diff --git a/apps/vectorcraft/src/host_services.rs b/apps/vectorcraft/src/host_services.rs
index 2ca282d74..e598d3b4d 100644
--- a/apps/vectorcraft/src/host_services.rs
+++ b/apps/vectorcraft/src/host_services.rs
@@ -198,6 +198,30 @@ fn read_file_refuses_what_is_not_a_regular_file() {
     assert!(read_file("/dev/zero").is_err());
 }
 
+/// Read the first `max` bytes of a file (all of it when it is shorter), and nothing past them. Only
+/// a regular file is read.
+fn read_file_head(path: &str, max: usize) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
+    use std::io::Read;
+    if !std::fs::metadata(path).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?.is_file() {
+        return Err(format!("{path}: not a file"));
+    }
+    let mut out = vec![];
+    std::fs::File::open(path).and_then(|f| f.take(max as u64).read_to_end(&mut out)).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    Ok(out)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+#[test]
+fn read_file_head_reads_no_more_than_it_is_asked_for() {
+    let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("vectorcraft-read-head-{}", std::process::id()));
+    std::fs::write(&path, b"0123456789").unwrap();
+    let p = path.to_string_lossy();
+    assert_eq!(read_file_head(&p, 4).unwrap(), b"0123");
+    assert_eq!(read_file_head(&p, 20).unwrap(), b"0123456789", "a shorter file is read whole");
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+    assert!(read_file_head(&std::env::temp_dir().to_string_lossy(), 4).is_err(), "a folder is not read");
+}
+
 /// Write a file the safe way: a failed write keeps the old file ([`fileio::write_atomic`]).
 fn write_file(path: &str, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(), String> {
     fileio::write_atomic(std::path::Path::new(path), bytes).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
@@ -325,6 +349,8 @@ pub(crate) fn services(parent: Parent, ui: egui::Context) -> Services {
         #[cfg(windows)]
         stylus: Some(windows_stylus::start()),
         read: Some(Box::new(read_file)),
+        // Load Actions… refuses a file over its size limit without reading all of it.
+        read_head: Some(Box::new(read_file_head)),
         write: Some(Box::new(write_file)),
         exists: Some(Box::new(|p: &str| std::path::Path::new(p).exists())),
         // Background Save and Export write from a worker thread.
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs
index fe7967416..4698856df 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ impl VectorcraftApp {
         if let Some(read) = s.read.take() {
             s.read = Some(Box::new(move |p: &str| file_access::check_read(p).and_then(|()| read(p))));
         }
+        if let Some(read_head) = s.read_head.take() {
+            s.read_head = Some(Box::new(move |p: &str, max: usize| file_access::check_read(p).and_then(|()| read_head(p, max))));
+        }
         if let Some(mut write) = s.write.take() {
             s.write = Some(Box::new(move |p: &str, b: &[u8]| file_access::check_write(p).and_then(|()| write(p, b))));
         }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions.rs
index 3c9138f8d..afddf276f 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions.rs
@@ -2291,6 +2291,29 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(set_names(&app), before, "no set added");
     }
 
