diff --git a/frontend/src/App.svelte b/frontend/src/App.svelte
index ba6840b..577f227 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/App.svelte
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
   import ProgressDisplay from './lib/components/ProgressDisplay.svelte';
   import ResultsView from './lib/components/ResultsView.svelte';
   import SettingsPanel from './lib/components/SettingsPanel.svelte';
+  import { sanitizeFolderName } from './lib/utils.js';
 
   // Configuration constants
   const STORAGE_KEY_PERSON = 'immich-timelapse-selected-person';
@@ -53,36 +54,12 @@
   let savedScrollPosition = $state(0);
 
   // Output folder management
-  let outputFolderRefreshKey = $state(0);
   let outputFolders = $state([]);
 
   let isJobRunning = $derived(
     jobStatus === 'running' || jobStatus === 'compiling_video' || jobStatus === 'cancelling'
   );
 
-  // Match backend's sanitize_folder_name logic for video path construction
-  // Must exactly replicate src/utils.rs sanitize_folder_name
-  function sanitizeFolderName(name, id) {
-    const base = name && name.trim() ? name : id;
-
-    // Remove accents by decomposing to NFD and filtering combining marks
-    const withoutAccents = base.normalize('NFD').replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, '');
-
-    // Convert to lowercase and replace unsafe characters with underscores
-    let sanitized = '';
-    for (const c of withoutAccents.toLowerCase()) {
-      if (/^[a-z0-9\-_]$/.test(c)) {
-        sanitized += c;
-      } else {
-        sanitized += '_';
-      }
-    }
-
-    // Trim whitespace and underscores, then limit length
-    sanitized = sanitized.replace(/^[\s_]+|[\s_]+$/g, '');
-    return sanitized.length > 50 ? sanitized.slice(0, 50) : sanitized;
-  }
-
   // Compute folder name from progress for video display
   let completedFolderName = $derived(
     progress.person_name || progress.person_id
@@ -90,8 +67,15 @@
       : null
   );
 
-  function handleFoldersLoaded(folders) {
-    outputFolders = folders;
+  async function loadOutputFolders() {
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch('/api/output');
+      if (res.ok) {
+        outputFolders = await res.json();
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Failed to load output folders:', e);
+    }
   }
 
   function handleFolderDeleted(folderName) {
@@ -101,6 +85,8 @@
       jobStatus = 'idle';
       progress = { completed: 0, total: 0, message: '' };
     }
+    // Reload folder list after deletion
+    loadOutputFolders();
   }
 
   function openGallery(folder) {
@@ -175,7 +161,7 @@
         // Refresh output folders when job finishes (was running before)
         if (data.status === 'completed' || data.status === 'cancelled' || data.status === 'error') {
           if (previousStatus === 'running' || previousStatus === 'compiling_video' || previousStatus === 'cancelling') {
-            outputFolderRefreshKey++;
+            loadOutputFolders();
           }
         }
       } catch (e) {
@@ -220,6 +206,17 @@
 
   onMount(() => {
     // Initial check will happen when connection is established
+    // Load output folders initially and when connection is established
+    if (connectionOk) {
+      loadOutputFolders();
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Reload folders when connection is established
+  $effect(() => {
+    if (connectionOk) {
+      loadOutputFolders();
+    }
   });
 
   onDestroy(() => {
@@ -280,9 +277,8 @@
       <section class="output">
         <OutputManager
           disabled={isJobRunning}
+          folders={outputFolders}
           onOpenGallery={openGallery}
-          refreshKey={outputFolderRefreshKey}
-          onFoldersLoaded={handleFoldersLoaded}
           onFolderDeleted={handleFolderDeleted}
         />
       </section>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/GalleryView.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/GalleryView.svelte
index d55286a..876b32a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/GalleryView.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/GalleryView.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <script>
   import { onMount } from 'svelte';
+  import { formatSize } from '../utils.js';
 
