diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/ResourceList.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/ResourceList.svelte
index 0fa4ac7b..157fa480 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/ResourceList.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/ResourceList.svelte
@@ -130,6 +130,14 @@
 		emptyHint?: string;
 		/** Empty-state icon-registry name (e.g. "star", "clock", "trash"). */
 		emptyIcon?: string;
+		/**
+		 * Call-to-action rendered inside the empty state. Used by
+		 * `/files` to surface a "Show hidden files" button when the
+		 * folder holds only dotfiles the user has chosen to hide — the
+		 * page-specific hint stays in `emptyHint`, the action goes
+		 * here. `<EmptyState>` renders it below the hint text.
+		 */
+		emptyAction?: Snippet;
 		hasMore?: boolean;
 		onloadmore?: () => void;
 		/** Show the path/location column (list view only). */
@@ -318,6 +326,7 @@
 		emptyText,
 		emptyHint,
 		emptyIcon,
+		emptyAction,
 		hasMore = false,
 		onloadmore,
 		showPath = true,
@@ -1156,7 +1165,9 @@
 			icon={emptyIcon}
 			title={emptyText ?? t('common.empty', 'Nothing here yet.')}
 			hint={emptyHint}
-		/>
+		>
+			{#if emptyAction}{@render emptyAction()}{/if}
+		</EmptyState>
 	{:else}
 		<div class="files-container" bind:clientWidth={gridWidth}>
 			{#if grouped && filesStore.viewMode === 'list'}
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/files/[...path]/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/files/[...path]/+page.svelte
index 5d040664..e344d395 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/files/[...path]/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/files/[...path]/+page.svelte
@@ -1615,6 +1615,23 @@
 		onitemdragleave={rlOnItemDragLeave}
 		onitemdrop={rlOnItemDrop}
 	>
+		{#snippet emptyAction()}
+			<!-- Surfaces only when the folder isn't really empty — it's just
+			     filtered because the user chose to hide dotfiles. Clicking
+			     flips the app-wide `preferences.hideDotfiles` back off,
+			     re-populating the list without a hunt through settings. -->
+			{#if hiddenCount > 0}
+				<button
+					class="btn btn-secondary"
+					onclick={() => preferences.setHideDotfiles(false)}
+					data-testid="files-show-hidden-btn"
+				>
+					<Icon name="eye" />
+					{t('files.show_hidden', 'Show hidden files')}
+				</button>
+			{/if}
+		{/snippet}
+
 		{#snippet breadcrumb()}
 			<nav class="breadcrumb" aria-label="Breadcrumb">
 				<!-- Persistent home link → the root listing (bare /files canonicalizes to
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/files/page.test.ts b/frontend/src/routes/files/page.test.ts
index be32d400..8e4e4545 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/files/page.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/files/page.test.ts
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ it('batch-deletes the whole selection after confirmation', async () => {
 	m(deleteFolder).mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 	m(deleteFile).mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 	render(FilesPage);
-	await fireEvent.click(await screen.findByTestId('files-select-all-checkbox'));
+	await fireEvent.click(await screen.findByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox'));
 	await fireEvent.click(await screen.findByTestId('files-batch-delete-btn'));
 	await waitFor(() => expect(deleteFolder).toHaveBeenCalledWith('sub1'));
 	await waitFor(() => expect(deleteFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith('f1'));
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ it('batch-favorites the selection via the favorites batch endpoint', async () =>
 	withListing();
 	m(apiFetch).mockResolvedValue({ ok: true });
 	render(FilesPage);
-	await fireEvent.click(await screen.findByTestId('files-select-all-checkbox'));
+	await fireEvent.click(await screen.findByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox'));
 	await fireEvent.click(await screen.findByTestId('files-batch-favorite-btn'));
 	await waitFor(() =>
 		expect(apiFetch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/recent/page.test.ts b/frontend/src/routes/recent/page.test.ts
index 72191645..63076714 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/recent/page.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/recent/page.test.ts
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ const { confirmDialog, promptDialog } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
 	confirmDialog: vi.fn(),
 	promptDialog: vi.fn()
 }));
-vi.mock('$lib/api/endpoints/recent', () => ({ clearRecent: vi.fn(), fetchRecentPage: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock('$lib/api/endpoints/recent', () => ({
+	clearRecent: vi.fn(),
+	fetchRecentPage: vi.fn(),
+	removeFromRecent: vi.fn()
+}));
 vi.mock('$lib/api/endpoints/favorites', () => ({
-	addFavorite: vi.fn(),
 	dateBucket: () => 'Today',
-	fetchFavoritesPage: vi.fn(async () => ({ items: [], next_cursor: null })),
-	removeFavorite: vi.fn(),
 	resolveOwnerName: vi.fn(async () => 'me'),
 	sizeBucket: () => 'Small',
 	typeLabel: () => 'File'
@@ -23,8 +24,7 @@ vi.mock('$lib/api/endpoints/files', () => ({
 vi.mock('$lib/api/endpoints/folders', () => ({ renameFolder: vi.fn(), deleteFolder: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock('$lib/stores/dialogs.svelte', () => ({ confirmDialog, promptDialog }));
 
