diff --git a/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/ReelPlayerController.kt b/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/ReelPlayerController.kt
index a27ac50..894d14f 100644
--- a/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/ReelPlayerController.kt
+++ b/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/ReelPlayerController.kt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class ReelPlayerController @Inject constructor(
     /** Observable playback state for the UI. */
     val playbackState: StateFlow<PlaybackState> = _playbackState.asStateFlow()
 
-    private var boundMediaId: String? = null
+    private var loadedReelIds: List<String> = emptyList()
 
     init {
         player.addListener(
@@ -49,19 +49,26 @@ class ReelPlayerController @Inject constructor(
     }
 
     /**
-     * Bind the shared player to [reel] and start playback. No-op if it is already the
-     * current item, which makes repeated calls on configuration changes cheap.
+     * Load the whole feed as a single playlist on the shared player. ExoPlayer then pre-buffers the
+     * neighbouring items, so swiping to the next reel starts much faster. No-op if the same feed is
+     * already loaded, which makes repeated calls on recomposition/config-change cheap.
      */
-    fun bind(reel: Reel) {
-        if (boundMediaId == reel.id) {
-            player.playWhenReady = true
-            return
-        }
-        boundMediaId = reel.id
-        player.setMediaItem(reel.toMediaItem())
+    fun setReels(reels: List<Reel>) {
+        val ids = reels.map { it.id }
+        if (ids == loadedReelIds) return
+        loadedReelIds = ids
+        player.setMediaItems(reels.map { it.toMediaItem() })
         player.prepare()
+    }
+
+    /** Make [index] the current reel and start playback. */
+    fun playAt(index: Int) {
+        if (index !in loadedReelIds.indices) return
+        if (player.currentMediaItemIndex != index) {
+            player.seekToDefaultPosition(index)
+        }
         player.playWhenReady = true
-        _playbackState.value = _playbackState.value.copy(currentMediaId = reel.id)
+        _playbackState.value = _playbackState.value.copy(currentMediaId = loadedReelIds[index])
     }
 
     /** Resume playback of the currently bound reel. */
@@ -85,7 +92,7 @@ class ReelPlayerController @Inject constructor(
      * singleton outlives any screen.
      */
     fun release() {
-        boundMediaId = null
+        loadedReelIds = emptyList()
         player.release()
     }
 }
diff --git a/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/di/MediaModule.kt b/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/di/MediaModule.kt
index 158d88b..3c0fd6b 100644
--- a/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/di/MediaModule.kt
+++ b/core/media/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/media/di/MediaModule.kt
@@ -1,33 +1,72 @@
 package dev.composereels.core.media.di
 
 import android.content.Context
+import androidx.annotation.OptIn
 import androidx.media3.common.AudioAttributes
 import androidx.media3.common.C
 import androidx.media3.common.Player
+import androidx.media3.common.util.UnstableApi
+import androidx.media3.database.StandaloneDatabaseProvider
+import androidx.media3.datasource.DefaultDataSource
+import androidx.media3.datasource.cache.CacheDataSource
+import androidx.media3.datasource.cache.LeastRecentlyUsedCacheEvictor
+import androidx.media3.datasource.cache.SimpleCache
 import androidx.media3.exoplayer.ExoPlayer
+import androidx.media3.exoplayer.source.DefaultMediaSourceFactory
+import androidx.media3.exoplayer.source.MediaSource
 import dagger.Module
 import dagger.Provides
 import dagger.hilt.InstallIn
 import dagger.hilt.android.qualifiers.ApplicationContext
 import dagger.hilt.components.SingletonComponent
+import java.io.File
 import javax.inject.Singleton
 
 /**
  * Provides the app's playback dependencies.
  *
  * Per the project's hard requirement, exactly one [ExoPlayer] instance exists for the whole
- * process. Reels play one video at a time, so reusing a single decoder pipeline keeps memory
- * and battery low; pages swap the media item on the shared player instead of creating new ones.
+ * process. Reels are loaded as a single playlist on that one player so ExoPlayer can pre-buffer the
+ * next item; a media cache makes already-watched reels start instantly on re-watch.
  */
 @Module
 @InstallIn(SingletonComponent::class)
 object MediaModule {
 
