diff --git a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/messages.js b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/messages.js
index f3fbdc61b2e..83ede9866ae 100644
--- a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/messages.js
+++ b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/messages.js
@@ -18,120 +18,10 @@
  */
 "use strict";
 
-const messageCategoryList = '#message-category-list';
-const messagePriorityList = '#message-priority-list';
 const messageHtmlTable = '#messagesTable';
-const messagePriorities = ['High', 'Info'];
 
 var dataTableRef;
-
-/**
- * Updates the list of message priorities
- */
-function updateMessagePriorities() {
-  var priorityList = $(messagePriorityList);
-  $.each(messagePriorities, function (index, pri) {
-    var switchId = "msg-pri-switch-" + pri;
-    var switchElement = "#" + switchId;
-    var savedValue = localStorage.getItem(switchId + "-state");
-
-    if ($(switchElement).length) {
-      // update it
-      if (savedValue === null || savedValue === 'true') {
-        $(switchElement).prop('checked', true);
-      } else {
-        $(switchElement).prop('checked', false);
-      }
-    } else {
-      // create it
-      var div = $(document.createElement("div"));
-      div.addClass("form-check form-switch");
-
-      var input = $(document.createElement("input"));
-      input.addClass("form-check-input");
-      input.attr("type", "checkbox");
-      input.attr("role", "switch");
-      input.attr("id", switchId);
-
-      if (savedValue === null || savedValue === 'true') {
-        input.prop('checked', true);
-      } else {
-        input.prop('checked', false);
-      }
-
-      input.on("change", function () {
-        localStorage.setItem("msg-pri-switch-" + pri + "-state", $(this).is(':checked'));
-        refresh();
-      });
-      div.append(input);
-
-      var label = $(document.createElement("label"));
-      label.addClass("form-check-label fs-6");
-      label.attr("for", switchId);
-      label.text(pri);
-      div.append(label);
-
-      priorityList.append(div);
-    }
-  });
-
-}
-
-/**
- * Updates the list of message categories
- */
-function updateMessageCategories() {
-
-  var categories = getStoredArray(MESSAGE_CATEGORIES);
-
-  var categoryList = $(messageCategoryList);
-  $.each(categories, function (index, cat) {
-
-    var switchId = "msg-cat-switch-" + cat;
-    var switchElement = "#" + switchId;
-    var savedValue = localStorage.getItem(switchId + "-state");
-
-    if ($(switchElement).length) {
-      // update it
-      if (savedValue === null || savedValue === 'true') {
-        $(switchElement).prop('checked', true);
-      } else {
-        $(switchElement).prop('checked', false);
-      }
-    } else {
-      // create it
-      var div = $(document.createElement("div"));
-      div.addClass("form-check form-check-inline form-switch");
-
-      var input = $(document.createElement("input"));
-      input.addClass("form-check-input");
-      input.attr("type", "checkbox");
-      input.attr("role", "switch");
-      input.attr("id", switchId);
-
-      if (savedValue === null || savedValue === 'true') {
-        input.prop('checked', true);
-      } else {
-        input.prop('checked', false);
-      }
-
-      input.on("change", function () {
-        localStorage.setItem("msg-cat-switch-" + cat + "-state", $(this).is(':checked'));
-        refresh();
-      });
-      div.append(input);
-
-      var label = $(document.createElement("label"));
-      label.addClass("form-check-label fs-6");
-      label.attr("for", switchId);
-      label.text(cat);
-      div.append(label);
-
-      categoryList.append(div);
-    }
-  });
-
-}
+var categories;
 
 function fetchTableData() {
 
@@ -170,15 +60,19 @@ function getTableData() {
 }
 
 function loadMessagesPageData() {
-  return getMessageCategories().then(function () {
+
+  categories = getStoredArray(MESSAGE_CATEGORIES);
+  if (categories.length === 0) {
+    return getMessageCategories().then(function () {
+      return fetchTableData();
+    });
+  } else {
     return fetchTableData();
-  });
+  }
 }
 
 function refresh() {
   return loadMessagesPageData().then(function () {
-    updateMessagePriorities();
-    updateMessageCategories();
     if (dataTableRef) {
       ajaxReloadTable(dataTableRef);
     }
@@ -214,8 +108,6 @@ function createDataTable() {
 
 $(function () {
   loadMessagesPageData().then(function () {
-    updateMessagePriorities();
-    updateMessageCategories();
     createDataTable();
   });
 });
diff --git a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/navbar.js b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/navbar.js
index 7b6dfce77ff..9adeb13e86d 100644
--- a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/navbar.js
+++ b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/resources/js/navbar.js
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ const NAVBAR_COMPONENTS = [{
   countId: 'compactorStatusCount'
 }];
 
+var categories;
+
 /**
  * Remove other bootstrap color classes and add the given class to the given element
  * @param {string} elementId the element id to update
@@ -148,7 +150,17 @@ function updateServerNotifications(statusData) {
 $(function () {
   setTheme();
   updateDarkThemeSwitch();
+  updateMessagePriorities();
   refreshSidebar();
+
+  categories = getStoredArray(MESSAGE_CATEGORIES);
+  if (categories.length === 0) {
+    getMessageCategories().then(function () {
+      updateMessageCategories();
+    });
+  } else {
+    updateMessageCategories();
+  }
 });
 
