diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/public/locales/en.json b/invokeai/frontend/web/public/locales/en.json
index 58be5430a26..3264c7e5e5e 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/public/locales/en.json
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/public/locales/en.json
@@ -2891,6 +2891,8 @@
             "previous": "Previous",
             "next": "Next",
             "saveToGallery": "Save To Gallery",
+            "hideThumbnails": "Hide Thumbnails",
+            "showThumbnails": "Show Thumbnails",
             "showResultsOn": "Showing Results",
             "showResultsOff": "Hiding Results"
         },
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaItemsList.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaItemsList.tsx
index 962ad027ccf..b1507b9b489 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaItemsList.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaItemsList.tsx
@@ -11,15 +11,21 @@ import { Virtuoso } from 'react-virtuoso';
 import type { S } from 'services/api/types';
 
 import { useStagingAreaContext } from './context';
-import { getQueueItemElementId } from './shared';
+import { getQueueItemElementId, STAGING_AREA_THUMBNAIL_STRIP_HEIGHT } from './shared';
 
 const log = logger('system');
 
 const virtuosoStyles = {
   width: '100%',
-  height: '72px',
+  height: STAGING_AREA_THUMBNAIL_STRIP_HEIGHT,
 } satisfies CSSProperties;
 
+const applyViewportStyles = (viewport: HTMLElement) => {
+  viewport.style.overflowX = `var(--os-viewport-overflow-x)`;
+  viewport.style.overflowY = `var(--os-viewport-overflow-y)`;
+  viewport.style.textAlign = 'center';
+};
+
 /**
  * Scroll the item at the given index into view if it is not currently visible.
  */
@@ -88,11 +94,7 @@ const useScrollableStagingArea = (rootRef: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>) => {
     defer: true,
     events: {
       initialized(osInstance) {
-        // force overflow styles
-        const { viewport } = osInstance.elements();
-        viewport.style.overflowX = `var(--os-viewport-overflow-x)`;
-        viewport.style.overflowY = `var(--os-viewport-overflow-y)`;
-        viewport.style.textAlign = 'center';
+        applyViewportStyles(osInstance.elements().viewport);
       },
     },
     options: {
@@ -113,6 +115,9 @@ const useScrollableStagingArea = (rootRef: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>) => {
     const { current: root } = rootRef;
 
     if (scroller && root) {
+      // Apply the viewport layout styles before overlayscrollbars initializes to avoid a left-aligned first paint.
+      applyViewportStyles(scroller);
+
       initialize({
         target: root,
         elements: {
@@ -131,7 +136,6 @@ const useScrollableStagingArea = (rootRef: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>) => {
 
 export const StagingAreaItemsList = memo(() => {
   const canvasManager = useCanvasManager();
-
   const ctx = useStagingAreaContext();
   const virtuosoRef = useRef<VirtuosoHandle>(null);
   const rangeRef = useRef<ListRange>({ startIndex: 0, endIndex: 0 });
@@ -143,7 +147,7 @@ export const StagingAreaItemsList = memo(() => {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     return canvasManager.stagingArea.connectToSession(ctx.$items, ctx.$selectedItem);
-  }, [canvasManager, ctx.$progressData, ctx.$items, ctx.$selectedItem]);
+  }, [canvasManager, ctx.$items, ctx.$selectedItem]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     return ctx.$selectedItemIndex.listen((selectedItemIndex) => {
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbar.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbar.tsx
index ff73a37fc94..b2f1c3776c1 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbar.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbar.tsx
@@ -9,12 +9,18 @@ import { StagingAreaToolbarNextButton } from 'features/controlLayers/components/
 import { StagingAreaToolbarPrevButton } from 'features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbarPrevButton';
 import { StagingAreaToolbarSaveSelectedToGalleryButton } from 'features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbarSaveSelectedToGalleryButton';
 import { StagingAreaToolbarToggleShowResultsButton } from 'features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbarToggleShowResultsButton';
+import { StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton } from 'features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton';
 import { memo } from 'react';
 import { useHotkeys } from 'react-hotkeys-hook';
 
 import { StagingAreaAutoSwitchButtons } from './StagingAreaAutoSwitchButtons';
 
