diff --git a/client/Dockerfile b/client/Dockerfile
index 6a60006..6097cae 100644
--- a/client/Dockerfile
+++ b/client/Dockerfile
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ FROM nginx:alpine
 # Remove the default Nginx configuration file
 RUN rm /etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf
 
+RUN mkdir -p /app/attachments && chown -R node:node /app/attachments
+
 # Copy the built files from the builder stage to the Nginx image
 COPY --from=builder /app/client/dist /usr/share/nginx/html
 
 # Expose port 80
 EXPOSE 80
-
+USER node
 # Start Nginx in the foreground
 CMD ["nginx", "-g", "daemon off;"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AnimatedMessage.tsx b/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AnimatedMessage.tsx
index 10697dd..8a59f93 100644
--- a/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AnimatedMessage.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AnimatedMessage.tsx
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const AnimatedMessage = ({ onDelete, message }: AnimatedMessageProps) => {
        ${isRemoving ? 'transition-all duration-300 opacity-0 -translate-x-full' : 'opacity-100'}`}
     >
       <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
-        <div>
+        <div className="max-w-full">
           <span
             title={`${new Intl.DateTimeFormat('en-GB', {
               timeStyle: 'medium',
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ const AnimatedMessage = ({ onDelete, message }: AnimatedMessageProps) => {
             {message.sender}: {message.message}
           </span>
           {message.attachment_urls && (
-            <div className="mt-2 flex flex-col gap-2">
-              {message.attachment_urls.length > 0
+            <div className="mt-2 flex flex-col gap-2 max-w-full">
+              {message.attachment_urls?.length > 0
                 ? message.attachment_urls.map((url, index) => (
                     <AttachmentPreview
                       key={`${message.message_id}-${index}`}
diff --git a/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AttachmentPreview.tsx b/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AttachmentPreview.tsx
index 09e7cc2..039b0ac 100644
--- a/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AttachmentPreview.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/AttachmentPreview.tsx
@@ -2,17 +2,14 @@ import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import LoadingWheel from '../LoadingWheel.tsx';
 import FileBox from './FileBox.tsx';
 
-// Cache to keep track of loaded media
 const loadedMedia = new Set();
 
 const AttachmentPreview = ({ url }: { url: string }) => {
   const isImage = url.match(/\.(jpg|jpeg|png|gif|bmp|webp)$/i);
   const isVideo = url.match(/\.(mp4|webm|ogg|mov)$/i);
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(!loadedMedia.has(url));
-
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isImage && !loadedMedia.has(url)) {
-      // Preload image
       const img = new Image();
       img.onload = () => {
         loadedMedia.add(url);
@@ -20,7 +17,6 @@ const AttachmentPreview = ({ url }: { url: string }) => {
       };
       img.src = url;
     } else if (isVideo && !loadedMedia.has(url)) {
-      // Preload video metadata
       const video = document.createElement('video');
       video.onloadedmetadata = () => {
         loadedMedia.add(url);
@@ -28,6 +24,7 @@ const AttachmentPreview = ({ url }: { url: string }) => {
       };
       video.src = url;
     }
+    // setIsLoading(true);
   }, [url, isImage, isVideo]);
 
   if (!isImage && !isVideo) {
@@ -36,15 +33,15 @@ const AttachmentPreview = ({ url }: { url: string }) => {
 
   if (isVideo) {
     return (
-      <div className="relative min-h-64 w-full">
+      <div className="relative w-full">
         {isLoading && (
-          <div className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center bg-gray-800 bg-opacity-50 rounded">
+          <div className="absolute max-h-64 inset-0 flex items-center justify-center bg-gray-800 bg-opacity-50 rounded h-40">
             <LoadingWheel />
           </div>
         )}
         <video
           controls
-          className={`max-w-full max-h-64 w-full rounded transition-opacity duration-200 ${
+          className={`w-full max-h-64 rounded transition-opacity duration-200 ${
             isLoading ? 'opacity-0' : 'opacity-100'
           }`}
           onLoadedMetadata={() => setIsLoading(false)}
@@ -57,19 +54,17 @@ const AttachmentPreview = ({ url }: { url: string }) => {
   }
 
   return (
-    <div className="relative min-h-64 w-full ">
+    <div className="relative inline-block max-w-full">
       {isLoading && (
-        <div className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center bg-gray-800 bg-opacity-50 rounded">
-          <LoadingWheel />
-        </div>
+        <div className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center bg-gray-800 bg-opacity-50 rounded  "></div>
       )}
       <a href={url} target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">
         <img
           src={url}
           alt="attachment"
-          className={`max-w-full max-h-64 object-contain rounded transition-opacity duration-200 ${
-            isLoading ? 'opacity-0' : 'opacity-100'
-          }`}
+          className={`min-h-14 max-h-64 max-w-full rounded 
+          transition-opacity duration-300 ease-in
+          ${isLoading ? 'opacity-0' : 'opacity-100'}`}
         />
       </a>
     </div>
diff --git a/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/MessageForm.tsx b/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/MessageForm.tsx
index 3b1c497..ff34177 100644
--- a/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/MessageForm.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/chat/chatArea/MessageForm.tsx
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ const MessageForm = () => {
   };
 
