diff --git a/desktop/README.md b/desktop/README.md
index 690e1440..042e6dad 100644
--- a/desktop/README.md
+++ b/desktop/README.md
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ On launch the app:
 2. Otherwise it spawns the bundled `navidrome` binary as a **separate sidecar
    process**, pointed at the OS app-data/music directories, and waits for it to
    become ready.
-3. Loads the Navidrome UI in the webview.
+3. Loads the Navidrome UI in the content webview, below a thin toolbar with
+   back/forward/reload buttons and an address bar.
 4. On exit, sends `SIGTERM` to the spawned server so it shuts down gracefully
    (falls back to a hard kill after 3s).
 
@@ -44,9 +45,9 @@ To build a standalone `.app` instead:
 
 ```
 desktop/
-├── src/                 # Splash screen shown while Navidrome boots
+├── src/                 # toolbar.html (nav bar) + index.html (loading splash)
 ├── src-tauri/
-│   ├── src/             # Rust: sidecar spawn, health-check, lifecycle
+│   ├── src/             # Rust: sidecar spawn, health-check, lifecycle, toolbar
 │   ├── binaries/        # navidrome-<target-triple> sidecar (built, not committed)
 │   ├── icons/           # App icons
 │   ├── tauri.conf.json
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index 5121dc25..a1130ad9 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ crate-type = ["staticlib", "cdylib", "rlib"]
 tauri-build = { version = "2", features = [] }
 
 [dependencies]
-tauri = { version = "2", features = [] }
+tauri = { version = "2", features = ["unstable"] }
 tauri-plugin-shell = "2"
 serde_json = "1"
 thiserror = "1"
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json b/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
index e409d066..0443cb89 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
   "identifier": "default",
   "description": "Default capability for the Quintodrome desktop window",
   "windows": ["main"],
-  "permissions": ["core:default"]
+  "permissions": ["core:default", "core:event:default"]
 }
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index b794cb5d..45bfb1ba 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,75 @@
 mod server;
 
 use server::{Navidrome, ServerState};
-use tauri::{Manager, RunEvent};
+use tauri::{
+    Emitter, LogicalPosition, LogicalSize, Manager, RunEvent, Url, WebviewBuilder, WebviewUrl,
+    WindowEvent,
+};
+
+const TOOLBAR_HEIGHT: f64 = 44.0;
+
+#[tauri::command]
+fn back(app: tauri::AppHandle) {
+    if let Some(content) = app.get_webview("content") {
+        let _ = content.eval("history.back()");
+    }
+}
+
+#[tauri::command]
+fn forward(app: tauri::AppHandle) {
+    if let Some(content) = app.get_webview("content") {
+        let _ = content.eval("history.forward()");
+    }
+}
+
+#[tauri::command]
+fn reload(app: tauri::AppHandle) {
+    if let Some(content) = app.get_webview("content") {
+        let _ = content.reload();
+    }
+}
+
+#[tauri::command]
+fn navigate(app: tauri::AppHandle, url: String) {
+    if let Some(content) = app.get_webview("content") {
+        if let Ok(url) = Url::parse(&url) {
+            let _ = content.navigate(url);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Positions the toolbar strip at the top and the content webview below it.
+fn layout(app: &tauri::AppHandle) {
+    let Some(window) = app.get_window("main") else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let Ok(size) = window.inner_size() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let Ok(scale) = window.scale_factor() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let width = size.width as f64 / scale;
+    let height = size.height as f64 / scale;
+
+    if let Some(toolbar) = app.get_webview("main") {
+        let _ = toolbar.set_auto_resize(false);
+        let _ = toolbar.set_position(LogicalPosition::new(0.0, 0.0));
+        let _ = toolbar.set_size(LogicalSize::new(width, TOOLBAR_HEIGHT));
+    }
+    if let Some(content) = app.get_webview("content") {
+        let _ = content.set_auto_resize(false);
+        let _ = content.set_position(LogicalPosition::new(0.0, TOOLBAR_HEIGHT));
+        let _ = content.set_size(LogicalSize::new(width, (height - TOOLBAR_HEIGHT).max(0.0)));
+    }
+}
 
 #[cfg_attr(mobile, tauri::mobile_entry_point)]
 pub fn run() {
     tauri::Builder::default()
         .plugin(tauri_plugin_shell::init())
         .manage(ServerState::default())
+        .invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![back, forward, reload, navigate])
         .setup(|app| {
             let handle = app.handle().clone();
 
@@ -19,17 +81,53 @@ pub fn run() {
                 .unwrap_or(server::DEFAULT_PORT);
 
             let navidrome = Navidrome::new(host, port);
-            let url = navidrome.url.clone();
+            let navidrome_url = navidrome.url.clone();
 
-            // Detect/start Navidrome off the main thread, then point the
-            // window at it once it is ready.
+            // The primary webview ("main") is the toolbar; the Navidrome content
+            // lives in a child webview below it.
+            let content = WebviewBuilder::new("content", WebviewUrl::App("index.html".into()))
+                .on_navigation({
+                    let handle = handle.clone();
+                    move |url| {
+                        if url.scheme() == "http" || url.scheme() == "https" {
+                            if let Some(toolbar) = handle.get_webview("main") {
+                                let _ = toolbar.emit("url-changed", url.to_string());
+                            }
+                        }
+                        true
+                    }
+                });
+
+            if let Some(window) = app.get_window("main") {
+                let _ = window.add_child(
+                    content,
+                    LogicalPosition::new(0.0, TOOLBAR_HEIGHT),
+                    LogicalSize::new(800.0, 600.0),
+                );
+                let handle = handle.clone();
+                window.on_window_event(move |event| {
+                    if let WindowEvent::Resized(_) = event {
+                        layout(&handle);
+                    }
+                });
+            }
+
+            layout(app.handle());
+
+            if let Some(toolbar) = app.get_webview("main") {
+                let _ = toolbar.emit("url-changed", &navidrome_url);
+            }
+
+            // Detect/start Navidrome off the main thread, then load it.
