diff --git a/services/travel-memories/app/templates/phase2.html b/services/travel-memories/app/templates/phase2.html
index 5c1da3d..cd5d72e 100644
--- a/services/travel-memories/app/templates/phase2.html
+++ b/services/travel-memories/app/templates/phase2.html
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
      @keydown.x.window="tagFocused('skip')"
      @keydown.space.prevent.window="tagFocused('skip')"
      @keydown.left.prevent.window="navigate(-1)"
-     @keydown.right.prevent.window="navigate(1)">
+     @keydown.right.prevent.window="navigate(1)"
+     @keydown.escape.window="closeLightbox()"
+     @keydown.enter.window="focused && openLightbox(focused)">
 
   <div class="flex items-center justify-between mb-4">
     <h1 class="text-xl font-bold">Triage</h1>
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@
              data-asset-id="{{ photo.id }}"
              data-tag="{{ photo.tag }}"
              tabindex="0"
-             @click="select($el)"
+             @click="openLightbox($el)"
              @focus="select($el)">
           <img src="/proxy/thumb/{{ photo.id }}"
                class="w-full aspect-square object-cover" loading="lazy" alt="">
@@ -63,6 +65,25 @@
     {% endfor %}
   </div>
 
+  {# ── Lightbox overlay (desktop) ── #}
+  <div id="lb" class="fixed inset-0 z-50 bg-black/95 flex items-center justify-center" style="display:none">
+    <button class="absolute top-4 right-4 btn btn-circle btn-sm btn-ghost text-white opacity-60 hover:opacity-100 text-lg"
+            @click="closeLightbox()">&#10005;</button>
+    <button class="absolute left-3 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 btn btn-circle btn-ghost text-white text-4xl opacity-60 hover:opacity-100"
+            @click="navigate(-1)">&#8249;</button>
+    <button class="absolute right-3 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 btn btn-circle btn-ghost text-white text-4xl opacity-60 hover:opacity-100"
+            @click="navigate(1)">&#8250;</button>
+    <div class="flex flex-col items-center gap-3 px-16 max-w-full">
+      <img id="lb-img" src="" class="max-h-[82vh] max-w-[88vw] object-contain rounded-lg shadow-2xl" alt="">
+      <div class="flex items-center gap-4 text-white/60 text-sm">
+        <span id="lb-date"></span>
+        <span id="lb-filename" class="opacity-40"></span>
+        <span id="lb-tag-badge" class="badge badge-sm"></span>
+        <span class="opacity-30 text-xs">J journal · S story · X skip · ← → navigate · Esc close</span>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+
   {# ── Mobile card UI (hidden on desktop) ── #}
   <div id="mobile-view" style="display:none">
     {# Progress bar #}
@@ -141,6 +162,8 @@ function triageApp(albumId) {
   return {
     focused: null,
 
+    lightboxOpen: false,
+
     init() {
       const first = document.querySelector('.photo-card');
       if (first) this.select(first);
@@ -153,6 +176,44 @@ function triageApp(albumId) {
         el.classList.add('ring-4', 'ring-white', 'ring-offset-2', 'z-10');
         el.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
       }
+      if (this.lightboxOpen) this.updateLightbox();
+    },
+
+    openLightbox(el) {
+      this.select(el);
+      this.lightboxOpen = true;
+      document.getElementById('lb').style.display = '';
+      this.updateLightbox();
+    },
+
+    closeLightbox() {
+      if (!this.lightboxOpen) return;
+      this.lightboxOpen = false;
+      document.getElementById('lb').style.display = 'none';
+    },
+
+    updateLightbox() {
+      const el = this.focused;
+      if (!el) return;
+      const assetId = el.dataset.assetId;
+      const tag = el.dataset.tag;
+      document.getElementById('lb-img').src = `/proxy/thumb/${assetId}`;
+      const timeEl = el.querySelector('div');
+      document.getElementById('lb-date').textContent = timeEl ? timeEl.textContent.trim() : '';
+      document.getElementById('lb-filename').textContent = el.dataset.filename || '';
+      const badgeEl = document.getElementById('lb-tag-badge');
+      const MAP = {
+        journal: ['badge-success', 'Journal'],
+        story:   ['badge-info',    'Story'],
+        skip:    ['badge-ghost opacity-60', 'Skip'],
+      };
+      if (MAP[tag]) {
+        badgeEl.className = `badge badge-sm ${MAP[tag][0]}`;
+        badgeEl.textContent = MAP[tag][1];
+      } else {
+        badgeEl.className = 'badge badge-sm badge-outline opacity-30';
+        badgeEl.textContent = 'Untagged';
+      }
     },
 
     navigate(dir) {
@@ -187,6 +248,7 @@ function triageApp(albumId) {
       }
       updateBadge(el, tag);
       this.updateCount();
+      if (this.lightboxOpen) this.updateLightbox();
     },
 
     updateCount() {