diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js
index 868fe841..4bcaa9e1 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js
@@ -1697,7 +1697,7 @@ document.addEventListener('touchstart', e => {
     touchStartY = e.changedTouches[0].screenY;
     touchMoved = false;
 
-    activeTouchButton = e.target.closest('button, input');
+    activeTouchButton = e.target.closest('button, input, textarea');
     if (activeTouchButton) {
         activeTouchButton.classList.add('is-pressed');
     }
@@ -1728,8 +1728,8 @@ document.addEventListener('touchend', e => {
         activeTouchButton.classList.remove('is-pressed');
 
         if (!touchMoved) {
-            if (activeTouchButton.tagName !== 'INPUT') {
-                if (document.activeElement && document.activeElement.tagName === 'INPUT') {
+            if (activeTouchButton.tagName !== 'INPUT' && activeTouchButton.tagName !== 'TEXTAREA') {
+                if (document.activeElement && document.activeElement.tagName === 'INPUT' && document.activeElement.tagName === 'TEXTAREA') {
                     document.activeElement.blur();
                 }
                 
@@ -1836,6 +1836,8 @@ async function renderDms(res) {
 
 var currentDmId = null;
 var currentDmKey = null; // AES key for encrypting/decrypting messages
+var dmUsernameCache = {};
+var dmPfpCache = {};
 
 async function openDm(dmId, username, targetId) {
     try {
@@ -1939,10 +1941,16 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
             let authorName = "Unknown";
             let pfp = "assets/default_avatar.png";
             if (msg.author !== "0") {
-                let fullUsername = await fetchAsync(`${url}/idtoname?id=${msg.author}`);
-                if (fullUsername && !fullUsername.startsWith("error:")) {
-                    authorName = fullUsername.split(':')[0];
-                    pfp = await getAvatarUrl(msg.author, fullUsername);
+                if (!dmUsernameCache[msg.author]) {
+                    let fullUsername = await fetchAsync(`${url}/idtoname?id=${msg.author}`);
+                    if (fullUsername && !fullUsername.startsWith("error:")) {
+                        dmUsernameCache[msg.author] = fullUsername;
+                        dmPfpCache[msg.author] = await getAvatarUrl(msg.author, fullUsername);
+                    }
+                }
+                if (dmUsernameCache[msg.author]) {
+                    authorName = dmUsernameCache[msg.author].split(':')[0];
+                    pfp = dmPfpCache[msg.author];
                 }
             }
             
@@ -1953,7 +1961,7 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
             
             html += `
             <div class="chat-message ${extraClass}">
-                <img src="${showAvatar ? pfp : 'data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs='}" class="chat-message-pfp">
+                ${showAvatar ? `<img src="${pfp}" class="chat-message-pfp">` : `<div style="width: 2.5rem; flex-shrink: 0;"></div>`}
                 <div class="chat-message-content">
                     ${showAvatar ? `<div class="chat-message-header">
                         <span class="chat-message-author">${authorName}</span>
@@ -1966,8 +1974,21 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
         }
     }
     
+    const rem = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(document.documentElement).fontSize);
+    let wasAtBottom = (container.scrollHeight - container.scrollTop - container.clientHeight) < (1.5 * rem);
+    if (window.forceScrollToBottom) {
+        wasAtBottom = true;
+        window.forceScrollToBottom = false;
+    }
+    let oldScrollTop = container.scrollTop;
+    
     container.innerHTML = html;
-    container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
+    
+    if (wasAtBottom) {
+        container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
+    } else {
+        container.scrollTop = oldScrollTop;
+    }
 }
 
 async function sendMessage() {
@@ -1988,6 +2009,9 @@ async function sendMessage() {
         };
         
         input.value = "";
+        input.style.height = '2.5rem';
+        
+        window.forceScrollToBottom = true;
         
         let res = await fetchEncrypted("dm/message/send", JSON.stringify(msgPayload));
         if (res && res.startsWith("error:")) {
@@ -2001,6 +2025,16 @@ async function sendMessage() {
     }
 }
 
