diff --git a/app/package-lock.json b/app/package-lock.json
index c8b45ce..69a8f4e 100644
--- a/app/package-lock.json
+++ b/app/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "aurora-admin-app",
-  "version": "2.16.0",
+  "version": "3.1.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "aurora-admin-app",
-      "version": "2.16.0",
+      "version": "3.1.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@codemirror/lang-css": "^6.3.1",
         "@codemirror/lang-html": "^6.4.11",
diff --git a/app/src/pages/settings/Settings.vue b/app/src/pages/settings/Settings.vue
index 1aa7411..c16f3b4 100644
--- a/app/src/pages/settings/Settings.vue
+++ b/app/src/pages/settings/Settings.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script setup>
 import { ref, reactive, computed, watch, nextTick } from 'vue';
-import { settingsCategories } from './settingsConfig.js';
+import { settingsGroups, settingsCategories } from './settingsConfig.js';
 import SettingsField from './components/SettingsField.vue';
 import { applyThemePalette, applyFontFamily } from './applyLiveTheme.js';
 
@@ -45,6 +45,29 @@ const activeCategory = computed(
   () => visibleCategories.find((c) => c.id === activeId.value) || visibleCategories[0]
 );
 
+const groupOfCategory = (catId) =>
+  settingsGroups.find((g) => g.categories.some((c) => c.id === catId));
+
+// Collapsible nav groups. Default open; collapse state persisted per group.
+const OPEN_KEY = 'aurora-settings-groups-open';
+const loadOpen = () => {
+  try {
+    return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(OPEN_KEY)) || {};
+  } catch {
+    return {};
+  }
+};
+const openState = reactive(loadOpen());
+// Keep the active category's group open so its item is always reachable.
+const activeGroup = groupOfCategory(activeId.value);
+if (activeGroup) openState[activeGroup.id] = true;
+
+const isGroupOpen = (id) => openState[id] !== false;
+const toggleGroup = (id) => {
+  openState[id] = !isGroupOpen(id);
+  localStorage.setItem(OPEN_KEY, JSON.stringify(openState));
+};
+
 // The content panel scrolls independently of the nav (see .settings__content
 // below) so picking a category from a scrolled-down spot in the nav doesn't
 // require scrolling the whole page back up to see it. But the panel is one
@@ -56,6 +79,8 @@ const activeCategory = computed(
 const contentEl = ref(null);
 const selectCategory = (id) => {
   activeId.value = id;
+  const g = groupOfCategory(id);
+  if (g) openState[g.id] = true;
   const url = new URL(window.location.href);
   url.searchParams.set('category', id);
   window.history.replaceState({}, '', url);
@@ -64,15 +89,25 @@ const selectCategory = (id) => {
   });
 };
 
-// Search filter over the nav.
+// Search filter over the nav — matches on group title, category title, or
+// subtitle; groups with no surviving categories drop out entirely.
 const query = ref('');
-const filteredCategories = computed(() => {
+const searching = computed(() => query.value.trim().length > 0);
+const filteredGroups = computed(() => {
   const q = query.value.trim().toLowerCase();
-  if (!q) return visibleCategories;
-  return visibleCategories.filter(
-    (c) =>
-      c.title.toLowerCase().includes(q) || c.subtitle.toLowerCase().includes(q)
-  );
+  if (!q) return settingsGroups;
+  return settingsGroups
+    .map((g) => {
+      const groupMatch = g.title.toLowerCase().includes(q);
+      const categories = g.categories.filter(
+        (c) =>
+          groupMatch ||
+          c.title.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
+          c.subtitle.toLowerCase().includes(q)
+      );
+      return { ...g, categories };
+    })
+    .filter((g) => g.categories.length > 0);
 });
 
 // Options for multiselect fields, resolved from server-provided lists.
