diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index c1051ef..4c649dc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { lazy, Suspense, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { lazy, Suspense, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import {
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ import {
   saveLocalTheme,
   type ThemePrefs,
 } from "./lib/theme";
-import { hasFilterParams, isPage, paramsToFilters, readPage, stripUrlParams, type Page } from "./lib/urlState";
-import { pageTitleKey } from "./lib/pageMeta";
+import { hasFilterParams, paramsToFilters, stripUrlParams } from "./lib/urlState";
 import {
   loadLayout,
   normalizeLayout,
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ import {
   writeJSON,
 } from "./lib/storage";
 import type { PrefsController } from "./components/SettingsPanel";
+import { useNavigation, useNavigationActions } from "./components/NavigationProvider";
 import type { ChannelStatusFilter, ChannelsView } from "./components/Channels";
 // Persistent shell — always mounted, so eagerly imported.
 import Welcome from "./components/Welcome";
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ import Toaster from "./components/Toaster";
 import ErrorDialog from "./components/ErrorDialog";
 import VersionBanner from "./components/VersionBanner";
 import DemoBanner from "./components/DemoBanner";
-import { setNavigator } from "./lib/nav";
 import { focusAccessRequestsTab } from "./lib/adminUsersTab";
 import { shouldAutoOpenOnboarding } from "./lib/onboarding";
 import { CURRENT_VERSION } from "./lib/releaseNotes";
@@ -101,7 +100,6 @@ const DEFAULT_FILTERS: FeedFilters = {
 };
 
 const FILTERS_KEY = LS.filters;
-const PAGE_KEY = LS.page;
 const PERF_KEY = LS.perfMode;
 
 // The preferences edited on the Settings page. They apply locally for instant preview but
@@ -116,13 +114,6 @@ type EditablePrefs = {
 
 // Page is navigation state, not a filter, but it's also kept out of the address bar — so
 // persist it to localStorage to survive a reload. A share link's ?page= still wins.
-function loadInitialPage(): Page {
-  const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
-  if (params.has("page")) return readPage();
-  const stored = getAccountRaw(PAGE_KEY);
-  return isPage(stored) ? stored : "feed";
-}
-
 // This account's own persisted filters (per-account keys — never another account's). A chosen
 // default saved view wins over the last-session filters (SavedViewsWidget mirrors it here). When
 // the account isn't known yet (first load, before the tab is pinned), start from defaults; the
@@ -156,6 +147,8 @@ function loadInitialFilters(): FeedFilters {
 
 export default function App() {
   const { t, i18n } = useTranslation();
+  const { page, channelView, ytSearch } = useNavigation();
+  const { setPage, openChannel, enterYtSearch, exitYtSearch } = useNavigationActions();
   const [theme, setThemeState] = useState<ThemePrefs>(() => loadLocalTheme());
   const [filters, setFiltersState] = useState<FeedFilters>(loadInitialFilters);
   // Whether this load arrived via a "Share view" link (captured once, before the URL is stripped)
@@ -190,58 +183,10 @@ export default function App() {
     plex: loadLayout("plex"),
     playlists: loadLayout("playlists"),
   }));
-  const [page, setPageState] = useState<Page>(loadInitialPage);
   // Client-side name filters for the Channels + Playlists lists — lifted here so the shared top
   // SearchBar can drive them (the modules read/seed them via props).
   const [channelsSearch, setChannelsSearch] = useState("");
   const [playlistsSearch, setPlaylistsSearch] = useState("");
-  // Live YouTube search term (null = normal feed). Ephemeral: not persisted and not in the URL,
-  // so a reload returns to the normal feed (a search spends quota, so we never auto-replay it).
-  // The search is a feed SUB-VIEW that owns a browser-history entry (history.state._yt): the
-  // popstate handler below derives ytSearch from it, so Back steps player → search → feed in
-  // that order (a player opened over the results pops first, then the search, then the feed) —
-  // instead of the search vanishing because it had no history entry of its own.
-  const [ytSearch, setYtSearch] = useState<string | null>(() => {
-    // Restore a live search across a reload ONLY when it was served by the zero-quota scrape
-    // source (re-fetching is free) — an api-source search would re-spend ~100 units, so it's
-    // dropped to the normal feed as before. The scrape flag rides in history.state (survives F5).
-    const st = window.history.state;
-    return st?._yt && st?._ytScrape ? (st._yt as string) : null;
-  });
-  const enterYtSearch = useCallback((q: string) => {
-    setYtSearch(q);
-    // Drop any prior _ytScrape marker — the new search's source isn't known yet; Feed re-stamps
-    // it once the results resolve, so a reload only restores a confirmed scrape-sourced search.
