diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3847cd8..bc26374 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -240,6 +240,6 @@ If `SLANG_ROOT` is not set, the workflow falls back to the repo-local default un
 - More comprehensive greenscreen shader
 - linear compositing?
 - compute shaders or a small 1x1 or nx1 RGBA16f render target for abritary data store
-- allow shaders to read other shaders data store based on name? or putput over OSC
+- allow shaders to read other shaders data store based on name? or output over OSC
 - Mipmappong needed?
 - unwrap a fish eyelens and mirror it and map it to equirectangulr for environmnet map purposes
diff --git a/ui/package-lock.json b/ui/package-lock.json
index f02f0fa..69cb8bb 100644
--- a/ui/package-lock.json
+++ b/ui/package-lock.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
       "dependencies": {
         "@uiw/color-convert": "^2.10.1",
         "@uiw/react-color-wheel": "^2.10.1",
+        "fuse.js": "^7.3.0",
         "lucide-react": "^0.511.0",
         "react": "^18.3.1",
         "react-dom": "^18.3.1"
@@ -1429,6 +1430,19 @@
         "node": "^8.16.0 || ^10.6.0 || >=11.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/fuse.js": {
+      "version": "7.3.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fuse.js/-/fuse.js-7.3.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-plz8RVjfcDedTGfVngWH1jmJvBvAwi1v2jecfDerbEnMcmOYUEEwKFTHbNoCiYyzaK2Ws8lABkTCcRSqCY1q4w==",
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=10"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "type": "github",
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/krisk"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/gensync": {
       "version": "1.0.0-beta.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/gensync/-/gensync-1.0.0-beta.2.tgz",
diff --git a/ui/package.json b/ui/package.json
index 726a157..8a3d544 100644
--- a/ui/package.json
+++ b/ui/package.json
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@uiw/color-convert": "^2.10.1",
     "@uiw/react-color-wheel": "^2.10.1",
+    "fuse.js": "^7.3.0",
     "lucide-react": "^0.511.0",
     "react": "^18.3.1",
     "react-dom": "^18.3.1"
diff --git a/ui/src/App.jsx b/ui/src/App.jsx
index 9ce75cd..0f42422 100644
--- a/ui/src/App.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/App.jsx
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ function AppFooter() {
 
 function App() {
   const [appState, setAppState] = useRuntimeState();
-  const [pendingShaderId, setPendingShaderId] = useState("");
   const [presetName, setPresetName] = useState("");
   const [selectedPresetName, setSelectedPresetName] = useState("");
   const [expandedLayerIds, setExpandedLayerIds] = useState([]);
@@ -38,14 +37,6 @@ function App() {
   const app = appState?.app ?? {};
   const stackPresets = appState?.stackPresets ?? [];
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!pendingShaderId && shaders.length > 0) {
-      setPendingShaderId(shaders[0].id);
-    } else if (pendingShaderId && !shaders.some((shader) => shader.id === pendingShaderId)) {
-      setPendingShaderId(shaders[0]?.id ?? "");
-    }
-  }, [pendingShaderId, shaders]);
-
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!selectedPresetName && stackPresets.length > 0) {
       setSelectedPresetName(stackPresets[0]);
@@ -123,12 +114,10 @@ function App() {
         dropTargetLayerId={dropTargetLayerId}
         expandedLayerIds={expandedLayerIds}
         layers={layers}
-        pendingShaderId={pendingShaderId}
         setAppState={setAppState}
         setDragLayerId={setDragLayerId}
         setDropTargetLayerId={setDropTargetLayerId}
         setExpandedLayerIds={setExpandedLayerIds}
-        setPendingShaderId={setPendingShaderId}
         shaders={shaders}
       />
 
diff --git a/ui/src/components/LayerCard.jsx b/ui/src/components/LayerCard.jsx
index feb2fcf..794be6c 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/LayerCard.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/LayerCard.jsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { GripVertical, Trash2 } from "lucide-react";
+import { EyeOff, GripVertical, RotateCcw, SlidersHorizontal, Trash2 } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { postJson } from "../api/controlApi";
 import { ParameterField } from "./ParameterField";
@@ -71,11 +71,13 @@ export function LayerCard({
                 })
               }
             />
+            <EyeOff size={15} strokeWidth={1.8} aria-hidden="true" />
             <span>Bypass</span>
           </label>
 