@@ -172,20 +207,37 @@ const importSettings = (e) => {
         <input v-model="query" type="text" placeholder="Search settings…" />
       </div>
 
-      <ul class="settings__list">
-        <li v-for="cat in filteredCategories" :key="cat.id">
+      <ul class="settings__groups">
+        <li v-for="group in filteredGroups" :key="group.id" class="settings__group">
           <button
             type="button"
-            class="settings__cat"
-            :class="{ 'settings__cat--active': cat.id === activeId }"
-            @click="selectCategory(cat.id)"
+            class="settings__group-head"
+            :aria-expanded="isGroupOpen(group.id) || searching"
+            @click="toggleGroup(group.id)"
           >
-            <span class="settings__cat-icon"><span class="dashicons" :class="cat.icon" /></span>
-            <span class="settings__cat-text">
-              <span class="settings__cat-title">{{ cat.title }}</span>
-              <span class="settings__cat-sub">{{ cat.subtitle }}</span>
-            </span>
+            <span class="settings__group-icon dashicons" :class="group.icon" />
+            <span class="settings__group-title">{{ group.title }}</span>
+            <span
+              class="settings__group-caret dashicons dashicons-arrow-down-alt2"
+              :class="{ 'is-collapsed': !isGroupOpen(group.id) && !searching }"
+            />
           </button>
+          <ul v-show="isGroupOpen(group.id) || searching" class="settings__list">
+            <li v-for="cat in group.categories" :key="cat.id">
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                class="settings__cat"
+                :class="{ 'settings__cat--active': cat.id === activeId }"
+                @click="selectCategory(cat.id)"
+              >
+                <span class="settings__cat-icon dashicons" :class="cat.icon" />
+                <span class="settings__cat-title">{{ cat.title }}</span>
+              </button>
+            </li>
+          </ul>
+        </li>
+        <li v-if="!filteredGroups.length" class="settings__empty">
+          No settings match “{{ query }}”.
         </li>
       </ul>
     </aside>
@@ -280,27 +332,45 @@ const importSettings = (e) => {
   font-size: 0.8125rem; width: 100%;
 }
 
-.settings__list { list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
+.settings__groups { list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
+.settings__group { margin-bottom: 4px; }
+
+.settings__group-head {
+  display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; width: 100%;
+  padding: 6px 8px; border: none; background: none; cursor: pointer;
+  border-radius: 8px; color: var(--aurora-text-muted);
+}
+.settings__group-head:hover { color: var(--aurora-text); }
+.settings__group-icon { font-size: 15px; width: 16px; height: 16px; }
+.settings__group-title {
+  font-size: 0.6875rem; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+}
+.settings__group-caret {
+  margin-left: auto; font-size: 16px; width: 16px; height: 16px;
+  transition: transform 0.15s ease;
+}
+.settings__group-caret.is-collapsed { transform: rotate(-90deg); }
+
+.settings__list { list-style: none; margin: 2px 0 8px; padding: 0; }
 .settings__cat {
-  display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; width: 100%;
-  padding: 10px; border: none; background: none; cursor: pointer;
-  border-radius: 12px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 2px;
+  display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; width: 100%;
+  padding: 8px 10px; border: none; background: none; cursor: pointer;
+  border-radius: 10px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 1px;
+  color: var(--aurora-text);
 }
 .settings__cat:hover { background: var(--aurora-bg-subtle); }
 .settings__cat--active { background: var(--aurora-accent-soft); }
 .settings__cat-icon {
-  width: 34px; height: 34px; flex-shrink: 0;
-  border-radius: 9px; background: var(--aurora-bg-subtle);
-  display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
+  font-size: 16px; width: 18px; height: 18px; flex-shrink: 0;
   color: var(--aurora-text-muted);
 }
 .settings__cat--active .settings__cat-icon { color: var(--aurora-accent); }
-.settings__cat-text { display: flex; flex-direction: column; min-width: 0; }
-.settings__cat-title { font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: 600; color: var(--aurora-text); }
-.settings__cat--active .settings__cat-title { color: var(--aurora-accent); }
-.settings__cat-sub {
-  font-size: 0.75rem; color: var(--aurora-text-muted);
-  overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;
+.settings__cat-title { font-size: 0.8125rem; font-weight: 500; }
+.settings__cat--active .settings__cat-title { color: var(--aurora-accent); font-weight: 600; }
+
+.settings__empty {
+  padding: 12px 10px; font-size: 0.8125rem; color: var(--aurora-text-muted);
 }
 
 /* Right content — no background/border of its own, same reasoning.
