diff --git a/native/data/sqlite-data-handler.js b/native/data/sqlite-data-handler.js
--- a/native/data/sqlite-data-handler.js
+++ b/native/data/sqlite-data-handler.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import { getMessageForException } from 'lib/utils/errors.js';
 import { convertClientDBThreadInfosToRawThreadInfos } from 'lib/utils/thread-ops-utils.js';
 
+import { filesystemMediaCache } from '../media/media-cache.js';
 import { commCoreModule } from '../native-modules.js';
 import { setStoreLoadedActionType } from '../redux/action-types.js';
 import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils.js';
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@
         Alert.alert('Starting SQLite database deletion process');
       }
       await commCoreModule.clearSensitiveData();
+      await filesystemMediaCache.clearCache();
       if (staffCanSee || staffUserHasBeenLoggedIn) {
         Alert.alert(
           'SQLite database successfully deleted',
diff --git a/native/media/encrypted-image.react.js b/native/media/encrypted-image.react.js
--- a/native/media/encrypted-image.react.js
+++ b/native/media/encrypted-image.react.js
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 import * as React from 'react';
 
+import { MediaCacheContext } from 'lib/components/media-cache-provider.react.js';
+
 import { decryptMedia } from './encryption-utils.js';
 import LoadableImage from './loadable-image.react.js';
 import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils.js';
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@
 function EncryptedImage(props: Props): React.Node {
   const { holder, encryptionKey, onLoad: onLoadProp } = props;
 
+  const mediaCache = React.useContext(MediaCacheContext);
   const [source, setSource] = React.useState(null);
 
   const connectionStatus = useSelector(state => state.connection.status);
@@ -40,11 +43,18 @@
     setSource(null);
 
     const loadDecrypted = async () => {
+      const cached = await mediaCache?.get(holder);
+      if (cached && isMounted) {
+        setSource({ uri: cached });
+        return;
+      }
+
       const { result } = await decryptMedia(holder, encryptionKey, {
         destination: 'data_uri',
       });
       // TODO: decide what to do if decryption fails
       if (result.success && isMounted) {
+        mediaCache?.set(holder, result.uri);
         setSource({ uri: result.uri });
       }
     };
@@ -54,7 +64,7 @@
     return () => {
       isMounted = false;
     };
-  }, [attempt, holder, encryptionKey]);
+  }, [attempt, holder, encryptionKey, mediaCache]);
 
   const onLoad = React.useCallback(() => {
     onLoadProp && onLoadProp(holder);
diff --git a/native/media/video-playback-modal.react.js b/native/media/video-playback-modal.react.js
--- a/native/media/video-playback-modal.react.js
+++ b/native/media/video-playback-modal.react.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import { SafeAreaView } from 'react-native-safe-area-context';
 import Video from 'react-native-video';
 
+import { MediaCacheContext } from 'lib/components/media-cache-provider.react.js';
 import { useIsAppBackgroundedOrInactive } from 'lib/shared/lifecycle-utils.js';
 import type { MediaInfo } from 'lib/types/media-types.js';
 
@@ -78,11 +79,13 @@
 function VideoPlaybackModal(props: Props): React.Node {
   const { mediaInfo } = props.route.params;
 
-  const { uri, holder, encryptionKey } = mediaInfo;
+  const { uri: videoUri, holder, encryptionKey } = mediaInfo;
   const [videoSource, setVideoSource] = React.useState(
-    uri ? { uri } : undefined,
+    videoUri ? { uri: videoUri } : undefined,
   );
 
+  const mediaCache = React.useContext(MediaCacheContext);
+
   React.useEffect(() => {
     // skip for unencrypted videos
     if (!holder || !encryptionKey) {
@@ -94,12 +97,20 @@
     setVideoSource(undefined);
 
     const loadDecrypted = async () => {
+      const cached = await mediaCache?.get(holder);
+      if (cached && isMounted) {
+        setVideoSource({ uri: cached });
+        return;
+      }
+
       const { result } = await decryptMedia(holder, encryptionKey, {
         destination: 'file',
       });
       if (result.success && isMounted) {
-        uriToDispose = result.uri;
-        setVideoSource({ uri: result.uri });
+        const { uri } = result;
+        mediaCache?.set(holder, uri);
+        uriToDispose = uri;
+        setVideoSource({ uri: uri });
       }
     };
     loadDecrypted();
@@ -111,7 +122,7 @@
         filesystem.unlink(uriToDispose);
       }
     };
-  }, [holder, encryptionKey]);
+  }, [holder, encryptionKey, mediaCache]);
 
   const closeButtonX = useValue(-1);
   const closeButtonY = useValue(-1);
diff --git a/native/root.react.js b/native/root.react.js
--- a/native/root.react.js
+++ b/native/root.react.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import { PersistGate as ReduxPersistGate } from 'redux-persist/es/integration/react.js';
 
 import { ENSCacheProvider } from 'lib/components/ens-cache-provider.react.js';
+import { MediaCacheProvider } from 'lib/components/media-cache-provider.react.js';
 import { actionLogger } from 'lib/utils/action-logger.js';
 
 import ChatContextProvider from './chat/chat-context-provider.react.js';
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
 import InputStateContainer from './input/input-state-container.react.js';
 import LifecycleHandler from './lifecycle/lifecycle-handler.react.js';
 import MarkdownContextProvider from './markdown/markdown-context-provider.react.js';
+import { filesystemMediaCache } from './media/media-cache.js';
 import { defaultNavigationState } from './navigation/default-state.js';
 import DisconnectedBarVisibilityHandler from './navigation/disconnected-bar-visibility-handler.react.js';
 import { setGlobalNavContext } from './navigation/icky-global.js';
@@ -253,23 +255,25 @@
                 <SafeAreaProvider initialMetrics={initialWindowMetrics}>
                   <ActionSheetProvider>
                     <ENSCacheProvider provider={provider}>
-                      <MarkdownContextProvider>
-                        <ChatContextProvider>
-                          <SQLiteDataHandler />
-                          <ConnectedStatusBar />
-                          <ReduxPersistGate persistor={getPersistor()}>
-                            {gated}
-                          </ReduxPersistGate>
-                          <PersistedStateGate>
-                            <Socket
-                              detectUnsupervisedBackgroundRef={
-                                detectUnsupervisedBackgroundRef
-                              }
-                            />
-                          </PersistedStateGate>
-                          {navigation}
-                        </ChatContextProvider>
-                      </MarkdownContextProvider>
+                      <MediaCacheProvider persistence={filesystemMediaCache}>
+                        <MarkdownContextProvider>
+                          <ChatContextProvider>
+                            <SQLiteDataHandler />
+                            <ConnectedStatusBar />
+                            <ReduxPersistGate persistor={getPersistor()}>
+                              {gated}
+                            </ReduxPersistGate>
+                            <PersistedStateGate>
+                              <Socket
+                                detectUnsupervisedBackgroundRef={
+                                  detectUnsupervisedBackgroundRef
+                                }
+                              />
+                            </PersistedStateGate>
+                            {navigation}
+                          </ChatContextProvider>
+                        </MarkdownContextProvider>
+                      </MediaCacheProvider>
                     </ENSCacheProvider>
                   </ActionSheetProvider>
                 </SafeAreaProvider>