diff --git a/webui/backend/tests/golden/__pycache__/test_ui_smoke_golden.cpython-313.pyc b/webui/backend/tests/golden/__pycache__/test_ui_smoke_golden.cpython-313.pyc
index 91b2992..618d0ab 100644
Binary files a/webui/backend/tests/golden/__pycache__/test_ui_smoke_golden.cpython-313.pyc and b/webui/backend/tests/golden/__pycache__/test_ui_smoke_golden.cpython-313.pyc differ
diff --git a/webui/backend/tests/golden/test_ui_smoke_golden.py b/webui/backend/tests/golden/test_ui_smoke_golden.py
index 954cbd4..180e06e 100644
--- a/webui/backend/tests/golden/test_ui_smoke_golden.py
+++ b/webui/backend/tests/golden/test_ui_smoke_golden.py
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@ class UiSmokeGoldenTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('id="feedback-modal"', body)
         self.assertIn('id="feedback-message"', body)
         self.assertIn('id="feedback-close-btn"', body)
+        self.assertIn('id="download-modal"', body)
+        self.assertIn('id="download-modal-target"', body)
+        self.assertIn('id="download-modal-current-file"', body)
+        self.assertIn('id="download-modal-progress-bar"', body)
+        self.assertIn('id="download-modal-count"', body)
+        self.assertIn('id="download-modal-status"', body)
+        self.assertIn('id="download-modal-close-btn"', body)
         self.assertIn('id="context-menu"', body)
         self.assertIn('id="context-menu-scope"', body)
         self.assertIn('id="context-menu-target"', body)
@@ -211,11 +218,26 @@ class UiSmokeGoldenTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('function feedbackElements()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function openFeedbackModal(message)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function closeFeedbackModal()', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function downloadModalElements()', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function isZipDownloadSelection(items)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function markZipDownloadReady(fileName)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function markZipDownloadFailed(err)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function closeDownloadModal()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function contextMenuElements()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function openContextMenu(pane, entry, event)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function closeContextMenu()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function isOpenableSelection(item)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('async function downloadFileRequest(paths)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('const zipDownload = isZipDownloadSelection(selectedItems);', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems);', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('statusText: "preparing"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('statusText: "packaging items"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('statusText: "ready"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('statusText: `failed: ${err.message}`', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('countText: "Step 1/3"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('countText: "Step 2/3"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('countText: "Step 3/3"', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function applyContextMenuSelection()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function startContextMenuOpen()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function startContextMenuEdit()', app_js)
diff --git a/webui/html/app.js b/webui/html/app.js
index 7495988..d0aa8ec 100644
--- a/webui/html/app.js
+++ b/webui/html/app.js
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ let uploadState = {
   conflictResolver: null,
   cancelRequested: false,
 };
+let downloadProgressState = {
+  active: false,
+  archiveLabel: "",
+  totalItems: 0,
+};
 let folderUploadPlanState = {
   targetPane: "left",
   targetPath: "",
@@ -321,6 +326,18 @@ function feedbackElements() {
   };
 }
 
+function downloadModalElements() {
+  return {
+    overlay: document.getElementById("download-modal"),
+    target: document.getElementById("download-modal-target"),
+    currentFile: document.getElementById("download-modal-current-file"),
+    count: document.getElementById("download-modal-count"),
+    progressBar: document.getElementById("download-modal-progress-bar"),
+    status: document.getElementById("download-modal-status"),
+    closeButton: document.getElementById("download-modal-close-btn"),
+  };
+}
+
 function contextMenuElements() {
   return {
     menu: document.getElementById("context-menu"),
@@ -347,6 +364,111 @@ function isOpenableSelection(item) {
   return isImageSelection(item) || isVideoSelection(item);
 }
 
