diff --git a/templates/admin/manual_ingest.html.twig b/templates/admin/manual_ingest.html.twig
index 4e65b02..a4781f7 100644
--- a/templates/admin/manual_ingest.html.twig
+++ b/templates/admin/manual_ingest.html.twig
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
         </div>
 
         {# ── Search photo (mandatory) ─────────────────────────────── #}
+        {% set searchInputId = form.image.vars.id %}
         <div class="card mb-3 border-primary">
             <div class="card-header bg-primary bg-opacity-10">
                 <h5 class="mb-0 text-primary">
@@ -87,34 +88,39 @@
                 <div class="text-muted small mt-1">Typenschild / Aufkleber mit Modell &amp; Seriennummer</div>
             </div>
             <div class="card-body">
-                {# Hidden actual file input #}
-                {{ form_widget(form.image, {'attr': {'class': 'd-none', 'id': 'search-photo-input'}}) }}
+                {# File input — opacity:0 so label-click still works in all browsers #}
+                {{ form_widget(form.image, {'attr': {'style': 'position:absolute;opacity:0;width:0;height:0;', 'tabindex': '-1', 'id': searchInputId}}) }}
                 {{ form_errors(form.image) }}
 
-                {# Preview #}
-                <div id="search-photo-preview" class="mb-3 text-center" style="display:none;">
-                    <img id="search-photo-img" src="" alt="Vorschau"
-                         class="img-fluid rounded border" style="max-height:220px;">
-                    <div class="mt-2">
-                        <button type="button" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary" id="search-photo-clear">
-                            <i class="fa fa-times me-1"></i>Entfernen
-                        </button>
+                {# Drop zone / placeholder (also a drop target) #}
+                <div id="search-drop-zone" class="border rounded text-center p-4 text-muted bg-light mb-3"
+                     style="cursor:pointer;transition:border-color .15s,background .15s;"
+                     data-input="{{ searchInputId }}">
+                    {# Preview (hidden until photo selected) #}
+                    <div id="search-photo-preview" style="display:none;">
+                        <img id="search-photo-img" src="" alt="Vorschau"
+                             class="img-fluid rounded" style="max-height:220px;">
+                        <div class="mt-2">
+                            <button type="button" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary" id="search-photo-clear">
+                                <i class="fa fa-times me-1"></i>Entfernen
+                            </button>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                    {# Empty state #}
+                    <div id="search-photo-placeholder">
+                        <i class="fa fa-image fa-3x mb-3 d-block"></i>
+                        <span>Foto hier ablegen oder Schaltfläche nutzen</span>
                     </div>
                 </div>
 
-                {# Placeholder when empty #}
-                <div id="search-photo-placeholder" class="border rounded text-center p-4 text-muted bg-light">
-                    <i class="fa fa-image fa-3x mb-3 d-block"></i>
-                    Noch kein Foto ausgewählt
-                </div>
-
-                <div class="d-flex gap-2 mt-3">
+                <div class="d-flex gap-2">
                     <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary flex-fill" id="btn-search-camera">
                         <i class="fa fa-camera me-2"></i>Kamera
                     </button>
-                    <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary flex-fill" id="btn-search-file">
+                    {# label triggers the file input directly — no JS needed #}
+                    <label for="{{ searchInputId }}" class="btn btn-outline-secondary flex-fill mb-0" style="cursor:pointer;">
                         <i class="fa fa-folder-open me-2"></i>Datei wählen
-                    </button>
+                    </label>
                 </div>
             </div>
         </div>
@@ -125,9 +131,10 @@
                 <h5 class="mb-0"><i class="fa fa-images me-2"></i>Weitere Fotos <span class="text-muted fw-normal fs-6">(optional)</span></h5>
             </div>
             <div class="card-body">
-                {# Hidden input that holds extra files #}
+                {# Plain HTML input — label trigger works without JS tricks #}
                 <input type="file" name="additional_photos[]" id="extra-photos-input"
-                       accept="image/jpeg,image/png,image/webp" multiple class="d-none">
+                       accept="image/jpeg,image/png,image/webp" multiple
+                       style="position:absolute;opacity:0;width:0;height:0;">
 
                 <div id="extra-photos-grid" class="d-flex flex-wrap gap-2 mb-3" style="min-height:60px;">
                     <div id="extra-photos-empty" class="text-muted small fst-italic d-flex align-items-center">
@@ -139,9 +146,9 @@
                     <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary flex-fill" id="btn-extra-camera">
                         <i class="fa fa-camera me-2"></i>Kamera
                     </button>
-                    <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary flex-fill" id="btn-extra-file">
+                    <label for="extra-photos-input" class="btn btn-outline-secondary flex-fill mb-0" style="cursor:pointer;">
                         <i class="fa fa-folder-open me-2"></i>Datei wählen
-                    </button>
+                    </label>
                 </div>
             </div>
         </div>
@@ -243,7 +250,7 @@
             errDiv.style.display = 'block';
             // Mobile fallback: trigger native camera input
             if (cameraTarget === 'search') {
-                document.getElementById('search-photo-input').click();
+                searchInput?.click();
             } else {
                 document.getElementById('extra-photos-input').click();
             }
@@ -285,14 +292,16 @@
     });
 
     /* ── Search photo ──────────────────────────────────────────── */
-    const searchInput   = document.getElementById('search-photo-input');
+    const dropZone     = document.getElementById('search-drop-zone');
+    const searchInput  = document.getElementById(dropZone.dataset.input);
     const searchPreview = document.getElementById('search-photo-preview');
-    const searchImg     = document.getElementById('search-photo-img');
-    const searchHolder  = document.getElementById('search-photo-placeholder');
+    const searchImg    = document.getElementById('search-photo-img');
+    const searchHolder = document.getElementById('search-photo-placeholder');
 
     document.getElementById('btn-search-camera').addEventListener('click', () => openCamera('search'));
-    document.getElementById('btn-search-file').addEventListener('click', () => searchInput.click());
-    document.getElementById('search-photo-clear').addEventListener('click', () => {
+
+    document.getElementById('search-photo-clear').addEventListener('click', e => {
+        e.stopPropagation();
         searchInput.value = '';
         searchImg.src = '';
         searchPreview.style.display = 'none';
@@ -303,6 +312,24 @@
         if (searchInput.files[0]) setSearchPhoto(searchInput.files[0]);
     });
 
+    // Drag & drop on the drop zone
+    dropZone.addEventListener('dragover', e => {
+        e.preventDefault();
+        dropZone.style.borderColor = '#0d6efd';
+        dropZone.style.background = '#e8f0fe';
+    });
+    dropZone.addEventListener('dragleave', () => {
+        dropZone.style.borderColor = '';
+        dropZone.style.background = '';
+    });
+    dropZone.addEventListener('drop', e => {
+        e.preventDefault();
+        dropZone.style.borderColor = '';
+        dropZone.style.background = '';
+        const file = e.dataTransfer.files[0];
+        if (file) setSearchPhoto(file);
+    });
+
     function setSearchPhoto(file) {
         const dt = new DataTransfer();
         dt.items.add(file);
@@ -310,6 +337,8 @@
         searchImg.src = URL.createObjectURL(file);
         searchPreview.style.display = 'block';
         searchHolder.style.display = 'none';
+        dropZone.style.borderColor = '';
+        dropZone.style.background = '';
     }
 
     /* ── Extra photos ──────────────────────────────────────────── */