diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 8ae3fe4..5485019 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ set(META_APP_CATEGORIES "Utility")
 set(META_APP_AUTHOR "Martchus")
 set(META_APP_URL "https://github.com/${META_APP_AUTHOR}/${META_PROJECT_NAME}")
 set(META_APP_DESCRIPTION "A simple password store using AES-256-CBC encryption via OpenSSL")
+set(META_GUI_OPTIONAL true)
 set(META_VERSION_MAJOR 2)
 set(META_VERSION_MINOR 1)
 set(META_VERSION_PATCH 1)
@@ -113,11 +114,13 @@ set(REQUIRED_ICONS
     go-next
     qtcreator
     document-export
+    password-generate
 )
 
 # find c++utilities
 find_package(c++utilities 4.0.0 REQUIRED)
 use_cpp_utilities()
+include(BasicConfig)
 
 # find qtutilities
 if(WIDGETS_GUI OR QUICK_GUI)
@@ -130,7 +133,6 @@ find_package(passwordfile 3.1.0 REQUIRED)
 use_password_file()
 
 # include modules to apply configuration
-include(BasicConfig)
 if(WIDGETS_GUI OR QUICK_GUI)
     include(QtGuiConfig)
     include(QtConfig)
diff --git a/gui/initiatequi.cpp b/gui/initiatequi.cpp
index caf89f4..636f101 100644
--- a/gui/initiatequi.cpp
+++ b/gui/initiatequi.cpp
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@
 
 #include <qtutilities/resources/qtconfigarguments.h>
 #include <qtutilities/resources/resources.h>
+#include <qtutilities/settingsdialog/qtsettings.h>
 
-#include <QTextCodec>
 #include <QApplication>
-#include <QFile>
+#include <QSettings>
 
 using namespace ApplicationUtilities;
+using namespace Dialogs;
 
 namespace QtGui {
 
@@ -20,14 +21,18 @@ int runWidgetsGui(int argc, char *argv[], const QtConfigArguments &qtConfigArgs,
     SET_QT_APPLICATION_INFO;
     // init application
     QApplication a(argc, argv);
+    // restore Qt settings
+    QtSettings qtSettings;
+    QSettings settings(QSettings::IniFormat, QSettings::UserScope,  QApplication::organizationName(), QApplication::applicationName());
+    qtSettings.restore(settings);
+    qtSettings.apply();
     // load resources needed by classes of qtutilities
     QtUtilitiesResources::init();
     // apply settings specified via command line args
     qtConfigArgs.applySettings();
     LOAD_QT_TRANSLATIONS;
-    QTextCodec::setCodecForLocale(QTextCodec::codecForName("UTF-8"));
     // init widgets GUI
-    QtGui::MainWindow w;
+    MainWindow w(settings, &qtSettings);
     w.show();
     if(!file.isEmpty()) {
         w.openFile(file);
@@ -36,6 +41,8 @@ int runWidgetsGui(int argc, char *argv[], const QtConfigArguments &qtConfigArgs,
     int res = a.exec();
     // cleanup resources
     QtUtilitiesResources::cleanup();
+    // save Qt settings
+    qtSettings.save(settings);
     return res;
 }
 
diff --git a/gui/mainwindow.cpp b/gui/mainwindow.cpp
index 7c1cf7d..ea16100 100644
--- a/gui/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/gui/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 #include <qtutilities/misc/desktoputils.h>
 #include <qtutilities/misc/recentmenumanager.h>
 #include <qtutilities/aboutdialog/aboutdialog.h>
+#include <qtutilities/settingsdialog/settingsdialog.h>
+#include <qtutilities/settingsdialog/optioncategorymodel.h>
+#include <qtutilities/settingsdialog/qtsettings.h>
 
