diff --git a/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1 b/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1
index 0f5f8234..c85e5c90 100644
--- a/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1
+++ b/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1
@@ -8,20 +8,14 @@ function Invoke-WinutilThemeChange {
         modifying various UI elements such as colors, margins, corner radii, font families, etc.
         If the '-init' switch is used, it initializes the theme based on the system's current dark mode setting.
 
-    .PARAMETER init
-        A switch parameter. If set to $true, the function initializes the theme based on the system’s current dark mode setting.
-
     .EXAMPLE
         Invoke-WinutilThemeChange
         # Toggles the theme between 'Light' and 'Dark'.
 
-    .EXAMPLE
-        Invoke-WinutilThemeChange -init
-        # Initializes the theme based on the system's dark mode and applies the shared theme.
+
     #>
     param (
-        [switch]$init = $false,
-        [string]$theme
+        [string]$theme = "Auto"
     )
 
     function Set-WinutilTheme {
@@ -129,48 +123,30 @@ function Invoke-WinutilThemeChange {
         }
     }
 
-    $LightPreferencePath = "$winutildir\LightTheme.ini"
-    $DarkPreferencePath = "$winutildir\DarkTheme.ini"
+    $sync.preferences.theme = $theme
+    Set-Preferences -save
+    Set-WinutilTheme -currentTheme "shared"
 
-    if ($init) {
-        Set-WinutilTheme -currentTheme "shared"
-        if (Test-Path $LightPreferencePath) {
-            $theme = "Light"
-        }
-        elseif (Test-Path $DarkPreferencePath) {
-            $theme = "Dark"
-        }
-        else {
-            $theme = "Auto"
-        }
-    }
-
-    switch ($theme) {
+    switch ($sync.preferences.theme) {
         "Auto" {
             $systemUsesDarkMode = Get-WinUtilToggleStatus WPFToggleDarkMode
             if ($systemUsesDarkMode) {
-                Set-WinutilTheme  -currentTheme "Dark"
+                $theme = "Dark"
             }
             else{
-                Set-WinutilTheme  -currentTheme "Light"
+                $theme = "Light"
             }
 
