diff --git a/webui/static/video/video-downloads-page.js b/webui/static/video/video-downloads-page.js
index bdcce8b3..1b0d1411 100644
--- a/webui/static/video/video-downloads-page.js
+++ b/webui/static/video/video-downloads-page.js
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
  * SoulSync — Video Downloads page.
  *
  * Every grab from the video side lands here. Polls /downloads/active while the page
- * is open and renders live status: a progress bar while downloading, then the file's
- * final library destination when it completes. Self-contained; isolated .vdpg-* styling.
+ * is open and reflects live status. Cards are created ONCE and patched in place
+ * (no innerHTML churn) so progress bars glide and nothing re-animates each tick —
+ * the smooth, music-downloads feel.
  */
 (function () {
     'use strict';
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@
     var URL_ACTIVE = '/api/video/downloads/active';
     var URL_CLEAR = '/api/video/downloads/clear';
     var _timer = null, _wired = false;
+    var _cards = {};   // id -> card element (kept across polls for in-place updates)
 
     function esc(s) {
         return String(s == null ? '' : s)
@@ -24,86 +26,141 @@
 
     var KIND_ICON = { movie: '🎬', show: '📺', episode: '📺', season: '📺', series: '📺', youtube: '▶️' };
     var STATUS = {
-        downloading: { label: 'Downloading', cls: 'dl' },
-        queued: { label: 'Queued', cls: 'q' },
-        completed: { label: 'Completed', cls: 'ok' },
-        failed: { label: 'Failed', cls: 'fail' }
+        downloading: { label: 'Downloading', st: 'dl' },
+        queued: { label: 'Queued', st: 'q' },
+        completed: { label: 'Completed', st: 'ok' },
+        failed: { label: 'Failed', st: 'fail' }
     };
 
-    function fmtGB(bytes) {
+    function fmtSize(bytes) {
         var gb = (bytes || 0) / (1024 * 1024 * 1024);
         return gb >= 0.1 ? (Math.round(gb * 10) / 10) + ' GB' : Math.round((bytes || 0) / (1024 * 1024)) + ' MB';
     }
+    function ago(ts) {
+        if (!ts) return '';
+        var t = Date.parse(String(ts).replace(' ', 'T') + 'Z');
+        if (isNaN(t)) return '';
+        var s = Math.max(0, Math.round((Date.now() - t) / 1000));
+        if (s < 60) return s + 's ago';
+        if (s < 3600) return Math.round(s / 60) + 'm ago';
+        if (s < 86400) return Math.round(s / 3600) + 'h ago';
+        return Math.round(s / 86400) + 'd ago';
+    }
 
