diff --git a/apps/darkroom-android/src/lib.rs b/apps/darkroom-android/src/lib.rs
index 9fc1e35..cf9de44 100644
--- a/apps/darkroom-android/src/lib.rs
+++ b/apps/darkroom-android/src/lib.rs
@@ -300,7 +300,9 @@ fn install_bundled_models(app: slint::android::AndroidApp) {
     // on the worker because `AAssetManager` is thread-safe by contract and
     // reading the pointer takes only the app's read lock, which `poll_events`
     // also only ever holds shared.
-    std::thread::spawn(move || unpack_bundled_models(&app));
+    dr_ui::executors::spawn(dr_ui::executors::Executor::Io, "models", move || {
+        unpack_bundled_models(&app)
+    });
 }
 
 /// The copy itself, on the worker [`install_bundled_models`] starts.
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/automation.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/automation.rs
index 4b8fbfd..ea58bab 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/automation.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/automation.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 //!
 //! Waiting is the client's job (poll `locate`), which keeps this stateless.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Write};
 use std::os::unix::net::{UnixListener, UnixStream};
 use std::sync::mpsc;
@@ -71,15 +72,13 @@ pub(crate) fn attach(window: &AppWindow) {
     };
     log::info!("automation: listening on {path:?}");
     let weak = window.as_weak();
-    std::thread::Builder::new()
-        .name("automation".into())
-        .spawn(move || {
-            for stream in listener.incoming().flatten() {
-                let weak = weak.clone();
-                std::thread::spawn(move || serve(stream, weak));
-            }
-        })
-        .ok();
+    executors::try_spawn(Executor::Io, "automation", move || {
+        for stream in listener.incoming().flatten() {
+            let weak = weak.clone();
+            executors::spawn(Executor::Io, "auto-conn", move || serve(stream, weak));
+        }
+    })
+    .ok();
 }
 
 fn serve(stream: UnixStream, weak: slint::Weak<AppWindow>) {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/bursts.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/bursts.rs
index f063f5c..bb0625d 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/bursts.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/bursts.rs
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 //! abandoned half way leaves the signatures it did compute — they are permanent
 //! and correct — and the previous grouping intact.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::cell::{Cell, RefCell};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ pub enum BurstMessage {
 pub fn spawn_grouping(catalog_path: PathBuf, thumbs_dir: PathBuf) -> Receiver<BurstMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "bursts", move || {
         let catalog = match Catalog::open(&catalog_path) {
             Ok(c) => c,
             Err(e) => {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/derived_sync.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/derived_sync.rs
index ff0c99c..40c675c 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/derived_sync.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/derived_sync.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 //! share boundary the account cannot write to. The scanner excludes it by the
 //! same mechanism that excludes the trash.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use dr_sync::{Connection, RemoteBackend, RemoteError, RemoteId, RemotePath};
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ pub fn spawn_sync(
 ) -> std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<SyncMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "sync", move || {
         // A current-thread runtime here is what made the library scan itself
         // rather than adopt the shards the server already had; see net_runtime.
         let rt = match crate::net_runtime::build() {
@@ -1018,7 +1019,7 @@ pub fn spawn_place_fetch(
 ) -> std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<Result<Option<dr_types::Place>, String>> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "places", move || {
         let rt = match crate::net_runtime::build() {
             Ok(rt) => rt,
             Err(e) => {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/duplicates.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/duplicates.rs
index f6cd07d..6281ae0 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/duplicates.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/duplicates.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 //! is a function of the image id, so the next review finds each such file
 //! there, and consolidating again treats it as already moved.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
@@ -492,7 +493,7 @@ pub fn spawn_check(
     stop: Arc<AtomicBool>,
 ) -> Receiver<DupMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "dupes", move || {
         let stopped = run_check(&conn, &catalog_path, cache_dir, groups, &stop, &tx).err();
         let _ = tx.send(DupMessage::Finished { stopped });
     });
@@ -758,7 +759,7 @@ pub fn spawn_consolidate(
     stop: Arc<AtomicBool>,
 ) -> Receiver<DupMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "consolidate", move || {
         let stopped = run_consolidate(&conn, &catalog_path, cache_dir, plans, &stop, &tx).err();
         let _ = tx.send(DupMessage::Finished { stopped });
     });
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/executors.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/executors.rs
index fe99364..9d8d04d 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/executors.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/executors.rs
@@ -35,12 +35,15 @@
 //!
 //! # Which executor a job belongs to
 //!
-//! By what it spends its time waiting on. A worker that builds a network
-//! runtime and moves bytes to or from a server is [`Executor::Network`], even
-//! when it touches the catalog on the way; one that decodes images or runs a
-//! CPU pass over their pixels or embeddings is [`Executor::Decode`]; one that
-//! drives the GPU is [`Executor::GpuSubmit`]; the rest — catalog, files, local
-//! sockets, relaying a channel to the log — is [`Executor::Io`].
+//! By what it spends its time on. One that decodes images or runs a CPU pass
+//! over their pixels or embeddings — the thumbnail and metadata sweeps, face
+//! indexing, grouping, repairs — is [`Executor::Decode`], even when it fetches
+//! the bytes first. One that drives the GPU — batch export, a merge — is
+//! [`Executor::GpuSubmit`]. One whose work is moving files or metadata to or
+//! from a server — sync, sidecars, fetches, trash, login — is
+//! [`Executor::Network`], even when it touches the catalog on the way. The
+//! rest — opening the catalog, a backup, a local import, relaying a channel to
+//! the log — is [`Executor::Io`].
 
