diff --git a/frontend/src/index.jsx b/frontend/src/index.jsx
index 05bd2c9..38655ca 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/index.jsx
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
   onFolderDragLeave,
   onFolderDelete,
   onDocumentSelect,
+  onDocumentOpen,
   selectedDocumentId,
   onDocumentDragStart,
   onDocumentDragEnd,
@@ -371,6 +372,12 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
                     key={doc.id}
                     className={`document${selectedDocumentId === doc.id ? ' selected' : ''}`}
                     onClick={() => onDocumentSelect(doc.id)}
+                    onDoubleClick={(event) => {
+                      event.stopPropagation();
+                      if (onDocumentOpen) {
+                        onDocumentOpen(doc.id);
+                      }
+                    }}
                     draggable
                     onDragStart={(event) => onDocumentDragStart(event, doc.id)}
                     onDragEnd={onDocumentDragEnd}
@@ -437,6 +444,8 @@ const DetailPanel = ({
   onTagRemove,
   onRegenerateThumbnails,
   loading,
+  previewEntry,
+  onOpenPreview,
 }) => (
   <aside className="detail-panel column">
     <div className="column-header">
@@ -470,6 +479,14 @@ const DetailPanel = ({
               <IconDownload className="icon-inline" />
               <span>Download</span>
             </button>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              className="secondary"
+              onClick={() => onOpenPreview(document.id)}
+              disabled={loading}
+            >
+              Open preview
+            </button>
             <button
               type="button"
               className="secondary"
@@ -480,19 +497,16 @@ const DetailPanel = ({
             </button>
           </div>
           <div>
-            <dt>Thumbnails</dt>
-            <div className="thumbnail-preview">
-              {detail.assets?.length ? (
-                detail.assets.map((asset) => (
-                  <img
-                    key={asset.id}
-                    src={asset.url}
-                    alt={`${asset.asset_type} for ${detail.document.original_name}`}
-                    className="thumbnail-image"
-                  />
-                ))
+            <dt>Preview</dt>
+            <div className="preview-pane">
+              {previewEntry?.url ? (
+                <iframe
+                  src={previewEntry.url}
+                  title={`Preview of ${detail.document.original_name}`}
+                  className="preview-object"
+                />
               ) : (
-                <span className="meta">No thumbnails yet.</span>
+                <span className="meta">Preview loading…</span>
               )}
             </div>
           </div>
@@ -544,6 +558,75 @@ const DetailPanel = ({
   </aside>
 );
 
+const PreviewWorkspace = ({
+  document,
+  detail,
+  previewEntry,
+  loading,
+  onClose,
+  onDownload,
+  onRegenerateThumbnails,
+}) => {
+  if (!document) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const title = detail?.document?.original_name || document.original_name;
+  const mime = previewEntry?.contentType || document.content_type || 'application/pdf';
+
+  return (
+    <section className="preview-workspace">
+      <header className="preview-workspace__header">
+        <div className="preview-workspace__meta">
+          <button type="button" className="secondary" onClick={onClose}>
+            ← Back
+          </button>
+          <div>
+            <h2>{title}</h2>
+            <span className="meta">
+              {document.content_type || 'Document'}
+              {detail?.current_version?.size_bytes
+                ? ` · ${(detail.current_version.size_bytes / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(2)} MB`
+                : ''}
+            </span>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <div className="preview-workspace__actions">
+          <button type="button" className="with-icon" onClick={() => onDownload(document.id)}>
+            <IconDownload className="icon-inline" />
+            <span>Download</span>
+          </button>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className="secondary"
+            onClick={() => onRegenerateThumbnails(document.id)}
+            disabled={loading}
+          >
+            Regenerate thumbnails
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </header>
+      <div className="preview-workspace__body">
+        {loading || !previewEntry?.url ? (
+          <div className="preview-workspace__message">Loading preview…</div>
+        ) : (
+          <iframe
+            src={previewEntry.url}
+            title={`Preview of ${title}`}
+            className="preview-workspace__object"
+          />
+        )}
+      </div>
+      {detail?.document?.metadata && Object.keys(detail.document.metadata).length > 0 && (
+        <section className="preview-workspace__metadata">
+          <h3>Metadata</h3>
+          <pre>{JSON.stringify(detail.document.metadata, null, 2)}</pre>
+        </section>
+      )}
+    </section>
+  );
+};
+
 const Sidebar = ({
   folderNodes,
   onToggle,
@@ -887,6 +970,10 @@ function App() {
   );
 