-    const { _ytScrape: _drop, ...st } = window.history.state || {};
-    if (st._yt) window.history.replaceState({ ...st, _yt: q }, ""); // refine current search
-    else window.history.pushState({ ...st, sfPage: "feed", _yt: q }, ""); // new sub-view entry
-  }, []);
-  const exitYtSearch = useCallback(() => {
-    // Pop our search entry (so Forward still works); fall back to a plain clear if we don't own one.
-    if (window.history.state?._yt) window.history.back();
-    else setYtSearch(null);
-  }, []);
-  // The open channel page (null = no channel page). Like the YouTube-search sub-view it owns a
-  // browser-history entry (history.state._chan = channel id, _chanName = a display name to show
-  // before the detail loads), so Back closes the channel page (after any player opened over it)
-  // and reload returns to the normal app. Channels/videos are reached by id, so it's not in the URL.
-  const [channelView, setChannelView] = useState<{ id: string; name?: string } | null>(() => {
-    // Restore the open channel page across a reload (it rides in history.state, which survives F5),
-    // unlike the YouTube search which is intentionally dropped (it would re-spend quota).
-    const c = window.history.state?._chan as string | undefined;
-    return c ? { id: c, name: (window.history.state?._chanName as string) ?? undefined } : null;
-  });
-  const openChannel = useCallback((id: string, name?: string) => {
-    setChannelView({ id, name });
-    const st = window.history.state || {};
-    if (st._chan)
-      window.history.replaceState({ ...st, _chan: id, _chanName: name ?? null }, "");
-    else window.history.pushState({ ...st, _chan: id, _chanName: name ?? null }, "");
-  }, []);
-  const closeChannel = useCallback(() => {
-    if (window.history.state?._chan) window.history.back();
-    else setChannelView(null);
-  }, []);
   const [wizardOpen, setWizardOpen] = useState(false);
   // Channel status chip, persisted so a reload (F5) keeps it; clamp a stale value at render.
   const [channelFilterRaw, setChannelFilter] = useAccountPersistedState(LS.channelFilter, "all");
@@ -298,9 +243,9 @@ export default function App() {
     setPage("channels");
   };
   useEffect(() => {
+    // Clear the channel-manager focus when leaving the Channels page so it doesn't re-apply later.
+    // (Leaving the feed clearing the live search is now the NavigationProvider's job.)
     if (page !== "channels") setFocusChannelName(null);
-    // Leaving the feed ends any live YouTube search, so coming back shows the normal feed.
-    if (page !== "feed") setYtSearch(null);
   }, [page]);
 
   function openReleaseNotes(highlight?: string) {
@@ -315,34 +260,6 @@ export default function App() {
     if (key) writeJSON(key, next);
   }
 
-  function setPage(next: Page) {
-    // While a channel page is open it overlays the content column, so a nav click must close it
-    // even when the underlying page is unchanged (e.g. "Feed" while a channel opened from the feed).
-    if (next === page && !channelView) return;
-    setChannelView(null); // leave any open channel page when navigating via the rail
-    setPageState(next);
-    setAccountRaw(PAGE_KEY, next);
-    // Push an in-app history entry so the browser/mouse Back button steps through pages instead of
-    // leaving the app (e.g. back to the OAuth redirect). The URL stays clean — the page rides in
-    // history.state, not the query string. A fresh { sfPage } (no carried-over _yt/_chan markers)
-    // so each page starts at its root.
-    window.history.pushState({ sfPage: next }, "");
-  }
-  // Expose the current setPage to decoupled callers (download toast "View", etc.).
-  useEffect(() => setNavigator(setPage));
-
-  // Reflect the current module in the browser tab title so open tabs are distinguishable and the
-  // history reads sensibly. Feed = brand only; an open channel page shows the channel name.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const brand = "Siftlode";
-    const label = channelView
-      ? channelView.name || t("header.channelManager")
-      : page === "feed"
-        ? null
-        : t(pageTitleKey(page));
-    document.title = label ? `${label} · ${brand}` : brand;
-  }, [page, channelView, i18n.language, t]);
-
   function setPanelLayout(panel: PanelId, next: PanelLayout) {
     setPanelLayouts((prev) => ({ ...prev, [panel]: next }));
     saveLayoutLocal(panel, next);
@@ -471,35 +388,6 @@ export default function App() {
     }
   }, []); // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
 
-  // In-app Back/Forward: stamp the initial entry with the current page, then sync `page`
-  // from history.state on popstate. (stripUrlParams preserves history.state, so this stamp
-  // survives a later query-string strip.)
