diff --git a/src/components/messageStream/overlays/ImageLightbox.tsx b/src/components/messageStream/overlays/ImageLightbox.tsx
index c3237af..62d9db6 100644
--- a/src/components/messageStream/overlays/ImageLightbox.tsx
+++ b/src/components/messageStream/overlays/ImageLightbox.tsx
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ function LightboxView({
 
   return createPortal(
     <div
-      className="fixed inset-0 z-[100] flex items-center justify-center bg-black/95 backdrop-blur-sm"
+      className="fixed inset-0 z-[100] flex flex-col bg-black/95 backdrop-blur-sm"
       onClick={onClose}
       role="dialog"
       aria-modal="true"
@@ -179,42 +179,52 @@ function LightboxView({
           >
             <ChevronRight className="h-6 w-6" />
           </button>
-          <div className="absolute bottom-6 left-1/2 z-10 -translate-x-1/2 rounded-full bg-white/10 px-3 py-1 text-xs text-white">
+          <div className="absolute left-1/2 top-4 z-10 -translate-x-1/2 rounded-full bg-white/10 px-3 py-1 text-xs text-white">
             {index + 1} / {images.length}
           </div>
         </>
       ) : null}
 
       <div
-        className="relative inline-block max-h-[92vh] max-w-[92vw]"
-        onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
-        onTouchStart={(e) => {
-          touchStartX.current = e.touches[0].clientX;
-        }}
-        onTouchEnd={(e) => {
-          if (touchStartX.current == null) return;
-          const dx = e.changedTouches[0].clientX - touchStartX.current;
-          if (Math.abs(dx) > 40) {
-            if (dx > 0) goPrev();
-            else goNext();
-          }
-          touchStartX.current = null;
-        }}
+        className={`flex min-h-0 w-full flex-1 items-center justify-center px-4 pt-16 ${
+          caption ? "pb-3" : "pb-16"
+        }`}
       >
-        <img
-          src={current.url}
-          alt={current.filename}
-          className="max-h-[92vh] max-w-[92vw] object-contain select-none"
-          draggable={false}
-        />
-        {caption ? (
-          <div className="absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/90 via-black/60 to-transparent px-4 pb-4 pt-12 text-sm leading-snug text-white sm:px-5 sm:pb-5">
-            <div className="message-stream-copyable-text max-h-[32vh] overflow-y-auto whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [-ms-overflow-style:none] [scrollbar-width:none] [&::-webkit-scrollbar]:hidden">
-              {autolink(caption)}
-            </div>
-          </div>
-        ) : null}
+        <div
+          className="max-h-full max-w-[92vw]"
+          onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+          onTouchStart={(e) => {
+            touchStartX.current = e.touches[0].clientX;
+          }}
+          onTouchEnd={(e) => {
+            if (touchStartX.current == null) return;
+            const dx = e.changedTouches[0].clientX - touchStartX.current;
+            if (Math.abs(dx) > 40) {
+              if (dx > 0) goPrev();
+              else goNext();
+            }
+            touchStartX.current = null;
+          }}
+        >
+          <img
+            src={current.url}
+            alt={current.filename}
+            className="max-h-full max-w-[92vw] object-contain select-none"
+            draggable={false}
+          />
+        </div>
       </div>
+
+      {caption ? (
+        <div
+          className="shrink-0 border-t border-white/10 bg-gradient-to-t from-black via-black/90 to-black/70 px-4 py-4 text-sm leading-snug text-white sm:px-6"
+          onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+        >
+          <div className="message-stream-copyable-text mx-auto max-h-[32vh] max-w-[920px] overflow-y-auto whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [-ms-overflow-style:none] [scrollbar-width:none] [&::-webkit-scrollbar]:hidden">
+            {autolink(caption)}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
     </div>,
     document.body,
   );
diff --git a/src/layouts/PublicLayout.tsx b/src/layouts/PublicLayout.tsx
index ddf3d1d..6ba44eb 100644
--- a/src/layouts/PublicLayout.tsx
+++ b/src/layouts/PublicLayout.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
-import { Globe, Menu, Search as SearchIcon, X } from "lucide-react";
-import { useState } from "react";
+import {
+  Check,
+  ChevronDown,
+  Globe,
+  Menu,
+  Search as SearchIcon,
+  X,
+} from "lucide-react";
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { Link, Outlet, useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import { ArkLogoMark } from "../components/ArkLogoMark";
 import { useI18n, type Lang } from "../i18n";
@@ -55,6 +62,105 @@ function navClassName(active: boolean) {
   ].join(" ");
 }
 
