diff --git a/internal/api/files_test.go b/internal/api/files_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06fcaea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/api/files_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"hamlab/internal/files"
+)
+
+// A file read answers Range requests — what a <video> needs to seek — and HEAD, through
+// the same handler that streams everything else.
+func TestFilesReadRanges(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	p := filepath.Join(dir, "clip.mp4")
+	data := make([]byte, 10000)
+	for i := range data {
+		data[i] = byte(i % 251)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(p, data, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	s := &Server{fsLocal: files.Local{}}
+	get := func(method, extra string, hdr map[string]string) *httptest.ResponseRecorder {
+		r := httptest.NewRequest(method, "/api/files/read?path="+url.QueryEscape(p)+extra, nil)
+		for k, v := range hdr {
+			r.Header.Set(k, v)
+		}
+		w := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		s.filesRead(w, r)
+		return w
+	}
+	w := get("GET", "", nil)
+	if w.Code != 200 || w.Body.Len() != 10000 || w.Header().Get("Content-Type") != "video/mp4" || w.Header().Get("Accept-Ranges") != "bytes" {
+		t.Fatalf("whole: %d %d %q %q", w.Code, w.Body.Len(), w.Header().Get("Content-Type"), w.Header().Get("Accept-Ranges"))
+	}
+	w = get("GET", "", map[string]string{"Range": "bytes=100-199"})
+	if w.Code != 206 || w.Header().Get("Content-Range") != "bytes 100-199/10000" || w.Body.Len() != 100 || w.Body.Bytes()[0] != data[100] {
+		t.Fatalf("range: %d %q %d", w.Code, w.Header().Get("Content-Range"), w.Body.Len())
+	}
+	w = get("GET", "", map[string]string{"Range": "bytes=9990-"})
+	if w.Code != 206 || w.Body.Len() != 10 || w.Body.Bytes()[9] != data[9999] {
+		t.Fatalf("tail range: %d %d", w.Code, w.Body.Len())
+	}
+	w = get("HEAD", "", nil)
+	if w.Code != 200 || w.Body.Len() != 0 || w.Header().Get("Content-Length") != "10000" {
+		t.Fatalf("head: %d %d %q", w.Code, w.Body.Len(), w.Header().Get("Content-Length"))
+	}
+	if w := get("GET", "&max=50", nil); w.Code != 413 {
+		t.Fatalf("the editor's cap: %d", w.Code)
+	}
+	if w := get("GET", "", map[string]string{"Range": "bytes=20000-"}); w.Code != 416 {
+		t.Fatalf("a range past the end: %d", w.Code)
+	}
+	if err := os.Chmod(p, 0); err == nil && os.Geteuid() != 0 {
+		if w := get("GET", "", nil); w.Code != 403 {
+			t.Fatalf("unreadable: %d", w.Code)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/api/server.go b/internal/api/server.go
index edc7b69..41e537f 100644
--- a/internal/api/server.go
+++ b/internal/api/server.go
@@ -1928,16 +1928,6 @@ func (s *Server) filesRead(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		jsonErr(w, 413, "file too large")
 		return
 	}
-	f, err := fsys.Open(r.Context(), p)
-	if err != nil {
-		fsErr(w, err)
-		return
-	}
-	defer f.Close()
-	var body io.Reader = f
-	if mx > 0 { // stat can lie (size 0 on /proc); the cap must hold on the bytes actually sent
-		body = io.LimitReader(f, mx+1)
-	}
 	name := filepath.Base(p)
 	ct := mime.TypeByExtension(filepath.Ext(name))
 	if ct == "" {
@@ -1956,7 +1946,28 @@ func (s *Server) filesRead(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		w.Header().Set("Content-Disposition", "inline; filename*=UTF-8''"+url.PathEscape(name))
 	}
 	if in.Size > 0 && mx == 0 {
-		w.Header().Set("Content-Length", strconv.FormatInt(in.Size, 10))
+		// A real file of known size goes through net/http, which speaks Range: a video player
+		// can seek and a download can resume. /proc files say size 0 and take the plain path.
