diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/appearance.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/appearance.rs
index 49888c9b2d..2b1b35400f 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/appearance.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/appearance.rs
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ fn preview(ui: &mut egui::Ui, kind: ThemeKind, width: f32) {
 }
 
 /// One theme card: its title, Active when it is what shows now, and a preview of the chosen theme.
-/// Returns true when the card was clicked or activated via keyboard.
-fn card(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, title: &str, active: bool, themes: &[(ThemeKind, &str)], query: &str) -> bool {
+/// Returns whether the card was clicked and the control's Response.
+fn card(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, title: &str, active: bool, themes: &[(ThemeKind, &str)], query: &str) -> (bool, egui::Response) {
     let mut card_clicked = false;
     let frame_stroke = if active { Stroke::new(1.5, t.accent) } else { Stroke::new(1.0, t.border) };
     let scope_res = ui.scope_builder(egui::UiBuilder::new().id_salt(title).sense(egui::Sense::click()), |ui| {
@@ -125,25 +125,26 @@ fn card(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, title: &str, active: bool, themes: &[(The
     if resp.clicked() || key_select {
         card_clicked = true;
     }
-    card_clicked
+    (card_clicked, resp)
 }
 
 /// The Appearance section of Preferences.
 #[cfg_attr(not(test), expect(dead_code, reason = "called by unit tests"))]
 pub fn preferences_section(ui: &mut egui::Ui, app: &mut PdfCraftApp, t: &Tokens) {
-    let _ = preferences_section_with_query(ui, app, t, "");
+    let mut ctx = crate::dialogs::preferences::PrefSearchContext::new("", false);
+    preferences_section_with_context(ui, app, t, &mut ctx);
 }
 
-/// The Appearance section of Preferences with live search highlighting.
-pub fn preferences_section_with_query(ui: &mut egui::Ui, app: &mut PdfCraftApp, t: &Tokens, query: &str) -> usize {
-    let mut matches = 0;
-    let (app_label, c) = crate::dialogs::preferences::highlight_widget_text(tl_ctx!("theme", "Appearance"), query, theme::semibold(13.0), t.text);
-    matches += c;
-    ui.label(app_label);
+/// The Appearance section of Preferences with live search highlighting and scrolling context.
+pub(crate) fn preferences_section_with_context(
+    ui: &mut egui::Ui,
+    app: &mut PdfCraftApp,
+    t: &Tokens,
+    ctx: &mut crate::dialogs::preferences::PrefSearchContext,
+) {
+    ctx.label(ui, tl_ctx!("theme", "Appearance"), theme::semibold(13.0), t.text);
     ui.horizontal(|ui| {
-        let (label_text, c) = crate::dialogs::preferences::highlight_widget_text(tl!("Appearance mode"), query, theme::regular(13.0), t.text);
-        matches += c;
-        let label = ui.label(label_text);
+        let label = ctx.label(ui, tl!("Appearance mode"), theme::regular(13.0), t.text);
         let combo = craft_ui::ComboBox::from_id_salt("appearance-mode").selected_text(tl!(mode_label(app.theme_preference))).show_ui(ui, |ui| {
             for preference in [ThemePreference::System, ThemePreference::Light, ThemePreference::Dark] {
                 if ui.selectable_label(app.theme_preference == preference, tl!(mode_label(preference))).clicked() {
@@ -157,23 +158,29 @@ pub fn preferences_section_with_query(ui: &mut egui::Ui, app: &mut PdfCraftApp,
     });
     ui.add_space(4.0);
     let light_active = app.theme == ThemeKind::Light;
-    matches += crate::dialogs::preferences::find_match_ranges(tl!("Light theme"), query).len();
-    matches += crate::dialogs::preferences::find_match_ranges(tl!("Dark theme"), query).len();
+    let light_title = tl!("Light theme");
+    let dark_title = tl!("Dark theme");
+    let light_matches = crate::dialogs::preferences::find_match_ranges(light_title, ctx.query).len();
+    let dark_matches = crate::dialogs::preferences::find_match_ranges(dark_title, ctx.query).len();
+    ctx.total_matches += light_matches + dark_matches;
+
     ui.columns(2, |cols| {
         let [light, dark] = cols else { return };
-        if card(light, t, tl!("Light theme"), light_active, LIGHT_THEMES, query) {
+        let (light_clicked, light_resp) = card(light, t, light_title, light_active, LIGHT_THEMES, ctx.query);
+        if light_clicked {
             app.execute(mode_command(ThemePreference::Light));
         }
-        if card(dark, t, tl!("Dark theme"), !light_active, DARK_THEMES, query) {
+        ctx.scroll_if_first_match(&light_resp, light_matches);
+
+        let (dark_clicked, dark_resp) = card(dark, t, dark_title, !light_active, DARK_THEMES, ctx.query);
+        if dark_clicked {
             app.execute(mode_command(ThemePreference::Dark));
         }
+        ctx.scroll_if_first_match(&dark_resp, dark_matches);
     });
     ui.add_space(4.0);
     // Acrobat's "Highlight existing fields": shared with the toggle in the form bar.
-    let (fields_text, c) = crate::dialogs::preferences::highlight_widget_text(tl!("Highlight fields"), query, theme::regular(13.0), t.text);
-    matches += c;
-    ui.add(crate::widgets::checkbox(&mut app.view_defaults.highlight_fields, fields_text));
-    matches
+    ctx.checkbox(ui, &mut app.view_defaults.highlight_fields, tl!("Highlight fields"), t);
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/preferences.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/preferences.rs
index baa7094b2d..42f9f17798 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/preferences.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/preferences.rs
@@ -31,18 +31,20 @@ pub fn segmented_pill_choice<T: PartialEq + Copy>(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens,
 /// A segmented pill selection bar with separate accessibility labels.
 #[expect(dead_code, reason = "convenience helpers for non-searched segmented pill controls")]
 pub fn segmented_pill_choice_a11y<T: PartialEq + Copy>(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, current: &mut T, options: &[(T, &str, &str)]) -> bool {
-    segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query(ui, t, current, options, "")
+    segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query(ui, t, current, options, "").0
 }
 