-export const StagingAreaToolbar = memo(() => {
+type Props = {
+  areThumbnailsVisible: boolean;
+  onToggleThumbnails: () => void;
+};
+
+export const StagingAreaToolbar = memo(({ areThumbnailsVisible, onToggleThumbnails }: Props) => {
   const ctx = useStagingAreaContext();
 
   useHotkeys('meta+left', ctx.selectFirst, { preventDefault: true });
@@ -22,6 +28,12 @@ export const StagingAreaToolbar = memo(() => {
 
   return (
     <Flex gap={2}>
+      <ButtonGroup borderRadius="base" shadow="dark-lg">
+        <StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton
+          areThumbnailsVisible={areThumbnailsVisible}
+          onToggle={onToggleThumbnails}
+        />
+      </ButtonGroup>
       <ButtonGroup borderRadius="base" shadow="dark-lg">
         <StagingAreaToolbarPrevButton />
         <StagingAreaToolbarImageCountButton />
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24d5cfbe4ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { IconButton } from '@invoke-ai/ui-library';
+import { memo } from 'react';
+import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
+import { PiCaretLineDownBold, PiCaretLineUpBold } from 'react-icons/pi';
+
+type Props = {
+  areThumbnailsVisible: boolean;
+  onToggle: () => void;
+};
+
+export const StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton = memo(({ areThumbnailsVisible, onToggle }: Props) => {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+
+  const label = areThumbnailsVisible
+    ? t('controlLayers.stagingArea.hideThumbnails', { defaultValue: 'Hide Thumbnails' })
+    : t('controlLayers.stagingArea.showThumbnails', { defaultValue: 'Show Thumbnails' });
+
+  return (
+    <IconButton
+      tooltip={label}
+      aria-label={label}
+      icon={areThumbnailsVisible ? <PiCaretLineDownBold /> : <PiCaretLineUpBold />}
+      onClick={onToggle}
+      colorScheme="invokeBlue"
+    />
+  );
+});
+
+StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton.displayName = 'StagingAreaToolbarToggleThumbnailsButton';
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/context.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/context.tsx
index 6b8da8dc4da..4b5e1c438c6 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/context.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/context.tsx
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ export const StagingAreaContextProvider = memo(({ children, sessionId }: PropsWi
       },
       onDiscard: ({ item_id, status }) => {
         store.dispatch(canvasQueueItemDiscarded({ itemId: item_id }));
+        if (selectQueueItems(store.getState()).length === 0) {
+          store.dispatch(canvasSessionReset());
+        }
         if (status === 'in_progress' || status === 'pending') {
           store.dispatch(queueApi.endpoints.cancelQueueItem.initiate({ item_id }, { track: false }));
         }
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/shared.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/shared.ts
index fe98408df58..fd294e2dcbf 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/shared.ts
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/shared.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export const getProgressMessage = (data?: S['InvocationProgressEvent'] | null) =
 export const DROP_SHADOW = 'drop-shadow(0px 0px 4px rgb(0, 0, 0)) drop-shadow(0px 0px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3))';
 
 export const getQueueItemElementId = (index: number) => `queue-item-preview-${index}`;
+export const STAGING_AREA_THUMBNAIL_STRIP_HEIGHT = '72px';
 
