diff --git a/__tests__/integration/components/BrowseFiles.test.tsx b/__tests__/integration/components/BrowseFiles.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d53b980b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/integration/components/BrowseFiles.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import React from 'react'
+import { fireEvent, render, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react-native'
+import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from '@tanstack/react-query'
+import BrowseScreen from '@/app/browse'
+import { ThemeProvider } from '@/contexts/ThemeContext'
+
+// The Explorer lists directories (navigable) and files (view-only). Files must
+// render but never navigate — tapping one leaves the current directory intact.
+
+jest.mock('expo-router', () => ({
+  useRouter: () => ({ push: jest.fn(), replace: jest.fn(), back: jest.fn(), navigate: jest.fn() }),
+  useLocalSearchParams: () => ({ server: 'srv_alpha' }),
+  useGlobalSearchParams: () => ({}),
+  useNavigation: () => ({ setOptions: jest.fn(), addListener: jest.fn(() => jest.fn()) }),
+  useSegments: () => [],
+  router: { push: jest.fn(), replace: jest.fn(), back: jest.fn() },
+  Redirect: () => null,
+  Link: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => children,
+  Stack: { Screen: () => null },
+  Tabs: { Screen: () => null },
+}))
+
+jest.mock('react-native-gesture-handler', () => {
+  const ReactLib = require('react')
+  const { View } = require('react-native')
+  const noop: any = {
+    activeOffsetX: () => noop,
+    failOffsetY: () => noop,
+    hitSlop: () => noop,
+    onEnd: () => noop,
+  }
+  return {
+    Gesture: { Pan: () => noop },
+    GestureDetector: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) =>
+      ReactLib.createElement(View, {}, children),
+  }
+})
+
+jest.mock('react-native-reanimated', () => ({
+  runOnJS: (fn: unknown) => fn,
+}))
+
+jest.mock('@/hooks/useBrowse', () => ({
+  useBrowse: () => ({
+    data: { path: '', directories: [{ name: 'src' }], files: [{ name: 'README.md' }] },
+    isLoading: false,
+    isError: false,
+    error: null,
+  }),
+  useCreateDirectory: () => ({ mutate: jest.fn(), isPending: false }),
+}))
+
+jest.mock('@/hooks/useSession', () => ({
+  useSessions: () => ({ data: [], refetch: jest.fn(), isPending: false }),
+}))
+
+async function renderScreen() {
+  const qc = new QueryClient({
+    defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false }, mutations: { retry: false } },
+  })
+  return await render(
+    <ThemeProvider>
+      <QueryClientProvider client={qc}>
+        <BrowseScreen />
+      </QueryClientProvider>
+    </ThemeProvider>,
+  )
+}
+
+describe('BrowseScreen — files in the Explorer', () => {
+  it('renders both directories and files', async () => {
+    const { getByTestId, getByText } = await renderScreen()
+    expect(getByTestId('browse-first-directory')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(getByTestId('browse-file-README.md')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(getByText('README.md')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('navigates into a directory when its row is tapped', async () => {
+    const { getByTestId } = await renderScreen()
+    fireEvent.press(getByTestId('browse-first-directory'))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(getByTestId('browse-cwd-src')).toBeTruthy())
+  })
+
+  it('does not navigate when a file row is tapped', async () => {
+    const { getByTestId } = await renderScreen()
+    fireEvent.press(getByTestId('browse-file-README.md'))
+    // cwd is unchanged — the file is view-only, not selectable.
+    expect(getByTestId('browse-cwd-~')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/app/browse.tsx b/app/browse.tsx
index 493b9bfb..4e3a97cc 100644
--- a/app/browse.tsx
+++ b/app/browse.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { Gesture, GestureDetector } from 'react-native-gesture-handler'
 import { runOnJS } from 'react-native-reanimated'
 import { FlashList } from '@shopify/flash-list'
 import { SafeAreaView } from 'react-native-safe-area-context'
-import { CaretDown, CaretRight, ClockCounterClockwise } from 'phosphor-react-native'
+import { CaretDown, CaretRight, ClockCounterClockwise, File, Folder } from 'phosphor-react-native'
 import { useBrowse, useCreateDirectory } from '@/hooks/useBrowse'
 import { useSessions } from '@/hooks/useSession'
 import { SkeletonBox } from '@/components/ui/Skeleton'
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ import { findProviderHealth } from '@/types/provider-health'
 const MAX_RECENT_DIRS = 8
 const PREVIEW_RECENT_DIRS = 3
 
