diff --git a/scripts/generate_site.py b/scripts/generate_site.py
index e1428de88..d6bf5b780 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_site.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_site.py
@@ -3818,14 +3818,8 @@ def _platform_file_list(rows: list[str], has_path: bool, anchor: str) -> list[st
     """
     lines: list[str] = []
     if len(rows) >= FILTER_ROWS:
-        field = f"rb-files-filter-{anchor}"
-        lines += [
-            '<div class="rb-table-filter">'
-            f'<label for="{field}">Filter files</label>'
-            f'<input id="{field}" type="search" autocomplete="off" placeholder="File, path, status, hash...">'
-            f'<span class="rb-table-filter-count" aria-live="polite">{len(rows):,} rows</span></div>',
-            "",
-        ]
+        lines += [siteentries.filter_box(f"rb-files-filter-{anchor}", "files",
+                                         ["File", "path", "status", "hash"], len(rows)), ""]
     kind = "rb-files rb-files-path" if has_path else "rb-files"
     return [*lines, f'<div class="{kind}">', *rows, "</div>"]
 
diff --git a/scripts/site_markdown.py b/scripts/site_markdown.py
index 4f99d03cd..6ce944994 100644
--- a/scripts/site_markdown.py
+++ b/scripts/site_markdown.py
@@ -123,7 +123,10 @@ class _Converter(HTMLParser):
                 self._emit(f"**{' '.join(name.split())}:**")
                 self._block()
             return
-        if self.skip or tag in SKIPPED or attr.get("aria-hidden") == "true" \
+        # A `hidden` element is chrome the page's script shows (a filter
+        # box, the file picker, a setup's install chooser): a tab panel,
+        # hidden too, was read above.
+        if self.skip or tag in SKIPPED or attr.get("aria-hidden") == "true" or "hidden" in attr \
                 or classes & {"sr-only", "sl-anchor-link", "copy", "rb-anchor"}:
             if tag not in ("br", "img", "hr", "input", "wbr"):
                 self.skip += 1
diff --git a/scripts/siteentries.py b/scripts/siteentries.py
index 7fc5dc31c..c417c74bb 100644
--- a/scripts/siteentries.py
+++ b/scripts/siteentries.py
@@ -47,12 +47,21 @@ def filter_placeholder(labels: list[str]) -> str:
 
 
 def filter_box(ident: str, heading: str, labels: list[str], rows: int, noun: str = "rows") -> str:
-    """The filter box rehype-stack-tables.mjs writes above a long table."""
+    """The filter box rehype-stack-tables.mjs writes above a long table.
+
+    It is `hidden` until site.ts wires it: without the script it filters
+    nothing, so a reader with no JavaScript, a text dump and the search
+    skip it while the rows stay. retrobios.css keeps its room meanwhile,
+    so the table does not move when it shows. The count is the input's
+    description, and spaces keep label, field and count apart in any text
+    read from the HTML."""
     return (
-        f'<div class="rb-table-filter"><label for="{ident}">Filter {html.escape(heading)}</label>'
+        f'<div class="rb-table-filter" hidden {markup.search_exclude()}>'
+        f'<label for="{ident}">Filter {html.escape(heading)}</label> '
         f'<input id="{ident}" type="search" autocomplete="off" '
-        f'placeholder="{html.escape(filter_placeholder(labels))}">'
-        f'<span class="rb-table-filter-count" aria-live="polite">{rows:,} {noun}</span></div>'
+        f'placeholder="{html.escape(filter_placeholder(labels))}" aria-describedby="{ident}-count"> '
+        f'<span id="{ident}-count" class="rb-table-filter-count" aria-live="polite">'
+        f"{rows:,} {noun}</span></div>"
     )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_site_components.py b/tests/test_site_components.py
index a6f64c7bb..7385e7ff5 100644
--- a/tests/test_site_components.py
+++ b/tests/test_site_components.py
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ class WideTablesStackAndFiltersAreBuilt(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_the_filter_box_is_in_the_html(self):
         html = _built("gaps-files-to-source")
-        boxes = re.findall(r'<div class="rb-table-filter">(.*?)</div>\s*<table', html, re.S)
+        boxes = re.findall(r'<div class="rb-table-filter"[^>]*>(.*?)</div>\s*<table', html, re.S)
         self.assertTrue(boxes)
         for box in boxes:
             self.assertRegex(box, r'<label for="rb-table-filter-\d+">Filter [^<]+</label>')
diff --git a/tests/test_site_entry_tables.py b/tests/test_site_entry_tables.py
index ae4e01d0b..807aefd03 100644
--- a/tests/test_site_entry_tables.py
+++ b/tests/test_site_entry_tables.py
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ class TheEntryTable(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_a_long_table_has_its_filter_box_and_stacks(self):
         lines = siteentries.entry_table(self._rows(25), gs.ENTRY_HEADS, "rb-entry-filter-x", "Required")
         text = "\n".join(lines)
-        self.assertRegex(text, r'<div class="rb-table-filter"><label for="rb-entry-filter-x">'
-                               r"Filter Required</label><input id=\"rb-entry-filter-x\" type=\"search\"")
+        self.assertRegex(text, r'<div class="rb-table-filter" hidden data-pagefind-ignore>'
+                               r'<label for="rb-entry-filter-x">Filter Required</label> '
+                               r"<input id=\"rb-entry-filter-x\" type=\"search\"")
         self.assertIn('aria-live="polite">25 rows</span></div>\n<table class="rb-entries" '
                       'data-rb-stack="true">', text)
         # The Status column is empty on every row: not written.
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ class TheWantedListIsOneFilteredTable(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn("| Nintendo - GameCube - BIOS Images | 16 |", self.page)
 