+    /// Where the host can read part of a file, Load Actions… reads one byte past 8 MiB: a larger
+    /// file is refused without reading all of it, and a smaller one loads.
+    #[test]
+    fn load_actions_reads_a_file_no_further_than_one_byte_past_its_limit() {
+        let mut app = app_with_sets();
+        let files = with_files(&mut app, "/sets/big.vcactions");
+        app.run(SAVE_SET, json!({"set": 1, "path": "/sets/small.vcactions"})).unwrap();
+        files.borrow_mut().insert("/sets/big.vcactions".into(), vec![b' '; files::MAX_SET_FILE + 100]);
+        app.services.read = Some(Box::new(|_: &str| Err("the whole file was read".to_string())));
+        let asked = std::rc::Rc::new(std::cell::RefCell::new(vec![]));
+        let (f, a) = (files.clone(), asked.clone());
+        app.services.read_head = Some(Box::new(move |path: &str, max: usize| {
+            a.borrow_mut().push(max);
+            let bytes = f.borrow().get(path).cloned().ok_or_else(|| "no such file".to_string())?;
+            Ok(bytes.into_iter().take(max).collect())
+        }));
+        let before = set_names(&app);
+        assert_eq!(app.run(LOAD_SET, json!({"path": "/sets/big.vcactions"})).unwrap_err(), "the action set file is larger than 8 MiB");
+        assert_eq!(set_names(&app), before, "no set added");
+        assert_eq!(app.run(LOAD_SET, json!({"path": "/sets/small.vcactions"})).unwrap()["name"], json!("Mine 2"));
+        assert_eq!(*asked.borrow(), [files::MAX_SET_FILE + 1; 2], "each read stops one byte past the limit");
+    }
+
     /// Save Actions… does not write a set that Load Actions… would refuse: more than 1,000 actions.
     #[test]
     fn save_actions_does_not_write_a_set_load_actions_refuses() {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions/files.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions/files.rs
index ef00fccce..ead40505f 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions/files.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/actions/files.rs
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ pub(crate) fn can_load(app: &VectorcraftApp) -> bool {
 /// the file's text `data`, and adds its set after the others, with its actions. A set with the
 /// same name as one in the panel gets the next free number (`Print 2`). Loaded actions keep their
 /// function keys. The current set and the other sets stay as they are →
-/// `{set: index, name, actions: n}`.
+/// `{set: index, name, actions: n}`. Where the host can read part of a file (the desktop), a file
+/// larger than 8 MiB is refused after its first 8 MiB and one byte are read.
 pub fn load_set(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, p: &Value) -> Result<Value, String> {
     let (text, stem) = match p.get("data") {
         Some(Value::String(data)) => {
@@ -200,7 +201,12 @@ pub fn load_set(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, p: &Value) -> Result<Value, String> {
                     crate::picks::open(app, &pick).ok_or("cancelled")?
                 }
             };
-            let bytes = app.services.read.as_ref().ok_or("no file reader")?(&path)?;
+            // One byte past the limit tells a larger file apart without reading all of it.
+            let bytes = match (&app.services.read_head, &app.services.read) {
+                (Some(read_head), _) => read_head(&path, MAX_SET_FILE + 1)?,
+                (None, Some(read)) => read(&path)?,
+                (None, None) => return Err("no file reader".into()),
+            };
             if bytes.len() > MAX_SET_FILE {
                 return Err("the action set file is larger than 8 MiB".into());
             }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/services.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/services.rs
index d7fe9e593..81b152a79 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/services.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/services.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ pub type PickSave = Box<dyn FnMut(&FilePick) -> Option<String>>;
 
 pub type ReadFn = Box<dyn Fn(&str) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String>>;
 
+/// The first `max` bytes of the file at a path (all of it when it is shorter); the rest of the file
+/// is not read.
+pub type ReadHeadFn = Box<dyn Fn(&str, usize) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String>>;
+
 pub type WriteFn = Box<dyn FnMut(&str, &[u8]) -> Result<(), String>>;
 
 pub type ExistsFn = Box<dyn Fn(&str) -> bool>;
@@ -76,6 +80,10 @@ pub struct Services {
     /// Show a save dialog (suggested name, folder, file types); returns a path.
     pub pick_save: Option<PickSave>,
     pub read: Option<ReadFn>,
+    /// Read at most a number of bytes from a file (desktop). A file with a size limit is read one
+    /// byte past the limit, so a larger file is refused without reading all of it. Without it, the
+    /// whole file is read with `read`.
+    pub read_head: Option<ReadHeadFn>,
     pub write: Option<WriteFn>,
     /// Is there a file or folder at a path (desktop)? The app asks before replacing a file that a
     /// save panel's name names once the app gives it an extension ([`picks::ask_to_replace`]).