 use std::cell::Cell;
 use std::thread::JoinHandle;
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/export.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/export.rs
index 9e98cea..3326e35 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/export.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/export.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 //! same file from the grid does — subject, both times, to what the settings
 //! allow (FR-EXP-8).
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::rc::Rc;
@@ -414,7 +415,7 @@ pub fn spawn_upload(
 ) -> std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<UploadMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "upload", move || {
         let rt = match crate::net_runtime::build() {
             Ok(rt) => rt,
             Err(e) => {
@@ -665,7 +666,9 @@ pub enum BatchMessage {
 /// Export a selection on a thread of its own.
 pub fn spawn_batch(request: BatchRequest, cancel: Cancel) -> Receiver<BatchMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    std::thread::spawn(move || run(request, &cancel, &tx));
+    executors::spawn(Executor::GpuSubmit, "export", move || {
+        run(request, &cancel, &tx)
+    });
     rx
 }
 
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/faces.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/faces.rs
index 555f269..e084bfa 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/faces.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/faces.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 //! on every one. It therefore runs debounced, when detection has been idle and
 //! the face count has moved materially (catalog.md §10.2).
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
 
@@ -816,7 +817,7 @@ pub fn spawn_store_face_sweep(
 ) -> Receiver<FaceSweepMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "faces", move || {
         let finish_empty = |tx: &Sender<FaceSweepMessage>| {
             let _ = tx.send(FaceSweepMessage::Finished {
                 images: 0,
@@ -1348,7 +1349,7 @@ pub fn spawn_grouping_preview(
 ) -> Receiver<PreviewMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "grouping", move || {
         let msg = match Catalog::open(&catalog_path) {
             Ok(catalog) => match preview_grouping(&catalog, &model_id, &grouping) {
                 Ok(p) => PreviewMessage::Ready(p),
@@ -1397,7 +1398,7 @@ pub fn spawn_recluster(
 ) -> Receiver<ReclusterMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "recluster", move || {
         let catalog = match Catalog::open(&catalog_path) {
             Ok(c) => c,
             Err(e) => {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/import.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/import.rs
index ca9abfb..92b776c 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/import.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/import.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 //! record afterwards is each file's digest (`dr_catalog::dedup`), which the
 //! scan cannot know because it never reads a whole file.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
@@ -228,14 +229,12 @@ pub struct Outcome {
 /// does, and the caller holds it.
 pub fn spawn(request: Request, cancel: Cancel) -> Receiver<Message> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    std::thread::Builder::new()
-        .name("import".into())
-        .spawn(move || {
-            if let Err(e) = run(request, &cancel, &tx) {
-                let _ = tx.send(Message::Failed(e));
-            }
-        })
-        .expect("spawning the import worker");
+    executors::try_spawn(Executor::Io, "import", move || {
+        if let Err(e) = run(request, &cancel, &tx) {
+            let _ = tx.send(Message::Failed(e));
+        }
+    })
+    .expect("spawning the import worker");
     rx
 }
 
