diff --git a/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx b/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx
index 08d126b876..b5fd0f4a2e 100644
--- a/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/features/gifPicker/GifPickerDialog.tsx
@@ -100,24 +100,21 @@ function GifPickerBody({
   const items = isRecentsActive ? getRecents() : networkItems
   const hasData = items.length > 0
 
-  // Remount the grid only when switching between the network view and the
-  // local recents list, so FlatList doesn't carry stale virtualized cells
-  // across that boundary. Within the network view we rely on normal React
-  // reconciliation as `items` changes — remounting on every search keystroke
-  // would blur the sticky-header search input.
-  const viewKey = isRecentsActive ? 'recents' : 'network'
-
   const onEndReached = () => {
     if (isRecentsActive) return
     if (isFetchingNextPage || !hasNextPage || error) return
     void fetchNextPage()
   }
 
+  const onClearSearch = () => {
+    textInputRef.current?.clear()
+    setRawSearch('')
+    setActiveCategory('trending')
+  }
+
   const onGoBack = () => {
     if (isSearching || activeCategory !== 'trending') {
-      textInputRef.current?.clear()
-      setRawSearch('')
-      setActiveCategory('trending')
+      onClearSearch()
     } else {
       control.close()
     }
@@ -145,7 +142,8 @@ function GifPickerBody({
       <GifPickerHeader
         inputRef={textInputRef}
         onChangeText={onChangeSearch}
-        onGoBack={onGoBack}
+        onClear={onClearSearch}
+        canClear={rawSearch.length > 0}
         onEscape={() => control.close()}
       />
       {showPills && (
@@ -179,7 +177,6 @@ function GifPickerBody({
         hasData={hasData}
         isFetchingNextPage={!isRecentsActive && isFetchingNextPage}
         error={isRecentsActive ? null : error}
-        viewKey={viewKey}
         fetchNextPage={fetchNextPage}
         onEndReached={onEndReached}
         onSelectGif={handleSelectGif}
diff --git a/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerGrid.tsx b/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerGrid.tsx
index 5d3870954e..a2ac8ad0fa 100644
--- a/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerGrid.tsx
+++ b/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerGrid.tsx
@@ -15,13 +15,6 @@ type Props = {
   hasData: boolean
   isFetchingNextPage: boolean
   error: unknown
-  /**
-   * Identifies the current data source at a coarse grain ("recents" vs
-   * "network"). Used to remount the underlying FlatList when crossing that
-   * boundary so virtualized cells from the previous view can't bleed into the
-   * next one.
-   */
-  viewKey: string
   fetchNextPage: () => Promise<unknown>
   onEndReached: () => void
   onSelectGif: (gif: Gif) => void
@@ -35,7 +28,6 @@ export const GifPickerGrid = forwardRef<ListMethods, Props>(
       hasData,
       isFetchingNextPage,
       error,
-      viewKey,
       fetchNextPage,
       onEndReached,
       onSelectGif,
@@ -59,7 +51,7 @@ export const GifPickerGrid = forwardRef<ListMethods, Props>(
     return (
       <Dialog.InnerFlatList
         ref={ref}
-        key={`${numColumns}-${viewKey}`}
+        key={String(numColumns)}
         data={data}
         renderItem={({item}: {item: Gif[][]}) => (
           <View style={[a.flex_row, a.gap_sm]}>
diff --git a/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx b/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx
index a3bd34bcad..ab49e8b924 100644
--- a/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/features/gifPicker/components/GifPickerHeader.tsx
@@ -2,27 +2,27 @@ import {type Ref} from 'react'
 import {type TextInput, View} from 'react-native'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react/macro'
 
-import {atoms as a, native, useBreakpoints, useTheme, web} from '#/alf'
+import {atoms as a, native, useTheme} from '#/alf'
 import {Button, ButtonIcon} from '#/components/Button'
 import * as TextField from '#/components/forms/TextField'
-import {ArrowLeft_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Arrow} from '#/components/icons/Arrow'
 import {MagnifyingGlass_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Search} from '#/components/icons/MagnifyingGlass'
-import {IS_WEB} from '#/env'
+import {TimesLarge_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as X} from '#/components/icons/Times'
 
 export function GifPickerHeader({
   inputRef,
   onChangeText,
-  onGoBack,
+  onClear,
   onEscape,
+  canClear,
 }: {
   inputRef: Ref<TextInput>
   onChangeText: (text: string) => void
-  onGoBack: () => void
+  onClear: () => void
   onEscape: () => void
+  canClear: boolean
 }) {
   const {t: l} = useLingui()
   const t = useTheme()
-  const {gtMobile} = useBreakpoints()
 
   return (
     <View
@@ -32,28 +32,15 @@ export function GifPickerHeader({
         a.pb_md,
         a.flex_row,
         a.align_center,
-        !gtMobile && web(a.gap_md),
         t.atoms.bg,
       ]}>
-      {!gtMobile && IS_WEB && (
-        <Button
-          size="small"
-          color="secondary"
-          shape="round"
-          onPress={onGoBack}
-          label={l`Go back`}>
-          <ButtonIcon icon={Arrow} size="md" />
-        </Button>
-      )}
-
-      <TextField.Root style={[!gtMobile && IS_WEB && a.flex_1]}>
+      <TextField.Root style={a.flex_1}>
         <TextField.Icon icon={Search} />
         <TextField.Input
           label={l`Search GIFs`}
           placeholder={l`Search GIFs`}
           onChangeText={onChangeText}
           returnKeyType="search"
-          clearButtonMode="while-editing"
           inputRef={inputRef}
           maxLength={50}
           onKeyPress={({nativeEvent}) => {
@@ -62,6 +49,17 @@ export function GifPickerHeader({
             }
           }}
         />
+        {canClear && (
+          <Button
+            size="tiny"
+            color="secondary"
+            shape="round"
+            style={a.z_30}
+            onPress={onClear}
+            label={l`Clear search`}>
+            <ButtonIcon icon={X} size="sm" />
+          </Button>
+        )}
       </TextField.Root>
     </View>
   )