-import { fetchRecentPage, clearRecent } from '$lib/api/endpoints/recent';
-import { addFavorite } from '$lib/api/endpoints/favorites';
+import { fetchRecentPage, clearRecent, removeFromRecent } from '$lib/api/endpoints/recent';
 import { deleteFile } from '$lib/api/endpoints/files';
 import RecentPage from './+page.svelte';
 
@@ -79,13 +79,17 @@ it('clears recent activity after confirmation', async () => {
 	await waitFor(() => expect(clearRecent).toHaveBeenCalled());
 });
 
-it('favorites a recent row via the star button', async () => {
+it('removes a recent row via the broom button', async () => {
+	// Recent no longer surfaces a favorite star (users go to the item's
+	// real home for that). The per-row affordance is now a broom that
+	// calls `DELETE /api/recent/{kind}/{id}` — verified end-to-end via
+	// the `removeFromRecent` mock.
 	withOneFile();
-	m(addFavorite).mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+	m(removeFromRecent).mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 	render(RecentPage);
 	await screen.findByText('notes.txt');
-	await fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('resource-list-favorite-r1-btn'));
-	await waitFor(() => expect(addFavorite).toHaveBeenCalledWith('file', 'r1'));
+	await fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('recent-remove-btn-r1'));
+	await waitFor(() => expect(removeFromRecent).toHaveBeenCalledWith('file', 'r1'));
 });
 
 it('batch-deletes selected recent items after confirmation', async () => {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/spa/batch.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/spa/batch.spec.ts
index 841d1130..f6ccfd7b 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/spa/batch.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/spa/batch.spec.ts
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ async function openFolderWithChildren(
   await apiCreateFolder(page, c2, parent.id);
   await page.goto(`/files/${parent.id}`);
   await expect(page.getByTestId(c1)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-view-list-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-view-list-btn').click();
   return { c1, c2 };
 }
 
 test('select-all then batch favorite', async ({ page }) => {
   const { c1 } = await openFolderWithChildren(page);
-  await page.getByTestId('files-select-all-checkbox').check();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('files-batch-bar')).toBeVisible();
+  await page.getByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox').check();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('resource-list-batch-close-btn')).toBeVisible();
   await page.getByTestId('files-batch-favorite-btn').click();
   // Items remain in the folder after favoriting.
   await expect(page.getByTestId(c1)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ test('select-all then batch favorite', async ({ page }) => {
 
 test('select-all then batch copy and download', async ({ page }) => {
   const { c1 } = await openFolderWithChildren(page);
-  await page.getByTestId('files-select-all-checkbox').check();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('files-batch-bar')).toBeVisible();
+  await page.getByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox').check();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('resource-list-batch-close-btn')).toBeVisible();
 
   // Copy → the move dialog (copy mode); cancel.
   await page.getByTestId('files-batch-copy-btn').click();
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ test('select-all then batch copy and download', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.getByTestId('move-dialog-cancel-btn').click();
 