     def test_every_dump_is_one_row_under_a_filter_box(self):
-        box = re.search(r'<div class="rb-table-filter">.*?</div>\n<details[^>]*>\n'
+        box = re.search(r'<div class="rb-table-filter"[^>]*>.*?</div>\n<details[^>]*>\n'
                         r"<summary>All 31 wanted dumps</summary>\n<table class=\"rb-wanted\"",
                         self.page, re.S)
         self.assertIsNotNone(box)
diff --git a/tests/test_site_platform_density.py b/tests/test_site_platform_density.py
index aa576e756..1f09510f9 100644
--- a/tests/test_site_platform_density.py
+++ b/tests/test_site_platform_density.py
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ class ARowPerFile(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_a_long_list_gets_a_filter(self):
         rows = ["<details></details>"] * generate_site.FILTER_ROWS
         block = generate_site._platform_file_list(rows, False, "arcade")
-        self.assertTrue(block[0].startswith('<div class="rb-table-filter"><label for="rb-files-filter-arcade">'))
+        self.assertTrue(block[0].startswith('<div class="rb-table-filter" hidden data-pagefind-ignore>'
+                                        '<label for="rb-files-filter-arcade">Filter files</label>'))
         self.assertNotIn("rb-table-filter", "".join(
             generate_site._platform_file_list(rows[1:], False, "arcade")))
 
diff --git a/website/src/components/FilePicker.astro b/website/src/components/FilePicker.astro
index 2027b6c50..34f21371c 100644
--- a/website/src/components/FilePicker.astro
+++ b/website/src/components/FilePicker.astro
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ const packs = Object.fromEntries(
 );
 ---
 
-<div class="rb-picker" data-base={base} data-release={JSON.stringify({ tag: release.tag ?? '', packs })}>
+{/* hidden until the script fills the setup list: without it the box is an
+    empty "Choose a setup", which a text dump and a reader without the
+    script would read. It keeps its room meanwhile, so nothing moves. */}
+<div class="rb-picker" hidden data-base={base} data-release={JSON.stringify({ tag: release.tag ?? '', packs })}>
 	<fieldset>
 		<label for="rb-pick-platform">Setup</label>
 		<select id="rb-pick-platform" name="platform">
@@ -29,8 +32,8 @@ const packs = Object.fromEntries(
 	</fieldset>
 	<div class="rb-pick-systems" hidden>
 		<p class="rb-pick-systems-head">
-			<strong>Systems</strong>
-			<button type="button" class="rb-text-button" data-all>All</button>
+			<strong>Systems</strong>{' '}
+			<button type="button" class="rb-text-button" data-all>All</button>{' '}
 			<button type="button" class="rb-text-button" data-none>None</button>
 		</p>
 		<input type="search" class="rb-pick-filter" placeholder="Type a console" aria-label="Type a console" />
@@ -114,6 +117,7 @@ const packs = Object.fromEntries(
 		const params = new URLSearchParams(location.search);
 		const index: { platform: string; name: string }[] = await fetch(`${base}data/picker/index.json`).then((r) => r.json());
 		for (const entry of index) select.add(new Option(entry.name, entry.platform));
+		root.hidden = false;
 
 		const chosen = () => [...list.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement>('input:checked')].map((box) => box.value);
 