 /// A segmented pill selection bar with separate accessibility labels and optional query highlighting.
+/// Returns whether the selection changed and the Response of the first matching option, if any.
 pub fn segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query<T: PartialEq + Copy>(
     ui: &mut egui::Ui,
     t: &Tokens,
     current: &mut T,
     options: &[(T, &str, &str)],
     query: &str,
-) -> bool {
+) -> (bool, Option<egui::Response>) {
     let mut changed = false;
+    let mut first_match_resp: Option<egui::Response> = None;
     egui::Frame::new()
         .fill(t.field)
         .stroke(Stroke::new(1.0, t.border))
@@ -60,6 +62,10 @@ pub fn segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query<T: PartialEq + Copy>(
                     let (rect, resp) = ui.allocate_exact_size(vec2(w + 18.0, 24.0), Sense::click());
                     resp.widget_info(|| egui::WidgetInfo::selected(egui::Role::RadioButton, true, is_active, a11y_label));
 
+                    if first_match_resp.is_none() && !find_match_ranges(label, query).is_empty() {
+                        first_match_resp = Some(resp.clone());
+                    }
+
                     if is_active {
                         ui.painter().rect(rect, CornerRadius::same(12), t.accent, Stroke::NONE, egui::StrokeKind::Inside);
                     } else {
@@ -87,11 +93,12 @@ pub fn segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query<T: PartialEq + Copy>(
                 }
             });
         });
-    changed
+    (changed, first_match_resp)
 }
 
 /// An independent toggle pill button with optional query highlighting.
-pub fn toggle_pill_query(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, active: &mut bool, label: &str, query: &str) -> bool {
+/// Returns whether the active state changed and the control's Response.
+pub fn toggle_pill_query(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, active: &mut bool, label: &str, query: &str) -> (bool, egui::Response) {
     let mut changed = false;
     let is_active = *active;
     let font = theme::medium(12.0);
@@ -120,7 +127,7 @@ pub fn toggle_pill_query(ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, active: &mut bool, label
         *active = !*active;
         changed = true;
     }
-    changed
+    (changed, resp)
 }
 
 fn layout_pill_label(ui: &egui::Ui, label: &str, query: &str, font: egui::FontId, normal_color: Color32) -> std::sync::Arc<egui::Galley> {
@@ -282,14 +289,18 @@ impl<'a> PrefSearchContext<'a> {
         Self { query, total_matches: 0, first_match_scrolled: false, should_scroll }
     }
 
-    pub fn checkbox(&mut self, ui: &mut egui::Ui, checked: &mut bool, label: &str, t: &Tokens) -> egui::Response {
-        let (widget_text, count) = highlight_widget_text(label, self.query, theme::regular(13.0), t.text);
-        self.total_matches += count;
-        let resp = ui.add(widgets::checkbox(checked, widget_text));
+    pub fn scroll_if_first_match(&mut self, resp: &egui::Response, count: usize) {
         if count > 0 && self.should_scroll && !self.first_match_scrolled {
             resp.scroll_to_me(Some(egui::Align::Center));
             self.first_match_scrolled = true;
         }
+    }
+
+    pub fn checkbox(&mut self, ui: &mut egui::Ui, checked: &mut bool, label: &str, t: &Tokens) -> egui::Response {
+        let (widget_text, count) = highlight_widget_text(label, self.query, theme::regular(13.0), t.text);
+        self.total_matches += count;
+        let resp = ui.add(widgets::checkbox(checked, widget_text));
+        self.scroll_if_first_match(&resp, count);
         resp
     }
 
@@ -297,10 +308,7 @@ impl<'a> PrefSearchContext<'a> {
         let (widget_text, count) = highlight_widget_text(text, self.query, font, color);
         self.total_matches += count;
         let resp = ui.label(widget_text);
-        if count > 0 && self.should_scroll && !self.first_match_scrolled {
-            resp.scroll_to_me(Some(egui::Align::Center));
-            self.first_match_scrolled = true;
-        }
+        self.scroll_if_first_match(&resp, count);
         resp
     }
 
