diff --git a/crates/core/src/io/progressive_reader.rs b/crates/core/src/io/progressive_reader.rs
index 4a1f70a..c434090 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/io/progressive_reader.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/io/progressive_reader.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use crate::io::file_reader::{AppendStatus, FileReader};
 use crate::io::index_cache::IndexCache;
 use crate::io::line_index::LineIndex;
 use crate::io::line_sampler::sample_line_count;
-use crate::io::wrap::{format_json_line, wrap_line_chars, MAX_WRAP_INPUT_LEN};
+use crate::io::wrap::{MAX_WRAP_INPUT_LEN, format_json_line};
 
 // ─── Cancel-aware channel helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -235,29 +235,11 @@ pub fn compute_line_visual_height(
 fn compute_text_visual_height(text: &str, width: usize) -> usize {
     let mut height = 0;
     for sub_line in text.split('\n') {
-        height += wrap_line_chars(sub_line, width).len();
+        height += crate::io::wrap::wrap_line_count(sub_line, width);
     }
     height.max(1)
 }
 
-fn compute_visual_heights(
-    reader: &FileReader,
-    terminal_width: usize,
-    json_format: bool,
-) -> Vec<usize> {
-    let line_count = reader.line_count();
-    let mut visual_heights = Vec::with_capacity(line_count);
-    for i in 0..line_count {
-        let line_text = reader.get_line(i).unwrap_or("");
-        visual_heights.push(compute_line_visual_height(
-            line_text,
-            terminal_width,
-            json_format,
-        ));
-    }
-    visual_heights
-}
-
 // ─── ReaderState ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 pub enum ReaderState {
@@ -281,8 +263,8 @@ pub enum ReaderState {
 pub fn spawn_indexer(
     path: PathBuf,
     generation: u64,
-    terminal_width: usize,
-    json_format: bool,
+    _terminal_width: usize,
+    _json_format: bool,
     cancel_rx: crossbeam_channel::Receiver<()>,
 ) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<IndexerMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(10);
@@ -291,20 +273,28 @@ pub fn spawn_indexer(
         let file = match std::fs::File::open(&path) {
             Ok(f) => f,
             Err(e) => {
-                send_cancelable(&tx, IndexerMessage::Error {
-                    generation,
-                    message: e.to_string(),
-                }, &cancel_rx);
+                send_cancelable(
+                    &tx,
+                    IndexerMessage::Error {
+                        generation,
+                        message: e.to_string(),
+                    },
+                    &cancel_rx,
+                );
                 return;
             }
         };
         let target_len = match file.metadata() {
             Ok(m) => m.len(),
             Err(e) => {
-                send_cancelable(&tx, IndexerMessage::Error {
-                    generation,
-                    message: e.to_string(),
-                }, &cancel_rx);
+                send_cancelable(
+                    &tx,
+                    IndexerMessage::Error {
+                        generation,
+                        message: e.to_string(),
+                    },
+                    &cancel_rx,
+                );
                 return;
             }
         };
@@ -321,10 +311,14 @@ pub fn spawn_indexer(
             let buf = match buf_reader.fill_buf() {
                 Ok(b) => b,
                 Err(e) => {
-                    send_cancelable(&tx, IndexerMessage::Error {
-                        generation,
-                        message: e.to_string(),
-                    }, &cancel_rx);
+                    send_cancelable(
+                        &tx,
+                        IndexerMessage::Error {
+                            generation,
+                            message: e.to_string(),
+                        },
+                        &cancel_rx,
+                    );
                     return;
                 }
             };
@@ -407,18 +401,26 @@ pub fn spawn_indexer(
                         Ok(_) | Err(_) => None,
                     },
                     Err(e) => {
-                        send_cancelable(&tx, IndexerMessage::Error {
-                            generation,
-                            message: e.to_string(),
-                        }, &cancel_rx);
+                        send_cancelable(
+                            &tx,
+                            IndexerMessage::Error {
+                                generation,
+                                message: e.to_string(),
+                            },
+                            &cancel_rx,
+                        );
                         return;
                     }
                 },
                 Err(e) => {
-                    send_cancelable(&tx, IndexerMessage::Error {
-                        generation,
-                        message: e.to_string(),
-                    }, &cancel_rx);
+                    send_cancelable(
+                        &tx,
+                        IndexerMessage::Error {
+                            generation,
+                            message: e.to_string(),
+                        },
+                        &cancel_rx,
+                    );
                     return;
                 }
             }
@@ -430,18 +432,15 @@ pub fn spawn_indexer(
 
         let reader = FileReader::from_parts(path, mmap, line_index);
 
