diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4b3fe6a..3544db4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -295,9 +295,9 @@ close · `SUPER+1..9` workspaces · `Print` region screenshot.
     `nomarchy-menu` dispatcher: root picker (no args) · `power`
     (lock/logout/suspend/hibernate/reboot/shutdown, SUPER+X) ·
     `theme` (SUPER+T) · `clipboard` (cliphist, SUPER+CTRL+V) · `calc`
-    (rofi-calc, live, SUPER+CTRL+C) · `files` (rofi-file-browser, live
-    navigation, SUPER+CTRL+F) · `emoji` (rofi-emoji, SUPER+CTRL+E) ·
-    `web` (Google). SUPER+D is `rofi -show drun`.
+    (rofi-calc, live, SUPER+CTRL+C) · `files` (fd → xdg-open,
+    SUPER+CTRL+F) · `emoji` (rofi-emoji, SUPER+CTRL+E) · `web` (Google).
+    SUPER+D is `rofi -show drun`.
   - ✓ shipped modules: `network` (nmtui in `$TERMINAL`) · `bluetooth`
     (blueman-manager) · `capture` (grim/slurp submenu: region/full →
     clipboard/file, saved to `~/Pictures/Screenshots`) · `keybinds` (the
@@ -326,11 +326,12 @@ close · `SUPER+1..9` workspaces · `Print` region screenshot.
   - **calc** → **rofi-calc**: live results as you type via libqalculate
     directly (dodging the qalc-CLI "of" bug), Enter copies, menu persists
     to chain calculations.
-  - **files** → **rofi-file-browser-extended**: live directory navigation
-    (Backspace to ascend, toggle hidden) opening with xdg-open, replacing
-    the flat `fd` dump of `$HOME`. yazi (SUPER+E) stays the power browser.
   - **emoji** → **rofi-emoji** (new module, SUPER+CTRL+E): glyph picker,
     copies via the plugin's Wayland clipboard adapter.
+  - **files** stays the hand-rolled `fd` → `rofi -dmenu` → xdg-open fuzzy
+    search: rofi-file-browser-extended was tried and dropped — its
+    navigate-a-tree model felt worse than flat fuzzy-find for a quick
+    launcher, and yazi (SUPER+E) already covers real browsing.
 - **More menu modules from rofi tools:** the script-based counterparts
   (run via `rofi -dmenu`, like the hand-rolled modules), each a deliberate
   replacement of an existing flow: **rofi-network-manager** (a keyboard
diff --git a/modules/home/keybinds.nix b/modules/home/keybinds.nix
index 54b610a..7b60b1c 100644
--- a/modules/home/keybinds.nix
+++ b/modules/home/keybinds.nix
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "V";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu clipboard"; desc = "Clipboard history"; }
     { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "C";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu calc";      desc = "Calculator"; }
     { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "W";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu web";       desc = "Web search"; }
-    { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "F";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu files";     desc = "File browser"; }
+    { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "F";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu files";     desc = "File search"; }
     { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "E";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu emoji";     desc = "Emoji picker"; }
     { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "N";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu network";   desc = "Network (nmtui)"; }
     { mods = "$mod CTRL";   key = "B";      action = "exec, nomarchy-menu bluetooth"; desc = "Bluetooth"; }
diff --git a/modules/home/rofi.nix b/modules/home/rofi.nix
index 37d759c..39b5f0d 100644
--- a/modules/home/rofi.nix
+++ b/modules/home/rofi.nix
@@ -108,13 +108,11 @@ let
           -calc-command "echo -n '{result}' | wl-copy" ;;
 
       files)
-        # Live file browser (rofi-file-browser-extended): navigate into
-        # directories, go up with Backspace, toggle hidden files with the
-        # rofi custom key, and open the selection with xdg-open. Starts in
-        # $HOME. The keyboard-heavy TUI flagship for real work is yazi
-        # (SUPER+E); this is the quick launcher path.
-        exec rofi -show file-browser-extended -modi file-browser-extended \
-          -file-browser-dir "$HOME" -file-browser-cmd xdg-open ;;
+        sel=$(fd . "$HOME" --type f --hidden --exclude .git --exclude .cache 2>/dev/null \
+          | head -n 50000 \
+          | sed "s|^$HOME/||" \
+          | rofi -dmenu -p file) || exit 0
+        [ -n "$sel" ] && exec xdg-open "$HOME/$sel" ;;
 
       emoji)
         # Emoji / symbol picker (rofi-emoji). The default action copies the
@@ -217,7 +215,8 @@ in
   config = lib.mkIf cfg.rofi.enable {
     home.packages = [
       nomarchy-menu
-      pkgs.xdg-utils    # xdg-open for the web + file-browser modules
+      pkgs.fd           # files module (fuzzy search over $HOME)
+      pkgs.xdg-utils    # xdg-open for the files + web modules
       pkgs.nodejs       # npx, for the Ask Claude module (claude-code from npm)
     ];
 
@@ -226,11 +225,11 @@ in
       terminal = cfg.terminal;
       font = "${t.fonts.ui} 12";
 
-      # Native rofi modi backing three menu modules: calc (live, via
-      # libqalculate — no qalc CLI needed), emoji (glyph picker, copies via
-      # its bundled Wayland adapter), file-browser (live navigation). All
-      # render through the generated/whole-swap theme like every other modi.
-      plugins = [ pkgs.rofi-calc pkgs.rofi-emoji pkgs.rofi-file-browser ];
+      # Native rofi modi backing two menu modules: calc (live, via
+      # libqalculate — no qalc CLI needed) and emoji (glyph picker, copies
+      # via its bundled Wayland adapter). Both render through the
+      # generated/whole-swap theme like every other modi.
+      plugins = [ pkgs.rofi-calc pkgs.rofi-emoji ];
 
       extraConfig = {
         modi = "drun,run";