diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel+Extensions.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel+Extensions.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..20e62008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel+Extensions.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// ChatViewModel+Extensions.swift
+// bitchat
+//
+// Deprecated helper. No longer needed after MessageHeaderLine simplification.
+// Intentionally left empty to avoid accessing private properties across files.
+
+// This file remains as a placeholder to preserve project references if any.
diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel+Images.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel+Images.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..226b2643
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel+Images.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// ChatViewModel+Images.swift
+// bitchat
+//
+// Extracted image sending helpers to keep ChatViewModel compact.
+//
+// This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.
+// For more information, see <https://unlicense.org>
+//
+
+import Foundation
+#if os(iOS)
+import UIKit
+#endif
+
+extension ChatViewModel {
+    // MARK: - Images (Send)
+    #if os(iOS)
+    @MainActor
+    func sendImage(_ image: UIImage) {
+        // Downscale on long edge to 512px with 85% JPEG quality (Android parity)
+        guard let data = downscaleJPEG(image, maxDimension: 512, quality: 0.85) else { return }
+
+        // Persist to app files (outgoing)
+        guard let fileURL = saveOutgoingImage(data: data) else { return }
+
+        let name = fileURL.lastPathComponent
+        let mime = "image/jpeg"
+        let tlv = BitchatFilePacket(fileName: name, fileSize: UInt64(data.count), mimeType: mime, content: data)
+        guard let payload = tlv.encode() else { return }
+        let transferId = payload.sha256Hex()
+
+        let contentMarker = "[image] \(fileURL.path)"
+        let now = Date()
+
+        if let peer = selectedPrivateChatPeer {
+            let messageID = UUID().uuidString
+            let msg = BitchatMessage(
+                id: messageID,
+                sender: nickname,
+                content: contentMarker,
+                timestamp: now,
+                isRelay: false,
+                originalSender: nil,
+                isPrivate: true,
+                recipientNickname: meshService.peerNickname(peerID: peer),
+                senderPeerID: meshService.myPeerID,
+                mentions: nil,
+                deliveryStatus: .sending
+            )
+            // appendToPrivateChat is private in ChatViewModel; inline minimal append
+            var arr = privateChats[peer] ?? []
+            arr.append(msg)
+            privateChats[peer] = arr
+            objectWillChange.send()
+            meshService.sendFileTransferTLV(payload, recipientPeerID: peer, transferId: transferId, messageID: messageID)
+        } else {
+            let messageID = UUID().uuidString
+            let msg = BitchatMessage(
+                id: messageID,
+                sender: nickname,
+                content: contentMarker,
+                timestamp: now,
+                isRelay: false,
+                originalSender: nil,
+                isPrivate: false,
+                recipientNickname: nil,
+                senderPeerID: meshService.myPeerID,
+                mentions: nil,
+                deliveryStatus: .sending
+            )
+            // public buffer helpers are private; append directly to visible messages
+            messages.append(msg)
+            meshService.sendFileTransferTLV(payload, recipientPeerID: nil, transferId: transferId, messageID: messageID)
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Downscale without cropping; preserves aspect ratio. Long edge == maxDimension.
+    internal func downscaleJPEG(_ image: UIImage, maxDimension: CGFloat, quality: CGFloat) -> Data? {
+        let size = image.size
+        guard size.width > 0 && size.height > 0 else { return image.jpegData(compressionQuality: quality) }
+        let maxSide = max(size.width, size.height)
+        let scale = min(1.0, maxDimension / maxSide)
+        let target = CGSize(width: floor(size.width * scale), height: floor(size.height * scale))
+
+        let rendererFormat = UIGraphicsImageRendererFormat.default()
+        rendererFormat.scale = 1
+        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: target, format: rendererFormat)
+        let scaled = renderer.image { _ in
+            image.draw(in: CGRect(origin: .zero, size: target))
+        }
+        return scaled.jpegData(compressionQuality: quality)
+    }
+
+    internal func saveOutgoingImage(data: Data) -> URL? {
+        do {
+            let fm = FileManager.default
+            let base = try fm.url(for: .applicationSupportDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: true)
+            let folder = base.appendingPathComponent("bitchat_images/outgoing", isDirectory: true)
+            if !fm.fileExists(atPath: folder.path) {
+                try fm.createDirectory(at: folder, withIntermediateDirectories: true)
+            }
+            let ts = Int(Date().timeIntervalSince1970)
+            let fileURL = folder.appendingPathComponent("img_\(ts)_\(UUID().uuidString.prefix(8)).jpg")
+            try data.write(to: fileURL, options: .atomic)
+            return fileURL
+        } catch {
+            // Avoid BitLogger dependency in this small extension
+            print("❌ Failed to save outgoing image: \(error)")
+            return nil
+        }
+    }
+    #endif
+}
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/ImageMessageRow.swift b/bitchat/Views/ImageMessageRow.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19116014
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitchat/Views/ImageMessageRow.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+// ImageMessageRow.swift
+// bitchat
+//
+// Renders an image message bubble with rounded corners and optional delivery status.
