diff --git a/src/components/App.vue b/src/components/App.vue
index 404e8c1..dd3c680 100644
--- a/src/components/App.vue
+++ b/src/components/App.vue
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 <script>
     import { mapState, mapActions } from 'pinia'
 
-    import { mapWritableState } from 'pinia'
+    import { mapWritableState, mapStores } from 'pinia'
     import { useHeynoteStore } from "../stores/heynote-store"
     import { useErrorStore } from "../stores/error-store"
+    import { useSettingsStore } from "../stores/settings-store"
 
     import { OPEN_SETTINGS_EVENT, SETTINGS_CHANGE_EVENT } from '@/src/common/constants'
 
@@ -30,9 +31,6 @@
 
         data() {
             return {
-                theme: window.heynote.themeMode.initial,
-                initialTheme: window.heynote.themeMode.initial,
-                themeSetting: 'system',
                 development: window.location.href.indexOf("dev=1") !== -1,
                 showSettings: false,
                 settings: window.heynote.settings,
@@ -40,30 +38,15 @@
         },
 
         mounted() {
-            window.heynote.themeMode.get().then((mode) => {
-                this.theme = mode.computed
-                this.themeSetting = mode.theme
-            })
-            const onThemeChange = (theme) => {
-                this.theme = theme
-                if (theme === "system") {
-                    document.documentElement.setAttribute("theme", window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches ? "dark" : "light")
-                } else {
-                    document.documentElement.setAttribute("theme", theme)
-                }
-            }
-            onThemeChange(window.heynote.themeMode.initial)
-            window.heynote.themeMode.onChange(onThemeChange)
-            window.heynote.mainProcess.on(SETTINGS_CHANGE_EVENT, (event, settings) => {
-                this.settings = settings
-            })
+            this.settingsStore.setUp()
+            
             window.heynote.mainProcess.on(OPEN_SETTINGS_EVENT, () => {
                 this.showSettings = true
             })
         },
 
         beforeUnmount() {
-            window.heynote.themeMode.removeListener()
+            this.settingsStore.tearDown()
         },
 
         watch: {
@@ -83,6 +66,7 @@
         },
 
         computed: {
+            ...mapStores(useSettingsStore),
             ...mapState(useHeynoteStore, [
                 "currentBufferPath",
                 "currentBufferName",
@@ -131,24 +115,6 @@
                 this.focusEditor()
             },
 
-            toggleTheme() {
-                let newTheme
-                // when the "system" theme is used, make sure that the first click always results in amn actual theme change
-                if (this.initialTheme === "light") {
-                    newTheme = this.themeSetting === "system" ? "dark" : (this.themeSetting === "dark" ? "light" : "system")
-                } else {
-                    newTheme = this.themeSetting === "system" ? "light" : (this.themeSetting === "light" ? "dark" : "system")
-                }
-                window.heynote.themeMode.set(newTheme)
-                this.themeSetting = newTheme
-                this.$refs.editor.focus()
-            },
-
-            setTheme(theme) {
-                window.heynote.themeMode.set(theme)
-                this.themeSetting = theme
-            },
-
             onSelectLanguage(language) {
                 this.closeDialog()
                 this.$refs.editor.setLanguage(language)
@@ -165,18 +131,9 @@
 <template>
     <div class="container">
         <Editor 
-            :theme="theme"
+            :theme="settingsStore.theme"
             :development="development"
             :debugSyntaxTree="false"
-            :keymap="settings.keymap"
-            :emacsMetaKey="settings.emacsMetaKey"
-            :showLineNumberGutter="settings.showLineNumberGutter"
-            :showFoldGutter="settings.showFoldGutter"
-            :bracketClosing="settings.bracketClosing"
-            :fontFamily="settings.fontFamily"
-            :fontSize="settings.fontSize"
-            :defaultBlockLanguage="settings.defaultBlockLanguage || 'text'"
-            :defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect="settings.defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect === undefined ? true : settings.defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect"
             :inert="editorInert"
             class="editor"
             ref="editor"
@@ -204,10 +161,10 @@
             />
             <Settings 
                 v-if="showSettings"
-                :initialSettings="settings"
-                :themeSetting="themeSetting"
+                :initialSettings="settingsStore.settings"
+                :themeSetting="settingsStore.themeSetting"
                 @closeSettings="closeSettings"
-                @setTheme="setTheme"
+                @setTheme="settingsStore.setTheme"
             />
             <NewBuffer 
                 v-if="showCreateBuffer"
diff --git a/src/components/Editor.vue b/src/components/Editor.vue
index 00aa384..7612654 100644
--- a/src/components/Editor.vue
+++ b/src/components/Editor.vue
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     import { HeynoteEditor } from '../editor/editor.js'
     import { syntaxTree } from "@codemirror/language"
     import { toRaw } from 'vue';
-    import { mapState, mapWritableState, mapActions } from 'pinia'
+    import { mapState, mapWritableState, mapActions, mapStores } from 'pinia'
     import { useErrorStore } from "../stores/error-store"
     import { useHeynoteStore } from "../stores/heynote-store.js"
     import { useEditorCacheStore } from "../stores/editor-cache"
@@ -12,33 +12,8 @@
 
