diff --git a/webui/backend/data/tasks.db b/webui/backend/data/tasks.db
index 59d9159..c4ca545 100644
Binary files a/webui/backend/data/tasks.db and b/webui/backend/data/tasks.db differ
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 8ffe301..528d7d6 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 61533ed..9fff341 100644
--- a/webui/backend/tests/golden/test_ui_smoke_golden.py
+++ b/webui/backend/tests/golden/test_ui_smoke_golden.py
@@ -229,14 +229,18 @@ class UiSmokeGoldenTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('function closeFeedbackModal()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function downloadModalElements()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function isZipDownloadSelection(items)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function singleFileDownloadRequestKey(path)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function archiveTaskStatusLabel(status)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function archiveTaskCountText(task)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function archiveTaskCurrentItemText(task)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function archiveTaskProgressPercent(task)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function openSingleFileDownloadModal(selectedItem)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function markZipDownloadReady(fileName)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function markZipDownloadFailed(err)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function markZipDownloadCancelled()', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function markSingleFileDownloadRequested(fileName, path)', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('function markSingleFileDownloadFailed(err, selectedItem)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function closeDownloadModal()', app_js)
         self.assertIn('function zipDownloadRequestKey(paths)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('async function createArchiveDownloadTask(paths)', app_js)
@@ -252,9 +256,14 @@ class UiSmokeGoldenTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('async function downloadFileRequest(paths)', app_js)
         self.assertIn('const zipDownload = isZipDownloadSelection(selectedItems);', app_js)
         self.assertIn('openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems);', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('openSingleFileDownloadModal(selected);', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('const requestKey = zipDownload ? zipDownloadRequestKey(selectedPaths) : singleFileDownloadRequestKey(selected.path);', app_js)
         self.assertIn('targetText: "Archive download requested"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('targetText: `File download requested: ${selectedItem.name}`', app_js)
         self.assertIn('statusText: "Requested"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('statusText: "Requesting download..."', app_js)
         self.assertIn('countText: "Waiting for archive task"', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('countText: "Direct file download"', app_js)
         self.assertIn('targetText: "Archive download task"', app_js)
         self.assertIn('statusText: "Ready"', app_js)
         self.assertIn('countText: "Browser download requested"', app_js)
@@ -266,6 +275,9 @@ class UiSmokeGoldenTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('return `Current: ${task.current_item}`;', app_js)
         self.assertIn('downloadProgressState.requestKey === requestKey', app_js)
         self.assertIn('setStatus("Preparing download...");', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('setStatus("Requesting download...");', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('setStatus(zipDownload ? "Preparing download..." : "Requesting download...");', app_js)
+        self.assertIn('setStatus(`Download requested: ${anchor.download}`);', app_js)
         self.assertIn('"/api/files/download/archive-prepare"', app_js)
         self.assertIn('`/api/tasks/${encodeURIComponent(taskId)}`', app_js)
         self.assertIn('`/api/files/download/archive/${encodeURIComponent(taskId)}`', app_js)
diff --git a/webui/html/app.js b/webui/html/app.js
index 587cfc8..056feff 100644
--- a/webui/html/app.js
+++ b/webui/html/app.js
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ let downloadProgressState = {
   archiveLabel: "",
   totalItems: 0,
   requestKey: null,
+  mode: null,
   taskId: null,
   cancelRequested: false,
 };
@@ -377,6 +378,10 @@ function zipDownloadRequestKey(paths) {
   return paths.join("\n");
 }
 
+function singleFileDownloadRequestKey(path) {
+  return path;
+}
+
 function selectedItemCountLabel(totalItems) {
   return `${totalItems} selected item${totalItems === 1 ? "" : "s"}`;
 }
@@ -465,6 +470,7 @@ function updateDownloadModalDisplay(info) {
 function openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems) {
   const requestPaths = selectedItems.map((item) => item.path);
   downloadProgressState.active = true;
+  downloadProgressState.mode = "archive";
   downloadProgressState.archiveLabel = "ZIP archive";
   downloadProgressState.totalItems = selectedItems.length;
   downloadProgressState.requestKey = zipDownloadRequestKey(requestPaths);
@@ -483,6 +489,26 @@ function openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems) {
   });
 }
 