-    function itemHTML(d) {
-        var st = STATUS[d.status] || STATUS.downloading;
-        var icon = KIND_ICON[(d.kind || '').toLowerCase()] || '🎬';
-        var pct = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, d.progress || 0));
-        var name = d.title || d.release_title || 'Download';
-        var bar = (d.status === 'downloading' || d.status === 'queued')
-            ? '<div class="vdpg-bar"><div class="vdpg-bar-fill" style="width:' + pct + '%"></div></div>' +
-              '<div class="vdpg-pct">' + (Math.round(pct)) + '%</div>'
-            : '';
-        var meta = [];
-        meta.push('<span>' + fmtGB(d.size_bytes) + '</span>');
-        if (d.username) meta.push('<span>👤 ' + esc(d.username) + '</span>');
-        if (d.status === 'completed' && d.dest_path) meta.push('<span class="vdpg-dest">→ ' + esc(d.dest_path) + '</span>');
-        if (d.status === 'failed' && d.error) meta.push('<span class="vdpg-err">' + esc(d.error) + '</span>');
-        return '<div class="vdpg-item vdpg-item--' + st.cls + '">' +
-            '<div class="vdpg-ic">' + icon + '</div>' +
+    function makeCard(d) {
+        var el = document.createElement('div');
+        el.className = 'vdpg-item';
+        el.setAttribute('data-dl-id', d.id);
+        el.innerHTML =
+            '<div class="vdpg-ic" data-f="ic"></div>' +
             '<div class="vdpg-body">' +
-                '<div class="vdpg-row1"><span class="vdpg-name">' + esc(name) + '</span>' +
-                    '<span class="vdpg-pill vdpg-pill--' + st.cls + '">' + st.label + '</span></div>' +
-                (d.release_title && d.release_title !== name ? '<div class="vdpg-rel" title="' + esc(d.release_title) + '">' + esc(d.release_title) + '</div>' : '') +
-                bar +
-                '<div class="vdpg-meta">' + meta.join('') + '</div>' +
-            '</div>' +
-        '</div>';
+                '<div class="vdpg-row1"><span class="vdpg-name" data-f="name"></span>' +
+                    '<span class="vdpg-pill" data-f="pill"></span></div>' +
+                '<div class="vdpg-rel" data-f="rel"></div>' +
+                '<div class="vdpg-bar" data-f="bar"><div class="vdpg-bar-fill" data-f="fill"></div></div>' +
+                '<div class="vdpg-meta" data-f="meta"></div>' +
+            '</div>';
+        return el;
+    }
+
+    function patchCard(el, d) {
+        var info = STATUS[d.status] || STATUS.downloading;
+        var active = d.status === 'downloading' || d.status === 'queued';
+        var pct = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, d.progress || 0));
+        var q = function (f) { return el.querySelector('[data-f="' + f + '"]'); };
+
+        if (el.getAttribute('data-st') !== info.st) el.setAttribute('data-st', info.st);
+        var ic = q('ic'); var icon = KIND_ICON[(d.kind || '').toLowerCase()] || '🎬';
+        if (ic.textContent !== icon) ic.textContent = icon;
+        var name = d.title || d.release_title || 'Download';
+        var nm = q('name'); if (nm.textContent !== name) nm.textContent = name;
+        var pill = q('pill');
+        if (pill.textContent !== info.label) pill.textContent = info.label;
+        if (pill.getAttribute('data-st') !== info.st) pill.setAttribute('data-st', info.st);
+
+        var rel = q('rel');
+        var relTxt = (d.release_title && d.release_title !== name) ? d.release_title : '';
+        if (rel.textContent !== relTxt) { rel.textContent = relTxt; rel.style.display = relTxt ? '' : 'none'; }
+
+        var bar = q('bar');
+        bar.style.display = active ? '' : 'none';
+        if (active) q('fill').style.width = pct + '%';   // CSS transition glides it
+
+        // meta line — patched only when its text changes (no churn)
+        var meta = [fmtSize(d.size_bytes)];
+        if (d.username) meta.push('👤 ' + d.username);
+        if (active) meta.push(Math.round(pct) + '%');
+        if (d.status === 'completed' && d.dest_path) meta.push('→ ' + d.dest_path);
+        else if (d.status === 'failed' && d.error) meta.push(d.error);
+        else if (d.created_at) meta.push(ago(d.created_at));
+        var html = meta.map(function (m, i) {
+            var cls = (i === 0) ? 'vdpg-m' : (d.status === 'completed' && /^→/.test(m)) ? 'vdpg-m vdpg-dest'
+                : (d.status === 'failed' && m === d.error) ? 'vdpg-m vdpg-err' : 'vdpg-m';
+            return '<span class="' + cls + '">' + esc(m) + '</span>';
+        }).join('');
+        var mt = q('meta'); if (mt.innerHTML !== html) mt.innerHTML = html;
     }
 
     function render(list) {
         var host = document.querySelector('[data-vdpg-list]'); if (!host) return;
         list = list || [];
-        var clearBtn = document.querySelector('[data-vdpg-clear]');
+
+        // header counts + clear button
         var finished = list.filter(function (d) { return d.status === 'completed' || d.status === 'failed'; }).length;
-        if (clearBtn) clearBtn.hidden = finished === 0;
-        var active = list.filter(function (d) { return d.status === 'downloading' || d.status === 'queued'; }).length;
+        var active = list.length - finished;
+        var clearBtn = document.querySelector('[data-vdpg-clear]'); if (clearBtn) clearBtn.hidden = finished === 0;
         var sub = document.querySelector('[data-vdpg-sub]');
-        if (sub) sub.textContent = list.length
-            ? (active + ' active · ' + finished + ' finished')
+        if (sub) sub.textContent = list.length ? (active + ' active · ' + finished + ' finished')
             : "Everything you've grabbed from the video side";
+
+        // empty state
+        var empty = host.querySelector('.vdpg-empty');
         if (!list.length) {
+            _cards = {};
             host.innerHTML = '<div class="vdpg-empty"><div class="vdpg-empty-ic">⤓</div>' +
                 '<div class="vdpg-empty-t">No downloads yet</div>' +
                 '<div class="vdpg-empty-s">Hit Grab on a search result and it\'ll show up here.</div></div>';
             return;
         }
-        host.innerHTML = list.map(itemHTML).join('');
+        if (empty) empty.remove();
+
+        // reconcile: create/patch in order, then drop stale — no full re-render
+        var seen = {};
+        list.forEach(function (d, i) {
+            seen[d.id] = true;
+            var el = _cards[d.id];
+            if (!el) { el = _cards[d.id] = makeCard(d); }
+            patchCard(el, d);
+            var atPos = host.children[i];
+            if (atPos !== el) host.insertBefore(el, atPos || null);   // place without re-animating
+        });
+        Object.keys(_cards).forEach(function (id) {
+            if (!seen[id]) { var el = _cards[id]; if (el && el.parentNode) el.parentNode.removeChild(el); delete _cards[id]; }
+        });
     }
 