@@ -317,24 +325,38 @@ impl<'a> PrefSearchContext<'a> {
     }
 
     pub fn pill_choice<T: PartialEq + Copy>(&mut self, ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, current: &mut T, options: &[(T, &str)]) -> bool {
+        let mut matches = 0;
         for &(_, label) in options {
-            self.total_matches += find_match_ranges(label, self.query).len();
+            matches += find_match_ranges(label, self.query).len();
         }
+        self.total_matches += matches;
         let with_a11y: Vec<(T, &str, &str)> = options.iter().map(|&(v, l)| (v, l, l)).collect();
-        segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query(ui, t, current, &with_a11y, self.query)
+        let (changed, match_resp) = segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query(ui, t, current, &with_a11y, self.query);
+        if let Some(resp) = match_resp {
+            self.scroll_if_first_match(&resp, matches);
+        }
+        changed
     }
 
     pub fn pill_choice_a11y<T: PartialEq + Copy>(&mut self, ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, current: &mut T, options: &[(T, &str, &str)]) -> bool {
+        let mut matches = 0;
         for &(_, label, _) in options {
-            self.total_matches += find_match_ranges(label, self.query).len();
+            matches += find_match_ranges(label, self.query).len();
         }
-        segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query(ui, t, current, options, self.query)
+        self.total_matches += matches;
+        let (changed, match_resp) = segmented_pill_choice_a11y_query(ui, t, current, options, self.query);
+        if let Some(resp) = match_resp {
+            self.scroll_if_first_match(&resp, matches);
+        }
+        changed
     }
 
     pub fn toggle_pill(&mut self, ui: &mut egui::Ui, t: &Tokens, active: &mut bool, label: &str) -> bool {
         let matches = find_match_ranges(label, self.query).len();
         self.total_matches += matches;
-        toggle_pill_query(ui, t, active, label, self.query)
+        let (changed, resp) = toggle_pill_query(ui, t, active, label, self.query);
+        self.scroll_if_first_match(&resp, matches);
+        changed
     }
 }
 
@@ -647,7 +669,7 @@ fn card_appearance(ui: &mut egui::Ui, app: &mut PdfCraftApp, t: &Tokens, ctx: &m
         ui.ctx().request_repaint();
     }
     ui.add_space(4.0);
-    ctx.total_matches += crate::appearance::preferences_section_with_query(ui, app, t, ctx.query);
+    crate::appearance::preferences_section_with_context(ui, app, t, ctx);
     ui.add_space(8.0);
     reading_colours_section(ui, app, t, ctx);
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/preferences_layout.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/preferences_layout.rs
index cb5e2570dd..e0a5d4e1cb 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/preferences_layout.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/it/preferences_layout.rs
@@ -210,3 +210,44 @@ fn preferences_dialog_scrollbar_spacing_and_controls() {
     // Search box right edge is aligned within the dialog
     assert!(search.max.x <= ok.max.x);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn search_scrolls_option_only_and_theme_card_matches_into_visible_viewport() {
+    let mut h = harness(480.0);
+    let title = h.get_by(|n| n.role() == egui::accesskit::Role::Label && n.value().as_deref() == Some("Preferences")).rect();
+    let ok = h.get_by_label("OK").rect();
+
+    // "Two-page view" is an option in Card 3 (Documents and view).
+    // In a 480 pt window, it starts out below the visible scroll viewport.
+    let opt_before = h.get_by_label("Two-page view").rect();
+    assert!(opt_before.min.y >= ok.min.y, "Two-page option starts out below the visible viewport: {opt_before:?} vs OK {ok:?}");
+
+    // Searching "Two-page" (which only occurs inside that segmented pill option)
+    // auto-scrolls the matching option into the visible viewport between title and OK.
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::TextInput, "Search settings…").click();
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::TextInput, "Search settings…").type_text("Two-page");
+    h.run_steps(4);
+
+    let opt_after = h.get_by_label("Two-page view").rect();
+    assert!(
+        opt_after.min.y >= title.max.y && opt_after.max.y <= ok.min.y,
+        "Two-page option scrolled into visible scroll viewport: {opt_after:?} between title {title:?} and OK {ok:?}"
+    );
+
+    // Clear search and test a theme-card-only match
+    h.get_by_label("Clear search").click();
+    h.run_steps(4);
+
+    // Search for "Dark theme" (which occurs only in the dark theme card in Card 2).
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::TextInput, "Search settings…").click();
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::TextInput, "Search settings…").type_text("Dark theme");
+    h.run_steps(4);
+
+    let dark_card = h.get_by_label("Dark theme").rect();
+    assert!(
+        dark_card.min.y >= title.max.y && dark_card.max.y <= ok.min.y,
+        "Dark theme card scrolled into visible viewport: {dark_card:?} between title {title:?} and OK {ok:?}"
+    );
+}