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/launch_ui.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/launch_ui.rs
index 52ef41e..bbe8155 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/launch_ui.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/launch_ui.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 //! the develop window's wiring. The model holds the state machine and is
 //! tested headless; this module only moves values across the boundary.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
@@ -464,7 +465,7 @@ fn spawn_login(weak: slint::Weak<AppWindow>, ctl: Rc<LaunchController>, server:
     // the thread boundary.
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel::<LoginMessage>();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "login", move || {
         // A panic anywhere below would unwind the thread, drop `tx`, and leave
         // the UI with nothing but a closed channel — which it can only report
         // as "failed unexpectedly", losing the one piece of information that
@@ -533,7 +534,7 @@ fn spawn_direct_login(
 ) {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel::<LoginMessage>();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "login", move || {
         let panic_tx = tx.clone();
         let result = std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(move || {
             // Multi-thread for the reason the browser flow is: a current-thread
@@ -767,7 +768,7 @@ fn spawn_folder_list(weak: slint::Weak<AppWindow>, ctl: Rc<LaunchController>, pa
 
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel::<Result<Vec<String>, String>>();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "folders", move || {
         // Multi-thread for the same reason as the login worker: a
         // current-thread runtime left reqwest's connection future unpolled on
         // Android, so the await never resolved and the thread stopped without
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/lib.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/lib.rs
index 95f4fcf..aab7e46 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/lib.rs
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ fn drain_outbox(library: &Rc<library_ui::LibraryController>) {
 
     let root = conn.account.root.clone();
     let rx = export::spawn_upload(conn, root, outbox);
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(executors::Executor::Io, "upload-log", move || {
         while let Ok(msg) = rx.recv() {
             match msg {
                 export::UploadMessage::Status(s) => log::info!("export: {s}"),
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/scan.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/scan.rs
index fcde6d5..1499f70 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/scan.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/scan.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Walking a remote library into the catalog, and pulling other devices'
 //! judgements out of the sidecars the walk finds along the way.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use dr_catalog::Catalog;
 use dr_sync::{Connection, RemoteBackend, RemoteId, RemotePath};
 use dr_types::FormatFilter;
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ pub fn spawn_scan(
 ) -> Receiver<ScanMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "scan", move || {
         let started = std::time::Instant::now();
         if let Err(e) = run_scan(&tx, conn, root, filter, catalog_path, started) {
             let _ = tx.send(ScanMessage::Failed {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sidecar.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sidecar.rs
index 3d5cbec..8f4b580 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sidecar.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sidecar.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Writing local edits out to the catalog's sidecar outbox, and draining
 //! that outbox to the remote once a connection is available.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use crate::sidecar_cache::SidecarCache;
 use dr_sync::{Connection, RemoteBackend, RemoteError, RemoteId, RemotePath};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ pub fn spawn_sidecar_writes(
 ) -> Receiver<SidecarMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "sc-write", move || {
         let cache = SidecarCache::open(cache_dir);
 
         // The runtime and the backend are only needed to *upload*. Offline,
@@ -451,7 +452,7 @@ pub(super) async fn write_one_sidecar_online(
 pub fn spawn_outbox_drain(conn: Connection, cache_dir: PathBuf) -> Receiver<SidecarMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "outbox", move || {
         let cache = SidecarCache::open(cache_dir);
         let queued = cache.pending();
         if queued.is_empty() {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sweep.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sweep.rs
index 87bba4f..2febbd6 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sweep.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/sweep.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! The background sweeps: metadata extraction and thumbnail generation
 //! for whatever the catalog still owes, a chunk at a time.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use dr_catalog::Catalog;
 use dr_sync::{Connection, RemoteBackend, RemoteId, RemotePath};
 use dr_thumbs::ThumbStore;
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ pub fn spawn_sweep(conn: Connection, catalog_path: PathBuf) -> Receiver<SweepMes
     // The one place this job names a decoder; everything below takes it.
     let decoder = dr_decode::default();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "metadata", move || {
         let catalog = match Catalog::open(&catalog_path) {
             Ok(c) => c,
             Err(e) => {
@@ -602,7 +603,7 @@ pub fn spawn_thumbnail_sweep(
     // The one place this job names a decoder; everything below takes it.
     let decoder = dr_decode::default();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "thumb-sweep", move || {
         let finish_empty = |tx: &Sender<ThumbSweepMessage>| {
             let _ = tx.send(ThumbSweepMessage::Finished {
                 stored: 0,
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_fetch.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_fetch.rs
index 1b9479f..11ffe18 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_fetch.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_fetch.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 //! cache, dehydration, and the prefetcher that keeps the grid ahead of
 //! scrolling.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use crate::sidecar_cache::SidecarCache;
 use dr_catalog::Catalog;
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ pub fn spawn_pin_fetch(
 ) -> Receiver<PinMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "pin", move || {
         let (store, catalog) = match (
             dr_catalog::Cache::open(&cache_dir, budget),
             Catalog::open(&catalog_path),
@@ -324,7 +325,7 @@ pub fn spawn_dehydrate(
 ) -> Receiver<usize> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "dehydrate", move || {
         let Ok(catalog) = Catalog::open(&catalog_path) else {
             return;
         };
@@ -442,7 +443,7 @@ pub fn spawn_sidecar_fetch(
 ) -> Receiver<Option<dr_pipeline::Sidecar>> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "sidecars", move || {
         let cache = SidecarCache::open(cache_dir);
         let path_str = sidecar_path(&image_path);
 
