diff --git a/public/.htaccess b/public/.htaccess
index 3aec5e27e..b6fdd07cc 100644
--- a/public/.htaccess
+++ b/public/.htaccess
@@ -14,7 +14,13 @@
     RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (.+)/$
     RewriteRule ^ %1 [L,R=301]
 
+    # Serve storage files directly if they exist
+    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^/storage/(.*)$
+    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f
+    RewriteRule ^storage/(.*)$ storage/$1 [L]
+    
     # Send Requests To Front Controller...
+    # Files that exist are served directly (including storage symlink)
     RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
     RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
     RewriteRule ^ index.php [L]
diff --git a/routes/web.php b/routes/web.php
index 1ede40075..4a1ee1dfb 100644
--- a/routes/web.php
+++ b/routes/web.php
@@ -61,6 +61,36 @@ Route::group(['middleware' => ['web', 'auth']], function () {
 
 Route::get('cart', Cart::class)->name('cart');
 
+// Serve storage files if symlink doesn't work or web server doesn't serve them directly
+// This route only handles requests that reach Laravel (if .htaccess doesn't serve them)
+Route::get('/storage/{path}', function ($path) {
+    // Sanitize the path to prevent directory traversal
+    $path = str_replace('..', '', $path);
+    $path = ltrim($path, '/');
+    
+    $filePath = storage_path('app/public/' . $path);
+    
+    // Ensure the file exists and is within the public storage directory
+    if (!file_exists($filePath) || !is_file($filePath)) {
+        abort(404, 'File not found');
+    }
+    
+    // Verify the file is actually within the storage/app/public directory
+    $realPath = realpath($filePath);
+    $publicPath = realpath(storage_path('app/public'));
+    
+    if (!$realPath || strpos($realPath, $publicPath) !== 0) {
+        abort(403, 'Access denied');
+    }
+    
+    $mimeType = mime_content_type($filePath) ?: 'application/octet-stream';
+    
+    return response()->file($filePath, [
+        'Content-Type' => $mimeType,
+        'Cache-Control' => 'public, max-age=31536000',
+    ]);
+})->where('path', '.*')->name('storage.serve');
+
 Route::group(['prefix' => 'products'], function () {
     Route::get('/{category:slug}', Products\Index::class)->name('category.show')/* ->where('category', '[A-Za-z0-9_/-]+') */;
     Route::get('/{category:slug}/{product:slug}', Products\Show::class)->name('products.show')/* ->where('category', '[A-Za-z0-9_/-]+') */;