diff --git a/.changeset/feed10f9.md b/.changeset/feed10f9.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9372e0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/feed10f9.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+bump: patch
+---
+
+Add a built-in Settings window for visual config (animations and live previews) with live apply.
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift
index c51c031..8351675 100644
--- a/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/Config.swift
@@ -29,6 +29,224 @@ struct Config: Codable {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Patch top-level keys in the existing config file in-place, preserving
+    /// comments, key order, and formatting. Each value is written as the
+    /// literal JSON token in `updates` (e.g. `"true"`, `"false"`, `"null"`).
+    /// If the file is missing or unreadable, falls back to writing the
+    /// template + the requested updates.
+    static func patchOnDisk(_ updates: [(key: String, value: String)]) throws {
+        let dir = fileURL.deletingLastPathComponent()
+        try FileManager.default.createDirectory(at: dir, withIntermediateDirectories: true)
+
+        let existing = (try? String(contentsOf: fileURL, encoding: .utf8))
+        var text = existing ?? Self.template()
+
+        for (key, valueLiteral) in updates {
+            text = patch(text: text, key: key, valueLiteral: valueLiteral)
+        }
+        try text.write(to: fileURL, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)
+    }
+
+    /// Replace the value of `key` at the root object's top level. Inserts
+    /// the key before the closing `}` if it doesn't exist.
+    static func patch(text: String, key: String, valueLiteral: String) -> String {
+        if let range = topLevelValueRange(in: text, key: key) {
+            return text.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: valueLiteral)
+        }
+        return insertTopLevelKey(text: text, key: key, valueLiteral: valueLiteral)
+    }
+
+    /// Locate the value range for a top-level `"key": <value>` pair.
+    /// Range covers the value text only, excluding trailing comma/whitespace.
+    private static func topLevelValueRange(in text: String, key: String) -> Range<String.Index>? {
+        var i = text.startIndex
+        var depth = 0
+        var inString = false
+        var escape = false
+
+        while i < text.endIndex {
+            let c = text[i]
+            if escape { escape = false; i = text.index(after: i); continue }
+            if inString {
+                if c == "\\" { escape = true }
+                else if c == "\"" { inString = false }
+                i = text.index(after: i); continue
+            }
+            if c == "/" {
+                let n = text.index(after: i)
+                if n < text.endIndex && text[n] == "/" {
+                    while i < text.endIndex && text[i] != "\n" { i = text.index(after: i) }
+                    continue
+                }
+            }
+            if c == "\"" {
+                let keyOpen = text.index(after: i)
+                var j = keyOpen
+                var localEscape = false
+                while j < text.endIndex {
+                    let cc = text[j]
+                    if localEscape { localEscape = false; j = text.index(after: j); continue }
+                    if cc == "\\" { localEscape = true; j = text.index(after: j); continue }
+                    if cc == "\"" { break }
+                    j = text.index(after: j)
+                }
+                let keyClose = j
+                let next = j < text.endIndex ? text.index(after: j) : j
+
+                if depth == 1 {
+                    let keyText = String(text[keyOpen..<keyClose])
+                    if keyText == key,
+                       let valueRange = valueRangeAfterColon(in: text, from: next) {
+                        return valueRange
+                    }
+                }
+                i = next
+                continue
+            }
+            if c == "{" || c == "[" { depth += 1 }
+            else if c == "}" || c == "]" { depth -= 1 }
+            i = text.index(after: i)
+        }
+        return nil
+    }
+
+    private static func valueRangeAfterColon(in text: String, from start: String.Index) -> Range<String.Index>? {
+        var i = start
+        while i < text.endIndex && text[i].isWhitespace { i = text.index(after: i) }
+        guard i < text.endIndex, text[i] == ":" else { return nil }
+        i = text.index(after: i)
+        while i < text.endIndex && text[i].isWhitespace { i = text.index(after: i) }
+        let valueStart = i
+
+        var depth = 0
+        var inString = false
+        var escape = false
+        while i < text.endIndex {
+            let c = text[i]
+            if escape { escape = false; i = text.index(after: i); continue }
+            if inString {
+                if c == "\\" { escape = true }
+                else if c == "\"" { inString = false }
+                i = text.index(after: i); continue
+            }
+            if c == "\"" { inString = true; i = text.index(after: i); continue }
+            if c == "/" {
+                let n = text.index(after: i)
+                if n < text.endIndex && text[n] == "/" {
+                    while i < text.endIndex && text[i] != "\n" { i = text.index(after: i) }
