diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/Setting.tsx b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/Setting.tsx
index 4de64430c3d5..7a3d1d97cf1f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/Setting.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/Setting.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   showErrorNotification,
   showSuccessNotification,
 } from "../../../states/notifications";
+import { getSettingsSearch } from "../../../states/settings-search";
 import { cn } from "../../../utils/cn";
 import { Button } from "../../common/Button";
 import { FaProps } from "../../common/Fa";
@@ -18,67 +19,84 @@ type Props = {
   description: string | JSXElement;
   inputs?: JSXElement;
   fullWidthInputs?: JSXElement;
+  // extra text (e.g. option labels) the search filter also matches against
+  searchTerms?: string;
 };
 
 export function Setting(props: Props): JSXElement {
+  const matchesSearch = (): boolean => {
+    const query = getSettingsSearch().trim().toLowerCase();
+    if (query === "") return true;
+    const haystack = [
+      props.title,
+      typeof props.description === "string" ? props.description : "",
+      props.searchTerms ?? "",
+    ]
+      .join(" ")
+      .toLowerCase();
+    return haystack.includes(query);
+  };
+
   return (
-    <div
-      class={cn(
-        "group grid gap-2",
-        "-m-4 rounded-double p-4",
-        // "animate-[ring-flash_4s_ease-in_forwards]",
-      )}
-      data-setting-key={props.key}
-    >
-      <div class="flex gap-2">
-        <H3 text={props.title} fa={props.fa} class="pb-0" />
-        <Button
-          class="-m-2 p-2 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100"
-          variant="text"
-          fa={{ icon: "fa-link" }}
-          onClick={() => {
-            const urlParams = serialize({
-              schema: z.object({
-                highlight: z.string(),
-              }),
-              data: {
-                highlight: props.key,
-              },
-            });
-            const newUrl = `${window.location.pathname}?${urlParams.toString()}`;
-            window.history.replaceState({}, "", newUrl);
+    <Show when={matchesSearch()}>
+      <div
+        class={cn(
+          "group grid gap-2",
+          "-m-4 rounded-double p-4",
+          // "animate-[ring-flash_4s_ease-in_forwards]",
+        )}
+        data-setting-key={props.key}
+      >
+        <div class="flex gap-2">
+          <H3 text={props.title} fa={props.fa} class="pb-0" />
+          <Button
+            class="-m-2 p-2 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100"
+            variant="text"
+            fa={{ icon: "fa-link" }}
+            onClick={() => {
+              const urlParams = serialize({
+                schema: z.object({
+                  highlight: z.string(),
+                }),
+                data: {
+                  highlight: props.key,
+                },
+              });
+              const newUrl = `${window.location.pathname}?${urlParams.toString()}`;
+              window.history.replaceState({}, "", newUrl);
 
-            navigator.clipboard
-              .writeText(window.location.toString())
-              .then(() => {
-                showSuccessNotification("Link copied to clipboard");
-              })
-              .catch((e: unknown) => {
-                showErrorNotification("Failed to copy to clipboard", {
-                  error: e,
+              navigator.clipboard
+                .writeText(window.location.toString())
+                .then(() => {
+                  showSuccessNotification("Link copied to clipboard");
+                })
+                .catch((e: unknown) => {
+                  showErrorNotification("Failed to copy to clipboard", {
+                    error: e,
+                  });
                 });
-              });
-          }}
-        />
-      </div>
-      <Show when={props.inputs !== undefined}>
-        <div
-          class={cn(
-            "grid grid-cols-1 gap-2",
-            "md:grid-cols-[1fr_1fr] md:gap-x-8",
-            "lg:grid-cols-[1.5fr_1fr]",
-            "xl:grid-cols-[2fr_1fr]",
-            props.inputs === undefined &&
-              "grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-1 xl:grid-cols-1",
-          )}
-        >
-          <Show when={props.description !== ""}>
-            <div class="">{props.description}</div>
-          </Show>
-          <div>{props.inputs}</div>
+            }}
+          />
         </div>
-      </Show>
-      <Show when={props.fullWidthInputs}>{props.fullWidthInputs}</Show>
-    </div>
+        <Show when={props.inputs !== undefined}>
+          <div
+            class={cn(
+              "grid grid-cols-1 gap-2",
+              "md:grid-cols-[1fr_1fr] md:gap-x-8",
+              "lg:grid-cols-[1.5fr_1fr]",
+              "xl:grid-cols-[2fr_1fr]",
+              props.inputs === undefined &&
+                "grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-1 xl:grid-cols-1",
+            )}
+          >
+            <Show when={props.description !== ""}>
+              <div class="">{props.description}</div>
+            </Show>
+            <div>{props.inputs}</div>
+          </div>
+        </Show>
+        <Show when={props.fullWidthInputs}>{props.fullWidthInputs}</Show>
+      </div>
+    </Show>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/SettingsPage.tsx b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/SettingsPage.tsx
index 16da1cc15277..dfdf8f179300 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ import { z } from "zod";
 
