diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.html b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.html
index 942c6a195..a5f43418f 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.html
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.html
@@ -29,8 +29,13 @@
   </div>
   <div class="search-container flex-grow-1 py-2 pb-3 pb-sm-2 me-sm-auto order-3 order-sm-1"
     [class.mobile-hidden]="mobileSearchHidden()">
-    <div class="col-12 header-search mx-auto">
-      <pngx-global-search></pngx-global-search>
+    <div class="col-12 header-search mx-auto d-flex align-items-stretch gap-3">
+      <pngx-global-search class="flex-grow-1"></pngx-global-search>
+      <button *pngxIfPermissions="{ action: PermissionAction.Add, type: PermissionType.Document }"
+        class="btn btn-sm header-upload border-0 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center flex-shrink-0 py-0 px-2" type="button"
+        (click)="fileUpload.click()" aria-label="Upload documents" i18n-aria-label>
+        <i-bs class="d-flex" width="1.1em" height="1.1em" name="file-earmark-arrow-up"></i-bs><span class="ms-2 d-sm-none d-md-inline" i18n>Upload</span>
+      </button>
     </div>
   </div>
   <ul ngbNav class="order-sm-3">
@@ -70,6 +75,8 @@
   </ul>
 </nav>
 
+<input type="file" class="visually-hidden" (change)="onFileSelected($event)" multiple #fileUpload tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
+
 <div class="container-fluid">
   <div class="row">
     <nav id="sidebarMenu" class="d-md-block bg-light sidebar collapse"
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.scss b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.scss
index 44bebd82e..09471a1d8 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.scss
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.scss
@@ -532,7 +532,23 @@ main {
 
 .header-search {
   width: 100%;
-  max-width: 55rem;
+  max-width: 50rem;
+}
+
+.header-search pngx-global-search {
+  min-width: 0;
+}
+
+// light w shadow to stand out against search
+.header-upload {
+  --bs-btn-bg: rgba(255, 255, 255, .15);
+  --bs-btn-hover-bg: rgba(255, 255, 255, .22);
+  --bs-btn-active-bg: rgba(255, 255, 255, .3);
+  color: var(--pngx-primary-text-contrast) !important; // .navbar .dropdown > .btn in styles.scss
+
+  &:not(:focus) {
+    box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, .35), 0 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, .2); // leave room for the .btn:focus ring
+  }
 }
 
 @media screen and (max-width: 575.98px) {
@@ -662,3 +678,7 @@ main {
 ::ng-deep .navItemDrag .position-absolute i-bs {
   display: none;
 }
+
+.smaller {
+  font-size: 0.75rem;
+}
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.spec.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.spec.ts
index ad9304ca0..404ca6620 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.spec.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import { SearchService } from 'src/app/services/rest/search.service'
 import { SettingsService } from 'src/app/services/settings.service'
 import { TasksService } from 'src/app/services/tasks.service'
 import { ToastService } from 'src/app/services/toast.service'
+import { UploadDocumentsService } from 'src/app/services/upload-documents.service'
 import { environment } from 'src/environments/environment'
 import { ProfileEditDialogComponent } from '../common/profile-edit-dialog/profile-edit-dialog.component'
 import { DocumentDetailComponent } from '../document-detail/document-detail.component'
@@ -462,6 +463,29 @@ describe('AppFrameComponent', () => {
     expect(routerSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('should upload files selected from the navbar upload button', () => {
+    const uploadDocumentsService = TestBed.inject(UploadDocumentsService)
+    const uploadSpy = jest
+      .spyOn(uploadDocumentsService, 'uploadFiles')
+      .mockImplementation(() => {})
+    const toastSpy = jest.spyOn(toastService, 'showInfo')
+    const file = new File(['testing'], 'file.pdf')
+    const input = window.document.createElement('input')
+    jest.spyOn(input, 'files', 'get').mockReturnValue([file] as any)
+
+    component.onFileSelected({ target: input } as unknown as Event)
+    expect(toastSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(uploadSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith([file])
+  })
+
+  it('should not upload when no files are selected from the navbar', () => {
+    const uploadDocumentsService = TestBed.inject(UploadDocumentsService)
+    const uploadSpy = jest.spyOn(uploadDocumentsService, 'uploadFiles')
+    const input = window.document.createElement('input')
+    component.onFileSelected({ target: input } as unknown as Event)
+    expect(uploadSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   it('should close all documents on logout', () => {
     const closeAllSpy = jest.spyOn(openDocumentsService, 'closeAll')
     component.onLogout()
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.ts
index 4fa0f6fc3..c18495001 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/app-frame/app-frame.component.ts
@@ -48,12 +48,13 @@ import { SavedViewService } from 'src/app/services/rest/saved-view.service'
 import { SettingsService } from 'src/app/services/settings.service'
 import { TasksService } from 'src/app/services/tasks.service'
 import { ToastService } from 'src/app/services/toast.service'
+import { UploadDocumentsService } from 'src/app/services/upload-documents.service'
 import { environment } from 'src/environments/environment'
 import { ChatComponent } from '../chat/chat/chat.component'
+import { SwitchComponent } from '../common/input/switch/switch.component'
 import { BrandMarkComponent } from '../common/logo/brand-mark/brand-mark.component'
 import { LogoComponent } from '../common/logo/logo.component'
 import { ProfileEditDialogComponent } from '../common/profile-edit-dialog/profile-edit-dialog.component'
-import { SwitchComponent } from '../common/input/switch/switch.component'
 import { DocumentDetailComponent } from '../document-detail/document-detail.component'
 import { ComponentWithPermissions } from '../with-permissions/with-permissions.component'
 import { GlobalSearchComponent } from './global-search/global-search.component'
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ export class AppFrameComponent
   private modalService = inject(NgbModal)
   permissionsService = inject(PermissionsService)
   private djangoMessagesService = inject(DjangoMessagesService)
+  private uploadDocumentsService = inject(UploadDocumentsService)
 
   readonly appRemoteVersion = signal<AppRemoteVersion>(null)
   readonly isMenuCollapsed = signal(true)
@@ -511,6 +513,15 @@ export class AppFrameComponent
     }
   }
 
