diff --git a/app/src/navigation/RootNavigator.tsx b/app/src/navigation/RootNavigator.tsx
index e59861f..cc6004f 100644
--- a/app/src/navigation/RootNavigator.tsx
+++ b/app/src/navigation/RootNavigator.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { ActivityIndicator, Text, TouchableOpacity, View } from 'react-native';
+import { Ionicons } from '@expo/vector-icons';
 import { NavigationContainer, useNavigation } from '@react-navigation/native';
 import {
   createNativeStackNavigator,
@@ -41,10 +42,24 @@ function AboutButton() {
   );
 }
 
+const TAB_ICONS: Record<keyof TabParamList, keyof typeof Ionicons.glyphMap> = {
+  Map: 'map',
+  Scan: 'qr-code',
+  Favorites: 'star',
+  Sessions: 'time',
+};
+
 function Tabs() {
   return (
     <Tab.Navigator
-      screenOptions={{ headerShown: true, headerRight: () => <AboutButton /> }}
+      screenOptions={({ route }) => ({
+        headerShown: true,
+        headerRight: () => <AboutButton />,
+        tabBarActiveTintColor: '#1e6f5c',
+        tabBarIcon: ({ color, size }) => (
+          <Ionicons name={TAB_ICONS[route.name]} size={size} color={color} />
+        ),
+      })}
     >
       <Tab.Screen name="Map" component={MapScreen} />
       <Tab.Screen name="Scan" component={ScanScreen} />
diff --git a/app/src/screens/MapScreen.tsx b/app/src/screens/MapScreen.tsx
index 2a31414..2eecf3d 100644
--- a/app/src/screens/MapScreen.tsx
+++ b/app/src/screens/MapScreen.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { ActivityIndicator, StyleSheet, Text, TouchableOpacity, View } from 'react-native';
 import Constants from 'expo-constants';
 import {
@@ -18,54 +18,105 @@ const MAP_STYLE =
   (Constants.expoConfig?.extra?.mapStyleUrl as string) ??
   'https://tiles.openfreemap.org/styles/liberty';
 
+// Fallback view when we have no GPS and no cached location (continental US).
+const DEFAULT_CENTER: Coords = { latitude: 39.5, longitude: -98.35 };
+const DEFAULT_ZOOM = 4;
+
 type Nav = NativeStackNavigationProp<RootStackParamList>;
 
 export function MapScreen() {
   const navigation = useNavigation<Nav>();
   const { coords, refresh } = useLocation();
   const [zones, setZones] = useState<Zone[]>([]);
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState<string>('Pan to an area and tap “Search this area”.');
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
-  const [center, setCenter] = useState<Coords | null>(null);
+  const [initialCenter, setInitialCenter] = useState<Coords | null>(null);
 
-  const loadMeters = useCallback(async (c: Coords) => {
+  const mapRef = useRef<any>(null);
+  const cameraRef = useRef<any>(null);
+
+  // Seed the initial camera from a cached location so we don't strand at 0,0.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    (async () => {
+      const last = await getLastKnownSavedLocation();
+      setInitialCenter(last ?? coords ?? DEFAULT_CENTER);
+    })();
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, []);
+
+  const searchAt = useCallback(async (c: Coords, label: string) => {
     setLoading(true);
+    setStatus(`Searching ${label}…`);
     try {
       const res = await ps.getMetersByLocation({ latitude: c.latitude, longitude: c.longitude });
-      setZones((res.Zones ?? []).filter((z) => z.Lat != null && z.Long != null));
-      setCenter(c);
-    } catch {
+      const found = (res.Zones ?? []).filter((z) => z.Lat != null && z.Long != null);
+      setZones(found);
+      setStatus(found.length ? `${found.length} meters near ${label}` : `No meters found ${label}`);
+    } catch (e: any) {
       setZones([]);
+      setStatus(
+        e?.status === 401
+          ? 'Session expired — sign in again.'
+          : `Search failed: ${e?.serverMessage ?? e?.message ?? 'error'}`,
+      );
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
     }
   }, []);
 
-  // Auto-load meters once we have a current fix.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (coords && !center) void loadMeters(coords);
-  }, [coords, center, loadMeters]);
+  // Search whatever the map is currently centered on (works with no GPS).
+  const searchThisArea = async () => {
+    try {
+      const center = await mapRef.current?.getCenter?.(); // [lng, lat]
+      if (center && center.length === 2) {
+        await searchAt({ latitude: center[1], longitude: center[0] }, 'this area');
+        return;
+      }
+    } catch {
+      /* fall through */
+    }
+    if (coords) await searchAt(coords, 'this area');
+  };
 
