diff --git a/src/App.svelte b/src/App.svelte
index 177b531..52174ff 100644
--- a/src/App.svelte
+++ b/src/App.svelte
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@
   const ANALYTICS_SETTINGS_KEY = "gitlite.analyticsSettings.v1";
   const APP_THEME_KEY = "gitlite.theme.v1";
   const APP_LANGUAGE_KEY = "gitlite.language.v1";
+  const AUTO_REFRESH_ENABLED_KEY = "gitlite.autoRefreshEnabled.v1";
   const COMMIT_PANEL_HEIGHT_KEY = "gitlite.commitPanelHeight.v1";
   const LEFT_SIDEBAR_WIDTH_KEY = "gitlite.leftSidebarWidth.v1";
   const LEFT_BRANCH_PANEL_HEIGHT_KEY = "gitlite.leftBranchPanelHeight.v1";
@@ -311,7 +312,7 @@
   let conflictTarget = "";
   let conflict: ConflictFile | null = null;
   let preparedResolutions: Record<string, PreparedResolution> = {};
-  let autoRefreshEnabled = true;
+  let autoRefreshEnabled = loadStoredBoolean(AUTO_REFRESH_ENABLED_KEY, true);
   let autoRefreshInFlight = false;
   let credDialogOpen = false;
   let credDialogAction: CredentialAction | null = null;
@@ -868,15 +869,19 @@
     if (appTheme === "system") applyThemePreference(appTheme);
   }
 
-  function saveAppSettings(next: AnalyticsSettings, nextTheme: AppTheme, nextLanguage: AppLanguage) {
+  function saveAppSettings(next: AnalyticsSettings, nextTheme: AppTheme, nextLanguage: AppLanguage, nextAutoRefresh: boolean) {
+    const autoRefreshWasEnabled = autoRefreshEnabled;
     analyticsSettings = next;
     appTheme = nextTheme;
     appLanguage = nextLanguage;
+    autoRefreshEnabled = nextAutoRefresh;
     persistAnalyticsSettings(next);
     persistThemePreference(nextTheme);
     persistLanguagePreference(nextLanguage);
+    persistStoredBoolean(AUTO_REFRESH_ENABLED_KEY, nextAutoRefresh);
     appSettingsOpen = false;
-    if (next.enabled) trackEvent("settings_saved", { analytics_enabled: 1, theme: nextTheme, language: nextLanguage });
+    if (nextAutoRefresh && !autoRefreshWasEnabled) void autoRefreshTick();
+    if (next.enabled) trackEvent("settings_saved", { analytics_enabled: 1, theme: nextTheme, language: nextLanguage, auto_refresh: nextAutoRefresh ? 1 : 0 });
   }
 
   function updateCommitMessage(message: string) {
@@ -982,11 +987,6 @@
     }
   }
 
-  function toggleAutoRefresh() {
-    autoRefreshEnabled = !autoRefreshEnabled;
-    if (autoRefreshEnabled) void autoRefreshTick();
-  }
-
   // ── Updates ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   async function checkForUpdates() {
@@ -3609,8 +3609,6 @@
         {operation}
         ahead={status?.ahead ?? 0}
         behind={status?.behind ?? 0}
-        {autoRefreshEnabled}
-        {autoRefreshInFlight}
         language={appLanguage}
         onFetch={fetchRepo}
         onPull={pullRepo}
@@ -3621,7 +3619,6 @@
         onInteractiveRebase={openInteractiveRebase}
         onReflog={openReflog}
         onOpenInExplorer={openActiveRepoInExplorer}
-        onToggleAutoRefresh={toggleAutoRefresh}
       />
     {/if}
 
@@ -4191,6 +4188,7 @@
     analytics={analyticsSettings}
     theme={appTheme}
     language={appLanguage}
+    autoRefresh={autoRefreshEnabled}
     onSave={saveAppSettings}
     onClose={() => { appSettingsOpen = false; }}
   />
diff --git a/src/lib/RepoToolbar.svelte b/src/lib/RepoToolbar.svelte
index 2dcf701..2969aa9 100644
--- a/src/lib/RepoToolbar.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/RepoToolbar.svelte
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@
   export let operation: string = "";
   export let ahead: number = 0;
   export let behind: number = 0;
-  export let autoRefreshEnabled: boolean = true;
-  export let autoRefreshInFlight: boolean = false;
   export let language: "en" | "de" = "en";
   export let onFetch: () => void = () => {};
   export let onPull: () => void = () => {};
@@ -30,7 +28,6 @@
   export let onInteractiveRebase: () => void = () => {};
   export let onReflog: () => void = () => {};
   export let onOpenInExplorer: () => void = () => {};
-  export let onToggleAutoRefresh: () => void = () => {};
 
   let historyOpen = false;
   let toolbarElement: HTMLDivElement;
@@ -192,26 +189,14 @@
     </button>
 