@@ -227,6 +231,7 @@ const packs = Object.fromEntries(
 
 <!-- Global: the checkboxes are created by the script, outside Astro's scoped styles. -->
 <style is:global>
+	.rb-picker[hidden] { display: block; visibility: hidden; }
 	.rb-picker .rb-pick-list {
 		display: grid;
 		grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(15rem, 1fr));
diff --git a/website/src/plugins/rehype-stack-tables.mjs b/website/src/plugins/rehype-stack-tables.mjs
index 78b1a5c32..c77792680 100644
--- a/website/src/plugins/rehype-stack-tables.mjs
+++ b/website/src/plugins/rehype-stack-tables.mjs
@@ -108,10 +108,16 @@ const headingBefore = (ctx, table, title) => {
 // The label a stacked cell shows: the header's title, else its text.
 export const stackedLabel = (title, text) => String(title ?? '').trim() || text;
 
-const filterBox = ({ id, heading, labels, rows }) => ({
+// The same box as siteentries.filter_box: `hidden` until site.ts wires it,
+// so a reader without the script, a text dump and the search skip a field
+// that would filter nothing. The count describes the input, and the spaces
+// keep label, field and count apart in any text read from the HTML.
+const space = () => ({ type: 'text', value: ' ' });
+
+export const filterBox = ({ id, heading, labels, rows }) => ({
 	type: 'element',
 	tagName: 'div',
-	properties: { className: ['rb-table-filter'] },
+	properties: { className: ['rb-table-filter'], hidden: true, dataPagefindIgnore: true },
 	children: [
 		{
 			type: 'element',
@@ -119,16 +125,24 @@ const filterBox = ({ id, heading, labels, rows }) => ({
 			properties: { htmlFor: id },
 			children: [{ type: 'text', value: `Filter ${heading}` }],
 		},
+		space(),
 		{
 			type: 'element',
 			tagName: 'input',
-			properties: { id, type: 'search', autoComplete: 'off', placeholder: filterPlaceholder(labels) },
+			properties: {
+				id,
+				type: 'search',
+				autoComplete: 'off',
+				placeholder: filterPlaceholder(labels),
+				ariaDescribedBy: `${id}-count`,
+			},
 			children: [],
 		},
+		space(),
 		{
 			type: 'element',
 			tagName: 'span',
-			properties: { className: ['rb-table-filter-count'], ariaLive: 'polite' },
+			properties: { id: `${id}-count`, className: ['rb-table-filter-count'], ariaLive: 'polite' },
 			children: [{ type: 'text', value: `${rows.toLocaleString('en')} rows` }],
 		},
 	],
diff --git a/website/src/scripts/site.ts b/website/src/scripts/site.ts
index 7b55d77e9..22c97bbb1 100644
--- a/website/src/scripts/site.ts
+++ b/website/src/scripts/site.ts
@@ -158,6 +158,14 @@ const labelCells = (table: HTMLTableElement) => {
 	}
 };
 
+// Every filter box is written `hidden` (siteentries.filter_box,
+// rehype-stack-tables.mjs): it filters only once this script runs, so a
+// reader without it never meets a field that does nothing. The box keeps
+// its room while hidden (retrobios.css), so showing it moves nothing.
+const showFilters = () => {
+	for (const box of document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('.rb-table-filter[hidden]')) box.hidden = false;
+};
+
 const enhanceTables = () => {
 	const tables = [...document.querySelectorAll<HTMLTableElement>('.sl-markdown-content table')];
 	const enhance = (table: HTMLTableElement) => {
@@ -1450,6 +1458,7 @@ resolveFileAddress();
 followMovedCard();
 openTargetBlock();
 addEventListener('hashchange', openTargetBlock);
+showFilters();
 enhanceTables();
 breakPaths();
 hashSearch();
diff --git a/website/src/styles/retrobios.css b/website/src/styles/retrobios.css
index 61e36df4c..62f2df072 100644
--- a/website/src/styles/retrobios.css
+++ b/website/src/styles/retrobios.css
@@ -865,6 +865,10 @@ abbr.rb-term[data-open]::after {
 	align-items: end;
 	margin: 1rem 0 0.45rem;
 }
+/* Written `hidden` (siteentries.filter_box, rehype-stack-tables.mjs) and
+   shown by site.ts: until then it keeps its room, so the table below never
+   moves, and nothing reads it. */
+.rb-table-filter[hidden] { visibility: hidden; }
 .sl-markdown-content .rb-table-filter > * { margin: 0; }
 .rb-table-filter label { grid-column: 1 / -1; color: var(--rb-text-secondary); font-size: 0.78rem; font-weight: 700; }
 .rb-table-filter input {