   const folderPathCacheRef = useRef(new Map());
+  const previewCacheRef = useRef(new Map());
+  const [previewCacheTick, setPreviewCacheTick] = useState(0);
+  const [previewDocumentId, setPreviewDocumentId] = useState(null);
+  const [previewDocumentLoading, setPreviewDocumentLoading] = useState(false);
 
   const ensureFolderPathOnServer = useCallback(
     async (baseFolderId, segments) => {
@@ -914,6 +1001,38 @@ function App() {
     [],
   );
 
+  const ensurePreviewUrl = useCallback(
+    async (documentId, { force = false } = {}) => {
+      if (!documentId) return null;
+
+      const cached = previewCacheRef.current.get(documentId);
+      const now = Date.now();
+      if (!force && cached && (!cached.expiresAt || cached.expiresAt > now)) {
+        return cached;
+      }
+
+      try {
+        const { data } = await api.get(`/documents/${documentId}/download`);
+        const ttl = data.expires_in ? Math.max(data.expires_in - 60, 30) * 1000 : 5 * 60 * 1000;
+        const entry = {
+          url: data.url,
+          contentType: data.content_type || null,
+          filename: data.filename,
+          expiresAt: now + ttl,
+        };
+
+        previewCacheRef.current.set(documentId, entry);
+        setPreviewCacheTick((prev) => prev + 1);
+        return entry;
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error(error);
+        setStatusMessage('Unable to fetch document preview.', 'error');
+        throw error;
+      }
+    },
+    [setStatusMessage],
+  );
+
   const extractFilesFromDataTransfer = useCallback(async (dataTransfer) => {
     if (
       !dataTransfer ||
@@ -987,7 +1106,15 @@ function App() {
       try {
         folderPathCacheRef.current.clear();
 
-        const extracted = await extractFilesFromDataTransfer(dataTransfer);
+        let extracted;
+        try {
+          extracted = await extractFilesFromDataTransfer(dataTransfer);
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error(error);
+          setStatusMessage(error.message || 'Failed to process dropped files.', 'error');
+          return;
+        }
+
         if (!extracted.length) {
           setStatusMessage('No files to upload.', 'info');
           return;
@@ -1101,6 +1228,40 @@ const handleDownload = useCallback(
     [token, ensureDocumentDetail, setStatusMessage],
   );
 
