diff --git a/dash-frontend/src/frontend.rs b/dash-frontend/src/frontend.rs
index 48cdb69..3370ae7 100644
--- a/dash-frontend/src/frontend.rs
+++ b/dash-frontend/src/frontend.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub struct Frontend {
 	pub layout: RcLayout,
 	globals: WguiGlobals,
 
-	pub settings: settings::Settings,
+	pub settings: Box<dyn settings::SettingsIO>,
 
 	#[allow(dead_code)]
 	state: ParserState,
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ pub struct Frontend {
 }
 
 pub struct InitParams {
-	pub settings: settings::Settings,
+	pub settings: Box<dyn settings::SettingsIO>,
 }
 
 pub type RcFrontend = Rc<RefCell<Frontend>>;
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ impl Frontend {
 			let hours = now.hour();
 			let minutes = now.minute();
 
-			let text: String = if !self.settings.general.am_pm_clock {
+			let text: String = if !self.settings.get().general.am_pm_clock {
 				format!("{hours:02}:{minutes:02}")
 			} else {
 				let hours_ampm = (hours + 11) % 12 + 1;
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ impl Frontend {
 			anyhow::bail!("");
 		};
 
-		let (alpha1, alpha2) = if !self.settings.general.opaque_background {
+		let (alpha1, alpha2) = if !self.settings.get().general.opaque_background {
 			(0.8666, 0.9333)
 		} else {
 			(1.0, 1.0)
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ impl Frontend {
 			layout: &mut layout,
 			parent_id: widget_content.id,
 			frontend: rc_this,
-			settings: &mut self.settings,
+			settings: &mut self.settings.get_mut(),
 		};
 
 		let tab: Box<dyn Tab> = match tab_type {
diff --git a/dash-frontend/src/settings.rs b/dash-frontend/src/settings.rs
index ef8425d..d4e2402 100644
--- a/dash-frontend/src/settings.rs
+++ b/dash-frontend/src/settings.rs
@@ -25,10 +25,18 @@ pub struct Settings {
 
 impl Settings {
 	pub fn save(&self) -> String {
-		serde_json::to_string(&self).unwrap() /* want panic */
+		serde_json::to_string_pretty(&self).unwrap() /* want panic */
 	}
 
 	pub fn load(input: &str) -> anyhow::Result<Settings> {
 		Ok(serde_json::from_str::<Settings>(input)?)
 	}
 }
+
+pub trait SettingsIO {
+	fn get_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Settings;
+	fn get(&self) -> &Settings;
+	fn save_to_disk(&mut self);
+	fn read_from_disk(&mut self);
+	fn mark_as_dirty(&mut self);
+}
diff --git a/dash-frontend/src/tab/settings.rs b/dash-frontend/src/tab/settings.rs
index 94eb53f..e312805 100644
--- a/dash-frontend/src/tab/settings.rs
+++ b/dash-frontend/src/tab/settings.rs
@@ -35,11 +35,14 @@ fn init_setting_checkbox(
 	let rc_frontend = params.frontend.clone();
 	checkbox.on_toggle(Box::new(move |_common, e| {
 		let mut frontend = rc_frontend.borrow_mut();
-		*fetch_callback(&mut frontend.settings) = e.checked;
+		*fetch_callback(frontend.settings.get_mut()) = e.checked;
 
 		if let Some(change_callback) = &change_callback {
 			change_callback(&mut frontend, e.checked);
 		}
+
+		frontend.settings.mark_as_dirty();
+
 		Ok(())
 	}));
 
diff --git a/uidev/src/testbed/testbed_dashboard.rs b/uidev/src/testbed/testbed_dashboard.rs
index ad9b79e..3f8d7a4 100644
--- a/uidev/src/testbed/testbed_dashboard.rs
+++ b/uidev/src/testbed/testbed_dashboard.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,56 @@
 use crate::testbed::{Testbed, TestbedUpdateParams};
-use dash_frontend::frontend;
+use dash_frontend::{
+	frontend,
+	settings::{self, SettingsIO},
+};
 use wgui::layout::RcLayout;
 
+struct SimpleSettingsIO {
+	settings: settings::Settings,
+}
+
+impl SimpleSettingsIO {
+	fn new() -> Self {
+		let mut res = Self {
+			settings: settings::Settings::default(),
+		};
+		res.read_from_disk();
+		res
+	}
+}
+
+// just a simple impl of a config io for dashboard frontend
+// use ~/.config later
+impl settings::SettingsIO for SimpleSettingsIO {
+	fn get_mut(&mut self) -> &mut settings::Settings {
+		&mut self.settings
+	}
+
+	fn get(&self) -> &dash_frontend::settings::Settings {
+		&self.settings
+	}
+
+	fn save_to_disk(&mut self) {
+		log::info!("saving settings");
+		let data = self.settings.save();
+		std::fs::write("/tmp/testbed_settings.json", data).unwrap();
+	}
+
+	fn read_from_disk(&mut self) {
+		log::info!("loading settings");
+		if let Ok(res) = std::fs::read("/tmp/testbed_settings.json") {
+			let data = String::from_utf8(res).unwrap();
+			self.settings = settings::Settings::load(&data).unwrap();
+		}
+	}
+
+	fn mark_as_dirty(&mut self) {
+		// just save it, at least for now
+		// save_to_disk should be called later in time or at exit, not instantly
+		self.save_to_disk();
+	}
+}
+
 pub struct TestbedDashboard {
 	layout: RcLayout,
 	frontend: frontend::RcFrontend,
@@ -9,8 +58,10 @@ pub struct TestbedDashboard {
 
 impl TestbedDashboard {
 	pub fn new() -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+		let settings = SimpleSettingsIO::new();
+
 		let (frontend, layout) = frontend::Frontend::new(frontend::InitParams {
-			settings: Default::default(),
+			settings: Box::new(settings),
 		})?;
 		Ok(Self { frontend, layout })
 	}