diff --git a/viewer/directory.py b/viewer/directory.py
index e13f02c..ddd19d9 100644
--- a/viewer/directory.py
+++ b/viewer/directory.py
@@ -153,6 +153,22 @@ def render_directory(request, path_text, full_path):
 
     search_action_query = {"sort": sort_key, "theme": theme}
 
+    # Back (directory) and Home (root) links and thumbnails
+    dir_rel = None
+    try:
+        # derive directory path text relative to gallery root
+        dir_rel = full_path.parent.relative_to(settings.GALLERY_ROOT)
+        dir_text = str(dir_rel).replace("\\", "/")
+    except Exception:
+        dir_text = ""
+
+    back_url = gallery_url(
+        Path(dir_text) if dir_text != "" else None, True, query_state
+    )
+    back_thumb = get_first_image_thumbnail_url(full_path.parent)
+    home_url = gallery_url(None, True, query_state)
+    home_thumb = get_first_image_thumbnail_url(settings.GALLERY_ROOT)
+
     context = {
         "path": path_text,
         "search_text": search_text,
@@ -163,6 +179,10 @@ def render_directory(request, path_text, full_path):
         "breadcrumbs": build_breadcrumbs(path_text, query_state),
         "images": image_data,
         "subdirs": subdir_data,
+        "back_url": back_url,
+        "back_thumb": back_thumb,
+        "home_url": home_url,
+        "home_thumb": home_thumb,
         "theme_toggle_url": append_query(
             "/gallery/toggle-settings/", theme_toggle_query
         ),
diff --git a/viewer/templates/gallery_view.html b/viewer/templates/gallery_view.html
index a35f7d7..7da9b18 100644
--- a/viewer/templates/gallery_view.html
+++ b/viewer/templates/gallery_view.html
@@ -47,6 +47,28 @@
                 <a href="#" class="sidebar-link">Most visited</a>
                 <a href="#" class="sidebar-link">Recently visited</a>
 
+                {% if path != '' %}
+                <hr>
+
+                <a href="{{ back_url }}" class="subdir-item">
+                    {% if back_thumb %}
+                        <img src="{{ back_thumb }}" class="subdir-thumb" alt="back thumb">
+                    {% else %}
+                        <span class="subdir-fallback"><i class="fa-solid fa-image"></i></span>
+                    {% endif %}
+                    <span>Back</span>
+                </a>
+
+                <a href="{{ home_url }}" class="subdir-item">
+                    {% if home_thumb %}
+                        <img src="{{ home_thumb }}" class="subdir-thumb" alt="home thumb">
+                    {% else %}
+                        <span class="subdir-fallback"><i class="fa-solid fa-image"></i></span>
+                    {% endif %}
+                    <span>Home</span>
+                </a>
+                {% endif %}
+
                 <hr>
 
                 <div class="sidebar-scroll flex-grow-1">
@@ -103,6 +125,28 @@
                 <a href="#" class="sidebar-link">Most visited</a>
                 <a href="#" class="sidebar-link">Recently visited</a>
 
+                {% if path != '' %}
+                <hr>
+
+                <a href="{{ back_url }}" class="subdir-item">
+                    {% if back_thumb %}
+                        <img src="{{ back_thumb }}" class="subdir-thumb" alt="back thumb">
+                    {% else %}
+                        <span class="subdir-fallback"><i class="fa-solid fa-image"></i></span>
+                    {% endif %}
+                    <span>Back</span>
+                </a>
+
+                <a href="{{ home_url }}" class="subdir-item">
+                    {% if home_thumb %}
+                        <img src="{{ home_thumb }}" class="subdir-thumb" alt="home thumb">
+                    {% else %}
+                        <span class="subdir-fallback"><i class="fa-solid fa-image"></i></span>
+                    {% endif %}
+                    <span>Home</span>
+                </a>
+                {% endif %}
+
                 <hr>
 
                 <div class="sidebar-scroll" style="max-height: 200px;">
@@ -217,6 +261,28 @@
                 <a href="#" class="sidebar-link">Most visited</a>
                 <a href="#" class="sidebar-link">Recently visited</a>
 
+                {% if path != '' %}
+                <hr>
+
+                <a href="{{ back_url }}" class="subdir-item">
+                    {% if back_thumb %}
+                        <img src="{{ back_thumb }}" class="subdir-thumb" alt="back thumb">
+                    {% else %}
+                        <span class="subdir-fallback"><i class="fa-solid fa-image"></i></span>
+                    {% endif %}
+                    <span>Back</span>
+                </a>
+
+                <a href="{{ home_url }}" class="subdir-item">
+                    {% if home_thumb %}
+                        <img src="{{ home_thumb }}" class="subdir-thumb" alt="home thumb">
+                    {% else %}
+                        <span class="subdir-fallback"><i class="fa-solid fa-image"></i></span>
+                    {% endif %}
+                    <span>Home</span>
+                </a>
+                {% endif %}
+
                 <hr>
 
                 <div class="sidebar-scroll flex-grow-1">