diff --git a/src/activities/MenuListActivity.cpp b/src/activities/MenuListActivity.cpp
index 4fd19076..d3b919b5 100644
--- a/src/activities/MenuListActivity.cpp
+++ b/src/activities/MenuListActivity.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "MappedInputManager.h"
 #include "components/UITheme.h"
+#include "settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.h"
 
 void MenuListActivity::initMenuList() {
   const int count = static_cast<int>(menuItems.size());
@@ -16,6 +17,10 @@ void MenuListActivity::initMenuList() {
 
 void MenuListActivity::onEnter() {
   Activity::onEnter();
+  if (!submenusPrepared) {
+    prepareSubmenus();
+    submenusPrepared = true;
+  }
   initMenuList();
   requestUpdate();
 }
@@ -37,6 +42,10 @@ void MenuListActivity::toggleCurrentItem() {
   if (item.isSeparator) return;
 
   if (item.type == SettingType::ACTION) {
+    if (item.action == SettingAction::Submenu) {
+      openSubmenu(item);
+      return;
+    }
     onActionSelected(selectedIndex);
     return;
   }
@@ -55,6 +64,18 @@ void MenuListActivity::drawMenuList(const Rect& rect) {
       [this](int index) { return getItemValueString(index); }, true);
 }
 
+void MenuListActivity::prepareSubmenus() { SettingInfo::prepareSubmenus(menuItems, submenuData); }
+
+void MenuListActivity::openSubmenu(const SettingInfo& submenuEntry) {
+  auto it = std::find_if(submenuData.begin(), submenuData.end(),
+                         [&submenuEntry](const SettingInfo::SubmenuData& d) { return d.id == submenuEntry.nameId; });
+  if (it == submenuData.end()) return;
+
+  startActivityForResult(
+      std::make_unique<SettingsSubmenuActivity>(renderer, mappedInput, submenuEntry.nameId, it->items),
+      [this](const ActivityResult&) { requestUpdate(); });
+}
+
 void MenuListActivity::loop() {
   if (mappedInput.wasPressed(MappedInputManager::Button::Back)) {
     onBackPressed();
diff --git a/src/activities/MenuListActivity.h b/src/activities/MenuListActivity.h
index f8a8fdda..719f43d8 100644
--- a/src/activities/MenuListActivity.h
+++ b/src/activities/MenuListActivity.h
@@ -70,12 +70,18 @@ struct Rect;
 class MenuListActivity : public Activity {
  protected:
   std::vector<SettingInfo> menuItems;
+  std::vector<SettingInfo::SubmenuData> submenuData;
   int selectedIndex = 0;
   ButtonNavigator buttonNavigator;
+  bool submenusPrepared = false;
 
   // Call after building/rebuilding menuItems to wire up the selectable predicate.
   void initMenuList();
 
+  // Process SettingInfo items marked with withSubmenu() into submenu placeholders.
+  void prepareSubmenus();
+  void openSubmenu(const SettingInfo& submenuEntry);
+
   // Handle up/down navigation via buttonNavigator.  Call from loop() if overriding.
   void handleNavigation();
 
diff --git a/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderMenuActivity.cpp b/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderMenuActivity.cpp
index 93e08a6f..8348f698 100644
--- a/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderMenuActivity.cpp
+++ b/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderMenuActivity.cpp
@@ -252,8 +252,12 @@ std::string EpubReaderMenuActivity::getItemValueString(int index) const {
     return currentPageStarred ? std::string(tr(STR_STATE_ON)) : std::string(tr(STR_STATE_OFF));
   }
 
-  // Plain ACTION items (select chapter, screenshot, etc.) show no value
-  if (item.type == SettingType::ACTION) return {};
+  // Plain ACTION items (select chapter, screenshot, etc.) show no value.
+  // Submenu placeholders should still show the standard submenu indicator.
+  if (item.type == SettingType::ACTION) {
+    if (item.action == SettingAction::Submenu) return MenuListActivity::getItemValueString(index);
+    return {};
+  }
 
