diff --git a/Dashboard/MainWindow.xaml.cs b/Dashboard/MainWindow.xaml.cs
index f665f82c..10986daa 100644
--- a/Dashboard/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/Dashboard/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ private void StartMcpServerIfEnabled()
 
         private void InitializeNotificationService()
         {
-            _notificationService = new NotificationService(this);
+            _notificationService = new NotificationService(this, _preferencesService);
             _notificationService.Initialize();
         }
 
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ private void ManageServers_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
 
         private void Settings_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
         {
-            var dialog = new SettingsWindow();
+            var dialog = new SettingsWindow(_preferencesService);
             dialog.Owner = this;
             if (dialog.ShowDialog() == true)
             {
diff --git a/Dashboard/Services/NotificationService.cs b/Dashboard/Services/NotificationService.cs
index e04199a2..ffa38c2e 100644
--- a/Dashboard/Services/NotificationService.cs
+++ b/Dashboard/Services/NotificationService.cs
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ private void OpenSettings()
             // Trigger settings via the main window
             if (_mainWindow is MainWindow mainWin)
             {
-                var settingsWindow = new SettingsWindow { Owner = mainWin };
+                var settingsWindow = new SettingsWindow(_preferencesService) { Owner = mainWin };
                 settingsWindow.ShowDialog();
             }
         }
diff --git a/Dashboard/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs b/Dashboard/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
index 3a40f770..18c2a89e 100644
--- a/Dashboard/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/Dashboard/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -11,20 +11,21 @@
 using System.Windows;
 using System.Windows.Controls;
 using PerformanceMonitorDashboard.Helpers;
+using PerformanceMonitorDashboard.Interfaces;
 using PerformanceMonitorDashboard.Services;
 
 namespace PerformanceMonitorDashboard
 {
     public partial class SettingsWindow : Window
     {
-        private readonly UserPreferencesService _preferencesService;
+        private readonly IUserPreferencesService _preferencesService;
         private bool _isLoading = true;
 
-        public SettingsWindow()
+        public SettingsWindow(IUserPreferencesService preferencesService)
         {
             InitializeComponent();
 
-            _preferencesService = new UserPreferencesService();
+            _preferencesService = preferencesService;
             LoadSettings();
             _isLoading = false;
         }
@@ -495,7 +496,7 @@ private async void TestEmailButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
 
             try
             {
-                var emailService = EmailAlertService.Current ?? new EmailAlertService(_preferencesService);
+                var emailService = EmailAlertService.Current ?? new EmailAlertService((UserPreferencesService)_preferencesService);
                 var error = await emailService.SendTestEmailAsync(testPrefs);
 
                 if (error == null)
diff --git a/Lite/App.xaml.cs b/Lite/App.xaml.cs
index 00bbb874..146c45e9 100644
--- a/Lite/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/Lite/App.xaml.cs
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ public partial class App : Application
     public static bool AlertDeadlockEnabled { get; set; } = true;
     public static int AlertDeadlockThreshold { get; set; } = 1;
 
+    /* System tray settings */
+    public static bool MinimizeToTray { get; set; } = true;
+
     /* Update check settings */
     public static bool CheckForUpdatesOnStartup { get; set; } = true;
 
@@ -199,6 +202,9 @@ public static void LoadAlertSettings()
             if (root.TryGetProperty("alert_deadlock_enabled", out v)) AlertDeadlockEnabled = v.GetBoolean();
             if (root.TryGetProperty("alert_deadlock_threshold", out v)) AlertDeadlockThreshold = v.GetInt32();
 
+            /* System tray settings */
+            if (root.TryGetProperty("minimize_to_tray", out v)) MinimizeToTray = v.GetBoolean();
+
             /* Update check settings */
             if (root.TryGetProperty("check_for_updates_on_startup", out v)) CheckForUpdatesOnStartup = v.GetBoolean();
 
diff --git a/Lite/Services/SystemTrayService.cs b/Lite/Services/SystemTrayService.cs
index 209b1d97..8535777a 100644
--- a/Lite/Services/SystemTrayService.cs
+++ b/Lite/Services/SystemTrayService.cs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ public void Initialize()
 
     private void MainWindow_StateChanged(object? sender, EventArgs e)
     {
-        if (_mainWindow.WindowState == WindowState.Minimized)
+        if (_mainWindow.WindowState == WindowState.Minimized && App.MinimizeToTray)
         {
             _mainWindow.Hide();
         }
diff --git a/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml b/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml
index 5de35bb0..26641c98 100644
--- a/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml
+++ b/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@
         <Border Grid.Row="4" Background="{DynamicResource BackgroundLightBrush}" CornerRadius="4" Padding="12" Margin="0,0,0,12">
             <StackPanel>
                 <TextBlock Text="Notifications" FontSize="14" FontWeight="SemiBold" Foreground="{DynamicResource ForegroundBrush}"/>
+                <CheckBox x:Name="MinimizeToTrayCheckBox" Content="Minimize to system tray" Margin="0,8,0,0"
+                          Foreground="{DynamicResource ForegroundBrush}"/>
                 <CheckBox x:Name="AlertsEnabledCheckBox" Content="Enable notifications" Margin="0,8,0,0"
                           Foreground="{DynamicResource ForegroundBrush}" Checked="AlertsEnabledCheckBox_Changed" Unchecked="AlertsEnabledCheckBox_Changed"/>
                 <CheckBox x:Name="NotifyConnectionCheckBox" Content="Connection lost / restored" Margin="20,6,0,0"
diff --git a/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs b/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
index 94769564..db67bbeb 100644
--- a/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/Lite/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ private void CopyMcpCommandButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
 
     private void LoadAlertSettings()
     {
+        MinimizeToTrayCheckBox.IsChecked = App.MinimizeToTray;
         AlertsEnabledCheckBox.IsChecked = App.AlertsEnabled;
         NotifyConnectionCheckBox.IsChecked = App.NotifyConnectionChanges;
         AlertCpuCheckBox.IsChecked = App.AlertCpuEnabled;
@@ -234,6 +235,7 @@ private void LoadAlertSettings()
 
     private void SaveAlertSettings()
     {
+        App.MinimizeToTray = MinimizeToTrayCheckBox.IsChecked == true;
         App.AlertsEnabled = AlertsEnabledCheckBox.IsChecked == true;
         App.NotifyConnectionChanges = NotifyConnectionCheckBox.IsChecked == true;
         App.AlertCpuEnabled = AlertCpuCheckBox.IsChecked == true;
@@ -260,6 +262,7 @@ private void SaveAlertSettings()
                 root = new JsonObject();
             }
 
+            root["minimize_to_tray"] = App.MinimizeToTray;
             root["alerts_enabled"] = App.AlertsEnabled;
             root["notify_connection_changes"] = App.NotifyConnectionChanges;
             root["alert_cpu_enabled"] = App.AlertCpuEnabled;
diff --git a/Lite/config/settings.json b/Lite/config/settings.json
index d0f98cf0..bb2c682a 100644
--- a/Lite/config/settings.json
+++ b/Lite/config/settings.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "archive_retention_days": 90,
   "default_time_range_hours": 24,
   "theme": "light",
-  "minimize_to_tray": false,
+  "minimize_to_tray": true,
   "start_collection_on_launch": true,
   "mcp_enabled": false,
   "mcp_port": 5151