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // A reload returns to the normal feed by dropping a stale _yt — EXCEPT when the search was
-    // scrape-sourced (zero quota): then we keep _yt + _ytScrape so it restores and re-fetches for
-    // free (ytSearch above already initialised from it). An api-source search is still dropped (it
-    // would re-spend ~100 units). _chan/_chanName are always kept so a channel page survives F5.
-    const st = window.history.state || {};
-    if (st._yt && st._ytScrape) {
-      window.history.replaceState({ ...st, sfPage: page }, "");
-    } else {
-      const { _yt: _staleYt, _ytScrape: _staleScrape, ...rest } = st;
-      window.history.replaceState({ ...rest, sfPage: page }, "");
-    }
-    function onPop(e: PopStateEvent) {
-      const p = (e.state?.sfPage as Page) ?? "feed";
-      setPageState(p);
-      setAccountRaw(PAGE_KEY, p);
-      // The YouTube-search sub-view rides in history.state._yt, so Back/Forward restores or
-      // clears it to match the entry we landed on (and a player popped first leaves it intact).
-      setYtSearch((e.state?._yt as string) ?? null);
-      // The channel page rides in history.state._chan the same way.
-      const chan = e.state?._chan as string | undefined;
-      setChannelView(chan ? { id: chan, name: (e.state?._chanName as string) ?? undefined } : null);
-    }
-    window.addEventListener("popstate", onPop);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener("popstate", onPop);
-  }, []); // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
 
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   // First-run install gate: a fresh instance reports configured=false and runs in setup mode.
@@ -748,8 +636,6 @@ export default function App() {
     <div className="h-screen flex text-fg">
       <NavSidebar
         me={meQuery.data!}
-        page={page}
-        setPage={setPage}
         onOpenAbout={() => setAboutOpen(true)}
         onChangeLanguage={changeLanguage}
         language={i18n.language as LangCode}
@@ -811,8 +697,6 @@ export default function App() {
               me={meQuery.data!}
               view={view}
               setView={setView}
-              onBack={closeChannel}
-              onOpenChannel={openChannel}
               onShowInFeed={() => {
                 // Keep the rest of the feed's filters — the point is "this channel, the way I
                 // normally read": unwatched, my tags, my date window.
@@ -842,8 +726,6 @@ export default function App() {
           setChannelsSearch={setChannelsSearch}
           playlistsSearch={playlistsSearch}
           setPlaylistsSearch={setPlaylistsSearch}
-          page={page}
-          setPage={setPage}
           onYtSearch={enterYtSearch}
           onGoToFullHistory={() => {
             setChannelFilter("needs_full");
@@ -901,7 +783,7 @@ export default function App() {
               setSelectedId={setSelectedPlaylistId}
             />
           ) : page === "notifications" ? (
-            <NotificationsPanel filters={filters} setFilters={setFilters} setPage={setPage} onFocusChannel={focusChannel} />
+            <NotificationsPanel filters={filters} setFilters={setFilters} onFocusChannel={focusChannel} />
           ) : page === "messages" && !meQuery.data!.is_demo ? (
             <div className="p-4 max-w-3xl w-full mx-auto">
               <Messages meId={meQuery.data!.id} />
@@ -938,7 +820,6 @@ export default function App() {
               ytSearch={ytSearch}
               onYtSearch={enterYtSearch}
               onExitYtSearch={exitYtSearch}
-              onOpenChannel={openChannel}
             />
           )}
           </Suspense>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ChannelPage.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ChannelPage.tsx
index 67162cf..4c76763 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ChannelPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ChannelPage.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { useNavigationActions } from "./NavigationProvider";
 import { ArrowLeft, Ban, Check, ExternalLink, Loader2, Plus, RefreshCw, SlidersHorizontal } from "lucide-react";
 import Avatar from "./Avatar";
 import Feed from "./Feed";
@@ -57,8 +58,6 @@ export default function ChannelPage({
   me,
   view,
   setView,
-  onBack,
-  onOpenChannel,
   onShowInFeed,
 }: {
   channelId: string;
@@ -68,14 +67,13 @@ export default function ChannelPage({
   // toolbar carries the same switcher and a change here is the same account-wide choice.
