diff --git a/main/CMakeLists.txt b/main/CMakeLists.txt
index feef098..0427b1b 100644
--- a/main/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/main/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 idf_component_register(SRCS main.c lcd/lcd.c sd/sd.c lcd/ui.c lcd/ui_log.c lcd/ui_image_browser.c
-                       PRIV_REQUIRES spi_flash esp_psram esp_lcd esp_driver_gpio esp_driver_i2c esp_driver_sdspi esp_driver_spi esp_lvgl_port esp_lcd_touch_gt911 fatfs sdmmc
+                       PRIV_REQUIRES spi_flash esp_psram esp_lcd esp_driver_gpio esp_driver_i2c esp_driver_ledc esp_driver_sdspi esp_driver_spi esp_lvgl_port esp_lcd_touch_gt911 fatfs sdmmc
                        INCLUDE_DIRS "." "include")
diff --git a/main/include/lcd/lcd.h b/main/include/lcd/lcd.h
index f25debd..f55863f 100644
--- a/main/include/lcd/lcd.h
+++ b/main/include/lcd/lcd.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 esp_err_t lcd_init(void);
 lv_display_t *lcd_get_display(void);
+void lcd_backlight_set(uint8_t level);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/main/lcd/lcd.c b/main/lcd/lcd.c
index 4705cc2..e1bff37 100644
--- a/main/lcd/lcd.c
+++ b/main/lcd/lcd.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "driver/gpio.h"
 #include "driver/i2c_master.h"
+#include "driver/ledc.h"
 #include "esp_check.h"
 #include "esp_idf_version.h"
 #include "esp_lcd_panel_io.h"
@@ -27,6 +28,13 @@
 #define LCD_GPIO_DISP                   (GPIO_NUM_NC)
 #define LCD_GPIO_BACKLIGHT              (GPIO_NUM_2)
 #define LCD_BACKLIGHT_ON_LEVEL          (1)
+#define LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_MODE         (LEDC_LOW_SPEED_MODE)
+#define LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_TIMER        (LEDC_TIMER_0)
+#define LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_CHANNEL      (LEDC_CHANNEL_0)
+#define LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_RESOLUTION   (LEDC_TIMER_8_BIT)
+#define LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_DUTY_MAX     ((1 << 8) - 1)
+#define LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_FREQ_HZ      (5000)
+#define LCD_BACKLIGHT_FADE_MS           (150)
 #define LCD_GPIO_DATA0                  (GPIO_NUM_8)
 #define LCD_GPIO_DATA1                  (GPIO_NUM_3)
 #define LCD_GPIO_DATA2                  (GPIO_NUM_46)
@@ -72,14 +80,28 @@ static lv_display_t *lvgl_display;
 static lv_indev_t *lvgl_touch_indev;
 
 static esp_err_t init_backlight(void){
-	const gpio_config_t backlight_config = {
-		.mode = GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT,
-		.pin_bit_mask = 1ULL << LCD_GPIO_BACKLIGHT,
+	const ledc_timer_config_t timer_config = {
+		.speed_mode = LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_MODE,
+		.timer_num = LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_TIMER,
+		.duty_resolution = LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_RESOLUTION,
+		.freq_hz = LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_FREQ_HZ,
+		.clk_cfg = LEDC_AUTO_CLK,
 	};
-    ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(gpio_config(&backlight_config), TAG, "Backlight GPIO config failed");
-    ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(gpio_set_level(LCD_GPIO_BACKLIGHT, LCD_BACKLIGHT_ON_LEVEL), TAG, "Backlight GPIO set failed");
-    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Backlight enabled on GPIO%d", LCD_GPIO_BACKLIGHT);
-    return ESP_OK;
+	ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ledc_timer_config(&timer_config), TAG, "Backlight LEDC timer config failed");
+
+	const ledc_channel_config_t channel_config = {
+		.gpio_num = LCD_GPIO_BACKLIGHT,
+		.speed_mode = LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_MODE,
+		.channel = LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_CHANNEL,
+		.timer_sel = LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_TIMER,
+		.intr_type = LEDC_INTR_DISABLE,
+		.duty = (LCD_BACKLIGHT_ON_LEVEL != 0) ? LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_DUTY_MAX : 0,
+		.hpoint = 0,
+	};
+	ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ledc_channel_config(&channel_config), TAG, "Backlight LEDC channel config failed");
+	ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ledc_fade_func_install(0), TAG, "Backlight LEDC fade install failed");
+	ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Backlight PWM enabled on GPIO%d", LCD_GPIO_BACKLIGHT);
+	return ESP_OK;
 }
 