-          <button type="button" onClick={() => onToggleExpanded(layer.id)}>
-            {expanded ? "Hide" : "Controls"}
+          <button type="button" className="button-with-icon" onClick={() => onToggleExpanded(layer.id)}>
+            <SlidersHorizontal size={16} strokeWidth={1.9} aria-hidden="true" />
+            <span>{expanded ? "Hide" : "Controls"}</span>
           </button>
           <button
             type="button"
@@ -116,10 +118,12 @@ export function LayerCard({
             <h3>Parameters</h3>
             <button
               type="button"
+              className="button-with-icon"
               disabled={layer.parameters.length === 0}
               onClick={() => postJson("/api/layers/reset-parameters", { layerId: layer.id })}
             >
-              Reset
+              <RotateCcw size={16} strokeWidth={1.9} aria-hidden="true" />
+              <span>Reset</span>
             </button>
           </div>
 
diff --git a/ui/src/components/LayerStack.jsx b/ui/src/components/LayerStack.jsx
index 0867a1a..9fc514f 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/LayerStack.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/LayerStack.jsx
@@ -18,12 +18,10 @@ export function LayerStack({
   dropTargetLayerId,
   expandedLayerIds,
   layers,
-  pendingShaderId,
   setAppState,
   setDragLayerId,
   setDropTargetLayerId,
   setExpandedLayerIds,
-  setPendingShaderId,
   shaders,
 }) {
   const expandedSet = new Set(expandedLayerIds);
@@ -118,27 +116,13 @@ export function LayerStack({
               <span className="layer-card__index">+</span>
               <div className="layer-card__title layer-card__title--static">Add Layer</div>
             </div>
-            <div className="layer-card__actions">
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                disabled={!pendingShaderId}
-                onClick={() => {
-                  if (pendingShaderId) {
-                    postJson("/api/layers/add", { shaderId: pendingShaderId });
-                  }
-                }}
-              >
-                Add
-              </button>
-            </div>
           </div>
           <div className="layer-card__body">
             <div className="layer-card__field">
               <ShaderPicker
                 id="add-layer"
                 shaders={shaders}
-                value={pendingShaderId}
-                onChange={setPendingShaderId}
+                onAdd={(shaderId) => postJson("/api/layers/add", { shaderId })}
               />
             </div>
           </div>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/ParameterField.jsx b/ui/src/components/ParameterField.jsx
index 3c5c96d..f07e34c 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/ParameterField.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/ParameterField.jsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import Wheel from "@uiw/react-color-wheel";
 import { hsvaToRgba, rgbaToHsva } from "@uiw/color-convert";
-import { Copy, RotateCcw } from "lucide-react";
+import { Copy, RotateCcw, Zap } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { useThrottledParameterValue } from "../hooks/useThrottledParameterValue";
 import { ParameterValueDisplay } from "./ParameterValueDisplay";
@@ -325,10 +325,11 @@ export function ParameterField({ layer, parameter, onParameterChange }) {
         {header}
         <button
           type="button"
-          className="parameter__trigger"
+          className="button-with-icon parameter__trigger"
           onClick={() => sendValue(triggerCount + 1)}
         >
-          Trigger
+          <Zap size={16} strokeWidth={1.9} aria-hidden="true" />
+          <span>Trigger</span>
         </button>
         <ParameterValueDisplay parameterType={parameter.type} value={appliedValue} pending={isPending} />
       </section>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/ShaderPicker.jsx b/ui/src/components/ShaderPicker.jsx
index fbb4578..c33e49e 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/ShaderPicker.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/ShaderPicker.jsx
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
-import { ChevronDown, Search } from "lucide-react";
+import Fuse from "fuse.js";
+import { Plus, Search } from "lucide-react";
 import { useMemo, useState } from "react";
 
-function matchesShader(shader, query) {
-  const normalizedQuery = query.trim().toLowerCase();
-  if (!normalizedQuery) {
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  return [shader.name, shader.id, shader.category, shader.description, shader.error]
-    .filter(Boolean)
-    .some((value) => value.toLowerCase().includes(normalizedQuery));
-}
+const shaderSearchOptions = {
+  threshold: 0.38,
+  ignoreLocation: true,
+  minMatchCharLength: 2,
+  keys: [
+    { name: "name", weight: 0.45 },
+    { name: "id", weight: 0.25 },
+    { name: "category", weight: 0.15 },
+    { name: "description", weight: 0.1 },
+    { name: "error", weight: 0.05 },
+  ],
+};
 
 function shaderSummary(shader) {
   if (!shader) {
@@ -37,86 +40,78 @@ function ShaderOptionContent({ shader }) {
   );
 }
 
