diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7072cb9..9a7f823 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 .externalNativeBuild
 .cxx
 local.properties
+/app/release
 
 # Signing / secrets
 *.jks
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingItem.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingItem.kt
index 4c38e50..b2b000f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingItem.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingItem.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 package com.keylightpiano.pianotimeline.ui
 
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.Animatable
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.Spring
+import androidx.compose.animation.core.spring
 import androidx.compose.foundation.BorderStroke
 import androidx.compose.foundation.ExperimentalFoundationApi
 import androidx.compose.foundation.basicMarquee
@@ -31,10 +34,12 @@ import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
 import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
+import androidx.compose.runtime.rememberCoroutineScope
 import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
 import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
 import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.Color
+import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.graphicsLayer
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.painterResource
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.font.FontWeight
@@ -42,6 +47,7 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextOverflow
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
 import com.keylightpiano.pianotimeline.R
 import com.keylightpiano.pianotimeline.domain.Recording
+import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 
 private val NotesGreen = Color(0xFF25B300)
 private val NewBadgeRed = Color(0xFFE53935)
@@ -145,15 +151,38 @@ fun RecordingItem(
                     }
                 }
 
-                // Favorite star
-                IconButton(onClick = onFavoriteClick, modifier = Modifier.size(36.dp)) {
+                // Favorite star with a spring "pop" on each tap.
+                val starScale = remember { Animatable(1f) }
+                val starScope = rememberCoroutineScope()
+                IconButton(
+                    onClick = {
+                        onFavoriteClick()
+                        starScope.launch {
+                            // Pop up then settle back with a springy overshoot.
+                            starScale.snapTo(0.6f)
+                            starScale.animateTo(
+                                targetValue = 1f,
+                                animationSpec = spring(
+                                    dampingRatio = Spring.DampingRatioMediumBouncy,
+                                    stiffness = Spring.StiffnessMedium
+                                )
+                            )
+                        }
+                    },
+                    modifier = Modifier.size(36.dp)
+                ) {
                     Icon(
                         imageVector = if (recording.isFavorite) Icons.Filled.Star
                                       else Icons.Outlined.StarBorder,
                         contentDescription = stringResource(if (recording.isFavorite) R.string.cd_unfavorite else R.string.cd_favorite),
                         tint = if (recording.isFavorite) Color(0xFFFFC107)
                                else MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant,
-                        modifier = Modifier.size(20.dp)
+                        modifier = Modifier
+                            .size(20.dp)
+                            .graphicsLayer {
+                                scaleX = starScale.value
+                                scaleY = starScale.value
+                            }
                     )
                 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingListScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingListScreen.kt
index 454c9e6..da885ba 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingListScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/keylightpiano/pianotimeline/ui/RecordingListScreen.kt
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.runtime.rememberCoroutineScope
 import androidx.compose.runtime.saveable.rememberSaveable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
-import androidx.compose.runtime.withFrameNanos
 import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
 import androidx.compose.ui.input.nestedscroll.nestedScroll
@@ -111,20 +110,13 @@ fun RecordingListScreen(
         wasRefreshing = isRefreshing
     }
 
-    // Preserve scroll position across a favorite toggle (which reorders the list).
-    // When the user stars/unstars an item, we snapshot the current top item's
-    // index+offset, then restore it after the list settles so the viewport
-    // doesn't jump to follow the moved item.
-    val coroutineScope = rememberCoroutineScope()
+    // Favoriting reorders the list (favorites float to the top). We let the
+    // LazyColumn's animateItem() handle the visual feedback — the toggled card
+    // visibly slides to its new position rather than vanishing under the finger.
+    // We intentionally do NOT force-restore scroll here; the viewport stays put
+    // while items animate to their new spots.
     val onFavoriteToggle: (Recording) -> Unit = { recording ->
-        val anchorIndex = listState.firstVisibleItemIndex
-        val anchorOffset = listState.firstVisibleItemScrollOffset
         vm.toggleFavorite(recording)
-        coroutineScope.launch {
-            // Wait one frame for the reordered list to be applied, then restore.
-            withFrameNanos { }
-            listState.scrollToItem(anchorIndex, anchorOffset)
-        }
     }
 
     // Deep link: when the VM requests scrolling to a specific entry, find its
@@ -202,7 +194,7 @@ fun RecordingListScreen(
                         Icon(
                             imageVector = Icons.Default.Search,
                             contentDescription = stringResource(R.string.cd_search_filter),
-                            tint = if (hasActiveFilter) MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary
+                            tint = if (hasActiveFilter || showControls) MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary
                                    else MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant
                         )
                     }
@@ -418,7 +410,8 @@ fun RecordingListScreen(
                                     } else null,
                                     onCopyLink = {
                                         copyLink(context, vm.audioShareUrl(recording))
-                                    }
+                                    },
+                                    modifier = Modifier.animateItem()
                                 )
                             }
                         }