diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/controllers/SettingsController.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/controllers/SettingsController.kt
index 98f7c5364..8eede30cd 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/controllers/SettingsController.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/controllers/SettingsController.kt
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ import com.nextcloud.talk.jobs.ContactAddressBookWorker.Companion.deleteAll
 import com.nextcloud.talk.models.json.generic.GenericOverall
 import com.nextcloud.talk.models.json.userprofile.UserProfileOverall
 import com.nextcloud.talk.users.UserManager
+import com.nextcloud.talk.ui.theme.ViewThemeUtils
 import com.nextcloud.talk.utils.ApiUtils
 import com.nextcloud.talk.utils.DisplayUtils
 import com.nextcloud.talk.utils.LoggingUtils.sendMailWithAttachment
@@ -118,6 +119,9 @@ class SettingsController : NewBaseController(R.layout.controller_settings) {
     @Inject
     lateinit var currentUserProvider: CurrentUserProviderNew
 
+    @Inject
+    lateinit var viewThemeUtils: ViewThemeUtils
+
     private var saveStateHandler: LovelySaveStateHandler? = null
     private var currentUser: User? = null
     private var credentials: String? = null
@@ -402,7 +406,8 @@ class SettingsController : NewBaseController(R.layout.controller_settings) {
                 .setIcon(
                     DisplayUtils.getTintedDrawable(
                         resources,
-                        R.drawable.ic_delete_black_24dp, R.color.bg_default
+                        R.drawable.ic_delete_black_24dp,
+                        R.color.bg_default
                     )
                 )
                 .setPositiveButtonColor(context!!.resources.getColor(R.color.nc_darkRed))
@@ -511,6 +516,20 @@ class SettingsController : NewBaseController(R.layout.controller_settings) {
 
                 )
         }
+
+        themeCategories()
+    }
+
+    private fun themeCategories() {
+        binding.run {
+            listOf(
+                settingsNotificationsCategory,
+                settingsAboutCategory,
+                settingsAdvancedCategory,
+                settingsAppearanceCategory,
+                settingsPrivacyCategory
+            ).forEach(viewThemeUtils::colorPreferenceCategory)
+        }
     }
 
     private fun setupProxyTypeSettings() {
@@ -952,7 +971,9 @@ class SettingsController : NewBaseController(R.layout.controller_settings) {
         val phoneNumber = textInputLayout.editText!!.text.toString()
         ncApi.setUserData(
             ApiUtils.getCredentials(currentUser!!.username, currentUser!!.token),
-            ApiUtils.getUrlForUserData(currentUser!!.baseUrl, currentUser!!.userId), "phone", phoneNumber
+            ApiUtils.getUrlForUserData(currentUser!!.baseUrl, currentUser!!.userId),
+            "phone",
+            phoneNumber
         ).subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
             .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
             .subscribe(object : Observer<GenericOverall> {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/ui/theme/ViewThemeUtils.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/ui/theme/ViewThemeUtils.kt
index 99373ba76..4ad72b83a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/ui/theme/ViewThemeUtils.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/ui/theme/ViewThemeUtils.kt
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import android.widget.TextView
 import com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton
 import com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
 import com.google.android.material.floatingactionbutton.FloatingActionButton
+import com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory
 import javax.inject.Inject
 
 class ViewThemeUtils @Inject constructor(val theme: ServerTheme) {
@@ -113,4 +114,11 @@ class ViewThemeUtils @Inject constructor(val theme: ServerTheme) {
             card.setCardBackgroundColor(color)
         }
     }
+
+    // TODO split this util into classes depending on framework views vs library views
+    fun colorPreferenceCategory(category: MaterialPreferenceCategory) {
+        withElementColor(category) { color ->
+            category.setTitleColor(color)
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/controller_settings.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/controller_settings.xml
index 04c19a4d1..7c239a303 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/controller_settings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/controller_settings.xml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
     xmlns:fresco="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
     xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
+    tools:background="@color/white"
     android:id="@+id/settings_screen"
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="match_parent">
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@
             android:id="@+id/message_text"
             android:layout_width="match_parent"
             android:layout_height="match_parent"
+            tools:text="This is a test message"
             android:gravity="center" />
     </com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory>
 
@@ -105,10 +107,10 @@
                         android:id="@+id/server_age_warning_text"
                         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+                        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
                         android:layout_toEndOf="@id/server_age_warning_icon"
                         android:paddingStart="@dimen/standard_padding"
                         android:paddingEnd="0dp"
-                        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
                         android:textAlignment="viewStart"
                         android:textColor="@color/nc_darkRed"
                         tools:text="@string/nc_settings_server_almost_eol" />
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@
     <com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        android:id="@+id/settings_appearance_category"
         android:animateLayoutChanges="true"
         apc:cardBackgroundColor="@color/bg_default"
         apc:cardElevation="0dp"
@@ -186,6 +189,7 @@
     </com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory>
 
     <com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory
+        android:id="@+id/settings_privacy_category"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:animateLayoutChanges="true"
@@ -249,6 +253,7 @@
     </com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory>
 
     <com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory
+        android:id="@+id/settings_advanced_category"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:animateLayoutChanges="true"
@@ -323,6 +328,7 @@
     </com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory>
 
     <com.yarolegovich.mp.MaterialPreferenceCategory
+        android:id="@+id/settings_about_category"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:animateLayoutChanges="true"