+		rs := files.NewSeeker(r.Context(), fsys, p, in.Size)
+		defer rs.Close()
+		if _, local := fsys.(files.Local); local { // cheap here, and turns "can't open" into a status rather than a cut-off body
+			if err := rs.Check(); err != nil {
+				fsErr(w, err)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		http.ServeContent(w, r, name, time.UnixMilli(in.Mtime), rs)
+		return
+	}
+	f, err := fsys.Open(r.Context(), p)
+	if err != nil {
+		fsErr(w, err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	var body io.Reader = f
+	if mx > 0 { // stat can lie (size 0 on /proc); the cap must hold on the bytes actually sent
+		body = io.LimitReader(f, mx+1)
 	}
 	_, _ = io.Copy(w, body)
 }
diff --git a/internal/files/files.go b/internal/files/files.go
index c124d03..ae51aad 100644
--- a/internal/files/files.go
+++ b/internal/files/files.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ type FS interface {
 	List(ctx context.Context, path string) (Listing, error)
 	Stat(ctx context.Context, path string) (Info, error)
 	Open(ctx context.Context, path string) (io.ReadCloser, error)
+	OpenAt(ctx context.Context, path string, offset int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) // Open from a byte offset: a range request, a player seeking
 	Write(ctx context.Context, path string, r io.Reader) error
 	Mkdir(ctx context.Context, path string) error
 	Touch(ctx context.Context, path string) error
@@ -231,6 +232,20 @@ func (Local) Open(_ context.Context, path string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
 	return os.Open(path)
 }
 
+func (l Local) OpenAt(ctx context.Context, path string, offset int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	f, err := l.Open(ctx, path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if offset > 0 {
+		if _, err := f.(*os.File).Seek(offset, io.SeekStart); err != nil {
+			f.Close()
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+	return f, nil
+}
+
 // Write replaces the file's contents, keeping its mode; new files get 0644 (umask).
 func (Local) Write(_ context.Context, path string, r io.Reader) error {
 	f, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0o644)
@@ -336,7 +351,15 @@ func (r *cmdReader) Close() error {
 }
 
 func (s Sudo) Open(ctx context.Context, path string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
-	c := s.cmd(ctx, "read", path)
+	return s.open(ctx, "read", path)
+}
+
+func (s Sudo) OpenAt(ctx context.Context, path string, offset int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	return s.open(ctx, "read", "--offset", strconv.FormatInt(offset, 10), path)
+}
+
+func (s Sudo) open(ctx context.Context, args ...string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	c := s.cmd(ctx, args...)
 	errb := &strings.Builder{}
 	c.Stderr = errb
 	out, err := c.StdoutPipe()
@@ -430,6 +453,11 @@ func Helper(args []string, stdin io.Reader, stdout io.Writer, stderr io.Writer)
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	var l Local
 	op := args[0]
+	var offset int64
+	if op == "read" && len(args) >= 4 && args[1] == "--offset" { // read --offset N <path>
+		offset, _ = strconv.ParseInt(args[2], 10, 64)
+		args = append([]string{"read"}, args[3:]...)
+	}
 	clean := func(i int) (string, error) {
 		if i >= len(args) {
 			return "", errors.New("path required")
@@ -456,7 +484,7 @@ func Helper(args []string, stdin io.Reader, stdout io.Writer, stderr io.Writer)
 			}
 			return emit(stdout, out, stderr)
 		case "read":
-			f, err := l.Open(ctx, p)
+			f, err := l.OpenAt(ctx, p, offset)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fail(err)
 			}
diff --git a/internal/files/seek.go b/internal/files/seek.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fad8ded
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/files/seek.go
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+package files
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+)
+
+// Seeker is an FS file as http.ServeContent wants one — something to seek in — for a file
+// whose size is already known from a stat. ServeContent seeks to the end for the size, to
+// the start of the range asked for, then reads: so the backend is opened once, at that
+// position, and only ever read forward. The Sudo backend's helper is started at the offset
+// rather than streamed from the top and skipped.
+type Seeker struct {
+	ctx  context.Context
+	fsys FS
+	path string
+	size int64
+	pos  int64 // where the next Read reads from
+	at   int64 // where cur is positioned, when open
+	cur  io.ReadCloser
+}
+
+func NewSeeker(ctx context.Context, fsys FS, path string, size int64) *Seeker {
+	return &Seeker{ctx: ctx, fsys: fsys, path: path, size: size}
+}
+
+// Check opens the file now, from the start, so a file that cannot be read is known before
+// any headers go out. A later seek elsewhere simply reopens.
