---
title: Where do I change settings in codus?
question: where are the settings
area: settings
order: 1
surface: desktop
audience: beginner
keywords: [settings, preferences, options, config, configuration, gear, cog, wheel, where are settings, change settings, see all settings, settings page, settings sections]
related: [appearance-and-layout, agent-behaviour-rigor, cloud-account-sign-in, per-project-vs-global-settings]
updated: 2026-07-21
---

# Where do I change settings in codus?

codus has two settings surfaces. For a quick tweak, click the gear (**⚙**) at the top-right of the coding workspace to open a small dropdown. For everything else, click **See all settings →** at the bottom of that dropdown to open the full settings page with a list of sections down the left side.

## The gear (⚙) dropdown

The **⚙** button is the last icon on the right of the titlebar in the **coding** workspace. Click it and a small panel drops down with the settings people change most often:

- **Theme**
- **Sidebar size**
- **Active quadrants**
- **Git sidebar**
- **Preview placement**
- **Layouts**

Below those are two links:

- **What's new in codus →** opens the release notes for the version you are on.
- **See all settings →** opens the full settings page.

Changes you make here take effect straight away. Click anywhere outside the panel, or press **Esc**, to close it.

## The full settings page

Click **See all settings →** and codus replaces the workspace with a full page. Down the left is a list of sections; click one to see its controls on the right:

- **Appearance** (Theme, sidebars, layout)
- **Agent behaviour** (Testing, security, response style)
- **Cloud account** (Sign in to sync tasks + actions)
- **Integrations** (GitHub, Slack, Linear, more)
- **Data Library** (Data sources + your API keys)
- **MCP servers** (Add tools your agents can use)
- **Agent browser** (Real Chrome for bot-walled sites)
- **Updates** (Version, release notes, check now)
- **Import passwords** (Pull saved logins from Chrome)
- **Saved logins** (Browser autofill credentials)

To leave the settings page, click the **✕** at the top-right (its tooltip reads "Close settings"). That takes you back to the coding workspace.

## Which one should I use?

- Use the **⚙** dropdown for fast changes to how the screen looks: theme, layout, which quadrants show.
- Use the full settings page for everything else: how your agents behave, signing in, connecting other tools, updates, and saved passwords.

The **Appearance** section on the full page shows the same look-and-feel controls as the dropdown, with a bit more room, plus one extra (Default startup view). See [How do I change the theme and layout?](appearance-and-layout.md).

## Common problems

- **I can't find the gear.** It only sits on the titlebar of the **coding** workspace. If you are on the planner or another view, switch back to coding first.
- **The dropdown does not have the section I want.** The dropdown is only the quick look-and-feel controls. For agent behaviour, sign-in, integrations, updates, and passwords, click **See all settings →**.