diff --git a/config.php b/config.php
index a9650f6..4995867 100644
--- a/config.php
+++ b/config.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 
 define('APP_NAME', 'hyprcrd');
-define('APP_VERSION', '0.9.16');
+define('APP_VERSION', '0.9.17');
 
 // Database path — writable directory, outside webroot
 define('DB_PATH', __DIR__ . '/data/hyprcrd.db');
diff --git a/public/css/style.css b/public/css/style.css
index 6476d74..bd55a12 100644
--- a/public/css/style.css
+++ b/public/css/style.css
@@ -474,6 +474,14 @@ body::after {
     transform: rotate(45deg); margin-top: -2px;
 }
 .card-dragging { opacity: 0.15; transform: scale(0.95); }
+@keyframes card-remove {
+    0%   { opacity:1; transform:scale(1); }
+    100% { opacity:0; transform:scale(0.85) translateY(8px); }
+}
+.card-removing {
+    animation: card-remove 0.25s ease-in forwards;
+    pointer-events: none;
+}
 .box-select {
     position: absolute; border: 1px solid var(--t-accent); background: rgba(56, 189, 248, 0.08);
     pointer-events: none; z-index: 10;
diff --git a/public/js/app.js b/public/js/app.js
index eb849bb..74efee4 100644
--- a/public/js/app.js
+++ b/public/js/app.js
@@ -308,13 +308,13 @@ registerShortcut({ key: 'Enter', guard: () => gBoard() && !!document.querySelect
 }});
 // Delete selected cards
 registerShortcut({ match: (e) => (e.key === 'Delete' || e.key === 'Backspace') && !e.ctrlKey && gBoard() && getSelectedIds().length > 0, section: 'global', keys: '<kbd>Del</kbd>', label: 'delete selected', hidden: true, handler: async () => {
-    // Delegated to board.js's existing handler via a synthetic event is
-    // impractical; re-implement the small logic here to avoid coupling.
     const ids = getSelectedIds();
     if (localStorage.getItem('hyprcrd-confirm-delete') !== '0') {
         const ok = await showDialog({ title: 'delete cards', message: `Delete ${ids.length} card${ids.length > 1 ? 's' : ''}?`, danger: true, okLabel: 'Delete' });
         if (!ok) return;
     }
+    const { animateCardRemoval } = await import('./modules/board.js');
+    await animateCardRemoval(ids);
     for (const id of ids) await api(`api/cards/${id}`, { method: 'DELETE' });
     clearSelection();
     await window._reloadAll();
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ document.getElementById('quick-capture-input')?.addEventListener('keydown', asyn
         body = lines.slice(1).join('\n').trim();
     }
     if (!cardTitle) return;
-    if (!body.includes('#inbox')) body = (body ? body + '\n\n' : '') + '#inbox';
+    // No auto-tag — the card goes into the active bucket (or unsorted).
 
     // Place the card in the currently active bucket (if it's a real
     // user bucket). Special filters (all/current/favorites/journal/none)
diff --git a/public/js/modules/board.js b/public/js/modules/board.js
index 57864a3..739a8e7 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/board.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/board.js
@@ -38,6 +38,18 @@ const draggingCardIds = new Set();
 // the all view) or wait for the next visit to the all tab to pulse.
 let knownCardIds = null;
 
+/** Animate card removal: adds .card-removing to each matching card
+ *  element and waits for the CSS animation to finish before resolving.
+ *  Call this BEFORE the API delete + _reloadAll so the user sees the
+ *  card shrink/fade out instead of just vanishing. */
+export function animateCardRemoval(ids) {
+    if (!ids || !ids.length) return Promise.resolve();
+    const els = ids.map(id => board.querySelector(`[data-id="${id}"]`)).filter(Boolean);
+    if (!els.length) return Promise.resolve();
+    for (const el of els) el.classList.add('card-removing');
+    return new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 260));
+}
+
 /** Add a pulse class to matching board cards and strip it after the
  *  animation. `cls` controls the variant: 'card-pulse-new' (3×, for
  *  relay-synced cards) or 'card-pulse-local' (1×, for cards the user
diff --git a/public/js/modules/context-menu.js b/public/js/modules/context-menu.js
index 16c43e0..93f06c7 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/context-menu.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/context-menu.js
@@ -397,7 +397,9 @@ export function showContextMenu(x, y, card) {
                     }
                 }
             });
-            // Delete children first, then parent (avoids orphan flicker)
+            // Animate out, then delete children first, then parent
+            const { animateCardRemoval } = await import('./board.js');
+            await animateCardRemoval(allCards.map(c => c.id));
             for (const c of children) await api(`api/cards/${c.id}`, { method: 'DELETE' });
             await api(`api/cards/${card.id}`, { method: 'DELETE' });
             await window._reloadAll();
diff --git a/public/js/modules/theme.js b/public/js/modules/theme.js
index 78ea6b2..a1cbfef 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/theme.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/theme.js
@@ -258,6 +258,14 @@ function refreshPresetSelect() {
         sel.appendChild(userGroup);
     }
     if (cur && sel.querySelector(`option[value="${CSS.escape(cur)}"]`)) sel.value = cur;
+    // Disable delete button when a built-in preset is selected
+    const delBtn = $('design-preset-delete');
+    if (delBtn) {
+        const isUser = sel.value?.startsWith('user:');
+        delBtn.disabled = !isUser;
+        delBtn.style.opacity = isUser ? '' : '0.35';
+        delBtn.style.cursor = isUser ? '' : 'not-allowed';
+    }
 }
 
 function getSelectedPreset() {