diff --git a/rslib/backend.proto b/rslib/backend.proto
index 06fe920e1..0d5b2cb55 100644
--- a/rslib/backend.proto
+++ b/rslib/backend.proto
@@ -248,6 +248,8 @@ service SearchService {
   rpc JoinSearchNodes(JoinSearchNodesIn) returns (String);
   rpc ReplaceSearchNode(ReplaceSearchNodeIn) returns (String);
   rpc FindAndReplace(FindAndReplaceIn) returns (OpChangesWithCount);
+  rpc AllBrowserCardColumns(Empty) returns (BrowserColumns);
+  rpc AllBrowserNoteColumns(Empty) returns (BrowserColumns);
   rpc BrowserRowForId(Int64) returns (BrowserRow);
   rpc SetDesktopBrowserCardColumns(StringList) returns (Empty);
   rpc SetDesktopBrowserNoteColumns(StringList) returns (Empty);
@@ -1052,6 +1054,19 @@ message FindAndReplaceIn {
   string field_name = 6;
 }
 
+message BrowserColumns {
+  repeated BrowserColumn columns = 1;
+}
+
+message BrowserColumn {
+  string key = 1;
+  string label = 2;
+  bool is_sortable = 3;
+  bool sorts_reversed = 4;
+  bool uses_cell_font = 5;
+  bool aligns_centered = 6;
+}
+
 message BrowserRow {
   message Cell {
     string text = 1;
diff --git a/rslib/src/backend/search/browser_table.rs b/rslib/src/backend/search/browser_table.rs
index cb405769a..f53c57845 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend/search/browser_table.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend/search/browser_table.rs
@@ -1,41 +1,129 @@
 // Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 // License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
-use crate::{backend_proto as pb, browser_table};
+use std::str::FromStr;
 
-impl From<pb::StringList> for Vec<browser_table::Column> {
-    fn from(input: pb::StringList) -> Self {
-        input.vals.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect()
+use crate::{backend_proto as pb, browser_table, collection::Collection, i18n::I18n};
+
+const CARD_COLUMNS: [browser_table::Column; 15] = [
+    browser_table::Column::Question,
+    browser_table::Column::Answer,
+    browser_table::Column::CardDeck,
+    browser_table::Column::CardDue,
+    browser_table::Column::CardEase,
+    browser_table::Column::CardLapses,
+    browser_table::Column::CardInterval,
+    browser_table::Column::CardMod,
+    browser_table::Column::CardReps,
+    browser_table::Column::CardTemplate,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteCreation,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteField,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteMod,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteTags,
+    browser_table::Column::Notetype,
+];
+
+const NOTE_COLUMNS: [browser_table::Column; 11] = [
+    browser_table::Column::NoteCards,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteCreation,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteDue,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteEase,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteField,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteInterval,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteLapses,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteMod,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteReps,
+    browser_table::Column::NoteTags,
+    browser_table::Column::Notetype,
+];
+
+impl Collection {
+    pub(crate) fn all_browser_card_columns(&self) -> pb::BrowserColumns {
+        self.to_pb_columns(&CARD_COLUMNS)
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn all_browser_note_columns(&self) -> pb::BrowserColumns {
+        self.to_pb_columns(&NOTE_COLUMNS)
+    }
+
+    fn to_pb_columns(&self, columns: &[browser_table::Column]) -> pb::BrowserColumns {
+        let mut columns: Vec<pb::BrowserColumn> =
+            columns.iter().map(|c| c.to_pb_column(&self.tr)).collect();
+        columns.sort_by(|c1, c2| c1.label.cmp(&c2.label));
+        pb::BrowserColumns { columns }
     }
 }
 