 import { resetConfig } from "../../../config/lifecycle";
 import { configMetadata, OptionMetadata } from "../../../config/metadata";
+import {
+  getOptionLabel,
+  getOptionSearchTerms,
+} from "../../../config/option-strings";
 import { setConfig } from "../../../config/setters";
 import { getConfig } from "../../../config/store";
 import {
@@ -16,6 +20,7 @@ import { useLocalStorage } from "../../../hooks/useLocalStorage";
 import { useSavedIndicator } from "../../../hooks/useSavedIndicator";
 import { isAuthenticated } from "../../../states/core";
 import { showModal } from "../../../states/modals";
+import { isSettingsSearchActive } from "../../../states/settings-search";
 import { showSimpleModal } from "../../../states/simple-modal";
 import { cn } from "../../../utils/cn";
 import fileStorage from "../../../utils/file-storage";
@@ -52,6 +57,7 @@ import { Tags } from "./custom-setting/Tags";
 import { Theme } from "./custom-setting/Theme";
 import { QuickNav } from "./QuickNav";
 import { Setting } from "./Setting";
+import { SettingsSearch } from "./SettingsSearch";
 
 export function SettingsPage(): JSXElement {
   const [hasLocalBg] = createResource(
@@ -62,16 +68,23 @@ export function SettingsPage(): JSXElement {
   return (
     <Page id="settings">
       <div class="grid gap-8">
-        <QuickNav />
-        <Show when={getConfig.showKeyTips}>
+        <SettingsSearch />
+        {/* while filtering, show only the matching settings (hide everything else) */}
+        <Show when={!isSettingsSearchActive()}>
+          <QuickNav />
+        </Show>
+        <Show when={getConfig.showKeyTips && !isSettingsSearchActive()}>
           <div class="text-center text-sub">
             tip: You can also change all these settings quickly using the
             command line
             <br />( <CommandlineHotkey /> )
           </div>
         </Show>
-        <AccountSettingsNotice />
-        <div>
+        <Show when={!isSettingsSearchActive()}>
+          <AccountSettingsNotice />
+        </Show>
+        {/* while filtering, lay the matching sections out with a uniform gap */}
+        <div class={cn(isSettingsSearchActive() && "grid gap-8")}>
           <Section title="behavior">
             <Show when={isAuthenticated()}>
               <Tags />
@@ -248,7 +261,9 @@ export function SettingsPage(): JSXElement {
           </Section>
         </div>
 
-        <AccountSettingsNotice />
+        <Show when={!isSettingsSearchActive()}>
+          <AccountSettingsNotice />
+        </Show>
       </div>
     </Page>
   );
@@ -287,25 +302,39 @@ function Section(props: { title: string; children: JSXElement }): JSXElement {
   const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = createSignal(true);
 