-        let visual_height_index = if terminal_width > 0 {
-            let visual_heights = compute_visual_heights(&reader, terminal_width, json_format);
-            Some(VisualHeightIndex::build(&visual_heights).with_params(json_format, terminal_width))
-        } else {
-            None
-        };
-
-        send_cancelable(&tx, IndexerMessage::Complete {
-            generation,
-            reader,
-            visual_height_index,
-        }, &cancel_rx);
+        send_cancelable(
+            &tx,
+            IndexerMessage::Complete {
+                generation,
+                reader,
+                visual_height_index: None,
+            },
+            &cancel_rx,
+        );
     });
 
     rx
@@ -467,41 +466,67 @@ pub fn spawn_visual_height_rebuild(
             Err(_) => return,
         };
 
-        let mut reader = std::io::BufReader::with_capacity(64 * 1024, file);
-        let mut visual_heights = Vec::with_capacity(line_index.line_count());
-        let mut line_buf = Vec::new();
+        let mmap = match unsafe { memmap2::Mmap::map(&file) } {
+            Ok(m) => match file.metadata() {
+                Ok(meta) if meta.len() >= m.len() as u64 => m,
+                _ => return,
+            },
+            Err(_) => return,
+        };
+        let data = mmap.as_ref();
+        let total_lines = line_index.line_count();
+        let mut visual_heights: Vec<usize> = Vec::with_capacity(total_lines);
+
+        let mut line_start = 0usize;
+        let mut bytes_since_cancel_check = 0usize;
 
         loop {
-            if cancel_rx.try_recv().is_ok() {
-                return;
+            if bytes_since_cancel_check >= 1_000_000 {
+                bytes_since_cancel_check = 0;
+                if cancel_rx.try_recv().is_ok() {
+                    return;
+                }
             }
 
-            line_buf.clear();
-            match std::io::BufRead::read_until(&mut reader, b'\n', &mut line_buf) {
-                Ok(0) => break,
-                Ok(_) => {
-                    let line_text = std::str::from_utf8(&line_buf)
-                        .ok()
-                        .map(|s| s.trim_end_matches(['\r', '\n']))
-                        .unwrap_or("");
-                    visual_heights.push(compute_line_visual_height(
-                        line_text,
-                        terminal_width,
-                        json_format,
-                    ));
-                }
-                Err(_) => return,
+            let newline_rel = memchr::memchr(b'\n', &data[line_start..]);
+            let line_end = match newline_rel {
+                Some(p) => line_start + p,
+                None => data.len(),
+            };
+
+            let mut slice_end = line_end;
+            if slice_end > line_start && data[slice_end - 1] == b'\r' {
+                slice_end -= 1;
+            }
+
+            let line_text = std::str::from_utf8(&data[line_start..slice_end]).unwrap_or("");
+            visual_heights.push(compute_line_visual_height(
+                line_text,
+                terminal_width,
+                json_format,
+            ));
+
+            bytes_since_cancel_check =
+                bytes_since_cancel_check.saturating_add(line_end - line_start + 1);
+
+            match newline_rel {
+                Some(_) => line_start = line_end + 1,
+                None => break,
             }
         }
 
-        if visual_heights.len() != line_index.line_count() {
+        if visual_heights.len() != total_lines {
             return;
         }
 
         let index =
             VisualHeightIndex::build(&visual_heights).with_params(json_format, terminal_width);
 