   view: FeedView;
   setView: (v: FeedView) => void;
-  onBack: () => void;
   // Narrow the real feed to this channel and go there. Offered only for a channel you're
   // subscribed to: the feed defaults to scope "my", so filtering it to a channel you don't
   // follow would just land you on an empty page.
   onShowInFeed: () => void;
-  onOpenChannel: (id: string, name?: string) => void;
 }) {
   const { t, i18n } = useTranslation();
+  const { closeChannel } = useNavigationActions();
   const qc = useQueryClient();
   const confirm = useConfirm();
   const [tab, setTab] = useState<"videos" | "about">("videos");
@@ -245,7 +243,7 @@ export default function ChannelPage({
         )}
         <button
           data-testid="channel-back"
-          onClick={onBack}
+          onClick={closeChannel}
           className="absolute top-5 left-7 sm:left-9 z-10 inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-3 py-1.5 rounded-lg text-sm bg-black/45 text-white hover:bg-black/65 backdrop-blur-sm"
         >
           <ArrowLeft className="w-4 h-4" />
@@ -382,7 +380,6 @@ export default function ChannelPage({
             ytSearch={null}
             onYtSearch={() => {}}
             onExitYtSearch={() => {}}
-            onOpenChannel={onOpenChannel}
             channelScoped
           />
           {!ch?.subscribed && nextToken && (
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx
index 265cab8..45903f0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ export default function Feed({
   ytSearch,
   onYtSearch,
   onExitYtSearch,
-  onOpenChannel,
   channelScoped,
 }: {
   filters: FeedFilters;
@@ -107,9 +106,6 @@ export default function Feed({
   ytSearch: string | null;
   onYtSearch: (q: string) => void;
   onExitYtSearch: () => void;
-  // Open a channel's dedicated page (from a card's channel name / avatar). Threaded down to
-  // the cards via VirtualFeed.
-  onOpenChannel?: (channelId: string, channelName?: string) => void;
   // True when this feed is scoped to a single channel (the channel page). Drops sort options
   // that are constant within one channel (subscribers, priority) — they'd be meaningless.
   channelScoped?: boolean;
@@ -308,13 +304,6 @@ export default function Feed({
     [qc]
   );
 
-  const handleOpenChannel = useCallback(
-    (channelId: string, channelName: string) => {
-      onOpenChannel?.(channelId, channelName);
-    },
-    [onOpenChannel]
-  );
-
   const onToggleSave = useCallback(
     (id: string, saved: boolean) => {
       setSavedOverrides((o) => ({ ...o, [id]: saved }));
@@ -447,7 +436,6 @@ export default function Feed({
               view={view}
               onState={onState}
               onToggleSave={onToggleSave}
-              onOpenChannel={handleOpenChannel}
               onResetState={onResetState}
               onOpen={openVideo}
               hasNextPage={false}
@@ -480,7 +468,6 @@ export default function Feed({
               queue={ytPlayerQueue}
               onClose={() => setActiveVideo(null)}
               onState={onState}
-              onOpenChannel={onOpenChannel}
             />
           </Suspense>
         )}
@@ -698,7 +685,6 @@ export default function Feed({
           view={view}
           onState={onState}
           onToggleSave={onToggleSave}
-          onOpenChannel={handleOpenChannel}
           onResetState={onResetState}
           onOpen={openVideo}
           hasNextPage={!!hasNextPage}
@@ -714,7 +700,6 @@ export default function Feed({
             queue={playerQueue}
             onClose={() => setActiveVideo(null)}
             onState={onState}
-            onOpenChannel={onOpenChannel}
           />
         </Suspense>
       )}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Header.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Header.tsx
index 48f13c2..313dde7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Header.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Header.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ import { type ReactNode } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { Youtube } from "lucide-react";
 import type { FeedFilters, Me } from "../lib/api";
-import type { Page } from "../lib/urlState";
 import { moduleLabelKey, moduleOrder, stepModule } from "../lib/modules";
 import ModuleName from "./ModuleName";
 import SearchBar from "./SearchBar";
 import SyncStatus from "./SyncStatus";
+import { useNavigation, useNavigationActions } from "./NavigationProvider";
 
 // The floating top header: a row of glass pills over the content — a ModuleName pill (label +
 // accent dot + back/forward arrows), the module's SearchBar where it has one, and the per-user
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ export default function Header({
   setChannelsSearch,
   playlistsSearch,
   setPlaylistsSearch,
-  page,
-  setPage,
   onYtSearch,
   onGoToFullHistory,
 }: {
@@ -36,8 +34,6 @@ export default function Header({
   setChannelsSearch: (q: string) => void;
   playlistsSearch: string;
   setPlaylistsSearch: (q: string) => void;
-  page: Page;
-  setPage: (p: Page) => void;
   // Trigger a live YouTube search for the current term (feed only; hidden for the demo account,
   // which can't spend the shared quota).
