diff --git a/frontend/messages/de.json b/frontend/messages/de.json
index 7e491bec..31a922f5 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/de.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/de.json
@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@
 	"doc_panel_discussion_annotation_tab": "Annotation · Seite {page}",
 	"pdf_annotations_show": "Annotierungen anzeigen",
 	"pdf_annotations_hide": "Annotierungen verbergen",
+	"upload_action": "Hochladen",
 	"upload_drop_hint": "Einzeln oder mehrere Dateien auf einmal hochladen",
 	"upload_accepted_types": "PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF",
 	"upload_filename_hint": "Tipp: 2024-03-15_Mueller_Hans.pdf → Datum und Absender werden vorausgefüllt",
diff --git a/frontend/messages/en.json b/frontend/messages/en.json
index 8e0ae64a..c594b6e0 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/en.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/en.json
@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@
 	"doc_panel_discussion_annotation_tab": "Annotation · Page {page}",
 	"pdf_annotations_show": "Show annotations",
 	"pdf_annotations_hide": "Hide annotations",
+	"upload_action": "Upload",
 	"upload_drop_hint": "Drop one or multiple files at once",
 	"upload_accepted_types": "PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF",
 	"upload_filename_hint": "Tip: 2024-03-15_Mueller_Hans.pdf → date and sender pre-filled",
diff --git a/frontend/messages/es.json b/frontend/messages/es.json
index a481bf85..3195c2a9 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/es.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/es.json
@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@
 	"doc_panel_discussion_annotation_tab": "Anotación · Página {page}",
 	"pdf_annotations_show": "Mostrar anotaciones",
 	"pdf_annotations_hide": "Ocultar anotaciones",
+	"upload_action": "Subir",
 	"upload_drop_hint": "Uno o varios archivos a la vez",
 	"upload_accepted_types": "PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF",
 	"upload_filename_hint": "Consejo: 2024-03-15_Mueller_Hans.pdf → fecha y remitente prellenados",
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index 0469053e..33671854 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import './layout.css';
 import { page } from '$app/state';
 import { onMount } from 'svelte';
+import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import LanguageSwitcher from '$lib/components/LanguageSwitcher.svelte';
 import ThemeToggle from '$lib/components/ThemeToggle.svelte';
 import NotificationBell from '$lib/components/NotificationBell.svelte';
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ const userInitials = $derived.by(() => {
 						{#if data?.user}
 							<a
 								href="/documents/new"
+								aria-label={m.upload_action()}
 								class="inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-sm border border-white/25 px-3.5 py-1.5 font-sans text-[11px] font-bold tracking-[.12em] text-white uppercase transition-colors hover:bg-white/10"
 							>
 								<svg
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ const userInitials = $derived.by(() => {
 									<polyline points="17 8 12 3 7 8" />
 									<line x1="12" y1="3" x2="12" y2="15" />
 								</svg>
-								Hochladen
+								{m.upload_action()}
 							</a>
 						{/if}
 						<!-- Language selector (desktop only — mobile lives in nav drawer) -->
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/layout.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/routes/layout.svelte.spec.ts
index 3de2e9a8..7600053a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/layout.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/layout.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,22 @@ describe('Layout – user avatar button', () => {
 	});
 });
 
+// ─── Upload link ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('Layout – upload link', () => {
+	it('has aria-label for screen reader access', async () => {
+		render(Layout, { data: makeData(), children: emptySnippet });
+		const link = page.getByRole('link', { name: /Hochladen|Upload|Subir/i });
+		await expect.element(link).toHaveAttribute('aria-label');
+	});
+
+	it('navigates to /documents/new', async () => {
+		render(Layout, { data: makeData(), children: emptySnippet });
+		const link = page.getByRole('link', { name: /Hochladen|Upload|Subir/i });
+		await expect.element(link).toHaveAttribute('href', '/documents/new');
+	});
+});
+
 // ─── Dropdown ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 describe('Layout – user dropdown', () => {