-    function load() {
-        getJSON(URL_ACTIVE).then(function (d) { if (d) render(d.downloads || []); });
-    }
+    function anyActive() { return !!document.querySelector('.vdpg-item[data-st="dl"], .vdpg-item[data-st="q"]'); }
 
-    function anyActive() {
-        return !!document.querySelector('.vdpg-item--dl, .vdpg-item--q');
+    function poll() {
+        getJSON(URL_ACTIVE).then(function (d) {
+            if (d) render(d.downloads || []);
+            schedule();
+        });
     }
-
-    function start() {
-        load();
-        if (_timer) clearInterval(_timer);
-        // Poll while open; the monitor moves files server-side regardless.
-        _timer = setInterval(function () { load(); }, 2500);
-        wire();
+    function schedule() {
+        if (_timer) clearTimeout(_timer);
+        // brisk while something's moving, relaxed when idle — and never a hard blink.
+        _timer = setTimeout(poll, anyActive() ? 1500 : 6000);
     }
-    function stop() { if (_timer) { clearInterval(_timer); _timer = null; } }
+    function start() { wire(); if (_timer) clearTimeout(_timer); poll(); }
+    function stop() { if (_timer) { clearTimeout(_timer); _timer = null; } }
 
     function wire() {
         if (_wired) return; _wired = true;
         var clearBtn = document.querySelector('[data-vdpg-clear]');
         if (clearBtn) clearBtn.addEventListener('click', function () {
             fetch(URL_CLEAR, { method: 'POST', headers: { Accept: 'application/json' } })
-                .then(function () { toast('Cleared finished downloads', 'success'); load(); })
+                .then(function () { toast('Cleared finished downloads', 'success'); poll(); })
                 .catch(function () { /* ignore */ });
         });
     }
@@ -111,11 +168,8 @@
     document.addEventListener('soulsync:video-page-shown', function (e) {
         if (e.detail === 'video-downloads') start(); else stop();
     });
-    // A fresh grab elsewhere → if the page is open, reflect it quickly.
     document.addEventListener('soulsync:video-download-started', function () {
-        if (document.querySelector('[data-video-subpage="video-downloads"]:not([hidden])')) setTimeout(load, 400);
+        if (document.querySelector('[data-video-subpage="video-downloads"]:not([hidden])')) setTimeout(poll, 350);
     });
-    // Keep polling lively only while something is in flight (handled by the 2.5s timer);
-    // anyActive() is exposed for future adaptive intervals.
     window._vdpgAnyActive = anyActive;
 })();
diff --git a/webui/static/video/video-side.css b/webui/static/video/video-side.css
index d02273da..7e98b3b6 100644
--- a/webui/static/video/video-side.css
+++ b/webui/static/video/video-side.css
@@ -3326,45 +3326,53 @@ body[data-side="video"] #soulsync-toggle { display: none; }
 .vdpg-clear[hidden] { display: none; }
 .vdpg-list { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 11px; }
 
