Preferences
User preferences for the editor — values that aren't part of any project but configure how the app behaves overall. Stored in localStorage so they survive reloads but stay browser-local.
Where to find it
Top bar → SlidersHorizontal icon (between Keyboard and Settings).
What's in there
Autosave & backups
| Setting | Default | Range | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autosave debounce | 1500 ms | 250–10000 ms | Delay after the last edit before writing the autosave. Lower = more responsive after refresh; higher = better performance on big projects. |
| Auto-backup interval | 10 min | 0 (off) – 60 min | How often a rolling backup is taken during editing. |
Both apply immediately — no reload needed.
New project defaults
| Setting | Default | What |
|---|---|---|
| Default width | 32 | Canvas width pre-filled in the New Project dialog. |
| Default height | 32 | Canvas height pre-filled in the New Project dialog. |
| Default palette | DB16 | Palette preset pre-selected in the New Project dialog. |
Display
| Setting | Default | What |
|---|---|---|
| Display language | Browser | English or Español. Auto-detected from the browser on first launch; switching applies instantly. |
| Theme | System | Light / Dark / System. Auto-tracks the OS preference when set to System. |
There's also a quick theme switcher in the avatar menu (top-right of the top bar) — three buttons for Sun / Moon / Monitor that write to the same preference.
Behavior
| Setting | Default | What |
|---|---|---|
| Accept image drops on canvas | on | When on, dropping an image file adds it as a reference image. Off ignores drops. |
| Confirm before destructive operations | on | Show a confirmation dialog before deleting frames, layers, or other content with unsaved changes. |
| Open New Project dialog on first launch | off | When on, the editor prompts for canvas size + palette the first time you open it instead of creating a default 32×32 project. |
Reset to defaults
Bottom-left of the dialog. Confirms first.
Storage
Preferences live in localStorage under the key motestack:preferences (with the display language separately under motestack:language, since i18next manages it directly). Clearing browser storage resets them. They are:
- Browser-local — not synced across devices.
- Project-agnostic — same preferences across all projects.
- Not exported in
.mstack— a teammate opening your project gets their own preferences.
Related
- Project backups — preferences control how often auto-backups run
- Workspace presets — different concept (project-state snapshots, not editor settings)
- Keyboard shortcuts — also customisable, separate dialog