   onYtSearch: (q: string) => void;
@@ -45,6 +41,8 @@ export default function Header({
   onGoToFullHistory: () => void;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const { page } = useNavigation();
+  const { setPage } = useNavigationActions();
   // The ◀/▶ arrows step cyclically through the user's available modules (derived from `me`, so
   // it stays correct as modules are added/gated). Labels of every active module feed ModuleName's
   // dynamic width so the pill is sized to the widest reachable title in the current language.
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/NavSidebar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/NavSidebar.tsx
index 343ce5c..8f292f8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/NavSidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/NavSidebar.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, useState, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { useNavigation, useNavigationActions } from "./NavigationProvider";
 import {
   Activity,
   BarChart3,
@@ -40,8 +41,6 @@ import LanguageSwitcher from "./LanguageSwitcher";
 // a thin icon-only rail. Account actions sit at the bottom in a popover.
 export default function NavSidebar({
   me,
-  page,
-  setPage,
   onOpenAbout,
   onChangeLanguage,
   language,
@@ -49,8 +48,6 @@ export default function NavSidebar({
   onToggleCollapse,
 }: {
   me: Me;
-  page: Page;
-  setPage: (p: Page) => void;
   onOpenAbout: () => void;
   onChangeLanguage: (code: LangCode) => void;
   language: LangCode;
@@ -60,6 +57,8 @@ export default function NavSidebar({
   onToggleCollapse: () => void;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const { page } = useNavigation();
+  const { setPage } = useNavigationActions();
   // When unpinned, the rail sits slim (icons only) and peeks open into a labelled overlay on hover
   // or keyboard focus WITHOUT pushing content. Pinned keeps it expanded in-flow like before.
   // `collapsed` (persisted per-account) now means "unpinned".
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/NavigationProvider.tsx b/frontend/src/components/NavigationProvider.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f93b22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/NavigationProvider.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+import {
+  createContext,
+  useCallback,
+  useContext,
+  useEffect,
+  useMemo,
+  useRef,
+  useState,
+  type ReactNode,
+} from "react";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { isPage, readPage, type Page } from "../lib/urlState";
+import { pageTitleKey } from "../lib/pageMeta";
+import { getAccountRaw, LS, setAccountRaw } from "../lib/storage";
+import { setNavigator } from "../lib/nav";
+
+// Owns the app's navigation + browser-history state, lifted out of the App god component so pages
+// consume it via a hook instead of prop-drilling `page`/`setPage`/`onOpenChannel` through the tree.
+// Mirrors ConfirmProvider (context + default value + one-line hooks); composed in main.tsx inside
+// ConfirmProvider, around <App/>.
+//
+// TWO contexts on purpose: a STABLE actions context (setPage/openChannel/… never change reference)
+// and a CHANGING state context (page/channelView/ytSearch). Context consumers re-render whenever the
+// value changes, so deep memo'd leaves (VideoCard, PlayerModal) subscribe to actions ONLY and never
+// re-render on a page/channel switch — preserving the memo that keeps feed appends from re-rendering
+// every existing card.
+
+const PAGE_KEY = LS.page;
+
+export interface ChannelView {
+  id: string;
+  name?: string;
+}
+
+export interface NavigationState {
+  page: Page;
+  /** The open channel page (null = none). Overlays `page`; rides in history.state._chan. */
+  channelView: ChannelView | null;
+  /** Live YouTube search term (null = normal feed). A feed sub-view; rides in history.state._yt. */
+  ytSearch: string | null;
+}
+
+export interface NavigationActions {
+  setPage: (next: Page) => void;
+  openChannel: (id: string, name?: string) => void;
+  closeChannel: () => void;
+  enterYtSearch: (q: string) => void;
+  exitYtSearch: () => void;
+}
+
+function loadInitialPage(): Page {
+  const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
+  if (params.has("page")) return readPage();
+  const stored = getAccountRaw(PAGE_KEY);
+  return isPage(stored) ? stored : "feed";
+}
+
+const StateContext = createContext<NavigationState>({
+  page: "feed",
+  channelView: null,
+  ytSearch: null,
+});
+const ActionsContext = createContext<NavigationActions>({
+  setPage: () => {},
+  openChannel: () => {},
+  closeChannel: () => {},
+  enterYtSearch: () => {},
+  exitYtSearch: () => {},
+});
+
+export function useNavigation(): NavigationState {
+  return useContext(StateContext);
+}
+export function useNavigationActions(): NavigationActions {
+  return useContext(ActionsContext);
+}
+
+export function NavigationProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+  const { t, i18n } = useTranslation();
+  const [page, setPageState] = useState<Page>(loadInitialPage);
+  // Ephemeral: not persisted and not in the URL, so a reload returns to the normal feed (a search
+  // spends quota, so we never auto-replay it) — UNLESS it was zero-quota scrape-sourced, which rides
+  // in history.state and is free to re-fetch. The popstate handler derives it from history.state so
+  // Back steps player → search → feed instead of the search vanishing without a history entry.
