diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modals/SettingsModal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/modals/SettingsModal.tsx
index e3cba24..5804b34 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modals/SettingsModal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modals/SettingsModal.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle, DialogFooter } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { settingsApi } from '@/api/client'
+import { useCanvasStore } from '@/stores/canvasStore'
 import { toast } from 'sonner'
 import {
   type AlignmentSettings,
@@ -10,6 +11,8 @@ import {
   subscribeAlignmentSettings,
 } from '@/utils/alignmentSettings'
 
+const STANDALONE = import.meta.env.VITE_STANDALONE === 'true'
+
 interface SettingsModalProps {
   open: boolean
   onClose: () => void
@@ -19,9 +22,11 @@ export function SettingsModal({ open, onClose }: SettingsModalProps) {
   const [interval, setIntervalValue] = useState(60)
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false)
   const [alignment, setAlignment] = useState<AlignmentSettings>(readAlignmentSettings)
+  const hideIp = useCanvasStore((s) => s.hideIp)
+  const setHideIp = useCanvasStore((s) => s.setHideIp)
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!open) return
+    if (!open || STANDALONE) return
     settingsApi.get()
       .then((res) => setIntervalValue(res.data.interval_seconds))
       .catch(() => {/* use default */})
@@ -36,6 +41,12 @@ export function SettingsModal({ open, onClose }: SettingsModalProps) {
   }
 
   const handleSave = async () => {
+    // Canvas prefs (alignment, hide-IP) persist on change; only the backend
+    // status-check interval needs an API round-trip.
+    if (STANDALONE) {
+      onClose()
+      return
+    }
     setSaving(true)
     try {
       await settingsApi.save({ interval_seconds: interval })
@@ -57,6 +68,7 @@ export function SettingsModal({ open, onClose }: SettingsModalProps) {
 
         <div className="space-y-5 py-2">
           {/* Status checker */}
+          {!STANDALONE && (
           <div className="space-y-1.5">
             <label className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Status check interval (s)</label>
             <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
@@ -74,6 +86,7 @@ export function SettingsModal({ open, onClose }: SettingsModalProps) {
               How often node health is polled (ping, HTTP, SSH…)
             </p>
           </div>
+          )}
 
           {/* Canvas */}
           <div className="pt-3 border-t border-border space-y-3">
@@ -90,6 +103,17 @@ export function SettingsModal({ open, onClose }: SettingsModalProps) {
               />
             </label>
 
+            <label className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2 cursor-pointer">
+              <span className="text-xs text-foreground">Hide IP addresses</span>
+              <input
+                type="checkbox"
+                checked={hideIp}
+                onChange={(e) => setHideIp(e.target.checked)}
+                className="cursor-pointer accent-[#00d4ff]"
+                aria-label="Toggle IP address masking"
+              />
+            </label>
+
             <div className={alignment.enabled ? 'space-y-1.5' : 'space-y-1.5 opacity-50 pointer-events-none'}>
               <label className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Snap distance</label>
               <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/SettingsModal.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/SettingsModal.test.tsx
index 40763a8..7da48d8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/SettingsModal.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/SettingsModal.test.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ vi.mock('@/api/client', () => ({
 
 import { settingsApi } from '@/api/client'
 import { toast } from 'sonner'
+import { useCanvasStore } from '@/stores/canvasStore'
 
 describe('SettingsModal', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -64,6 +65,17 @@ describe('SettingsModal', () => {
     expect(onClose).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('reflects and persists the hide-IP preference', async () => {
+    useCanvasStore.setState({ hideIp: false })
+    localStorage.removeItem('homelable.hideIp')
+    render(<SettingsModal open onClose={vi.fn()} />)
+    const checkbox = screen.getByLabelText('Toggle IP address masking') as HTMLInputElement
+    expect(checkbox.checked).toBe(false)
+    fireEvent.click(checkbox)
+    expect(useCanvasStore.getState().hideIp).toBe(true)
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('homelable.hideIp')).toBe('true')
+  })
+
   it('calls onClose on Cancel', async () => {
     const onClose = vi.fn()
     render(<SettingsModal open onClose={onClose} />)
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/panels/Sidebar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/panels/Sidebar.tsx
index 74f8ed8..1155f7f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/panels/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/panels/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
-import { Plus, Save, ScanLine, ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, LayoutDashboard, Clock, EyeOff, RefreshCw, Loader2, Square, Eye, Settings, StopCircle, LogOut, Network, Type, PlusCircle, Pencil, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react'
+import { Plus, Save, ScanLine, ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, LayoutDashboard, Clock, EyeOff, RefreshCw, Loader2, Square, Settings, StopCircle, LogOut, Network, Type, PlusCircle, Pencil, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react'
 import { Logo } from '@/components/ui/Logo'
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
 import { useCanvasStore } from '@/stores/canvasStore'
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export function Sidebar({ onAddNode, onAddGroupRect, onAddText, onScan, onZigbee
     }
   }
 