+/* card is created ONCE then patched in place — the entrance animation plays a single
+   time on mount, never on a poll (that was the old 'blink'). */
 .vdpg-item { display: flex; gap: 15px; padding: 15px 17px; border-radius: 16px; align-items: center;
-    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.035); border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
-    animation: vdlRise 0.45s both; transition: border-color 0.18s ease, background 0.18s ease, transform 0.18s ease; }
+    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.035); border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08); border-left: 3px solid transparent;
+    animation: vdlRise 0.45s both;
+    transition: border-color 0.3s ease, background 0.25s ease, transform 0.18s ease; }
 .vdpg-item:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.16); background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.055); }
-.vdpg-item--dl { border-left: 3px solid rgb(var(--accent-rgb)); }
-.vdpg-item--ok { border-left: 3px solid #6cd391; }
-.vdpg-item--fail { border-left: 3px solid #ef4444; }
-.vdpg-item--q { border-left: 3px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); }
+.vdpg-item[data-st="dl"] { border-left-color: rgb(var(--accent-rgb));
+    background: linear-gradient(100deg, rgba(var(--accent-rgb), 0.06), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03) 55%); }
+.vdpg-item[data-st="ok"] { border-left-color: #6cd391; }
+.vdpg-item[data-st="fail"] { border-left-color: #ef4444; }
+.vdpg-item[data-st="q"] { border-left-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3); }
 .vdpg-ic { flex-shrink: 0; width: 50px; height: 50px; border-radius: 13px; display: grid; place-items: center;
     font-size: 24px; background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05); border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08); }
+.vdpg-item[data-st="dl"] .vdpg-ic { background: rgba(var(--accent-rgb), 0.12); border-color: rgba(var(--accent-rgb), 0.3); }
 .vdpg-body { flex: 1; min-width: 0; }
 .vdpg-row1 { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; }
 .vdpg-name { font-size: 15.5px; font-weight: 800; color: #fff; letter-spacing: -0.01em;
     white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; }
 .vdpg-pill { flex-shrink: 0; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 900; letter-spacing: 0.04em; text-transform: uppercase;
-    padding: 3px 9px; border-radius: 999px; }
-.vdpg-pill--dl { background: rgba(var(--accent-rgb), 0.18); color: rgb(var(--accent-rgb)); animation: vdpgPulse 1.6s ease-in-out infinite; }
-.vdpg-pill--q { background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6); }
-.vdpg-pill--ok { background: rgba(108, 211, 145, 0.18); color: #8fe7af; }
-.vdpg-pill--fail { background: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.18); color: #fca5a5; }
+    padding: 3px 9px; border-radius: 999px; background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6);
+    transition: background 0.25s ease, color 0.25s ease; }
+.vdpg-pill[data-st="dl"] { background: rgba(var(--accent-rgb), 0.18); color: rgb(var(--accent-rgb)); animation: vdpgPulse 1.6s ease-in-out infinite; }
+.vdpg-pill[data-st="ok"] { background: rgba(108, 211, 145, 0.18); color: #8fe7af; }
+.vdpg-pill[data-st="fail"] { background: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.18); color: #fca5a5; }
 .vdpg-rel { font: 500 11px/1.3 'JetBrains Mono', ui-monospace, monospace; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4);
     margin-top: 4px; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; }
+.vdpg-rel:empty { display: none; }
 .vdpg-bar { margin-top: 10px; height: 7px; border-radius: 999px; background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); overflow: hidden; }
-.vdpg-bar-fill { height: 100%; border-radius: 999px; transition: width 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.7, 0.2, 1);
+.vdpg-bar-fill { height: 100%; width: 0; border-radius: 999px; transition: width 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.3, 0.8, 0.3, 1);
     background: linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(var(--accent-rgb), 0.7), rgb(var(--accent-rgb))); position: relative; }
 .vdpg-bar-fill::after { content: ''; position: absolute; inset: 0; border-radius: 999px;
     background: linear-gradient(100deg, transparent 30%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.35) 50%, transparent 70%);
-    animation: vdpgShimmer 1.4s linear infinite; }
-.vdpg-pct { margin-top: 4px; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 800; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5); }
-.vdpg-meta { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 13px; margin-top: 8px; font-size: 11.5px; font-weight: 600;
-    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55); }
-.vdpg-dest { color: #8fe7af; font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', ui-monospace, monospace; font-size: 11px; }
+    animation: vdpgShimmer 1.6s linear infinite; }
+.vdpg-meta { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; gap: 13px; margin-top: 9px; font-size: 11.5px;
+    font-weight: 600; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55); }
+.vdpg-m { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; }
+.vdpg-dest { color: #8fe7af; font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', ui-monospace, monospace; font-size: 11px;
+    max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; }
 .vdpg-err { color: #fca5a5; }
-.vdpg-empty { text-align: center; padding: 70px 20px; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.45); }
+.vdpg-empty { text-align: center; padding: 70px 20px; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.45); animation: vdlRise 0.5s both; }
 .vdpg-empty-ic { font-size: 46px; opacity: 0.5; }
 .vdpg-empty-t { font-size: 17px; font-weight: 800; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7); margin-top: 12px; }
 .vdpg-empty-s { font-size: 13px; margin-top: 6px; }
 @keyframes vdpgPulse { 0%, 100% { opacity: 1; } 50% { opacity: 0.55; } }
 @keyframes vdpgShimmer { from { transform: translateX(-100%); } to { transform: translateX(100%); } }
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-    .vdpg-item, .vdpg-pill--dl, .vdpg-bar-fill::after { animation: none !important; }
+    .vdpg-item, .vdpg-pill[data-st="dl"], .vdpg-bar-fill::after { animation: none !important; }
+    .vdpg-bar-fill { transition: none; }
 }