diff --git a/server/public/home.html b/server/public/home.html
index 8c8703d..d349bdd 100644
--- a/server/public/home.html
+++ b/server/public/home.html
@@ -666,8 +666,10 @@
      small/unclear. The spinner is display-only (pointer-events:none) so it never blocks the controls. */
   .att-vid{position:relative;width:min(260px,74vw);max-height:340px;border-radius:10px;overflow:hidden;display:block;margin:.15rem 0;background:#000;line-height:0;}
   .att-vid-v{display:block;width:100%;max-height:340px;background:#000;object-fit:contain;}
-  .att-vid-spin{position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;width:46px;height:46px;margin:-23px 0 0 -23px;border-radius:50%;border:3px solid rgba(255,255,255,.35);border-top-color:#fff;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;z-index:3;}
+  .att-vid-spin{position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;width:46px;height:46px;margin:-23px 0 0 -23px;border-radius:50%;border:3px solid rgba(255,255,255,.35);border-top-color:#fff;background:rgba(0,0,0,.45);opacity:0;pointer-events:none;z-index:3;}
   .att-vid.buffering .att-vid-spin{opacity:1;animation:ptrspin .8s linear infinite;}
+  /* Dim the frame while buffering so the centre spinner reads instantly against a bright poster. */
+  .att-vid.buffering .att-vid-v{filter:brightness(.72);}
   .bubble.mine .att-file{background:rgba(255,255,255,.18);border-color:rgba(255,255,255,.3);}
   .att-file .att-sz{opacity:.65;font-size:.75rem;flex:0 0 auto;}
   /* groups */
@@ -1165,7 +1167,7 @@
 </head>
 <body>
 <script src="/icons.js?v=6"></script>
-<script>window.__BUILD='2026-07-23-batch160';console.log('%cBiz Connect','color:#1F3B73;font-weight:bold','build '+window.__BUILD);
+<script>window.__BUILD='2026-07-23-batch161';console.log('%cBiz Connect','color:#1F3B73;font-weight:bold','build '+window.__BUILD);
 // Emoji are rendered with the OS's own (colour) emoji font — instant, zero network.
 //
 // We used to run Twemoji over every emoji, which swapped each one for an <img> pulled INDIVIDUALLY from
@@ -5045,9 +5047,21 @@ window.addEventListener('popstate', ()=>{ if(bzcBack()){ try{ history.pushState(
 // is small/unclear). Media events (waiting/playing/…) do NOT bubble, so we listen in the CAPTURE phase. This
 // only toggles a class — it never intercepts taps, so the native controls keep working.
 (function(){
-  const set=(on)=>(e)=>{ const v=e.target; if(v && v.classList && v.classList.contains('att-vid-v')){ const w=v.parentElement; if(w && w.classList.contains('att-vid')) w.classList.toggle('buffering', on); } };
-  ['waiting','seeking','stalled'].forEach(ev=>document.addEventListener(ev, set(true), true));
-  ['playing','seeked','pause','ended','error'].forEach(ev=>document.addEventListener(ev, set(false), true)); // NOT canplay/loadeddata — they fire mid-buffer and would hide the spinner too early
+  const HAVE_FUTURE_DATA=3; // below this the element cannot keep playing = it is buffering
+  // Derive the spinner from the element's REAL state rather than a hand-picked event list. A cold start
+  // from preload="none" never fires `waiting` (it runs loadstart→loadedmetadata→canplay→playing straight
+  // through), so an event-list approach missed the one stall the user actually sees — the wait after tapping
+  // play — and left only the OS controls' own tiny indicator next to the timer.
+  function sync(v){
+    if(!v || !v.classList || !v.classList.contains('att-vid-v')) return;
+    const w=v.parentElement; if(!w || !w.classList.contains('att-vid')) return;
+    const busy = v.seeking || (!v.paused && !v.ended && v.readyState < HAVE_FUTURE_DATA);
+    w.classList.toggle('buffering', !!busy);
+  }
+  const onEv=(e)=>sync(e.target);
+  ['loadstart','loadedmetadata','loadeddata','canplay','canplaythrough','play','playing','waiting','stalled',
+   'suspend','progress','timeupdate','seeking','seeked','pause','ended','error','emptied']
+    .forEach(ev=>document.addEventListener(ev,onEv,true)); // media events don't bubble → capture phase
 })();
 // #9: swipe a message bubble to the right to reply to it (mobile), like WhatsApp/Teams. The bubble
 // follows the finger a little; releasing past the threshold opens the reply composer for that message.