-  const { nodes, hasUnsavedChanges, hideIp, toggleHideIp } = useCanvasStore()
+  const { nodes, hasUnsavedChanges } = useCanvasStore()
 
   const networkNodes = nodes.filter((n) => n.data.type !== 'groupRect' && n.data.type !== 'text')
   const onlineCount = networkNodes.filter((n) => n.data.status === 'online').length
@@ -253,13 +253,6 @@ export function Sidebar({ onAddNode, onAddGroupRect, onAddText, onScan, onZigbee
         <SidebarItem icon={Type} label="Add Text" collapsed={collapsed} onClick={onAddText} />
         {!STANDALONE && <SidebarItem icon={ScanLine} label="Scan Network" collapsed={collapsed} onClick={handleScan} />}
         {!STANDALONE && <SidebarItem icon={Network} label="Zigbee Import" collapsed={collapsed} onClick={onZigbeeImport} />}
-        <SidebarItem
-          icon={hideIp ? EyeOff : Eye}
-          label={hideIp ? 'Show IPs' : 'Hide IPs'}
-          collapsed={collapsed}
-          onClick={toggleHideIp}
-          active={hideIp}
-        />
         <SidebarItem
           icon={Save}
           label="Save Canvas"
@@ -268,14 +261,12 @@ export function Sidebar({ onAddNode, onAddGroupRect, onAddText, onScan, onZigbee
           badge={hasUnsavedChanges}
           accent
         />
-        {!STANDALONE && (
-          <SidebarItem
-            icon={Settings}
-            label="Settings"
-            collapsed={collapsed}
-            onClick={onOpenSettings}
-          />
-        )}
+        <SidebarItem
+          icon={Settings}
+          label="Settings"
+          collapsed={collapsed}
+          onClick={onOpenSettings}
+        />
         {!STANDALONE && (
           <SidebarItem
             icon={LogOut}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/panels/__tests__/Sidebar.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/panels/__tests__/Sidebar.test.tsx
index 071aecb..0e97a93 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/panels/__tests__/Sidebar.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/panels/__tests__/Sidebar.test.tsx
@@ -46,15 +46,12 @@ const makeNode = (id: string, status: NodeData['status'], type: NodeData['type']
   data: { label: id, type, status, services: [] },
 })
 
-const mockToggleHideIp = vi.fn()
 const mockLogout = vi.fn()
 
 function mockStore(overrides: Partial<ReturnType<typeof useCanvasStore>> = {}) {
   vi.mocked(useCanvasStore).mockReturnValue({
     nodes: [],
     hasUnsavedChanges: false,
-    hideIp: false,
-    toggleHideIp: mockToggleHideIp,
     addNode: vi.fn(),
     scanEventTs: 0,
     ...overrides,
@@ -191,16 +188,10 @@ describe('Sidebar', () => {
     expect(defaultProps.onSave).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
   })
 
-  it('calls toggleHideIp when Hide IPs is clicked', () => {
+  it('calls onOpenSettings when Settings is clicked', () => {
     render(<Sidebar {...defaultProps} />)
-    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Hide IPs'))
-    expect(mockToggleHideIp).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
-  })
-
-  it('shows Show IPs label when hideIp is true', () => {
-    mockStore({ hideIp: true })
-    render(<Sidebar {...defaultProps} />)
-    expect(screen.getByText('Show IPs')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Settings'))
+    expect(defaultProps.onOpenSettings).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
   })
 
   // ── Unsaved changes badge ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/__tests__/canvasStore.test.ts b/frontend/src/stores/__tests__/canvasStore.test.ts
index bd4c5d8..370b00a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/__tests__/canvasStore.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/__tests__/canvasStore.test.ts
@@ -800,6 +800,26 @@ describe('canvasStore', () => {
     expect(useCanvasStore.getState().nodes).toHaveLength(1)
   })
 
