diff --git a/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1 b/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1
index aca44b3274..a3e9d17746 100644
--- a/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1
+++ b/functions/private/Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1
@@ -124,7 +124,6 @@ function Invoke-WinutilThemeChange {
     }
 
     $sync.preferences.theme = $theme
-    Set-Preferences -save
     Set-WinutilTheme -currentTheme "shared"
 
     switch ($sync.preferences.theme) {
diff --git a/functions/private/Set-Preferences.ps1 b/functions/private/Set-Preferences.ps1
deleted file mode 100644
index a82d3ce532..0000000000
--- a/functions/private/Set-Preferences.ps1
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,73 +0,0 @@
-function Set-Preferences{
-
-    param(
-        [switch]$save=$false
-    )
-
-    # TODO delete this function sometime later
-    function Clean-OldPrefs{
-        if (Test-Path -Path "$winutildir\LightTheme.ini") {
-            $sync.preferences.theme = "Light"
-            Remove-Item -Path "$winutildir\LightTheme.ini"
-        }
-
-        if (Test-Path -Path "$winutildir\DarkTheme.ini") {
-            $sync.preferences.theme = "Dark"
-            Remove-Item -Path "$winutildir\DarkTheme.ini"
-        }
-
-        # check old prefs, if its first line has no =, then absorb it as pm
-        if (Test-Path -Path $iniPath) {
-            $oldPM = Get-Content $iniPath
-            if ($oldPM -notlike "*=*") {
-                $sync.preferences.packagemanager = $oldPM
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (Test-Path -Path "$winutildir\preferChocolatey.ini") {
-            $sync.preferences.packagemanager = "Choco"
-            Remove-Item -Path "$winutildir\preferChocolatey.ini"
-        }
-    }
-
-    function Save-Preferences{
-        $ini = ""
-        foreach($key in $sync.preferences.Keys) {
-            $pref = "$($key)=$($sync.preferences.$key)"
-            $ini = $ini + $pref + "`r`n"
-        }
-        $ini | Out-File $iniPath
-    }
-
-    function Load-Preferences{
-        Clean-OldPrefs
-        if (Test-Path -Path $iniPath) {
-            $iniData = Get-Content "$winutildir\preferences.ini"
-            foreach ($line in $iniData) {
-                if ($line -like "*=*") {
-                    $arr = $line -split "=",-2
-                    $key = $arr[0] -replace "\s",""
-                    $value = $arr[1] -replace "\s",""
-                    $sync.preferences.$key = $value
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        # write defaults in case preferences dont exist
-        if ($null -eq $sync.preferences.theme) {
-            $sync.preferences.theme = "Auto"
-        }
-        if ($null -eq $sync.preferences.packagemanager) {
-            $sync.preferences.packagemanager = "Winget"
-        }
-    }
-
-    $iniPath = "$winutildir\preferences.ini"
-
-    if ($save) {
-        Save-Preferences
-    }
-    else {
-        Load-Preferences
-    }
-}
diff --git a/pester/preferences-theme.Tests.ps1 b/pester/preferences-theme.Tests.ps1
index ab1b65a34a..d4ad0fc661 100644
--- a/pester/preferences-theme.Tests.ps1
+++ b/pester/preferences-theme.Tests.ps1
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ namespace System.Windows
 "@
     }
 
-    . (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Set-Preferences.ps1")
     . (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Invoke-WinutilThemeChange.ps1")
 
     function Get-WinUtilToggleStatus {
@@ -186,84 +185,6 @@ namespace System.Windows
     }
 }
 
