diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/config/audio.json b/web/public/locales/en/config/audio.json
index 7e783b1e8..c69f64273 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/config/audio.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/config/audio.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
   "label": "Global Audio events configuration",
   "description": "Global settings for audio-based event detection; camera-level settings can override these.",
+  "groups": {
+    "detection": "Detection",
+    "sensitivity": "Sensitivity"
+  },
   "enabled": {
     "label": "Enable audio events",
     "description": "Enable or disable audio event detection globally. Can be overridden per camera."
diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/config/detect.json b/web/public/locales/en/config/detect.json
index 55e2f7b81..71f2c25d5 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/config/detect.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/config/detect.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
   "label": "Object tracking",
   "description": "Settings for the detection/detect role used to run object detection and initialize trackers.",
+  "groups": {
+    "resolution": "Resolution",
+    "tracking": "Tracking"
+  },
   "enabled": {
     "label": "Detection Enabled",
     "description": "Enable or disable object detection for this camera. Detection must be enabled for object tracking to run."
diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/config/motion.json b/web/public/locales/en/config/motion.json
index cbc32e3b0..7543dcff5 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/config/motion.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/config/motion.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
   "label": "Global motion detection configuration",
   "description": "Default motion detection settings applied to cameras unless overridden per-camera.",
+  "groups": {
+    "sensitivity": "Sensitivity",
+    "algorithm": "Algorithm"
+  },
   "enabled": {
     "label": "Enable motion detection",
     "description": "Enable or disable motion detection globally; per-camera settings can override this."
diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/config/objects.json b/web/public/locales/en/config/objects.json
index 29ec3ca2b..59fe418c3 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/config/objects.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/config/objects.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
   "label": "Global object configuration",
   "description": "Global object tracking defaults including which labels to track and per-object filters.",
+  "groups": {
+    "tracking": "Tracking",
+    "filtering": "Filtering"
+  },
   "track": {
     "label": "Objects to track",
     "description": "List of object labels to track globally; camera configs can override this."
diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/config/record.json b/web/public/locales/en/config/record.json
index 916d2a9a2..55b736b67 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/config/record.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/config/record.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
   "label": "Global record configuration",
   "description": "Global recording and retention settings applied to cameras unless overridden per-camera.",
+  "groups": {
+    "retention": "Retention",
+    "events": "Events"
+  },
   "enabled": {
     "label": "Enable record on all cameras",
     "description": "Enable or disable recording globally; individual cameras can override this."
diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/config/snapshots.json b/web/public/locales/en/config/snapshots.json
index 36c571dda..cf57d7b18 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/config/snapshots.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/config/snapshots.json
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 {
   "label": "Global snapshots configuration",
   "description": "Global settings for saved JPEG snapshots of tracked objects; can be overridden per-camera.",
+  "groups": {
+    "display": "Display"
+  },
   "enabled": {
     "label": "Snapshots enabled",
     "description": "Enable or disable saving snapshots globally."
diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/config/timestamp_style.json b/web/public/locales/en/config/timestamp_style.json
index 33179ca8a..577fd91c7 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/config/timestamp_style.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/config/timestamp_style.json
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 {
   "label": "Global timestamp style configuration",
   "description": "Global styling options for in-feed timestamps applied to recordings and snapshots.",
+  "groups": {
+    "appearance": "Appearance"
+  },
   "position": {
     "label": "Timestamp position",
     "description": "Position of the timestamp on the image (tl/tr/bl/br)."
diff --git a/web/src/components/config-form/ConfigForm.tsx b/web/src/components/config-form/ConfigForm.tsx
index 2945468dc..2380d6df7 100644
--- a/web/src/components/config-form/ConfigForm.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/config-form/ConfigForm.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ export interface ConfigFormProps {
   uiSchema?: UiSchema;
   /** Field ordering */
   fieldOrder?: string[];
+  /** Field groups for layout */
+  fieldGroups?: Record<string, string[]>;
   /** Fields to hide */
   hiddenFields?: string[];
   /** Fields marked as advanced (collapsed by default) */
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ export function ConfigForm({
   onError,
   uiSchema: customUiSchema,
   fieldOrder,
+  fieldGroups,
   hiddenFields,
   advancedFields,
   disabled = false,
@@ -100,12 +103,13 @@ export function ConfigForm({
   const finalUiSchema = useMemo(
     () => ({
       ...generatedUiSchema,
+      "ui:groups": fieldGroups,
       ...customUiSchema,
       "ui:submitButtonOptions": showSubmit
         ? { norender: false }
         : { norender: true },
     }),
-    [generatedUiSchema, customUiSchema, showSubmit],
+    [generatedUiSchema, customUiSchema, showSubmit, fieldGroups],
   );
 
