diff --git a/web/src/App.tsx b/web/src/App.tsx
index 3a17946..6a48ce5 100644
--- a/web/src/App.tsx
+++ b/web/src/App.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import { playPop } from "./lib/pop";
 import { targetForAlbum } from "./lib/remote";
 import type { Group, Results, SongHit } from "./lib/search";
 import { categoryMatches, groupOf, results as computeResults } from "./lib/search";
+import { SHOW_AMBIENCE, SHOW_GLASS_BLUR } from "./lib/theme";
 
 /** How long an armed "A" waits for the digit that completes the shortcut. */
 const ASSIGN_PENDING_TIMEOUT_MS = 4000;
@@ -377,8 +378,8 @@ export function App() {
     setUi((previous) => ({ ...previous, page: previous.page === "room" ? "music" : "room" }));
 
   return (
-    <div className="stage">
-      {state && (
+    <div className="stage" data-blur={SHOW_GLASS_BLUR ? undefined : "off"}>
+      {state && SHOW_AMBIENCE && (
         <Ambience
           album={currentAlbum}
           state={state}
diff --git a/web/src/components/AlbumModal.tsx b/web/src/components/AlbumModal.tsx
index 9fe89a4..d873a4f 100644
--- a/web/src/components/AlbumModal.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/AlbumModal.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
 import type { Album } from "../api/types";
 import { isBook, unitLabel } from "../lib/covers";
 import { clock } from "../lib/format";
+import { ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS } from "../lib/theme";
 import { Cover } from "./Cover";
 
 interface Props {
@@ -44,9 +45,14 @@ export function AlbumModal({
   }, [selectedIndex]);
 
   return (
-    <div className="overlay" style={{ zIndex: 4, background: "oklch(15% 0.03 210 / .6)" }} onClick={onClose}>
+    <div
+      className={ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS ? "overlay backdrop-enter" : "overlay"}
+      style={{ zIndex: 4, background: "oklch(15% 0.03 210 / .6)" }}
+      onClick={onClose}
+    >
       <div
         ref={sheet}
+        className={ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS ? "sheet-enter" : undefined}
         onClick={(event) => event.stopPropagation()}
         style={{
           background: "oklch(96% 0.012 210)",
diff --git a/web/src/components/BrowseView.tsx b/web/src/components/BrowseView.tsx
index c6cc634..5688458 100644
--- a/web/src/components/BrowseView.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/BrowseView.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { clock } from "../lib/format";
 import type { Category, Group, Results, SongHit } from "../lib/search";
 import { categoryMatches, groupOf } from "../lib/search";
 import {
+  ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS,
   glassTint,
   GROUP_HUE,
   GROUP_ICON,
@@ -137,7 +138,11 @@ export function BrowseView({
 
   if (isRootShelf) {
     return (
-      <div ref={scroller} style={{ flex: 1, overflow: "auto", minHeight: 0, padding: "14px 32px 250px" }}>
+      <div
+        ref={scroller}
+        className={ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS ? "view-enter" : undefined}
+        style={{ flex: 1, overflow: "auto", minHeight: 0, padding: "14px 32px 250px" }}
+      >
         {shelves.map(({ group: shelfGroup, categories: shelfCategories }, index) => (
           <div
             key={shelfGroup}
@@ -291,6 +296,8 @@ export function BrowseView({
 
       <div
         ref={scroller}
+        key={`${group}:${category}:${mode}`}
+        className={ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS ? "view-enter" : undefined}
         style={{ flex: 1, overflow: "auto", minHeight: 0, padding: "14px 32px 250px" }}
       >
         {songs.length > 0 && (
diff --git a/web/src/components/PlayView.tsx b/web/src/components/PlayView.tsx
index 8d9ffe9..1cef629 100644
--- a/web/src/components/PlayView.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/PlayView.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { usePlaybackClock } from "../hooks/usePlaybackClock";
 import { albumLine, isBook } from "../lib/covers";
 import { clock, remainingInAlbum } from "../lib/format";
 import { groupOf } from "../lib/search";
+import { SHOW_DECORATIVE_ANIMATIONS } from "../lib/theme";
 import { Cover } from "./Cover";
 import { ProgressBar } from "./ProgressBar";
 import { Transport } from "./Transport";
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ export function PlayView({
             zIndex: 0,
             pointerEvents: "none",
             opacity: 0.92,
-            animation: "dolphinSwim 62s linear infinite",
+            animation: SHOW_DECORATIVE_ANIMATIONS ? "dolphinSwim 62s linear infinite" : "none",
             // Freezes in its current pose rather than snapping back to frame 0 -
             // `animation: "none"` would restart it, `animationPlayState` just pauses.
             animationPlayState: state.playing ? "running" : "paused",
diff --git a/web/src/components/PlayerBar.tsx b/web/src/components/PlayerBar.tsx
index 8583b28..e222771 100644
--- a/web/src/components/PlayerBar.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/PlayerBar.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import type { Album, PlayerState } from "../api/types";
 import { usePlaybackClock } from "../hooks/usePlaybackClock";
 import { albumLine, isBook } from "../lib/covers";
+import { SHOW_DECORATIVE_ANIMATIONS, SHOW_GLASS_BLUR } from "../lib/theme";
 import { Cover } from "./Cover";
 import { ProgressBar } from "./ProgressBar";
 import { Transport } from "./Transport";
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ export function PlayerBar({
         bottom: 0,
         zIndex: 2,
         background: "oklch(18% 0.05 210 / .96)",
-        backdropFilter: "blur(6px)",
+        backdropFilter: SHOW_GLASS_BLUR ? "blur(6px)" : undefined,
         padding: "16px clamp(12px, 3vw, 32px)",
         // Clear of the iPhone home indicator when installed to the home screen.
         paddingBottom: "calc(16px + env(safe-area-inset-bottom))",
@@ -61,7 +62,10 @@ export function PlayerBar({
           objectFit: "contain",
           flex: "0 1 auto",
           minWidth: 0,
-          animation: state.playing ? "dolphinBob 1.6s ease-in-out infinite" : "none",
+          animation:
+            SHOW_DECORATIVE_ANIMATIONS && state.playing
+              ? "dolphinBob 1.6s ease-in-out infinite"
+              : "none",
           filter: "drop-shadow(0 4px 12px oklch(10% 0.05 210 / .5))",
         }}
       />
diff --git a/web/src/components/RoomView.tsx b/web/src/components/RoomView.tsx
index 35023f7..4edabee 100644
--- a/web/src/components/RoomView.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/RoomView.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { useState } from "react";
 