   return (
-    <div id={`group_${wordsToCamelCase(props.title)}`}>
-      <Button
-        variant="text"
-        class="mb-8 w-max gap-4 p-0 text-4xl"
-        onClick={() => setIsOpen((prev) => !prev)}
-      >
-        <Anime
-          animation={{
-            rotate: isOpen() ? 0 : -90,
-            duration: 125,
-          }}
+    <div
+      id={`group_${wordsToCamelCase(props.title)}`}
+      class={cn(
+        // when filtering, drop sections that have no matching setting
+        isSettingsSearchActive() && "not-has-[[data-setting-key]]:hidden",
+      )}
+    >
+      <Show when={!isSettingsSearchActive()}>
+        <Button
+          variant="text"
+          class="mb-8 w-max gap-4 p-0 text-4xl"
+          onClick={() => setIsOpen((prev) => !prev)}
         >
-          <Fa icon="fa-chevron-down" />
-        </Anime>
-        {props.title}
-      </Button>
-      <AnimeShow when={isOpen()} slide class="grid gap-8">
+          <Anime
+            animation={{
+              rotate: isOpen() ? 0 : -90,
+              duration: 125,
+            }}
+          >
+            <Fa icon="fa-chevron-down" />
+          </Anime>
+          {props.title}
+        </Button>
+      </Show>
+      <AnimeShow
+        when={isOpen() || isSettingsSearchActive()}
+        slide
+        class="grid gap-8"
+      >
         {props.children}
-        <div class="h-16"></div>
+        <Show when={!isSettingsSearchActive()}>
+          <div class="h-16"></div>
+        </Show>
       </AnimeShow>
     </div>
   );
@@ -405,39 +434,18 @@ function AutoSetting<T extends keyof Config>(props: {
           )}
         >
           <For each={options}>
-            {(option) => {
-              const text = () => {
-                const optionsMeta = configMetadata[props.key]
-                  .optionsMetadata as
-                  | Record<string, { displayString?: string }>
-                  | undefined;
-                const match = optionsMeta?.[String(option)];
-                if (match?.displayString !== undefined) {
-                  return match.displayString;
-                }
-
-                if (option === true) {
-                  return "on";
-                }
-                if (option === false) {
-                  return "off";
-                }
-
-                return (option as string).toString().replace(/_/g, " ");
-              };
-              return (
-                <Button
-                  active={getConfig[props.key] === option}
-                  onClick={() => {
-                    if (getConfig[props.key] === option) return;
-                    props.onOptionClick?.(option as Config[T]);
-                    setConfig(props.key, option as Config[T]);
-                  }}
-                >
-                  {text()}
-                </Button>
-              );
-            }}
+            {(option) => (
+              <Button
+                active={getConfig[props.key] === option}
+                onClick={() => {
+                  if (getConfig[props.key] === option) return;
+                  props.onOptionClick?.(option as Config[T]);
+                  setConfig(props.key, option as Config[T]);
+                }}
+              >
+                {getOptionLabel(props.key, option as Config[T])}
+              </Button>
+            )}
           </For>
         </div>
       );
@@ -451,6 +459,7 @@ function AutoSetting<T extends keyof Config>(props: {
       title={configMetadata[props.key].displayString ?? props.key}
       fa={configMetadata[props.key].fa}
       description={configMetadata[props.key].description}
+      searchTerms={getOptionSearchTerms(props.key)}
       inputs={!props.wide ? autoInputs() : props.inputs}
       fullWidthInputs={
         props.wide ? (autoInputs() ?? props.inputs) : props.inputs
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/SettingsSearch.tsx b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/SettingsSearch.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..40c74540da13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/SettingsSearch.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import { JSXElement, onCleanup, Show } from "solid-js";
+
+import {
+  getSettingsSearch,
+  setSettingsSearch,
+} from "../../../states/settings-search";
+import { cn } from "../../../utils/cn";
+import { Button } from "../../common/Button";
+import { Fa } from "../../common/Fa";
+
+export function SettingsSearch(): JSXElement {
+  // reset the filter when leaving the settings page
+  onCleanup(() => setSettingsSearch(""));
+
+  return (
+    <div class="relative">
+      <Fa
+        icon="fa-search"
+        class="pointer-events-none absolute top-1/2 left-4 -translate-y-1/2 text-sub"
+      />
+      <input
+        class={cn(
+          "w-full rounded border-none bg-sub-alt py-3 pr-10 pl-10",
+          "text-em-base text-text caret-main outline-none placeholder:text-sub",
+          "focus-visible:shadow-[0_0_0_0.1rem_var(--bg-color),0_0_0_0.2rem_var(--text-color)]",
+        )}
+        type="text"
+        placeholder="search settings"
+        autocomplete="off"
+        value={getSettingsSearch()}
+        onInput={(e) => setSettingsSearch(e.currentTarget.value)}
+      />
+      <Show when={getSettingsSearch() !== ""}>
+        <Button
+          variant="text"
+          class="absolute top-1/2 right-2 -translate-y-1/2"
+          fa={{ icon: "fa-times" }}
+          balloon={{ text: "clear search", position: "left" }}
+          onClick={() => setSettingsSearch("")}
+        />
+      </Show>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/CustomBackground.tsx b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/CustomBackground.tsx
index 9f2b526696ea..b7551fbf461f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/CustomBackground.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/CustomBackground.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { createForm } from "@tanstack/solid-form";
 import { createResource, JSXElement, For, Show } from "solid-js";
 