-export function ShaderPicker({ id, label = "Shader", shaders, value, onChange }) {
+export function ShaderPicker({ id, label = "Shader", shaders, onAdd }) {
   const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
-  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
 
-  const filteredShaders = useMemo(
-    () => shaders.filter((shader) => matchesShader(shader, query)),
-    [query, shaders],
+  const shaderSearch = useMemo(
+    () => new Fuse(shaders, shaderSearchOptions),
+    [shaders],
   );
 
-  const selectedShader = shaders.find((shader) => shader.id === value);
+  const filteredShaders = useMemo(
+    () => {
+      const normalizedQuery = query.trim();
+      if (!normalizedQuery) {
+        return shaders;
+      }
+
+      return shaderSearch.search(normalizedQuery).map((result) => result.item);
+    },
+    [query, shaderSearch, shaders],
+  );
 
   return (
     <div className="shader-picker">
       <div className="shader-picker__topline">
         <label id={`${id}-label`}>{label}</label>
-        {selectedShader ? <span className="shader-picker__selected">{selectedShader.name}</span> : null}
       </div>
 
-      <button
-        type="button"
-        className="shader-picker__trigger"
-        aria-labelledby={`${id}-label`}
-        aria-expanded={open}
-        onClick={() => setOpen((current) => !current)}
-      >
-        <span>
-          <span className="shader-picker__option-head">
-            <span className="shader-picker__name">{selectedShader?.name ?? "Choose shader"}</span>
-            {selectedShader?.available === false ? (
-              <span className="shader-picker__category shader-picker__category--error">Error</span>
-            ) : selectedShader?.category ? (
-              <span className="shader-picker__category">{selectedShader.category}</span>
-            ) : null}
-          </span>
-          <span className="shader-picker__meta">{shaderSummary(selectedShader)}</span>
-        </span>
-        <ChevronDown size={16} strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden="true" />
-      </button>
+      <div className="shader-picker__popover">
+        <div className="shader-picker__search">
+          <Search size={16} strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden="true" />
+          <input
+            id={`${id}-search`}
+            type="text"
+            value={query}
+            placeholder="Search shaders"
+            onChange={(event) => setQuery(event.target.value)}
+          />
+        </div>
 
-      {open ? (
-        <div className="shader-picker__popover">
-          <div className="shader-picker__search">
-            <Search size={16} strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden="true" />
-            <input
-              id={`${id}-search`}
-              type="text"
-              value={query}
-              placeholder="Search shaders"
-              onChange={(event) => setQuery(event.target.value)}
-            />
-          </div>
-
-          <div className="shader-picker__list" role="listbox" aria-label={label}>
-            {filteredShaders.length > 0 ? (
-              filteredShaders.map((shader) => (
+        <div className="shader-picker__list" role="list" aria-labelledby={`${id}-label`}>
+          {filteredShaders.length > 0 ? (
+            filteredShaders.map((shader) => (
+              <div
+                key={shader.id}
+                className={`shader-picker__option${shader.available === false ? " shader-picker__option--unavailable" : ""}`}
+                role="listitem"
+              >
+                <span className="shader-picker__option-copy">
+                  <ShaderOptionContent shader={shader} />
+                </span>
                 <button
-                  key={shader.id}
                   type="button"
-                  className={`shader-picker__option${shader.id === value ? " shader-picker__option--selected" : ""}${shader.available === false ? " shader-picker__option--unavailable" : ""}`}
-                  role="option"
-                  aria-selected={shader.id === value}
+                  className="icon-button shader-picker__add"
+                  title={`Add ${shader.name}`}
+                  aria-label={`Add ${shader.name}`}
                   disabled={shader.available === false}
                   onClick={() => {
                     if (shader.available === false) {
                       return;
                     }
-                    onChange(shader.id);
-                    setOpen(false);
+                    onAdd(shader.id);
                     setQuery("");
                   }}
                 >
-                  <ShaderOptionContent shader={shader} />
+                  <Plus size={16} strokeWidth={1.9} />
                 </button>
-              ))
-            ) : (
-              <div className="shader-picker__empty">No shaders found</div>
-            )}
-          </div>
+              </div>
+            ))
+          ) : (
+            <div className="shader-picker__empty">No shaders found</div>
+          )}
         </div>
-      ) : null}
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/components/StackPresetToolbar.jsx b/ui/src/components/StackPresetToolbar.jsx
index c1867f3..483e1af 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/StackPresetToolbar.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/StackPresetToolbar.jsx
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { FolderOpen, RefreshCw, Save } from "lucide-react";
+
 import { postJson } from "../api/controlApi";
 