+function isZipDownloadSelection(items) {
+  return items.length > 1 || (items.length === 1 && items[0].kind === "directory");
+}
+
+function selectedItemCountLabel(totalItems) {
+  return `${totalItems} selected item${totalItems === 1 ? "" : "s"}`;
+}
+
+function isDownloadModalOpen() {
+  return !downloadModalElements().overlay.classList.contains("hidden");
+}
+
+function setDownloadModalVisible(visible) {
+  const elements = downloadModalElements();
+  if (!elements.overlay) {
+    return;
+  }
+  elements.overlay.classList.toggle("hidden", !visible);
+}
+
+function updateDownloadModalDisplay(info) {
+  const elements = downloadModalElements();
+  if (!elements.overlay) {
+    return;
+  }
+  elements.target.textContent = info.targetText || "";
+  elements.currentFile.textContent = info.currentFileText || "";
+  elements.count.textContent = info.countText || "";
+  elements.status.textContent = info.statusText || "";
+  elements.progressBar.style.width = `${Math.max(0, Math.min(100, info.percent || 0))}%`;
+  elements.closeButton.disabled = !!info.active;
+  elements.closeButton.classList.toggle("hidden", !!info.active);
+}
+
+function openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems) {
+  downloadProgressState.active = true;
+  downloadProgressState.archiveLabel = "ZIP archive";
+  downloadProgressState.totalItems = selectedItems.length;
+  setDownloadModalVisible(true);
+  updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+    active: true,
+    targetText: "Preparing ZIP download",
+    currentFileText: `Selection: ${selectedItemCountLabel(selectedItems.length)}`,
+    countText: "Step 1/3",
+    statusText: "preparing",
+    percent: 33,
+  });
+  requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+    if (!downloadProgressState.active) {
+      return;
+    }
+    updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+      active: true,
+      targetText: "Preparing ZIP download",
+      currentFileText: `Packaging ${selectedItemCountLabel(downloadProgressState.totalItems)}`,
+      countText: "Step 2/3",
+      statusText: "packaging items",
+      percent: 66,
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+function markZipDownloadReady(fileName) {
+  downloadProgressState.active = false;
+  downloadProgressState.archiveLabel = fileName || "ZIP archive";
+  updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+    active: false,
+    targetText: `Ready: ${downloadProgressState.archiveLabel}`,
+    currentFileText: `Prepared ${selectedItemCountLabel(downloadProgressState.totalItems)}`,
+    countText: "Step 3/3",
+    statusText: "ready",
+    percent: 100,
+  });
+  window.setTimeout(closeDownloadModal, 240);
+}
+
+function markZipDownloadFailed(err) {
+  downloadProgressState.active = false;
+  updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+    active: false,
+    targetText: "Preparing ZIP download",
+    currentFileText: `Selection: ${selectedItemCountLabel(downloadProgressState.totalItems)}`,
+    countText: "Step 2/3",
+    statusText: `failed: ${err.message}`,
+    percent: 66,
+  });
+}
+
+function closeDownloadModal() {
+  if (downloadProgressState.active) {
+    return;
+  }
+  downloadProgressState.archiveLabel = "";
+  downloadProgressState.totalItems = 0;
+  updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+    active: false,
+    targetText: "",
+    currentFileText: "",
+    countText: "",
+    statusText: "",
+    percent: 0,
+  });
+  setDownloadModalVisible(false);
+}
+
 function isContextMenuOpen() {
   return contextMenuState.open && !contextMenuElements().menu.classList.contains("hidden");
 }
@@ -499,6 +621,10 @@ async function startDownloadSelected() {
   if (selectedItems.length === 0) {
     return;
   }
+  const zipDownload = isZipDownloadSelection(selectedItems);
+  if (zipDownload) {
+    openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems);
+  }
   try {
     const selected = selectedItems[0];
     const { blob, fileName } = await downloadFileRequest(selectedItems.map((item) => item.path));
@@ -507,12 +633,20 @@ async function startDownloadSelected() {
     anchor.href = url;
     anchor.download = fileName || selected.name;
     document.body.append(anchor);
+    if (zipDownload) {
+      markZipDownloadReady(anchor.download);
+    }
     anchor.click();
     anchor.remove();
     URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
     setStatus(`Download started: ${anchor.download}`);
   } catch (err) {
-    setActionError("Download", err);
+    if (zipDownload) {
+      markZipDownloadFailed(err);
+      setStatus("Download failed");
+    } else {
+      setActionError("Download", err);
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -3615,6 +3749,13 @@ function handleKeyboardShortcuts(event) {
     }
     return;
   }
+  if (isDownloadModalOpen()) {
+    if (event.key === "Escape" && !downloadProgressState.active) {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      closeDownloadModal();
+    }
+    return;
+  }
   if (isInfoOpen()) {
     if (event.key === "Escape") {
       event.preventDefault();
@@ -3882,6 +4023,17 @@ function setupEvents() {
       }
     };
   }
+  const downloadModal = downloadModalElements();
+  if (downloadModal.closeButton) {
+    downloadModal.closeButton.onclick = closeDownloadModal;
+  }
+  if (downloadModal.overlay) {
+    downloadModal.overlay.onclick = (event) => {
+      if (event.target === downloadModal.overlay) {
+        closeDownloadModal();
+      }
+    };
+  }
   const contextMenu = contextMenuElements();
   if (contextMenu.renameButton) {
     contextMenu.renameButton.onclick = startContextMenuRename;
diff --git a/webui/html/base.css b/webui/html/base.css
index c26925a..a0c30b0 100644
--- a/webui/html/base.css
+++ b/webui/html/base.css
@@ -772,6 +772,12 @@ button:disabled {
   text-align: left;
 }
 
+#download-modal .popup-card {
+  max-width: 320px;
+  padding: 12px 14px;
+  text-align: left;
+}
+
 .upload-modal-progress {
   width: 100%;
   height: 4px;
@@ -793,6 +799,27 @@ button:disabled {
   color: var(--color-text-muted);
 }
 
+.download-modal-progress {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 4px;
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  background: var(--color-border);
+  margin: 6px 0;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.download-modal-progress-bar {
+  height: 100%;
+  width: 0;
+  background: var(--color-accent);
+  transition: width 150ms ease;
+}
+
+.download-modal-count {
+  font-size: 12px;
+  color: var(--color-text-muted);
+}
+
 .popup-meta {
   color: var(--color-text-muted);
   font-size: 12px;
diff --git a/webui/html/index.html b/webui/html/index.html
index 656a9c0..ed7b507 100644
--- a/webui/html/index.html
+++ b/webui/html/index.html
@@ -118,6 +118,22 @@
     </div>
   </div>
 
+  <div id="download-modal" class="popup-overlay hidden" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" aria-labelledby="download-modal-title">
+    <div class="popup-card download-modal-card">
+      <h3 id="download-modal-title">Preparing download</h3>
+      <div id="download-modal-target" class="popup-meta"></div>
+      <div id="download-modal-current-file" class="popup-meta"></div>
+      <div class="download-modal-progress">
+        <div id="download-modal-progress-bar" class="download-modal-progress-bar"></div>
+      </div>
+      <div id="download-modal-count" class="download-modal-count"></div>
+      <div id="download-modal-status" class="popup-meta"></div>
+      <div class="popup-actions">
+        <button id="download-modal-close-btn" type="button">Close</button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+
   <div id="context-menu" class="context-menu hidden" role="menu" aria-label="Item context menu">
     <div id="context-menu-scope" class="context-menu-scope"></div>
     <div id="context-menu-target" class="context-menu-target"></div>