, thumbnail_path FROM images WHERE (?1 IS NULL OR folder_id = ?1) ORDER BY id",
     )?;
     let rows = stmt
         .query_map(params![folder_id], |row| {
             Ok(ImagePathRecord {
                 id: row.get(0)?,
                 path: row.get(1)?,
+                thumbnail_path: row.get(2)?,
             })
         })?
         .collect::<rusqlite::Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
     Ok(rows)
 }
 
+/// Returns (image_id, thumbnail_path) for the given path. Used by the watcher
+/// delete branch so it can clean up the thumbnail file in the same step.
+pub fn get_image_id_and_thumbnail_by_path(
+    conn: &Connection,
+    path: &str,
+) -> Result<Option<(i64, Option<String>)>> {
+    let result = conn.query_row(
+        "SELECT id, thumbnail_path FROM images WHERE path = ?1",
+        params![path],
+        |row| Ok((row.get::<_, i64>(0)?, row.get::<_, Option<String>>(1)?)),
+    );
+    match result {
+        Ok(v) => Ok(Some(v)),
+        Err(rusqlite::Error::QueryReturnedNoRows) => Ok(None),
+        Err(e) => Err(e.into()),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Returns all non-null thumbnail_path values for images in a folder.
+/// Called before folder deletion so callers can remove the files from disk.
+pub fn get_thumbnail_paths_for_folder(
+    conn: &Connection,
+    folder_id: i64,
+) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
+    let mut stmt = conn.prepare(
+        "SELECT thumbnail_path FROM images WHERE folder_id = ?1 AND thumbnail_path IS NOT NULL",
+    )?;
+    let rows = stmt
+        .query_map([folder_id], |row| row.get::<_, String>(0))?
+        .collect::<rusqlite::Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
+    Ok(rows)
+}
+
+/// Updates a moved/renamed image's path and thumbnail_path in-place.
+/// Pass `new_thumbnail_path = None` to clear it (triggers regeneration).
+pub fn update_image_path(
+    conn: &Connection,
+    image_id: i64,
+    new_path: &str,
+    new_filename: &str,
+    new_thumbnail_path: Option<&str>,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    conn.execute(
+        "UPDATE images SET path = ?2, filename = ?3, thumbnail_path = ?4 WHERE id = ?1",
+        params![image_id, new_path, new_filename, new_thumbnail_path],
+    )?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub fn get_explore_tags(
     conn: &Connection,
     folder_id: Option<i64>,
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/indexer.rs b/src-tauri/src/indexer.rs
index 704c466..95bd5ae 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/indexer.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/indexer.rs
@@ -1347,7 +1347,7 @@ impl WatcherHandle {
 /// - `recv()` when no events are pending — zero CPU
 /// - `recv_timeout(earliest_deadline)` when events are pending — wakes exactly
 ///   when the soonest debounce window expires, no busy-polling
-pub fn start_watcher(app: AppHandle, pool: DbPool) -> WatcherHandle {
+pub fn start_watcher(app: AppHandle, pool: DbPool, thumb_dir: PathBuf) -> WatcherHandle {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel::<notify::Result<notify::Event>>();
 
     let raw_watcher = notify::recommended_watcher(move |result| {
@@ -1392,17 +1392,19 @@ pub fn start_watcher(app: AppHandle, pool: DbPool) -> WatcherHandle {
     std::thread::spawn(move || {
         // path → deadline: the earliest instant at which this path should be processed.
         let mut pending: HashMap<PathBuf, Instant> = HashMap::new();
+        // old_path → new_path for rename events that carry both sides atomically.
+        let mut pending_renames: Vec<(PathBuf, PathBuf)> = Vec::new();
 
         loop {
             // Adaptive blocking: block forever when idle, wake at the earliest
             // deadline when events are queued.
-            let received = if pending.is_empty() {
+            let received = if pending.is_empty() && pending_renames.is_empty() {
                 match rx.recv() {
                     Ok(e) => Some(e),
                     Err(_) => break, // sender dropped — app is shutting down
                 }
             } else {
-                let earliest = pending.values().copied().min().unwrap(); // safe: non-empty
+                let earliest = pending.values().copied().min().unwrap_or(Instant::now());
                 let timeout = earliest.saturating_duration_since(Instant::now());
                 match rx.recv_timeout(timeout) {
                     Ok(e) => Some(e),
@@ -1415,17 +1417,40 @@ pub fn start_watcher(app: AppHandle, pool: DbPool) -> WatcherHandle {
 
             // Absorb incoming event — coalesces rapid writes into one deadline.
             if let Some(Ok(event)) = received {
-                use notify::EventKind;
-                // Skip pure access events (reads); they never change file content.
+                use notify::{EventKind, event::{ModifyKind, RenameMode}};
                 if !matches!(event.kind, EventKind::Access(_)) {
-                    for path in event.paths {
-                        if is_supported_media(&path) {
-                            pending.insert(path, now + WATCHER_DEBOUNCE);
+                    // Intercept atomic rename events (old + new path in one event).
+                    // Handle these separately to preserve embeddings and thumbnails.
+                    if matches!(
+                        event.kind,
+                        EventKind::Modify(ModifyKind::Name(RenameMode::Both))
+                    ) && event.paths.len() == 2
+                    {
+                        let old = event.paths[0].clone();
+                        let new = event.paths[1].clone();
+                        if is_supported_media(&old) || is_supported_media(&new) {
+                            // Remove either side from regular pending so it isn't
+                            // processed as an independent delete/create.
+                            pending.remove(&old);
+                            pending.remove(&new);
+                            pending_renames.push((old, new));
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        for path in event.paths {
+                            if is_supported_media(&path) {
+                                pending.insert(path, now + WATCHER_DEBOUNCE);
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
 