   let {
     folderName,
@@ -120,12 +121,6 @@
     }
   }
 
-  function formatSize(bytes) {
-    if (bytes < 1024) return `${bytes} B`;
-    if (bytes < 1024 * 1024) return `${(bytes / 1024).toFixed(1)} KB`;
-    return `${(bytes / (1024 * 1024)).toFixed(1)} MB`;
-  }
-
   onMount(() => {
     loadImages();
   });
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/OutputManager.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/OutputManager.svelte
index bbd8cc1..716be31 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/OutputManager.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/OutputManager.svelte
@@ -1,36 +1,10 @@
 <script>
-  import { onMount } from 'svelte';
+  import { formatSize } from '../utils.js';
 
-  let { disabled = false, onOpenGallery, refreshKey = 0, onFoldersLoaded, onFolderDeleted } = $props();
+  let { disabled = false, folders = [], onOpenGallery, onFolderDeleted } = $props();
 
-  let folders = $state([]);
-  let loading = $state(true);
-  let error = $state(null);
   let deleting = $state(null);
 
-  // Re-fetch when refreshKey changes
-  $effect(() => {
-    if (refreshKey > 0) {
-      loadFolders();
-    }
-  });
-
-  async function loadFolders() {
-    loading = true;
-    error = null;
-    try {
-      const res = await fetch('/api/output');
-      if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Failed to load output folders');
-      folders = await res.json();
-      // Notify parent about loaded folders (for existing folder warnings)
-      onFoldersLoaded?.(folders);
-    } catch (e) {
-      error = e.message;
-    } finally {
-      loading = false;
-    }
-  }
-
   async function deleteFolder(name) {
     if (!confirm(`Delete output folder "${name}"? This cannot be undone.`)) {
       return;
@@ -45,10 +19,8 @@
         const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
         throw new Error(data.message || 'Failed to delete folder');
       }
-      // Notify parent that folder was deleted
+      // Notify parent that folder was deleted (parent will reload)
       onFolderDeleted?.(name);
-      // Reload the list
-      await loadFolders();
     } catch (e) {
       alert(e.message);
     } finally {
@@ -72,39 +44,20 @@
       }
       // Notify parent that all folders were deleted (null = all)
       onFolderDeleted?.(null);
-      // Reload the list
-      await loadFolders();
     } catch (e) {
       alert(e.message);
     } finally {
       deleting = null;
     }
   }
-
-  function formatSize(bytes) {
-    if (bytes < 1024) return `${bytes} B`;
-    if (bytes < 1024 * 1024) return `${(bytes / 1024).toFixed(1)} KB`;
-    return `${(bytes / (1024 * 1024)).toFixed(1)} MB`;
-  }
-
-  onMount(() => {
-    loadFolders();
-  });
 </script>
 
 <div class="output-manager">
   <div class="header">
     <h3>Output Folders</h3>
-    <button type="button" class="refresh-btn" onclick={loadFolders} disabled={loading || disabled}>
-      {loading ? '...' : '↻'}
-    </button>
   </div>
 
-  {#if loading}
-    <p class="status">Loading...</p>
-  {:else if error}
-    <p class="error">{error}</p>
-  {:else if folders.length === 0}
+  {#if folders.length === 0}
     <p class="status empty">No output folders yet</p>
   {:else}
     <ul class="folder-list">
@@ -192,28 +145,6 @@
     margin: 0;
   }
 
-  .refresh-btn {
-    width: 2rem;
-    height: 2rem;
-    background: #252525;
-    border: none;
-    border-radius: 4px;
-    color: #888;
-    font-size: 1rem;
-    cursor: pointer;
-    transition: all 0.15s ease;
-  }
-
-  .refresh-btn:hover:not(:disabled) {
-    background: #333;
-    color: #e0e0e0;
-  }
-
-  .refresh-btn:disabled {
-    opacity: 0.5;
-    cursor: not-allowed;
-  }
-
   .status {
     font-size: 0.875rem;
     color: #888;
@@ -226,13 +157,6 @@
     font-style: italic;
   }
 
