diff --git a/edrumulus.ino b/edrumulus.ino
index 2315ad2..17c4830 100644
--- a/edrumulus.ino
+++ b/edrumulus.ino
@@ -102,12 +102,8 @@ void setup()
 #endif
 
   edrumulus.setup(number_pads, analog_pins, analog_pins_rimshot);
-  digitalWrite(status_LED_pin, LOW); // set board LED to low right after setup is done
-#ifdef ESP_PLATFORM
-  preset_settings(); // for ESP32, the load/save of settings is not supported, preset instead
-#else
   read_settings();
-#endif
+  digitalWrite(status_LED_pin, LOW); // set board LED to low right after setup is done
 }
 
 void preset_settings()
diff --git a/hardware.cpp b/hardware.cpp
index 69d49d3..d140b4b 100644
--- a/hardware.cpp
+++ b/hardware.cpp
@@ -223,14 +223,30 @@ int Edrumulus_hardware::get_prototype_pins(int** analog_pins,
 #  endif
 }
 
+void Edrumulus_hardware::write_setting(const int pad_index,
+    const int address,
+    const byte value)
+{
+  const char* key = String(pad_index * MAX_NUM_SET_PER_PAD + address).c_str();
+  settings.putUChar(key, value);
+}
+
+byte Edrumulus_hardware::read_setting(const int pad_index,
+    const int address)
+{
+  const char* key = String(pad_index * MAX_NUM_SET_PER_PAD + address).c_str();
+  return settings.getUChar(key, 0);
+}
+
 void Edrumulus_hardware::setup(const int conf_Fs,
     const int number_pads,
     const int number_inputs[],
     int analog_pin[][MAX_NUM_PAD_INPUTS])
 {
   // set essential parameters
-  Fs = conf_Fs;
-  eeprom_settings.begin((number_pads + 1) * MAX_NUM_SET_PER_PAD); // "+ 1" for pad-independent global settings
+  Fs                             = conf_Fs;
+  char preferences_namespace[16] = "Edrumulus";
+  settings.begin(preferences_namespace, false);
 
   // create linear vectors containing the pin/ADC information for each pad and pad-input
   bool input_is_used[MAX_NUM_PADS * MAX_NUM_PAD_INPUTS];
diff --git a/hardware.h b/hardware.h
index 00a7f80..d5a540f 100644
--- a/hardware.h
+++ b/hardware.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "Arduino.h"
-#include "EEPROM.h"
 #include "common.h"
 
 #define MAX_EEPROM_SIZE 512    // bytes (Teensy 4.0: max 1024 bytes)
@@ -31,6 +30,8 @@
 
 #  include <ADC.h>
 
+#  include "EEPROM.h"
+
 #  define BOARD_LED_PIN 13     // pin number of the LED on the Teensy 4.0 board
 #  define ADC_MAX_RANGE 4096   // Teensy 4.0/4.1 ADC has 12 bits -> 0..4095
 #  define ADC_MAX_NOISE_AMPL 8 // highest assumed ADC noise amplitude in the ADC input range unit (measured)
@@ -77,6 +78,8 @@ class Edrumulus_hardware
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #ifdef ESP_PLATFORM
 
+#  include <Preferences.h>
+
 #  include "driver/adc.h"
 #  include "soc/sens_reg.h"
 #  ifdef CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32
@@ -109,12 +112,12 @@ class Edrumulus_hardware
       int analog_pin[][MAX_NUM_PAD_INPUTS],
       int sample_org[][MAX_NUM_PAD_INPUTS]);
 
-  void write_setting(const int, const int, const byte){}; // not supported
-  byte read_setting(const int, const int) { return 0; };  // not supported
+  void write_setting(const int pad_index, const int address, const byte value);
+  byte read_setting(const int pad_index, const int address);
 
  protected:
   int Fs;
-  EEPROMClass eeprom_settings;
+  Preferences settings;
   volatile SemaphoreHandle_t timer_semaphore;
   hw_timer_t* timer = nullptr;
   static void IRAM_ATTR on_timer();