+type LanguageDropdownProps = {
+  lang: Lang;
+  setLang: (lang: Lang) => void;
+  ariaLabel: string;
+  className?: string;
+};
+
+function LanguageDropdown({
+  lang,
+  setLang,
+  ariaLabel,
+  className = "",
+}: LanguageDropdownProps) {
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const rootRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const selected = LANG_OPTIONS.find((option) => option.code === lang);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) return;
+
+    const closeOnOutside = (event: MouseEvent | TouchEvent) => {
+      if (!rootRef.current?.contains(event.target as Node)) setOpen(false);
+    };
+    const closeOnEscape = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (event.key === "Escape") setOpen(false);
+    };
+
+    document.addEventListener("mousedown", closeOnOutside);
+    document.addEventListener("touchstart", closeOnOutside);
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", closeOnEscape);
+    return () => {
+      document.removeEventListener("mousedown", closeOnOutside);
+      document.removeEventListener("touchstart", closeOnOutside);
+      window.removeEventListener("keydown", closeOnEscape);
+    };
+  }, [open]);
+
+  return (
+    <div ref={rootRef} className={`relative ${className}`}>
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={() => setOpen((value) => !value)}
+        className="flex h-full w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-full border border-ark-line bg-[#1a1b20] px-3 py-2 text-sm text-neutral-200 shadow-inner outline-none transition hover:border-ark-gold/50 focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ark-gold/80 focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-ark-bg"
+        aria-label={ariaLabel}
+        aria-haspopup="listbox"
+        aria-expanded={open}
+      >
+        <Globe size={16} className="shrink-0 text-ark-gold/80" aria-hidden />
+        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-left">
+          {selected?.label ?? lang}
+        </span>
+        <ChevronDown
+          size={16}
+          className={`shrink-0 text-neutral-400 transition ${
+            open ? "rotate-180 text-ark-gold" : ""
+          }`}
+          aria-hidden
+        />
+      </button>
+
+      {open ? (
+        <div
+          className="absolute left-0 right-0 top-[calc(100%+0.5rem)] z-50 overflow-hidden rounded-2xl border border-white/10 bg-[#1c1c21]/95 p-1.5 shadow-2xl shadow-black/70 ring-1 ring-ark-line/80 backdrop-blur-xl"
+          role="listbox"
+          aria-label={ariaLabel}
+        >
+          {LANG_OPTIONS.map((option) => {
+            const active = option.code === lang;
+            return (
+              <button
+                key={option.code}
+                type="button"
+                role="option"
+                aria-selected={active}
+                onClick={() => {
+                  setLang(option.code as Lang);
+                  setOpen(false);
+                }}
+                className={`flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-xl px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm transition ${
+                  active
+                    ? "bg-ark-gold/10 text-ark-gold2"
+                    : "text-neutral-200 hover:bg-white/10 hover:text-white"
+                }`}
+              >
+                <span className="flex h-4 w-4 shrink-0 items-center justify-center">
+                  {active ? (
+                    <Check className="h-4 w-4" strokeWidth={2.4} />
+                  ) : null}
+                </span>
+                <span className="truncate font-medium">{option.label}</span>
+              </button>
+            );
+          })}
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
 export function PublicLayout() {
   const { t, lang, setLang } = useI18n();
   const { pathname, search, hash } = useLocation();
@@ -154,25 +260,12 @@ export function PublicLayout() {
                   className="min-w-0 flex-1 rounded-md bg-transparent text-sm text-neutral-200 outline-none placeholder:text-[#777985] focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ark-gold/60 focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-[#1a1b20]"
                 />
               </div>
-              <div className="hidden h-10 items-center gap-2 rounded-full border border-ark-line bg-[#1a1b20] px-2 py-2 md:flex lg:px-3">
-                <Globe
-                  size={16}
-                  className="shrink-0 text-ark-gold/80"
-                  aria-hidden
-                />
-                <select
-                  className="max-w-[6.5rem] cursor-pointer truncate rounded-md bg-transparent text-sm text-neutral-200 outline-none focus:outline-none focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-0 lg:max-w-none"
-                  value={lang}
-                  onChange={(e) => setLang(e.target.value as Lang)}
-                  aria-label={t("langLabel")}
-                >
-                  {LANG_OPTIONS.map((option) => (
-                    <option key={option.code} value={option.code}>
-                      {option.label}
-                    </option>
-                  ))}
-                </select>
-              </div>
+              <LanguageDropdown
+                lang={lang}
+                setLang={setLang}
+                ariaLabel={t("langLabel")}
+                className="hidden h-10 w-36 md:block lg:w-40"
+              />
               <button
                 type="button"
                 className="inline-flex h-10 w-10 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-ark-line bg-[#1a1b20] text-neutral-200 outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ark-gold/80 focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-ark-bg min-[1200px]:hidden"
@@ -197,21 +290,12 @@ export function PublicLayout() {
                 className="flex-1 bg-transparent text-sm outline-none placeholder:text-[#777985]"
               />
             </div>
-            <div className="mb-1 flex items-center gap-2 rounded-full border border-ark-line bg-[#1a1b20] px-3 py-2">
-              <Globe size={16} className="shrink-0 text-ark-gold/80" />
-              <select
-                className="w-full bg-transparent text-sm text-neutral-200 outline-none"
-                value={lang}
-                onChange={(e) => setLang(e.target.value as Lang)}
-                aria-label={t("langLabel")}
-              >
-                {LANG_OPTIONS.map((option) => (
-                  <option key={option.code} value={option.code}>
-                    {option.label}
-                  </option>
-                ))}
-              </select>
-            </div>
+            <LanguageDropdown
+              lang={lang}
+              setLang={setLang}
+              ariaLabel={t("langLabel")}
+              className="mb-1"
+            />
             <Link
               to="/"
               className={navClassName(na("home"))}