-
+            Set-WinutilTheme -currentTheme $theme
             $themeButtonIcon = [char]0xF08C
-            Remove-Item $LightPreferencePath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
-            Remove-Item $DarkPreferencePath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
         }
         "Dark" {
-            Set-WinutilTheme  -currentTheme $theme
+            Set-WinutilTheme -currentTheme $sync.preferences.theme
             $themeButtonIcon = [char]0xE708
-            $null = New-Item $DarkPreferencePath -Force
-            Remove-Item $LightPreferencePath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
            }
         "Light" {
-            Set-WinutilTheme  -currentTheme $theme
+            Set-WinutilTheme -currentTheme $sync.preferences.theme
             $themeButtonIcon = [char]0xE706
-            $null = New-Item $LightPreferencePath -Force
-            Remove-Item $DarkPreferencePath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/functions/private/Set-PackageManagerPreference.ps1 b/functions/private/Set-PackageManagerPreference.ps1
deleted file mode 100644
index 54a7b7be..00000000
--- a/functions/private/Set-PackageManagerPreference.ps1
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-function Set-PackageManagerPreference {
-    <#
-    .SYNOPSIS
-        Sets the currently selected package manager to global "ManagerPreference" in sync.
-        Also persists preference across Winutil restarts via preference.ini.
-
-        Reads from preference.ini if no argument sent.
-
-    .PARAMETER preferredPackageManager
-        The PackageManager that was selected.
-    #>
-    param(
-        [Parameter(Position=0, Mandatory=$false)]
-        [PackageManagers]$preferredPackageManager
-    )
-
-    $preferencePath = "$winutildir\preferences.ini"
-    $oldChocoPath = "$winutildir\preferChocolatey.ini"
-
-    #Try loading from file if no argument given.
-    if ($null -eq $preferredPackageManager) {
-        # Backwards compat for preferChocolatey.ini
-        if (Test-Path -Path $oldChocoPath) {
-            $preferredPackageManager = [PackageManagers]::Choco
-            Remove-Item -Path $oldChocoPath
-        }
-        elseif (Test-Path -Path $preferencePath) {
-            $potential = Get-Content -Path $preferencePath -TotalCount 1
-            $preferredPackageManager = [PackageManagers]$potential
-        }
-        else {
-            Write-Debug "Creating new preference file, defaulting to winget."
-            $preferredPackageManager = [PackageManagers]::Winget
-        }
-    }
-
-    $sync["ManagerPreference"] = [PackageManagers]::$preferredPackageManager
-    Write-Debug "Manager Preference changed to '$($sync["ManagerPreference"])'"
-
-
-    # Write preference to file to persist across restarts.
-    Out-File -FilePath $preferencePath -InputObject $sync["ManagerPreference"]
-}
diff --git a/functions/private/Set-Preferences.ps1 b/functions/private/Set-Preferences.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..56338c53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/private/Set-Preferences.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+function Set-Preferences{
+
+    param(
+        [switch]$save=$false
+    )
+
+    # TODO delete this function sometime later
+    function Clean-OldPrefs{
+        if (Test-Path -Path "$winutildir\LightTheme.ini") {
+            $sync.preferences.theme = "Light"
+            Remove-Item -Path "$winutildir\LightTheme.ini"
+        }
+
+        if (Test-Path -Path "$winutildir\DarkTheme.ini") {
+            $sync.preferences.theme = "Dark"
+            Remove-Item -Path "$winutildir\DarkTheme.ini"
+        }
+
+        # check old prefs, if its first line has no =, then absorb it as pm
+        if (Test-Path -Path $iniPath) {
+            $oldPM = Get-Content $iniPath
+            if ($oldPM -notlike "*=*") {
+                $sync.preferences.packagemanager = $oldPM
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (Test-Path -Path "$winutildir\preferChocolatey.ini") {
+            $sync.preferences.packagemanager = "Choco"
+            Remove-Item -Path "$winutildir\preferChocolatey.ini"
+        }
+    }
+
+    function Save-Preferences{
+        $ini = ""
+        foreach($key in $sync.preferences.Keys) {
+            $pref = "$($key)=$($sync.preferences.$key)"
+            Write-Debug "Saving pref: $($pref)"
+            $ini = $ini + $pref + "`r`n"
+        }
+        $ini | Out-File $iniPath
+    }
+
+    function Load-Preferences{
+        Clean-OldPrefs
+        if (Test-Path -Path $iniPath) {
+            $iniData = Get-Content "$winutildir\preferences.ini"
+            foreach ($line in $iniData) {
+                if ($line -like "*=*") {
+                    $arr = $line -split "=",-2
+                    $key = $arr[0] -replace "\s",""
+                    $value = $arr[1] -replace "\s",""
+                    Write-Debug "Preference: Key = '$($key)' Value ='$($value)'"
+                    $sync.preferences.$key = $value
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        # write defaults in case preferences dont exist
+        if ($null -eq $sync.preferences.theme) {
+            $sync.preferences.theme = "Auto"
+        }
+        if ($null -eq $sync.preferences.packagemanager) {
+            $sync.preferences.packagemanager = "Winget"
+        }
+
+        # convert packagemanager to enum
+        if ($sync.preferences.packagemanager -eq "Choco") {
+            $sync.preferences.packagemanager = [PackageManagers]::Choco
+        }
+        elseif ($sync.preferences.packagemanager -eq "Winget") {
+            $sync.preferences.packagemanager = [PackageManagers]::Winget
+        }
+    }
+
+    $iniPath = "$winutildir\preferences.ini"
+
+    if ($save) {
+        Save-Preferences
+    }
+    else {
+        Load-Preferences
+    }
+}
diff --git a/functions/public/Invoke-WPFGetInstalled.ps1 b/functions/public/Invoke-WPFGetInstalled.ps1
index 34cc28d9..7b30a8cb 100644
--- a/functions/public/Invoke-WPFGetInstalled.ps1
+++ b/functions/public/Invoke-WPFGetInstalled.ps1
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function Invoke-WPFGetInstalled {
     if (($sync.ChocoRadioButton.IsChecked -eq $false) -and ((Test-WinUtilPackageManager -winget) -eq "not-installed") -and $checkbox -eq "winget") {
         return
     }
-    $managerPreference = $sync["ManagerPreference"]
+    $managerPreference = $sync.preferences.packagemanager
 