     <button
-      class="repo-action icon-action"
+      class="repo-action"
       onclick={onRefresh}
       disabled={isBusy || !hasRepository}
       title={isGerman ? "Manuell aktualisieren" : "Refresh now"}
       aria-label={isGerman ? "Manuell aktualisieren" : "Refresh now"}
     >
-      <RefreshCw class={operation === "Refreshing" ? "spin" : ""} size={15} aria-hidden="true" />
-    </button>
-
-    <button
-      class="repo-auto-toggle"
-      class:active={autoRefreshEnabled}
-      onclick={onToggleAutoRefresh}
-      aria-pressed={autoRefreshEnabled}
-      title={autoRefreshEnabled
-        ? (isGerman ? "Auto-Aktualisierung ausschalten" : "Turn auto-refresh off")
-        : (isGerman ? "Auto-Aktualisierung einschalten" : "Turn auto-refresh on")}
-    >
-      <span>{isGerman ? "Auto" : "Auto"}</span>
-      <span class="repo-switch" class:busy={autoRefreshInFlight} aria-hidden="true"><span></span></span>
+      <RefreshCw class={operation === "Refreshing" ? "spin" : ""} size={16} aria-hidden="true" />
+      <span class="repo-action-label utility-label">{isGerman ? "Aktualisieren" : "Refresh"}</span>
     </button>
   </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/components/AppSettingsDialog.svelte b/src/lib/components/AppSettingsDialog.svelte
index d3053d0..b904bb8 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/AppSettingsDialog.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/AppSettingsDialog.svelte
@@ -1,26 +1,29 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { Check, Languages, Settings, X } from "@lucide/svelte";
+  import { Check, Languages, RefreshCw, Settings, X } from "@lucide/svelte";
   import type { AnalyticsSettings, AppLanguage, AppTheme } from "../types";
 
   interface Props {
     analytics: AnalyticsSettings;
     theme: AppTheme;
     language: AppLanguage;
-    onSave: (settings: AnalyticsSettings, theme: AppTheme, language: AppLanguage) => void;
+    autoRefresh: boolean;
+    onSave: (settings: AnalyticsSettings, theme: AppTheme, language: AppLanguage, autoRefresh: boolean) => void;
     onClose: () => void;
   }
 
-  let { analytics, theme = "system", language = "en", onSave = () => {}, onClose = () => {} }: Props = $props();
+  let { analytics, theme = "system", language = "en", autoRefresh = true, onSave = () => {}, onClose = () => {} }: Props = $props();
 
   let analyticsEnabled = $state(true);
   let selectedTheme = $state<AppTheme>("system");
   let selectedLanguage = $state<AppLanguage>("en");
+  let autoRefreshEnabled = $state(true);
   const isGerman = $derived(selectedLanguage === "de");
 
   $effect(() => {
     analyticsEnabled = analytics.enabled;
     selectedTheme = theme;
     selectedLanguage = language;
+    autoRefreshEnabled = autoRefresh;
   });
 
   function save() {
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@
       ...analytics,
       enabled: analyticsEnabled,
       noticeSeen: true,
-    }, selectedTheme, selectedLanguage);
+    }, selectedTheme, selectedLanguage, autoRefreshEnabled);
   }
 </script>
 
@@ -70,6 +73,24 @@
         </div>
       </section>
 
+      <section class="settings-section">
+        <header>
+          <RefreshCw size={16} aria-hidden="true" />
+          <div>
+            <span class="eyebrow">Repository</span>
+            <h3>{isGerman ? "Automatische Aktualisierung" : "Auto refresh"}</h3>
+          </div>
+        </header>
+
+        <label class="settings-toggle-row">
+          <input type="checkbox" bind:checked={autoRefreshEnabled} />
+          <span>
+            <strong>{isGerman ? "Repositories automatisch aktualisieren" : "Refresh repositories automatically"}</strong>
+            <small>{isGerman ? "Aktualisiert Arbeitsbereich, Branch-Status und Remotes regelmäßig im Hintergrund." : "Periodically refreshes the working tree, branch status, and remotes in the background."}</small>
+          </span>
+        </label>
+      </section>
+
       <section class="settings-section">
         <header>
           <Languages size={16} aria-hidden="true" />