+                    continue
+                }
+            }
+            if c == "{" || c == "[" { depth += 1; i = text.index(after: i); continue }
+            if c == "}" || c == "]" {
+                if depth == 0 { break }
+                depth -= 1; i = text.index(after: i); continue
+            }
+            if depth == 0 && c == "," { break }
+            i = text.index(after: i)
+        }
+        var valueEnd = i
+        while valueEnd > valueStart {
+            let prev = text.index(before: valueEnd)
+            if text[prev].isWhitespace { valueEnd = prev } else { break }
+        }
+        return valueStart..<valueEnd
+    }
+
+    /// Insert a new top-level key just before the root object's closing `}`.
+    private static func insertTopLevelKey(text: String, key: String, valueLiteral: String) -> String {
+        var lastTopBraceClose: String.Index?
+        var i = text.startIndex
+        var depth = 0
+        var inString = false
+        var escape = false
+        while i < text.endIndex {
+            let c = text[i]
+            if escape { escape = false; i = text.index(after: i); continue }
+            if inString {
+                if c == "\\" { escape = true }
+                else if c == "\"" { inString = false }
+                i = text.index(after: i); continue
+            }
+            if c == "/" {
+                let n = text.index(after: i)
+                if n < text.endIndex && text[n] == "/" {
+                    while i < text.endIndex && text[i] != "\n" { i = text.index(after: i) }
+                    continue
+                }
+            }
+            if c == "\"" { inString = true; i = text.index(after: i); continue }
+            if c == "{" || c == "[" { depth += 1 }
+            else if c == "}" || c == "]" {
+                if depth == 1 && c == "}" { lastTopBraceClose = i }
+                depth -= 1
+            }
+            i = text.index(after: i)
+        }
+        guard let close = lastTopBraceClose else { return text }
+
+        // Find indent of the closing brace's line.
+        var lineStart = close
+        while lineStart > text.startIndex {
+            let prev = text.index(before: lineStart)
+            if text[prev] == "\n" { break }
+            lineStart = prev
+        }
+        let indent = String(text[lineStart..<close])
+
+        // Walk back past whitespace/comments to find the previous non-comment, non-whitespace char.
+        // If it's not `,` and not `{`, we need to add a comma to the previous entry.
+        var scan = close
+        var needsTrailingCommaOnPrev = false
+        var sawNonSpace = false
+        while scan > text.startIndex {
+            let prev = text.index(before: scan)
+            let pc = text[prev]
+            if pc == "\n" || pc == " " || pc == "\t" {
+                scan = prev; continue
+            }
+            // Walk back over a `// ...` line comment trailing on the same line.
+            if pc == "\n" { scan = prev; continue }
+            // Detect comment: walk to start of line, see if it begins with //.
+            var ls = prev
+            while ls > text.startIndex {
+                let p2 = text.index(before: ls)
+                if text[p2] == "\n" { break }
+                ls = p2
+            }
+            let line = text[ls...prev]
+            if let slash = line.firstIndex(of: "/"),
+               text.index(after: slash) <= prev,
+               text[slash] == "/", text[text.index(after: slash)] == "/" {
+                scan = ls
+                continue
+            }
+            sawNonSpace = true
+            if pc != "," && pc != "{" {
+                needsTrailingCommaOnPrev = true
+            }
+            break
+        }
+        _ = sawNonSpace
+
+        let entry = "\(indent)  \"\(key)\": \(valueLiteral)"
+        var output = text
+        if needsTrailingCommaOnPrev {
+            // Insert "," at `scan` (right after the last non-ws/comment char).
+            output.insert(",", at: scan)
+        }
+        // Recompute close index after potential insert.
+        let newClose = needsTrailingCommaOnPrev ? output.index(close, offsetBy: 1) : close
+        var lineStart2 = newClose
+        while lineStart2 > output.startIndex {
+            let prev = output.index(before: lineStart2)
+            if output[prev] == "\n" { break }
+            lineStart2 = prev
+        }
+        output.insert(contentsOf: entry + "\n", at: lineStart2)
+        return output
+    }
+
     static func ensureExists() throws -> URL {
         let dir = fileURL.deletingLastPathComponent()
         try FileManager.default.createDirectory(at: dir, withIntermediateDirectories: true)
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/Overlay.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/Overlay.swift
index 5ffdba7..e381414 100644
--- a/Sources/cmdcmd/Overlay.swift
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/Overlay.swift
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@ final class Overlay {
     private var showIgnored: Bool = false
     private var dragState: DragState?
     private let tracker: SpaceTracker
-    private let config: Config
+    private var config: Config
+
+    func updateConfig(_ config: Config) {
+        self.config = config
+    }
 
