diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/ImageEmbed.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/ImageEmbed.tsx
index 4ed17230e5..12e339f0a1 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/ImageEmbed.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/ImageEmbed.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import {InteractionManager, View} from 'react-native'
+import React from 'react'
+import {View} from 'react-native'
 import {
   type AnimatedRef,
   measure,
@@ -26,13 +27,25 @@ export function ImageEmbed({
   const {openLightbox} = useLightboxControls()
   const {images} = embed.view
 
+  const items = React.useMemo(
+    () =>
+      images.map(img => ({
+        uri: img.fullsize,
+        thumbUri: img.thumb,
+        alt: img.alt,
+        dimensions: img.aspectRatio ?? null,
+      })),
+    [images],
+  )
+
+  // Prefetch full-size images on component mount for better responsiveness
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (images.length > 0) {
+      Image.prefetch(items.map(i => i.uri))
+    }
+  }, [items, images.length])
+
   if (images.length > 0) {
-    const items = images.map(img => ({
-      uri: img.fullsize,
-      thumbUri: img.thumb,
-      alt: img.alt,
-      dimensions: img.aspectRatio ?? null,
-    }))
     const _openLightbox = (
       index: number,
       thumbRects: (MeasuredDimensions | null)[],
@@ -63,9 +76,8 @@ export function ImageEmbed({
       })()
     }
     const onPressIn = (_: number) => {
-      InteractionManager.runAfterInteractions(() => {
-        Image.prefetch(items.map(i => i.uri))
-      })
+      // Remove InteractionManager to eliminate delay and prefetch immediately
+      Image.prefetch(items.map(i => i.uri))
     }
 
     if (images.length === 1) {
diff --git a/src/view/com/lightbox/ImageViewing/index.tsx b/src/view/com/lightbox/ImageViewing/index.tsx
index bb3c39f594..e7a9a6a775 100644
--- a/src/view/com/lightbox/ImageViewing/index.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/lightbox/ImageViewing/index.tsx
@@ -57,12 +57,6 @@ type Rect = {x: number; y: number; width: number; height: number}
 const PORTRAIT_UP = ScreenOrientation.OrientationLock.PORTRAIT_UP
 const PIXEL_RATIO = PixelRatio.get()
 
-const SLOW_SPRING: WithSpringConfig = {
-  mass: isIOS ? 1.25 : 0.75,
-  damping: 300,
-  stiffness: 800,
-  restDisplacementThreshold: 0.01,
-}
 const FAST_SPRING: WithSpringConfig = {
   mass: isIOS ? 1.25 : 0.75,
   damping: 150,
@@ -112,14 +106,14 @@ export default function ImageViewRoot({
     // https://github.com/software-mansion/react-native-reanimated/issues/6677
     rAF_FIXED(() => {
       openProgress.set(() =>
-        isAnimated ? withClampedSpring(1, SLOW_SPRING) : 1,
+        isAnimated ? withClampedSpring(1, FAST_SPRING) : 1,
       )
     })
     return () => {
       // https://github.com/software-mansion/react-native-reanimated/issues/6677
       rAF_FIXED(() => {
         openProgress.set(() =>
-          isAnimated ? withClampedSpring(0, SLOW_SPRING) : 0,
+          isAnimated ? withClampedSpring(0, FAST_SPRING) : 0,
         )
       })
     }