   // DynamicEnum items use the standard display
   return MenuListActivity::getItemValueString(index);
diff --git a/src/activities/settings/SettingInfo.h b/src/activities/settings/SettingInfo.h
index d0e684c0..77abbe13 100644
--- a/src/activities/settings/SettingInfo.h
+++ b/src/activities/settings/SettingInfo.h
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 #include <I18n.h>
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <cassert>
+#include <iterator>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -88,6 +90,13 @@ struct SettingInfo {
     stringSetter(accessorCtx, v);
   }
 
+  struct SubmenuData {
+    StrId id = StrId::STR_NONE_OPT;
+    std::vector<SettingInfo> items;
+  };
+
+  static void prepareSubmenus(std::vector<SettingInfo>& items, std::vector<SubmenuData>& submenuData);
+
   SettingInfo& withObfuscated() {
     obfuscated = true;
     return *this;
@@ -237,3 +246,41 @@ struct SettingInfo {
   // not the SettingInfo itself.
   void toggleValue() const;
 };
+
+inline void SettingInfo::prepareSubmenus(std::vector<SettingInfo>& items,
+                                         std::vector<SettingInfo::SubmenuData>& submenuData) {
+  if (items.empty()) return;
+
+  std::vector<SettingInfo> preparedItems;
+  std::vector<SubmenuData> preparedSubmenus;
+  preparedItems.reserve(items.size());
+
+  for (auto& item : items) {
+    if (item.submenu == StrId::STR_NONE_OPT) {
+      preparedItems.push_back(std::move(item));
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    auto it = std::find_if(preparedSubmenus.begin(), preparedSubmenus.end(),
+                           [&item](const SubmenuData& d) { return d.id == item.submenu; });
+    if (it == preparedSubmenus.end()) {
+      preparedItems.push_back(SettingInfo::SubmenuEntry(item.submenu));
+      preparedSubmenus.push_back({item.submenu, {}});
+      it = preparedSubmenus.end() - 1;
+    }
+    it->items.push_back(std::move(item));
+  }
+
+  items.swap(preparedItems);
+
+  for (auto& submenu : preparedSubmenus) {
+    auto it = std::find_if(submenuData.begin(), submenuData.end(),
+                           [&submenu](const SubmenuData& d) { return d.id == submenu.id; });
+    if (it == submenuData.end()) {
+      submenuData.push_back(std::move(submenu));
+    } else {
+      it->items.insert(it->items.end(), std::make_move_iterator(submenu.items.begin()),
+                       std::make_move_iterator(submenu.items.end()));
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.cpp b/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.cpp
index 789b38e2..87d606e5 100644
--- a/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.cpp
+++ b/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.cpp
@@ -41,33 +41,19 @@ void SettingsActivity::onEnter() {
   StrId lastControlsSub = StrId::STR_NONE_OPT;
   StrId lastSystemSub = StrId::STR_NONE_OPT;
 
-  // Shared placement logic — locates submenu target or inserts separator.
-  // Returns the vector the caller should push into (either `vec` or a submenu's items).
-  auto locateTarget = [this](std::vector<SettingInfo>& vec, StrId& lastSub,
-                             const SettingInfo& s) -> std::vector<SettingInfo>* {
-    if (s.submenu != StrId::STR_NONE_OPT) {
-      auto it = std::find_if(submenuData.begin(), submenuData.end(),
-                             [&s](const SubmenuData& d) { return d.id == s.submenu; });
-      if (it == submenuData.end()) {
-        vec.push_back(SettingInfo::SubmenuEntry(s.submenu));
-        submenuData.push_back({s.submenu, {}});
-        it = submenuData.end() - 1;
-      }
-      return &it->items;
-    }
+  auto addTo = [](std::vector<SettingInfo>& vec, StrId& lastSub, const SettingInfo& s) {
     if (s.subcategory != StrId::STR_NONE_OPT && s.subcategory != lastSub) {
       vec.push_back(SettingInfo::Separator(s.subcategory));
       lastSub = s.subcategory;
     }
-    return &vec;
+    vec.push_back(s);
   };
-
-  auto addTo = [&locateTarget](std::vector<SettingInfo>& vec, StrId& lastSub, const SettingInfo& s) {
-    locateTarget(vec, lastSub, s)->push_back(s);
-  };
-  auto addToMoved = [&locateTarget](std::vector<SettingInfo>& vec, StrId& lastSub, SettingInfo&& s) {
-    auto* target = locateTarget(vec, lastSub, s);
-    target->push_back(std::move(s));
+  auto addToMoved = [](std::vector<SettingInfo>& vec, StrId& lastSub, SettingInfo&& s) {
+    if (s.subcategory != StrId::STR_NONE_OPT && s.subcategory != lastSub) {
+      vec.push_back(SettingInfo::Separator(s.subcategory));
+      lastSub = s.subcategory;
+    }
+    vec.push_back(std::move(s));
   };
 