-  .error {
-    font-size: 0.875rem;
-    color: #dc2626;
-    text-align: center;
-    padding: 1rem;
-  }
-
   .folder-list {
     list-style: none;
     margin: 0;
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/ProcessingControls.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/ProcessingControls.svelte
index ff7a1c8..14dca38 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/ProcessingControls.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/ProcessingControls.svelte
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 <script>
+  import { sanitizeFolderName, formatSize } from '../utils.js';
+
   let { personId, personName, jobStatus, outputFolders = [], onupdate } = $props();
 
   let dateFrom = $state('');
@@ -10,29 +12,6 @@
     jobStatus === 'running' || jobStatus === 'compiling_video' || jobStatus === 'cancelling'
   );
 
-  // Match backend's sanitize_folder_name logic
-  // Must exactly replicate src/utils.rs sanitize_folder_name
-  function sanitizeFolderName(name, id) {
-    const base = name && name.trim() ? name : id;
-
-    // Remove accents by decomposing to NFD and filtering combining marks
-    const withoutAccents = base.normalize('NFD').replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, '');
-
-    // Convert to lowercase and replace unsafe characters with underscores
-    let sanitized = '';
-    for (const c of withoutAccents.toLowerCase()) {
-      if (/^[a-z0-9\-_]$/.test(c)) {
-        sanitized += c;
-      } else {
-        sanitized += '_';
-      }
-    }
-
-    // Trim whitespace and underscores, then limit length
-    sanitized = sanitized.replace(/^[\s_]+|[\s_]+$/g, '');
-    return sanitized.length > 50 ? sanitized.slice(0, 50) : sanitized;
-  }
-
   // Check if an output folder already exists for this person
   let existingFolder = $derived.by(() => {
     const expectedName = sanitizeFolderName(personName, personId);
@@ -110,12 +89,6 @@
     }
   }
 
-  function formatSize(bytes) {
-    if (bytes < 1024) return `${bytes} B`;
-    if (bytes < 1024 * 1024) return `${(bytes / 1024).toFixed(1)} KB`;
-    return `${(bytes / (1024 * 1024)).toFixed(1)} MB`;
-  }
-
   function handleStartClick() {
     if (existingFolder) {
       const folder = existingFolder;
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils.js b/frontend/src/lib/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8f6bf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/**
+ * Shared utility functions for the frontend.
+ * These must match backend logic where noted.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Sanitize a folder name to match backend's sanitize_folder_name logic.
+ * IMPORTANT: Must exactly replicate src/utils.rs sanitize_folder_name
+ *
+ * @param {string} name - Person name
+ * @param {string} id - Person ID (fallback)
+ * @returns {string} Sanitized folder name
+ */
+export function sanitizeFolderName(name, id) {
+  const base = name && name.trim() ? name : id;
+
+  // Remove accents by decomposing to NFD and filtering combining marks
+  const withoutAccents = base.normalize('NFD').replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, '');
+
+  // Convert to lowercase and replace unsafe characters with underscores
+  let sanitized = '';
+  for (const c of withoutAccents.toLowerCase()) {
+    if (/^[a-z0-9\-_]$/.test(c)) {
+      sanitized += c;
+    } else {
+      sanitized += '_';
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Trim whitespace and underscores, then limit length
+  sanitized = sanitized.replace(/^[\s_]+|[\s_]+$/g, '');
+  return sanitized.length > 50 ? sanitized.slice(0, 50) : sanitized;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Format bytes to human-readable size string.
+ *
+ * @param {number} bytes - Size in bytes
+ * @returns {string} Formatted size (e.g., "1.2 MB")
+ */
+export function formatSize(bytes) {
+  if (bytes < 1024) return `${bytes} B`;
+  if (bytes < 1024 * 1024) return `${(bytes / 1024).toFixed(1)} KB`;
+  return `${(bytes / (1024 * 1024)).toFixed(1)} MB`;
+}