 /**
@@ -220,3 +232,93 @@ function updateDarkThemeSwitch() {
     document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-bs-theme', enableDarkTheme ? 'dark' : 'light');
   });
 }
+
+/**
+ * Update the High and Info Message Category Switches
+ */
+function updateMessagePriorities() {
+  var messagePriorities = ['High', 'Info'];
+  $.each(messagePriorities, function (index, pri) {
+    var switchId = "msg-pri-switch-" + pri;
+    var switchElement = "#" + switchId;
+    var savedValue = localStorage.getItem(switchId + "-state");
+
+    // update it
+    if (savedValue === null || savedValue === 'true') {
+      $(switchElement).prop('checked', true);
+    } else {
+      $(switchElement).prop('checked', false);
+    }
+
+    $(switchElement).on("change", function () {
+      localStorage.setItem("msg-pri-switch-" + pri + "-state", $(this).is(':checked'));
+      if (window.location.pathname == '/messages') {
+        refresh();
+      }
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Update the High and Info Message Category Switches
+ */
+function updateMessageCategories() {
+  const messageCategoryList = '#categories-list';
+
+  var categoryList = $(messageCategoryList);
+  $.each(categories, function (index, cat) {
+
+    var switchId = "msg-cat-switch-" + cat;
+    var switchElement = "#" + switchId;
+    var savedValue = localStorage.getItem(switchId + "-state");
+
+    if ($(switchElement).length) {
+      // update it
+      if (savedValue === null || savedValue === 'true') {
+        $(switchElement).prop('checked', true);
+      } else {
+        $(switchElement).prop('checked', false);
+      }
+    } else {
+      // create it
+      var li = $(document.createElement("li"));
+
+      var outerDiv = $(document.createElement("div"));
+      outerDiv.addClass("dropdown-item d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center");
+
+      var div = $(document.createElement("div"));
+      div.addClass("form-check form-switch mb-0 ms-3");
+
+      var input = $(document.createElement("input"));
+      input.addClass("form-check-input mt-0");
+      input.attr("type", "checkbox");
+      input.attr("role", "switch");
+      input.attr("id", switchId);
+
+      if (savedValue === null || savedValue === 'true') {
+        input.prop('checked', true);
+      } else {
+        input.prop('checked', false);
+      }
+
+      input.on("change", function () {
+        localStorage.setItem("msg-cat-switch-" + cat + "-state", $(this).is(':checked'));
+        if (window.location.pathname == '/messages') {
+          refresh();
+        }
+      });
+      div.append(input);
+
+      var label = $(document.createElement("label"));
+      label.addClass("mb-0");
+      label.attr("for", switchId);
+      label.text(cat);
+
+      outerDiv.append(label);
+      outerDiv.append(div);
+      li.append(outerDiv);
+      categoryList.append(li);
+    }
+  });
+
+}
diff --git a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/messages.ftl b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/messages.ftl
index 185801c3fb4..b78f5699e14 100644
--- a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/messages.ftl
+++ b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/messages.ftl
@@ -20,12 +20,6 @@
 -->
     <br />
     <div class="col-xs-12" id="messages">
-      <h5>Message Priority Filters <small>(critical messages are always shown)</small></h5>
-      <div id="message-priority-list"></div>
-      <br />
-      <h5>Message Category Filters</h5>
-      <div id="message-category-list"></div>
-      <br />
       <h5>Messages</h5>
       <table id="messagesTable"
         class="table table-bordered table-striped table-condensed" style="width: 100%;">
diff --git a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/navbar.ftl b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/navbar.ftl
index fc188ca6187..9512dcec793 100644
--- a/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/navbar.ftl
+++ b/server/monitor/src/main/resources/org/apache/accumulo/monitor/templates/navbar.ftl
@@ -76,9 +76,11 @@
             <li class="dropdown">
               <a class="nav-link" href="#" id="navbarDropdown"
               role="button" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
-                <span style="font-size: 1.2em;" class="bi bi-three-dots-vertical"></span>
+                <span style="font-size: 1.2em;" class="bi bi-gear"></span>
               </a>
               <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-end">
+                <li><h6 class="dropdown-header">General Preferences</h6></li>
+                <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
                 <li>
                   <div class="dropdown-item d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center">
                     <label class="mb-0" for="darkThemeSwitch">Dark Theme</label>
@@ -95,6 +97,31 @@
                     </div>
                   </div>
                 </li>
+                <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
+                <li><h6 class="dropdown-header">Message Priorities</h6></li>
+                <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
+                <li>
+                  <div class="dropdown-item d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center">
+                    <label class="mb-0" for="msg-pri-switch-High">High</label>
+                    <div class="form-check form-switch mb-0 ms-3">
+                      <input id="msg-pri-switch-High" class="form-check-input mt-0" type="checkbox" role="switch">
+                    </div>
+                  </div>
+                </li>
+                <li>
+                  <div class="dropdown-item d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center">
+                    <label class="mb-0" for="msg-pri-switch-Info">Info</label>
+                    <div class="form-check form-switch mb-0 ms-3">
+                      <input id="msg-pri-switch-Info" class="form-check-input mt-0" type="checkbox" role="switch">
+                    </div>
+                  </div>
+                </li>
+                <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
+                <li><h6 class="dropdown-header">Message Categories</h6></li>
+                <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
+                <div id="categories-list">
+                </div>
+                <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
                 <li><a class="link-body-emphasis dropdown-item" data-bs-toggle="modal" href="#aboutModal">About</a></li>
               </ul>
             </li>