+  const [ytSearch, setYtSearch] = useState<string | null>(() => {
+    const st = window.history.state;
+    return st?._yt && st?._ytScrape ? (st._yt as string) : null;
+  });
+  // The open channel page rides in history.state (_chan = id, _chanName = a name to show before the
+  // detail loads), so Back closes it and a reload restores it (unlike ytSearch, which is dropped).
+  const [channelView, setChannelView] = useState<ChannelView | null>(() => {
+    const c = window.history.state?._chan as string | undefined;
+    return c ? { id: c, name: (window.history.state?._chanName as string) ?? undefined } : null;
+  });
+
+  // Refs so the STABLE action callbacks can read the latest state without depending on it — a dep
+  // would recreate them on every navigation and re-render every actions consumer (e.g. VideoCard).
+  // Written during render (the sanctioned "latest value" pattern): the ref is only READ in event
+  // handlers after commit, and this provider never suspends or renders in a transition, so no
+  // discarded render can leave it stale.
+  const pageRef = useRef(page);
+  pageRef.current = page;
+  const channelViewRef = useRef(channelView);
+  channelViewRef.current = channelView;
+
+  const setPage = useCallback((next: Page) => {
+    // A channel page overlays the content column, so a nav click must close it even when the
+    // underlying page is unchanged (e.g. "Feed" while a channel opened from the feed).
+    if (next === pageRef.current && !channelViewRef.current) return;
+    setChannelView(null); // leave any open channel page when navigating via the rail
+    setPageState(next);
+    setAccountRaw(PAGE_KEY, next);
+    // Push an in-app history entry so browser/mouse Back steps through pages instead of leaving the
+    // app. The URL stays clean — the page rides in history.state. A fresh { sfPage } (no carried-over
+    // _yt/_chan markers) so each page starts at its root.
+    window.history.pushState({ sfPage: next }, "");
+  }, []);
+
+  const openChannel = useCallback((id: string, name?: string) => {
+    setChannelView({ id, name });
+    const st = window.history.state || {};
+    if (st._chan) window.history.replaceState({ ...st, _chan: id, _chanName: name ?? null }, "");
+    else window.history.pushState({ ...st, _chan: id, _chanName: name ?? null }, "");
+  }, []);
+
+  const closeChannel = useCallback(() => {
+    if (window.history.state?._chan) window.history.back();
+    else setChannelView(null);
+  }, []);
+
+  const enterYtSearch = useCallback((q: string) => {
+    setYtSearch(q);
+    // Drop any prior _ytScrape marker — the new search's source isn't known yet; Feed re-stamps it
+    // once the results resolve, so a reload only restores a confirmed scrape-sourced search.
+    const { _ytScrape: _drop, ...st } = window.history.state || {};
+    if (st._yt) window.history.replaceState({ ...st, _yt: q }, ""); // refine current search
+    else window.history.pushState({ ...st, sfPage: "feed", _yt: q }, ""); // new sub-view entry
+  }, []);
+
+  const exitYtSearch = useCallback(() => {
+    // Pop our search entry (so Forward still works); fall back to a plain clear if we don't own one.
+    if (window.history.state?._yt) window.history.back();
+    else setYtSearch(null);
+  }, []);
+
+  // Expose setPage to decoupled callers (download toast "View", etc.) via the lib/nav singleton.