+  // --- Hide IP preference (persisted to localStorage) ---
+
+  it('toggleHideIp flips the flag and persists it', () => {
+    localStorage.removeItem('homelable.hideIp')
+    useCanvasStore.setState({ hideIp: false })
+    useCanvasStore.getState().toggleHideIp()
+    expect(useCanvasStore.getState().hideIp).toBe(true)
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('homelable.hideIp')).toBe('true')
+    useCanvasStore.getState().toggleHideIp()
+    expect(useCanvasStore.getState().hideIp).toBe(false)
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('homelable.hideIp')).toBe('false')
+  })
+
+  it('setHideIp sets the flag and persists it', () => {
+    localStorage.removeItem('homelable.hideIp')
+    useCanvasStore.getState().setHideIp(true)
+    expect(useCanvasStore.getState().hideIp).toBe(true)
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('homelable.hideIp')).toBe('true')
+  })
+
   // --- Node resizing (width / height) ---
 
   it('addNode preserves explicit width and height', () => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/canvasStore.ts b/frontend/src/stores/canvasStore.ts
index a58c08a..9b0f8eb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/canvasStore.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/canvasStore.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import type { NodeData, EdgeData, NodeType, EdgeType, NodeTypeStyle, EdgeTypeSty
 import { generateUUID } from '@/utils/uuid'
 import { normalizeHandle, removedBottomHandleIds } from '@/utils/handleUtils'
 import { applyOpacity } from '@/utils/colorUtils'
+import { readHideIp, writeHideIp } from '@/utils/ipDisplay'
 
 type HistoryEntry = { nodes: Node<NodeData>[]; edges: Edge<EdgeData>[] }
 type Clipboard = { nodes: Node<NodeData>[]; edges: Edge<EdgeData>[] }
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ interface CanvasState {
   notifyScanDeviceFound: () => void
   hideIp: boolean
   toggleHideIp: () => void
+  setHideIp: (value: boolean) => void
   applyTypeNodeStyle: (nodeType: NodeType, style: NodeTypeStyle) => void
   applyTypeEdgeStyle: (edgeType: EdgeType, style: EdgeTypeStyle) => void
   applyAllCustomStyles: (def: CustomStyleDef) => void
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ export const useCanvasStore = create<CanvasState>((set) => ({
   selectedNodeIds: [],
   editingGroupRectId: null,
   editingTextId: null,
-  hideIp: false,
+  hideIp: readHideIp(),
   scanEventTs: 0,
   fitViewPending: false,
 
@@ -579,7 +581,16 @@ export const useCanvasStore = create<CanvasState>((set) => ({
 
   notifyScanDeviceFound: () => set({ scanEventTs: Date.now() }),
 
-  toggleHideIp: () => set((s) => ({ hideIp: !s.hideIp })),
+  toggleHideIp: () => set((s) => {
+    const hideIp = !s.hideIp
+    writeHideIp(hideIp)
+    return { hideIp }
+  }),
+
+  setHideIp: (value) => {
+    writeHideIp(value)
+    set({ hideIp: value })
+  },
 
   loadCanvas: (nodes, edges) => {
     // React Flow requires parents before children in the array
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/__tests__/ipDisplay.test.ts b/frontend/src/utils/__tests__/ipDisplay.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c17527
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/__tests__/ipDisplay.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from 'vitest'
+import { readHideIp, writeHideIp } from '@/utils/ipDisplay'
+
+describe('ipDisplay persistence', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => localStorage.clear())
+
+  it('defaults to false when nothing is stored', () => {
+    expect(readHideIp()).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('round-trips true', () => {
+    writeHideIp(true)
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('homelable.hideIp')).toBe('true')
+    expect(readHideIp()).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('round-trips false', () => {
+    writeHideIp(true)
+    writeHideIp(false)
+    expect(readHideIp()).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/ipDisplay.ts b/frontend/src/utils/ipDisplay.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02ab40d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/ipDisplay.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// Persisted client-side preference for masking IP addresses on the canvas.
+// Kept in localStorage (per-user UI preference, not canvas data) so it
+// survives a page reload.
+
+const KEY = 'homelable.hideIp'
+
+export function readHideIp(): boolean {
+  try {
+    return localStorage.getItem(KEY) === 'true'
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+export function writeHideIp(value: boolean): void {
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(KEY, String(value))
+  } catch {
+    /* quota / SSR */
+  }
+}