-        send_cancelable(&tx, VisualHeightRebuildResult { generation, index }, &cancel_rx);
+        send_cancelable(
+            &tx,
+            VisualHeightRebuildResult { generation, index },
+            &cancel_rx,
+        );
     });
 
     rx
@@ -1114,12 +1139,10 @@ mod tests {
                 assert_eq!(reader.get_line(0), Some("line1"));
                 assert_eq!(reader.get_line(1), Some("line2"));
                 assert_eq!(reader.get_line(2), Some("line3"));
-                assert!(visual_height_index.is_some());
-                let idx = visual_height_index.unwrap();
-                assert_eq!(idx.total_visual_rows(), 3);
-                assert_eq!(idx.visual_row_to_logical_row(0), 0);
-                assert_eq!(idx.visual_row_to_logical_row(1), 1);
-                assert_eq!(idx.visual_row_to_logical_row(2), 2);
+                assert!(
+                    visual_height_index.is_none(),
+                    "spawn_indexer no longer builds VHI inline; UI triggers rebuild post-layout"
+                );
             }
             other => panic!("expected Complete, got {:?}", other),
         }
@@ -1320,12 +1343,15 @@ mod tests {
             match rx.recv_timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(10)).unwrap() {
                 IndexerMessage::Progress { .. } => continue,
                 IndexerMessage::Complete {
+                    reader,
                     visual_height_index,
                     ..
                 } => {
-                    let idx = visual_height_index.expect("should have visual height index");
-                    assert_eq!(idx.visual_height_of_line(0), 1);
-                    assert_eq!(idx.visual_height_of_line(1), 1);
+                    assert_eq!(reader.line_count(), 2);
+                    assert!(
+                        visual_height_index.is_none(),
+                        "spawn_indexer no longer builds VHI inline; UI triggers rebuild post-layout"
+                    );
                     break;
                 }
                 other => panic!("expected Complete, got {:?}", other),
@@ -1515,13 +1541,7 @@ mod tests {
         }
 
         let (_cancel_tx, cancel_rx) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(1);
-        let rx = spawn_visual_height_rebuild(
-            f.path().to_path_buf(),
-            1,
-            80,
-            false,
-            cancel_rx,
-        );
+        let rx = spawn_visual_height_rebuild(f.path().to_path_buf(), 1, 80, false, cancel_rx);
 
         let result = rx.recv_timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(5));
         match result {
@@ -1604,7 +1624,10 @@ mod tests {
                 Err(e) => panic!("recv error: {:?}", e),
             }
         }
-        assert!(got_complete, "indexer should complete even when Progress fills channel");
+        assert!(
+            got_complete,
+            "indexer should complete even when Progress fills channel"
+        );
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs b/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs
index e4ad23a..3f6557d 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+
 /// Maximum input length for wrap/format operations (10 MB).
 /// Callers should check against this constant before invoking `wrap_line_chars`
 /// to avoid pathological cases on oversized lines.
@@ -69,21 +71,81 @@ pub fn wrap_line_chars(line: &str, width: usize) -> Vec<String> {
     result
 }
 