     export default {
         props: {
-            theme: String,
             development: Boolean,
             debugSyntaxTree: Boolean,
-            keymap: {
-                type: String,
-                default: "default",
-            },
-            emacsMetaKey: {
-                type: String,
-                default: "alt",
-            },
-            showLineNumberGutter: {
-                type: Boolean,
-                default: true,
-            },
-            showFoldGutter: {
-                type: Boolean,
-                default: true,
-            },
-            bracketClosing: {
-                type: Boolean,
-                default: false,
-            },
-            fontFamily: String,
-            fontSize: Number,
-            defaultBlockLanguage: String,
-            defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect: Boolean,
         },
 
         components: {},
@@ -70,7 +45,9 @@
             
             window.heynote.mainProcess.on(WINDOW_CLOSE_EVENT, this.onWindowClose)
             window.heynote.mainProcess.on(REDO_EVENT, this.onRedo)
-            window.document.addEventListener("currenciesLoaded", this.onCurrenciesLoaded)
+
+            // initialize editorCacheStore (sets up watchers for settings changes, propagating them to all editors)
+            this.editorCacheStore.setUp();
 
             // if debugSyntaxTree prop is set, display syntax tree for debugging
             if (this.debugSyntaxTree) {
@@ -95,7 +72,7 @@
         beforeUnmount() {
             window.heynote.mainProcess.off(WINDOW_CLOSE_EVENT, this.onWindowClose)
             window.heynote.mainProcess.off(REDO_EVENT, this.onRedo)
-            window.document.removeEventListener("currenciesLoaded", this.onCurrenciesLoaded)
+            this.editorCacheStore.tearDown();
         },
 
         watch: {
@@ -103,66 +80,10 @@
                 //console.log("currentBufferPath changed to", path)
                 this.loadBuffer(this.currentBufferPath)
             },
-
-            theme(newTheme) {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setTheme(newTheme)
-                })
-            },
-
-            keymap() {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setKeymap(this.keymap, this.emacsMetaKey)
-                })
-            },
-
-            emacsMetaKey() {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setKeymap(this.keymap, this.emacsMetaKey)
-                })
-            },
-
-            showLineNumberGutter(show) {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setLineNumberGutter(show)
-                })
-            },
-
-            showFoldGutter(show) {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setFoldGutter(show)
-                })
-            },
-
-            bracketClosing(value) {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setBracketClosing(value)
-                })
-            },
-
-            fontFamily() {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setFont(this.fontFamily, this.fontSize)
-                })
-            },
-            fontSize() {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setFont(this.fontFamily, this.fontSize)
-                })
-            },
-            defaultBlockLanguage() {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setDefaultBlockLanguage(this.defaultBlockLanguage, this.defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect)
-                })
-            },
-            defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect() {
-                this.eachEditor(editor => {
-                    editor.setDefaultBlockLanguage(this.defaultBlockLanguage, this.defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect)
-                })
-            },
         },
 
         computed: {
+            ...mapStores(useEditorCacheStore),
             ...mapState(useHeynoteStore, [
                 "currentBufferPath",
                 "libraryId",
@@ -178,42 +99,21 @@
         },
 
         methods: {
-            ...mapActions(useErrorStore, ["addError"]),
-            ...mapActions(useEditorCacheStore, ["getEditor", "addEditor", "eachEditor"]),
-
             loadBuffer(path) {
                 //console.log("loadBuffer", path)
                 if (this.editor) {
                     this.editor.hide()
                 }
 
