diff --git a/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx b/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx
index 30ff83e..efd7d23 100644
--- a/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ import {
 } from "@/lib/chat/group-system-messages";
 import { UserName } from "./nostr/UserName";
 import { RichText } from "./nostr/RichText";
-import { ChatMediaRenderer } from "./chat/ChatMediaRenderer";
 import Timestamp from "./Timestamp";
 import { ReplyPreview } from "./chat/ReplyPreview";
 import { MembersDropdown } from "./chat/MembersDropdown";
@@ -459,11 +458,7 @@ const MessageItem = memo(function MessageItem({
         </div>
         <div className="break-words overflow-hidden">
           {message.event ? (
-            <RichText
-              className="text-sm leading-tight"
-              event={message.event}
-              renderMedia={ChatMediaRenderer}
-            >
+            <RichText className="text-sm leading-tight" event={message.event}>
               {message.replyTo && (
                 <ReplyPreview
                   replyTo={message.replyTo}
diff --git a/src/components/SettingsViewer.tsx b/src/components/SettingsViewer.tsx
index cc4eb85..ef596e4 100644
--- a/src/components/SettingsViewer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SettingsViewer.tsx
@@ -87,6 +87,27 @@ export function SettingsViewer() {
                   }
                 />
               </div>
+
+              <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-4">
+                <div className="space-y-0.5">
+                  <label
+                    htmlFor="load-media"
+                    className="text-base font-medium cursor-pointer"
+                  >
+                    Load media
+                  </label>
+                  <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    Render links to media as inline images, videos, and audio
+                  </p>
+                </div>
+                <Switch
+                  id="load-media"
+                  checked={settings?.appearance?.loadMedia ?? true}
+                  onCheckedChange={(checked: boolean) =>
+                    updateSetting("appearance", "loadMedia", checked)
+                  }
+                />
+              </div>
             </div>
           </TabsContent>
 
diff --git a/src/components/chat/ChatMediaRenderer.tsx b/src/components/nostr/CompactMediaRenderer.tsx
similarity index 79%
rename from src/components/chat/ChatMediaRenderer.tsx
rename to src/components/nostr/CompactMediaRenderer.tsx
index a835fcc..8fc04ae 100644
--- a/src/components/chat/ChatMediaRenderer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/nostr/CompactMediaRenderer.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /**
- * Chat-specific media renderer
+ * Compact media renderer for RichText
  *
  * Shows compact inline file info with expandable media:
  * [icon] truncated-hash [blossom]
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ function MediaIcon({ type }: { type: "image" | "video" | "audio" }) {
   }
 }
 
-export function ChatMediaRenderer({ url, type, imeta }: MediaRendererProps) {
+export function CompactMediaRenderer({ url, type, imeta }: MediaRendererProps) {
   const { addWindow } = useGrimoire();
   const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(false);
 
@@ -160,19 +160,43 @@ export function ChatMediaRenderer({ url, type, imeta }: MediaRendererProps) {
   }
 
   // Build tooltip content from imeta if available
+  // Format: "Field <value>" with field name and value side by side
   const tooltipContent = imeta ? (
-    <div className="space-y-0.5 text-xs">
-      {imeta.alt && <div className="font-medium">{imeta.alt}</div>}
-      {imeta.m && <div className="text-muted-foreground">{imeta.m}</div>}
-      {imeta.dim && <div className="text-muted-foreground">{imeta.dim}</div>}
+    <div className="space-y-1 text-xs">
+      {imeta.x && (
+        <div className="flex gap-2">
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground shrink-0">Hash</span>
+          <span className="font-mono truncate max-w-48">{imeta.x}</span>
+        </div>
+      )}
       {imeta.size && (
-        <div className="text-muted-foreground">
-          {formatFileSize(imeta.size)}
+        <div className="flex gap-2">
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground shrink-0">Size</span>
+          <span>{formatFileSize(imeta.size)}</span>
+        </div>
+      )}
+      {imeta.dim && (
+        <div className="flex gap-2">
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground shrink-0">Dimensions</span>
+          <span>{imeta.dim}</span>
+        </div>
+      )}
+      {imeta.m && (
+        <div className="flex gap-2">
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground shrink-0">Type</span>
+          <span>{imeta.m}</span>
         </div>
       )}
       {imeta.duration && (
-        <div className="text-muted-foreground">
-          {formatDuration(imeta.duration)}
+        <div className="flex gap-2">
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground shrink-0">Duration</span>
+          <span>{formatDuration(imeta.duration)}</span>
+        </div>
+      )}
+      {imeta.alt && (
+        <div className="flex gap-2">
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground shrink-0">Alt</span>
+          <span className="truncate max-w-48">{imeta.alt}</span>
         </div>
       )}
     </div>
diff --git a/src/components/nostr/RichText.tsx b/src/components/nostr/RichText.tsx
index 58436f5..74ec506 100644
--- a/src/components/nostr/RichText.tsx
+++ b/src/components/nostr/RichText.tsx
@@ -26,14 +26,6 @@ export interface MediaRendererProps {
   imeta?: ImetaEntry;
 }
 
