diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db40ab9..cb9d517 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ cargo build --release
 | `↑`/`↓` `j`/`k` | move selection             |
 | `s` / `Enter`| sync selected device         |
 | `a`          | abort running sync           |
+| `m`          | mount / unmount device (udisks2, no sudo) |
 | `Tab` / `1-3`| switch tab                   |
 | `r`          | refresh device mounts        |
 | `f`          | toggle log follow            |
@@ -83,6 +84,13 @@ Firmware types: `apple` (podkit command), `rockbox`, `android`, `sony`
    `sudo -n` to keep FAT directory order stable. If passwordless sudo is not
    available the step is reported as a warning and the commands are printed.
 
+## Mounting
+
+Devices are mounted/unmounted without sudo via **udisks2**:
+`m` in the TUI mounts/unmounts the selected device, and a sync automatically
+mounts the target first (resolved by mount-point label via `lsblk`). Only the
+mlove `fatsort` step needs root (raw block device).
+
 ## Development
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 273039b..98f8c69 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -145,6 +145,34 @@ impl App {
         }
     }
 
+    fn toggle_mount(&mut self) {
+        let Some(device) = self.selected_device().cloned() else {
+            self.status_msg = Some(("no device selected".to_string(), LogLevel::Warn));
+            return;
+        };
+        let Some(mp) = device.mount_point.clone() else {
+            self.status_msg = Some(("device has no mount_point".to_string(), LogLevel::Warn));
+            return;
+        };
+        if self.is_syncing() {
+            return;
+        }
+        let (action, res) = if device.mounted {
+            ("Unmounting", crate::udisks::unmount_device(&mp))
+        } else {
+            ("Mounting", crate::udisks::mount_device(&mp))
+        };
+        match res {
+            Ok(msg) => {
+                self.status_msg = Some((format!("{action}: {msg}"), LogLevel::Success));
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                self.status_msg = Some((format!("{action} failed — {e}"), LogLevel::Error));
+            }
+        }
+        self.refresh_mounts();
+    }
+
     pub fn on_key(&mut self, key: KeyEvent) {
         if key.kind != KeyEventKind::Press {
             return;
@@ -174,6 +202,7 @@ impl App {
             }
             KeyCode::Char('s') | KeyCode::Enter => self.start_sync(),
             KeyCode::Char('a') => self.abort_sync(),
+            KeyCode::Char('m') => self.toggle_mount(),
             KeyCode::Char('r') => {
                 self.refresh_mounts();
                 self.status_msg = Some(("devices refreshed".to_string(), LogLevel::Info));
diff --git a/src/engine.rs b/src/engine.rs
index 4944ceb..8583ae5 100644
--- a/src/engine.rs
+++ b/src/engine.rs
@@ -479,9 +479,22 @@ fn run_rsync_device(config: &Config, device: &Device, ctx: &WorkerCtx) -> Result
         .mount_point
         .as_ref()
         .ok_or_else(|| "mount_point is not set for this device".to_string())?;
+
+    if !mount.exists() {
+        ctx.log(LogLevel::Info, format!("device not mounted at {} — trying udisksctl…", mount.display()));
+        match crate::udisks::mount_device(mount) {
+            Ok(msg) => ctx.log(LogLevel::Info, format!("auto-mounted: {msg}")),
+            Err(e) => {
+                return Err(format!(
+                    "device not found at {} — connect & mount it (m) and retry. {e}",
+                    mount.display()
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+    }
     if !mount.exists() {
         return Err(format!(
-            "device not found at {} — connect & mount it, then try again",
+            "device not found at {} — connect & mount it (m) and retry",
             mount.display()
         ));
     }
@@ -650,15 +663,21 @@ fn finalize_fat(device: &Device, ctx: &WorkerCtx) -> Result<(), String> {
     let target = resolve_fatsort_target(mount)?;
 