-                let cachedEditor = this.getEditor(path)
+                let cachedEditor = this.editorCacheStore.getEditor(path)
                 if (cachedEditor) {
                     //console.log("show cached editor")
                     this.editor = cachedEditor
                     toRaw(this.editor).show()
                 } else {
                     //console.log("create new editor")
-                    try {
-                        this.editor = new HeynoteEditor({
-                            element: this.$refs.editor,
-                            path: path,
-                            theme: this.theme,
-                            keymap: this.keymap,
-                            emacsMetaKey: this.emacsMetaKey,
-                            showLineNumberGutter: this.showLineNumberGutter,
-                            showFoldGutter: this.showFoldGutter,
-                            bracketClosing: this.bracketClosing,
-                            fontFamily: this.fontFamily,
-                            fontSize: this.fontSize,
-                            defaultBlockToken: this.defaultBlockLanguage,
-                            defaultBlockAutoDetect: this.defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect,
-                        })
-                    } catch (e) {
-                        this.addError("Error! " + e.message)
-                        throw e
-                    }
-                    this.addEditor(path, toRaw(this.editor))
+                    this.editor = this.editorCacheStore.createEditor(path, this.$refs.editor)
+                    this.editorCacheStore.addEditor(path, toRaw(this.editor))
                 }
 
                 this.currentEditor = toRaw(this.editor)
@@ -236,12 +136,6 @@
                 editor.focus()
             },
 
-            onCurrenciesLoaded() {
-                if (this.editor) {
-                    toRaw(this.editor).currenciesLoaded()
-                }
-            },
-
             focus() {
                 toRaw(this.editor).focus()
             },
diff --git a/src/editor/editor.js b/src/editor/editor.js
index a9c7457..69beb77 100644
--- a/src/editor/editor.js
+++ b/src/editor/editor.js
@@ -330,8 +330,8 @@ export class HeynoteEditor {
     }
 
     setDefaultBlockLanguage(token, autoDetect) {
-        this.defaultBlockToken = token
-        this.defaultBlockAutoDetect = autoDetect
+        this.defaultBlockToken = token || "text"
+        this.defaultBlockAutoDetect = autoDetect === undefined ? true : autoDetect
     }
 
     formatCurrentBlock() {
diff --git a/src/stores/editor-cache.js b/src/stores/editor-cache.js
index a8b41e9..ec6b052 100644
--- a/src/stores/editor-cache.js
+++ b/src/stores/editor-cache.js
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-import { toRaw } from 'vue';
+import { toRaw, watch } from 'vue';
 import { defineStore } from "pinia"
 import { NoteFormat } from "../common/note-format"
 
+import { useSettingsStore } from './settings-store'
+import { useErrorStore } from './error-store'
+import { HeynoteEditor } from '../editor/editor'
+
 const NUM_EDITOR_INSTANCES = 5
 
 export const useEditorCacheStore = defineStore("editorCache", {
@@ -9,10 +13,36 @@ export const useEditorCacheStore = defineStore("editorCache", {
         editorCache: {
             lru: [],
             cache: {},
+            watchHandler: null,
+            themeWatchHandler: null,
         },
     }),
 