   // Re-select and batch-download (a zip).
-  await page.getByTestId('files-select-all-checkbox').check();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('files-batch-bar')).toBeVisible();
+  await page.getByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox').check();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('resource-list-batch-close-btn')).toBeVisible();
   const dl = page.waitForEvent('download', { timeout: 10_000 }).catch(() => null);
   await page.getByTestId('files-batch-download-btn').click();
   await dl;
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ test('select-all then batch copy and download', async ({ page }) => {
 
 test('select-all then batch delete', async ({ page }) => {
   const { c1, c2 } = await openFolderWithChildren(page);
-  await page.getByTestId('files-select-all-checkbox').check();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('files-batch-bar')).toBeVisible();
+  await page.getByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox').check();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('resource-list-batch-close-btn')).toBeVisible();
   await page.getByTestId('files-batch-delete-btn').click();
   await page.getByTestId('dialog-host-confirm-btn').click();
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/spa/dotfile-filter.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/spa/dotfile-filter.spec.ts
index 8ed01de7..436147e6 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/spa/dotfile-filter.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/spa/dotfile-filter.spec.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ test('toolbar eye toggle hides and re-shows dotfiles in /files', async ({ page }
   // click routes through `preferences.toggleHideDotfiles()` which
   // does an optimistic local mutation, so the row update should be
   // visible before the debounced PATCH lands.
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-dotfile-toggle-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-dotfile-toggle-btn').click();
 
   // Visible row stays; hidden row vanishes.
   await expect(page.getByTestId(visible)).toBeVisible();
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ test('toolbar eye toggle hides and re-shows dotfiles in /files', async ({ page }
 
   // Flip it back off — the hidden row must reappear. Same button;
   // its state flips atomically with `preferences.hideDotfiles`.
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-dotfile-toggle-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-dotfile-toggle-btn').click();
   await expect(page.getByTestId(hidden)).toBeVisible();
 });
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ test('empty-state hint appears when a folder holds only dotfiles', async ({ page
   // Turn hide on. Folder becomes visually empty — but not the
   // generic empty state; the "N hidden items" affordance appears
   // instead, offering a one-click "Show hidden files" escape.
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-dotfile-toggle-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-dotfile-toggle-btn').click();
 
   const showHiddenBtn = page.getByTestId('files-show-hidden-btn');
   await expect(showHiddenBtn).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
@@ -181,6 +181,6 @@ test('trash always shows dotfiles even when hide is on', async ({ page }) => {
   // we just verify the toolbar toggle reflects the current server
   // state via aria-pressed on /files.
   await page.goto('/files');
-  const toggle = page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-dotfile-toggle-btn');
+  const toggle = page.getByTestId('display-mode-dotfile-toggle-btn');
   await expect(toggle).toHaveAttribute('aria-pressed', 'true');
 });
diff --git a/tests/e2e/spa/favorites.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/spa/favorites.spec.ts
index 46fe548d..9d5a476a 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/spa/favorites.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/spa/favorites.spec.ts
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ test('favorites batch select-all then move dialog', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto('/favorites');
   await expect(page.getByTestId(f1)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
   // The select-all checkbox lives in the list-view header.
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-view-list-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-view-list-btn').click();
   await page.getByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox').check();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('resource-list-batch-toolbar')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('resource-list-batch-close-btn')).toBeVisible();
 
   // Batch-move opens the move dialog; cancel it.
   await page.getByTestId('favorites-batch-move-btn').click();
diff --git a/tests/e2e/spa/files-extra.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/spa/files-extra.spec.ts
index f0e60cc3..0462f1c7 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/spa/files-extra.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/spa/files-extra.spec.ts
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ test('sort columns and toggle list/grid views', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto(`/files/${folder.id}`);
   await expect(page.getByTestId(SAMPLE_FILES.text().name)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
 
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-view-list-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-view-list-btn').click();
   // Column sort buttons live in the list-view header.
   await page.getByTestId('files-sort-name-btn').click({ timeout: 5_000 }).catch(() => {});
   await page.getByTestId('files-sort-size-btn').click({ timeout: 5_000 }).catch(() => {});
   await page.getByTestId('files-sort-modified_at-btn').click({ timeout: 5_000 }).catch(() => {});
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-view-grid-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-view-grid-btn').click();
 });
 
 test('sort by every column and group by every dimension', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -37,17 +37,17 @@ test('sort by every column and group by every dimension', async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.getByTestId(SAMPLE_FILES.text().name)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
 
