diff --git a/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/GameSettingsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/GameSettingsFragment.kt
index 21fd5063..4ee21a39 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/GameSettingsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/GameSettingsFragment.kt
@@ -73,8 +73,10 @@ class GameSettingsFragment : PreferenceFragmentCompat() {
         findPreference<GpuDriverPreference>("gpu_driver")?.item = item
 
         // Hide settings that don't support per-game configuration
-        findPreference<Preference>("profile_picture_value")?.isVisible = false
-        findPreference<Preference>("log_level")?.isVisible = false
+        var prefToRemove = findPreference<Preference>("profile_picture_value")
+        prefToRemove?.parent?.removePreference(prefToRemove)
+        prefToRemove = findPreference<Preference>("log_level")
+        prefToRemove?.parent?.removePreference(prefToRemove)
 
         // TODO: remove this once we have more settings under the debug category
         // Avoid showing the debug category if no settings under it are visible
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/SettingsActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/SettingsActivity.kt
index f52ede5d..232fa61c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/SettingsActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/emu/skyline/settings/SettingsActivity.kt
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import androidx.preference.PreferenceFragmentCompat
 import androidx.preference.forEach
 import com.google.android.material.appbar.AppBarLayout
 import com.google.android.material.internal.ToolbarUtils
+import emu.skyline.BuildConfig
 import emu.skyline.R
 import emu.skyline.data.AppItemTag
 import emu.skyline.databinding.SettingsActivityBinding
@@ -37,7 +38,11 @@ private const val PREFERENCE_DIALOG_FRAGMENT_TAG = "androidx.preference.Preferen
 
 class SettingsActivity : AppCompatActivity(), PreferenceFragmentCompat.OnPreferenceDisplayDialogCallback {
     val binding by lazy { SettingsActivityBinding.inflate(layoutInflater) }
-    val creditsCategories = arrayOf("category_credits", "category_licenses")
+    val hiddenCategoriesFromSearch = if (BuildConfig.BUILD_TYPE == "release") {
+        arrayOf("category_debug", "category_credits", "category_licenses")
+    } else {
+        arrayOf("category_credits", "category_licenses")
+    }
 
     /**
      * The instance of [PreferenceFragmentCompat] that is shown inside [R.id.settings]
@@ -141,7 +146,7 @@ class SettingsActivity : AppCompatActivity(), PreferenceFragmentCompat.OnPrefere
                 val queries = newText.split(",")
                 if (newText.isNotEmpty()) {
                     preferenceFragment.preferenceScreen.forEach { preferenceCategory ->
-                        if (creditsCategories.contains(preferenceCategory.key)) {
+                        if (hiddenCategoriesFromSearch.contains(preferenceCategory.key)) {
                             preferenceCategory.isVisible = false
                             return@forEach
                         }