diff --git a/generic/templates/generic/examcollection_detail.html b/generic/templates/generic/examcollection_detail.html
index aa2f5aac..0881019b 100755
--- a/generic/templates/generic/examcollection_detail.html
+++ b/generic/templates/generic/examcollection_detail.html
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@
                     </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-body p-2" hx-get="{% url 'generic:exam_collection_exams_partial' object.pk 'anatomy' %}" hx-trigger="revealed" hx-swap="innerHTML">
-                    <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading anatomy exams…</div>
+                    <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
+                        <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading anatomy exams…</div>
+                        <div class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></div>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-footer add-marker small"></div>
             </div>
@@ -48,7 +51,10 @@
                     </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-body p-2" hx-get="{% url 'generic:exam_collection_exams_partial' object.pk 'longs' %}" hx-trigger="revealed" hx-swap="innerHTML">
-                    <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading longs exams…</div>
+                    <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
+                        <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading longs exams…</div>
+                        <div class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></div>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-footer add-marker small"></div>
             </div>
@@ -64,7 +70,10 @@
                     </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-body p-2" hx-get="{% url 'generic:exam_collection_exams_partial' object.pk 'rapids' %}" hx-trigger="revealed" hx-swap="innerHTML">
-                    <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading rapids exams…</div>
+                    <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
+                        <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading rapids exams…</div>
+                        <div class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></div>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-footer add-marker small"></div>
             </div>
@@ -80,7 +89,10 @@
                     </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-body p-2" hx-get="{% url 'generic:exam_collection_exams_partial' object.pk 'shorts' %}" hx-trigger="revealed" hx-swap="innerHTML">
-                    <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading shorts exams…</div>
+                    <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
+                        <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading shorts exams…</div>
+                        <div class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></div>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-footer add-marker small"></div>
             </div>
@@ -93,7 +105,10 @@
                     <a class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary" href="{% url 'physics:exam_list_collection' object.pk %}">View exam list</a>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-body p-2" hx-get="{% url 'generic:exam_collection_exams_partial' object.pk 'physics' %}" hx-trigger="revealed" hx-swap="innerHTML">
-                    <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading physics exams…</div>
+                    <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
+                        <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading physics exams…</div>
+                        <div class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></div>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
             </div>
         {% endif %}
@@ -105,7 +120,10 @@
                     <a class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary" href="{% url 'sbas:exam_list_collection' object.pk %}">View exam list</a>
                 </div>
                 <div class="card-body p-2" hx-get="{% url 'generic:exam_collection_exams_partial' object.pk 'sbas' %}" hx-trigger="revealed" hx-swap="innerHTML">
-                    <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading SBAs exams…</div>
+                    <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
+                        <div class="placeholder small text-muted">Loading SBAs exams…</div>
+                        <div class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></div>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
             </div>
         {% endif %}
diff --git a/generic/templates/generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html b/generic/templates/generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html
index 38657b81..5cbcc355 100644
--- a/generic/templates/generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html
+++ b/generic/templates/generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 {% partialdef publish-results %}
     <div id="publish-results-status" class="d-flex align-items-center gap-2">
-        <div class="me-2 small text-muted">Publish results</div>
+        <div class="me-2 small text-muted">Results</div>
         <div>
             {% if exam.publish_results %}
                 <button
-                    class="btn btn-sm btn-success"
+                    class="btn btn-sm btn-success published-icon"
                     hx-post="{% url exam.get_app_name|add:':exam_toggle_results_published' exam.pk %}"
                     hx-swap="outerHTML"
                     hx-target="#publish-results-status"
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@
                     hx-disabled-elt="this"
 
                 >Published</button>
+                <span class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></span>
             {% else %}
                 <button
-                    class="btn btn-sm btn-secondary"
+                    class="btn btn-sm btn-secondary published-icon"
                     hx-post="{% url exam.get_app_name|add:':exam_toggle_results_published' exam.pk %}"
                     hx-swap="outerHTML"
                     hx-target="#publish-results-status"
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
                     aria-label="Publish results"
                     hx-disabled-elt="this"
                 >Unpublished</button>
+                <span class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></span>
             {% endif %}
         </div>
     </div>
@@ -33,11 +35,11 @@
 