+            // Process renames immediately — they are atomic filesystem operations
+            // and do not benefit from debouncing.
+            for (old_path, new_path) in pending_renames.drain(..) {
+                process_watcher_rename(&app, &pool, &folder_map_thread, &thumb_dir, &old_path, &new_path);
+            }
+
             // Process all paths whose debounce window has expired.
             let ready: Vec<PathBuf> = pending
                 .iter()
@@ -1496,11 +1521,14 @@ fn process_watcher_path(
             Err(e) => eprintln!("Watcher: commit error for {:?}: {}", path, e),
         }
     } else {
-        // File removed from disk — clean up DB row.
+        // File removed from disk — clean up DB row and thumbnail.
         let path_str = path.to_string_lossy();
-        match db::get_image_id_by_path(&conn, &path_str) {
-            Ok(Some(image_id)) => {
+        match db::get_image_id_and_thumbnail_by_path(&conn, &path_str) {
+            Ok(Some((image_id, thumb_path))) => {
                 if db::delete_images_by_ids(&conn, &[image_id]).is_ok() {
+                    if let Some(thumb) = thumb_path {
+                        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(thumb);
+                    }
                     db::update_folder_count(&conn, folder_id).ok();
                     let _ = app.emit("watcher-deleted", vec![image_id]);
                     let _ = app.emit("folder-counts-changed", ());
@@ -1511,3 +1539,76 @@ fn process_watcher_path(
         }
     }
 }
+
+/// Handles a filesystem rename/move event where both the old and new paths are
+/// known. Updates the DB row in-place (preserving the embedding) and renames
+/// the thumbnail file to match the new path hash.
+fn process_watcher_rename(
+    app: &AppHandle,
+    pool: &DbPool,
+    folder_map: &Arc<Mutex<HashMap<PathBuf, i64>>>,
+    thumb_dir: &Path,
+    old_path: &Path,
+    new_path: &Path,
+) {
+    // Resolve folder_id from the old path first, fall back to new path.
+    let folder_id = {
+        let map = folder_map.lock().unwrap();
+        map.iter()
+            .find(|(fp, _)| old_path.starts_with(fp.as_path()) || new_path.starts_with(fp.as_path()))
+            .map(|(_, &id)| id)
+    };
+    let Some(folder_id) = folder_id else { return };
+
+    let conn = match pool.get() {
+        Ok(c) => c,
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("Watcher rename: DB pool error: {}", e);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+
+    let old_path_str = old_path.to_string_lossy();
+    let new_path_str = new_path.to_string_lossy();
+
+    let (image_id, old_thumb) = match db::get_image_id_and_thumbnail_by_path(&conn, &old_path_str) {
+        Ok(Some(record)) => record,
+        Ok(None) => {
+            // Not yet indexed under the old path — treat as a brand-new file.
+            drop(conn);
+            process_watcher_path(app, pool, folder_map, new_path);
+            return;
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("Watcher rename: DB lookup error: {}", e);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+
+    // Compute new thumbnail path and attempt to rename the file on disk.
+    let new_thumb_path = crate::thumbnail::thumb_path(thumb_dir, &new_path_str);
+    let new_thumb_str = new_thumb_path.to_string_lossy().into_owned();
+    let thumb_ok = old_thumb
+        .as_deref()
+        .map(|old| std::fs::rename(old, &new_thumb_path).is_ok())
+        .unwrap_or(false);
+    // If rename failed (e.g. old thumb never existed), clear thumbnail_path so
+    // the thumbnail worker regenerates it.
+    let effective_thumb: Option<&str> = if thumb_ok { Some(&new_thumb_str) } else { None };
+
+    let new_filename = new_path
+        .file_name()
+        .and_then(|f| f.to_str())
+        .unwrap_or("");
+
+    if let Err(e) = db::update_image_path(&conn, image_id, &new_path_str, new_filename, effective_thumb) {
+        eprintln!("Watcher rename: DB update error: {}", e);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Emit the updated record so the frontend refreshes without a full reload.
+    match db::get_image_by_id(&conn, image_id) {
+        Ok(record) => emit_images(app, &IndexedImagesBatch { folder_id, images: vec![record] }),
+        Err(e) => eprintln!("Watcher rename: post-update fetch error: {}", e),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 00ba11a..02346f3 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             // indexer::start_caption_worker(app.handle().clone(), pool.clone(), app_dir.clone());
             indexer::start_tagging_worker(app.handle().clone(), pool.clone(), app_dir.clone());
 
-            let watcher_handle = indexer::start_watcher(app.handle().clone(), pool.clone());
+            let watcher_handle = indexer::start_watcher(app.handle().clone(), pool.clone(), thumb_dir.clone());
 
             app.manage(pool);
             app.manage(media_tools);