diff --git a/src/components/SidebarHeader.tsx b/src/components/SidebarHeader.tsx
index fa68e879..405351ec 100644
--- a/src/components/SidebarHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SidebarHeader.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { useEventModel } from 'applesauce-react/hooks'
 import { Models } from 'applesauce-core'
 import IconButton from './IconButton'
 import { faBooks } from '../icons/customIcons'
+import { preloadImage } from '../hooks/useImageCache'
 
 interface SidebarHeaderProps {
   onToggleCollapse: () => void
@@ -36,6 +37,13 @@ const SidebarHeader: React.FC<SidebarHeaderProps> = ({ onToggleCollapse, onLogou
 
   const profileImage = getProfileImage()
 
+  // Preload profile image for offline access
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (profileImage) {
+      preloadImage(profileImage)
+    }
+  }, [profileImage])
+
   // Close menu when clicking outside
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleClickOutside = (event: MouseEvent) => {
diff --git a/src/services/profileService.ts b/src/services/profileService.ts
index 9f73a264..1555d3ae 100644
--- a/src/services/profileService.ts
+++ b/src/services/profileService.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { IEventStore } from 'applesauce-core'
 import { prioritizeLocalRelays, partitionRelays } from '../utils/helpers'
 import { rebroadcastEvents } from './rebroadcastService'
 import { UserSettings } from './settingsService'
+import { preloadImage } from '../hooks/useImageCache'
 
 /**
  * Fetches profile metadata (kind:0) for a list of pubkeys
@@ -65,6 +66,19 @@ export const fetchProfiles = async (
 
     const profiles = Array.from(profilesByPubkey.values())
 
+    // Preload profile images for offline access
+    for (const profile of profiles) {
+      try {
+        const profileData = JSON.parse(profile.content)
+        const picture = profileData.picture
+        if (picture) {
+          preloadImage(picture)
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Ignore parse errors - profile content might be invalid JSON
+      }
+    }
+
     // Rebroadcast profiles to local/all relays based on settings
     if (profiles.length > 0) {
       await rebroadcastEvents(profiles, relayPool, settings)