 {% partialdef exam-active %}
     <div id="exam-active-status" class="d-flex align-items-center gap-2">
-        <div class="me-2 small text-muted">Exam active</div>
+        <div class="me-2 small text-muted">Exam status:</div>
         <div>
             {% if exam.active %}
                 <button
-                    class="btn btn-sm btn-success"
+                    class="btn btn-sm btn-success active-icon"
                     hx-post="{% url exam.get_app_name|add:':exam_toggle_active' exam.pk %}"
                     hx-swap="outerHTML"
                     hx-target="#exam-active-status"
@@ -45,9 +47,10 @@
                     aria-label="Deactivate exam"
                     hx-disabled-elt="this"
                 >Active</button>
+                <span class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></span>
             {% else %}
                 <button
-                    class="btn btn-sm btn-secondary"
+                    class="btn btn-sm btn-secondary active-icon"
                     hx-post="{% url exam.get_app_name|add:':exam_toggle_active' exam.pk %}"
                     hx-swap="outerHTML"
                     hx-target="#exam-active-status"
@@ -55,7 +58,36 @@
                     aria-label="Activate exam"
                     hx-disabled-elt="this"
                 >Inactive</button>
+                <span class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></span>
             {% endif %}
         </div>
     </div>
-{% endpartialdef exam-active %}
\ No newline at end of file
+{% endpartialdef exam-active %}
+
+{% partialdef exam-archived %}
+    <div id="exam-archived-status" class="d-flex align-items-center gap-2">
+        <div>
+            {% if exam.archive %}
+                <button
+                    class="btn btn-sm btn-warning archived-icon"
+                    hx-post="{% url exam.get_app_name|add:':exam_toggle_archived' exam.pk %}"
+                    hx-swap="outerHTML"
+                    hx-target="#exam-archived-status"
+                    title="Click to unarchive this exam"
+                    aria-label="Unarchive exam"
+                ><i class="bi bi-archive"></i></button>
+                <span class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></span>
+            {% else %}
+                <button
+                    class="btn btn-sm btn-secondary archived-icon"
+                    hx-post="{% url exam.get_app_name|add:':exam_toggle_archived' exam.pk %}"
+                    hx-swap="outerHTML"
+                    hx-target="#exam-archived-status"
+                    title="Click to archive this exam"
+                    aria-label="Archive exam"
+                ><i class="bi bi-archive"></i></button>
+                <span class="exam-loading ms-2 d-none"><span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status" aria-hidden="true"></span></span>
+            {% endif %}
+        </div>
+    </div>
+{% endpartialdef %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/generic/views.py b/generic/views.py
index 7b9d913a..612f3a5e 100644
--- a/generic/views.py
+++ b/generic/views.py
@@ -1112,9 +1112,25 @@ class ExamViews(View, LoginRequiredMixin):
 
             exam = get_object_or_404(self.Exam, pk=pk)
 