+function handleChatInputResize(textarea) {
+    const rem = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(document.documentElement).fontSize);
+    textarea.style.transition = 'none';
+    textarea.style.height = '0rem';
+    let borderHeight = textarea.offsetHeight - textarea.clientHeight;
+    textarea.style.height = ((textarea.scrollHeight + borderHeight) / rem) + 'rem';
+    textarea.offsetHeight; // force reflow
+    textarea.style.transition = '';
+}
+
 function handleChatInputKey(event) {
     if (event.key === "Enter" && !event.shiftKey) {
         const isMobile = /Android|webOS|iPhone|iPad|iPod|BlackBerry|IEMobile|Opera Mini/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js
index bdd58c06..3e16f55f 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ var chatScreen = `
     <div id="chat-messages" style="flex-grow: 1; overflow-y: auto; padding: 1rem; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0.5rem;">
     </div>
     <div style="padding: 1rem; border-top: var(--border-width) solid var(--light-border-color); display: flex; gap: 0.5rem;">
-        <textarea id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0; resize: none; min-height: 2.5rem; max-height: 8rem; padding: 0.5rem;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}" onkeydown="handleChatInputKey(event)"></textarea>
+        <textarea id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0; resize: none; min-height: 2.5rem; max-height: 8rem; padding: 0.5rem;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}" onkeydown="handleChatInputKey(event)" oninput="handleChatInputResize(this)"></textarea>
         <button class="submit-button" onclick="sendMessage()" style="margin: 0; padding: 0; aspect-ratio: 1;">
                 <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="-0.9 -0.5 15.6 16" fill="none" width="1.5rem">
                     <path stroke="var(--main-bg-color)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="m3.75 7.5 -1.875 5.625 11.25 -5.625L1.875 1.875l1.875 5.625zm0 0h3.75" stroke-width="1.1"></path>
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css
index e35b6183..6e974cd7 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css
@@ -630,13 +630,10 @@ space{
 .chat-message-pfp {
     width: 2.5rem;
     height: 2.5rem;
-    border-radius: 0.6rem;
+    border-radius: 0.65rem;
     object-fit: cover;
     flex-shrink: 0;
-    opacity: 0; /* hidden by default for consecutive messages */
-}
-.chat-message.with-avatar .chat-message-pfp {
-    opacity: 1;
+    border: var(--border-width) solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
 }
 .chat-message-content {
     display: flex;
@@ -664,6 +661,7 @@ space{
 .chat-message-text {
     line-height: 1.4;
     word-break: break-word;
+    white-space: pre-wrap;
 }
 
 @media (hover: hover) {
diff --git a/webroot/main.js b/webroot/main.js
index 868fe841..4bcaa9e1 100644
--- a/webroot/main.js
+++ b/webroot/main.js
@@ -1697,7 +1697,7 @@ document.addEventListener('touchstart', e => {
     touchStartY = e.changedTouches[0].screenY;
     touchMoved = false;
 
-    activeTouchButton = e.target.closest('button, input');
+    activeTouchButton = e.target.closest('button, input, textarea');
     if (activeTouchButton) {
         activeTouchButton.classList.add('is-pressed');
     }
@@ -1728,8 +1728,8 @@ document.addEventListener('touchend', e => {
         activeTouchButton.classList.remove('is-pressed');
 
         if (!touchMoved) {
-            if (activeTouchButton.tagName !== 'INPUT') {
-                if (document.activeElement && document.activeElement.tagName === 'INPUT') {
+            if (activeTouchButton.tagName !== 'INPUT' && activeTouchButton.tagName !== 'TEXTAREA') {
+                if (document.activeElement && document.activeElement.tagName === 'INPUT' && document.activeElement.tagName === 'TEXTAREA') {
                     document.activeElement.blur();
                 }
                 
@@ -1836,6 +1836,8 @@ async function renderDms(res) {
 
 var currentDmId = null;
 var currentDmKey = null; // AES key for encrypting/decrypting messages
+var dmUsernameCache = {};
+var dmPfpCache = {};
 
 async function openDm(dmId, username, targetId) {
     try {
@@ -1939,10 +1941,16 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
             let authorName = "Unknown";
             let pfp = "assets/default_avatar.png";
             if (msg.author !== "0") {
-                let fullUsername = await fetchAsync(`${url}/idtoname?id=${msg.author}`);
-                if (fullUsername && !fullUsername.startsWith("error:")) {
-                    authorName = fullUsername.split(':')[0];
-                    pfp = await getAvatarUrl(msg.author, fullUsername);
+                if (!dmUsernameCache[msg.author]) {
+                    let fullUsername = await fetchAsync(`${url}/idtoname?id=${msg.author}`);
+                    if (fullUsername && !fullUsername.startsWith("error:")) {
+                        dmUsernameCache[msg.author] = fullUsername;
+                        dmPfpCache[msg.author] = await getAvatarUrl(msg.author, fullUsername);
+                    }
+                }
+                if (dmUsernameCache[msg.author]) {
+                    authorName = dmUsernameCache[msg.author].split(':')[0];
+                    pfp = dmPfpCache[msg.author];
                 }
             }
             