-Describe "Set-Preferences" {
-    AfterEach {
-        if ($script:testRoot -and (Test-Path $script:testRoot)) {
-            Remove-Item -Path $script:testRoot -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
-        }
-        $script:testRoot = $null
-        Remove-WinUtilPreferenceGlobals
-    }
-
-    It "loads default preferences when no preferences file exists" {
-        $script:testRoot = New-WinUtilPreferencesTestRoot
-        $global:winutildir = $script:testRoot
-        New-WinUtilPreferenceSync
-
-        Set-Preferences
-
-        $script:sync.preferences.theme | Should -Be "Auto"
-        $script:sync.preferences.packagemanager | Should -Be "Winget"
-    }
-
-    It "loads saved preferences and keeps the package manager as a string" {
-        $script:testRoot = New-WinUtilPreferencesTestRoot
-        $global:winutildir = $script:testRoot
-        New-WinUtilPreferenceSync
-        Set-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "preferences.ini") -Value @(
-            "theme = Dark"
-            "packagemanager = Choco"
-        )
-
-        Set-Preferences
-
-        $script:sync.preferences.theme | Should -Be "Dark"
-        $script:sync.preferences.packagemanager | Should -Be "Choco"
-    }
-
-    It "saves current preferences to preferences.ini" {
-        $script:testRoot = New-WinUtilPreferencesTestRoot
-        $global:winutildir = $script:testRoot
-        New-WinUtilPreferenceSync -Preferences @{
-            theme = "Light"
-            packagemanager = "Winget"
-        }
-
-        Set-Preferences -save
-
-        $preferencesText = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "preferences.ini") -Raw
-        $preferencesText | Should -Match "theme=Light"
-        $preferencesText | Should -Match "packagemanager=Winget"
-    }
-
-    It "absorbs legacy preference files and removes old markers" {
-        $script:testRoot = New-WinUtilPreferencesTestRoot
-        $global:winutildir = $script:testRoot
-        New-WinUtilPreferenceSync
-        Set-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "LightTheme.ini") -Value ""
-        Set-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "preferChocolatey.ini") -Value ""
-
-        Set-Preferences
-
-        $script:sync.preferences.theme | Should -Be "Light"
-        $script:sync.preferences.packagemanager | Should -Be "Choco"
-        Test-Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "LightTheme.ini") | Should -BeFalse
-        Test-Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "preferChocolatey.ini") | Should -BeFalse
-    }
-
-    It "absorbs old package manager preferences stored without a key" {
-        $script:testRoot = New-WinUtilPreferencesTestRoot
-        $global:winutildir = $script:testRoot
-        New-WinUtilPreferenceSync
-        Set-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "preferences.ini") -Value "Choco"
-
-        Set-Preferences
-
-        $script:sync.preferences.theme | Should -Be "Auto"
-        $script:sync.preferences.packagemanager | Should -Be "Choco"
-    }
-}
-
 Describe "Invoke-WinutilThemeChange" {
     AfterEach {
         if ($script:testRoot -and (Test-Path $script:testRoot)) {
@@ -273,7 +194,7 @@ Describe "Invoke-WinutilThemeChange" {
         Remove-WinUtilPreferenceGlobals
     }
 
-    It "applies shared and selected theme resources, saves the preference, and updates the theme button" {
+    It "applies shared and selected theme resources, keeps the preference in memory, and updates the theme button" {
         $script:testRoot = New-WinUtilPreferencesTestRoot
         $global:winutildir = $script:testRoot
         New-WinUtilPreferenceSync
@@ -287,8 +208,7 @@ Describe "Invoke-WinutilThemeChange" {
         $script:sync.Form.Resources.ContainsKey("CBorderColor") | Should -BeTrue
         $script:sync.Form.ThemeButton.Content | Should -Be ([string][char]0xE708)
 
-        $preferencesText = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "preferences.ini") -Raw
-        $preferencesText | Should -Match "theme=Dark"
+        Test-Path -Path (Join-Path $script:testRoot "preferences.ini") | Should -BeFalse
     }
 
     It "uses the system dark-mode toggle when Auto theme is selected" {
diff --git a/scripts/main.ps1 b/scripts/main.ps1
index 5fb3d25771..556a81c42a 100644
--- a/scripts/main.ps1
+++ b/scripts/main.ps1
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ $sync.configs.appxHashtable = @{}
 $sync.configs.appx.PSObject.Properties | ForEach-Object {
     $sync.configs.appxHashtable[$_.Name] = $_.Value
 }
-
-Set-Preferences
+$sync.preferences.theme = "Auto"
+$sync.preferences.packagemanager = "Winget"
 
 if ($Preset) {
     Initialize-WinUtilRunspacePool | Out-Null
@@ -137,14 +137,11 @@ Initialize-WinUtilTabContent -TabName "Install"
 
 $xaml.SelectNodes("//*[@Name]") | ForEach-Object {$sync["$("$($psitem.Name)")"] = $sync["Form"].FindName($psitem.Name)}
 
-#Persist Package Manager preference across winutil restarts
 $sync.ChocoRadioButton.Add_Checked({
     $sync.preferences.packagemanager = "Choco"
-    Set-Preferences -save
 })
 $sync.WingetRadioButton.Add_Checked({
     $sync.preferences.packagemanager = "Winget"
-    Set-Preferences -save
 })
 
 switch ($sync.preferences.packagemanager) {