     actions: {
+        createEditor(path, element) {
+            const settingsStore = useSettingsStore()
+            const errorStore = useErrorStore()
+            try {
+                return new HeynoteEditor({
+                    element: element,
+                    path: path,
+                    theme: settingsStore.theme,
+                    keymap: settingsStore.settings.keymap,
+                    emacsMetaKey: settingsStore.settings.emacsMetaKey,
+                    showLineNumberGutter: settingsStore.settings.showLineNumberGutter,
+                    showFoldGutter: settingsStore.settings.showFoldGutter,
+                    bracketClosing: settingsStore.settings.bracketClosing,
+                    fontFamily: settingsStore.settings.fontFamily,
+                    fontSize: settingsStore.settings.fontSize,
+                    defaultBlockToken: settingsStore.settings.defaultBlockLanguage,
+                    defaultBlockAutoDetect: settingsStore.settings.defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect,
+                })
+            } catch (e) {
+                errorStore.addError("Error! " + e.message)
+                throw e
+            }
+        },
+
         getEditor(path) {
             // move to end of LRU
             this.editorCache.lru = this.editorCache.lru.filter(p => p !== path)
@@ -53,5 +83,66 @@ export const useEditorCacheStore = defineStore("editorCache", {
             this.editorCache.cache = {}
             this.editorCache.lru = []
         },
+
+        onCurrenciesLoaded() {
+            this.eachEditor((editor) => {
+                editor.currenciesLoaded()
+            })
+        },
+
+        setUp() {
+            const settingsStore = useSettingsStore()
+            this.watchHandler = watch(() => settingsStore.settings, (newSettings, oldSettings) => {
+                //console.log("Settings changed (watch)", newSettings, oldSettings)
+                const changedKeys = Object.keys(newSettings).filter(key => newSettings[key] !== oldSettings[key])
+
+                for (const key of changedKeys) {
+                    this.eachEditor((editor) => {
+                        switch (key) {
+                            case "keymap":
+                            case "emacsMetaKey":
+                                editor.setKeymap(newSettings.keymap, newSettings.emacsMetaKey)
+                                break
+                            case "showLineNumberGutter":
+                                editor.setLineNumberGutter(newSettings.showLineNumberGutter)
+                                break
+                            case "showFoldGutter":
+                                editor.setFoldGutter(newSettings.showFoldGutter)
+                                break
+                            case "bracketClosing":
+                                editor.setBracketClosing(newSettings.bracketClosing)
+                                break
+                            case "fontFamily":
+                            case "fontSize":
+                                editor.setFont(newSettings.fontFamily, newSettings.fontSize)
+                                break
+                            case "defaultBlockLanguage":
+                            case "defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect":
+                                editor.setDefaultBlockLanguage(newSettings.defaultBlockLanguage, newSettings.defaultBlockLanguageAutoDetect)
+                                break
+                        }
+                    })
+                }
+            })
+
+            this.themeWatchHandler = watch(() => settingsStore.theme, (theme) => {
+                this.eachEditor((editor) => {
+                    editor.setTheme(theme)
+                })
+            })
+
+            window.document.addEventListener("currenciesLoaded", this.onCurrenciesLoaded)
+        },
+
+        tearDown() {
+            if (this.watchHandler) {
+                this.watchHandler()
+            }
+            if (this.themeWatchHandler) {
+                this.themeWatchHandler()
+            }
+
+            window.document.removeEventListener("currenciesLoaded", this.onCurrenciesLoaded)
+        },
     },
 })
diff --git a/src/stores/settings-store.js b/src/stores/settings-store.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b91697
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/stores/settings-store.js
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import { defineStore } from "pinia"
+
+import { SETTINGS_CHANGE_EVENT } from '@/src/common/constants'
+
+export const useSettingsStore = defineStore("settings", {
+    state: () => {
+        return {
+            settings: window.heynote.settings,
+            themeSetting: "system",
+            theme: window.heynote.themeMode.initial,
+        }
+    },
+
+    actions: {
+        onSettingsChange(settings) {
+            this.settings = settings
+        },
+
+        setTheme(theme) {
+            window.heynote.themeMode.set(theme)
+            this.themeSetting = theme
+        },
+
+        setUp() {
+            window.heynote.mainProcess.on(SETTINGS_CHANGE_EVENT, (event, settings) => {
+                this.onSettingsChange(settings)
+            })
+
+            window.heynote.themeMode.get().then((mode) => {
+                this.theme = mode.computed
+                this.themeSetting = mode.theme
+            })
+            const onThemeChange = (theme) => {
+                this.theme = theme
+                if (theme === "system") {
+                    document.documentElement.setAttribute("theme", window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches ? "dark" : "light")
+                } else {
+                    document.documentElement.setAttribute("theme", theme)
+                }
+            }
+            onThemeChange(window.heynote.themeMode.initial)
+            window.heynote.themeMode.onChange(onThemeChange)
+        },
+
+        tearDown() {
+            window.heynote.themeMode.removeListener()
+        }
+    },
+})