diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/strings/commonStrings.js b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/strings/commonStrings.js
index 2399fc6be9..806288ddc9 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/strings/commonStrings.js
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/strings/commonStrings.js
@@ -46,4 +46,44 @@ export const commonStrings = createTranslator('CommonStrings', {
     message: 'Options',
     context: 'Tooltip for the generic options menu icon',
   },
+  clearAllAction: {
+    message: 'Clear all',
+    context: 'Accessible label for the button that clears every selection in a select field',
+  },
+  openMenuAction: {
+    message: 'Open menu',
+    context: 'Accessible label for the button that opens a dropdown menu',
+  },
+  closeMenuAction: {
+    message: 'Close menu',
+    context: 'Accessible label for the button that closes a dropdown menu',
+  },
+  optionsClickableLabel: {
+    message: 'Options are clickable',
+    context: 'Announced to screen reader users when a list of selectable options appears',
+  },
+  allOptionsSelectedLabel: {
+    message: 'All options selected',
+    context: 'Announced when every option in a list is selected',
+  },
+  allOptionsDeselectedLabel: {
+    message: 'No options selected',
+    context: 'Announced when no options in a list are selected',
+  },
+  optionDeselectedLabel: {
+    message: 'Option deselected',
+    context: 'Announced when an option is removed from the selection',
+  },
+  partiallySelectedLabel: {
+    message: 'Partially selected',
+    context: 'Announced for an option when only some of the options under it are selected',
+  },
+  optionSelectedLabel: {
+    message: 'Selected {label}',
+    context: 'Announced when an option is selected. {label} is the name of the option',
+  },
+  optionRemovedLabel: {
+    message: 'Removed {label}',
+    context: 'Announced when an option is removed. {label} is the name of the option',
+  },
 });
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/CategoryOptions.vue b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/CategoryOptions.vue
index cc81b17e5e..68792e5a59 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/CategoryOptions.vue
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/CategoryOptions.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,38 @@
 <template>
 
   <div>
-    <DropdownWrapper>
+    <KMultiSelect
+      v-if="!expanded"
+      :value="autocompleteValues"
+      :options="categoriesList"
+      itemValue="value"
+      itemText="text"
+      :label="translateMetadataString('category')"
+      :multiple="true"
+      :autoPromoteParent="false"
+      clearable
+      :noResultsText="$tr('noCategoryFoundText')"
+      :messages="messages"
+      @input="onKMultiSelectInput"
+    >
+      <template #chip="{ option, remove: removeChip }">
+        <span :ref="'category-chip-' + option.value">
+          <KChip
+            :text="option.text"
+            close
+            @close="removeChip"
+          />
+        </span>
+        <KTooltip
+          :reference="'category-chip-' + option.value"
+          :refs="$refs"
+          placement="top"
+          :text="tooltipText(option.value)"
+        />
+      </template>
+    </KMultiSelect>
+
+    <DropdownWrapper v-if="expanded">
       <template #default="{ attach, menuProps }">
         <VAutocomplete
           :value="autocompleteValues"
@@ -18,8 +49,8 @@
           :menu-props="{
             ...menuProps,
             zIndex: 4,
-            height: expanded ? 0 : 'auto',
-            maxHeight: expanded ? 0 : 300,
+            height: 0,
+            maxHeight: 0,
           }"
           :attach="attach"
           @click:clear="$nextTick(() => removeAll())"
@@ -104,14 +135,44 @@
 <script>
 
   import camelCase from 'lodash/camelCase';
+  import KMultiSelect from 'kolibri-design-system/lib/candidate/multiselect/KMultiSelect';
+  import KChip from 'kolibri-design-system/lib/candidate/multiselect/KChip';
   import { getSortedCategories } from 'shared/utils/helpers';
+  import { commonStrings } from 'shared/strings/commonStrings';
   import DropdownWrapper from 'shared/views/form/DropdownWrapper';
   import { constantsTranslationMixin, metadataTranslationMixin } from 'shared/mixins';
 
