diff --git a/cull/Models/CullSession.swift b/cull/Models/CullSession.swift
index 41eeeb3..b419b0f 100644
--- a/cull/Models/CullSession.swift
+++ b/cull/Models/CullSession.swift
@@ -259,6 +259,27 @@ final class CullSession {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Returns the first visible photo from the next and previous `groupCount` groups.
+    /// Interleaved closest-first so nearest groups are cached with highest priority.
+    func adjacentGroupRepresentatives(groupCount: Int = 15) -> [Photo] {
+        guard !groups.isEmpty else { return [] }
+        var result: [Photo] = []
+        for offset in 1...groupCount {
+            // Next group (closest first due to iteration order)
+            let nextIdx = (selectedGroupIndex + offset) % groups.count
+            if let first = groups[nextIdx].photos.first(where: { !isPhotoFiltered($0) }) {
+                result.append(first)
+            }
+            // Previous group
+            let prevIdx = (selectedGroupIndex - offset + groups.count) % groups.count
+            if prevIdx != nextIdx,
+               let first = groups[prevIdx].photos.first(where: { !isPhotoFiltered($0) }) {
+                result.append(first)
+            }
+        }
+        return result
+    }
+
     // MARK: - Culling Actions
 
     private func applyPhotoState(_ photo: Photo, rating: Int, flag: PhotoFlag, actionName: String) {
diff --git a/cull/Views/PhotoViewer.swift b/cull/Views/PhotoViewer.swift
index 7e3c88f..6498543 100644
--- a/cull/Views/PhotoViewer.swift
+++ b/cull/Views/PhotoViewer.swift
@@ -290,15 +290,25 @@ struct PhotoViewer: View {
                 }
             }
 
-            // Preload window fanning out from current position (closest first)
+            // Preload window: current → interleaved group reps + linear neighbors (closest first)
             guard !Task.isCancelled, displayedPhotoID == photoID else { return }
+            let groupReps = session.adjacentGroupRepresentatives(groupCount: 15)
             let ahead = session.photosAhead(lookaheadCount)
             let behind = session.photosBehind(lookbehindCount)
+
+            // Interleave: 2 group reps per linear neighbor so group scanning gets priority
             var fanOut: [Photo] = []
-            let maxLen = max(ahead.count, behind.count)
-            for i in 0..<maxLen {
-                if i < ahead.count { fanOut.append(ahead[i]) }
-                if i < behind.count { fanOut.append(behind[i]) }
+            let maxLinear = max(ahead.count, behind.count)
+            let maxGroups = groupReps.count
+            var gi = 0, li = 0
+            while gi < maxGroups || li < maxLinear {
+                // Two group reps
+                if gi < maxGroups { fanOut.append(groupReps[gi]); gi += 1 }
+                if gi < maxGroups { fanOut.append(groupReps[gi]); gi += 1 }
+                // One linear neighbor each direction
+                if li < ahead.count { fanOut.append(ahead[li]) }
+                if li < behind.count { fanOut.append(behind[li]) }
+                li += 1
             }
             let window = [photo] + fanOut
             cache.preloadPreviews(photos: window)
@@ -314,10 +324,22 @@ struct PhotoViewer: View {
                     displayImage = thumb
                     displayQuality = "thumbnail"
                 }
-                // Preload initial window
+                // Preload initial window: group reps prioritized over linear neighbors
+                let groupReps = session.adjacentGroupRepresentatives(groupCount: 15)
                 let ahead = session.photosAhead(lookaheadCount)
                 let behind = session.photosBehind(lookbehindCount)
-                cache.preloadPreviews(photos: behind + [photo] + ahead)
+                var fanOut: [Photo] = []
+                let maxLinear = max(ahead.count, behind.count)
+                let maxGroups = groupReps.count
+                var gi = 0, li = 0
+                while gi < maxGroups || li < maxLinear {
+                    if gi < maxGroups { fanOut.append(groupReps[gi]); gi += 1 }
+                    if gi < maxGroups { fanOut.append(groupReps[gi]); gi += 1 }
+                    if li < ahead.count { fanOut.append(ahead[li]) }
+                    if li < behind.count { fanOut.append(behind[li]) }
+                    li += 1
+                }
+                cache.preloadPreviews(photos: [photo] + fanOut)
             }
         }
     }