 #include <c++utilities/io/path.h>
 #include <c++utilities/io/catchiofailure.h>
@@ -107,11 +110,14 @@ void MainWindow::setSomethingChanged(bool somethingChanged)
 /*!
  * \brief Constructs a new main window.
  */
-MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) :
+MainWindow::MainWindow(QSettings &settings, Dialogs::QtSettings *qtSettings, QWidget *parent) :
     QMainWindow(parent),
     m_ui(new Ui::MainWindow),
     m_clearClipboardTimer(0),
-    m_aboutDlg(nullptr)
+    m_aboutDlg(nullptr),
+    m_settings(settings),
+    m_qtSettings(qtSettings),
+    m_settingsDlg(nullptr)
 {
     // setup ui
     m_ui->setupUi(this);
@@ -123,7 +129,6 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) :
     m_dontUpdateSelection = false;
     updateUiStatus();
     // load settings
-    QSettings settings(QSettings::IniFormat, QSettings::UserScope,  QApplication::organizationName(), QApplication::applicationName());
     settings.beginGroup(QStringLiteral("mainwindow"));
     // init recent menu manager
     m_recentMgr = new RecentMenuManager(m_ui->menuRecent, this);
@@ -170,7 +175,7 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) :
     pwVisibilityAction->setChecked(true);
     setPasswordVisibility(pwVisibilityAction);
     // connect signals and slots
-    //    file related actions
+    // -> file related actions
     connect(m_ui->actionSave, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::saveFile);
     connect(m_ui->actionExport, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::exportFile);
     connect(m_ui->actionShowContainingDirectory, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::showContainingDirectory);
@@ -178,34 +183,35 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) :
     connect(m_ui->actionCreate, &QAction::triggered, this, static_cast<bool (MainWindow::*)(void)>(&MainWindow::createFile));
     connect(m_ui->actionQuit, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::close);
     connect(m_ui->actionChangepassword, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::changePassword);
-    //   showing dialogs
+    // -> showing dialogs
     connect(m_ui->actionPasswordGenerator, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::showPassowrdGeneratorDialog);
     connect(m_ui->actionAbout, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::showAboutDialog);
     connect(m_ui->actionOpen, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::showOpenFileDialog);
     connect(m_ui->actionSaveAs, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::showSaveFileDialog);
-    //   add/remove account
+    connect(m_ui->actionQtSettings, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::showSettingsDialog);
+    // -> add/remove account
     connect(m_ui->actionAddAccount, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::addAccount);
     connect(m_ui->actionAddCategory, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::addCategory);
     connect(m_ui->actionRemoveRows, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::removeEntry);
-    //   insert/remove fields
+    // -> insert/remove fields
     connect(m_ui->actionInsertRow, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::insertRow);
     connect(m_ui->actionRemoveAccount, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::removeRows);
-    //   undo/redo
+    // -> undo/redo
     connect(m_ui->actionUndo, &QAction::triggered, m_undoStack, &QUndoStack::undo);
     connect(m_ui->actionRedo, &QAction::triggered, m_undoStack, &QUndoStack::redo);
     connect(m_undoStack, &QUndoStack::canUndoChanged, m_ui->actionUndo, &QAction::setEnabled);
     connect(m_undoStack, &QUndoStack::canRedoChanged, m_ui->actionRedo, &QAction::setEnabled);
-    //   view
+    // -> view
     connect(passwordVisibilityGroup, &QActionGroup::triggered, this, &MainWindow::setPasswordVisibility);
     connect(m_ui->actionShowUndoStack, &QAction::triggered, this, &MainWindow::showUndoView);
-    //   models
+    // -> models
     connect(m_ui->treeView->selectionModel(), &QItemSelectionModel::currentRowChanged, this, &MainWindow::accountSelected);
     connect(m_entryModel, &QAbstractItemModel::dataChanged, this, static_cast<void (MainWindow::*)(void)>(&MainWindow::setSomethingChanged));
     connect(m_fieldModel, &QAbstractItemModel::dataChanged, this, static_cast<void (MainWindow::*)(void)>(&MainWindow::setSomethingChanged));
-    //   context menus
+    // -> context menus
     connect(m_ui->treeView, &QTableView::customContextMenuRequested, this, &MainWindow::showTreeViewContextMenu);
     connect(m_ui->tableView, &QTableView::customContextMenuRequested, this, &MainWindow::showTableViewContextMenu);
-    //   filter
+    // -> filter
     //connect(m_ui->accountFilterLineEdit, &QLineEdit::textChanged, m_entryFilterModel, &QSortFilterProxyModel::setFilterFixedString);
     connect(m_ui->accountFilterLineEdit, &QLineEdit::textChanged, this, &MainWindow::applyFilter);
     // setup other controls
@@ -275,13 +281,12 @@ void MainWindow::closeEvent(QCloseEvent *event)
         m_undoView->close();
     }
     // save settings
-    QSettings settings(QSettings::IniFormat, QSettings::UserScope,  QApplication::organizationName(), QApplication::applicationName());
-    settings.beginGroup(QStringLiteral("mainwindow"));
-    settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("geometry"), saveGeometry());
-    settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("state"), saveState());
-    settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("recententries"), m_recentMgr->save());
-    settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("accountfilter"), m_ui->accountFilterLineEdit->text());
-    settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("alwayscreatebackup"), m_ui->actionAlwaysCreateBackup->isChecked());
+    m_settings.beginGroup(QStringLiteral("mainwindow"));
+    m_settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("geometry"), saveGeometry());
+    m_settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("state"), saveState());
+    m_settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("recententries"), m_recentMgr->save());
+    m_settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("accountfilter"), m_ui->accountFilterLineEdit->text());
+    m_settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("alwayscreatebackup"), m_ui->actionAlwaysCreateBackup->isChecked());
     QString pwVisibility;
     if(m_ui->actionShowAlways->isChecked()) {
         pwVisibility = QStringLiteral("always");
@@ -290,8 +295,8 @@ void MainWindow::closeEvent(QCloseEvent *event)
     } else {
         pwVisibility = QStringLiteral("editing");
     }
-    settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("pwvisibility"), pwVisibility);
-    settings.endGroup();
+    m_settings.setValue(QStringLiteral("pwvisibility"), pwVisibility);
+    m_settings.endGroup();
 }
 
