diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 2988997..3bf68a3 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -13,10 +13,14 @@
   </head>
   <body>
     <div id="screensaver-container" class="screensaver hidden">
-      <img id="screensaver-image1" alt="Screensaver Image" style="opacity: 0;">
-      <img id="screensaver-image2" alt="Screensaver Image" style="opacity: 0;">
-      <div id="screensaver-thumbnails" class="screensaver-thumbnails"></div>
-      <div class="screensaver-controls">
+      <img id="screensaver-image1" alt="Screensaver Image" style="opacity: 0;">
+      <img id="screensaver-image2" alt="Screensaver Image" style="opacity: 0;">
+      <div class="screensaver-thumbnail-carousel">
+        <button id="screensaver-thumb-left" class="thumb-nav" aria-label="Previous image">&#9664;</button>
+        <div id="screensaver-thumbnails" class="screensaver-thumbnails"></div>
+        <button id="screensaver-thumb-right" class="thumb-nav" aria-label="Next image">&#9654;</button>
+      </div>
+      <div class="screensaver-controls">
         <div class="screensaver-settings">
           <label>Prompt:
             <textarea id="screensaver-prompt" rows="3"></textarea>
diff --git a/screensaver.js b/screensaver.js
index c1002ac..53f95aa 100644
--- a/screensaver.js
+++ b/screensaver.js
@@ -5,10 +5,14 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
     const stopButton = document.getElementById("screensaver-exit");
     const playPauseButton = document.getElementById("screensaver-playpause");
     const saveButton = document.getElementById("screensaver-save");
-    const copyButton = document.getElementById("screensaver-copy");
-    const hideButton = document.getElementById("screensaver-hide");
-    const screensaverImage1 = document.getElementById("screensaver-image1");
-    const screensaverImage2 = document.getElementById("screensaver-image2");
+    const copyButton = document.getElementById("screensaver-copy");
+    const hideButton = document.getElementById("screensaver-hide");
+    const thumbnailCarousel = document.querySelector('.screensaver-thumbnail-carousel');
+    const thumbnailContainer = document.getElementById('screensaver-thumbnails');
+    const thumbLeft = document.getElementById('screensaver-thumb-left');
+    const thumbRight = document.getElementById('screensaver-thumb-right');
+    const screensaverImage1 = document.getElementById("screensaver-image1");
+    const screensaverImage2 = document.getElementById("screensaver-image2");
     const promptInput = document.getElementById("screensaver-prompt");
     const timerInput = document.getElementById("screensaver-timer");
     const aspectSelect = document.getElementById("screensaver-aspect");
@@ -299,7 +303,7 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
         console.log("Current promptHistory length:", promptHistory.length, "Prompts:", promptHistory);
     }
 
-    function updateThumbnailHistory() {
+    function updateThumbnailHistory(scrollToEnd = true) {
         const thumbnailContainer = document.getElementById('screensaver-thumbnails');
         if (!thumbnailContainer) {
             console.error("Thumbnail container not found in DOM.");
@@ -333,8 +337,13 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
             console.log(`Added thumbnail ${index + 1}/${imageHistory.length} to DOM:`, thumb.src);
         });
 
-        // keep the view scrolled to the latest thumbnail
-        thumbnailContainer.scrollTo({ left: thumbnailContainer.scrollWidth, behavior: 'smooth' });
+        if (scrollToEnd) {
+            // keep the view scrolled to the latest thumbnail
+            thumbnailContainer.scrollTo({ left: thumbnailContainer.scrollWidth, behavior: 'smooth' });
+        } else {
+            const selected = thumbnailContainer.querySelector('img.thumbnail.selected');
+            if (selected) selected.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', inline: 'center', block: 'nearest' });
+        }
         console.log("Updated thumbnail gallery with", imageHistory.length, "images. DOM count:", thumbnailContainer.children.length);
 