+func (s *Seeker) Check() error {
+	if s.cur != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	f, err := s.fsys.OpenAt(s.ctx, s.path, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	s.cur, s.at = f, 0
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *Seeker) Seek(offset int64, whence int) (int64, error) {
+	var pos int64
+	switch whence {
+	case io.SeekStart:
+		pos = offset
+	case io.SeekCurrent:
+		pos = s.pos + offset
+	case io.SeekEnd:
+		pos = s.size + offset
+	default:
+		return 0, errors.New("bad whence")
+	}
+	if pos < 0 {
+		return 0, errors.New("seek before start")
+	}
+	if s.cur != nil && pos != s.at {
+		s.cur.Close()
+		s.cur = nil
+	}
+	s.pos = pos
+	return pos, nil
+}
+
+func (s *Seeker) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	if s.pos >= s.size {
+		return 0, io.EOF
+	}
+	if s.cur == nil {
+		f, err := s.fsys.OpenAt(s.ctx, s.path, s.pos)
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, err
+		}
+		s.cur, s.at = f, s.pos
+	}
+	n, err := s.cur.Read(p)
+	s.pos += int64(n)
+	s.at += int64(n)
+	return n, err
+}
+
+func (s *Seeker) Close() error {
+	if s.cur == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	err := s.cur.Close()
+	s.cur = nil
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/internal/files/seek_test.go b/internal/files/seek_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ad412c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/files/seek_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+package files
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+import "strings"
+
+type stringsBuilder = strings.Builder
+
+type countingFS struct {
+	Local
+	opens []int64
+}
+
+func (c *countingFS) OpenAt(ctx context.Context, path string, off int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	c.opens = append(c.opens, off)
+	return c.Local.OpenAt(ctx, path, off)
+}
+
+// ServeContent's moves — size from the end, seek to the range, read forward — open the
+// backend once, at the range; a seek to where the stream already is costs nothing.
+func TestSeeker(t *testing.T) {
+	p := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "f")
+	data := make([]byte, 1000)
+	for i := range data {
+		data[i] = byte(i)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(p, data, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	fs := &countingFS{}
+	s := NewSeeker(context.Background(), fs, p, int64(len(data)))
+	if n, _ := s.Seek(0, io.SeekEnd); n != 1000 {
+		t.Fatalf("end = %d", n)
+	}
+	if _, err := s.Seek(100, io.SeekStart); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	buf := make([]byte, 50)
+	if n, err := io.ReadFull(s, buf); err != nil || n != 50 || buf[0] != 100 || buf[49] != 149 {
+		t.Fatalf("read at 100: %d %v %v", n, err, buf[:2])
+	}
+	if _, err := s.Seek(150, io.SeekStart); err != nil { // where it already is
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if n, _ := io.ReadFull(s, buf); n != 50 || buf[0] != 150 {
+		t.Fatal("read after a no-op seek")
+	}
+	if len(fs.opens) != 1 || fs.opens[0] != 100 {
+		t.Fatalf("opens = %v, want [100]", fs.opens)
+	}
+	if _, err := s.Seek(0, io.SeekStart); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	rest, err := io.ReadAll(s)
+	if err != nil || len(rest) != 1000 || rest[999] != data[999] {
+		t.Fatalf("read all from the start: %d %v", len(rest), err)
+	}
+	if len(fs.opens) != 2 || fs.opens[1] != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("opens = %v, want [100 0]", fs.opens)
+	}
+	if n, err := s.Read(buf); n != 0 || err != io.EOF {
+		t.Fatal("past the end is EOF")
+	}
+	if _, err := s.Seek(-1, io.SeekStart); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("before the start")
+	}
+	if err := s.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// Check opens at the start and keeps that stream for a read from the start
+	s2 := NewSeeker(context.Background(), fs, p, 1000)
+	if err := s2.Check(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	s2.Seek(0, io.SeekEnd)
+	s2.Seek(0, io.SeekStart)
+	if n, _ := io.ReadFull(s2, buf); n != 50 || buf[0] != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("read from the start after Check")
+	}
+	if len(fs.opens) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("Check's open was not reused: %v", fs.opens)
+	}
+	s2.Close()
+	if err := NewSeeker(context.Background(), fs, filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "nope"), 5).Check(); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Check must report a file that can't be opened")
+	}
+}
+
+// The helper's read takes an offset, for the Sudo backend.