diff --git a/app/src/pages/settings/settingsConfig.js b/app/src/pages/settings/settingsConfig.js
index adc9435..9443f6a 100644
--- a/app/src/pages/settings/settingsConfig.js
+++ b/app/src/pages/settings/settingsConfig.js
@@ -1,359 +1,371 @@
 /**
  * Declarative settings schema for the Aurora Admin settings page.
- * Each category renders as an item in the left nav; its fields render in
- * the right panel. Field `key`s map directly into the aurora_admin_settings
- * option, saved via the wp/v2/settings REST route.
+ *
+ * Categories are organized into top-level groups. Each group renders as a
+ * collapsible section in the left nav; each category within it renders as a
+ * nav item, and its fields render in the right panel. Field `key`s map
+ * directly into the aurora_admin_settings option, saved via the
+ * wp/v2/settings REST route.
  */
-export const settingsCategories = [
+export const settingsGroups = [
   {
     id: 'general',
     title: 'General',
-    subtitle: 'Core plugin settings',
     icon: 'dashicons-admin-settings',
-    fields: [
+    categories: [
       {
-        key: 'logo',
-        type: 'image',
-        label: 'Logo',
-        description: 'Optional logo to be displayed in the menu.',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'dark_logo',
-        type: 'image',
-        label: 'Dark mode logo',
-        description:
-          "Set an alternative logo to use in dark mode. If one isn't set it will fall back to the standard logo.",
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'disable_theme',
-        type: 'multiselect',
-        label: 'Disable theme',
-        description: 'Choose roles to disable the theme for.',
-        optionsSource: 'roles',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'search_post_types',
-        type: 'multiselect',
-        label: 'Search post types',
-        description: 'Choose which post types are available in the global search.',
-        optionsSource: 'postTypes',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'disable_global_search',
-        type: 'segmented',
-        label: 'Disable global search',
-        description: 'Disable global search for all users.',
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'login',
-    title: 'Login',
-    subtitle: 'Customize login page appearance and security',
-    icon: 'dashicons-lock',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'style_login',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Style login page',
-        description: 'Apply the Aurora theme to the WordPress login screen.',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'login_logo',
-        type: 'image',
-        label: 'Login logo',
-        description: 'Replace the WordPress logo on the login screen.',
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'theme',
-    title: 'Theme',
-    subtitle: 'Colors, styling, and visual customization',
-    icon: 'dashicons-admin-appearance',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'theme_preset',
-        type: 'theme-picker',
-        label: 'Theme',
-        description: 'Pick a color for the whole admin interface.',
-        default: 'indigo',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'font_family',
-        type: 'font-picker',
-        label: 'Font family',
-        description: 'Google Font used across the Aurora interface.',
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'whitelabel',
-    title: 'White Label',
-    subtitle: 'Rebrand and customize interface text and icons',
-    icon: 'dashicons-tag',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'admin_favicon',
-        type: 'image',
-        label: 'Admin favicon',
-        description: 'Optional favicon to replace the WordPress favicon in the admin.',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'plugin_name',
-        type: 'text',
-        label: 'Rename Aurora Admin',
-        description:
-          "This will rename Aurora Admin in the plugins list as well as renaming its settings link.",
-        placeholder: 'Aurora Admin',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'text_replacements',
-        type: 'repeater',
-        label: 'Text Replacement',
-        description:
-          'Customize the text displayed in the WordPress admin area. Enter original words or phrases and their replacements to white-label the interface.',
-        columns: ['Find', 'Replace with'],
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'menu',
-    title: 'Menu',
-    subtitle: 'Admin menu behavior and interaction settings',
-    icon: 'dashicons-menu',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'menu_search',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Menu search',
-        description: 'Show a search box at the top of the admin menu.',
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'posts',
-    title: 'Posts',
-    subtitle: 'Post management and display preferences',
-    icon: 'dashicons-admin-post',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'modern_posts',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Modern posts table',
-        description: 'Use the Aurora posts management interface.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'pages',
-    title: 'Pages',