   for (const auto& setting : getSettingsList()) {
@@ -122,6 +108,11 @@ void SettingsActivity::onEnter() {
              std::move(SettingInfo::Action(StrId::STR_SYSTEM_INFO, SettingAction::SystemInfo)
                            .withSubcategory(StrId::STR_MENU_SYS_SYSTEM)));
 
+  SettingInfo::prepareSubmenus(displaySettings, submenuData);
+  SettingInfo::prepareSubmenus(readerSettings, submenuData);
+  SettingInfo::prepareSubmenus(controlsSettings, submenuData);
+  SettingInfo::prepareSubmenus(systemSettings, submenuData);
+
   // Reset selection to first category
   selectedCategoryIndex = 0;
   selectedSettingIndex = 0;
@@ -226,7 +217,7 @@ void SettingsActivity::toggleCurrentSetting() {
 
     if (setting.action == SettingAction::Submenu) {
       auto it = std::find_if(submenuData.begin(), submenuData.end(),
-                             [&setting](const SubmenuData& d) { return d.id == setting.nameId; });
+                             [&setting](const SettingInfo::SubmenuData& d) { return d.id == setting.nameId; });
       if (it != submenuData.end()) {
         startActivityForResult(
             std::make_unique<SettingsSubmenuActivity>(renderer, mappedInput, setting.nameId, it->items), resultHandler);
diff --git a/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.h b/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.h
index 60cf75b6..a84114b9 100644
--- a/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.h
+++ b/src/activities/settings/SettingsActivity.h
@@ -24,11 +24,7 @@ class SettingsActivity final : public Activity {
   static constexpr int categoryCount = 4;
   static const StrId categoryNames[categoryCount];
 
-  struct SubmenuData {
-    StrId id;
-    std::vector<SettingInfo> items;
-  };
-  std::vector<SubmenuData> submenuData;
+  std::vector<SettingInfo::SubmenuData> submenuData;
 
   void enterCategory(int categoryIndex);
   void toggleCurrentSetting();
diff --git a/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.cpp b/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.cpp
index 5ac7ffff..d3d5262a 100644
--- a/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.cpp
+++ b/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@
 #include "components/UITheme.h"
 #include "fontIds.h"
 
+void SettingsSubmenuActivity::onEnter() {
+  Activity::onEnter();
+  initMenuList();
+  requestUpdate();
+}
+
 void SettingsSubmenuActivity::onActionSelected(int index) {
   const auto& setting = menuItems[index];
   auto resultHandler = [this](const ActivityResult&) { SETTINGS.saveToFile(); };
diff --git a/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.h b/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.h
index 6fff3691..c8288dda 100644
--- a/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.h
+++ b/src/activities/settings/SettingsSubmenuActivity.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class SettingsSubmenuActivity final : public MenuListActivity {
   StrId titleId;
 
   // MenuListActivity overrides
+  void onEnter() override;
   void onActionSelected(int index) override;
   void onSettingToggled(int index) override;