-/// Format a line as pretty-printed JSON if it's a JSON Object.
-/// Returns the original line unchanged for non-JSON or non-Object content.
-pub fn format_json_line(line: &str) -> String {
-    if line.trim().is_empty() {
-        return String::new();
+/// Count wrapped rows for a line without allocating the wrapped strings.
+/// MUST produce the same count as `wrap_line_chars(line, width).len()`.
+pub fn wrap_line_count(line: &str, width: usize) -> usize {
+    use unicode_width::UnicodeWidthChar;
+
+    if width == 0 || line.is_empty() {
+        return 1;
     }
-    // Quick pre-check: only try parsing if it starts with '{'
-    if !line.trim_start().starts_with('{') {
-        return line.to_string();
+    let mut count = 0usize;
+    let mut col = 0usize;
+    let mut row_has_content = false;
+
+    for ch in line.chars() {
+        if ch == '\t' {
+            let tab_stop = TAB_WIDTH - (col % TAB_WIDTH);
+            let mut remaining = tab_stop;
+            while remaining > 0 {
+                let avail = width.saturating_sub(col);
+                let fill = remaining.min(avail);
+                col += fill;
+                remaining -= fill;
+                if col >= width {
+                    count += 1;
+                    col = 0;
+                    row_has_content = false;
+                } else {
+                    row_has_content = true;
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            let w = if ch.is_control() {
+                0
+            } else {
+                ch.width().unwrap_or(0)
+            };
+            if col + w > width && row_has_content {
+                count += 1;
+                col = 0;
+            }
+            col += w;
+            if col >= width {
+                count += 1;
+                col = 0;
+                row_has_content = false;
+            } else {
+                row_has_content = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if row_has_content {
+        count += 1;
+    }
+    if count == 0 {
+        count = 1;
+    }
+    count
+}
+
+/// Format a line as pretty-printed JSON if it's a JSON Object.
+/// Returns the original line borrowed for non-JSON or non-Object content,
+/// only allocating when pretty-printing actually happens.
+pub fn format_json_line(line: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
+    let trimmed = line.trim();
+    if trimmed.is_empty() {
+        return Cow::Borrowed("");
+    }
+    if !trimmed.starts_with('{') {
+        return Cow::Borrowed(line);
     }
     match serde_json::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(line) {
-        Ok(value) if value.is_object() => {
-            serde_json::to_string_pretty(&value).unwrap_or_else(|_| line.to_string())
-        }
-        _ => line.to_string(),
+        Ok(value) if value.is_object() => match serde_json::to_string_pretty(&value) {
+            Ok(s) => Cow::Owned(s),
+            Err(_) => Cow::Borrowed(line),
+        },
+        _ => Cow::Borrowed(line),
     }
 }
 
@@ -231,4 +293,124 @@ mod tests {
         let result = wrap_line_chars("ab\t", 4);
         assert_eq!(result, vec!["ab  "]);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_empty() {
+        assert_eq!(wrap_line_count("", 80), wrap_line_chars("", 80).len());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_zero_width() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            wrap_line_count("hello", 0),
+            wrap_line_chars("hello", 0).len()
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_ascii_short() {
+        for width in 1..20 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count("hello world", width),
+                wrap_line_chars("hello world", width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_cjk() {
+        for width in 1..10 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count("你好世界", width),
+                wrap_line_chars("你好世界", width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_emoji() {
+        for width in 1..6 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count("😀👨‍👩‍👧", width),
+                wrap_line_chars("😀👨‍👩‍👧", width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_combining_mark() {
+        for width in 1..6 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count("a\u{0301}b\u{0301}c", width),
+                wrap_line_chars("a\u{0301}b\u{0301}c", width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_tab_variants() {
+        let inputs = ["\t", "a\tb", "ab\t", "\t\t", "abc\tb", "a\t\t\tb"];
+        for input in inputs {
+            for width in 1..9 {
+                assert_eq!(
+                    wrap_line_count(input, width),
+                    wrap_line_chars(input, width).len(),
+                    "input={input:?} width={width}"
+                );
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_mixed() {
+        let input = "log: 你好 😀\tvalue=true [ERROR]";
+        for width in 1..40 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count(input, width),
+                wrap_line_chars(input, width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_zero_width_chars() {
+        let input = "a\u{200B}b\u{200C}c\u{200D}d";
+        for width in 1..8 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count(input, width),
+                wrap_line_chars(input, width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_control_chars() {
+        let input = "a\x07b\x1Fc";
+        for width in 1..8 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count(input, width),
+                wrap_line_chars(input, width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_wrap_count_matches_chars_long_log_line() {
+        let input = "2025-01-14T10:23:45.123Z [INFO] [auth] request handled status=200 \
+                     latency=0.234s endpoint=/api/v1/users user=user_42 request_id=req_abc123def456";
+        for width in [10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120] {
+            assert_eq!(
+                wrap_line_count(input, width),
+                wrap_line_chars(input, width).len(),
+                "width={width}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
 }