diff --git a/src/ui/pages/settings_page.cpp b/src/ui/pages/settings_page.cpp
index a55ea52..3fecddb 100644
--- a/src/ui/pages/settings_page.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/pages/settings_page.cpp
@@ -1115,9 +1115,10 @@ void RenderSettingsPage(App* app) {
                     if (ImGui::SliderFloat("##NoiseOpacity", &s_settingsState.noise_opacity, 0.0f, 1.0f, noise_fmt,
                                            ImGuiSliderFlags_AlwaysClamp)) {
                         effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetNoiseOpacity(s_settingsState.noise_opacity);
-                        saveSettingsPageState(app->settings());
+                        if (app->settings()) app->settings()->setNoiseOpacity(s_settingsState.noise_opacity);  // live; persisted on release
                     }
                 }
+                if (ImGui::IsItemDeactivatedAfterEdit()) saveSettingsPageState(app->settings());
                 if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_noise"));
 
                 ImGui::SetCursorScreenPos(ImVec2(baseX, afterRow1Y));
@@ -1131,9 +1132,10 @@ void RenderSettingsPage(App* app) {
                     if (ImGui::SliderFloat("##UIOpacity", &s_settingsState.ui_opacity, 0.3f, 1.0f, uiop_fmt,
                                            ImGuiSliderFlags_AlwaysClamp)) {
                         effects::ImGuiAcrylic::SetUIOpacity(s_settingsState.ui_opacity);
-                        saveSettingsPageState(app->settings());
+                        if (app->settings()) app->settings()->setUIOpacity(s_settingsState.ui_opacity);  // live; persisted on release
                     }
                 }
+                if (ImGui::IsItemDeactivatedAfterEdit()) saveSettingsPageState(app->settings());
                 if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_ui_opacity"));
                 float afterRow2Y = ImGui::GetCursorScreenPos().y;
 
@@ -1146,9 +1148,10 @@ void RenderSettingsPage(App* app) {
                     snprintf(winop_fmt, sizeof(winop_fmt), "%.0f%%%%", s_settingsState.window_opacity * 100.0f);
                     if (ImGui::SliderFloat("##WindowOpacity", &s_settingsState.window_opacity, 0.3f, 1.0f, winop_fmt,
                                            ImGuiSliderFlags_AlwaysClamp)) {
-                        saveSettingsPageState(app->settings());
+                        if (app->settings()) app->settings()->setWindowOpacity(s_settingsState.window_opacity);  // live; persisted on release
                     }
                 }
+                if (ImGui::IsItemDeactivatedAfterEdit()) saveSettingsPageState(app->settings());
                 if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_window_opacity"));
 
                 ImGui::SetCursorScreenPos(ImVec2(baseX, afterRow2Y));
diff --git a/src/ui/windows/chat_tab.cpp b/src/ui/windows/chat_tab.cpp
index 400833c..146a288 100644
--- a/src/ui/windows/chat_tab.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/windows/chat_tab.cpp
@@ -2220,8 +2220,9 @@ void RenderChatSettingsControls(App* app, float contentWidth, bool drawCards)
         beginRow(TR("chat_opt_font_size"));
         float v = st->getChatFontScale();
         if (ImGui::SliderFloat("##chat_font", &v, 0.8f, 1.5f, "%.2fx", ImGuiSliderFlags_AlwaysClamp)) {
-            st->setChatFontScale(v); st->save();
+            st->setChatFontScale(v);   // live (readers poll Settings); persisted on release
         }
+        if (ImGui::IsItemDeactivatedAfterEdit()) st->save();
         if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_chat_font_size"));
     }
 
@@ -2242,8 +2243,9 @@ void RenderChatSettingsControls(App* app, float contentWidth, bool drawCards)
         beginRow(TR("chat_opt_poll"));
         float v = st->getChatPollRateSec();
         if (ImGui::SliderFloat("##chat_poll", &v, 0.5f, 15.0f, "%.1f s", ImGuiSliderFlags_AlwaysClamp)) {
-            st->setChatPollRateSec(v); st->save();
+            st->setChatPollRateSec(v);   // live (App::update polls it); persisted on release
         }
+        if (ImGui::IsItemDeactivatedAfterEdit()) st->save();
         if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) material::Tooltip("%s", TR("tt_chat_poll_rate"));
     }
     // Chat timestamps (segmented) — overrides the app-wide clock (Settings → General) for this tab only.
diff --git a/src/ui/windows/contacts_tab.cpp b/src/ui/windows/contacts_tab.cpp
index 95a58d1..03f0acb 100644
--- a/src/ui/windows/contacts_tab.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/windows/contacts_tab.cpp
@@ -1446,8 +1446,9 @@ void RenderContactsTab(App* app)
                 rowStart(TR("contacts_list_scale"));
                 float v = st->getContactsListScale();
                 if (ImGui::SliderFloat("##contactsScale", &v, 0.8f, 1.5f, "%.2fx", ImGuiSliderFlags_AlwaysClamp)) {
-                    st->setContactsListScale(v); st->save();
+                    st->setContactsListScale(v);   // live; persisted on release
                 }
+                if (ImGui::IsItemDeactivatedAfterEdit()) st->save();
             }
             ImGui::Dummy(ImVec2(0.0f, 8.0f * dp));
             {