diff --git a/server/app/routes/convert.py b/server/app/routes/convert.py
index 9ad18aac..b1a7c71a 100644
--- a/server/app/routes/convert.py
+++ b/server/app/routes/convert.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import os
 import aiohttp
 from pathlib import Path
+from urllib.parse import urljoin
 from azure.ai.documentintelligence.models import AnalyzeDocumentRequest, AnalyzeResult, DocumentContentFormat
 from azure.ai.documentintelligence import DocumentIntelligenceClient
 from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ async def convert_documents(
     custom_docling_url: Optional[str] = Header(None)
 ):
     use_docetl_server = use_docetl_server.lower() == "true" # TODO: make this a boolean
+
     
     # If custom Docling URL is provided, forward the request there
     if custom_docling_url:
@@ -78,18 +80,18 @@ async def convert_documents(
                             "output_html": False,
                             "do_ocr": True,
                             "do_table_structure": True,
-                            "include_images": True
+                            "include_images": False
                         }
                     }
                     
                     async with session.post(
-                        f"{custom_docling_url}/convert",
+                        urljoin(custom_docling_url, 'convert'),
                         json=payload,
                         timeout=120
                     ) as response:
                         if response.status == 200:
                             result = await response.json()
-                            if result["status"] == "success":
+                            if result["status"] in ("success", '4'):
                                 results.append({
                                     "filename": file.filename,
                                     "markdown": result["document"]["markdown"]
diff --git a/website/src/app/api/convertDocuments/route.ts b/website/src/app/api/convertDocuments/route.ts
index 954c0d01..e589a022 100644
--- a/website/src/app/api/convertDocuments/route.ts
+++ b/website/src/app/api/convertDocuments/route.ts
@@ -42,13 +42,14 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
     if (azureEndpoint && azureKey) {
       targetUrl = `${FASTAPI_URL}/api/azure-convert-documents`;
     } else if (customDoclingUrl) {
-      targetUrl = `${customDoclingUrl}/convert`;
+      targetUrl = `${FASTAPI_URL}/api/convert-documents`;
     } else {
       targetUrl = `${FASTAPI_URL}/api/convert-documents${
         conversionMethod === "docetl" ? "?use_docetl_server=true" : ""
       }`;
     }
 
+
     // Forward the request to the appropriate backend
     const response = await fetch(targetUrl, {
       method: "POST",
diff --git a/website/src/components/FileExplorer.tsx b/website/src/components/FileExplorer.tsx
index 8b91dfbe..d56aa8d9 100644
--- a/website/src/components/FileExplorer.tsx
+++ b/website/src/components/FileExplorer.tsx
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ export const FileExplorer: React.FC<FileExplorerProps> = ({
                   onValueChange={(value) =>
                     setConversionMethod(value as ConversionMethod)
                   }
-                  className="mt-2 grid grid-cols-3 gap-2"
+                  className="mt-2 grid grid-cols-4 gap-2"
                 >
                   <div className="flex flex-col space-y-1 p-2 rounded-md transition-colors hover:bg-gray-50 cursor-pointer border border-gray-100">
                     <div className="flex items-start space-x-2.5">
@@ -876,11 +876,11 @@ export const FileExplorer: React.FC<FileExplorerProps> = ({
 
               <div
                 className={`
-                  border-2 border-dashed rounded-lg transition-colors relative flex-shrink-0
+                  border border-dashed rounded-lg transition-colors relative flex-shrink-0
                   ${
                     selectedFiles && selectedFiles.length > 0
-                      ? "border-border bg-accent/50 p-6"
-                      : "border-border p-8 hover:border-primary"
+                      ? "border-border bg-accent/50 p-3"
+                      : "border-border p-3 hover:border-primary"
                   }
                 `}
                 onDragOver={(e) => {
@@ -931,33 +931,30 @@ export const FileExplorer: React.FC<FileExplorerProps> = ({
                 )}
 
                 <div className="text-center">
-                  <Upload className="w-10 h-10 mx-auto text-gray-400 mb-4" />
-                  <div className="space-y-2">
-                    <p className="text-sm text-gray-600">
-                      Drag and drop your documents here or
-                    </p>
-                    <label>
-                      <input
-                        type="file"
-                        multiple
-                        className="hidden"
-                        accept={SUPPORTED_EXTENSIONS.join(",")}
-                        onChange={(e) => {
-                          if (e.target.files) {
-                            handleFolderUpload(e.target.files);
-                          }
-                        }}
-                      />
-                      <span className="text-sm text-primary hover:text-blue-600 cursor-pointer">
-                        browse files
-                      </span>
-                    </label>
-                    <p className="text-xs text-gray-500">
+                  <Upload className="w-5 h-5 mx-auto text-gray-400 mb-1" />
+                  <div className="flex flex-col items-center">
+                    <div className="flex items-center text-sm text-gray-500">
+                      <span>Drag and drop your documents here or</span>
+                      <label className="ml-0.5">
+                        <input
+                          type="file"
+                          multiple
+                          className="hidden"
+                          accept={SUPPORTED_EXTENSIONS.join(",")}
+                          onChange={(e) => {
+                            if (e.target.files) {
+                              handleFolderUpload(e.target.files);
+                            }
+                          }}
+                        />
+                        <span className="text-primary hover:text-blue-600 cursor-pointer">
+                          browse files
+                        </span>
+                      </label>
+                    </div>
+                    <p className="mt-0.5 text-[10px] text-gray-400">
                       Supported formats: PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT, HTML, PPTX, MD
                     </p>
-                    <p className="text-xs text-gray-500">
-                      Processing may take up to 2 minutes
-                    </p>
                   </div>
                 </div>
               </div>