-    subtitle: 'Page management and display preferences',
-    icon: 'dashicons-admin-page',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'modern_pages',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Modern pages table',
-        description: 'Use the Aurora pages management interface.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'plugins',
-    title: 'Plugins',
-    subtitle: 'Plugin management interface options',
-    icon: 'dashicons-admin-plugins',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'modern_plugins',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Modern plugins page',
-        description: 'Use the Aurora plugins management interface.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'dashboard',
-    title: 'Dashboard',
-    subtitle: 'Custom dashboard and admin interface settings',
-    icon: 'dashicons-dashboard',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'use_custom_dashboard',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Custom dashboard',
-        description: "Replace the WordPress dashboard with Aurora's dashboard.",
-        default: true,
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'analytics',
-    title: 'Analytics',
-    subtitle: 'Built-in analytics and tracking settings',
-    icon: 'dashicons-chart-bar',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'enable_analytics',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Enable analytics',
-        description: 'Track first-party visitor analytics for the dashboard.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'track_admins',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Track logged-in admins',
-        description: 'Include administrator visits in analytics (off by default).',
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'media',
-    title: 'Media',
-    subtitle: 'Media library and upload management settings',
-    icon: 'dashicons-admin-media',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'modern_media',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Modern media library',
-        description: 'Use the Aurora media library interface.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'enable_svg',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Allow SVG uploads',
-        description: 'Permit SVG files to be uploaded to the media library.',
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'users',
-    title: 'Users',
-    subtitle: 'User management and administration settings',
-    icon: 'dashicons-admin-users',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'modern_users',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Modern users page',
-        description: 'Use the Aurora users management interface.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'comments',
-    title: 'Comments',
-    subtitle: 'Comment management and administration',
-    icon: 'dashicons-admin-comments',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'modern_comments',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Modern comments page',
-        description: 'Use the Aurora comments management interface.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'image-formats',
-    title: 'Modern Image Formats',
-    subtitle: 'Automatically generate WebP/AVIF versions of uploaded images',
-    icon: 'dashicons-format-image',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'image_formats_enabled',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Enable modern image formats',
-        description:
-          'Automatically generate a WebP or AVIF copy of every size of a newly uploaded JPEG or PNG image, and serve it to browsers that support it. Only affects new uploads — existing library images are unaffected until re-uploaded or regenerated with a tool like Regenerate Thumbnails.',
-        default: true,
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'image_formats_format',
-        type: 'select',
-        label: 'Output format',
-        description:
-          'Automatic prefers AVIF (smaller files, wider quality range) when the server supports it, falling back to WebP. If your server supports neither, generation is silently skipped — ask your host about enabling GD or Imagick WebP/AVIF support.',
-        dependsOn: 'image_formats_enabled',
-        default: 'auto',
-        options: [
-          { value: 'auto', label: 'Automatic (AVIF, falling back to WebP)' },
-          { value: 'webp', label: 'WebP only' },
-          { value: 'avif', label: 'AVIF only' },
+        id: 'general',
+        title: 'General',
+        subtitle: 'Core plugin settings',
+        icon: 'dashicons-admin-settings',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'logo',
+            type: 'image',
+            label: 'Logo',
+            description: 'Optional logo to be displayed in the menu.',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'dark_logo',
+            type: 'image',
+            label: 'Dark mode logo',
+            description:
+              "Set an alternative logo to use in dark mode. If one isn't set it will fall back to the standard logo.",
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'disable_theme',
+            type: 'multiselect',
+            label: 'Disable theme',