+    private const val MAX_CACHE_BYTES = 256L * 1024 * 1024 // 256 MB LRU media cache.
+
+    @Provides
+    @Singleton
+    @OptIn(UnstableApi::class)
+    fun providesPlayerCache(@ApplicationContext context: Context): SimpleCache = SimpleCache(
+        File(context.cacheDir, "reel-media"),
+        LeastRecentlyUsedCacheEvictor(MAX_CACHE_BYTES),
+        StandaloneDatabaseProvider(context),
+    )
+
+    @Provides
+    @Singleton
+    @OptIn(UnstableApi::class)
+    fun providesMediaSourceFactory(
+        @ApplicationContext context: Context,
+        cache: SimpleCache,
+    ): MediaSource.Factory {
+        // Read through the cache, falling back to the network; ignore cache on read errors.
+        val cacheDataSourceFactory = CacheDataSource.Factory()
+            .setCache(cache)
+            .setUpstreamDataSourceFactory(DefaultDataSource.Factory(context))
+            .setFlags(CacheDataSource.FLAG_IGNORE_CACHE_ON_ERROR)
+        return DefaultMediaSourceFactory(cacheDataSourceFactory)
+    }
+
     @Provides
     @Singleton
+    @OptIn(UnstableApi::class)
     fun providesExoPlayer(
         @ApplicationContext context: Context,
+        mediaSourceFactory: MediaSource.Factory,
     ): ExoPlayer = ExoPlayer.Builder(context)
+        .setMediaSourceFactory(mediaSourceFactory)
         // Pause automatically when headphones are unplugged.
         .setHandleAudioBecomingNoisy(true)
         // Request audio focus and duck/pause around other apps.
@@ -40,7 +79,7 @@ object MediaModule {
         )
         .build()
         .apply {
-            // Reels loop until the user swipes away.
+            // Loop the current reel; the user swipes to advance.
             repeatMode = Player.REPEAT_MODE_ONE
             playWhenReady = false
         }
diff --git a/core/network/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/network/model/NetworkReel.kt b/core/network/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/network/model/NetworkReel.kt
index 470550a..34476a6 100644
--- a/core/network/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/network/model/NetworkReel.kt
+++ b/core/network/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/core/network/model/NetworkReel.kt
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
+// The generated @Serializable code references kotlinx.serialization's internal GeneratedSerializer.
+// The build handles this opt-in automatically, but some IDE analyzers flag it; opt in at file level
+// to keep the editor clean. Harmless to the build.
+@file:OptIn(InternalSerializationApi::class)
+
 package dev.composereels.core.network.model
 
 import dev.composereels.core.model.Reel
 import dev.composereels.core.model.ReelSource
+import kotlinx.serialization.InternalSerializationApi
 import kotlinx.serialization.SerialName
 import kotlinx.serialization.Serializable
 
diff --git a/feature/reels/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModel.kt b/feature/reels/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModel.kt
index 289a99c..edb2798 100644
--- a/feature/reels/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModel.kt
+++ b/feature/reels/src/main/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModel.kt
@@ -51,30 +51,27 @@ class ReelsViewModel @Inject constructor(
     private fun bindPage(page: Int) {
         val state = _uiState.value
         if (state !is ReelsUiState.Success) return
-        val reel = state.reels.getOrNull(page) ?: return
-        playerController.bind(reel)
+        if (page !in state.reels.indices) return
+        playerController.playAt(page)
         _uiState.update { (it as? ReelsUiState.Success)?.copy(currentPage = page) ?: it }
     }
 
     private fun loadReels() {
         viewModelScope.launch {
             reelsRepository.getReels().asResult().collect { result ->
-                _uiState.update {
-                    when (result) {
-                        Result.Loading -> ReelsUiState.Loading
-                        is Result.Success -> ReelsUiState.Success(reels = result.data)
-                            .also { state -> bindFirstReel(state) }
-                        is Result.Error -> ReelsUiState.Error(
-                            message = result.throwable.message ?: "Failed to load reels.",
-                        )
+                when (result) {
+                    Result.Loading -> _uiState.value = ReelsUiState.Loading
+                    is Result.Success -> {
+                        // Load the whole feed as one playlist, then auto-play the top reel.
+                        playerController.setReels(result.data)
+                        playerController.playAt(0)
+                        _uiState.value = ReelsUiState.Success(reels = result.data)
                     }
+                    is Result.Error -> _uiState.value = ReelsUiState.Error(
+                        message = result.throwable.message ?: "Failed to load reels.",
+                    )
                 }
             }
         }
     }
-
-    /** Auto-play the top reel as soon as the feed arrives. */
-    private fun bindFirstReel(state: ReelsUiState.Success) {
-        state.reels.firstOrNull()?.let(playerController::bind)
-    }
 }
diff --git a/feature/reels/src/test/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModelTest.kt b/feature/reels/src/test/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModelTest.kt
index e22fab7..ae572f7 100644
--- a/feature/reels/src/test/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModelTest.kt
+++ b/feature/reels/src/test/kotlin/dev/composereels/feature/reels/ReelsViewModelTest.kt
@@ -33,14 +33,15 @@ class ReelsViewModelTest {
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun `binds the first reel as soon as the feed loads`() = runTest {
+    fun `loads the feed as a playlist and plays the first reel`() = runTest {
         ReelsViewModel(FakeReelsRepository(testReels), playerController)
 
-        verify { playerController.bind(testReels.first()) }
+        verify { playerController.setReels(testReels) }
+        verify { playerController.playAt(0) }
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun `PageSettled binds the selected reel and updates currentPage`() = runTest {
+    fun `PageSettled plays the selected reel and updates currentPage`() = runTest {
         val viewModel = ReelsViewModel(FakeReelsRepository(testReels), playerController)
 
         viewModel.onEvent(ReelEvent.PageSettled(1))
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class ReelsViewModelTest {
             val state = awaitItem() as ReelsUiState.Success
             assertEquals(1, state.currentPage)
         }
-        verify { playerController.bind(testReels[1]) }
+        verify { playerController.playAt(1) }
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 51dfdb7..ec2b4cf 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ coil = "2.7.0"
 # Networking + serialization.
 retrofit = "2.11.0"
 okhttp = "4.12.0"
-kotlinxSerialization = "1.7.3"
+kotlinxSerialization = "1.8.0"
 kotlinxCoroutines = "1.9.0"
 
 # Testing.