   const submitMessage: SubmitHandler<InputProps> = async (data) => {
-    if ((data.message.trim().length < 1 && files.length === 0) || isSending)
+    if ((data.message.trim()?.length < 1 && files.length === 0) || isSending)
       return;
     setErrorMessage(null);
     setIsSending(true);
diff --git a/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactForm.tsx b/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactForm.tsx
index b78b43e..1f1d39e 100644
--- a/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactForm.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactForm.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ function ContactForm() {
           );
           setSuggestions(response.data);
           setSelectedIndex(0); // Reset selection to first item when suggestions update
-          if (response.data.length < 1) {
+          if (response.data?.length < 1) {
             setIsLoading(false);
             setNotFound(true);
           } else {
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ function ContactForm() {
         );
         break;
       case 'Enter':
-        if (suggestions.length > 0) {
+        if (suggestions?.length > 0) {
           e.preventDefault();
           reset({ contact: suggestions[selectedIndex] });
           handleSubmit(submitContact)();
diff --git a/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactsList.tsx b/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactsList.tsx
index 28c4b2a..e3ec93a 100644
--- a/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactsList.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/chat/leftSidebar/ContactsList.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
   AlertDialogTitle,
   AlertDialogTrigger,
 } from '@/components/ui/alert-dialog.tsx';
-import { Dot } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Dot, Paperclip } from 'lucide-react';
 import LastActiveTime from '@/components/chat/leftSidebar/LastActiveTime.tsx';
 import { ContactsProps } from '@/types/types.ts';
 import { useChat } from '@/context/chat/useChat.ts';
@@ -116,9 +116,24 @@ function ContactsList() {
           </div>
           <div className="flex">
             <span className="text-sm text-gray-500 text-left">
-              {contact.last_message}
+              {contact.last_message?.length > 0 ? (
+                contact.last_message?.length > 15 ? (
+                  <div className="flex">
+                    {contact.last_message?.substring(0, 12) + '...'}
+                    <Dot className="text-gray-200" />
+                  </div>
+                ) : (
+                  <div className="flex">
+                    {contact.last_message} <Dot className="text-gray-200" />
+                  </div>
+                )
+              ) : contact.last_message_time ? (
+                <div className="flex">
+                  <Paperclip className="w-4 mr-1" /> attachment
+                  <Dot className="text-gray-200" />
+                </div>
+              ) : null}
             </span>
-            <Dot className="text-gray-200" />
             <LastActiveTime contact={contact} />
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 91f05cc..27dcc06 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "3000"
     volumes:
-      - attachments:/app/client/server/attachments
+      - attachments:/app/attachments
     depends_on:
       db:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -59,4 +59,5 @@ networks:
     driver: bridge
 
 volumes:
-  postgres-data:
\ No newline at end of file
+  postgres-data:
+  attachments:
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/db/db.js b/server/db/db.js
index d97821a..82fe499 100644
--- a/server/db/db.js
+++ b/server/db/db.js
@@ -568,7 +568,29 @@ async function insertContact(userUsername, receiverUsername, read) {
     ]);
     const contact = contactResult.rows[0];
 
-    // 6. Return formatted result with contact's user_id
+    // 6. Retrieve the last message, last active time, and last message sender
+    const lastMessageQuery = `
+      SELECT DISTINCT ON (m.conversation_id)
+        m.content AS last_message,
+        m.sent_at AS last_message_time,
+        a.username AS last_message_sender
+      FROM Messages m
+      JOIN Accounts a ON m.user_id = a.user_id
+      WHERE m.conversation_id = $1
+      ORDER BY m.conversation_id, m.sent_at DESC
+    `;
+    const lastMessageResult = await client.query(lastMessageQuery, [
+      conversation_id,
+    ]);
+    let lastMessage, lastMessageTime, lastMessageSender;
+
+    if (lastMessageResult.rows.length > 0) {
+      lastMessage = lastMessageResult.rows[0].last_message;
+      lastMessageTime = lastMessageResult.rows[0].last_message_time;
+      lastMessageSender = lastMessageResult.rows[0].last_message_sender;
+    }
+
+    // 7. Return formatted result with contact's user_id, last message, last active time, and last message sender
     return {
       id: contact.contact_id,
       user_id: contact_id, // Now using the contact's user_id instead of the initiator's
@@ -577,6 +599,9 @@ async function insertContact(userUsername, receiverUsername, read) {
       conversation_id: contact.conversation_id,
       type: "direct",
       read: contact.read,
+      last_message: lastMessage,
+      last_message_time: lastMessageTime,
+      last_message_sender: lastMessageSender,
     };
   } catch (error) {
     console.error("Failed to insert contact:", error);