-            exam.archive = True if request.POST.get("archive") == "true" else False
-            print(f"{exam.archive=}")
+            # Support both legacy JSON POSTs and HTMX button toggles.
+            # If this is an HTMX request, toggle the archive flag and
+            # return the `exam-archived` partial for in-place replacement.
+            is_htmx = request.headers.get("HX-Request") == "true"
+            if is_htmx:
+                exam.archive = not exam.archive
+            else:
+                # Legacy POST expects 'archive' == 'true'
+                exam.archive = True if request.POST.get("archive") == "true" else False
+
             exam.save()
+
+            if is_htmx:
+                return render(
+                    request,
+                    "generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html#exam-archived",
+                    {"exam": exam, "collection": exam},
+                )
+
             data = {
                 "status": "success",
                 "archive": exam.archive,
diff --git a/templates/exam_list.html b/templates/exam_list.html
index 5721c07a..d0c96b51 100644
--- a/templates/exam_list.html
+++ b/templates/exam_list.html
@@ -33,17 +33,20 @@
                             {% else %}
                                 {{ exam.valid_user_users.count }}
                             {% endif %}
-                        ]</span>
+                            ]</span>
                     </span>
                 </span>
                 <a href="{% url app_name|add:':exam_scores_all' pk=exam.pk %}" class="flex-col-half">Scores</a>
-                <input type="checkbox" id="active-{{exam.pk}}" class="exam-active-switch" data-posturl="{% url app_name|add:':exam_toggle_active' pk=exam.pk %}" {% if exam.active %}checked{% endif %}>
-                <label for="active-{{exam.pk}}" class="flex-col icon-container active-icon" title="Click to toggle active state">Exam Active</label>
-                <input type="checkbox" id="published-{{exam.pk}}" class="exam-publish-results-switch" data-posturl="{% url app_name|add:':exam_toggle_results_published' pk=exam.pk %}" {% if exam.publish_results %}checked{% endif %}>
-                <label for="published-{{exam.pk}}" class="flex-col icon-container published-icon" title="Click to toggle published state">Results Published</label>
+                <span class="flex-col">
+                    {% include "generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html#exam-active" %}
+                </span>
+                <span class="flex-col">
+                    {% include "generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html#publish-results" %}
+                </span>
                 <a href="{% url app_name|add:':exam_update' pk=exam.pk %}" class="flex-shrink exam-list-edit-button"><i class="bi bi-pencil-square"></i></a>
-                <input type="checkbox" id="archived-{{exam.pk}}" class="exam-archived-switch" data-posturl="{% url app_name|add:':exam_toggle_archived' pk=exam.pk %}" {% if exam.archive %}checked{% endif %}>
-                <label for="archived-{{exam.pk}}" class="flex-shrink icon-archive archived-icon" title="Click to toggle archived state"><i class="bi bi-archive"></i></label>
+                <span class="flex-shrink">
+                    {% include "generic/partials/exams/exam_status.html#exam-archived" %}
+                </span>
             </li>
         {% endfor %}
     </ul>
@@ -70,6 +73,11 @@
             -webkit-user-select: none;
             -moz-user-select: none;
             text-align: center;
+            padding: 0.15rem 0.45rem;
+            font-size: 0.85rem;
+            line-height: 1;
+            vertical-align: middle;
+            min-width: 3.4rem;
         }
 
         .archived-icon {
@@ -82,23 +90,26 @@
             opacity: 100%;
         }
 
-        .exam-active-switch:checked + .active-icon {
-            border: 1px solid green;
-            color: green;
-            opacity: 100%;
-            display: inline-block;
+        /* Styling for active/published/archive buttons to match previous compact look */
+        .active-icon.btn-success, .active-icon.btn-primary {
+            border: 1px solid #198754;
+            color: #198754;
+            opacity: 1;
+            background: transparent;
         }
 
-        .exam-publish-results-switch:checked + .published-icon {
+        .published-icon.btn-success {
             border: 1px solid purple;
             color: purple;
-            opacity: 100%;
-            display: inline-block;
+            opacity: 1;
+            background: transparent;
         }
 
-        .exam-archived-switch:checked + .archived-icon {
+        .archived-icon.btn-warning {
             color: darkblue;
-            opacity: 100%;
+            opacity: 1;
+            background: transparent;
+            border: 1px solid #ffc107;
         }
 
         .exam-publish-results-switch, .exam-active-switch, .exam-archived-switch {
diff --git a/templates/exam_overview_js.html b/templates/exam_overview_js.html
index 0915f7a2..60cd06fa 100644
--- a/templates/exam_overview_js.html
+++ b/templates/exam_overview_js.html
@@ -1,104 +1,38 @@
 <script type="text/javascript">
     $(document).ready(function () {
-        // send request to change the is_private state on customSwitches toggle
-        $("#exam-active-switch, .exam-active-switch").on("change", function (evt) {
-            $.ajax({
-                url: evt.currentTarget.dataset.posturl,
-                data: {
-                    csrfmiddlewaretoken: "{{ csrf_token }}",
-                    active: this.checked // true if checked else false
-                },
-                type: "POST",
-                dataType: "json",
-            })
-            // $.ajax().done(), $.ajax().fail(), $ajax().always() are upto you. Add/change accordingly
-                .done(function (data) {
-                    console.log(data);
+        // HTMX loading indicator handlers: show .exam-loading near trigger or in closest .card-body
+        document.body.addEventListener('htmx:beforeRequest', function(evt){
+            try {
+                var trigger = evt.detail && evt.detail.elt ? evt.detail.elt : null;
+                if (!trigger) return;
+                var spinner = null;
+                // prefer spinner sibling of the triggering element
+                if (trigger.parentElement) spinner = trigger.parentElement.querySelector('.exam-loading');
+                // fallback to nearest card-body spinner
+                if (!spinner) {
+                    var card = trigger.closest && trigger.closest('.card-body') ? trigger.closest('.card-body') : null;
+                    if (card) spinner = card.querySelector('.exam-loading');
+                }
+                if (spinner) spinner.classList.remove('d-none');
+            } catch (e) { console.error('htmx beforeRequest spinner error', e); }
+        });
 
