diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index c2c9fc2..edbcad8 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ APP_ENV=development
 SERVER_HOST=0.0.0.0
 SERVER_PORT=4040
 DATABASE_PATH=./data/app.db
+ARTWORK_CACHE_DIR=./data/artwork
 MEDIA_ROOT=./media
 CORS_ORIGINS=http://localhost:5173
 DEFAULT_ADMIN_USERNAME=demo
diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 88ceca4..5cde936 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("database seed failed: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	scanService := scanner.NewService(database, cfg.MediaRoot)
+	scanService := scanner.NewService(database, cfg.MediaRoot, cfg.ArtworkCacheDir)
 	if scanService.HasMediaFiles() {
 		if result, err := scanService.Scan(ctx); err != nil {
 			log.Printf("startup scan failed: %v", err)
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 8593312..39b55e5 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	ServerHost   string
 	ServerPort   string
 	DatabasePath string
+	ArtworkCacheDir string
 	MediaRoot    string
 	CORSOrigins  string
 	DefaultAdminUsername string
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ func Load() Config {
 		ServerHost:   getenv("SERVER_HOST", "0.0.0.0"),
 		ServerPort:   getenv("SERVER_PORT", "4040"),
 		DatabasePath: getenv("DATABASE_PATH", "./data/app.db"),
+		ArtworkCacheDir: getenv("ARTWORK_CACHE_DIR", "./data/artwork"),
 		MediaRoot:    getenv("MEDIA_ROOT", "./media"),
 		CORSOrigins:  getenv("CORS_ORIGINS", "http://localhost:5173"),
 		DefaultAdminUsername: getenv("DEFAULT_ADMIN_USERNAME", "demo"),
diff --git a/internal/scanner/service.go b/internal/scanner/service.go
index 1f4edbb..3f6342c 100644
--- a/internal/scanner/service.go
+++ b/internal/scanner/service.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ type Result struct {
 type Service struct {
 	db        *sql.DB
 	mediaRoot string
+	artworkRoot string
 	mu        sync.RWMutex
 	status    Status
 }
@@ -78,8 +79,8 @@ type scannedTrack struct {
 	ContentType  string
 }
 
-func NewService(db *sql.DB, mediaRoot string) *Service {
-	return &Service{db: db, mediaRoot: mediaRoot}
+func NewService(db *sql.DB, mediaRoot, artworkRoot string) *Service {
+	return &Service{db: db, mediaRoot: mediaRoot, artworkRoot: artworkRoot}
 }
 
 func (s *Service) HasMediaFiles() bool {
@@ -327,7 +328,13 @@ func (s *Service) scanFile(path string) (scannedItem, error) {
 	artistID := hashID("artist", artistName)
 	albumID := hashID("album", artistName, albumTitle, fmt.Sprintf("%d", year))
 	trackID := hashID("track", path)
-	coverArt := findCoverArt(filepath.Dir(path))
+	coverArt := ""
+	if err == nil {
+		coverArt = s.extractEmbeddedCoverArt(metadata, albumID)
+	}
+	if coverArt == "" {
+		coverArt = findCoverArt(filepath.Dir(path))
+	}
 
 	return scannedItem{
 		artist: scannedArtist{
@@ -417,6 +424,44 @@ func findCoverArt(dir string) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+func (s *Service) extractEmbeddedCoverArt(metadata tag.Metadata, albumID string) string {
+	if metadata == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	picture := metadata.Picture()
+	if picture == nil || len(picture.Data) == 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	if s.artworkRoot == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(s.artworkRoot, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	filename := albumID + coverExtension(picture.MIMEType)
+	path := filepath.Join(s.artworkRoot, filename)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, picture.Data, 0o644); err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	return path
+}
+
+func coverExtension(mimeType string) string {
+	switch strings.ToLower(mimeType) {
+	case "image/png":
+		return ".png"
+	case "image/webp":
+		return ".webp"
+	default:
+		return ".jpg"
+	}
+}
+
 func (s *Service) tryMarkStarted() bool {
 	s.mu.Lock()
 	defer s.mu.Unlock()