+type BrowseRow = { kind: 'dir' | 'file'; name: string }
+
 export default function BrowseScreen() {
   const theme = useTheme()
   const isGlass = useIsGlass()
@@ -255,7 +257,18 @@ export default function BrowseScreen() {
   )
 
   const renderItem = useCallback(
-    ({ item, index }: { item: { name: string }; index: number }) => {
+    ({ item, index }: { item: BrowseRow; index: number }) => {
+      // Files are view-only: a plain row with no press handler and no chevron.
+      if (item.kind === 'file') {
+        return (
+          <View style={styles.row} testID={`browse-file-${item.name}`}>
+            <File size={20} color={theme.text.secondary} style={styles.rowIcon} />
+            <Text style={[styles.dirName, styles.fileName]} numberOfLines={1}>
+              {item.name}
+            </Text>
+          </View>
+        )
+      }
       const childPath = currentPath ? `${currentPath}/${item.name}` : item.name
       return (
         <TouchableOpacity
@@ -265,7 +278,7 @@ export default function BrowseScreen() {
           }}
           testID={index === 0 ? "browse-first-directory" : undefined}
         >
-          <Text style={styles.folderIcon}>📁</Text>
+          <Folder size={20} color={theme.text.accent} weight="fill" style={styles.rowIcon} />
           <Text style={styles.dirName} numberOfLines={1}>
             {item.name}
           </Text>
@@ -273,9 +286,17 @@ export default function BrowseScreen() {
         </TouchableOpacity>
       )
     },
-    [currentPath, navigateTo, styles],
+    [currentPath, navigateTo, styles, theme],
   )
 
+  // Directories first (navigable), then files (view-only). Both arrive
+  // server-sorted; older servers omit `files`, so it coalesces to empty.
+  const rows = useMemo<BrowseRow[]>(() => {
+    const dirs = (data?.directories ?? []).map((d) => ({ kind: 'dir' as const, name: d.name }))
+    const files = (data?.files ?? []).map((f) => ({ kind: 'file' as const, name: f.name }))
+    return [...dirs, ...files]
+  }, [data])
+
   const isBrowseNotConfigured = isError && (
     (error instanceof NetworkError && error.code === 'BROWSE_ROOT_NOT_SET') ||
     error?.message?.includes('not configured')
@@ -389,13 +410,13 @@ export default function BrowseScreen() {
             title="Unable to load directories"
             subtitle={error instanceof Error && error.message ? error.message : 'Unknown error'}
           />
-        ) : data?.directories.length === 0 ? (
-          <EmptyState title="Empty directory" subtitle="No subdirectories here." />
+        ) : rows.length === 0 ? (
+          <EmptyState title="Empty directory" subtitle="No files or folders here." />
         ) : (
           <FlashList
-            data={data?.directories ?? []}
+            data={rows}
             renderItem={renderItem}
-            keyExtractor={(item) => item.name}
+            keyExtractor={(item) => `${item.kind}:${item.name}`}
           />
         )}
       </View>
@@ -677,8 +698,7 @@ function makeStyles(theme: Theme) {
     borderBottomWidth: StyleSheet.hairlineWidth,
     borderBottomColor: theme.border,
   },
-  folderIcon: {
-    fontSize: 20,
+  rowIcon: {
     marginRight: spacing.md,
   },
   dirName: {
@@ -686,6 +706,9 @@ function makeStyles(theme: Theme) {
     color: theme.text.primary,
     fontSize: font.base,
   },
+  fileName: {
+    color: theme.text.secondary,
+  },
   chevron: {
     color: theme.text.secondary,
     fontSize: font.xl,
diff --git a/types/api.ts b/types/api.ts
index dde24639..c523a196 100644
--- a/types/api.ts
+++ b/types/api.ts
@@ -396,6 +396,9 @@ export interface PushRegisterPayload {
 export interface BrowseResponse {
   path: string
   directories: { name: string }[]
+  // Optional so older servers (directories-only) still typecheck; the browse
+  // UI renders these read-only, they are not selectable.
+  files?: { name: string }[]
 }
 
 export interface MkdirResponse {