-                    if (data.status == "success") {
-                        toastr.info(`Exam: ${data.name} [${data.id}]
-                        Active state changed to: ${data.active}.`)
-                    }
-                // show some message according to the response.
-                // For eg. A message box showing that the status has been changed
-                })
-                .fail(function (jqXHR) {
-                    console.log(jqXHR)
-                    var msg = 'Unknown error';
-                    try {
-                        if (jqXHR && jqXHR.responseJSON && jqXHR.responseJSON.status) {
-                            msg = jqXHR.responseJSON.status;
-                        } else if (jqXHR && jqXHR.responseText) {
-                            // fallback to raw responseText (may be HTML)
-                            msg = jqXHR.responseText;
-                        } else if (jqXHR && jqXHR.statusText) {
-                            msg = jqXHR.statusText;
-                        }
-                    } catch (e) {
-                        console.error('Error parsing failure response', e);
-                    }
-                    toastr.error(`Failed to change state<br/>${msg}`);
-                })
-                .always(function () {
-                    console.log('[Done]');
-                })
-        })
-        $("#exam-publish-results-switch, .exam-publish-results-switch").on("change", function (evt) {
-            $.ajax({
-                url: evt.currentTarget.dataset.posturl,
-                data: {
-                    csrfmiddlewaretoken: "{{ csrf_token }}",
-                    publish_results: this.checked // true if checked else false
-                },
-                type: "POST",
-                dataType: "json",
-            })
-            // $.ajax().done(), $.ajax().fail(), $ajax().always() are upto you. Add/change accordingly
-                .done(function (data) {
-                    console.log(data);
+        document.body.addEventListener('htmx:afterRequest', function(evt){
+            try {
+                var trigger = evt.detail && evt.detail.elt ? evt.detail.elt : null;
+                if (!trigger) return;
+                var spinner = null;
+                if (trigger.parentElement) spinner = trigger.parentElement.querySelector('.exam-loading');
+                if (!spinner) {
+                    var card = trigger.closest && trigger.closest('.card-body') ? trigger.closest('.card-body') : null;
+                    if (card) spinner = card.querySelector('.exam-loading');
+                }
+                if (spinner) spinner.classList.add('d-none');
+            } catch (e) { console.error('htmx afterRequest spinner error', e); }
+        });
 
-                    if (data.status == "success") {
-                        toastr.info(`Exam: ${data.name} [${data.id}]
-                        Published state changed to: ${data.publish_results}.`)
-                    }
-                // show some message according to the response.
-                // For eg. A message box showing that the status has been changed
-                })
-                .fail(function (data) {
-                    toastr.error(`Failed to change state`);
-                })
-                .always(function () {
-                    console.log('[Done]');
-                })
-        })
-        $(".exam-archived-switch").on("change", function (evt) {
-            $.ajax({
-                url: evt.currentTarget.dataset.posturl,
-                data: {
-                    csrfmiddlewaretoken: "{{ csrf_token }}",
-                    archive: this.checked // true if checked else false
-                },
-                type: "POST",
-                dataType: "json",
-            })
-            // $.ajax().done(), $.ajax().fail(), $ajax().always() are upto you. Add/change accordingly
-                .done(function (data) {
-                    console.log(data);
-
-                    if (data.status == "success") {
-                        toastr.info(`Exam: ${data.name} [${data.id}]
-                        Archived state changed to: ${data.archive}.`)
-                    }
-                // show some message according to the response.
-                // For eg. A message box showing that the status has been changed
-                })
-                .fail(function (data) {
-                    toastr.error(`Failed to change state`);
-                })
-                .always(function () {
-                    console.log('[Done]');
-                })
-        })
+        // HTMX handles active/publish/archive toggles via server-rendered partials.
+        // Removed legacy jQuery AJAX handlers for exam-active, publish-results and archived toggles.
         $("#button-open-access").click(function (evt) {
             $.ajax({
                 url: evt.currentTarget.dataset.posturl,