+            let content_url = navidrome_url.clone();
             std::thread::spawn(move || {
                 if let Err(err) = server::ensure_running(&handle, &navidrome) {
                     eprintln!("quintodrome: {err}");
-                    let message = serde_json::to_string(&err.to_string()).unwrap();
-                    if let Some(window) = handle.get_webview_window("main") {
-                        let _ = window.eval(&format!(
-                            "document.getElementById('status').hidden = true;\
+                    if let Some(content) = handle.get_webview("content") {
+                        let message = serde_json::to_string(&err.to_string()).unwrap();
+                        let _ = content.eval(&format!(
+                            "document.getElementById('spinner').hidden = true;\
+                             document.getElementById('status').hidden = true;\
                              var e = document.getElementById('error');\
                              e.hidden = false;\
                              e.textContent = 'Failed to start Navidrome: ' + {message};"
@@ -38,8 +136,10 @@ pub fn run() {
                     return;
                 }
 
-                if let Some(window) = handle.get_webview_window("main") {
-                    let _ = window.eval(&format!("window.location.replace('{url}')"));
+                if let Ok(url) = Url::parse(&content_url) {
+                    if let Some(content) = handle.get_webview("content") {
+                        let _ = content.navigate(url);
+                    }
                 }
             });
 
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index ad1f46dd..3513537f 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     "frontendDist": "../src"
   },
   "app": {
+    "withGlobalTauri": true,
     "windows": [
       {
         "label": "main",
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@
         "resizable": true,
         "fullscreen": false,
         "center": true,
-        "url": "index.html"
+        "url": "toolbar.html"
       }
     ],
     "security": {
diff --git a/desktop/src/index.html b/desktop/src/index.html
index aad75c81..2d1466b2 100644
--- a/desktop/src/index.html
+++ b/desktop/src/index.html
@@ -27,12 +27,6 @@
       .container {
         max-width: 420px;
       }
-      h1 {
-        font-size: 1.6rem;
-        font-weight: 600;
-        letter-spacing: 0.02em;
-        margin-bottom: 24px;
-      }
       .spinner {
         width: 36px;
         height: 36px;
@@ -65,21 +59,9 @@
   </head>
   <body>
     <div class="container">
-      <h1>Quintodrome</h1>
       <div class="spinner" id="spinner"></div>
       <p id="status">Starting Navidrome…</p>
       <p id="error" hidden></p>
     </div>
-    <script>
-      const params = new URLSearchParams(location.search);
-      const error = params.get("error");
-      if (error) {
-        document.getElementById("spinner").hidden = true;
-        document.getElementById("status").hidden = true;
-        const el = document.getElementById("error");
-        el.hidden = false;
-        el.textContent = "Failed to start Navidrome: " + error;
-      }
-    </script>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/desktop/src/toolbar.html b/desktop/src/toolbar.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b748867
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/toolbar.html
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
+    <title>Quintodrome</title>
+    <style>
+      :root {
+        color-scheme: dark;
+      }
+      * {
+        margin: 0;
+        padding: 0;
+        box-sizing: border-box;
+      }
+      body {
+        height: 100vh;
+        display: flex;
+        align-items: center;
+        gap: 6px;
+        padding: 0 8px;
+        background: #232329;
+        border-bottom: 1px solid #34343c;
+        font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, sans-serif;
+        -webkit-user-select: none;
+        user-select: none;
+        overflow: hidden;
+      }
+      button {
+        width: 32px;
+        height: 32px;
+        border: none;
+        border-radius: 6px;
+        background: transparent;
+        color: #d4d4d8;
+        font-size: 18px;
+        line-height: 1;
+        cursor: pointer;
+        flex: none;
+      }
+      button:hover {
+        background: #34343c;
+      }
+      button:active {
+        background: #3f3f46;
+      }
+      #url {
+        flex: 1;
+        height: 32px;
+        padding: 0 12px;
+        border: 1px solid #34343c;
+        border-radius: 16px;
+        background: #1b1b1f;
+        color: #e4e4e7;
+        font-size: 13px;
+        outline: none;
+        min-width: 0;
+      }
+      #url:focus {
+        border-color: #a855f7;
+      }
+    </style>
+  </head>
+  <body>
+    <button id="back" title="Back">←</button>
+    <button id="forward" title="Forward">→</button>
+    <button id="reload" title="Reload">⟳</button>
+    <input id="url" type="text" spellcheck="false" placeholder="http://127.0.0.1:4533" />
+
+    <script>
+      const { invoke } = window.__TAURI__.core;
+      const { listen } = window.__TAURI__.event;
+      const urlInput = document.getElementById("url");
+
+      document.getElementById("back").addEventListener("click", () => invoke("back"));
+      document.getElementById("forward").addEventListener("click", () => invoke("forward"));
+      document.getElementById("reload").addEventListener("click", () => invoke("reload"));
+
+      urlInput.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
+        if (e.key === "Enter") {
+          invoke("navigate", { url: urlInput.value.trim() });
+          urlInput.blur();
+        }
+      });
+
+      listen("url-changed", (event) => {
+        urlInput.value = event.payload;
+      });
+    </script>
+  </body>
+</html>