+function openSingleFileDownloadModal(selectedItem) {
+  downloadProgressState.active = true;
+  downloadProgressState.mode = "single_file";
+  downloadProgressState.archiveLabel = selectedItem.name;
+  downloadProgressState.totalItems = 1;
+  downloadProgressState.requestKey = singleFileDownloadRequestKey(selectedItem.path);
+  downloadProgressState.taskId = null;
+  downloadProgressState.cancelRequested = false;
+  setDownloadModalVisible(true);
+  updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+    active: true,
+    targetText: `File download requested: ${selectedItem.name}`,
+    currentFileText: `File: ${selectedItem.path}`,
+    countText: "Direct file download",
+    statusText: "Requesting download...",
+    percent: 0,
+    cancelVisible: false,
+  });
+}
+
 function markZipDownloadReady(fileName) {
   downloadProgressState.active = false;
   downloadProgressState.cancelRequested = false;
@@ -527,6 +553,33 @@ function markZipDownloadCancelled() {
   });
 }
 
+function markSingleFileDownloadRequested(fileName, path) {
+  downloadProgressState.active = false;
+  updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+    active: false,
+    targetText: `File download requested: ${fileName}`,
+    currentFileText: `File: ${path}`,
+    countText: "Browser download requested",
+    statusText: "Download requested",
+    percent: 0,
+    cancelVisible: false,
+  });
+  window.setTimeout(closeDownloadModal, 480);
+}
+
+function markSingleFileDownloadFailed(err, selectedItem) {
+  downloadProgressState.active = false;
+  updateDownloadModalDisplay({
+    active: false,
+    targetText: "File download failed",
+    currentFileText: `File: ${selectedItem.path}`,
+    countText: "Direct file download",
+    statusText: `Failed: ${err.message || "Download failed"}`,
+    percent: 0,
+    cancelVisible: false,
+  });
+}
+
 function updateZipDownloadTaskProgress(task) {
   if (!downloadProgressState.active) {
     return;
@@ -572,6 +625,7 @@ function closeDownloadModal() {
   if (downloadProgressState.active) {
     return;
   }
+  downloadProgressState.mode = null;
   downloadProgressState.archiveLabel = "";
   downloadProgressState.totalItems = 0;
   downloadProgressState.requestKey = null;
@@ -743,17 +797,20 @@ async function startDownloadSelected() {
   }
   const zipDownload = isZipDownloadSelection(selectedItems);
   const selectedPaths = selectedItems.map((item) => item.path);
-  const requestKey = zipDownloadRequestKey(selectedPaths);
-  if (zipDownload && downloadProgressState.active && downloadProgressState.requestKey === requestKey) {
-    setStatus("Preparing download...");
+  const selected = selectedItems[0];
+  const requestKey = zipDownload ? zipDownloadRequestKey(selectedPaths) : singleFileDownloadRequestKey(selected.path);
+  if (downloadProgressState.active && downloadProgressState.requestKey === requestKey) {
+    setStatus(zipDownload ? "Preparing download..." : "Requesting download...");
     return;
   }
   if (zipDownload) {
     openZipDownloadModal(selectedItems);
     setStatus("Preparing download...");
+  } else {
+    openSingleFileDownloadModal(selected);
+    setStatus("Requesting download...");
   }
   try {
-    const selected = selectedItems[0];
     if (zipDownload) {
       const created = await createArchiveDownloadTask(selectedPaths);
       downloadProgressState.taskId = created.task_id;
@@ -778,7 +835,8 @@ async function startDownloadSelected() {
     anchor.click();
     anchor.remove();
     URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
-    setStatus(`Download started: ${anchor.download}`);
+    markSingleFileDownloadRequested(anchor.download, selected.path);
+    setStatus(`Download requested: ${anchor.download}`);
   } catch (err) {
     if (zipDownload) {
       if (err.code === "download_cancelled") {
@@ -789,6 +847,7 @@ async function startDownloadSelected() {
         setStatus("Download failed");
       }
     } else {
+      markSingleFileDownloadFailed(err, selected);
       setActionError("Download", err);
     }
   }