+  useEffect(() => setNavigator(setPage), [setPage]);
+
+  // Leaving the feed ends any live YouTube search, so coming back shows the normal feed.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (page !== "feed") setYtSearch(null);
+  }, [page]);
+
+  // Reflect the current module in the browser tab title. Feed = brand only; an open channel page
+  // shows the channel name.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const brand = "Siftlode";
+    const label = channelView
+      ? channelView.name || t("header.channelManager")
+      : page === "feed"
+        ? null
+        : t(pageTitleKey(page));
+    document.title = label ? `${label} · ${brand}` : brand;
+  }, [page, channelView, i18n.language, t]);
+
+  // In-app Back/Forward: stamp the initial entry with the current page, then sync state from
+  // history.state on popstate. (stripUrlParams preserves history.state, so this stamp survives a
+  // later query-string strip in App.)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // A reload drops a stale _yt EXCEPT when scrape-sourced (zero quota): then keep _yt + _ytScrape
+    // so it restores and re-fetches free (ytSearch above already initialised from it). _chan/_chanName
+    // are always kept so a channel page survives F5.
+    const st = window.history.state || {};
+    if (st._yt && st._ytScrape) {
+      window.history.replaceState({ ...st, sfPage: page }, "");
+    } else {
+      const { _yt: _staleYt, _ytScrape: _staleScrape, ...rest } = st;
+      window.history.replaceState({ ...rest, sfPage: page }, "");
+    }
+    function onPop(e: PopStateEvent) {
+      const p = (e.state?.sfPage as Page) ?? "feed";
+      setPageState(p);
+      setAccountRaw(PAGE_KEY, p);
+      // The YouTube-search sub-view and the channel page ride in history.state, so Back/Forward
+      // restores or clears them to match the entry we landed on.
+      setYtSearch((e.state?._yt as string) ?? null);
+      const chan = e.state?._chan as string | undefined;
+      setChannelView(chan ? { id: chan, name: (e.state?._chanName as string) ?? undefined } : null);
+    }
+    window.addEventListener("popstate", onPop);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("popstate", onPop);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, []);
+
+  const state = useMemo<NavigationState>(
+    () => ({ page, channelView, ytSearch }),
+    [page, channelView, ytSearch],
+  );
+  const actions = useMemo<NavigationActions>(
+    () => ({ setPage, openChannel, closeChannel, enterYtSearch, exitYtSearch }),
+    [setPage, openChannel, closeChannel, enterYtSearch, exitYtSearch],
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <ActionsContext.Provider value={actions}>
+      <StateContext.Provider value={state}>{children}</StateContext.Provider>
+    </ActionsContext.Provider>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/NotificationsPanel.tsx b/frontend/src/components/NotificationsPanel.tsx
index e2fa0da..b13f32d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/NotificationsPanel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/NotificationsPanel.tsx
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ import {
   type VideoWatchedMeta,
 } from "../lib/notifications";
 import { channelYouTubeUrl, relativeFromMs, relativeTime } from "../lib/format";
-import type { Page } from "../lib/urlState";
 import { LEVEL_STYLE } from "./Toaster";
+import { useNavigationActions } from "./NavigationProvider";
 
 // The single notification center. "System" = durable, server-backed notifications (inbox
 // phase 1). "Activity" = the client-side transient events (action confirmations, errors, with
@@ -32,15 +32,14 @@ const POLL_MS = 8000;
 export default function NotificationsPanel({
   filters,
   setFilters,
-  setPage,
   onFocusChannel,
 }: {
   filters: FeedFilters;
   setFilters: (f: FeedFilters) => void;
-  setPage: (p: Page) => void;
   onFocusChannel: (name: string) => void;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const { setPage } = useNavigationActions();
   const qc = useQueryClient();
   const q = useLiveQuery<{ items: AppNotification[]; total: number }>(
     ["notifications"],
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/PlayerModal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/PlayerModal.tsx
index f938f80..ac40059 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/PlayerModal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/PlayerModal.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+import { useNavigationActions } from "./NavigationProvider";
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { AlertTriangle, ArrowLeft, Check, CheckCheck, ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, ExternalLink, Repeat, Repeat1, Settings, Shuffle, SkipBack, SkipForward, Volume2, VolumeX, X } from "lucide-react";
 import Avatar from "./Avatar";
@@ -55,7 +56,6 @@ export default function PlayerModal({
   startIndex,
   onClose,
   onState,
-  onOpenChannel,
 }: {
   video: Video;
   // Where to start the opened video: a number of seconds (0 = Restart), or null/undefined
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ export default function PlayerModal({
   onState: (id: string, status: string) => void;
   // Open the active video's channel page in-app (closes the player first). The small external
   // icon next to the name keeps the open-on-YouTube behaviour.
