diff --git a/crates/catalog/src/rules.rs b/crates/catalog/src/rules.rs
index fab8566c1..fe7a8d607 100644
--- a/crates/catalog/src/rules.rs
+++ b/crates/catalog/src/rules.rs
@@ -52,40 +52,79 @@ pub enum Kind {
     Bool,
 }
 
-/// The fields rules can test: (id, label, kind).
+/// The fields rules can test: (id, label, kind), in field-menu order ([`TOP_LEVEL_FIELDS`], then
+/// each of [`FIELD_GROUPS`]).
 pub const FIELDS: &[(&str, &str, Kind)] = &[
     ("rating", "Rating", Kind::Number),
     ("flag", "Pick Flag", Kind::Choice(&["pick", "reject", "none"])),
     ("label", "Color Label", Kind::Choice(&["red", "yellow", "green", "blue", "purple", "none"])),
-    ("kind", "File Type", Kind::Choice(&["image", "raw", "video"])),
-    ("edited", "Has Edits", Kind::Bool),
-    ("keywords", "Keywords", Kind::Keywords),
     ("text", "Any Searchable Text", Kind::Text),
+    // Source
+    ("album", "Album", Kind::Number),
+    ("virtualCopy", "Virtual Copy", Kind::Bool),
+    // File
     ("fileName", "Filename", Kind::Text),
     ("filePath", "File Path", Kind::Text),
+    ("kind", "File Type", Kind::Choice(&["image", "raw", "video"])),
     ("format", "File Format", Kind::Text),
-    ("title", "Title", Kind::Text),
-    ("caption", "Caption", Kind::Text),
-    ("camera", "Camera", Kind::Text),
-    ("lens", "Lens", Kind::Text),
-    ("location", "Location", Kind::Text),
-    ("creator", "Creator", Kind::Text),
-    ("copyright", "Copyright", Kind::Text),
-    ("copyrightStatus", "Copyright Status", Kind::Choice(&["copyrighted", "publicDomain", "unknown"])),
+    // Date
     ("captureDate", "Capture Date", Kind::Date),
     ("importDate", "Import Date", Kind::Date),
     ("editDate", "Edit Date", Kind::Date),
-    ("iso", "ISO Speed", Kind::Number),
-    ("aperture", "Aperture", Kind::Number),
+    // Keywords & People
+    ("keywords", "Keywords", Kind::Keywords),
+    // Description
+    ("title", "Title", Kind::Text),
+    ("caption", "Caption", Kind::Text),
+    ("creator", "Creator", Kind::Text),
+    ("copyright", "Copyright", Kind::Text),
+    ("copyrightStatus", "Copyright Status", Kind::Choice(&["copyrighted", "publicDomain", "unknown"])),
+    // Camera Info
+    ("camera", "Camera", Kind::Text),
+    ("lens", "Lens", Kind::Text),
     ("focalLength", "Focal Length", Kind::Number),
-    ("megapixels", "Megapixels", Kind::Number),
+    ("aperture", "Aperture", Kind::Number),
+    ("iso", "ISO Speed", Kind::Number),
+    // Location
+    ("location", "Location", Kind::Text),
     ("hasGps", "Has GPS", Kind::Bool),
-    ("virtualCopy", "Virtual Copy", Kind::Bool),
-    ("album", "Album", Kind::Number),
+    // Size
+    ("megapixels", "Megapixels", Kind::Number),
+    // Develop
+    ("edited", "Has Edits", Kind::Bool),
+    // Assisted Culling
     ("sharpness", "Focus (assisted culling)", Kind::Number),
     ("bestOfGroup", "Best of Similar Shots", Kind::Bool),
 ];
 
+/// The fields the field menu shows at its top level, before the groups.
+pub const TOP_LEVEL_FIELDS: &[&str] = &["rating", "flag", "label", "text"];
+
+/// The field menu's submenus: (label, fields), in order. Every field of [`FIELDS`] is either here
+/// once or in [`TOP_LEVEL_FIELDS`].
+pub const FIELD_GROUPS: &[(&str, &[&str])] = &[
+    ("Source", &["album", "virtualCopy"]),
+    ("File", &["fileName", "filePath", "kind", "format"]),
+    ("Date", &["captureDate", "importDate", "editDate"]),
+    ("Keywords & People", &["keywords"]),
+    ("Description", &["title", "caption", "creator", "copyright", "copyrightStatus"]),
+    ("Camera Info", &["camera", "lens", "focalLength", "aperture", "iso"]),
+    ("Location", &["location", "hasGps"]),
+    ("Size", &["megapixels"]),
+    ("Develop", &["edited"]),
+    ("Assisted Culling", &["sharpness", "bestOfGroup"]),
+];
+
+/// The field-menu group `field` sits in; `None` for a top-level or unknown field.
+pub fn field_group(field: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    FIELD_GROUPS.iter().find(|g| g.1.contains(&field)).map(|g| g.0)
+}
+
+/// The display label of `field`; `None` for an unknown field.
