diff --git a/internal/ui/app.go b/internal/ui/app.go
index 10c909a..1b8e97c 100644
--- a/internal/ui/app.go
+++ b/internal/ui/app.go
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func (a *App) openModal(p tview.Primitive, width, height int) {
 			AddItem(p, height, 0, true).
 			AddItem(nil, 0, 1, false), width, 0, true).
 		AddItem(nil, 0, 1, false)
-	a.pushOverlay(box, p, "Tab/arrows move · Enter select · Esc cancel")
+	a.pushOverlay(box, p, "↑↓ move · ←→ change · Enter select · Esc cancel")
 }
 
 // openFull shows p above the whole view area (the tab bar and status bar stay visible).
diff --git a/internal/ui/form.go b/internal/ui/form.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07811fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/ui/form.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package ui
+
+import (
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
+	"github.com/rivo/tview"
+)
+
+// arrowNavigation lets a form be driven with the arrow keys:
+//   - Up/Down move between the fields and buttons,
+//   - Left/Right change the value of a closed dropdown without opening it
+//     (and move between the buttons),
+//
+// Enter or Space still opens a dropdown list. While a list is open it gets all keys.
+func arrowNavigation(f *tview.Form) {
+	f.SetInputCapture(func(ev *tcell.EventKey) *tcell.EventKey {
+		item, button := f.GetFocusedItemIndex()
+		if item < 0 && button < 0 {
+			return ev
+		}
+		dd, _ := focusedDropDown(f, item)
+		if dd != nil && dd.IsOpen() {
+			return ev
+		}
+		total := f.GetFormItemCount() + f.GetButtonCount()
+		pos := item
+		if button >= 0 {
+			pos = f.GetFormItemCount() + button
+		}
+		switch ev.Key() {
+		case tcell.KeyDown:
+			f.SetFocus(min(pos+1, total-1))
+		case tcell.KeyUp:
+			f.SetFocus(max(pos-1, 0))
+		case tcell.KeyLeft, tcell.KeyRight:
+			step := 1
+			if ev.Key() == tcell.KeyLeft {
+				step = -1
+			}
+			switch {
+			case dd != nil:
+				n := dd.GetOptionCount()
+				cur, _ := dd.GetCurrentOption()
+				dd.SetCurrentOption((cur + step + n) % n)
+			case button >= 0:
+				f.SetFocus(min(max(pos+step, f.GetFormItemCount()), total-1))
+			default:
+				return ev
+			}
+		default:
+			return ev
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+}
+
+func focusedDropDown(f *tview.Form, item int) (*tview.DropDown, bool) {
+	if item < 0 {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	dd, ok := f.GetFormItem(item).(*tview.DropDown)
+	return dd, ok
+}
diff --git a/internal/ui/form_test.go b/internal/ui/form_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b63008b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/ui/form_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package ui
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
+	"github.com/rivo/tview"
+)
+
+func TestArrowNavigation(t *testing.T) {
+	f := tview.NewForm().
+		AddDropDown("A", []string{"x", "y", "z"}, 0, nil).
+		AddCheckbox("B", true, nil).
+		AddButton("Add", nil).AddButton("Cancel", nil)
+	arrowNavigation(f)
+	var focus func(p tview.Primitive)
+	focus = func(p tview.Primitive) { p.Focus(focus) }
+	f.Focus(focus)
+	cap := f.GetInputCapture()
+	send := func(key tcell.Key) { cap(tcell.NewEventKey(key, 0, 0)) }
+
+	dd := f.GetFormItem(0).(*tview.DropDown)
+	send(tcell.KeyRight)
+	if i, _ := dd.GetCurrentOption(); i != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Right: option %d, want 1", i)
+	}
+	send(tcell.KeyLeft)
+	send(tcell.KeyLeft)
+	if i, _ := dd.GetCurrentOption(); i != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("Left wraps: option %d, want 2", i)
+	}
+	send(tcell.KeyDown)
+	if item, _ := f.GetFocusedItemIndex(); item != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Down: item %d, want 1", item)
+	}
+	send(tcell.KeyDown)
+	send(tcell.KeyDown)
+	send(tcell.KeyDown) // clamps at the last button
+	if _, b := f.GetFocusedItemIndex(); b != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("button %d, want 1", b)
+	}
+	send(tcell.KeyLeft)
+	if _, b := f.GetFocusedItemIndex(); b != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Left on buttons: %d, want 0", b)
+	}
+	send(tcell.KeyUp)
+	if item, _ := f.GetFocusedItemIndex(); item != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Up from first button: item %d, want 1", item)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/ui/help.go b/internal/ui/help.go
index 151f90c..59a3e76 100644
--- a/internal/ui/help.go
+++ b/internal/ui/help.go
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ const helpText = `[yellow]Global[-]
 
 [yellow]Movies and Series[-]
   /                      focus the search box
-  Enter, a               add the selected title
+  Enter, a               add the selected title (dialog: ↑↓ move, ←→ change a
+                         dropdown, Space toggles, Enter/Space opens a list)
   i                      interactive release search (library titles)
 
 [yellow]Library[-]
diff --git a/internal/ui/search.go b/internal/ui/search.go
index 96d28cd..7225d8f 100644
--- a/internal/ui/search.go
+++ b/internal/ui/search.go
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ func (v *searchView) add(i int) {
 	})
 	form.AddButton("Cancel", v.app.closeModal)
 	form.SetCancelFunc(v.app.closeModal)
+	arrowNavigation(form)
 	form.SetBorder(true).SetTitle(" Add " + tview.Escape(r.title()) + " ")
 
 	v.app.openModal(form, 60, height)