+            description: 'Choose roles to disable the theme for.',
+            optionsSource: 'roles',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'search_post_types',
+            type: 'multiselect',
+            label: 'Search post types',
+            description: 'Choose which post types are available in the global search.',
+            optionsSource: 'postTypes',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'disable_global_search',
+            type: 'segmented',
+            label: 'Disable global search',
+            description: 'Disable global search for all users.',
+          },
         ],
       },
       {
-        key: 'image_formats_picture_element',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Serve via <picture> element',
-        description:
-          'Rewrite <img> tags (post content and post thumbnails) into a <picture> element offering the modern format with the original JPEG/PNG as a fallback. Turn this off if it conflicts with your theme’s image styling, while still generating the files for other tools to use.',
-        dependsOn: 'image_formats_enabled',
-        default: true,
+        id: 'analytics',
+        title: 'Analytics',
+        subtitle: 'Built-in analytics and tracking settings',
+        icon: 'dashicons-chart-bar',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'enable_analytics',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Enable analytics',
+            description: 'Track first-party visitor analytics for the dashboard.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'track_admins',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Track logged-in admins',
+            description: 'Include administrator visits in analytics (off by default).',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    id: 'appearance',
+    title: 'Appearance',
+    icon: 'dashicons-admin-appearance',
+    categories: [
+      {
+        id: 'theme',
+        title: 'Theme',
+        subtitle: 'Colors, styling, and visual customization',
+        icon: 'dashicons-admin-appearance',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'theme_preset',
+            type: 'theme-picker',
+            label: 'Theme',
+            description: 'Pick a color for the whole admin interface.',
+            default: 'indigo',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'font_family',
+            type: 'font-picker',
+            label: 'Font family',
+            description: 'Google Font used across the Aurora interface.',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'whitelabel',
+        title: 'White Label',
+        subtitle: 'Rebrand and customize interface text and icons',
+        icon: 'dashicons-tag',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'admin_favicon',
+            type: 'image',
+            label: 'Admin favicon',
+            description: 'Optional favicon to replace the WordPress favicon in the admin.',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'plugin_name',
+            type: 'text',
+            label: 'Rename Aurora Admin',
+            description:
+              'This will rename Aurora Admin in the plugins list as well as renaming its settings link.',
+            placeholder: 'Aurora Admin',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'text_replacements',
+            type: 'repeater',
+            label: 'Text Replacement',
+            description:
+              'Customize the text displayed in the WordPress admin area. Enter original words or phrases and their replacements to white-label the interface.',
+            columns: ['Find', 'Replace with'],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'login',
+        title: 'Login',
+        subtitle: 'Customize login page appearance and security',
+        icon: 'dashicons-lock',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'style_login',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Style login page',
+            description: 'Apply the Aurora theme to the WordPress login screen.',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'login_logo',
+            type: 'image',
+            label: 'Login logo',
+            description: 'Replace the WordPress logo on the login screen.',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'menu',
+        title: 'Menu',
+        subtitle: 'Admin menu behavior and interaction settings',
+        icon: 'dashicons-menu',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'menu_search',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Menu search',
+            description: 'Show a search box at the top of the admin menu.',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    id: 'screens',
+    title: 'Screens',
+    icon: 'dashicons-desktop',
+    categories: [
+      {
+        id: 'dashboard',
+        title: 'Dashboard',
+        subtitle: 'Custom dashboard and admin interface settings',
+        icon: 'dashicons-dashboard',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'use_custom_dashboard',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Custom dashboard',
+            description: "Replace the WordPress dashboard with Aurora's dashboard.",
+            default: true,
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'content-tables',