 void MainWindow::timerEvent(QTimerEvent *event)
@@ -302,6 +307,26 @@ void MainWindow::timerEvent(QTimerEvent *event)
     }
 }
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Shows the settings dialog (which currently only consists of the Qt settings category).
+ */
+void MainWindow::showSettingsDialog()
+{
+    if(!m_settingsDlg) {
+        m_settingsDlg = new SettingsDialog(this);
+        if(m_qtSettings) {
+            m_settingsDlg->setWindowTitle(tr("Qt settings"));
+            m_settingsDlg->setSingleCategory(m_qtSettings->category());
+        }
+        //connect(m_settingsDlg, &SettingsDialog::applied, this, &MainWindow::settingsAccepted);
+    }
+    if(m_settingsDlg->isHidden()) {
+        m_settingsDlg->showNormal();
+    } else {
+        m_settingsDlg->activateWindow();
+    }
+}
+
 /*!
  * \brief Shows the about dialog.
  */
diff --git a/gui/mainwindow.h b/gui/mainwindow.h
index 617e689..cb7f827 100644
--- a/gui/mainwindow.h
+++ b/gui/mainwindow.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QCloseEvent)
 QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QTreeWidgetItem)
 QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QUndoStack)
 QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QUndoView)
+QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QSettings)
 
 namespace Io {
 DECLARE_ENUM_CLASS(EntryType, int);
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@ class RecentMenuManager;
 
 namespace Dialogs {
 class AboutDialog;
+class SettingsDialog;
+class QtSettings;
 }
 
 namespace QtGui {
@@ -46,7 +49,7 @@ class MainWindow : public QMainWindow
     Q_OBJECT
     
 public:
-    explicit MainWindow(QWidget *parent = nullptr);
+    explicit MainWindow(QSettings &settings, Dialogs::QtSettings *qtSettings = nullptr, QWidget *parent = nullptr);
     ~MainWindow();
 
 public slots:
@@ -59,6 +62,13 @@ public slots:
     bool saveFile();
     void exportFile();
     bool closeFile();
+    // show dialogs
+    void showOpenFileDialog();
+    void showSaveFileDialog();
+    void showSettingsDialog();
+    void showAboutDialog();
+    void showPassowrdGeneratorDialog();
+    void showUndoView();
 
 protected:
     bool eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *event);
@@ -66,12 +76,6 @@ protected:
     void timerEvent(QTimerEvent *event);
 
 private slots:
-    // showing dialogs
-    void showAboutDialog();
-    void showPassowrdGeneratorDialog();
-    void showOpenFileDialog();
-    void showSaveFileDialog();
-    void showUndoView();
     // file management
     bool showFile();
     // account/categories management
@@ -124,6 +128,9 @@ private:
     int m_clearClipboardTimer;
     MiscUtils::RecentMenuManager *m_recentMgr;
     Dialogs::AboutDialog *m_aboutDlg;
+    QSettings &m_settings;
+    Dialogs::QtSettings *m_qtSettings;
+    Dialogs::SettingsDialog *m_settingsDlg;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/gui/mainwindow.ui b/gui/mainwindow.ui
index 41a19e6..875c995 100644
--- a/gui/mainwindow.ui
+++ b/gui/mainwindow.ui
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@
      <property name="toolTip">
       <string>Recently opened files</string>
      </property>
+     <property name="title">
+      <string/>
+     </property>
     </widget>
     <addaction name="actionCreate"/>
     <addaction name="actionOpen"/>
@@ -234,6 +237,7 @@
      <string>&amp;Tools</string>
     </property>
     <addaction name="actionPasswordGenerator"/>
+    <addaction name="actionQtSettings"/>
    </widget>
    <widget class="QMenu" name="menuView">
     <property name="title">
@@ -397,6 +401,9 @@
    </property>
   </action>
   <action name="actionPasswordGenerator">
+   <property name="icon">
+    <iconset theme="password-generate"/>
+   </property>
    <property name="text">
     <string>&amp;Password generator</string>
    </property>
@@ -498,6 +505,14 @@
     <string>&amp;hide always</string>
    </property>
   </action>
+  <action name="actionQtSettings">
+   <property name="icon">
+    <iconset theme="qtcreator"/>
+   </property>
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>Qt settings</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
  </widget>
  <layoutdefault spacing="6" margin="11"/>
  <customwidgets>