+  onFileSelected(event: Event) {
+    const input = event.target as HTMLInputElement
+    const files = Array.from(input.files ?? [])
+    input.value = ''
+    if (!files.length) return
+    this.toastService.showInfo($localize`Initiating upload...`, 3000)
+    this.uploadDocumentsService.uploadFiles(files)
+  }
+
   onLogout() {
     this.openDocumentsService.closeAll()
   }
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.spec.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.spec.ts
index 9506c81a8..c881149a8 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.spec.ts
@@ -85,15 +85,11 @@ describe('UploadFileWidgetComponent', () => {
       'file.pdf'
     )
     const fileInput = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('input'))
-    jest.spyOn(fileInput.nativeElement, 'files', 'get').mockReturnValue({
-      item: () => file,
-      length: 1,
-      [Symbol.iterator]: () => ({
-        next: () => ({ done: false, value: file }),
-      }),
-    } as any)
+    jest
+      .spyOn(fileInput.nativeElement, 'files', 'get')
+      .mockReturnValue([file] as any)
     fileInput.nativeElement.dispatchEvent(new Event('change'))
-    expect(uploadSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(uploadSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(file)
   })
 
   it('should generate stats summary', () => {
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.ts
index 945673e14..7d3f402aa 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/upload-file-widget/upload-file-widget.component.ts
@@ -130,11 +130,9 @@ export class UploadFileWidgetComponent extends ComponentWithPermissions {
   }
 
   public onFileSelected(event: Event) {
-    const files = (event.target as HTMLInputElement).files
-    for (let i = 0; i < files?.length; i++) {
-      const file = files.item(i)
-      file && this.uploadDocumentsService.uploadFile(file)
-    }
+    const input = event.target as HTMLInputElement
+    this.uploadDocumentsService.uploadFiles(Array.from(input.files ?? []))
+    input.value = ''
   }
 
   get slimSidebarEnabled(): boolean {
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/file-drop/file-drop.component.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/file-drop/file-drop.component.ts
index a9a0f4b1d..a1f1432d0 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/file-drop/file-drop.component.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/file-drop/file-drop.component.ts
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export class FileDropComponent {
         .then((results) => {
           files.push(...[].concat(...results))
           this.toastService.showInfo($localize`Initiating upload...`, 3000)
-          files.forEach((file) => this.uploadDocumentsService.uploadFile(file))
+          this.uploadDocumentsService.uploadFiles(files)
         })
         .catch((e) => {
           this.toastService.showError(
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ export class FileDropComponent {
         })
     } else if (files.length) {
       this.toastService.showInfo($localize`Initiating upload...`, 3000)
-      files.forEach((file) => this.uploadDocumentsService.uploadFile(file))
+      this.uploadDocumentsService.uploadFiles(files)
     }
 
     this.onDragLeave(event, true)
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.spec.ts b/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.spec.ts
index c4f68391a..fbc6b8db6 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.spec.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,18 @@ describe('UploadDocumentsService', () => {
     req[0].flush('123-456')
   })
 
+  it('uploads each file when given multiple files', () => {
+    const uploadSpy = jest.spyOn(uploadDocumentsService, 'uploadFile')
+    const file1 = new File(['one'], 'one.pdf')
+    const file2 = new File(['two'], 'two.pdf')
+    uploadDocumentsService.uploadFiles([file1, file2])
+    expect(uploadSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(file1)
+    expect(uploadSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(file2)
+    httpTestingController
+      .match(`${environment.apiBaseUrl}documents/post_document/`)
+      .forEach((req) => req.flush('123-456'))
+  })
+
   it('updates progress during upload and failure', () => {
     const file = new File(
       [new Blob(['testing'], { type: 'application/pdf' })],
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.ts b/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.ts
index 7895a377b..1eb309846 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/services/upload-documents.service.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ export class UploadDocumentsService {
 
   private uploadSubscriptions: Array<Subscription> = []
 
+  public uploadFiles(files: Iterable<File>) {
+    for (const file of files) {
+      this.uploadFile(file)
+    }
+  }
+
   public uploadFile(file: File) {
     let formData = new FormData()
     formData.append('document', file, file.name)
diff --git a/src-ui/src/main.ts b/src-ui/src/main.ts
index 83990a3f9..b1724fca4 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/main.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/main.ts
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ import {
   exclamationTriangleFill,
   eye,
   fileEarmark,
+  fileEarmarkArrowUp,
   fileEarmarkCheck,
   fileEarmarkDiff,
   fileEarmarkFill,
@@ -341,6 +342,7 @@ const icons = {
   exclamationTriangleFill,
   eye,
   fileEarmark,
+  fileEarmarkArrowUp,
   fileEarmarkCheck,
   fileEarmarkDiff,
   fileEarmarkFill,