-  onOpenChannel?: (channelId: string, channelName?: string) => void;
 }) {
   const { t, i18n } = useTranslation();
+  const { openChannel } = useNavigationActions();
   const qc = useQueryClient();
   const descFade = useScrollFade();
   // Browser/mouse Back closes the player instead of leaving the page.
@@ -840,16 +840,15 @@ export default function PlayerModal({
               <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 shrink-0 min-w-0">
                 <button
                   onClick={() => {
-                    if (!onOpenChannel) return onClose();
                     const cid = active.channel_id;
                     const cname = active.channel_title ?? undefined;
                     // Closing the player pops its own history entry (useBackToClose → history.back()).
                     // Open the channel only AFTER that pop's popstate — pushing the channel entry
                     // before it would let the back remove it again (the bug: clicking the name only
-                    // closed the player). One-shot listener fires after App's popstate handler.
+                    // closed the player). One-shot listener fires after the popstate handler.
                     const open = () => {
                       window.removeEventListener("popstate", open);
-                      onOpenChannel(cid, cname);
+                      openChannel(cid, cname);
                     };
                     window.addEventListener("popstate", open);
                     onClose();
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/VideoCard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/VideoCard.tsx
index e38b5c0..f6d1171 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/VideoCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/VideoCard.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { memo, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useNavigationActions } from "./NavigationProvider";
 import {
   Bookmark,
   Check,
@@ -368,7 +369,6 @@ function VideoCard({
   onState,
   onResetState,
   onToggleSave,
-  onOpenChannel,
   onOpen,
 }: {
   video: Video;
@@ -378,10 +378,10 @@ function VideoCard({
   onState: (id: string, status: string) => void;
   onResetState?: (id: string) => void;
   onToggleSave: (id: string, saved: boolean) => void;
-  onOpenChannel?: (channelId: string, channelName: string) => void;
   onOpen?: (v: Video, startAt?: number | null) => void;
 }) {
   const { t, i18n } = useTranslation();
+  const { openChannel } = useNavigationActions();
   const spec = FEED_VIEW_SPEC[view];
   const watched = video.status === "watched";
   // The thumbnail-less row drops Thumb, and with it the duration / live state / saved marker that
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ function VideoCard({
       data-testid="video-card-channel"
       onClick={(e) => {
         e.stopPropagation();
-        onOpenChannel?.(video.channel_id, video.channel_title ?? t("card.thisChannel"));
+        openChannel(video.channel_id, video.channel_title ?? t("card.thisChannel"));
       }}
       title={channelClamped ? video.channel_title ?? undefined : undefined}
       className="text-sm text-muted truncate block w-fit max-w-full text-left hover:text-fg"
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/VirtualFeed.tsx b/frontend/src/components/VirtualFeed.tsx
index cea7c7b..95e6849 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/VirtualFeed.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/VirtualFeed.tsx
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ export interface VirtualFeedProps {
   view: FeedView;
   onState: (id: string, status: string) => void;
   onToggleSave: (id: string, saved: boolean) => void;
-  onOpenChannel: (channelId: string, channelName: string) => void;
   onResetState: (id: string) => void;
   onOpen: (v: Video, startAt?: number | null) => void;
   hasNextPage: boolean;
@@ -71,7 +70,6 @@ export default function VirtualFeed({
   view,
   onState,
   onToggleSave,
-  onOpenChannel,
   onResetState,
   onOpen,
   hasNextPage,
@@ -187,7 +185,6 @@ export default function VirtualFeed({
                   width={FEED_VIEW_SPEC[view].thumb ? 0 : itemWidth}
                   onState={onState}
                   onToggleSave={onToggleSave}
-                  onOpenChannel={onOpenChannel}
                   onResetState={onResetState}
                   onOpen={onOpen}
                 />
diff --git a/frontend/src/main.tsx b/frontend/src/main.tsx
index 869717b..1b5e791 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/main.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
 import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import ErrorBoundary from "./components/ErrorBoundary";
 import { ConfirmProvider } from "./components/ConfirmProvider";
+import { NavigationProvider } from "./components/NavigationProvider";
 import "./i18n";
 import "./index.css";
 
@@ -35,7 +36,9 @@ const root =
     <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
       <ErrorBoundary>
         <ConfirmProvider>
-          <App />
+          <NavigationProvider>
+            <App />
+          </NavigationProvider>
         </ConfirmProvider>
       </ErrorBoundary>
     </QueryClientProvider>