 import type { HaConfig } from "../api/types";
 import { useHomeAssistant } from "../hooks/useHomeAssistant";
+import { SHOW_DECORATIVE_ANIMATIONS } from "../lib/theme";
 import { AppHeader } from "./AppHeader";
 import { Bubbles } from "./Bubbles";
 import { LightCard } from "./LightCard";
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ export function RoomView({ config }: { config: HaConfig }) {
 
   return (
     <div className="stage room-stage" style={{ display: "flex", flexDirection: "column" }}>
-      <Bubbles />
+      {SHOW_DECORATIVE_ANIMATIONS && <Bubbles />}
       <div
         style={{
           position: "relative",
diff --git a/web/src/lib/theme.ts b/web/src/lib/theme.ts
index 69264eb..8e79088 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/theme.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/theme.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,28 @@ export const SHOW_ROW_ICONS = true;
 /** Vertical gap between shelves on the root browse screen, in px. */
 export const ROW_SPACING = 25;
 
+/** Fade the album/category grid in (with a slight upward slide) when a group or
+ * category is entered, and the album modal in when it opens. One animation per
+ * container, not per card, so cost stays flat regardless of grid size. */
+export const ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS = true;
+
+/** Frost the glass panels/cards/rows with a real backdrop blur. `backdrop-filter` is
+ * one of the most GPU-expensive CSS effects in the app - a live backdrop copy+blur
+ * per element, repeated for every album card in the unvirtualized grid - so turn
+ * this off on weak hardware (e.g. an old Raspberry Pi) to fall back to a plain
+ * translucent background with no blur. */
+export const SHOW_GLASS_BLUR = true;
+
+/** Render the play view's animated canvas background (gradient + bubbles, both
+ * redrawn every frame at 60fps). Off falls back to `.stage`'s own static CSS
+ * gradient, which is still underneath the canvas either way. */
+export const SHOW_AMBIENCE = true;
+
+/** Run the purely decorative CSS animation loops: the room page's bubble field and
+ * the dolphin mascot's bob/swim. Individually cheap (opacity/transform only) but
+ * free to cut on weak hardware. */
+export const SHOW_DECORATIVE_ANIMATIONS = true;
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------ colors --
 
 /** Per-group hue (oklch degrees). The play view's ambient water uses the same
diff --git a/web/src/styles/app.css b/web/src/styles/app.css
index e9b90c1..c7bb6e1 100644
--- a/web/src/styles/app.css
+++ b/web/src/styles/app.css
@@ -71,6 +71,31 @@ button {
   100% { transform: translate(-20vw, 10vh) rotate(-3deg) scaleX(-1); }
 }
 
+/* Entrance animations for the browse grid and the album modal - gated by
+   `ANIMATE_VIEW_TRANSITIONS` in `lib/theme.ts`. */
+@keyframes viewEnter {
+  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(12px); }
+  to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
+}
+@keyframes sheetEnter {
+  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(24px); }
+  to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
+}
+@keyframes backdropEnter {
+  from { opacity: 0; }
+  to { opacity: 1; }
+}
+
+.view-enter {
+  animation: viewEnter 200ms ease-out;
+}
+.sheet-enter {
+  animation: sheetEnter 200ms ease-out;
+}
+.backdrop-enter {
+  animation: backdropEnter 150ms ease;
+}
+
 .stage {
   position: relative;
   width: 100%;
@@ -132,6 +157,17 @@ button {
   box-shadow: 0 4px 14px var(--shadow);
 }
 
+/* `SHOW_GLASS_BLUR` (`lib/theme.ts`) off sets `data-blur="off"` on `.stage` - drop
+   the (GPU-expensive) backdrop blur everywhere below and fall back to each
+   element's own plain translucent background. */
+.stage[data-blur="off"] .card,
+.stage[data-blur="off"] .group-icon,
+.stage[data-blur="off"] .glass-panel,
+.stage[data-blur="off"] .list-row {
+  backdrop-filter: none;
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: none;
+}
+
 .card {
   backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
   overflow: hidden;
diff --git a/web/src/styles/room.css b/web/src/styles/room.css
index 62c6e7d..92bad9a 100644
--- a/web/src/styles/room.css
+++ b/web/src/styles/room.css
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@
   box-shadow: 0 8px 24px var(--room-shadow);
 }
 
+/* See the matching rule in app.css - `SHOW_GLASS_BLUR` off sets this on `.stage`. */
+.stage[data-blur="off"] .room-card {
+  backdrop-filter: none;
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: none;
+}
+
 .room-pill {
   border: none;
   cursor: pointer;