+//
+// This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.
+// For more information, see <https://unlicense.org>
+//
+
+import SwiftUI
+#if os(iOS)
+import UIKit
+#endif
+
+struct ImageMessageRow: View {
+    let path: String
+    let message: BitchatMessage
+    @Environment(\.colorScheme) var colorScheme
+    @EnvironmentObject var viewModel: ChatViewModel
+
+    var body: some View {
+        #if os(iOS)
+        if let uiImage = UIImage(contentsOfFile: path) {
+            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 4) {
+                Image(uiImage: uiImage)
+                    .resizable()
+                    .aspectRatio(contentMode: .fit)
+                    .frame(maxWidth: 200, maxHeight: 200)
+                    .clipShape(RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12))
+                    .shadow(radius: 2)
+                if message.isPrivate && message.sender == viewModel.nickname,
+                   let status = message.deliveryStatus {
+                    DeliveryStatusView(status: status, colorScheme: colorScheme)
+                }
+            }
+            .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+        } else {
+            Text("⚠️ Image unavailable")
+                .font(.system(size: 14, design: .monospaced))
+                .foregroundColor(.secondary)
+                .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+        }
+        #else
+        Text("📷 Image: \(path)")
+            .font(.system(size: 14, design: .monospaced))
+            .foregroundColor(colorScheme == .dark ? .green : Color(red: 0, green: 0.5, blue: 0))
+            .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+        #endif
+    }
+}
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/MessageHeaderLine.swift b/bitchat/Views/MessageHeaderLine.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5080a28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitchat/Views/MessageHeaderLine.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+// MessageHeaderLine.swift
+// bitchat
+//
+// Renders a header like normal messages: "<@nickname> [HH:mm:ss]"
+// Used above media rows (images, audio) to match text message style.
+//
+// This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.
+// For more information, see <https://unlicense.org>
+//
+
+import SwiftUI
+
+struct MessageHeaderLine: View {
+    @EnvironmentObject var viewModel: ChatViewModel
+    @Environment(\.colorScheme) var colorScheme
+    let message: BitchatMessage
+
+    var body: some View {
+        Text(formattedHeader())
+            .fixedSize(horizontal: false, vertical: true)
+            .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+            .padding(.bottom, 2)
+    }
+
+    private func formattedHeader() -> AttributedString {
+        var result = AttributedString()
+        let isDark = colorScheme == .dark
+        let baseColor = viewModel.peerColor(for: message, isDark: isDark)
+
+        // Determine self to bold our own name
+        let isSelf: Bool = {
+            if let spid = message.senderPeerID {
+                return spid == viewModel.meshService.myPeerID
+            }
+            return message.sender == viewModel.nickname || message.sender.hasPrefix(viewModel.nickname + "#")
+        }()
+
+        // Split suffix like name#abcd
+        let (base, suffix) = message.sender.splitSuffix()
+
+        var senderStyle = AttributeContainer()
+        senderStyle.foregroundColor = baseColor
+        senderStyle.font = .system(size: 14, weight: isSelf ? .bold : .medium, design: .monospaced)
+        if let spid = message.senderPeerID,
+           let url = URL(string: "bitchat://user/\(spid.addingPercentEncoding(withAllowedCharacters: .urlPathAllowed) ?? spid)") {
+            senderStyle.link = url
+        }
+
+        // "<@"
+        result.append(AttributedString("<@").mergingAttributes(senderStyle))
+        // base name
+        result.append(AttributedString(base).mergingAttributes(senderStyle))
+        // optional suffix with lighter color
+        if !suffix.isEmpty {
+            var suf = senderStyle
+            suf.foregroundColor = baseColor.opacity(0.6)
+            result.append(AttributedString(suffix).mergingAttributes(suf))
+        }
+        // Close angle without adding content or ">"
+        result.append(AttributedString("> ").mergingAttributes(senderStyle))
+
+        // Timestamp like normal messages
+        let ts = AttributedString("[\(message.formattedTimestamp)]")
+        var tsStyle = AttributeContainer()
+        tsStyle.foregroundColor = Color.gray.opacity(0.7)
+        tsStyle.font = .system(size: 10, design: .monospaced)
+        result.append(ts.mergingAttributes(tsStyle))
+
+        return result
+    }
+}