diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Limitation/ReadHandler.php b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Limitation/ReadHandler.php
index 0e217f14b..af27a2d65 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Limitation/ReadHandler.php
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Limitation/ReadHandler.php
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ public function execute($entity, $arguments = [])
      */
     private function setCategoryLimitation($entity, $searchContainers)
     {
-        $applyTo = (bool) ($searchContainers['catalog_view_container'] ?? false);
+        $applyTo = ((int) $searchContainers['catalog_view_container'] ?? 0);
 
         if ($applyTo) {
-            $containerData = ['apply_to' => (int) true];
+            $containerData = ['apply_to' => $applyTo];
             $categoryIds   = $this->resource->getCategoryIdsByOptimizer($entity);
             if (!empty($categoryIds)) {
                 $containerData['category_ids'] = $categoryIds;
diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Preview.php b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Preview.php
index c70d0a9cb..27decb7b8 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Preview.php
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/Optimizer/Preview.php
@@ -204,9 +204,14 @@ private function canApply() : bool
             }
         } elseif ($canApply && $this->containerConfiguration->getName() === 'catalog_view_container') {
             $config = $this->optimizer->getCatalogViewContainer();
-            if ((int) ($config['apply_to'] ?? 0) === 1 && !empty($config['category_ids'])) {
+            $applyTo = (int) $config['apply_to'] ?? 0;
+            if (($applyTo > 0) && !empty($config['category_ids'])) {
                 $categoryIds = array_filter($config['category_ids']);
                 $canApply = in_array($this->category->getId(), $categoryIds, true);
+
+                if ($applyTo > 1) {
+                    $canApply = !$canApply;
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer.php b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer.php
index 0556580e7..b15be3896 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer.php
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer.php
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ private function saveSearchContainerRelation(\Magento\Framework\Model\AbstractMo
                     $searchContainerName = 'quick_search_container';
                 }
                 $searchContainerData = $object->getData($searchContainerName);
-                $applyTo = is_array($searchContainerData) ? ((bool) $searchContainerData['apply_to'] ?? false) : false;
+                $applyTo = is_array($searchContainerData) ? ($searchContainerData['apply_to'] ?? 0) : 0;
                 $searchContainerLinks[(string) $searchContainer] = [
                     OptimizerInterface::OPTIMIZER_ID     => (int) $object->getId(),
                     OptimizerInterface::SEARCH_CONTAINER => (string) $searchContainer,
diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer/Limitation.php b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer/Limitation.php
index 2fb2eb2c3..5655155ef 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer/Limitation.php
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Model/ResourceModel/Optimizer/Limitation.php
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ private function getApplicationData($container, $column, $idValue)
             ->where($this->getConnection()->quoteInto("osc.search_container = ?", (string) $container))
             ->where(
                 $this->getConnection()->quoteInto(
-                    "osc.apply_to = 0 OR (osc.apply_to = 1 AND main_table.{$column} = ?)",
+                    "osc.apply_to = 0 OR (osc.apply_to = 1 AND main_table.{$column} = ?) OR
+                    (osc.apply_to = 2 AND main_table.{$column} != ?)",
                     (int) $idValue
                 )
             )
diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Ui/Component/Optimizer/Form/Modifier/Limitation.php b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Ui/Component/Optimizer/Form/Modifier/Limitation.php
index cebb431fa..6af32a2f8 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Ui/Component/Optimizer/Form/Modifier/Limitation.php
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/Ui/Component/Optimizer/Form/Modifier/Limitation.php
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ public function modifyData(array $data)
 
             $data[$optimizer->getId()]['search_container'] = array_keys($searchContainers);
 
-            $applyToCategories = (bool) ($searchContainers['catalog_view_container'] ?? false);
+            $applyToCategories = (int) ($searchContainers['catalog_view_container'] ?? 0);
             if ($applyToCategories) {
-                $containerData = ['apply_to' => (int) true];
+                $containerData = ['apply_to' => $applyToCategories];
                 $categoryIds   = $this->resource->getCategoryIdsByOptimizer($optimizer);
                 if (!empty($categoryIds)) {
                     $containerData['category_ids'] = $categoryIds;
diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/en_US.csv b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/en_US.csv
index c0ec104a1..f4969c714 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/en_US.csv
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/en_US.csv
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ Actions,Actions
 Cancel,Cancel
 "Add Selected Terms","Add Selected Terms"
 "Category Product View","Category Product View"
-"All Categories","All Categories"
+"All Categories","All categories"
 "Selected categories","Selected categories"
+"All except selected categories","All except selected categories"
 "Apply to categories","Apply to categories"
 Configuration,Configuration
 "Boost value (%)","Boost value (%)"
diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/fr_FR.csv b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/fr_FR.csv
index c16b9e8d3..5c7511b56 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/fr_FR.csv
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/i18n/fr_FR.csv
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ Cancel,Annuler
 "Category Product View","Navigation Catalogue"
 "All Categories","Toutes les catégories"
 "Selected categories","Catégories sélectionnées"
+"All except selected categories","Toutes les catégories sauf celles sélectionnées"
 "Apply to categories","Appliquer aux catégories"
 Configuration,Configuration
 "Boost value (%)","Valeur du boost (%)"
diff --git a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/view/adminhtml/ui_component/smile_elasticsuite_catalog_optimizer_form.xml b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/view/adminhtml/ui_component/smile_elasticsuite_catalog_optimizer_form.xml
index e9bee3fe9..559a100e7 100644
--- a/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/view/adminhtml/ui_component/smile_elasticsuite_catalog_optimizer_form.xml
+++ b/src/module-elasticsuite-catalog-optimizer/view/adminhtml/ui_component/smile_elasticsuite_catalog_optimizer_form.xml
@@ -565,6 +565,10 @@
                         <item name="value" xsi:type="number">1</item>
                         <item name="label" xsi:type="string" translate="true">Selected categories</item>
                     </item>
+                    <item name="2" xsi:type="array">
+                        <item name="value" xsi:type="number">2</item>
+                        <item name="label" xsi:type="string" translate="true">All except selected categories</item>
+                    </item>
                 </item>
                 <item name="config" xsi:type="array">
                     <item name="dataType" xsi:type="string">text</item>
@@ -596,6 +600,15 @@
                                 </action>
                             </actions>
                         </rule>
+                        <rule name="2">
+                            <value>2</value>
+                            <actions>
+                                <action name="0">
+                                    <target>smile_elasticsuite_catalog_optimizer_form.smile_elasticsuite_catalog_optimizer_form.catalog_view_container.category_ids</target>
+                                    <callback>show</callback>
+                                </action>
+                            </actions>
+                        </rule>
                     </rules>
                     <enabled>true</enabled>
                 </switcherConfig>