         const offsetWidth = thumbnailContainer.offsetWidth;
@@ -351,15 +360,15 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
         const nextImgElement = document.getElementById(`screensaver-${nextImage}`);
         currentImgElement.style.opacity = '0';
         nextImgElement.onload = () => {
-            nextImgElement.style.opacity = '1';
-            currentImage = nextImage;
-            updateThumbnailHistory();
+            nextImgElement.style.opacity = '1';
+            currentImage = nextImage;
+            updateThumbnailHistory(false);
         };
         nextImgElement.onerror = () => {
-            nextImgElement.src = "https://via.placeholder.com/512?text=Image+Failed";
-            nextImgElement.style.opacity = '1';
-            currentImage = nextImage;
-            updateThumbnailHistory();
+            nextImgElement.src = "https://via.placeholder.com/512?text=Image+Failed";
+            nextImgElement.style.opacity = '1';
+            currentImage = nextImage;
+            updateThumbnailHistory(false);
         };
         nextImgElement.src = imageUrl;
         nextImgElement.alt = "Screensaver Image";
@@ -367,7 +376,7 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
             nextImgElement.style.opacity = '1';
             currentImgElement.style.opacity = '0';
             currentImage = nextImage;
-            updateThumbnailHistory();
+            updateThumbnailHistory(false);
         }
         // restart the timer so new generations resume after viewing a historical image
         setOrResetImageInterval();
@@ -496,17 +505,17 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
 
     function toggleControls() {
         controlsHidden = !controlsHidden;
-        const controls = document.querySelector('.screensaver-controls');
-        const thumbnails = document.querySelector('.screensaver-thumbnails');
-        if (controlsHidden) {
-            controls.classList.add('hidden-panel');
-            thumbnails.classList.add('hidden-panel');
-            hideButton.innerHTML = "🙉";
-        } else {
-            controls.classList.remove('hidden-panel');
-            thumbnails.classList.remove('hidden-panel');
-            hideButton.innerHTML = "🙈";
-        }
+        const controls = document.querySelector('.screensaver-controls');
+        const thumbnails = thumbnailCarousel;
+        if (controlsHidden) {
+            controls.classList.add('hidden-panel');
+            thumbnails.classList.add('hidden-panel');
+            hideButton.innerHTML = "🙉";
+        } else {
+            controls.classList.remove('hidden-panel');
+            thumbnails.classList.remove('hidden-panel');
+            hideButton.innerHTML = "🙈";
+        }
         window.showToast(controlsHidden ? "Controls hidden" : "Controls visible");
     }
 
@@ -689,12 +698,29 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
         else window.showToast("Start the screensaver first!");
     });
 
+    if (thumbLeft && thumbRight && thumbnailContainer) {
+        thumbLeft.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+            e.stopPropagation();
+            thumbnailContainer.scrollBy({ left: -thumbnailContainer.clientWidth / 2, behavior: 'smooth' });
+        });
+        thumbRight.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+            e.stopPropagation();
+            thumbnailContainer.scrollBy({ left: thumbnailContainer.clientWidth / 2, behavior: 'smooth' });
+        });
+        thumbnailContainer.addEventListener('wheel', (e) => {
+            if (Math.abs(e.deltaY) > Math.abs(e.deltaX)) {
+                e.preventDefault();
+                thumbnailContainer.scrollBy({ left: e.deltaY, behavior: 'smooth' });
+            }
+        }, { passive: false });
+    }
+
     document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
         if (e.key === 'Escape' && screensaverActive && controlsHidden) {
             e.stopPropagation();
             e.preventDefault();
             const controls = document.querySelector('.screensaver-controls');
-            const thumbnails = document.querySelector('.screensaver-thumbnails');
+            const thumbnails = thumbnailCarousel;
             controls.classList.add('hidden-panel');
             thumbnails.classList.add('hidden-panel');
         }
diff --git a/styles.css b/styles.css
index f02de12..99965c9 100644
--- a/styles.css
+++ b/styles.css
@@ -790,44 +790,47 @@ body {
   transition: opacity var(--transition-duration, 1s) ease;
 }
 