-// Context for custom media rendering across RichText subtree
-const MediaRendererContext =
-  createContext<React.ComponentType<MediaRendererProps> | null>(null);
-
-export function useMediaRenderer() {
-  return useContext(MediaRendererContext);
-}
-
 // Context for passing the source event (for imeta lookup)
 const EventContext = createContext<NostrEvent | null>(null);
 
@@ -113,8 +105,6 @@ interface RichTextProps {
   options?: RichTextOptions;
   /** Parser options for customizing content parsing */
   parserOptions?: ParserOptions;
-  /** Custom media renderer for images, videos, and audio */
-  renderMedia?: React.ComponentType<MediaRendererProps>;
   children?: React.ReactNode;
 }
 
@@ -143,12 +133,8 @@ export function RichText({
   depth = 1,
   options = {},
   parserOptions = {},
-  renderMedia,
   children,
 }: RichTextProps) {
-  // Get parent media renderer to inherit if not explicitly overridden
-  const parentMediaRenderer = useMediaRenderer();
-
   // Merge provided options with defaults
   const mergedOptions: Required<RichTextOptions> = {
     ...defaultOptions,
@@ -194,19 +180,15 @@ export function RichText({
   return (
     <DepthContext.Provider value={depth}>
       <OptionsContext.Provider value={mergedOptions}>
-        <MediaRendererContext.Provider
-          value={renderMedia !== undefined ? renderMedia : parentMediaRenderer}
-        >
-          <EventContext.Provider value={event ?? null}>
-            <div
-              dir="auto"
-              className={cn("leading-relaxed break-words", className)}
-            >
-              {children}
-              {renderedContent}
-            </div>
-          </EventContext.Provider>
-        </MediaRendererContext.Provider>
+        <EventContext.Provider value={event ?? null}>
+          <div
+            dir="auto"
+            className={cn("leading-relaxed break-words", className)}
+          >
+            {children}
+            {renderedContent}
+          </div>
+        </EventContext.Provider>
       </OptionsContext.Provider>
     </DepthContext.Provider>
   );
diff --git a/src/components/nostr/RichText/Gallery.tsx b/src/components/nostr/RichText/Gallery.tsx
index d4441f0..67addc4 100644
--- a/src/components/nostr/RichText/Gallery.tsx
+++ b/src/components/nostr/RichText/Gallery.tsx
@@ -6,12 +6,10 @@ import {
 } from "applesauce-core/helpers/url";
 import { MediaDialog } from "../MediaDialog";
 import { MediaEmbed } from "../MediaEmbed";
-import {
-  useRichTextOptions,
-  useMediaRenderer,
-  useRichTextEvent,
-} from "../RichText";
+import { CompactMediaRenderer } from "../CompactMediaRenderer";
+import { useRichTextOptions, useRichTextEvent } from "../RichText";
 import { findImetaForUrl } from "@/lib/imeta";
+import { useSettings } from "@/hooks/useSettings";
 
 function MediaPlaceholder({
   type,
@@ -29,11 +27,14 @@ interface GalleryNodeProps {
 
 export function Gallery({ node }: GalleryNodeProps) {
   const options = useRichTextOptions();
-  const CustomMediaRenderer = useMediaRenderer();
   const event = useRichTextEvent();
+  const { settings } = useSettings();
   const [dialogOpen, setDialogOpen] = useState(false);
   const [initialIndex, setInitialIndex] = useState(0);
 
+  // Check global loadMedia setting
+  const loadMedia = settings?.appearance?.loadMedia ?? true;
+
   const links = node.links || [];
 
   const handleAudioClick = (index: number) => {
@@ -50,8 +51,8 @@ export function Gallery({ node }: GalleryNodeProps) {
 