   // Create error transformer for user-friendly error messages
diff --git a/web/src/components/config-form/sections/BaseSection.tsx b/web/src/components/config-form/sections/BaseSection.tsx
index 5d024b775..271ee3dfb 100644
--- a/web/src/components/config-form/sections/BaseSection.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/config-form/sections/BaseSection.tsx
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ export interface SectionConfig {
   advancedFields?: string[];
   /** Fields to compare for override detection */
   overrideFields?: string[];
+  /** Whether to enable live validation */
+  liveValidate?: boolean;
   /** Additional uiSchema overrides */
   uiSchema?: UiSchema;
 }
@@ -466,8 +468,10 @@ export function createConfigSection({
           formData={pendingData || formData}
           onChange={handleChange}
           fieldOrder={sectionConfig.fieldOrder}
+          fieldGroups={sectionConfig.fieldGroups}
           hiddenFields={sectionConfig.hiddenFields}
           advancedFields={sectionConfig.advancedFields}
+          liveValidate={sectionConfig.liveValidate}
           uiSchema={sectionConfig.uiSchema}
           disabled={disabled || isSaving}
           readonly={readonly}
diff --git a/web/src/components/config-form/theme/templates/ObjectFieldTemplate.tsx b/web/src/components/config-form/theme/templates/ObjectFieldTemplate.tsx
index a8c8b6dc4..4c4f90611 100644
--- a/web/src/components/config-form/theme/templates/ObjectFieldTemplate.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/config-form/theme/templates/ObjectFieldTemplate.tsx
@@ -9,31 +9,111 @@ import {
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { LuChevronDown, LuChevronRight } from "react-icons/lu";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 export function ObjectFieldTemplate(props: ObjectFieldTemplateProps) {
-  const { title, description, properties } = props;
+  const { title, description, properties, uiSchema } = props;
+  const formContext = (props as Record<string, unknown>).formContext as
+    | Record<string, unknown>
+    | undefined;
 
   // Check if this is a root-level object
   const isRoot = !title;
   const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(true);
 
+  const { t } = useTranslation([
+    (formContext?.i18nNamespace as string | undefined) || "common",
+  ]);
+
+  const groupDefinitions =
+    (uiSchema?.["ui:groups"] as Record<string, string[]> | undefined) || {};
+
+  const isHiddenProp = (prop: (typeof properties)[number]) =>
+    prop.content.props.uiSchema?.["ui:widget"] === "hidden";
+
+  const visibleProps = properties.filter((prop) => !isHiddenProp(prop));
+
   // Check for advanced section grouping
-  const advancedProps = properties.filter(
+  const advancedProps = visibleProps.filter(
     (p) => p.content.props.uiSchema?.["ui:options"]?.advanced === true,
   );
-  const regularProps = properties.filter(
+  const regularProps = visibleProps.filter(
     (p) => p.content.props.uiSchema?.["ui:options"]?.advanced !== true,
   );
 
   const [showAdvanced, setShowAdvanced] = useState(false);
 
