diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/BrowseScreen.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/BrowseScreen.kt
index e322c79..c3e6db6 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/BrowseScreen.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/BrowseScreen.kt
@@ -365,23 +365,32 @@ private fun PhotoPreviewDialog(
 
     LaunchedEffect(photo.devicePath) {
         val bytes = withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
-            // Use cached thumbnail if available
+            // Always use the cached JPEG (sips-converted) — works for HEIC too
             if (cachePath.toFile().exists() && cachePath.toFile().length() > 0) {
                 java.nio.file.Files.readAllBytes(cachePath)
             } else {
-                // Pull fresh for preview
+                // Pull to temp, convert to JPEG via sips, cache it
                 val tmpDir = Paths.get(System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir"), "photophetch-preview")
                 tmpDir.toFile().mkdirs()
                 val tmpFile = tmpDir.resolve("preview-${photo.filename}")
                 val ok = pullFn(photo.devicePath, tmpFile)
-                if (ok && tmpFile.toFile().exists()) java.nio.file.Files.readAllBytes(tmpFile) else null
+                if (ok && tmpFile.toFile().exists()) {
+                    val sips = ProcessBuilder("sips", "--resampleWidth", "800",
+                        "--setProperty", "format", "jpeg",
+                        tmpFile.toString(), "--out", cachePath.toString())
+                        .redirectErrorStream(true).start()
+                    sips.inputStream.readBytes()
+                    sips.waitFor()
+                    tmpFile.toFile().delete()
+                    if (cachePath.toFile().exists()) java.nio.file.Files.readAllBytes(cachePath) else null
+                } else null
             }
         }
         if (bytes != null) {
             runCatching { bitmap = SkiaImage.makeFromEncoded(bytes).toComposeImageBitmap() }
         }
 
-        // For Live Photos: also open the companion MOV in system viewer
+        // For Live Photos: open the companion MOV in system viewer
         if (photo.isLivePhotoStill && photo.companionDevicePath != null) {
             val tmpDir = Paths.get(System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir"), "photophetch-preview")
             val movFilename = photo.companionDevicePath.substringAfterLast("/")
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/VerifyScreen.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/VerifyScreen.kt
index af07aac..d5e2dfc 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/VerifyScreen.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/VerifyScreen.kt
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ private fun VerifyResultRow(
                 Text(
                     when {
                         isFailed -> result.error ?: "Failed"
-                        exifUnverified -> "⚠ Make: '${result.exifMake?.ifEmpty { "absent" } ?: "absent"}'" +
+                        exifUnverified -> "⚠ Origin unknown" +
                             if (showCheckbox) " — kept on phone" else ""
                         exifUnavailable -> "${result.photo.sizeBytes / 1024} KB"
                         else -> "✓ ${result.exifMake} · ${result.photo.sizeBytes / 1024} KB"
@@ -381,8 +381,8 @@ private fun ResultPreviewDialog(result: CopyResult, onDismiss: () -> Unit) {
             Column(modifier = Modifier.padding(16.dp), verticalArrangement = Arrangement.spacedBy(8.dp)) {
                 Text(result.photo.filename, fontWeight = FontWeight.SemiBold)
                 Text(when (result.exifVerified) {
-                    true -> "✓ EXIF Make: ${result.exifMake}"
-                    false -> "⚠ Make: '${result.exifMake?.ifEmpty { "(absent)" } ?: "(absent)"}' — not a confirmed camera original"
+                    true -> "✓ Camera original — Make: ${result.exifMake}"
+                    false -> "⚠ Origin unknown — may not be your photo${if (!result.exifMake.isNullOrBlank()) " (Make: ${result.exifMake})" else ""}"
                     null -> "EXIF not checked (install exiftool)"
                 }, style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
                     color = when (result.exifVerified) {