     ctx.log(LogLevel::Info, format!("Unmounting {mount_display}", mount_display = mount.display()));
-    let (code, detail) = capture("sudo", &["-n", "umount", mount.to_str().unwrap_or("")])?;
-    if code != 0 {
-        ctx.log(
-            LogLevel::Warn,
-            format!(
-                "sudo -n umount failed (exit {code}) {detail} — run manually: sudo umount {mount_display}",
-                mount_display = mount.display()
-            ),
-        );
+    match crate::udisks::unmount_device(mount) {
+        Ok(msg) => ctx.log(LogLevel::Info, format!("unmounted: {msg}")),
+        Err(e) => {
+            // fall back to sudo for setups without udisks
+            let (code, detail) = capture("sudo", &["-n", "umount", mount.to_str().unwrap_or("")])?;
+            if code != 0 {
+                ctx.log(
+                    LogLevel::Warn,
+                    format!(
+                        "udisks failed ({e}) and sudo -n umount failed (exit {code}) {detail} — run manually: sudo umount {mount_display}",
+                        mount_display = mount.display()
+                    ),
+                );
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     ctx.log(LogLevel::Info, format!("Running fatsort on {target}…"));
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 4959bfd..04c1826 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ mod config;
 mod disk;
 mod engine;
 mod progress;
+mod udisks;
 mod ui;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
diff --git a/src/udisks.rs b/src/udisks.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c128b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/udisks.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+/// Mount/unmount devices without sudo via udisks2 (available to the active
+/// desktop user). The block device is resolved from the mount point: either
+/// the currently-mounted source, or a partition whose label matches the mount
+/// point's basename (e.g. `/media/sebastian/IPOD` → label `IPOD`).
+
+fn run(cmd: &str, args: &[&str]) -> (bool, String) {
+    match Command::new(cmd).args(args).output() {
+        Ok(o) => {
+            let out = String::from_utf8_lossy(&o.stdout).trim().to_string();
+            let err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&o.stderr).trim().to_string();
+            let detail = if !err.is_empty() { err } else { out };
+            (o.status.success(), detail)
+        }
+        Err(e) => (false, format!("cannot run {cmd}: {e}")),
+    }
+}
+
+fn resolve_block_device(path: &Path) -> Option<String> {
+    if path.is_dir() {
+        let (ok, out) = run("findmnt", &["-n", "-o", "SOURCE", "-T", path.to_str()?]);
+        if ok {
+            let src = out.trim();
+            if src.starts_with("/dev/") {
+                return Some(src.to_string());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    let wanted = path.file_name()?.to_string_lossy().to_lowercase();
+    let (ok, out) = run("lsblk", &["-o", "PATH,LABEL", "-n", "-l"]);
+    if !ok {
+        return None;
+    }
+    for line in out.lines() {
+        let mut parts = line.split_whitespace();
+        let Some(dev) = parts.next() else { continue };
+        if let Some(label) = parts.next() {
+            if !label.is_empty() && label.to_lowercase() == wanted {
+                return Some(dev.to_string());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    None
+}
+
+pub fn mount_device(path: &Path) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let Some(dev) = resolve_block_device(path) else {
+        return Err(format!("no block device found for {}", path.display()));
+    };
+    let (ok, detail) = run("udisksctl", &["mount", "-b", dev.as_str()]);
+    if ok {
+        Ok(detail)
+    } else {
+        Err(format!("udisksctl mount {dev} failed: {detail}"))
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn unmount_device(path: &Path) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let Some(dev) = resolve_block_device(path) else {
+        return Err(format!("no block device found for {}", path.display()));
+    };
+    let (ok, detail) = run("udisksctl", &["unmount", "-b", dev.as_str()]);
+    if ok {
+        Ok(detail)
+    } else {
+        Err(format!("udisksctl unmount {dev} failed: {detail}"))
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/ui/components.rs b/src/ui/components.rs
index 749bc42..c4c6009 100644
--- a/src/ui/components.rs
+++ b/src/ui/components.rs
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ pub fn draw_keys(f: &mut Frame, area: Rect, _app: &App) {
         ("↑↓/jk", "nav"),
         ("s", "sync"),
         ("a", "abort"),
+        ("m", "mount"),
         ("Tab/1-3", "tab"),
         ("r", "refresh"),
         ("f", "follow"),
diff --git a/src/ui/mod.rs b/src/ui/mod.rs
index f346f46..41ebd46 100644
--- a/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ fn draw_help(f: &mut Frame) {
         "  ↑↓ / j k     move selection",
         "  s / Enter     sync selected device",
         "  a             abort running sync",
+        "  m             mount / unmount selected device (udisks)",
         "  Tab / 1-3     switch tab",
         "  r             refresh devices",
         "  f             toggle log follow",