     Invoke-WPFRunspace -ParameterList @(("managerPreference", $managerPreference),("checkbox", $checkbox)) -ScriptBlock {
         param (
diff --git a/functions/public/Invoke-WPFInstall.ps1 b/functions/public/Invoke-WPFInstall.ps1
index 528af38e..1cea9baa 100644
--- a/functions/public/Invoke-WPFInstall.ps1
+++ b/functions/public/Invoke-WPFInstall.ps1
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function Invoke-WPFInstall {
         return
     }
 
-    $ManagerPreference = $sync["ManagerPreference"]
+    $ManagerPreference = $sync.preferences.packagemanager
 
     $handle = Invoke-WPFRunspace -ParameterList @(("PackagesToInstall", $PackagesToInstall),("ManagerPreference", $ManagerPreference)) -ScriptBlock {
         param($PackagesToInstall, $ManagerPreference)
diff --git a/functions/public/Invoke-WPFUnInstall.ps1 b/functions/public/Invoke-WPFUnInstall.ps1
index 308aadab..1110faea 100644
--- a/functions/public/Invoke-WPFUnInstall.ps1
+++ b/functions/public/Invoke-WPFUnInstall.ps1
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ function Invoke-WPFUnInstall {
 
     if($confirm -eq "No") {return}
 
-    $ManagerPreference = $sync["ManagerPreference"]
+    $ManagerPreference = $sync.preferences.packagemanager
 
     Invoke-WPFRunspace -ParameterList @(("PackagesToUninstall", $PackagesToUninstall),("ManagerPreference", $ManagerPreference)) -ScriptBlock {
         param($PackagesToUninstall, $ManagerPreference)
diff --git a/scripts/main.ps1 b/scripts/main.ps1
index 9353e8b9..5a51e4ba 100644
--- a/scripts/main.ps1
+++ b/scripts/main.ps1
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ $sync.configs.applications.PSObject.Properties | ForEach-Object {
     $sync.configs.applicationsHashtable[$_.Name] = $_.Value
 }
 
-Set-PackageManagerPreference
+Set-Preferences
 
 if ($PARAM_NOUI) {
     Show-CTTLogo
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ $sync.Form.Add_Loaded({
     })
 })
 
-Invoke-WinutilThemeChange -init $true
+Invoke-WinutilThemeChange -theme $sync.preferences.theme
 
 
 # Now call the function with the final merged config
@@ -177,10 +177,16 @@ Invoke-WPFUIElements -configVariable $sync.configs.feature -targetGridName "feat
 $xaml.SelectNodes("//*[@Name]") | ForEach-Object {$sync["$("$($psitem.Name)")"] = $sync["Form"].FindName($psitem.Name)}
 
 #Persist Package Manager preference across winutil restarts
-$sync.ChocoRadioButton.Add_Checked({Set-PackageManagerPreference Choco})
-$sync.WingetRadioButton.Add_Checked({Set-PackageManagerPreference Winget})
+$sync.ChocoRadioButton.Add_Checked({
+    $sync.preferences.packagemanager = [PackageManagers]::Choco
+    Set-Preferences -save
+})
+$sync.WingetRadioButton.Add_Checked({
+    $sync.preferences.packagemanager = [PackageManagers]::Winget
+    Set-Preferences -save
+})
 
-switch ($sync["ManagerPreference"]) {
+switch ($sync.preferences.packagemanager) {
     "Choco" {$sync.ChocoRadioButton.IsChecked = $true; break}
     "Winget" {$sync.WingetRadioButton.IsChecked = $true; break}
 }
diff --git a/scripts/start.ps1 b/scripts/start.ps1
index 1bd6c5b7..5cde60ed 100644
--- a/scripts/start.ps1
+++ b/scripts/start.ps1
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ $sync.PSScriptRoot = $PSScriptRoot
 $sync.version = "#{replaceme}"
 $sync.configs = @{}
 $sync.Buttons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[PSObject]]::new()
+$sync.preferences = @{}
 $sync.ProcessRunning = $false
 $sync.selectedApps = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
 $sync.selectedTweaks = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()