+pub fn field_label(field: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    FIELDS.iter().find(|f| f.0 == field).map(|f| f.1)
+}
+
 /// The operators for a field kind: (id, label).
 pub fn ops_for(kind: Kind) -> &'static [(&'static str, &'static str)] {
     match kind {
@@ -399,7 +438,7 @@ impl RuleSet {
             .map(|r| match r {
                 Rule::Group { group } => format!("({})", group.describe()),
                 Rule::Field { field, op, value } => {
-                    let label = FIELDS.iter().find(|f| f.0 == field).map_or(field.as_str(), |f| f.1).to_lowercase();
+                    let label = field_label(field).unwrap_or(field).to_lowercase();
                     let op = field_kind(field).and_then(|k| ops_for(k).iter().find(|o| o.0 == op)).map_or(op.as_str(), |o| o.1);
                     let v = match value {
                         Value::String(s) => s.clone(),
@@ -514,4 +553,42 @@ mod tests {
             assert!(!ops_for(*k).is_empty(), "{f}");
         }
     }
+
+    /// The field menu shows every rule field once: at the top level or in exactly one group,
+    /// and [`FIELDS`] lists them in menu order.
+    #[test]
+    fn every_field_is_in_the_menu_exactly_once() {
+        let menu: Vec<&str> = TOP_LEVEL_FIELDS.iter().chain(FIELD_GROUPS.iter().flat_map(|g| g.1.iter())).copied().collect();
+        let fields: Vec<&str> = FIELDS.iter().map(|f| f.0).collect();
+        assert_eq!(menu, fields, "the menu and FIELDS list the same fields in the same order");
+        for (label, group) in FIELD_GROUPS {
+            assert!(!group.is_empty(), "group {label} is empty");
+        }
+        let mut labels: Vec<&str> = FIELD_GROUPS.iter().map(|g| g.0).collect();
+        labels.dedup();
+        assert_eq!(labels.len(), FIELD_GROUPS.len(), "group labels are unique");
+    }
+
+    /// Related fields sit together: all the file fields, all the camera (EXIF) fields, all the
+    /// dates, all the keyword fields.
+    #[test]
+    fn related_fields_share_a_group() {
+        let same = |fields: &[&str], group: &str| {
+            for f in fields {
+                assert_eq!(field_group(f), Some(group), "{f}");
+            }
+        };
+        same(&["fileName", "filePath", "kind", "format"], "File");
+        same(&["camera", "lens", "focalLength", "aperture", "iso"], "Camera Info");
+        same(&["captureDate", "importDate", "editDate"], "Date");
+        same(&["keywords"], "Keywords & People");
+        same(&["title", "caption", "creator", "copyright", "copyrightStatus"], "Description");
+        same(&["location", "hasGps"], "Location");
+        for f in ["rating", "flag", "label", "text"] {
+            assert_eq!(field_group(f), None, "{f} stays at the top level");
+        }
+        assert_eq!(field_group("nope"), None);
+        assert_eq!(field_label("filePath"), Some("File Path"));
+        assert_eq!(field_label("nope"), None);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
index d900eacff..6abb0930b 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
@@ -819,8 +819,8 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
                 Ok(json!({"id": id.0, "count": s.catalog.album_count(id)}))
             }
         ),
-        cmd!(query "album.ruleFields", "Smart Album Rule Fields", [], None, "{} → [{field, label, kind, ops: [{op, label}], choices?}] for ruleSet rules", always, |_, _| {
-            use lightcraft_catalog::rules::{FIELDS, Kind, ops_for};
+        cmd!(query "album.ruleFields", "Smart Album Rule Fields", [], None, "{} → [{field, label, kind, group (field-menu submenu, null at the top level), ops: [{op, label}], choices?}] for ruleSet rules, in menu order", always, |_, _| {
+            use lightcraft_catalog::rules::{FIELDS, Kind, field_group, ops_for};
             Ok(json!(FIELDS
                 .iter()
                 .map(|(id, label, kind)| {
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
                         Kind::Choice(_) => "choice",
                         Kind::Bool => "bool",
                     };
-                    let mut v = json!({"field": id, "label": label, "kind": k, "ops": ops_for(*kind).iter().map(|(o, l)| json!({"op": o, "label": l})).collect::<Vec<_>>()});
+                    let mut v = json!({"field": id, "label": label, "kind": k, "group": field_group(id), "ops": ops_for(*kind).iter().map(|(o, l)| json!({"op": o, "label": l})).collect::<Vec<_>>()});
                     if let Kind::Choice(c) = kind {
                         v["choices"] = json!(c);
                     }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs
index f7b89225e..b4621e975 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs
@@ -252,6 +252,10 @@ fn smart_album_rule_sets() {
     s.clock = Box::new(|| "2026-10-02T12:00:00".to_string());
     let fields = s.execute("album.ruleFields", &serde_json::json!({})).unwrap();
     assert!(fields.as_array().unwrap().iter().any(|f| f["field"] == "keywords" && f["ops"].as_array().unwrap().len() > 3));
+    // each field names its field-menu group (null at the top level)
+    let group = |id: &str| fields.as_array().unwrap().iter().find(|f| f["field"] == id).map(|f| f["group"].clone());
+    assert_eq!(group("filePath"), Some(serde_json::json!("File")));
+    assert_eq!(group("rating"), Some(serde_json::Value::Null));
     let bad = s.execute(
         "album.createSmart",
         &serde_json::json!({"name": "Bad", "rules": {"ruleSet": {"rules": [{"field": "rating", "op": "contains", "value": 1}]}}}),