diff --git a/static/app.js b/static/app.js
index 32c72eb..a04c6d1 100644
--- a/static/app.js
+++ b/static/app.js
@@ -56,13 +56,28 @@
   const graphModalClose = document.getElementById("graphModalClose");
   const channelMap = new Map();
   const transcriptCache = new Map();
+  const SETTINGS_KEY = "tlc-search-settings";
+  const DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
+    channel: "",
+    year: "",
+    sort: "relevant",
+    size: "10",
+    exact: true,
+    fuzzy: true,
+    phrase: true,
+    external: false,
+    queryString: false,
+  };
+  let settings = loadSettings();
   let lastFocusBeforeModal = null;
   let pendingChannelSelection = "";
   let channelsReady = false;
-  let previousToggleState = { exact: true, fuzzy: true, phrase: true };
-  let currentPage =
-    parseInt(qs.get("page") || "0", 10) ||
-    0;
+  let previousToggleState = {
+    exact: settings.exact,
+    fuzzy: settings.fuzzy,
+    phrase: settings.phrase,
+  };
+  let currentPage = 0;
 
   function toggleAboutPanel(show) {
     if (!aboutPanel) return;
@@ -73,13 +88,6 @@
     }
   }
 
-  function parseBoolParam(name, defaultValue) {
-    const raw = qs.get(name);
-    if (raw === null) return defaultValue;
-    const lowered = raw.toLowerCase();
-    return !["0", "false", "no"].includes(lowered);
-  }
-
   function parseChannelParam(params) {
     if (!params) return "";
     const seen = new Set();
@@ -102,6 +110,69 @@
     return first || "";
   }
 
+  function loadSettings() {
+    try {
+      const raw = localStorage.getItem(SETTINGS_KEY);
+      if (!raw) return { ...DEFAULT_SETTINGS };
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+      return { ...DEFAULT_SETTINGS, ...parsed };
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.warn("Failed to load settings", err);
+      return { ...DEFAULT_SETTINGS };
+    }
+  }
+
+  function persistSettings() {
+    try {
+      localStorage.setItem(SETTINGS_KEY, JSON.stringify(settings));
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.warn("Failed to persist settings", err);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function applyStoredSettings() {
+    yearSel.value = settings.year || "";
+    sortSel.value = settings.sort || "relevant";
+    sizeSel.value = settings.size || "10";
+    exactToggle.checked = settings.exact;
+    fuzzyToggle.checked = settings.fuzzy;
+    phraseToggle.checked = settings.phrase;
+    if (externalToggle) {
+      externalToggle.checked = settings.external;
+    }
+    if (queryToggle) {
+      queryToggle.checked = settings.queryString;
+    }
+  }
+
+  function currentTogglePreferences() {
+    if (queryToggle && queryToggle.checked) {
+      return { ...previousToggleState };
+    }
+    return {
+      exact: !!exactToggle.checked,
+      fuzzy: !!fuzzyToggle.checked,
+      phrase: !!phraseToggle.checked,
+    };
+  }
+
+  function syncSettingsFromControls() {
+    const togglePrefs = currentTogglePreferences();
+    const next = {
+      ...settings,
+      channel: channelSelect ? channelSelect.value || "" : "",
+      year: yearSel.value || "",
+      sort: sortSel.value || "relevant",
+      size: sizeSel.value || "10",
+      external: externalToggle ? !!externalToggle.checked : false,
+      queryString: queryToggle ? !!queryToggle.checked : false,
+      ...togglePrefs,
+    };
+    settings = next;
+    persistSettings();
+    return settings;
+  }
+
   function getSelectedChannels() {
     if (!channelSelect) return [];
     const value = channelSelect.value;
@@ -130,20 +201,18 @@
 
   function setFromQuery() {
     qInput.value = qs.get("q") || "";
-    yearSel.value = qs.get("year") || "";
-    sortSel.value = qs.get("sort") || "relevant";
-    sizeSel.value = qs.get("size") || "10";
-    pendingChannelSelection = parseChannelParam(qs);
+    const urlChannel = parseChannelParam(qs);
+    if (urlChannel) {
+      pendingChannelSelection = urlChannel;
+      settings.channel = urlChannel;
+      persistSettings();
+    } else {
+      pendingChannelSelection = settings.channel || "";
+    }
+    applyStoredSettings();
     if (channelSelect) {
       channelSelect.value = pendingChannelSelection || "";
     }
-    exactToggle.checked = parseBoolParam("exact", true);
-    fuzzyToggle.checked = parseBoolParam("fuzzy", true);
-    phraseToggle.checked = parseBoolParam("phrase", true);
-    if (externalToggle) {
-      externalToggle.checked = parseBoolParam("external", false);
-    }
-    queryToggle.checked = parseBoolParam("query_string", false);
     applyQueryMode();
     rememberToggleState();
   }
@@ -157,6 +226,8 @@
           fuzzy: fuzzyToggle.checked,
           phrase: phraseToggle.checked,
         };
+        settings = { ...settings, ...previousToggleState };
+        persistSettings();
       }
       exactToggle.checked = false;
       fuzzyToggle.checked = false;
@@ -172,6 +243,8 @@
       fuzzyToggle.checked = previousToggleState.fuzzy;
       phraseToggle.checked = previousToggleState.phrase;
     }
+    settings.queryString = !!(queryToggle && queryToggle.checked);
+    persistSettings();
   }
 
   function rememberToggleState() {
@@ -181,6 +254,8 @@
         fuzzy: !!fuzzyToggle.checked,
         phrase: !!phraseToggle.checked,
       };
+      settings = { ...settings, ...previousToggleState };
+      persistSettings();
     }
   }
 