+  const toTitle = (value: string) =>
+    value.replace(/_/g, " ").replace(/\b\w/g, (char) => char.toUpperCase());
+
+  const renderGroupedFields = (items: (typeof properties)[number][]) => {
+    if (!items.length) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    const grouped = new Set<string>();
+    const groups = Object.entries(groupDefinitions)
+      .map(([groupKey, fields]) => {
+        const ordered = fields
+          .map((field) => items.find((item) => item.name === field))
+          .filter(Boolean) as (typeof properties)[number][];
+
+        if (ordered.length === 0) {
+          return null;
+        }
+
+        ordered.forEach((item) => grouped.add(item.name));
+
+        const label = t(`groups.${groupKey}`, {
+          defaultValue: toTitle(groupKey),
+        });
+
+        return {
+          key: groupKey,
+          label,
+          items: ordered,
+        };
+      })
+      .filter(Boolean) as Array<{
+      key: string;
+      label: string;
+      items: (typeof properties)[number][];
+    }>;
+
+    const ungrouped = items.filter((item) => !grouped.has(item.name));
+
+    return (
+      <div className="space-y-6">
+        {groups.map((group) => (
+          <div key={group.key} className="space-y-4">
+            <div className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+              {group.label}
+            </div>
+            <div className="space-y-4">
+              {group.items.map((element) => (
+                <div key={element.name}>{element.content}</div>
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        ))}
+
+        {ungrouped.length > 0 && (
+          <div className={cn("space-y-4", groups.length > 0 && "pt-2")}>
+            {ungrouped.map((element) => (
+              <div key={element.name}>{element.content}</div>
+            ))}
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    );
+  };
+
   // Root level renders children directly
   if (isRoot) {
     return (
       <div className="space-y-6">
-        {regularProps.map((element) => (
-          <div key={element.name}>{element.content}</div>
-        ))}
+        {renderGroupedFields(regularProps)}
 
         {advancedProps.length > 0 && (
           <Collapsible open={showAdvanced} onOpenChange={setShowAdvanced}>
@@ -48,9 +128,7 @@ export function ObjectFieldTemplate(props: ObjectFieldTemplateProps) {
               </Button>
             </CollapsibleTrigger>
             <CollapsibleContent className="space-y-4 pt-2">
-              {advancedProps.map((element) => (
-                <div key={element.name}>{element.content}</div>
-              ))}
+              {renderGroupedFields(advancedProps)}
             </CollapsibleContent>
           </Collapsible>
         )}
@@ -83,9 +161,7 @@ export function ObjectFieldTemplate(props: ObjectFieldTemplateProps) {
         </CollapsibleTrigger>
         <CollapsibleContent>
           <CardContent className="space-y-4 pt-0">
-            {regularProps.map((element) => (
-              <div key={element.name}>{element.content}</div>
-            ))}
+            {renderGroupedFields(regularProps)}
 
             {advancedProps.length > 0 && (
               <Collapsible open={showAdvanced} onOpenChange={setShowAdvanced}>
@@ -104,9 +180,7 @@ export function ObjectFieldTemplate(props: ObjectFieldTemplateProps) {
                   </Button>
                 </CollapsibleTrigger>
                 <CollapsibleContent className="space-y-4 pt-2">
-                  {advancedProps.map((element) => (
-                    <div key={element.name}>{element.content}</div>
-                  ))}
+                  {renderGroupedFields(advancedProps)}
                 </CollapsibleContent>
               </Collapsible>
             )}
diff --git a/web/src/views/settings/GlobalConfigView.tsx b/web/src/views/settings/GlobalConfigView.tsx
index 41e59c086..bbea60e91 100644
--- a/web/src/views/settings/GlobalConfigView.tsx
+++ b/web/src/views/settings/GlobalConfigView.tsx
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ const globalSectionConfigs: Record<
     fieldOrder?: string[];
     hiddenFields?: string[];
     advancedFields?: string[];
+    liveValidate?: boolean;
     i18nNamespace: string;
   }
 > = {
@@ -114,8 +115,8 @@ const globalSectionConfigs: Record<
       "trusted_proxies",
       "hash_iterations",
       "roles",
-      "admin_first_time_login",
     ],
+    hiddenFields: ["admin_first_time_login"],
     advancedFields: [
       "cookie_name",
       "cookie_secure",
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ const globalSectionConfigs: Record<
       "separator",
     ],
     advancedFields: ["header_map", "auth_secret", "separator"],
+    liveValidate: true,
   },
   ui: {
     i18nNamespace: "config/ui",
@@ -502,6 +504,7 @@ const GlobalConfigSection = memo(function GlobalConfigSection({
         fieldOrder={sectionConfig.fieldOrder}
         hiddenFields={sectionConfig.hiddenFields}
         advancedFields={sectionConfig.advancedFields}
+        liveValidate={sectionConfig.liveValidate}
         showSubmit={false}
         i18nNamespace={sectionConfig.i18nNamespace}
         disabled={isSaving}