@@ -565,7 +566,7 @@ pub fn spawn_full_fetch(
     cache: Option<CacheContext>,
 ) -> Receiver<Result<Vec<u8>, FetchFailure>> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "fetch", move || {
         let _ = tx.send(fetch_original(conn, &path, cache.as_ref()));
     });
     rx
@@ -845,10 +846,10 @@ impl Prefetcher {
         let shared = std::sync::Arc::new(PrefetchShared::default());
         let (tx, events) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
         let worker = shared.clone();
-        std::thread::Builder::new()
-            .name("prefetch".into())
-            .spawn(move || serve_prefetches(&worker, &tx))
-            .expect("spawning the prefetch worker");
+        executors::try_spawn(Executor::Network, "prefetch", move || {
+            serve_prefetches(&worker, &tx)
+        })
+        .expect("spawning the prefetch worker");
         Self { shared, events }
     }
 
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_gen.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_gen.rs
index a14bac3..5589b55 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_gen.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/thumbnails_gen.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Generating thumbnails locally from a decoded preview or original, and
 //! the metadata that comes along for the ride.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 #[cfg(test)]
 use dr_catalog::Catalog;
 use dr_sync::{Connection, RemoteBackend, RemoteId, RemotePath};
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ pub fn spawn_thumbnails(
     // The one place this job names a decoder; everything below takes it.
     let decoder = dr_decode::default();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "thumbs", move || {
         let mut store = match ThumbStore::open(&store_dir) {
             Ok(s) => Some(s),
             Err(e) => {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/xmp.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/xmp.rs
index a2195d6..14af517 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library/xmp.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library/xmp.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Pushing local judgements out to XMP sidecars, and reloading sidecars a
 //! person chose to trust by hand.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use dr_catalog::Catalog;
 use dr_sync::{Connection, RemoteBackend, RemoteId, RemotePath};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ pub struct XmpWrite {
 /// name. Reported once at the end, as the judgement writes are.
 pub fn spawn_xmp_writes(conn: Connection, writes: Vec<XmpWrite>) -> Receiver<XmpMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "xmp-write", move || {
         let mut written = 0usize;
         let mut failed = 0usize;
         let mut last_error = None;
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ pub fn spawn_xmp_reload(
     paths: Vec<String>,
 ) -> Receiver<XmpMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "xmp-reload", move || {
         let mut written = 0usize;
         let mut failed = 0usize;
         let mut last_error = None;
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/open.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/open.rs
index 816f0c0..bb878a1 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/open.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/open.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 //! (`offline`) it hands off to on a failure. See `docs/dev/code-health.md`
 //! CH-1.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::sync::mpsc::Receiver;
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ enum CatalogOpen {
 fn spawn_catalog_open(path: PathBuf) -> Receiver<CatalogOpen> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Io, "catalog-open", move || {
         let started = std::time::Instant::now();
         let message = match Catalog::open_verified(&path) {
             Ok(cat) => {
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/sync.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/sync.rs
index 6a6d0bc..fe40b18 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/sync.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/library_ui/sync.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 //! library rather than in response to what the grid is showing.
 //! See `docs/dev/code-health.md` CH-1.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
 use slint::ComponentHandle;
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ fn spawn_scheduled_backup(ctl: &Rc<LibraryController>) {
     if !dr_catalog::recovery::backup_due(&catalog_path) {
         return;
     }
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Io, "backup", move || {
         let catalog = match dr_catalog::Catalog::open(&catalog_path) {
             Ok(c) => c,
             Err(e) => {
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ pub(super) fn start_derived_sync(window: &AppWindow, ctl: &Rc<LibraryController>
         let outbox = crate::export::outbox_dir(&conn.account);
         if crate::export::pending_count(&outbox) > 0 {