   // List view exposes the column-sort buttons.
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-view-list-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-view-list-btn').click();
   for (const col of ['name', 'owner', 'type', 'size', 'modified_at']) {
     await page.getByTestId(`files-sort-${col}-btn`).click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
   }
   // Flip the sort direction.
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-sort-direction-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-sort-direction-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
 
   // Cycle through every group-by dimension.
   for (const g of ['type', 'size', 'modifiedAt', 'createdAt']) {
-    await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-groupby-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
-    await page.getByTestId(`list-toolbar-groupby-${g}-item`).click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
+    await page.getByTestId('display-mode-groupby-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
+    await page.getByTestId(`display-mode-groupby-${g}-item`).click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
   }
 });
 
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ test('group files by type', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto(`/files/${folder.id}`);
   await expect(page.getByTestId(SAMPLE_FILES.text().name)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
 
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-groupby-btn').click();
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-groupby-type-item').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-groupby-btn').click();
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-groupby-type-item').click();
   // The grouped (swimlane) view now renders; items remain visible.
   await expect(page.getByTestId(SAMPLE_FILES.text().name)).toBeVisible();
 });
@@ -109,12 +109,15 @@ test('deep-link ?file= opens the viewer', async ({ page }) => {
 
   await page.goto(`/files/${folder.id}`);
   await expect(page.getByTestId(f.name)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
-  // Extract the file id from a row action button, then deep-link to it.
-  const tid = await page
-    .locator('[data-testid^="files-file-share-"]')
+  // Extract the file id straight off the row — ResourceList tags every
+  // `.file-item` with `data-item-id={item.id}`. The pre-migration
+  // approach read `files-file-share-{id}` off a per-row share button
+  // that no longer exists (Share moved into the context menu).
+  const fileId = await page
+    .locator(`.file-item[data-testid="${f.name}"]`)
     .first()
-    .getAttribute('data-testid');
-  const fileId = (tid ?? '').replace('files-file-share-', '');
+    .getAttribute('data-item-id');
+  if (!fileId) throw new Error(`could not resolve file id for ${f.name}`);
   await page.goto(`/files/${folder.id}?file=${fileId}`);
   await expect(page.getByTestId('file-viewer-dialog')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
   await page.getByTestId('file-viewer-close-btn').click();
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@ test('keyboard select-all and escape in the files list', async ({ page }) => {
 
   await page.locator('.files-page').click({ position: { x: 5, y: 5 } });
   await page.keyboard.press('Control+a');
-  await expect(page.getByTestId('files-batch-bar')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5_000 }).catch(() => {});
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('resource-list-batch-close-btn')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5_000 }).catch(() => {});
   await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
 });
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/spa/recent.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/spa/recent.spec.ts
index c2beda2f..ddd24cd5 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/spa/recent.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/spa/recent.spec.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ test('recent shows accessed items, batch selection, and clear', async ({ page })
   await expect(page.getByTestId('appshell-logo-link')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
 
   // Switch to list view (reveals the select-all header) and batch-select.
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-view-list-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-view-list-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
   const selectAll = page.getByTestId('resource-list-select-all-checkbox');
   if (await selectAll.isVisible().catch(() => false)) {
     await selectAll.check();
@@ -45,16 +45,16 @@ test('recent grouping and sort cycle (ResourceList toolbar)', async ({ page }) =
   await apiRecordRecent(page, 'folder', a.id);
   await page.goto('/recent');
   await expect(page.getByTestId('appshell-logo-link')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-view-list-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-view-list-btn').click({ timeout: 3_000 }).catch(() => {});
 
   // Cycle every group-by dimension exposed by the shared ResourceList toolbar.
   for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
-    await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-groupby-btn').click({ timeout: 2_000 }).catch(() => {});
+    await page.getByTestId('display-mode-groupby-btn').click({ timeout: 2_000 }).catch(() => {});
     await page
-      .locator('[data-testid^="list-toolbar-groupby-"][data-testid$="-item"]')
+      .locator('[data-testid^="display-mode-groupby-"][data-testid$="-item"]')
       .nth(i)
       .click({ timeout: 2_000 })
       .catch(() => {});
   }
-  await page.getByTestId('list-toolbar-sort-direction-btn').click({ timeout: 2_000 }).catch(() => {});
+  await page.getByTestId('display-mode-sort-direction-btn').click({ timeout: 2_000 }).catch(() => {});
 });