# Settings overview

Solo's settings control app appearance, notifications, hotkeys, the sidebar and workspaces, terminal behavior, agents, optional features such as Todos and Scratchpads, MCP and the local HTTP API, and your account — all in one place.

## Opening settings

You can open settings in several ways, including:

- Use the **Open settings** shortcut. It defaults to `Cmd+,` on macOS and `Ctrl+,` on Windows and Linux, and can be remapped or disabled under **Settings > Hotkeys**.
- On macOS, go to **Solo > Settings** in the [application menu](../command-palette/native-app-menus.md). Windows and Linux don't show an application menu.
- Open the [command palette](../command-palette/using.md) and search for “Settings.” The palette shortcut defaults to `Cmd+K` on macOS and `Ctrl+K` on Windows and Linux, and can also be remapped or disabled.
- Click **Settings** at the bottom of the sidebar when the [settings footer](./sidebar-settings.md#sidebar-footer) is visible.
- Right-click the workspace rail and choose **Manage workspaces…** to open **Settings > Workspaces**.
- In an agent terminal's MCP details, choose **Open MCP settings** to open **Settings > Integrations > MCP**.

Keyboard shortcuts depend on the current UI context; see [When shortcuts are active](../keyboard-shortcuts/default-reference.md#when-shortcuts-are-active) for overlay and Hotkeys-page restrictions.

Settings opens full screen inside the Solo window. A sidebar on the left lists its pages in groups, with a **Back** button at the top and your license status at the bottom.

## Settings pages

### General

| Page | What's inside |
|------|---------------|
| **Appearance** | [Theme](../appearance/themes.md), interface font family, and [interface font scale](../appearance/font-scale.md) |
| **Notifications** | Notification permission status, test notification flow, and [bell sound](../notifications/bell-sounds.md) |
| **Hotkeys** | Search, remap, disable, or reset [configurable shortcuts](../keyboard-shortcuts/customizing.md) |
| **Account** | [License](../account/activating-license.md) status, activation and deactivation, feedback, updates, app version, and acknowledgements |

### Workspace

| Page | What's inside |
|------|---------------|
| **Sidebar** | [Filter visibility](./sidebar-settings.md#filter-input-visibility), subgroup order, section header lines and counts, empty-section visibility for process sections, focus-on-open behavior, project and process stats thresholds, project header quick actions, and the settings footer |
| **Workspaces** | Workspace names, icons, colors, ordering, and deletion — see [Managing workspaces](../workspaces/managing-workspaces.md) |

### Terminal

| Page | What's inside |
|------|---------------|
| **Appearance** | [Terminal font](../appearance/font-settings.md) family, weights, size, line height, letter spacing, focus borders, and a live preview |
| **Behavior** | macOS [Option as Meta](../terminal/keyboard-input.md), [Copy on select](../terminal/basics.md), and scroll wheel speed for TUI apps |
| **Shells** | Default shell (Default execution profile on Windows) and [shell profiles](../environment/execution-profiles.md) |
| **Compatibility** | **Maximize compatibility for ssh and sudo** — see [Compatibility notes](../terminal/osc-kitty-protocol.md#compatibility-notes) |
| **Tools** | [Default editor, terminal, and browser](./tools-editors-terminals.md) for quick-open actions |

### Agents

| Page | What's inside |
|------|---------------|
| **Agent tools** | [Agent tool configuration](../agents/setting-up-tools.md), enabled state, [installation health](../agents/installation-health.md), and Solo MCP connection |
| **Names** | **Automatic renaming** for [agent names](../commands/renaming.md) |
| **Summaries** | [Auto-summarization](../agents/auto-summarization.md) |
| **Context pins** | Which [agent context pins](../terminal/context-pins.md) appear on agent terminals |
| **Timers** | Whether agents get [timer MCP tools](../mcp-tools/timers.md) |
| **Key-value** | Whether agents get [key-value MCP tools](../mcp-tools/key-value.md) |

### Features

| Page | What's inside |
|------|---------------|
| **Todos** | Turn [Todos](../todos/using-todos.md) on or off, open them, MCP enablement, sidebar visibility, empty-section visibility, and preview count |
| **Scratchpads** | Turn [Scratchpads](../scratchpads/using-scratchpads.md) on or off, open them, MCP enablement, sidebar visibility, empty-section visibility, and preview count |
| **Prompt templates** | Turn [prompt templates](../prompt-templates/overview.md) on or off, open them, and prompt template MCP tools |
| **Activity monitor** | Turn the [Activity monitor](../activity/activity-monitor.md) on or off, and open it |

### Integrations

| Page | What's inside |
|------|---------------|
| **MCP** | [MCP server](../integrations/mcp-server.md) enablement, agent client setup, and a summary of which feature tools are on, with an **Edit** link to each feature's page |
| **HTTP API & CLI** | The local [HTTP API](../integrations/http-api.md), which the [`solo` CLI](../cli/overview.md) needs, and its port |

## Turning features off

Each page under **Features** starts with an on/off switch named after the feature. All four are on by default.

Turning a feature off hides it throughout Solo — its sidebar section, menu items, command palette entries, links, and Back/Forward history — and keeps its data. Turning it back on restores everything. The switches stay in sync across open windows.

While Todos or Scratchpads are off, Solo MCP, the local HTTP API, and the `solo` CLI can't read or change them and return an error that names the setting to turn back on. Turning off prompt templates also removes their MCP tools.

## Navigating settings

Click a page in the settings sidebar to open it. With focus in Settings, the `Up` and `Down` arrow keys move to the previous or next page unless a dropdown has focus.

Click **Back** or press `Escape` to return to where you were. If a dismissible overlay is on top, `Escape` closes that overlay first; a non-dismissible overlay leaves Settings open. `Cmd+W` on macOS or `Ctrl+W` on Windows and Linux also closes Settings. When you open Settings again, it returns to the page you last used.

Most settings save immediately. A few fields show an explicit **Save** button, such as model text fields or port fields. The HTTP API port can only be changed while the HTTP API is disabled, and it takes effect the next time that server starts.

## Settings storage

Settings are saved locally on each device. They aren't shared via `solo.yml`.

## Resetting settings

If you need to reset specific settings or core app state, see [Resetting Settings](../troubleshooting/resetting-settings.md).

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Are you a human? Read this doc on the web: https://soloterm.com/docs/settings/overview