             let rx = crate::export::spawn_upload(conn.clone(), conn.account.root.clone(), outbox);
-            std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            executors::spawn(Executor::Io, "upload-log", move || {
                 while let Ok(msg) = rx.recv() {
                     match msg {
                         crate::export::UploadMessage::Status(s) => log::info!("export: {s}"),
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/merge.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/merge.rs
index b1f64c5..af4a2b9 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/merge.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/merge.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 //! sensor data stays on the CPU at a fifth of the size — and it is what
 //! makes a twelve-frame set fit.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
@@ -727,7 +728,7 @@ fn run_inner(
     let fill_for_writer = fill_cam.is_some();
     let file =
         std::fs::File::create(&out_path).map_err(|e| format!("{}: {e}", out_path.display()))?;
-    let writer = std::thread::spawn(move || -> Result<(), String> {
+    let writer = executors::spawn(Executor::Io, "dng-write", move || -> Result<(), String> {
         let mut file = std::io::BufWriter::new(file);
         dr_export::write_linear_dng(
             &mut file,
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/merge_ui.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/merge_ui.rs
index f38a180..ba642eb 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/merge_ui.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/merge_ui.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 //! staged, the outbox drains and the library rescans, and the composite
 //! appears in the grid beside its sources.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::cell::{Cell, RefCell};
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
@@ -446,7 +447,7 @@ fn start<Fetch>(
     {
         let cancel = cancel.clone();
         let tx = tx.clone();
-        std::thread::spawn(move || {
+        executors::spawn(Executor::GpuSubmit, "merge", move || {
             let Some(frames) = fetch(&tx, &cancel) else {
                 return;
             };
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/remote_folders.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/remote_folders.rs
index dc3823d..5f6ce3c 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/remote_folders.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/remote_folders.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 //! locally: the server may have normalised it, or refused it, and the list
 //! the user picks from should be the server's, not this app's guess at it.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::sync::mpsc::TryRecvError;
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ where
 {
     let work: Work = Box::new(work);
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel::<Result<Vec<String>, String>>();
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "remote-dirs", move || {
         // Multi-thread, for the reason the login worker records: a
         // current-thread runtime left reqwest's connection future unpolled on
         // Android, and the await never resolved.
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/repairs.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/repairs.rs
index fbb9db9..7906e1b 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/repairs.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/repairs.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 //! runs over everything the *chosen detector* has not been over, whatever a
 //! weaker one found there. Same job, one predicate differs.
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
@@ -1008,7 +1009,7 @@ pub fn spawn(
 ) -> Receiver<FaceSweepMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Decode, "repairs", move || {
         let finish_empty = |tx: &Sender<FaceSweepMessage>| {
             let _ = tx.send(FaceSweepMessage::Finished {
                 images: 0,
diff --git a/ui/dr-ui/src/trash.rs b/ui/dr-ui/src/trash.rs
index b3a159c..1ba63c8 100644
--- a/ui/dr-ui/src/trash.rs
+++ b/ui/dr-ui/src/trash.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 //! halfway with no record of where it stopped is worse than one that reports
 //! "38 of 40".
 
+use crate::executors::{self, Executor};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::mpsc::Receiver;
 
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ pub fn spawn_move(
 ) -> Receiver<TrashMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "trash", move || {
         let total = moves.len();
         let rt = match crate::net_runtime::build() {
             Ok(rt) => rt,
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ pub fn spawn_purge(
 ) -> Receiver<TrashMessage> {
     let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
 
-    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+    executors::spawn(Executor::Network, "purge", move || {
         let total = paths.len();
         let rt = match crate::net_runtime::build() {
             Ok(rt) => rt,