-.screensaver-thumbnails {
-  position: fixed;
-  bottom: 0;
-  left: 0;
-  right: 0;
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: row;
-  flex-wrap: nowrap;
-  gap: 12px;
-  overflow-x: auto;
-  width: 100%;
-  height: 120px;
-  padding: 10px;
-  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);
-  border-radius: 0;
-  z-index: 2;
-  transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
-  scrollbar-width: thin;
-  scrollbar-color: #707070 #333333;
-  white-space: nowrap;
-  direction: ltr;
-  scroll-behavior: smooth;
-}
-
-.screensaver-thumbnails::-webkit-scrollbar {
-  height: 8px;
-}
-
-.screensaver-thumbnails::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
-  background: #333333;
-  border-radius: 4px;
-}
-
-.screensaver-thumbnails::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
-  background: #707070;
-  border-radius: 4px;
-}
-
+.screensaver-thumbnail-carousel {
+  position: fixed;
+  bottom: 0;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  width: 100%;
+  max-width: 1200px;
+  z-index: 2;
+  gap: 8px;
+  padding: 10px;
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);
+  scrollbar-width: thin;
+}
+
+.screensaver-thumbnails {
+  flex: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: row;
+  flex-wrap: nowrap;
+  gap: 12px;
+  overflow-x: auto;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  scroll-behavior: smooth;
+}
+
+.screensaver-thumbnails::-webkit-scrollbar {
+  height: 8px;
+}
+
+.screensaver-thumbnails::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
+  background: #333333;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+}
+
+.screensaver-thumbnails::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
+  background: #707070;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+}
+
 .screensaver-thumbnails img.thumbnail {
   width: 160px;
   height: 90px;
@@ -840,16 +843,36 @@ body {
   display: inline-block;
   opacity: 1;
   position: static;
+  scroll-snap-align: center;
+}
+
+.screensaver-thumbnails img.thumbnail:hover {
+  border: 3px solid #00ffcc;
+  transform: scale(1.05);
+}
+
+.screensaver-thumbnails img.thumbnail.selected {
+  border: 3px solid #ffcc00;
+}
+
+.thumb-nav {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
+  color: #fff;
+  border: none;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  padding: 0 12px;
+  height: 90px;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  font-size: 1.4rem;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  transition: background 0.2s;
+}
+
+.thumb-nav:hover {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
 }
-
-.screensaver-thumbnails img.thumbnail:hover {
-  border: 3px solid #00ffcc;
-  transform: scale(1.05);
-}
-
-.screensaver-thumbnails img.thumbnail.selected {
-  border: 3px solid #ffcc00;
-}
 
 .screensaver-controls {
   position: fixed;
@@ -871,17 +894,17 @@ body {
   transform: translateX(-50%) scale(1.02);
 }
 
-.screensaver:not(:hover) .screensaver-controls,
-.screensaver:not(:hover) .screensaver-thumbnails {
-  opacity: 0.5;
-}
-
-.screensaver-controls.hidden-panel,
-.screensaver-thumbnails.hidden-panel {
-  opacity: 0;
-  pointer-events: none;
-  transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(20px);
-}
+.screensaver:not(:hover) .screensaver-controls,
+.screensaver:not(:hover) .screensaver-thumbnail-carousel {
+  opacity: 0.5;
+}
+
+.screensaver-controls.hidden-panel,
+.screensaver-thumbnail-carousel.hidden-panel {
+  opacity: 0;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(20px);
+}
 
 .screensaver-settings {
   display: grid;
diff --git a/stylesScreensaver.css b/stylesScreensaver.css
index d36546c..9a3d041 100644
--- a/stylesScreensaver.css
+++ b/stylesScreensaver.css
@@ -21,20 +21,27 @@
   display: block;
 }
 
-.screensaver-thumbnails {
+.screensaver-thumbnail-carousel {
   position: fixed;
   bottom: 10px;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translateX(-50%);
   display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  width: 90%;
+  max-width: 1200px;
+  z-index: 2;
+  gap: 8px;
+}
+
+.screensaver-thumbnails {
+  flex: 1;
+  display: flex;
   flex-direction: row;
   gap: 10px;
   overflow-x: auto;
-  width: 90%;
-  max-width: 1200px;
   padding: 10px;
   border-radius: 12px;
-  z-index: 2;
   transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
   scrollbar-width: thin;
   white-space: nowrap;
@@ -64,6 +71,26 @@
   display: inline-block;
   opacity: 1;
   position: static;
+  scroll-snap-align: center;
+}
+
+.thumb-nav {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
+  color: #fff;
+  border: none;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  padding: 0 12px;
+  height: 80px;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  font-size: 1.2rem;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  transition: background 0.2s;
+}
+
+.thumb-nav:hover {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
 }
 
 .screensaver-controls {
@@ -85,12 +112,12 @@
 }
 
 .screensaver:not(:hover) .screensaver-controls,
-.screensaver:not(:hover) .screensaver-thumbnails {
+.screensaver:not(:hover) .screensaver-thumbnail-carousel {
   opacity: 0.5;
 }
 
 .screensaver-controls.hidden-panel,
-.screensaver-thumbnails.hidden-panel {
+.screensaver-thumbnail-carousel.hidden-panel {
   opacity: 0;
   pointer-events: none;
   transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(20px);