     if (isImageURL(url)) {
       if (shouldShowMedia && options.showImages) {
-        if (CustomMediaRenderer) {
-          return <CustomMediaRenderer url={url} type="image" imeta={imeta} />;
+        if (!loadMedia) {
+          return <CompactMediaRenderer url={url} type="image" imeta={imeta} />;
         }
         return <MediaEmbed url={url} type="image" preset="grid" enableZoom />;
       }
@@ -59,8 +60,8 @@ export function Gallery({ node }: GalleryNodeProps) {
     }
     if (isVideoURL(url)) {
       if (shouldShowMedia && options.showVideos) {
-        if (CustomMediaRenderer) {
-          return <CustomMediaRenderer url={url} type="video" imeta={imeta} />;
+        if (!loadMedia) {
+          return <CompactMediaRenderer url={url} type="video" imeta={imeta} />;
         }
         return <MediaEmbed url={url} type="video" preset="grid" />;
       }
@@ -68,8 +69,8 @@ export function Gallery({ node }: GalleryNodeProps) {
     }
     if (isAudioURL(url)) {
       if (shouldShowMedia && options.showAudio) {
-        if (CustomMediaRenderer) {
-          return <CustomMediaRenderer url={url} type="audio" imeta={imeta} />;
+        if (!loadMedia) {
+          return <CompactMediaRenderer url={url} type="audio" imeta={imeta} />;
         }
         return (
           <MediaEmbed
diff --git a/src/components/nostr/RichText/Link.tsx b/src/components/nostr/RichText/Link.tsx
index a36e954..5fe66c6 100644
--- a/src/components/nostr/RichText/Link.tsx
+++ b/src/components/nostr/RichText/Link.tsx
@@ -7,12 +7,10 @@ import {
 import { MediaDialog } from "../MediaDialog";
 import { MediaEmbed } from "../MediaEmbed";
 import { PlainLink } from "../LinkPreview";
-import {
-  useRichTextOptions,
-  useMediaRenderer,
-  useRichTextEvent,
-} from "../RichText";
+import { CompactMediaRenderer } from "../CompactMediaRenderer";
+import { useRichTextOptions, useRichTextEvent } from "../RichText";
 import { findImetaForUrl } from "@/lib/imeta";
+import { useSettings } from "@/hooks/useSettings";
 
 function MediaPlaceholder({ type }: { type: "image" | "video" | "audio" }) {
   return <span className="text-muted-foreground">[{type}]</span>;
@@ -26,11 +24,14 @@ interface LinkNodeProps {
 
 export function Link({ node }: LinkNodeProps) {
   const options = useRichTextOptions();
-  const CustomMediaRenderer = useMediaRenderer();
   const event = useRichTextEvent();
+  const { settings } = useSettings();
   const [dialogOpen, setDialogOpen] = useState(false);
   const { href } = node;
 
+  // Check global loadMedia setting
+  const loadMedia = settings?.appearance?.loadMedia ?? true;
+
   // Look up imeta for this URL if event is available
   const imeta = event ? findImetaForUrl(event, href) : undefined;
 
@@ -44,8 +45,8 @@ export function Link({ node }: LinkNodeProps) {
   // Render appropriate link type
   if (isImageURL(href)) {
     if (shouldShowMedia && options.showImages) {
-      if (CustomMediaRenderer) {
-        return <CustomMediaRenderer url={href} type="image" imeta={imeta} />;
+      if (!loadMedia) {
+        return <CompactMediaRenderer url={href} type="image" imeta={imeta} />;
       }
       return (
         <MediaEmbed
@@ -62,8 +63,8 @@ export function Link({ node }: LinkNodeProps) {
 
   if (isVideoURL(href)) {
     if (shouldShowMedia && options.showVideos) {
-      if (CustomMediaRenderer) {
-        return <CustomMediaRenderer url={href} type="video" imeta={imeta} />;
+      if (!loadMedia) {
+        return <CompactMediaRenderer url={href} type="video" imeta={imeta} />;
       }
       return (
         <MediaEmbed
@@ -79,8 +80,8 @@ export function Link({ node }: LinkNodeProps) {
 
   if (isAudioURL(href)) {
     if (shouldShowMedia && options.showAudio) {
-      if (CustomMediaRenderer) {
-        return <CustomMediaRenderer url={href} type="audio" imeta={imeta} />;
+      if (!loadMedia) {
+        return <CompactMediaRenderer url={href} type="audio" imeta={imeta} />;
       }
       return (
         <>
diff --git a/src/services/settings.ts b/src/services/settings.ts
index 4effa8f..bc798c1 100644
--- a/src/services/settings.ts
+++ b/src/services/settings.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ export interface PostSettings {
 export interface AppearanceSettings {
   /** Show client tags in event UI */
   showClientTags: boolean;
+  /** Load media inline (images, videos, audio) - when false, show compact links */
+  loadMedia: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ const DEFAULT_POST_SETTINGS: PostSettings = {
 
 const DEFAULT_APPEARANCE_SETTINGS: AppearanceSettings = {
   showClientTags: true,
+  loadMedia: true,
 };
 
 export const DEFAULT_SETTINGS: AppSettings = {