 export const getOutputImageName = (item: S['SessionQueueItem']) => {
   const nodeId = Object.entries(item.session.source_prepared_mapping).find(([nodeId]) =>
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice.test.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a93ce4e8daa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+import type { Equals } from 'tsafe';
+import { assert } from 'tsafe';
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import type { z } from 'zod';
+
+const { getPrefixedIdMock } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  getPrefixedIdMock: vi.fn((prefix: string) => `${prefix}-generated`),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('features/controlLayers/konva/util', () => ({
+  getPrefixedId: getPrefixedIdMock,
+}));
+
+import {
+  canvasSessionReset,
+  canvasSessionSliceConfig,
+  canvasSessionThumbnailsVisibilityToggled,
+} from './canvasStagingAreaSlice';
+
+describe('canvasStagingAreaSlice', () => {
+  type InitialState = ReturnType<typeof canvasSessionSliceConfig.getInitialState>;
+  type SchemaState = z.infer<typeof canvasSessionSliceConfig.schema>;
+
+  const { reducer } = canvasSessionSliceConfig.slice;
+  const migrate = canvasSessionSliceConfig.persistConfig?.migrate;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    getPrefixedIdMock.mockReset();
+    getPrefixedIdMock.mockImplementation((prefix: string) => `${prefix}-generated`);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the initial state aligned with the persisted schema', () => {
+    assert<Equals<InitialState, SchemaState>>();
+  });
+
+  it('toggles thumbnail visibility', () => {
+    const state = canvasSessionSliceConfig.getInitialState();
+
+    const hidden = reducer(state, canvasSessionThumbnailsVisibilityToggled());
+    const shown = reducer(hidden, canvasSessionThumbnailsVisibilityToggled());
+
+    expect(hidden.areThumbnailsVisible).toBe(false);
+    expect(shown.areThumbnailsVisible).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('resets thumbnails visibility and discarded items on session reset', () => {
+    const state = {
+      _version: 2 as const,
+      canvasSessionId: 'canvas-existing',
+      canvasDiscardedQueueItems: [1, 2],
+      areThumbnailsVisible: false,
+    };
+
+    getPrefixedIdMock.mockReturnValueOnce('canvas-reset');
+
+    const result = reducer(state, canvasSessionReset());
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      _version: 2,
+      canvasSessionId: 'canvas-reset',
+      canvasDiscardedQueueItems: [],
+      areThumbnailsVisible: true,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('migrates legacy persisted state without a version to v2 defaults', () => {
+    expect(migrate).toBeDefined();
+
+    const result = migrate?.({});
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      _version: 2,
+      canvasSessionId: 'canvas-generated',
+      canvasDiscardedQueueItems: [],
+      areThumbnailsVisible: true,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('migrates v1 persisted state while preserving existing session data', () => {
+    expect(migrate).toBeDefined();
+
+    const result = migrate?.({
+      _version: 1,
+      canvasSessionId: 'canvas-v1',
+      canvasDiscardedQueueItems: [3, 5],
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      _version: 2,
+      canvasSessionId: 'canvas-v1',
+      canvasDiscardedQueueItems: [3, 5],
+      areThumbnailsVisible: true,
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice.ts
index 694abcda1c6..9cf2efacd35 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice.ts
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice.ts
@@ -11,16 +11,18 @@ import { assert } from 'tsafe';
 import z from 'zod';
 
 const zCanvasStagingAreaState = z.object({
-  _version: z.literal(1),
+  _version: z.literal(2),
   canvasSessionId: z.string(),
   canvasDiscardedQueueItems: z.array(z.number().int()),
+  areThumbnailsVisible: z.boolean(),
 });
 type CanvasStagingAreaState = z.infer<typeof zCanvasStagingAreaState>;
 
 const getInitialState = (): CanvasStagingAreaState => ({
-  _version: 1,
+  _version: 2,
   canvasSessionId: getPrefixedId('canvas'),
   canvasDiscardedQueueItems: [],
+  areThumbnailsVisible: true,
 });
 
 const slice = createSlice({
@@ -33,11 +35,15 @@ const slice = createSlice({
         state.canvasDiscardedQueueItems.push(itemId);
       }
     },
+    canvasSessionThumbnailsVisibilityToggled: (state) => {
+      state.areThumbnailsVisible = !state.areThumbnailsVisible;
+    },
     canvasSessionReset: {
       reducer: (state, action: PayloadAction<{ canvasSessionId: string }>) => {
         const { canvasSessionId } = action.payload;
         state.canvasSessionId = canvasSessionId;
         state.canvasDiscardedQueueItems = [];
+        state.areThumbnailsVisible = true;
       },
       prepare: () => {
         return {
@@ -50,7 +56,7 @@ const slice = createSlice({
   },
 });
 