+func TestHelperReadOffset(t *testing.T) {
+	p := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "f")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(p, []byte("0123456789"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	var out, errb stringsBuilder
+	if rc := Helper([]string{"read", "--offset", "7", p}, nil, &out, &errb); rc != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("rc %d: %s", rc, errb.String())
+	}
+	if out.String() != "789" {
+		t.Fatalf("got %q", out.String())
+	}
+	out.Reset()
+	if rc := Helper([]string{"read", p}, nil, &out, &errb); rc != 0 || out.String() != "0123456789" {
+		t.Fatalf("plain read: rc %d %q", rc, out.String())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/thumbs/thumbs.go b/internal/thumbs/thumbs.go
index 6ddcf9a..d18db22 100644
--- a/internal/thumbs/thumbs.go
+++ b/internal/thumbs/thumbs.go
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ func (e *DecodeError) Error() string { return e.Msg }
 
 var imageExt = set("png jpg jpeg jpe jfif gif webp bmp tif tiff avif heic heif hif jxl svg ico psd tga thm")
 var videoExt = set("mp4 m4v mkv webm mov avi wmv flv mpg mpeg mpe m2v ts m2ts mts 3gp 3g2 ogv ogm mxf vob asf rm rmvb divx f4v mjpeg mjpg 360 osv insv lrf")
+var audioExt = set("mp3 flac m4a m4b aac ogg oga opus wav wma aiff aif alac ape wv mka")
 
 func set(s string) map[string]bool {
 	m := map[string]bool{}
@@ -102,7 +103,8 @@ func set(s string) map[string]bool {
 	return m
 }
 
-// Kind is "image", "video" or "" for a file name.
+// Kind is "image", "video", "audio" or "" for a file name. An audio file's preview is its
+// cover art, when it carries any.
 func Kind(name string) string {
 	ext := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimPrefix(filepath.Ext(name), "."))
 	switch {
@@ -110,6 +112,8 @@ func Kind(name string) string {
 		return "image"
 	case videoExt[ext]:
 		return "video"
+	case audioExt[ext]:
+		return "audio"
 	}
 	return ""
 }
diff --git a/web/src/Files.tsx b/web/src/Files.tsx
index f6c3cc9..14bd290 100644
--- a/web/src/Files.tsx
+++ b/web/src/Files.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ function icon(e: FileEntry): string {
   if (e.type === 'other') return '⚙️'
   if (e.preview === 'image' || isImage(e.name)) return '🖼️'
   if (e.preview === 'video') return '🎞️'
+  if (e.preview === 'audio') return '🎵'
   if (/\.(zip|gz|bz2|xz|zst|tar|tgz|7z|rar)$/i.test(e.name)) return '🗜️'
   if (/\.(sh|bash|zsh|py|go|js|ts|tsx|rb|pl|php|rs|c|h|cpp|java|lua)$/i.test(e.name) || e.mode.includes('x')) return '📜'
   if (/\.(log|txt|md|json|ya?ml|toml|ini|conf|cfg|env|service|timer)$/i.test(e.name)) return '📄'
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ class Near {
   private forget(el: Element) { this.cbs.delete(el); this.obs.unobserve(el) }
 }
 
-function Thumb({ url, kind, near, fallback }: { url: string; kind: 'image' | 'video'; near: Near | null; fallback: string }) {
+function Thumb({ url, kind, near, fallback }: { url: string; kind: 'image' | 'video' | 'audio'; near: Near | null; fallback: string }) {
   const ref = useRef<HTMLSpanElement>(null)
   const [show, setShow] = useState(false)
   const [failed, setFailed] = useState('')
@@ -189,11 +190,12 @@ function Viewer({ path, sudo, onClose, onChanged }: { path: string; sudo: boolea
   const [orig, setOrig] = useState('')
   const [err, setErr] = useState('')
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false)
+  const [cantPlay, setCantPlay] = useState(false) // the browser tried the file as it is and gave up
   const name = path.split('/').pop() ?? path
   const dirty = text !== null && text !== orig
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    setInfo(null); setText(null); setErr('')
+    setInfo(null); setText(null); setErr(''); setCantPlay(false)
     let stop = false
     ;(async () => {
       try {
@@ -251,7 +253,17 @@ function Viewer({ path, sudo, onClose, onChanged }: { path: string; sudo: boolea
         <textarea className="editor file-editor" value={text} spellCheck={false} onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)} />
       )}
       {info && text === null && isImage(name) && <div className="preview"><img src={api.fileReadURL(path, sudo)} alt={name} /></div>}
-      {info && text === null && !isImage(name) && !err && (
+      {/* Video and audio go to the browser as they are, codec and all, and it plays what it can. */}