     private var displayKey: String = "main"
     private var activeScreen: NSScreen?
@@ -202,6 +206,7 @@ final class Overlay {
 
     private func startActivityTimer() {
         activityTimer?.invalidate()
+        guard config.livePreviewsEnabled else { return }
         activityTimer = Timer.scheduledTimer(withTimeInterval: 0.15, repeats: true) { [weak self] _ in
             guard let self else { return }
             let now = CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent()
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/SettingsWindow.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/SettingsWindow.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a985207
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/SettingsWindow.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import AppKit
+import SwiftUI
+
+final class SettingsWindowController: NSWindowController {
+    private let model: SettingsModel
+    var onSave: ((Config) -> Void)? {
+        get { model.onSave }
+        set { model.onSave = newValue }
+    }
+
+    init(config: Config) {
+        model = SettingsModel(config: config)
+        let window = NSWindow(
+            contentRect: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 460, height: 320),
+            styleMask: [.titled, .closable, .miniaturizable],
+            backing: .buffered,
+            defer: false
+        )
+        window.title = "cmdcmd Settings"
+        window.isReleasedWhenClosed = false
+        window.center()
+        window.contentView = NSHostingView(rootView: SettingsRootView(model: model))
+        super.init(window: window)
+    }
+
+    required init?(coder: NSCoder) { nil }
+}
+
+private final class SettingsModel: ObservableObject {
+    @Published var animations: Bool { didSet { save() } }
+    @Published var livePreviews: Bool { didSet { save() } }
+    private var base: Config
+    @Published var status: String = ""
+    var onSave: ((Config) -> Void)?
+
+    init(config: Config) {
+        animations = config.animations
+        livePreviews = config.livePreviewsEnabled
+        base = config
+    }
+
+    func save() {
+        var config = base
+        config.animations = animations
+        config.livePreviews = livePreviews
+        do {
+            try Config.patchOnDisk([
+                ("animations", animations ? "true" : "false"),
+                ("livePreviews", livePreviews ? "true" : "false"),
+            ])
+            base = config
+            onSave?(config)
+            status = "Saved"
+        } catch {
+            status = "Save failed: \(error.localizedDescription)"
+            Log.write("settings save failed: \(error)")
+        }
+    }
+
+    func openConfig() {
+        do {
+            let url = try Config.ensureExists()
+            NSWorkspace.shared.open(url)
+        } catch {
+            status = "Open failed: \(error.localizedDescription)"
+            Log.write("openConfig failed: \(error)")
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+private struct SettingsRootView: View {
+    @ObservedObject var model: SettingsModel
+
+    var body: some View {
+        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 18) {
+            Text("cmdcmd")
+                .font(.system(size: 22, weight: .semibold))
+
+            Toggle(isOn: $model.animations) {
+                VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {
+                    Text("Animations").font(.system(size: 13, weight: .medium))
+                    Text("Smooth open, pick, and peek transitions.")
+                        .font(.caption)
+                        .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                }
+            }
+            .toggleStyle(.switch)
+
+            Toggle(isOn: $model.livePreviews) {
+                VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {
+                    Text("Live previews").font(.system(size: 13, weight: .medium))
+                    Text("Stream live frames per tile. Off uses static screenshots — lighter with many windows.")
+                        .font(.caption)
+                        .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                }
+            }
+            .toggleStyle(.switch)
+
+            Spacer(minLength: 0)
+
+            HStack(spacing: 10) {
+                Button("Open Config…") { model.openConfig() }
+                Spacer()
+                Text(model.status)
+                    .font(.caption)
+                    .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                    .lineLimit(1)
+            }
+        }
+        .padding(24)
+        .frame(minWidth: 420, minHeight: 280)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift
index 05f0a87..414c428 100644
--- a/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/main.swift
@@ -26,8 +26,14 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         userDriverDelegate: nil
     )
 
+    var settingsFactory: (() -> SettingsWindowController)?
+    private var settingsController: SettingsWindowController?
+
     func applicationDockMenu(_ sender: NSApplication) -> NSMenu? {
         let menu = NSMenu()
+        let settingsItem = NSMenuItem(title: "Settings…", action: #selector(openSettings), keyEquivalent: "")
+        settingsItem.target = self
+        menu.addItem(settingsItem)
         let openItem = NSMenuItem(title: "Open Config…", action: #selector(openConfig), keyEquivalent: "")
         openItem.target = self
         menu.addItem(openItem)
@@ -39,6 +45,18 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         return menu
     }
 
+    func applicationShouldHandleReopen(_ sender: NSApplication, hasVisibleWindows flag: Bool) -> Bool {
+        if !flag { openSettings() }
+        return true
+    }
+
+    @objc func openSettings() {
+        let controller = settingsController ?? settingsFactory?()
+        settingsController = controller
+        controller?.showWindow(nil)
+        NSApp.activate(ignoringOtherApps: true)
+    }
+
     @objc func openConfig() {
         do {
             let url = try Config.ensureExists()
@@ -54,11 +72,20 @@ app.delegate = appDelegate
 app.finishLaunching()
 
 _ = try? Config.ensureExists()
-let appConfig = Config.load()
+var appConfig = Config.load()
 let tracker = SpaceTracker()
 let overlay = Overlay(tracker: tracker, config: appConfig)
 var trigger: AnyObject?
 
+appDelegate.settingsFactory = {
+    let controller = SettingsWindowController(config: appConfig)
+    controller.onSave = { newConfig in
+        appConfig = newConfig
+        overlay.updateConfig(newConfig)
+    }
+    return controller
+}
+
 func startApp() {
     Task {
         _ = try? await SCShareableContent.current