diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/media_modal.tsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/media_modal.tsx
index 7ba2fb7b732..daa0aebeb3f 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/media_modal.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/media_modal.tsx
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ interface MediaModalProps {
   volume?: number;
 }
 
+const MIN_SWIPE_DISTANCE = 400;
+
 export const MediaModal: FC<MediaModalProps> = forwardRef<
   HTMLDivElement,
   MediaModalProps
@@ -69,21 +71,30 @@ export const MediaModal: FC<MediaModalProps> = forwardRef<
     const [zoomedIn, setZoomedIn] = useState(false);
     const currentMedia = media.get(index);
 
+    const [wrapperStyles, api] = useSpring(() => ({
+      x: `-${index * 100}%`,
+    }));
+
     const handleChangeIndex = useCallback(
-      (newIndex: number) => {
+      (newIndex: number, animate = false) => {
         if (newIndex < 0) {
           newIndex = media.size + newIndex;
+        } else if (newIndex >= media.size) {
+          newIndex = newIndex % media.size;
         }
-        setIndex(newIndex % media.size);
+        setIndex(newIndex);
         setZoomedIn(false);
+        if (animate) {
+          void api.start({ x: `-${newIndex * 100}%` });
+        }
       },
-      [media.size],
+      [api, media.size],
     );
     const handlePrevClick = useCallback(() => {
-      handleChangeIndex(index - 1);
+      handleChangeIndex(index - 1, true);
     }, [handleChangeIndex, index]);
     const handleNextClick = useCallback(() => {
-      handleChangeIndex(index + 1);
+      handleChangeIndex(index + 1, true);
     }, [handleChangeIndex, index]);
 
     const handleKeyDown = useCallback(
@@ -101,6 +112,25 @@ export const MediaModal: FC<MediaModalProps> = forwardRef<
       [handleNextClick, handlePrevClick],
     );
 
+    const bind = useDrag(
+      ({ active, movement: [mx], direction: [xDir], cancel }) => {
+        // If dragging and swipe distance is enough, change the index.
+        if (
+          active &&
+          Math.abs(mx) > Math.min(window.innerWidth / 4, MIN_SWIPE_DISTANCE)
+        ) {
+          handleChangeIndex(index - xDir);
+          cancel();
+        }
+        // Set the x position via calc to ensure proper centering regardless of screen size.
+        const x = active ? mx : 0;
+        void api.start({
+          x: `calc(-${index * 100}% + ${x}px)`,
+        });
+      },
+      { pointer: { capture: false } },
+    );
+
     useEffect(() => {
       window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown, false);
 
@@ -145,17 +175,6 @@ export const MediaModal: FC<MediaModalProps> = forwardRef<
       setZoomedIn((prev) => !prev);
     }, []);
 
-    const wrapperStyles = useSpring({
-      x: `-${index * 100}%`,
-    });
-    const bind = useDrag(
-      ({ swipe: [swipeX] }) => {
-        if (swipeX === 0) return;
-        handleChangeIndex(index + swipeX * -1); // Invert swipe as swiping left loads the next slide.
-      },
-      { pointer: { capture: false } },
-    );
-
     const [navigationHidden, setNavigationHidden] = useState(false);
     const handleToggleNavigation = useCallback(() => {
       setNavigationHidden((prev) => !prev);