+  const openDocumentPreview = useCallback(
+    async (documentId) => {
+      if (!documentId) return;
+      setPreviewDocumentId(documentId);
+      setPreviewDocumentLoading(true);
+      try {
+        await ensureDocumentDetail(documentId, { force: false });
+        await ensurePreviewUrl(documentId, { force: false });
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error(error);
+        setPreviewDocumentId(null);
+      } finally {
+        setPreviewDocumentLoading(false);
+      }
+    },
+    [ensureDocumentDetail, ensurePreviewUrl],
+  );
+
+  const closeDocumentPreview = useCallback(() => {
+    setPreviewDocumentId(null);
+    setPreviewDocumentLoading(false);
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!previewDocumentId) return;
+    const handleKeyDown = (event) => {
+      if (event.key === 'Escape') {
+        closeDocumentPreview();
+      }
+    };
+    window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
+  }, [previewDocumentId, closeDocumentPreview]);
+
   const handleTagRemove = useCallback(
     async (documentId, tagId) => {
       try {
@@ -1526,6 +1687,38 @@ const handleDownload = useCallback(
     ? documentDetails.get(selectedDocument.id)
     : null;
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!selectedDocument) return;
+    ensurePreviewUrl(selectedDocument.id).catch(() => {});
+  }, [selectedDocument, ensurePreviewUrl]);
+
+  const selectedPreviewEntry = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!selectedDocument) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return previewCacheRef.current.get(selectedDocument.id) || null;
+  }, [selectedDocument, previewCacheTick]);
+
+  const previewWorkspaceEntry = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!previewDocumentId) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return previewCacheRef.current.get(previewDocumentId) || null;
+  }, [previewDocumentId, previewCacheTick]);
+
+  const previewWorkspaceDetail = previewDocumentId
+    ? documentDetails.get(previewDocumentId)
+    : null;
+
+  const previewWorkspaceDocument = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!previewDocumentId) return null;
+    if (previewWorkspaceDetail?.document) return previewWorkspaceDetail.document;
+    const pool = searchResults ?? documents;
+    return pool.find((doc) => doc.id === previewDocumentId) || null;
+  }, [previewDocumentId, previewWorkspaceDetail, searchResults, documents]);
+
+  const previewActive = Boolean(previewDocumentId && previewWorkspaceDocument);
+
   return (
     <div className="app-shell">
       {token ? (
@@ -1538,7 +1731,9 @@ const handleDownload = useCallback(
             <div className="app-bar__meta">
               <h1>Paperless-NEO</h1>
               <span className="app-bar__hint">
-                Drag files anywhere to upload into "{currentFolderName}".
+                {previewActive
+                  ? 'Viewing document preview. Press ← Back to return to the library.'
+                  : `Drag files anywhere to upload into "${currentFolderName}".`}
               </span>
             </div>
             <div className="app-bar__actions">
@@ -1560,60 +1755,77 @@ const handleDownload = useCallback(
               <StatusBanner status={status} />
             </div>
           )}
-          <main className="app-main">
-            <Sidebar
-              folderNodes={folderNodes}
-              onToggle={folderClickHandlers.onToggle}
-              onSelect={folderClickHandlers.onSelect}
-              onDrop={folderClickHandlers.onDrop}
-              onDragOver={folderClickHandlers.onDragOver}
-              onDragLeave={folderClickHandlers.onDragLeave}
-              onCreateFolder={handleFolderCreate}
-              onDeleteFolder={handleFolderDelete}
-              disableActions={loading}
-              selectedFolder={selectedFolder}
-            />
-            <DocumentsTable
-              currentFolderName={currentFolderName}
-              loading={loading}
-              onRefresh={refreshCurrentFolder}
-              subfolders={currentSubfolders}
-              documents={documents}
-              searchResults={searchResults}
-              isFilterActive={isFilterActive}
-              onFolderSelect={selectFolder}
-              onFolderDrop={folderClickHandlers.onDrop}
-              onFolderDragOver={folderClickHandlers.onDragOver}
-              onFolderDragLeave={folderClickHandlers.onDragLeave}
-              onFolderDelete={handleFolderDelete}
-              onDocumentSelect={(docId) => {
-                setSelectedDocumentId(docId);
-                ensureDocumentDetail(docId);
-              }}
-              selectedDocumentId={selectedDocumentId}
-              onDocumentDragStart={(event, documentId) => {
-                setDraggedDocumentId(documentId);
-                event.dataTransfer.effectAllowed = 'move';
-                event.dataTransfer.setData('application/x-paperless-doc', documentId);
-                event.currentTarget.classList.add('dragging');
-              }}
-              onDocumentDragEnd={(event) => {
-                setDraggedDocumentId(null);
-                event.currentTarget.classList.remove('dragging');
-              }}
-              onDownload={handleDownload}
-              filterBar={filterBar}
-            />
-            <DetailPanel
-              document={selectedDocument}
-              detail={selectedDetail}
-              tags={tags}
-              onDownload={handleDownload}
-              onTagAdd={handleTagAdd}
-              onTagRemove={handleTagRemove}
-              onRegenerateThumbnails={handleThumbnailRegeneration}
-              loading={loading}
-            />
+          <main className={previewActive ? 'preview-main' : 'app-main'}>
+            {previewActive && previewWorkspaceDocument ? (
+              <PreviewWorkspace
+                document={previewWorkspaceDocument}
+                detail={previewWorkspaceDetail}
+                previewEntry={previewWorkspaceEntry}
+                loading={previewDocumentLoading}
+                onClose={closeDocumentPreview}
+                onDownload={handleDownload}
+                onRegenerateThumbnails={handleThumbnailRegeneration}
+              />
+            ) : (
+              <>
+                <Sidebar
+                  folderNodes={folderNodes}
+                  onToggle={folderClickHandlers.onToggle}
+                  onSelect={folderClickHandlers.onSelect}
+                  onDrop={folderClickHandlers.onDrop}
+                  onDragOver={folderClickHandlers.onDragOver}
+                  onDragLeave={folderClickHandlers.onDragLeave}
+                  onCreateFolder={handleFolderCreate}
+                  onDeleteFolder={handleFolderDelete}
+                  disableActions={loading}
+                  selectedFolder={selectedFolder}
+                />
+                <DocumentsTable
+                  currentFolderName={currentFolderName}
+                  loading={loading}
+                  onRefresh={refreshCurrentFolder}
+                  subfolders={currentSubfolders}
+                  documents={documents}
+                  searchResults={searchResults}
+                  isFilterActive={isFilterActive}
+                  onFolderSelect={selectFolder}
+                  onFolderDrop={folderClickHandlers.onDrop}
+                  onFolderDragOver={folderClickHandlers.onDragOver}
+                  onFolderDragLeave={folderClickHandlers.onDragLeave}
+                  onFolderDelete={handleFolderDelete}
+                  onDocumentSelect={(docId) => {
+                    setSelectedDocumentId(docId);
+                    ensureDocumentDetail(docId);
+                  }}
+                  onDocumentOpen={openDocumentPreview}
+                  selectedDocumentId={selectedDocumentId}
+                  onDocumentDragStart={(event, documentId) => {
+                    setDraggedDocumentId(documentId);
+                    event.dataTransfer.effectAllowed = 'move';
+                    event.dataTransfer.setData('application/x-paperless-doc', documentId);
+                    event.currentTarget.classList.add('dragging');
+                  }}
+                  onDocumentDragEnd={(event) => {
+                    setDraggedDocumentId(null);
+                    event.currentTarget.classList.remove('dragging');
+                  }}
+                  onDownload={handleDownload}
+                  filterBar={filterBar}
+                />
+                <DetailPanel
+                  document={selectedDocument}
+                  detail={selectedDetail}
+                  tags={tags}
+                  onDownload={handleDownload}
+                  onTagAdd={handleTagAdd}
+                  onTagRemove={handleTagRemove}
+                  onRegenerateThumbnails={handleThumbnailRegeneration}
+                  loading={loading}
+                  previewEntry={selectedPreviewEntry}
+                  onOpenPreview={openDocumentPreview}
+                />
+              </>
+            )}
           </main>
         </>
       ) : (
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles.css b/frontend/src/styles.css
index 1e65c29..63ddf4d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles.css
@@ -173,6 +173,89 @@ button.icon-button.ghost:hover:not([disabled]) {
   overflow: hidden;
 }
 