   export default {
     name: 'CategoryOptions',
-    components: { DropdownWrapper },
+    components: { KMultiSelect, KChip, DropdownWrapper },
     mixins: [constantsTranslationMixin, metadataTranslationMixin],
+    setup() {
+      const {
+        clearAllAction$,
+        openMenuAction$,
+        closeMenuAction$,
+        optionsClickableLabel$,
+        allOptionsSelectedLabel$,
+        allOptionsDeselectedLabel$,
+        optionDeselectedLabel$,
+        partiallySelectedLabel$,
+        optionSelectedLabel$,
+        optionRemovedLabel$,
+      } = commonStrings;
+
+      return {
+        clearAllAction$,
+        openMenuAction$,
+        closeMenuAction$,
+        optionsClickableLabel$,
+        allOptionsSelectedLabel$,
+        allOptionsDeselectedLabel$,
+        optionDeselectedLabel$,
+        partiallySelectedLabel$,
+        optionSelectedLabel$,
+        optionRemovedLabel$,
+      };
+    },
     props: {
       /**
        * This prop receives an object with the following structure:
@@ -177,6 +238,22 @@
           option.text.toLowerCase().includes(searchQuery),
         );
       },
+      messages() {
+        return {
+          clearText: this.clearAllAction$,
+          open: this.openMenuAction$,
+          close: this.closeMenuAction$,
+          clickable: this.optionsClickableLabel$,
+          allOptionsSelected: this.allOptionsSelectedLabel$,
+          allOptionsDeselected: this.allOptionsDeselectedLabel$,
+          optionDeselected: this.optionDeselectedLabel$,
+          partiallySelected: this.partiallySelectedLabel$,
+          itemsSelected: ({ count }) => this.$tr('itemsSelected', { count }),
+          selected: this.optionSelectedLabel$,
+          removed: this.optionRemovedLabel$,
+          cleared: () => this.$tr('allCategoriesCleared'),
+        };
+      },
     },
     methods: {
       treeItemStyle(item) {
@@ -201,6 +278,21 @@
       removeAll() {
         this.selected = {};
       },
+      // Rebuilds the { category: [nodeIds] } object from KMultiSelect's flat
+      // array. Categories not applied to every edited node are invisible to
+      // KMultiSelect (see autocompleteValues), so they are carried over untouched.
+      onKMultiSelectInput(newValues) {
+        const newSelected = {};
+        Object.entries(this.selected).forEach(([category, ids]) => {
+          if (ids.length !== this.nodeIds.length) {
+            newSelected[category] = ids;
+          }
+        });
+        newValues.forEach(value => {
+          newSelected[value] = this.nodeIds;
+        });
+        this.selected = newSelected;
+      },
       tooltipText(optionId) {
         const option = this.categoriesList.find(option => option.value === optionId);
         if (!option) {
@@ -275,6 +367,8 @@
     },
     $trs: {
       noCategoryFoundText: 'Category not found',
+      itemsSelected: '{count, plural, one {# category selected} other {# categories selected}}',
+      allCategoriesCleared: 'All categories cleared',
     },
   };
 
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/__tests__/categoryOptions.spec.js b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/__tests__/categoryOptions.spec.js
index b1d027d5b1..e51013557c 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/__tests__/categoryOptions.spec.js
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/contentNodeFields/__tests__/categoryOptions.spec.js
@@ -1,81 +1,140 @@
-import { shallowMount } from '@vue/test-utils';
+import { render, screen, within } from '@testing-library/vue';
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import VueRouter from 'vue-router';
 import CategoryOptions from '../CategoryOptions.vue';
 
-function makeWrapper({ value = {}, nodeIds = ['node1'] } = {}) {
-  return shallowMount(CategoryOptions, {
-    propsData: {
-      value,
-      nodeIds,
-    },
+const SCHOOL = 'd&WXdXWF';
+const ARTS = 'd&WXdXWF.5QAjgfv7';
+const DANCE = 'd&WXdXWF.5QAjgfv7.BUMJJBnS';
+const MUSIC = 'd&WXdXWF.5QAjgfv7.u0aKjT4i';
+
+const SCHOOL_LABEL = 'School';
+const ARTS_LABEL = 'Arts';
+const DANCE_LABEL = 'Dance';
+const MUSIC_LABEL = 'Music';
+const DANCE_PATH = 'School - Arts - Dance';
+
+const NODE_1 = 'node1';
+const NODE_2 = 'node2';
+
+function renderComponent({ value = {}, nodeIds = [NODE_1], expanded = false } = {}) {
+  return render(CategoryOptions, {
+    props: { value, nodeIds, expanded },
+    routes: new VueRouter(),
   });
 }
 
+function lastInput(emitted) {
+  const events = emitted().input;
+  return events[events.length - 1][0];
+}
+
 describe('CategoryOptions', () => {
-  it('smoke test', () => {
-    const wrapper = makeWrapper();
-    expect(wrapper.exists()).toBe(true);
+  it('renders the category field', () => {
+    renderComponent();
+    expect(screen.getByText('Category')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it('emits expected data', () => {
-    const wrapper = makeWrapper();
-    const value = 'string';
-    wrapper.vm.$emit('input', value);
+  describe('dropdown mode (KMultiSelect)', () => {
+    it('shows a chip only for categories applied to every edited node', () => {
+      renderComponent({
+        value: {
+          [DANCE]: [NODE_1, NODE_2],
+          [MUSIC]: [NODE_1],
+        },
+        nodeIds: [NODE_1, NODE_2],
+      });
 
-    expect(wrapper.emitted().input).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(wrapper.emitted().input.length).toBe(1);
-    expect(wrapper.emitted().input[0]).toEqual([value]);
-  });
+      // The closed dropdown stays in the DOM (v-show), so queries must not look inside it.
+      const chipsArea = within(screen.getByRole('group'));
+      expect(chipsArea.getAllByText(DANCE_LABEL).length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(chipsArea.queryByText(MUSIC_LABEL)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
 