+      {info && text === null && !isImage(name) && info.preview === 'video' && !cantPlay && (
+        <div className="preview"><video controls playsInline preload="metadata" src={api.fileReadURL(path, sudo)} onError={() => setCantPlay(true)} /></div>
+      )}
+      {info && text === null && !isImage(name) && info.preview === 'audio' && !cantPlay && (
+        <div className="preview audio"><div className="audio-box"><div className="ficon">🎵</div><div className="mono small">{name}</div><audio controls preload="metadata" src={api.fileReadURL(path, sudo)} onError={() => setCantPlay(true)} /></div></div>
+      )}
+      {info && text === null && !isImage(name) && cantPlay && (
+        <div className="notice">This browser can't play {name} as it is — the container or codec isn't one it decodes. Download it instead.</div>
+      )}
+      {info && text === null && !isImage(name) && !info.preview && !err && (
         <div className="notice">{info.type === 'dir' ? 'This is a directory.' : info.size > MAX_EDIT ? `Too large to edit here (${fmtBytes(info.size)}). Download it instead.` : 'Binary file. Download it instead.'}</div>
       )}
     </div>
diff --git a/web/src/api.ts b/web/src/api.ts
index 2fb783d..73198db 100644
--- a/web/src/api.ts
+++ b/web/src/api.ts
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ export interface ARCDetail {
 }
 export interface ARCView { detail: ARCDetail; live: ARCLive | null }
 
-export interface FileEntry { name: string; type: 'dir' | 'file' | 'link' | 'other'; size: number; mode: string; perm: string; mtime: number; user: string; group: string; target?: string; broken?: boolean; preview?: 'image' | 'video' }
+export interface FileEntry { name: string; type: 'dir' | 'file' | 'link' | 'other'; size: number; mode: string; perm: string; mtime: number; user: string; group: string; target?: string; broken?: boolean; preview?: 'image' | 'video' | 'audio' }
 export interface ThumbGPU { api: string; device: string; name?: string; codecs?: string[]; reason?: string; permission?: boolean }
 // How previews get made on the machine: ok with an engine, or why not and what would fix it.
 export interface ThumbStatus { ok: boolean; engine: 'gpu' | 'cpu' | ''; summary: string; ffmpeg?: string; gpus: ThumbGPU[]; unusable?: ThumbGPU[]; error?: string; install?: { pm: string; package: string }; gpu_fix?: boolean; user: string; cache: { path: string; entries: number; bytes: number } }
diff --git a/web/src/styles.css b/web/src/styles.css
index f6f04f9..b39c021 100644
--- a/web/src/styles.css
+++ b/web/src/styles.css
@@ -364,11 +364,17 @@ h2.section { margin: 0; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; color: var(--muted);
 .file-editor { flex: 1; min-height: 0; border: 0; border-radius: 0; resize: none; font-size: 13px; }
 .preview { flex: 1; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; overflow: auto; padding: 12px; }
 .preview img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; object-fit: contain; }
+.preview video { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; background: #000; border-radius: 4px; outline: none; }
+.preview.audio { align-items: flex-start; }
+.audio-box { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 10px; width: min(560px, 100%); margin-top: 8vh; }
+.audio-box .ficon { font-size: 48px; }
+.audio-box audio { width: 100%; }
 /* previews: the icon column becomes a thumbnail box for images and videos */
 .file-list.thumbs .file-row { grid-template-columns: 72px 1fr 80px 80px 130px 32px; padding-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 4px; min-height: 52px; }
 .fthumb { position: relative; width: 72px; height: 44px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: var(--bg3); border-radius: 4px; overflow: hidden; }
 .fthumb img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; object-fit: contain; display: block; }
-.fthumb.video::after { content: '▶'; position: absolute; right: 2px; bottom: 2px; font-size: 9px; line-height: 1; padding: 2px 3px; border-radius: 3px; background: rgba(0,0,0,.6); color: #fff; }
+.fthumb.video::after, .fthumb.audio::after { content: '▶'; position: absolute; right: 2px; bottom: 2px; font-size: 9px; line-height: 1; padding: 2px 3px; border-radius: 3px; background: rgba(0,0,0,.6); color: #fff; }
+.fthumb.audio::after { content: '♪'; }
 .fthumb .ficon { font-size: 18px; }
 .thumb-note { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; gap: 8px; margin: 6px 10px 0; }
 /* move: the folder picker */