diff --git a/src/add-to-ipfs.js b/src/add-to-ipfs.js
index cb73b8f81..ff32e95ff 100644
--- a/src/add-to-ipfs.js
+++ b/src/add-to-ipfs.js
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ function sendNotification (failures, successes, launchWebUI, path) {
   }
 
   fn({ title, body }, () => {
+    // force refresh for Files screen to pick up newly added items
+    // https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-desktop/issues/1763
     launchWebUI(link, { forceRefresh: true })
   })
 }
diff --git a/src/webui/index.js b/src/webui/index.js
index 7430f3d6f..7c1820413 100644
--- a/src/webui/index.js
+++ b/src/webui/index.js
@@ -107,15 +107,16 @@ module.exports = async function (ctx) {
       logger.info('[web ui] launching web ui')
     } else {
       logger.info(`[web ui] navigate to ${path}`)
-      window.webContents.send('updatedPage', path)
       url.hash = path
+      window.webContents.loadURL(url.toString())
     }
-
     if (focus) {
       window.show()
       window.focus()
       dock.show()
     }
+    // load again: minimize visual jitter on windows
+    if (path) window.webContents.loadURL(url.toString())
   }
 
   function updateLanguage () {
diff --git a/src/webui/preload.js b/src/webui/preload.js
index 08c6d48d5..7f88613f0 100644
--- a/src/webui/preload.js
+++ b/src/webui/preload.js
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@ const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search)
 
 function checkIfVisible () {
   if (document.hidden) {
+    if (window.location.hash === '#/blank') return // skip, already blank
     previousHash = window.location.hash
     window.location.hash = '/blank'
   } else {
+    if (previousHash === '#/blank') return // skip
     window.location.hash = previousHash
   }
 }
@@ -28,11 +30,6 @@ window.localStorage.setItem = function () {
 
 let previousHash = null
 
-ipcRenderer.on('updatedPage', (_, url) => {
-  previousHash = url
-  window.location.hash = url
-})
-
 document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => {
   checkIfVisible()
 })
@@ -41,6 +38,12 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentReady', () => {
   checkIfVisible()
 })
 
+// track hash changes, so checkIfVisible always has the right previousHash
+document.addEventListener('hashchange', () => {
+  if (window.location.hash === '#/blank') return // skip
+  previousHash = window.location.hash
+})
+
 window.ipfsDesktop = {
   countlyAppKey: COUNTLY_KEY,