+.preview-main {
+  flex: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem 1.25rem;
+  min-height: 0;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace {
+  flex: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  min-height: 0;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__header {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 1rem;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__meta {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__meta h2 {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: 1.1rem;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__meta .meta {
+  display: block;
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
+  color: var(--muted);
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__actions {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__body {
+  flex: 1;
+  background: var(--surface-subtle);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 2px;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__object {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  border: none;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__message {
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__metadata {
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 2px;
+  padding: 0.75rem;
+  background: var(--surface);
+  max-height: 180px;
+  overflow: auto;
+}
+
+.preview-workspace__metadata h3 {
+  margin: 0 0 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 0.9rem;
+}
+
 .column {
   background: transparent;
   border: none;
@@ -381,8 +464,8 @@ button.icon-button.ghost:hover:not([disabled]) {
   width: 36px;
   height: 48px;
   object-fit: cover;
-  border-radius: 0;
-  box-shadow: none;
+  border-radius: 3px;
+  box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
 }
 
 .thumb-placeholder {
@@ -526,6 +609,25 @@ button.icon-button.ghost:hover:not([disabled]) {
   margin: 0.6rem 0;
 }
 
+.preview-pane {
+  margin-top: 0.4rem;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 2px;
+  background: var(--surface-subtle);
+  min-height: 220px;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.preview-object {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 320px;
+  border: none;
+  background: var(--surface);
+}
+
 .thumbnail-preview {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;