@@ -1953,7 +1961,7 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
             
             html += `
             <div class="chat-message ${extraClass}">
-                <img src="${showAvatar ? pfp : 'data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs='}" class="chat-message-pfp">
+                ${showAvatar ? `<img src="${pfp}" class="chat-message-pfp">` : `<div style="width: 2.5rem; flex-shrink: 0;"></div>`}
                 <div class="chat-message-content">
                     ${showAvatar ? `<div class="chat-message-header">
                         <span class="chat-message-author">${authorName}</span>
@@ -1966,8 +1974,21 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
         }
     }
     
+    const rem = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(document.documentElement).fontSize);
+    let wasAtBottom = (container.scrollHeight - container.scrollTop - container.clientHeight) < (1.5 * rem);
+    if (window.forceScrollToBottom) {
+        wasAtBottom = true;
+        window.forceScrollToBottom = false;
+    }
+    let oldScrollTop = container.scrollTop;
+    
     container.innerHTML = html;
-    container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
+    
+    if (wasAtBottom) {
+        container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
+    } else {
+        container.scrollTop = oldScrollTop;
+    }
 }
 
 async function sendMessage() {
@@ -1988,6 +2009,9 @@ async function sendMessage() {
         };
         
         input.value = "";
+        input.style.height = '2.5rem';
+        
+        window.forceScrollToBottom = true;
         
         let res = await fetchEncrypted("dm/message/send", JSON.stringify(msgPayload));
         if (res && res.startsWith("error:")) {
@@ -2001,6 +2025,16 @@ async function sendMessage() {
     }
 }
 
+function handleChatInputResize(textarea) {
+    const rem = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(document.documentElement).fontSize);
+    textarea.style.transition = 'none';
+    textarea.style.height = '0rem';
+    let borderHeight = textarea.offsetHeight - textarea.clientHeight;
+    textarea.style.height = ((textarea.scrollHeight + borderHeight) / rem) + 'rem';
+    textarea.offsetHeight; // force reflow
+    textarea.style.transition = '';
+}
+
 function handleChatInputKey(event) {
     if (event.key === "Enter" && !event.shiftKey) {
         const isMobile = /Android|webOS|iPhone|iPad|iPod|BlackBerry|IEMobile|Opera Mini/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
diff --git a/webroot/screens.js b/webroot/screens.js
index bdd58c06..3e16f55f 100644
--- a/webroot/screens.js
+++ b/webroot/screens.js
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ var chatScreen = `
     <div id="chat-messages" style="flex-grow: 1; overflow-y: auto; padding: 1rem; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0.5rem;">
     </div>
     <div style="padding: 1rem; border-top: var(--border-width) solid var(--light-border-color); display: flex; gap: 0.5rem;">
-        <textarea id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0; resize: none; min-height: 2.5rem; max-height: 8rem; padding: 0.5rem;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}" onkeydown="handleChatInputKey(event)"></textarea>
+        <textarea id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0; resize: none; min-height: 2.5rem; max-height: 8rem; padding: 0.5rem;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}" onkeydown="handleChatInputKey(event)" oninput="handleChatInputResize(this)"></textarea>
         <button class="submit-button" onclick="sendMessage()" style="margin: 0; padding: 0; aspect-ratio: 1;">
                 <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="-0.9 -0.5 15.6 16" fill="none" width="1.5rem">
                     <path stroke="var(--main-bg-color)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="m3.75 7.5 -1.875 5.625 11.25 -5.625L1.875 1.875l1.875 5.625zm0 0h3.75" stroke-width="1.1"></path>
diff --git a/webroot/style.css b/webroot/style.css
index e35b6183..6e974cd7 100644
--- a/webroot/style.css
+++ b/webroot/style.css
@@ -630,13 +630,10 @@ space{
 .chat-message-pfp {
     width: 2.5rem;
     height: 2.5rem;
-    border-radius: 0.6rem;
+    border-radius: 0.65rem;
     object-fit: cover;
     flex-shrink: 0;
-    opacity: 0; /* hidden by default for consecutive messages */
-}
-.chat-message.with-avatar .chat-message-pfp {
-    opacity: 1;
+    border: var(--border-width) solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
 }
 .chat-message-content {
     display: flex;
@@ -664,6 +661,7 @@ space{
 .chat-message-text {
     line-height: 1.4;
     word-break: break-word;
+    white-space: pre-wrap;
 }
 
 @media (hover: hover) {