-export const { canvasSessionReset, canvasQueueItemDiscarded } = slice.actions;
+export const { canvasSessionReset, canvasQueueItemDiscarded, canvasSessionThumbnailsVisibilityToggled } = slice.actions;
 
 export const canvasSessionSliceConfig: SliceConfig<typeof slice> = {
   slice,
@@ -62,6 +68,12 @@ export const canvasSessionSliceConfig: SliceConfig<typeof slice> = {
       if (!('_version' in state)) {
         state._version = 1;
         state.canvasSessionId = state.canvasSessionId ?? getPrefixedId('canvas');
+        state.canvasDiscardedQueueItems = state.canvasDiscardedQueueItems ?? [];
+      }
+
+      if (state._version === 1) {
+        state._version = 2;
+        state.areThumbnailsVisible = true;
       }
 
       return zCanvasStagingAreaState.parse(state);
@@ -71,6 +83,7 @@ export const canvasSessionSliceConfig: SliceConfig<typeof slice> = {
 
 export const selectCanvasSessionSlice = (s: RootState) => s[slice.name];
 export const selectCanvasSessionId = createSelector(selectCanvasSessionSlice, ({ canvasSessionId }) => canvasSessionId);
+export const selectCanvasSessionAreThumbnailsVisible = (s: RootState) => s[slice.name].areThumbnailsVisible;
 
 const selectDiscardedItems = createSelector(
   selectCanvasSessionSlice,
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/StagingArea.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/StagingArea.tsx
index f262a25daa8..552b3298726 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/StagingArea.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/StagingArea.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,23 @@
 import { Flex } from '@invoke-ai/ui-library';
+import { useAppDispatch, useAppSelector } from 'app/store/storeHooks';
+import { STAGING_AREA_THUMBNAIL_STRIP_HEIGHT } from 'features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/shared';
 import { StagingAreaItemsList } from 'features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaItemsList';
 import { StagingAreaToolbar } from 'features/controlLayers/components/StagingArea/StagingAreaToolbar';
-import { useCanvasIsStaging } from 'features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice';
-import { memo } from 'react';
+import {
+  canvasSessionThumbnailsVisibilityToggled,
+  selectCanvasSessionAreThumbnailsVisible,
+  useCanvasIsStaging,
+} from 'features/controlLayers/store/canvasStagingAreaSlice';
+import { memo, useCallback } from 'react';
 
 export const StagingArea = memo(() => {
+  const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const isStaging = useCanvasIsStaging();
+  const areThumbnailsVisible = useAppSelector(selectCanvasSessionAreThumbnailsVisible);
+
+  const onToggleThumbnails = useCallback(() => {
+    dispatch(canvasSessionThumbnailsVisibilityToggled());
+  }, [dispatch]);
 
   if (!isStaging) {
     return null;
@@ -13,8 +25,18 @@ export const StagingArea = memo(() => {
 
   return (
     <Flex position="absolute" flexDir="column" bottom={2} gap={2} align="center" justify="center" left={2} right={2}>
-      <StagingAreaItemsList />
-      <StagingAreaToolbar />
+      <Flex
+        w="full"
+        h={areThumbnailsVisible ? STAGING_AREA_THUMBNAIL_STRIP_HEIGHT : 0}
+        opacity={areThumbnailsVisible ? 1 : 0}
+        overflow="hidden"
+        pointerEvents={areThumbnailsVisible ? 'auto' : 'none'}
+        transitionProperty="height, opacity"
+        transitionDuration="normal"
+      >
+        <StagingAreaItemsList />
+      </Flex>
+      <StagingAreaToolbar areThumbnailsVisible={areThumbnailsVisible} onToggleThumbnails={onToggleThumbnails} />
     </Flex>
   );
 });