+        title: 'Content tables',
+        subtitle: 'Choose which admin list screens use the Aurora interface',
+        icon: 'dashicons-editor-table',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'modern_posts',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Posts',
+            description: 'Use the Aurora posts management interface.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'modern_pages',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Pages',
+            description: 'Use the Aurora pages management interface.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'modern_media',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Media library',
+            description: 'Use the Aurora media library interface.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'modern_users',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Users',
+            description: 'Use the Aurora users management interface.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'modern_comments',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Comments',
+            description: 'Use the Aurora comments management interface.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'modern_plugins',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Plugins',
+            description: 'Use the Aurora plugins management interface.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'admin-takeover',
+        title: 'Admin Takeover',
+        subtitle: 'Replace the remaining native WordPress admin screens with Aurora',
+        icon: 'dashicons-shield',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'full_admin_takeover',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Full admin takeover',
+            description:
+              'Replace Media Upload, Add User, Profile, Appearance, Tools, and native Settings screens with Aurora equivalents. Off by default — these cover more ground than Posts/Pages/Media/Users/Comments, so it’s opt-in rather than on by default.',
+            default: false,
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    id: 'productivity',
+    title: 'Productivity',
+    icon: 'dashicons-superhero-alt',
+    categories: [
+      {
+        id: 'image-formats',
+        title: 'Modern Image Formats',
+        subtitle: 'Automatically generate WebP/AVIF versions of uploaded images',
+        icon: 'dashicons-format-image',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'image_formats_enabled',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Enable modern image formats',
+            description:
+              'Automatically generate a WebP or AVIF copy of every size of a newly uploaded JPEG or PNG image, and serve it to browsers that support it. Only affects new uploads — existing library images are unaffected until re-uploaded or regenerated with a tool like Regenerate Thumbnails.',
+            default: true,
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'image_formats_format',
+            type: 'select',
+            label: 'Output format',
+            description:
+              'Automatic prefers AVIF (smaller files, wider quality range) when the server supports it, falling back to WebP. If your server supports neither, generation is silently skipped — ask your host about enabling GD or Imagick WebP/AVIF support.',
+            dependsOn: 'image_formats_enabled',
+            default: 'auto',
+            options: [
+              { value: 'auto', label: 'Automatic (AVIF, falling back to WebP)' },
+              { value: 'webp', label: 'WebP only' },
+              { value: 'avif', label: 'AVIF only' },
+            ],
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'image_formats_picture_element',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Serve via <picture> element',
+            description:
+              'Rewrite <img> tags (post content and post thumbnails) into a <picture> element offering the modern format with the original JPEG/PNG as a fallback. Turn this off if it conflicts with your theme’s image styling, while still generating the files for other tools to use.',
+            dependsOn: 'image_formats_enabled',
+            default: true,
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'media',
+        title: 'Media',
+        subtitle: 'Media library and upload options',
+        icon: 'dashicons-admin-media',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'enable_svg',
+            type: 'toggle',
+            label: 'Allow SVG uploads',
+            description: 'Permit SVG files to be uploaded to the media library.',
+          },
+        ],
       },
     ],
   },
   {
     id: 'add-ons',
     title: 'Add-ons',
-    subtitle: 'Standalone companion plugins',
     icon: 'dashicons-admin-plugins',
-    fields: [
+    categories: [
       {
-        key: 'file_manager_addon',
-        type: 'companion-plugin',
-        label: 'Aurora File Manager',
-        description:
-          'Browse, edit, and manage your site’s files (themes, plugins, uploads, and more) directly from wp-admin. Distributed as a separate plugin rather than bundled here, since WordPress.org’s Plugin Directory policy doesn’t allow this category of functionality in a directory-listed plugin — restrictions or not.',