@@ -313,6 +388,8 @@
       } else {
         channelSelect.value = "";
       }
+      settings.channel = channelSelect.value || "";
+      persistSettings();
 
       channelsReady = true;
     } catch (err) {
@@ -322,25 +399,24 @@
     }
   }
 
-  function updateUrl(q, sort, channels, year, page, size, exact, fuzzy, phrase, queryMode, includeExternal) {
+  function updateUrl(q) {
     const next = new URL(window.location.href);
-    next.searchParams.set("q", q);
-    next.searchParams.set("sort", sort);
+    if (q) {
+      next.searchParams.set("q", q);
+    } else {
+      next.searchParams.delete("q");
+    }
+    next.searchParams.delete("page");
+    next.searchParams.delete("sort");
     next.searchParams.delete("channel_id");
     next.searchParams.delete("channel");
-    channels.forEach((id) => next.searchParams.append("channel_id", id));
-    if (year) {
-      next.searchParams.set("year", year);
-    } else {
-      next.searchParams.delete("year");
-    }
-    next.searchParams.set("page", page);
-    next.searchParams.set("size", size);
-    next.searchParams.set("exact", exact ? "1" : "0");
-    next.searchParams.set("fuzzy", fuzzy ? "1" : "0");
-    next.searchParams.set("phrase", phrase ? "1" : "0");
-    next.searchParams.set("query_string", queryMode ? "1" : "0");
-    next.searchParams.set("external", includeExternal ? "1" : "0");
+    next.searchParams.delete("year");
+    next.searchParams.delete("size");
+    next.searchParams.delete("exact");
+    next.searchParams.delete("fuzzy");
+    next.searchParams.delete("phrase");
+    next.searchParams.delete("query_string");
+    next.searchParams.delete("external");
     history.pushState({}, "", next.toString());
   }
 
@@ -1542,24 +1618,14 @@ async function updateFrequencyChart(term, channels, year, queryMode, toggles = {
         fuzzy,
         phrase,
       };
+      settings = { ...settings, ...previousToggleState };
+      persistSettings();
     }
     const page = pageOverride != null ? pageOverride : currentPage;
     currentPage = page;
 
     if (pushState) {
-      updateUrl(
-        q,
-        sort,
-        channels,
-        year,
-        page,
-        size,
-        exact,
-        fuzzy,
-        phrase,
-        queryMode,
-        includeExternal
-      );
+      updateUrl(q);
     }
 
     const params = new URLSearchParams();
@@ -1575,6 +1641,8 @@ async function updateFrequencyChart(term, channels, year, queryMode, toggles = {
     channels.forEach((id) => params.append("channel_id", id));
     if (year) params.set("year", year);
 
+    syncSettingsFromControls();
+
     const res = await fetch(`/api/search?${params.toString()}`);
     const payload = await res.json();
     renderResults(payload, page);
@@ -1598,31 +1666,39 @@ async function updateFrequencyChart(term, channels, year, queryMode, toggles = {
   if (channelSelect) {
     channelSelect.addEventListener("change", () => {
       pendingChannelSelection = channelSelect.value || "";
+      settings.channel = pendingChannelSelection;
+      persistSettings();
       if (channelsReady) {
         runSearch(0);
       }
     });
   }
-  yearSel.addEventListener("change", () => runSearch(0));
-  sortSel.addEventListener("change", () => runSearch(0));
-  sizeSel.addEventListener("change", () => runSearch(0));
-  exactToggle.addEventListener("change", () => { rememberToggleState(); runSearch(0); });
-  fuzzyToggle.addEventListener("change", () => { rememberToggleState(); runSearch(0); });
-  phraseToggle.addEventListener("change", () => { rememberToggleState(); runSearch(0); });
+  yearSel.addEventListener("change", () => { syncSettingsFromControls(); runSearch(0); });
+  sortSel.addEventListener("change", () => { syncSettingsFromControls(); runSearch(0); });
+  sizeSel.addEventListener("change", () => { syncSettingsFromControls(); runSearch(0); });
+  exactToggle.addEventListener("change", () => { rememberToggleState(); syncSettingsFromControls(); runSearch(0); });
+  fuzzyToggle.addEventListener("change", () => { rememberToggleState(); syncSettingsFromControls(); runSearch(0); });
+  phraseToggle.addEventListener("change", () => { rememberToggleState(); syncSettingsFromControls(); runSearch(0); });
   if (externalToggle) {
     externalToggle.addEventListener("change", () => {
       pendingChannelSelection = "";
+      settings.external = !!externalToggle.checked;
+      persistSettings();
       loadChannels().then(() => runSearch(0));
     });
   }
   if (queryToggle) {
-    queryToggle.addEventListener("change", () => { applyQueryMode(); runSearch(0); });
+    queryToggle.addEventListener("change", () => {
+      applyQueryMode();
+      syncSettingsFromControls();
+      runSearch(0);
+    });
   }
 
 window.addEventListener("popstate", () => {
     qs = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
     setFromQuery();
-    currentPage = parseInt(qs.get("page") || "0", 10) || 0;
+    currentPage = 0;
     runSearch(currentPage, false);
   });