diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
index 987dcc5..3039968 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
@@ -112,6 +112,13 @@ pub fn get_notebooks(state: State<'_, AppState>) -> Result<Vec<NotebookEntry>, S
     operations::scan_notebooks(vault_path)
 }
 
+#[tauri::command]
+pub fn count_root_notes(state: State<'_, AppState>) -> Result<usize, String> {
+    let config = state.config.lock().map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let vault_path = config.active_vault.as_ref().ok_or("No active vault")?;
+    operations::count_root_notes(vault_path)
+}
+
 #[tauri::command]
 pub fn create_notebook(
     state: State<'_, AppState>,
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 427dcd8..b6649cf 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             commands::set_font_family,
             commands::set_line_height,
             commands::get_notebooks,
+            commands::count_root_notes,
             commands::create_notebook,
             commands::rename_notebook,
             commands::delete_notebook,
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/vault/operations.rs b/src-tauri/src/vault/operations.rs
index 30d84cc..6c779af 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/vault/operations.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/vault/operations.rs
@@ -167,6 +167,22 @@ fn is_hidden(path: &Path) -> bool {
         .unwrap_or(false)
 }
 
+pub fn count_root_notes(vault_path: &str) -> Result<usize, String> {
+    let root = Path::new(vault_path);
+    if !root.exists() {
+        return Err("Vault path does not exist".to_string());
+    }
+    let count = fs::read_dir(root)
+        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
+        .filter_map(|e| e.ok())
+        .filter(|e| {
+            e.file_type().map(|ft| ft.is_file()).unwrap_or(false)
+                && e.path().extension().and_then(|x| x.to_str()) == Some("md")
+        })
+        .count();
+    Ok(count)
+}
+
 pub fn scan_notes(vault_path: &str, notebook_path: Option<&str>) -> Result<Vec<NoteEntry>, String> {
     let scan_path = notebook_path.unwrap_or(vault_path);
     let root = Path::new(scan_path);
diff --git a/src/lib/api.ts b/src/lib/api.ts
index 30be7b7..77794cc 100644
--- a/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ export async function getNotebooks(): Promise<NotebookEntry[]> {
   return invoke("get_notebooks");
 }
 
+export async function countRootNotes(): Promise<number> {
+  return invoke("count_root_notes");
+}
+
 export async function createNotebook(
   parentRelative: string | null,
   name: string,
diff --git a/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte b/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte
index 1fe2c55..0dce135 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@
 		notebookIcons,
 		appConfig,
 		quickAccessPaths,
-		collapsedNotebooks
+		collapsedNotebooks,
+		rootNoteCount
 	} from '$lib/stores/app';
-	import { getNotebooks, getAllTags, createNotebook, deleteNotebook, renameNotebook, moveNotebook, getNotebookIcons, setNotebookIcon, saveAttachment, getQuickAccess, addQuickAccess, removeQuickAccess, emptyTrash, moveNote, readNote, getNotes } from '$lib/api';
+	import { getNotebooks, getAllTags, createNotebook, deleteNotebook, renameNotebook, moveNotebook, getNotebookIcons, setNotebookIcon, saveAttachment, getQuickAccess, addQuickAccess, removeQuickAccess, emptyTrash, moveNote, readNote, getNotes, countRootNotes } from '$lib/api';
 	import { open as openDialog } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-dialog';
 	import { readFile } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-fs';
 	import { convertFileSrc } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';
@@ -53,16 +54,20 @@
 		try {
 			if (isMobile) {
 				// On mobile, parallelize and skip getAllTags (derive from $notes instead)
-				const [nbs, icons, qaNotes] = await Promise.all([
+				const [nbs, icons, qaNotes, rootCount] = await Promise.all([
 					getNotebooks(),
 					getNotebookIcons(),
 					getQuickAccess(),
+					countRootNotes(),
 				]);
 				$notebooks = nbs;
 				$notebookIcons = icons;
 				$quickAccessPaths = qaNotes.map(n => n.relative_path);
+				$rootNoteCount = rootCount;
 			} else {
-				$notebooks = await getNotebooks();
+				const [nbs, rootCount] = await Promise.all([getNotebooks(), countRootNotes()]);
+				$notebooks = nbs;
+				$rootNoteCount = rootCount;
 				$tags = await getAllTags();
 				$notebookIcons = await getNotebookIcons();
 				const qaNotes = await getQuickAccess();
@@ -80,6 +85,19 @@
 		onViewChanged();
 	}
 
+	function selectUnfiled() {
+		const vault = $appConfig?.active_vault;
+		if (!vault) return;
+		if ($viewMode === 'notebook' && $activeNotebook?.relative_path === '') {
+			selectAllNotes();
+			return;
+		}
+		$viewMode = 'notebook';
+		$activeNotebook = { name: 'Unfiled Notes', path: vault, relative_path: '', children: [], note_count: $rootNoteCount };
+		$activeTag = null;
+		onViewChanged();
+	}
+
 	function selectNotebook(nb: NotebookEntry) {
 		// Deselect if clicking the already-active notebook
 		if ($viewMode === 'notebook' && $activeNotebook?.path === nb.path) {
@@ -466,6 +484,20 @@
 			{/if}
 
 			<div class="notebook-list">
+				{#if $rootNoteCount > 0}
+					<button
+						class="notebook-item"
+						class:active={$viewMode === 'notebook' && $activeNotebook?.relative_path === ''}
+						onclick={selectUnfiled}
+					>
+						<span class="chevron-spacer"></span>
+						<svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" style="flex-shrink:0;opacity:0.6">
+							<path d="M14 2H6a2 2 0 00-2 2v16a2 2 0 002 2h12a2 2 0 002-2V8z" />
+							<polyline points="14 2 14 8 20 8" />
+						</svg>
+						<span class="notebook-name">Unfiled Notes <span class="notebook-count">{$rootNoteCount}</span></span>
+					</button>
+				{/if}
 				{#each $notebooks as nb (nb.path)}
 					{@render notebookItem(nb, 0)}
 				{/each}
diff --git a/src/lib/stores/app.ts b/src/lib/stores/app.ts
index 752f5d2..8189016 100644
--- a/src/lib/stores/app.ts
+++ b/src/lib/stores/app.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export const collapsedNotebooks = writable<string[]>([]);
 
 // Data
 export const notebooks = writable<NotebookEntry[]>([]);
+export const rootNoteCount = writable<number>(0);
 export const notes = writable<NoteEntry[]>([]);
 export const tags = writable<[string, number][]>([]);
 export const activeNote = writable<NoteContent | null>(null);