-  describe('display', () => {
-    it('has a tooltip that displays the tree for value of an item', () => {
-      const wrapper = makeWrapper();
-      const item = 'd&WXdXWF.5QAjgfv7.BUMJJBnS'; // 'Dance'
-      const expectedToolTip = 'School - Arts - Dance';
+    it('shows the full category path in the chip tooltip', async () => {
+      renderComponent({ value: { [DANCE]: [NODE_1] } });
 
-      expect(wrapper.vm.tooltipText(item)).toEqual(expectedToolTip);
+      expect(await screen.findByText(DANCE_PATH)).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
-    it(`dropdown has 'levels' key necessary to display the nested structure of categories`, () => {
-      const wrapper = makeWrapper();
-      const dropdown = wrapper.vm.categoriesList;
-      const everyCategoryHasLevelsKey = dropdown.every(item => 'level' in item);
 
-      expect(everyCategoryHasLevelsKey).toBeTruthy();
+    it('renders parent categories as named groups in the dropdown', async () => {
+      renderComponent();
+
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'));
+
+      const school = await screen.findByRole('group', { name: SCHOOL_LABEL });
+      expect(within(school).getByRole('option', { name: DANCE_LABEL })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    it('emits the selection as an object applying each category to all edited nodes', async () => {
+      const { emitted } = renderComponent({ nodeIds: [NODE_1, NODE_2] });
+
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'));
+      await userEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('option', { name: SCHOOL_LABEL }));
+
+      expect(lastInput(emitted)).toEqual({
+        [SCHOOL]: [NODE_1, NODE_2],
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('preserves partially applied categories when the selection changes', async () => {
+      const { emitted } = renderComponent({
+        value: { [MUSIC]: [NODE_1] },
+        nodeIds: [NODE_1, NODE_2],
+      });
+
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'));
+      await userEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('option', { name: SCHOOL_LABEL }));
+
+      expect(lastInput(emitted)).toEqual({
+        [MUSIC]: [NODE_1],
+        [SCHOOL]: [NODE_1, NODE_2],
+      });
     });
-  });
 
-  describe('interactions', () => {
-    it('when user checks an item, that is emitted to the parent component', () => {
-      const wrapper = makeWrapper();
-      const item = 'abcd';
-      wrapper.vm.$emit = jest.fn();
-      wrapper.vm.add(item);
+    it('removes a category when its chip close button is clicked', async () => {
+      const { emitted } = renderComponent({ value: { [DANCE]: [NODE_1] } });
 
-      expect(wrapper.vm.$emit.mock.calls[0][0]).toBe('input');
-      expect(wrapper.vm.$emit.mock.calls[0][1]).toEqual({ abcd: ['node1'] });
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: `Remove ${DANCE_LABEL}` }));
+
+      expect(lastInput(emitted)).toEqual({});
     });
-    it('when user unchecks an item, that is emitted to the parent component', () => {
-      const wrapper = makeWrapper();
-      const item = 'defj';
-      wrapper.vm.$emit = jest.fn();
-      wrapper.vm.remove(item);
-
-      expect(wrapper.vm.$emit.mock.calls[0][0]).toBe('input');
-      expect(wrapper.vm.$emit.mock.calls[0][1]).toEqual({});
+
+    it('emits an empty object when the selection is cleared', async () => {
+      const { emitted } = renderComponent({ value: { [DANCE]: [NODE_1] } });
+
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear all' }));
+
+      expect(lastInput(emitted)).toEqual({});
+    });
+
+    it('renders the flat checkbox list instead of KMultiSelect in expanded mode', () => {
+      renderComponent({ expanded: true });
+
+      expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Open menu' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getAllByRole('checkbox').length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
     });
   });
 
-  describe('close button on chip interactions', () => {
-    it('in the autocomplete bar, the chip is removed when user clicks on its close button', async () => {
-      const wrapper = makeWrapper({
-        value: {
-          'remove me': ['node1'],
-          'keep me': ['node1'],
-        },
+  describe('expanded mode', () => {
+    it('emits the added category applied to all edited nodes when checked', async () => {
+      const { emitted } = renderComponent({ expanded: true, nodeIds: [NODE_1] });
+
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: DANCE_LABEL }));
+
+      expect(lastInput(emitted)).toEqual({ [DANCE]: [NODE_1] });
+    });
+
+    it('removes a category and its stored descendants when unchecked', async () => {
+      const { emitted } = renderComponent({
+        expanded: true,
+        value: { [ARTS]: [NODE_1], [DANCE]: [NODE_1] },
+        nodeIds: [NODE_1],
       });
-      const originalChipsLength = Object.keys(wrapper.vm.selected).length;
-      wrapper.vm.remove('remove me');
 
-      expect(wrapper.emitted().input.length).toEqual(originalChipsLength - 1);
+      await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: ARTS_LABEL }));
+
+      expect(lastInput(emitted)).toEqual({});
     });
   });
 });