 import { configMetadata } from "../../../../config/metadata";
+import { getOptionSearchTerms } from "../../../../config/option-strings";
 import { setConfig } from "../../../../config/setters";
 import { getConfig } from "../../../../config/store";
 import { applyCustomBackground } from "../../../../controllers/theme-controller";
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ export function CustomBackground(): JSXElement {
         configMetadata.customBackground.displayString ?? "custom background"
       }
       fa={configMetadata.customBackground.fa}
+      searchTerms={getOptionSearchTerms("customBackgroundSize")}
       description={
         <>
           {configMetadata.customBackground.description}
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/FontFamily.tsx b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/FontFamily.tsx
index 19ace4b8a7c4..a0f4d82d2c1b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/FontFamily.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/FontFamily.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { createResource, For, JSXElement, Show } from "solid-js";
 import { z } from "zod";
 
 import { configMetadata } from "../../../../config/metadata";
+import { getOptionSearchTerms } from "../../../../config/option-strings";
 import { setConfig } from "../../../../config/setters";
 import { getConfig } from "../../../../config/store";
 import { showNoticeNotification } from "../../../../states/notifications";
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ export function FontFamily(): JSXElement {
       key="fontFamily"
       title={configMetadata.fontFamily.displayString ?? "font family"}
       fa={configMetadata.fontFamily.fa}
+      searchTerms={getOptionSearchTerms("fontFamily")}
       description={
         <>
           {configMetadata.fontFamily.description}
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/PaceCaret.tsx b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/PaceCaret.tsx
index 89226f20319e..166a92eae826 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/PaceCaret.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/components/pages/settings/custom-setting/PaceCaret.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { createForm } from "@tanstack/solid-form";
 import { For, JSXElement } from "solid-js";
 
 import { configMetadata } from "../../../../config/metadata";
+import { getOptionSearchTerms } from "../../../../config/option-strings";
 import { setConfig } from "../../../../config/setters";
 import { getConfig } from "../../../../config/store";
 import { useSavedIndicator } from "../../../../hooks/useSavedIndicator";
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ export function PaceCaret(): JSXElement {
       key="paceCaret"
       title={configMetadata.paceCaret.displayString ?? "pace caret"}
       fa={configMetadata.paceCaret.fa}
+      searchTerms={getOptionSearchTerms("paceCaret")}
       description={configMetadata.paceCaret.description}
       inputs={
         <div class="grid w-full gap-2">
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/config/option-strings.ts b/frontend/src/ts/config/option-strings.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fd5a4280723d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/config/option-strings.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { Config, ConfigSchema } from "@monkeytype/schemas/configs";
+
+import { getOptions } from "../utils/zod";
+import { configMetadata, OptionMetadata } from "./metadata";
+
+// the label shown for a single option (and used to match it while searching)
+export function getOptionLabel<T extends keyof Config>(
+  key: T,
+  option: Config[T],
+): string {
+  const optionMeta = (
+    configMetadata[key] as {
+      optionsMetadata?: Record<string, OptionMetadata> | undefined;
+    }
+  ).optionsMetadata?.[String(option)];
+
+  if (optionMeta?.displayString !== undefined) return optionMeta.displayString;
+  if (option === true) return "on";
+  if (option === false) return "off";
+  return String(option).replace(/_/g, " ");
+}
+
+// all of a setting's option labels joined, so the settings search can match on them
+export function getOptionSearchTerms<T extends keyof Config>(key: T): string {
+  const optionsMeta = (
+    configMetadata[key] as {
+      optionsMetadata?: Record<string, OptionMetadata> | undefined;
+    }
+  ).optionsMetadata;
+
+  const options = getOptions(ConfigSchema.shape[key])?.filter(
+    (option) => optionsMeta?.[String(option)]?.visible !== false,
+  );
+  if (options === undefined) return "";
+
+  return options
+    .map((option) => getOptionLabel(key, option as Config[T]))
+    .join(" ");
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/states/settings-search.ts b/frontend/src/ts/states/settings-search.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9e7f21e2a315
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/states/settings-search.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { createSignal } from "solid-js";
+
+// the current settings filter query, shared between the search input and the
+// settings/sections that hide themselves when they don't match
+export const [getSettingsSearch, setSettingsSearch] = createSignal("");
+
+export const isSettingsSearchActive = (): boolean =>
+  getSettingsSearch().trim() !== "";