diff --git a/convex/schema.ts b/convex/schema.ts
index 4af181b3b..a885fdcb7 100644
--- a/convex/schema.ts
+++ b/convex/schema.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const schema = defineSchema({
     capabilities: v.array(
       v.union(...validCapabilities.map((cap) => v.literal(cap)))
     ),
+    adsDisabled: v.optional(v.boolean()),
   }),
 })
 
diff --git a/convex/users.ts b/convex/users.ts
index eae24fff4..51f46173b 100644
--- a/convex/users.ts
+++ b/convex/users.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { v } from 'convex/values'
 import { mutation, query, QueryCtx } from './_generated/server'
 import { Capability, CapabilitySchema } from './schema'
 import { getCurrentUserConvex } from './auth'
+import { Id } from './_generated/dataModel'
 
 export const updateUserCapabilities = mutation({
   args: {
@@ -80,3 +81,21 @@ async function requireCapability(ctx: QueryCtx, capability: Capability) {
 
   return { currentUser }
 }
+
+// Toggle ad preference (only for users with disableAds capability)
+export const updateAdPreference = mutation({
+  args: {
+    adsDisabled: v.boolean(),
+  },
+  handler: async (ctx, args) => {
+    // Validate admin capability
+    const { currentUser } = await requireCapability(ctx, 'disableAds')
+
+    // Update target user's capabilities
+    await ctx.db.patch(currentUser.userId as Id<'users'>, {
+      adsDisabled: args.adsDisabled,
+    })
+
+    return { success: true }
+  },
+})
diff --git a/src/hooks/useAdPreference.ts b/src/hooks/useAdPreference.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a14d60d19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/useAdPreference.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { useCurrentUserQuery } from './useCurrentUser'
+
+// Legacy hook for backward compatibility - now uses current user query
+export function useAdsPreference() {
+  const userQuery = useCurrentUserQuery()
+
+  if (userQuery.isLoading || !userQuery.data) {
+    return { adsEnabled: true } // Default to showing ads while loading or not authenticated
+  }
+
+  const user = userQuery.data
+  const adsDisabled = user.adsDisabled ?? false
+  const canDisableAds = user.capabilities.includes('disableAds')
+
+  // Ads are enabled if user can't disable them OR if they haven't disabled them
+  const adsEnabled = !canDisableAds || !adsDisabled
+
+  return { adsEnabled }
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/_libraries/account.tsx b/src/routes/_libraries/account.tsx
index 1dbccd718..fff80be54 100644
--- a/src/routes/_libraries/account.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/_libraries/account.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import { useUserSettingsStore } from '~/stores/userSettings'
 import { FaSignOutAlt } from 'react-icons/fa'
-import { Authenticated, Unauthenticated } from 'convex/react'
+import { Authenticated, Unauthenticated, useMutation } from 'convex/react'
 import { Link, redirect } from '@tanstack/react-router'
 import { authClient } from '~/utils/auth.client'
 import { useCurrentUserQuery } from '~/hooks/useCurrentUser'
+import { api } from 'convex/_generated/api'
 
 export const Route = createFileRoute({
   component: AccountPage,
@@ -11,10 +11,30 @@ export const Route = createFileRoute({
 
 function UserSettings() {
   const userQuery = useCurrentUserQuery()
-  const adsDisabled = useUserSettingsStore((s) => s.settings.adsDisabled)
-  const toggleAds = useUserSettingsStore((s) => s.toggleAds)
+  // Use current user query directly instead of separate ad preference query
+  const updateAdPreferenceMutation = useMutation(
+    api.users.updateAdPreference
+  ).withOptimisticUpdate((localStore, args) => {
+    const { adsDisabled } = args
+    const currentValue = localStore.getQuery(api.auth.getCurrentUser)
+    if (currentValue !== undefined) {
+      localStore.setQuery(api.auth.getCurrentUser, {}, {
+        ...currentValue,
+        adsDisabled: adsDisabled,
+      } as any)
+    }
+  })
 
-  const canDisableAds = userQuery.data?.capabilities.includes('disableAds')
+  // Get values directly from the current user data
+  const adsDisabled = userQuery.data?.adsDisabled ?? false
+  const canDisableAds =
+    userQuery.data?.capabilities.includes('disableAds') ?? false
+
+  const handleToggleAds = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    updateAdPreferenceMutation({
+      adsDisabled: e.target.checked,
+    })
+  }
 
   const signOut = async () => {
     await authClient.signOut()
@@ -53,7 +73,7 @@ function UserSettings() {
                     type="checkbox"
                     className="h-4 w-4 accent-blue-600 my-1"
                     checked={adsDisabled}
-                    onChange={toggleAds}
+                    onChange={handleToggleAds}
                     disabled={userQuery.isLoading}
                     aria-label="Disable Ads"
                   />
diff --git a/src/stores/userSettings.ts b/src/stores/userSettings.ts
index d2238a997..ae5533a85 100644
--- a/src/stores/userSettings.ts
+++ b/src/stores/userSettings.ts
@@ -1,55 +1,32 @@
 import { create } from 'zustand'
-import { persist, createJSONStorage } from 'zustand/middleware'
-import { useCurrentUserQuery } from '~/hooks/useCurrentUser'
+// Remove persist and createJSONStorage imports since we no longer use localStorage
+// import { persist, createJSONStorage } from 'zustand/middleware'
+// Remove the useCurrentUserQuery import since we'll use the new hook
+// import { useCurrentUserQuery } from '~/hooks/useCurrentUser'
+
+// Update the export to use the new hook
+export { useAdsPreference } from '~/hooks/useAdPreference'
 
 export type UserSettings = {
-  adsDisabled: boolean
+  // Remove adsDisabled since it's now handled by Convex
+  // Other settings can be added here in the future
 }
 
 type UserSettingsState = {
   settings: UserSettings
   hasHydrated: boolean
   setHasHydrated: (value: boolean) => void
-  toggleAds: () => void
+  // Remove toggleAds since it's now handled by the new hooks
 }
 
-export const useUserSettingsStore = create<UserSettingsState>()(
-  persist(
-    (set, get) => ({
-      settings: {
-        adsDisabled: false,
-      },
-      hasHydrated: false,
-      setHasHydrated: (value) => set({ hasHydrated: value }),
-      toggleAds: () =>
-        set({
-          settings: {
-            ...get().settings,
-            adsDisabled: !get().settings.adsDisabled,
-          },
-        }),
-    }),
-    {
-      name: 'user_settings_v1',
-      storage: createJSONStorage(() => localStorage),
-      onRehydrateStorage: () => (state, error) => {
-        if (!state || error) return
-        state.setHasHydrated(true)
-      },
-      partialize: (state) => ({ settings: state.settings }),
-    }
-  )
-)
-
-export function useAdsPreference() {
-  const userQuery = useCurrentUserQuery()
-  const { settings } = useUserSettingsStore((s) => ({
-    settings: s.settings,
-  }))
+export const useUserSettingsStore = create<UserSettingsState>()((set, get) => ({
+  settings: {
+    // Remove adsDisabled initialization
+  },
+  hasHydrated: true, // No need for hydration since we're not using persistence
+  setHasHydrated: (value) => set({ hasHydrated: value }),
+  // Remove toggleAds function
+}))
 
-  const adsEnabled = userQuery.data
-    ? userQuery.data.capabilities.includes('disableAds') &&
-      !settings.adsDisabled
-    : true
-  return { adsEnabled }
-}
+// Remove the persist wrapper and localStorage configuration
+// The useAdsPreference function is now exported from useAdPreference.ts