diff --git a/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/card_manager.cpp b/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/card_manager.cpp
index 0e90634..e7e4c6c 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/card_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/card_manager.cpp
@@ -385,10 +385,16 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
         ImGui::Spacing();
 
         // cards list
-        // use all available vertical space, minus height footer (a row of buttons and separator)
+        // use all available vertical space, minus the footer that follows in
+        // build_content(): a separator + spacing, then a row of buttons
+        const ImGuiStyle &style = ImGui::GetStyle();
+        const float footer_height =
+            style.ItemSpacing.y * 3.f     // spacing around the separator and before the footer
+            + 1.f                         // separator line
+            + ImGui::GetFrameHeightWithSpacing(); // footer button row
         if (ImGui::BeginChild(
                 "cards",
-                ImVec2(0, ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail().y - ImGui::GetFrameHeightWithSpacing() - 8.f))) {
+                ImVec2(0, ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail().y - footer_height))) {
 
             // -card0 / -card1 override
             for (size_t i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
diff --git a/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.cpp b/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.cpp
index ce2aba4..088936d 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.cpp
@@ -706,10 +706,7 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
             }
             if (ImGui::BeginTabItem("Cards")) {
                 tab_selected_new = ConfigTab::CONFIG_TAB_CARDS;
-                ImGui::BeginChild("Cards", ImVec2(
-                    0, ImGui::GetWindowContentRegionMax().y - page_offset2), false);
-                this->build_cards();
-                ImGui::EndChild();
+                this->build_cards_tab(page_offset2);
                 ImGui::EndTabItem();
             }
             if (ImGui::BeginTabItem("Patches")) {
@@ -4124,9 +4121,9 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
         return detected_controller;
     }
 
-    void Config::build_cards() {
-
-        constexpr float TEXT_INPUT_WIDTH = 240.f;
+    void Config::build_cards_tab(float page_offset) {
+        const float content_height = ImGui::GetWindowContentRegionMax().y - page_offset;
+        const float nav_width = overlay::apply_scaling(100);
 
         // early quit
         if (this->games_selected < 0 || this->games_selected_name.empty()) {
@@ -4134,6 +4131,61 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
             return;
         }
 
+        // sub-pages shown in the left navigation, in display order
+        static const std::vector<std::pair<const char *, void (Config::*)()>> pages = {
+            { "Virtual Cards", &Config::build_cards_virtual },
+            { "Card Reader", &Config::build_cards_reader },
+            { "Card Manager", &Config::build_cards_manager },
+        };
+
+        // default to the first page on first display
+        if (this->cards_page_label.empty()) {
+            this->cards_page_label = pages.front().first;
+        }
+
+        // left navigation: one header per sub-page; clicking a header selects that page
+        ImGui::BeginChild("CardsNav", ImVec2(nav_width, content_height), false);
+
+        // extra vertical padding between nav rows
+        const ImVec2 nav_item_spacing = ImGui::GetStyle().ItemSpacing;
+        ImGui::PushStyleVar(ImGuiStyleVar_ItemSpacing,
+            ImVec2(nav_item_spacing.x, nav_item_spacing.y + overlay::apply_scaling(2)));
+
+        // arrow-less, non-collapsible nav header; selecting it switches the content pane
+        auto nav_header = [this](const char *label) {
+            if (this->build_nav_header(label, this->cards_page_label == label)) {
+                this->cards_page_label = label;
+            }
+        };
+
+        for (const auto &page : pages) {
+            nav_header(page.first);
+        }
+
+        ImGui::PopStyleVar();
+
+        ImGui::EndChild(); // CardsNav
+        ImGui::SameLine();
+
+        // content: only the selected sub-page
+        ImGui::BeginChild("CardsContent", ImVec2(0, content_height), false);
+
+        // breathing room at the top of the content area
+        ImGui::Dummy(ImVec2(0.0f, overlay::apply_scaling(4)));
+
+        for (const auto &page : pages) {
+            if (this->cards_page_label == page.first) {
+                (this->*page.second)();
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        ImGui::EndChild(); // CardsContent
+    }
+
+    void Config::build_cards_virtual() {
+        constexpr float TEXT_INPUT_WIDTH = 240.f;
+
         ImGui::TextColored(ImVec4(1, 0.7f, 0, 1), "Card overrides");
         ImGui::Spacing();
         ImGui::TextUnformatted(
@@ -4509,10 +4561,9 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
             eamuse_update_keypad_bindings();
             read_card();
         }
+    }
 
-        ImGui::Spacing();
-        ImGui::Separator();
-        ImGui::Spacing();
+    void Config::build_cards_reader() {
         ImGui::TextColored(ImVec4(1, 0.7f, 0, 1), "NFC / API card reader status");
         ImGui::Spacing();
         if (cfg::CONFIGURATOR_STANDALONE) {
@@ -4521,7 +4572,7 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
             ImGui::TextWrapped("Test NFC card readers and card insertions over API.");
             ImGui::SameLine();
             ImGui::HelpMarker(
-                "Enable card readers in Advanced tab, under Card Readers section, and restart. "
+                "Enable card readers in Options tab, under NFC Card Readers section, and restart. "
                 "Alternatively, launch spicecfg in command line and pass in the correct parameters. "
                 "BT5API readers currently do not show the card number in this UI.");
             ImGui::Spacing();
@@ -4572,20 +4623,12 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
             ImGui::TextDisabled("%s", "Only available in spicecfg.");
             ImGui::Spacing();
         }
+    }
 
-        ImGui::Spacing();
-        ImGui::Separator();
-        ImGui::Spacing();
-        ImGui::TextColored(ImVec4(1, 0.7f, 0, 1), "Card Manager");
-        ImGui::Spacing();
-        if (ImGui::Button("Open Card Manager")) {
-            if (this->overlay->window_cards != nullptr) {
-                this->overlay->window_cards->set_active(true);
-                this->overlay->window_cards->bring_to_front();
-            }
+    void Config::build_cards_manager() {
+        if (this->overlay->window_cards != nullptr) {
+            this->overlay->window_cards->build_content();
         }
-        ImGui::TextUnformatted("");
-        ImGui::TextUnformatted("");
     }
 
     bool Config::validate_ea_card(char card_number[16]) {
diff --git a/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.h b/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.h
index 65caee3..f695261 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.h
+++ b/src/spice2x/overlay/windows/config.h
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
         // Controller tab left-nav: selected sub-page
         std::string controller_page_label = "";
 
+        // Cards tab left-nav: selected sub-page
+        std::string cards_page_label = "";
+
         std::filesystem::path file_picker_path;
         std::thread *file_picker_thread = nullptr;
         bool file_picker_done = false;
@@ -200,7 +203,10 @@ namespace overlay::windows {
                                    const std::string &target_device);
         ControllerTemplate capture_current_bindings(const std::string &name);
 
-        void build_cards();
+        void build_cards_tab(float page_offset);
+        void build_cards_virtual();
+        void build_cards_reader();
+        void build_cards_manager();
         std::string build_option_value_picker_title(const OptionDefinition& option);
         void build_option_value_picker(Option& option);
         void build_options(