diff --git a/ui/src/components/settings/SettingsSection.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/settings/SettingsSection.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9de46df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/components/settings/SettingsSection.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+// @vitest-environment jsdom
+
+import { act } from "react";
+import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { SettingsSection, SettingsRow } from "./SettingsSection";
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+(globalThis as any).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
+
+describe("SettingsSection", () => {
+  let container: HTMLDivElement;
+  let root: ReturnType<typeof createRoot> | null = null;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    container = document.createElement("div");
+    document.body.appendChild(container);
+    root = null;
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    if (root) {
+      act(() => {
+        root!.unmount();
+      });
+      root = null;
+    }
+    if (container.parentNode) {
+      container.remove();
+    }
+  });
+
+  function render(ui: React.ReactNode) {
+    root = createRoot(container);
+    act(() => {
+      root!.render(ui);
+    });
+  }
+
+  it("renders a semantic section with the title as aria-label", () => {
+    render(
+      <SettingsSection title="Workspace">
+        <span>child</span>
+      </SettingsSection>,
+    );
+    const section = container.querySelector("section");
+    expect(section).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(section?.getAttribute("aria-label")).toBe("Workspace");
+  });
+
+  it("renders the uppercase title and hairline rule", () => {
+    render(
+      <SettingsSection title="Local AI">
+        <span>child</span>
+      </SettingsSection>,
+    );
+    const heading = container.querySelector("h2");
+    expect(heading?.textContent).toBe("Local AI");
+    expect(heading?.className).toContain("uppercase");
+    expect(container.querySelector("hr")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("renders the description when provided", () => {
+    render(
+      <SettingsSection title="About" description="Version info">
+        <span>child</span>
+      </SettingsSection>,
+    );
+    expect(container.textContent).toContain("Version info");
+  });
+
+  it("renders children", () => {
+    render(
+      <SettingsSection title="Workspace">
+        <div data-testid="child" />
+      </SettingsSection>,
+    );
+    expect(container.querySelector("[data-testid='child']")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("SettingsRow", () => {
+  let container: HTMLDivElement;
+  let root: ReturnType<typeof createRoot> | null = null;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    container = document.createElement("div");
+    document.body.appendChild(container);
+    root = null;
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    if (root) {
+      act(() => {
+        root!.unmount();
+      });
+      root = null;
+    }
+    if (container.parentNode) {
+      container.remove();
+    }
+  });
+
+  function render(ui: React.ReactNode) {
+    root = createRoot(container);
+    act(() => {
+      root!.render(ui);
+    });
+  }
+
+  it("renders the label and children", () => {
+    render(
+      <SettingsRow label="Theme">
+        <button type="button">Dark</button>
+      </SettingsRow>,
+    );
+    expect(container.textContent).toContain("Theme");
+    const button = container.querySelector("button");
+    expect(button?.textContent).toBe("Dark");
+  });
+
+  it("renders the optional description", () => {
+    render(
+      <SettingsRow label="Theme" description="Choose the visual theme">
+        <span>value</span>
+      </SettingsRow>,
+    );
+    expect(container.textContent).toContain("Choose the visual theme");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ui/src/components/settings/SettingsSection.tsx b/ui/src/components/settings/SettingsSection.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5e5c8898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/components/settings/SettingsSection.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+interface SettingsSectionProps {
+  title: string;
+  description?: string;
+  children: ReactNode;
+  className?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Shared shell for a single settings section card.
+ *
+ * - 1px charcoal border, 8px radius, transparent fill
+ * - 24px padding
+ * - Uppercase 12px title with 1.4px tracking on the muted silver tone,
+ *   followed by a hairline rule
+ * - Section content stacked vertically with 16px gaps
+ *
+ * Spec: docs/specs/2026-04-11-nexus-layout-overhaul.md §8.2
+ */
+export function SettingsSection({ title, description, children, className }: SettingsSectionProps) {
+  return (
+    <section
+      aria-label={title}
+      className={cn(
+        "rounded-[8px] border border-border bg-transparent p-6",
+        className,
+      )}
+    >
+      <header className="mb-4">
+        <h2 className="text-[12px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.14em] text-muted-foreground">
+          {title}
+        </h2>
+        {description ? (
+          <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground/80">{description}</p>
+        ) : null}
+        <hr className="mt-2 border-border" />
+      </header>
+      <div className="space-y-4">{children}</div>
+    </section>
+  );
+}
+
+interface SettingsRowProps {
+  label: string;
+  description?: string;
+  children: ReactNode;
+  className?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * A single label / value / action row inside a SettingsSection.
+ *
+ * The layout is `label (+ optional description) | children`, where `children`
+ * is the interactive control or value display. Children align right on wide
+ * screens and stack below the label on narrow screens.
+ */
+export function SettingsRow({ label, description, children, className }: SettingsRowProps) {
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        "flex flex-col gap-2 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between sm:gap-6",
+        className,
+      )}
+    >
+      <div className="min-w-0 space-y-1">
+        <div className="text-sm font-medium text-primary">{label}</div>
+        {description ? (
+          <p className="max-w-prose text-xs text-muted-foreground">{description}</p>
+        ) : null}
+      </div>
+      <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2">{children}</div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}