 export function StackPresetToolbar({
@@ -14,8 +16,13 @@ export function StackPresetToolbar({
           <h3>Stack presets</h3>
           <p className="muted">Save or recall the current layer chain.</p>
         </div>
-        <button type="button" className="stack-panel__reload" onClick={() => postJson("/api/reload", {})}>
-          Reload shader
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="button-with-icon stack-panel__reload"
+          onClick={() => postJson("/api/reload", {})}
+        >
+          <RefreshCw size={16} strokeWidth={1.9} aria-hidden="true" />
+          <span>Reload shader</span>
         </button>
       </div>
 
@@ -32,6 +39,7 @@ export function StackPresetToolbar({
             />
             <button
               type="button"
+              className="button-with-icon"
               disabled={!presetName.trim()}
               onClick={() => {
                 const trimmedName = presetName.trim();
@@ -44,7 +52,8 @@ export function StackPresetToolbar({
                 );
               }}
             >
-              Save
+              <Save size={16} strokeWidth={1.9} aria-hidden="true" />
+              <span>Save</span>
             </button>
           </div>
         </div>
@@ -66,6 +75,7 @@ export function StackPresetToolbar({
             </select>
             <button
               type="button"
+              className="button-with-icon"
               disabled={!selectedPresetName}
               onClick={() => {
                 if (selectedPresetName) {
@@ -73,7 +83,8 @@ export function StackPresetToolbar({
                 }
               }}
             >
-              Recall
+              <FolderOpen size={16} strokeWidth={1.9} aria-hidden="true" />
+              <span>Recall</span>
             </button>
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/ui/src/styles.css b/ui/src/styles.css
index b1c807a..b9732b9 100644
--- a/ui/src/styles.css
+++ b/ui/src/styles.css
@@ -156,6 +156,17 @@ button:active:not(:disabled) {
   transform: translateY(1px);
 }
 
+.button-with-icon {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 0.45rem;
+}
+
+.button-with-icon svg {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+}
+
 button:disabled,
 input:disabled,
 select:disabled {
@@ -746,7 +757,7 @@ pre {
 .shader-picker__list {
   display: grid;
   gap: 0.45rem;
-  max-height: 250px;
+  max-height: min(52vh, 520px);
   overflow-y: auto;
   padding: 0.5rem;
   border: 1px solid var(--app-border);
@@ -754,22 +765,22 @@ pre {
 }
 
 .shader-picker__option {
-  width: 100%;
   display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) auto;
   gap: 0.25rem;
+  align-items: center;
   min-height: 4.25rem;
   padding: 0.65rem 0.75rem;
+  border: 1px solid var(--app-border);
   text-align: left;
   background: #182232;
-  border-color: var(--app-border);
-  align-content: start;
   line-height: 1.25;
 }
 
-.shader-picker__option--selected {
-  background: #203b54;
-  border-color: var(--app-primary);
-  box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px var(--app-primary-soft);
+.shader-picker__option-copy {
+  display: grid;
+  gap: 0.25rem;
+  min-width: 0;
 }
 
 .shader-picker__option--unavailable {
@@ -778,16 +789,16 @@ pre {
   opacity: 1;
 }
 
-.shader-picker__option:disabled {
-  cursor: not-allowed;
-  opacity: 1;
-}
-
 .shader-picker__option--unavailable .shader-picker__name,
 .shader-picker__option--unavailable .shader-picker__meta {
   color: #ffd0cf;
 }
 
+.shader-picker__add {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+  margin-left: 0.5rem;
+}
+
 .shader-picker__name,
 .shader-picker__meta {
   min-width: 0;
@@ -1040,6 +1051,11 @@ pre {
   min-height: 36px;
 }
 
+.toggle svg {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+  color: var(--app-muted);
+}
+
 .toggle--compact {
   min-height: auto;
 }