-        statusEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/file-manager/status',
-        installEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/file-manager/install',
-        manageUrl: 'admin.php?page=aurora-file-manager',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'database_explorer_addon',
-        type: 'companion-plugin',
-        label: 'Aurora Database Explorer',
-        description:
-          'A Supabase-style database browser inside wp-admin — see every table with row counts and sizes, browse paginated data, and run your own read-only SELECT/SHOW/DESCRIBE/EXPLAIN queries. Distributed as a separate plugin rather than bundled here, since WordPress.org’s Plugin Directory review treats direct database-query tooling the same way it treats file-management functionality.',
-        statusEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/database-explorer/status',
-        installEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/database-explorer/install',
-        manageUrl: 'admin.php?page=aurora-database-explorer',
-      },
-      {
-        key: 'site_backup_addon',
-        type: 'companion-plugin',
-        label: 'Aurora Site Backup',
-        description:
-          'Full site backup (database + files) and restore-in-place, on demand or on a recurring schedule, stored locally or on your own S3-compatible or Google Drive remote storage. Distributed as a separate plugin rather than bundled here, to keep Aurora Admin’s own footprint away from arbitrary file-write functionality.',
-        statusEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/site-backup/status',
-        installEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/site-backup/install',
-        manageUrl: 'admin.php?page=aurora-site-backup',
-      },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    id: 'admin-takeover',
-    title: 'Admin Takeover',
-    subtitle: 'Replace the remaining native WordPress admin screens with Aurora',
-    icon: 'dashicons-shield',
-    fields: [
-      {
-        key: 'full_admin_takeover',
-        type: 'toggle',
-        label: 'Full admin takeover',
-        description:
-          'Replace Media Upload, Add User, Profile, Appearance, Tools, and native Settings screens with Aurora equivalents. Off by default — these cover more ground than Posts/Pages/Media/Users/Comments, so it’s opt-in rather than on by default.',
-        default: false,
+        id: 'add-ons',
+        title: 'Add-ons',
+        subtitle: 'Standalone companion plugins',
+        icon: 'dashicons-admin-plugins',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            key: 'file_manager_addon',
+            type: 'companion-plugin',
+            label: 'Aurora File Manager',
+            description:
+              'Browse, edit, and manage your site’s files (themes, plugins, uploads, and more) directly from wp-admin. Distributed as a separate plugin rather than bundled here, since WordPress.org’s Plugin Directory policy doesn’t allow this category of functionality in a directory-listed plugin — restrictions or not.',
+            statusEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/file-manager/status',
+            installEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/file-manager/install',
+            manageUrl: 'admin.php?page=aurora-file-manager',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'database_explorer_addon',
+            type: 'companion-plugin',
+            label: 'Aurora Database Explorer',
+            description:
+              'A Supabase-style database browser inside wp-admin — see every table with row counts and sizes, browse paginated data, and run your own read-only SELECT/SHOW/DESCRIBE/EXPLAIN queries. Distributed as a separate plugin rather than bundled here, since WordPress.org’s Plugin Directory review treats direct database-query tooling the same way it treats file-management functionality.',
+            statusEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/database-explorer/status',
+            installEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/database-explorer/install',
+            manageUrl: 'admin.php?page=aurora-database-explorer',
+          },
+          {
+            key: 'site_backup_addon',
+            type: 'companion-plugin',
+            label: 'Aurora Site Backup',
+            description:
+              'Full site backup (database + files) and restore-in-place, on demand or on a recurring schedule, stored locally or on your own S3-compatible or Google Drive remote storage. Distributed as a separate plugin rather than bundled here, to keep Aurora Admin’s own footprint away from arbitrary file-write functionality.',
+            statusEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/site-backup/status',
+            installEndpoint: '/companion-plugins/site-backup/install',
+            manageUrl: 'admin.php?page=aurora-site-backup',
+          },
+        ],
       },
     ],
   },
 ];
+
+/**
+ * Flattened category list — every category across all groups, in order.
+ * Used for default-seeding, active-category lookup, and URL deep-links.
+ */
+export const settingsCategories = settingsGroups.flatMap((g) => g.categories);