diff --git a/downloader_routes.py b/downloader_routes.py
index 8607c27..d69d8ec 100644
--- a/downloader_routes.py
+++ b/downloader_routes.py
@@ -29,9 +29,12 @@ from .model_manager import (
 
 
 async def handle_list_repos(request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
-    """GET /modeldownloader/repos  — sorted by lastModified desc."""
+    """GET /modeldownloader/repos  — sorted by lastModified desc.
+    Pass ?force=1 to bypass the disk cache and re-fetch from HuggingFace.
+    """
+    force = request.rel_url.query.get("force", "0") == "1"
     loop  = asyncio.get_event_loop()
-    repos = await loop.run_in_executor(None, list_all_repos)
+    repos = await loop.run_in_executor(None, list_all_repos, force)
     return web.json_response(repos)
 
 
diff --git a/model_manager.py b/model_manager.py
index f555542..4234c27 100644
--- a/model_manager.py
+++ b/model_manager.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Model Manager: HuggingFace + GitHub repo scanning, local model scanning,
 file classification, downloading.
 """
+import json
 import os
 import re
 import threading
@@ -11,6 +12,8 @@ import requests
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional
 
+_REPO_CACHE_FILE = Path(__file__).parent / ".repo_cache.json"
+
 try:
     from huggingface_hub import HfApi
     HF_AVAILABLE = True
@@ -539,7 +542,14 @@ def get_specific_repo_info(repo_id: str) -> dict:
     }
 
 
-def list_all_repos() -> list[dict]:
+def list_all_repos(force: bool = False) -> list[dict]:
+    # Return cached result unless a forced refresh is requested
+    if not force and _REPO_CACHE_FILE.exists():
+        try:
+            return json.loads(_REPO_CACHE_FILE.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
     all_repos: list[dict] = []
     seen: set[str] = set()
     for author in TRACKED_AUTHORS:
@@ -553,6 +563,13 @@ def list_all_repos() -> list[dict]:
             seen.add(repo_id)
     # Sort by lastModified descending (blank strings sort last)
     all_repos.sort(key=lambda r: r.get("lastModified") or "", reverse=True)
+
+    # Persist to disk cache
+    try:
+        _REPO_CACHE_FILE.write_text(json.dumps(all_repos, ensure_ascii=False), encoding="utf-8")
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
     return all_repos
 
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ae2d1c6..4eda005 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "comfyui-advanced-model-manager"
-version = "1.0.6"
+version = "1.0.7"
 description = "Advanced Model Manager for ComfyUI — browse, search and download models from HuggingFace and GitHub workflows directly from the ComfyUI interface."
 license = { file = "LICENSE" }
 dependencies = [
diff --git a/web/js/modeldownloader.js b/web/js/modeldownloader.js
index 78e2418..e0ec5b7 100644
--- a/web/js/modeldownloader.js
+++ b/web/js/modeldownloader.js
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class ModelDownloaderDialog {
 
         // Search box
         this.searchInput = el("input",{
-            type:"text",placeholder:"🔍  Search repos or files…",
+            type:"text",placeholder:"🔍  Filter repos…",
             style:{flex:"1",minWidth:"160px",padding:"6px 12px",
                 background:"#0d1117",border:"1px solid #30363d",
                 borderRadius:"8px",color:"#e0e0e0",fontSize:"13px"},
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ class ModelDownloaderDialog {
         this.leftList.innerHTML="";
         try {
             const [rr,lr] = await Promise.all([
-                fetch("/modeldownloader/repos"),
+                fetch(`/modeldownloader/repos${force ? "?force=1" : ""}`),
                 fetch("/modeldownloader/local_models"),
             ]);
             S.repos      = await rr.json();
@@ -437,37 +437,20 @@ class ModelDownloaderDialog {
     // ── Search ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     _onSearch() {
+        // Search bar is always a local filter only.
+        // API searches are triggered exclusively via the dedicated buttons.
         S.hfSearchResults = null;
-        const q = S.searchQuery.trim();
+        S.fileSearchResults = null;
+        this._renderLeft();
 
-        // LOCAL mode: just filter in place
-        if (S.browseMode === MODE_LOCAL) {
-            S.fileSearchResults = null;
-            this._renderLeft();
-            if (S.localCategory) this._renderLocalFiles(S.localCategory);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // WORKFLOW mode: just filter in place
-        if (S.browseMode === MODE_WORKFLOW) {
-            S.fileSearchResults = null;
-            this._renderLeft();
-            if (S.githubWorkflowFiles) this._renderGithubWorkflows(S.githubWorkflowFiles);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // Empty query → clear search, go back to normal view
-        if (!q) {
-            S.fileSearchResults = null;
-            this._renderLeft();
-            if (S.selectedRepo && S.repoFiles[S.selectedRepo])
-                this._renderFileList(S.repoFiles[S.selectedRepo]);
-            else this._showPlaceholder(true);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // Otherwise auto-search across all repos
-        this._triggerFileSearch();
+        if (S.browseMode === MODE_LOCAL && S.localCategory)
+            this._renderLocalFiles(S.localCategory);
+        else if (S.browseMode === MODE_WORKFLOW && S.githubWorkflowFiles)
+            this._renderGithubWorkflows(S.githubWorkflowFiles);
+        else if (S.selectedRepo && S.repoFiles[S.selectedRepo])
+            this._renderFileList(S.repoFiles[S.selectedRepo]);
+        else if (!S.searchQuery.trim())
+            this._showPlaceholder(true);
     }
 
     async _triggerFileSearch() {