-  const searchHere = async () => {
+  // Recenter on the live GPS fix (if available) and search there.
+  const goToMyLocation = async () => {
     const c = coords ?? (await refresh());
-    if (c) await loadMeters(c);
+    if (!c) {
+      setStatus('No location available (GPS/location may be off).');
+      return;
+    }
+    cameraRef.current?.setCamera?.({
+      centerCoordinate: [c.longitude, c.latitude],
+      zoomLevel: 15,
+      animationDuration: 500,
+    });
+    await searchAt(c, 'you');
   };
 
   const searchLastKnown = async () => {
     const last = (await getLastKnownSavedLocation()) ?? coords;
-    if (last) await loadMeters(last);
+    if (!last) {
+      setStatus('No saved location yet — enable location once to cache it.');
+      return;
+    }
+    cameraRef.current?.setCamera?.({
+      centerCoordinate: [last.longitude, last.latitude],
+      zoomLevel: 15,
+      animationDuration: 500,
+    });
+    await searchAt(last, 'last location');
   };
 
-  const initial = center ?? coords;
-
   return (
     <View style={styles.container}>
-      {/* mapStyle / props are version-sensitive in @maplibre/maplibre-react-native */}
-      <MapView style={styles.map} mapStyle={MAP_STYLE}>
-        {initial ? (
+      <MapView ref={mapRef} style={styles.map} mapStyle={MAP_STYLE}>
+        {initialCenter ? (
           <Camera
-            zoomLevel={15}
-            centerCoordinate={[initial.longitude, initial.latitude]}
-            animationDuration={0}
+            ref={cameraRef}
+            defaultSettings={{
+              centerCoordinate: [initialCenter.longitude, initialCenter.latitude],
+              zoomLevel: initialCenter === DEFAULT_CENTER ? DEFAULT_ZOOM : 14,
+            }}
           />
         ) : null}
 
@@ -78,13 +129,7 @@ export function MapScreen() {
           >
             <TouchableOpacity
               onPress={() => navigation.navigate('MeterDetail', { zone: z })}
-              style={[
-                styles.marker,
-                {
-                  backgroundColor: z.BackgroundColor ?? '#1e6f5c',
-                  borderColor: '#ffffff',
-                },
-              ]}
+              style={[styles.marker, { backgroundColor: z.BackgroundColor ?? '#1e6f5c' }]}
             >
               <Text style={styles.markerText} numberOfLines={1}>
                 {z.ZoneName ?? 'Meter'}
@@ -94,24 +139,24 @@ export function MapScreen() {
         ))}
       </MapView>
 
-      <View style={styles.controls}>
-        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.pillButton} onPress={searchHere}>
-          <Text style={styles.pillText}>Search here</Text>
-        </TouchableOpacity>
-        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.pillButton} onPress={searchLastKnown}>
-          <Text style={styles.pillText}>Near last location</Text>
-        </TouchableOpacity>
+      <View style={styles.statusBar}>
+        {loading ? <ActivityIndicator color="#fff" style={{ marginRight: 8 }} /> : null}
+        <Text style={styles.statusText} numberOfLines={1}>
+          {status}
+        </Text>
       </View>
 
-      {loading ? (
-        <View style={styles.loading}>
-          <ActivityIndicator />
-        </View>
-      ) : (
-        <View style={styles.countBadge}>
-          <Text style={styles.countText}>{zones.length} meters</Text>
-        </View>
-      )}
+      <View style={styles.controls}>
+        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.pillPrimary} onPress={searchThisArea}>
+          <Text style={styles.pillText}>Search this area</Text>
+        </TouchableOpacity>
+        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.pill} onPress={goToMyLocation}>
+          <Text style={styles.pillText}>My location</Text>
+        </TouchableOpacity>
+        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.pill} onPress={searchLastKnown}>
+          <Text style={styles.pillText}>Last</Text>
+        </TouchableOpacity>
+      </View>
     </View>
   );
 }
@@ -124,32 +169,41 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     paddingVertical: 4,
     borderRadius: 8,
     borderWidth: 2,
+    borderColor: '#fff',
     maxWidth: 140,
   },
   markerText: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 11, fontWeight: '700' },
+  statusBar: {
+    position: 'absolute',
+    top: 12,
+    left: 12,
+    right: 12,
+    flexDirection: 'row',
+    alignItems: 'center',
+    backgroundColor: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.65)',
+    paddingHorizontal: 12,
+    paddingVertical: 8,
+    borderRadius: 12,
+  },
+  statusText: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 13, flexShrink: 1 },
   controls: {
     position: 'absolute',
     bottom: 24,
     alignSelf: 'center',
     flexDirection: 'row',
-    gap: 10,
+    gap: 8,
   },
-  pillButton: {
+  pill: {
+    backgroundColor: '#444',
+    paddingHorizontal: 14,
+    paddingVertical: 10,
+    borderRadius: 22,
+  },
+  pillPrimary: {
     backgroundColor: '#1e6f5c',
     paddingHorizontal: 16,
     paddingVertical: 10,
     borderRadius: 22,
   },
   pillText: { color: '#fff', fontWeight: '600' },
-  loading: { position: 'absolute', top: 16, right: 16 },
-  countBadge: {
-    position: 'absolute',
-    top: 12,
-    left: 12,
-    backgroundColor: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.6)',
-    paddingHorizontal: 10,
-    paddingVertical: 4,
-    borderRadius: 12,
-  },
-  countText: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 12 },
 });