-impl From<String> for browser_table::Column {
-    fn from(text: String) -> Self {
-        match text.as_str() {
-            "question" => browser_table::Column::Question,
-            "answer" => browser_table::Column::Answer,
-            "deck" => browser_table::Column::CardDeck,
-            "cardDue" => browser_table::Column::CardDue,
-            "cardEase" => browser_table::Column::CardEase,
-            "cardLapses" => browser_table::Column::CardLapses,
-            "cardIvl" => browser_table::Column::CardInterval,
-            "cardMod" => browser_table::Column::CardMod,
-            "cardReps" => browser_table::Column::CardReps,
-            "template" => browser_table::Column::CardTemplate,
-            "noteCards" => browser_table::Column::NoteCards,
-            "noteCrt" => browser_table::Column::NoteCreation,
-            "noteDue" => browser_table::Column::NoteDue,
-            "noteEase" => browser_table::Column::NoteEase,
-            "noteFld" => browser_table::Column::NoteField,
-            "noteIvl" => browser_table::Column::NoteInterval,
-            "noteLapses" => browser_table::Column::NoteLapses,
-            "noteMod" => browser_table::Column::NoteMod,
-            "noteReps" => browser_table::Column::NoteReps,
-            "noteTags" => browser_table::Column::NoteTags,
-            "note" => browser_table::Column::Notetype,
-            _ => browser_table::Column::Custom,
+impl browser_table::Column {
+    fn to_pb_column(self, i18n: &I18n) -> pb::BrowserColumn {
+        pb::BrowserColumn {
+            key: self.to_string(),
+            label: self.localized_label(i18n),
+            is_sortable: self.is_sortable(),
+            sorts_reversed: self == browser_table::Column::NoteField,
+            uses_cell_font: self.uses_cell_font(),
+            aligns_centered: self.aligns_centered(),
         }
     }
+
+    fn is_sortable(self) -> bool {
+        !matches!(self, Self::Question | Self::Answer | Self::Custom)
+    }
+
+    fn uses_cell_font(self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self, Self::Question | Self::Answer | Self::NoteField)
+    }
+
+    fn aligns_centered(self) -> bool {
+        !matches!(
+            self,
+            Self::Question
+                | Self::Answer
+                | Self::CardTemplate
+                | Self::CardDeck
+                | Self::NoteField
+                | Self::Notetype
+                | Self::NoteTags
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn localized_label(self, i18n: &I18n) -> String {
+        match self {
+            Self::Custom => i18n.browsing_addon(),
+            Self::Question => i18n.browsing_question(),
+            Self::Answer => i18n.browsing_answer(),
+            Self::CardDeck => i18n.decks_deck(),
+            Self::CardDue => i18n.statistics_due_date(),
+            Self::CardEase => i18n.browsing_ease(),
+            Self::CardInterval => i18n.browsing_interval(),
+            Self::CardLapses => i18n.scheduling_lapses(),
+            Self::CardMod => i18n.search_card_modified(),
+            Self::CardReps => i18n.scheduling_reviews(),
+            Self::CardTemplate => i18n.browsing_card(),
+            Self::NoteCards => i18n.editing_cards(),
+            Self::NoteCreation => i18n.browsing_created(),
+            Self::NoteDue => i18n.statistics_due_date(),
+            Self::NoteEase => i18n.browsing_average_ease(),
+            Self::NoteField => i18n.browsing_sort_field(),
+            Self::NoteInterval => i18n.browsing_average_interval(),
+            Self::NoteMod => i18n.search_note_modified(),
+            Self::NoteLapses => i18n.scheduling_lapses(),
+            Self::NoteReps => i18n.scheduling_reviews(),
+            Self::NoteTags => i18n.editing_tags(),
+            Self::Notetype => i18n.browsing_note(),
+        }
+        .into()
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<pb::StringList> for Vec<browser_table::Column> {
+    fn from(input: pb::StringList) -> Self {
+        input
+            .vals
+            .iter()
+            .map(|c| browser_table::Column::from_str(c).unwrap_or_default())
+            .collect()
+    }
 }
 
 impl From<browser_table::Row> for pb::BrowserRow {
diff --git a/rslib/src/backend/search/mod.rs b/rslib/src/backend/search/mod.rs
index 5aaf25780..5a09b3427 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend/search/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend/search/mod.rs
@@ -89,6 +89,14 @@ impl SearchService for Backend {
         })
     }
 
+    fn all_browser_card_columns(&self, _input: pb::Empty) -> Result<pb::BrowserColumns> {
+        self.with_col(|col| Ok(col.all_browser_card_columns()))
+    }
+
+    fn all_browser_note_columns(&self, _input: pb::Empty) -> Result<pb::BrowserColumns> {
+        self.with_col(|col| Ok(col.all_browser_note_columns()))
+    }
+
     fn browser_row_for_id(&self, input: pb::Int64) -> Result<pb::BrowserRow> {
         self.with_col(|col| col.browser_row_for_id(input.val).map(Into::into))
     }