 static esp_err_t probe_gt911_address(i2c_master_bus_handle_t i2c_handle, uint32_t *dev_addr){
@@ -272,6 +294,15 @@ static esp_err_t init_lvgl(void){
 	return ESP_OK;
 }
 
+void lcd_backlight_set(uint8_t level){
+	const uint32_t duty = (LCD_BACKLIGHT_ON_LEVEL != 0) ? level : (LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_DUTY_MAX - level);
+	esp_err_t err = ledc_set_fade_with_time(LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_MODE, LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_CHANNEL, duty, LCD_BACKLIGHT_FADE_MS);
+	if(err == ESP_OK){
+		err = ledc_fade_start(LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_MODE, LCD_BACKLIGHT_LEDC_CHANNEL, LEDC_FADE_WAIT_DONE);
+	}
+	if(err != ESP_OK) ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Backlight set failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(err));
+}
+
 esp_err_t lcd_init(void){
 	ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(init_rgb_panel(), TAG, "LCD panel init failed");
 	const esp_err_t touch_ret = init_touch();
diff --git a/main/lcd/ui_image_browser.c b/main/lcd/ui_image_browser.c
index 69a470e..a993282 100644
--- a/main/lcd/ui_image_browser.c
+++ b/main/lcd/ui_image_browser.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "lcd/ui_internal.h"
 #include "lcd/ui_log.h"
 #include "sd/sd.h"
+#include "lcd/lcd.h"
 
 #define UI_IMAGE_PATH_PREFIX "A:/sdcard/"
 #define UI_IMAGE_PATH_MAX_LENGTH 160
@@ -349,6 +350,7 @@ static bool ui_image_browser_display_prefetched(void){
 
     /* Warm up the next image so the following switch is instant too. */
     ui_prefetch_next(index, slot);
+
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -395,11 +397,22 @@ static void ui_image_browser_load_via_path(void){
 static void ui_image_browser_display_current(void){
     if(image_widget == NULL || image_browser_names == NULL || image_browser_image_count == 0) return;
 
-    if(ui_image_browser_display_prefetched()) return;
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Backlight sweep: turning off backlight");
+    ui_log_append("Backlight sweep: turning off backlight");
+    lcd_backlight_set(0);
+
+    if(ui_image_browser_display_prefetched()) goto done;
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Prefetched image unavailable: falling back to on-demand decoding");
+    ui_log_append("Prefetched image unavailable: falling back to on-demand decoding");
 
     /* Prefetch unavailable or render failed: fall back to on-demand decoding. */
     visible_slot = -1;
     ui_image_browser_load_via_path();
+
+    done:
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Backlight sweep: turning on backlight");
+    ui_log_append("Backlight sweep: turning on backlight"); 
+    lcd_backlight_set(255);
 }
 
 void ui_image_browser_build_view(lv_obj_t *screen){
diff --git a/sdkconfig b/sdkconfig
index e12f6fb..b068acc 100644
--- a/sdkconfig
+++ b/sdkconfig
@@ -1165,6 +1165,13 @@ CONFIG_I2C_MASTER_ISR_HANDLER_IN_IRAM=y
 # CONFIG_I2S_ENABLE_DEBUG_LOG is not set
 # end of ESP-Driver:I2S Configurations
 
+#
+# ESP-Driver:LEDC Configurations
+#
+# default:
+# CONFIG_LEDC_CTRL_FUNC_IN_IRAM is not set
+# end of ESP-Driver:LEDC Configurations
+
 #
 # ESP-Driver:SD Host SDMMC Controller Configurations
 #