diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 18eb074..b0c4e81 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -219,10 +219,14 @@ dependencies = [
  "aw-client-rust",
  "chrono",
  "clap",
+ "dirs 5.0.0",
  "fern",
  "gethostname 0.4.1",
  "log",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_default",
  "serde_json",
+ "toml",
  "wayland-backend",
  "wayland-client",
  "wayland-scanner",
@@ -472,6 +476,41 @@ dependencies = [
  "syn 1.0.109",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "darling"
+version = "0.13.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a01d95850c592940db9b8194bc39f4bc0e89dee5c4265e4b1807c34a9aba453c"
+dependencies = [
+ "darling_core",
+ "darling_macro",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "darling_core"
+version = "0.13.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "859d65a907b6852c9361e3185c862aae7fafd2887876799fa55f5f99dc40d610"
+dependencies = [
+ "fnv",
+ "ident_case",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "strsim",
+ "syn 1.0.109",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "darling_macro"
+version = "0.13.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9c972679f83bdf9c42bd905396b6c3588a843a17f0f16dfcfa3e2c5d57441835"
+dependencies = [
+ "darling_core",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 1.0.109",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "derivative"
 version = "2.2.0"
@@ -499,7 +538,16 @@ version = "4.0.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ca3aa72a6f96ea37bbc5aa912f6788242832f75369bdfdadcb0e38423f100059"
 dependencies = [
- "dirs-sys",
+ "dirs-sys 0.3.7",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "dirs"
+version = "5.0.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "dece029acd3353e3a58ac2e3eb3c8d6c35827a892edc6cc4138ef9c33df46ecd"
+dependencies = [
+ "dirs-sys 0.4.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -513,6 +561,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "dirs-sys"
+version = "0.4.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "04414300db88f70d74c5ff54e50f9e1d1737d9a5b90f53fcf2e95ca2a9ab554b"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "redox_users",
+ "windows-sys 0.45.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "dlib"
 version = "0.5.0"
@@ -895,6 +954,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "cxx-build",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ident_case"
+version = "1.0.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b9e0384b61958566e926dc50660321d12159025e767c18e043daf26b70104c39"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "idna"
 version = "0.3.0"
@@ -1483,18 +1548,30 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde"
-version = "1.0.159"
+version = "1.0.160"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "3c04e8343c3daeec41f58990b9d77068df31209f2af111e059e9fe9646693065"
+checksum = "bb2f3770c8bce3bcda7e149193a069a0f4365bda1fa5cd88e03bca26afc1216c"
 dependencies = [
  "serde_derive",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
-name = "serde_derive"
-version = "1.0.159"
+name = "serde_default"
+version = "0.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4c614d17805b093df4b147b51339e7e44bf05ef59fba1e45d83500bcfb4d8585"
+checksum = "9fd4c77b86d9fb10363e52607ca6dc3043d8dfde6c790b702ed4ffafb34e7b99"
+dependencies = [
+ "darling",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 1.0.109",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_derive"
+version = "1.0.160"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "291a097c63d8497e00160b166a967a4a79c64f3facdd01cbd7502231688d77df"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -1534,6 +1611,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "syn 2.0.12",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_spanned"
+version = "0.6.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0efd8caf556a6cebd3b285caf480045fcc1ac04f6bd786b09a6f11af30c4fcf4"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_urlencoded"
 version = "0.7.1"
@@ -1724,11 +1810,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "tracing",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "toml"
+version = "0.7.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b403acf6f2bb0859c93c7f0d967cb4a75a7ac552100f9322faf64dc047669b21"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+ "serde_spanned",
+ "toml_datetime",
+ "toml_edit",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "toml_datetime"
 version = "0.6.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "3ab8ed2edee10b50132aed5f331333428b011c99402b5a534154ed15746f9622"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "toml_edit"
@@ -1737,6 +1838,8 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "239410c8609e8125456927e6707163a3b1fdb40561e4b803bc041f466ccfdc13"
 dependencies = [
  "indexmap",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_spanned",
  "toml_datetime",
  "winnow",
 ]
@@ -2268,7 +2371,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "byteorder",
  "derivative",
- "dirs",
+ "dirs 4.0.0",
  "enumflags2",
  "event-listener",
  "futures-core",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index be29cde..6a11ec3 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ wayland-backend = "0.1"
 chrono = "0.4.24"
 serde_json = "1.0.95"
 zbus = "3.11.1"
-clap = "4.2.1"
+clap = { version = "4.2.1", features = ["string"] }
 log = { version = "0.4.17", features = ["std"] }
 fern = { version = "0.6.2", features = ["colored"] }
 x11rb = { version = "0.11.1", features = ["screensaver"] }
+toml = "0.7.3"
+dirs = "5.0.0"
+serde = { version = "1.0.160", features = ["derive"] }
+serde_default = "0.1.0"
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 5d41f2c..401e9b5 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
-use std::{path::PathBuf, time::Duration};
+use clap::{arg, parser::ValueSource, value_parser, ArgMatches, Command};
+use serde::Deserialize;
+use serde_default::DefaultFromSerde;
+use std::{
+    io::ErrorKind,
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    time::Duration,
+};
 
-use clap::{arg, value_parser, Command};
+use crate::BoxedError;
 
 pub struct Config {
     pub port: u32,
@@ -12,8 +19,134 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub active_window_bucket_name: String,
 }
 
+fn default_idle_timeout_seconds() -> u32 {
+    180
+}
+fn default_poll_time_idle_seconds() -> u32 {
+    5
+}
+fn default_poll_time_window_seconds() -> u32 {
+    1
+}
+fn default_port() -> u32 {
+    5600
+}
+fn default_host() -> String {
+    "localhost".to_string()
+}
+
+#[derive(Deserialize, DefaultFromSerde)]
+struct ServerConfig {
+    #[serde(default = "default_port")]
+    port: u32,
+    #[serde(default = "default_host")]
+    host: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Deserialize, DefaultFromSerde)]
+struct ClientConfig {
+    #[serde(default = "default_idle_timeout_seconds")]
+    idle_timeout_seconds: u32,
+    #[serde(default = "default_poll_time_idle_seconds")]
+    poll_time_idle_seconds: u32,
+    #[serde(default = "default_poll_time_window_seconds")]
+    poll_time_window_seconds: u32,
+}
+
+#[derive(Deserialize, Default)]
+struct FileConfig {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    server: ServerConfig,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    client: ClientConfig,
+}
+
+impl FileConfig {
+    fn new(config_path: &Path) -> Result<Self, BoxedError> {
+        if config_path.exists() {
+            debug!("Reading config at {}", config_path.display());
+            let config_content = std::fs::read_to_string(config_path)
+                .map_err(|e| format!("Impossible to read config file: {e}"))?;
+
+            Ok(toml::from_str(&config_content)?)
+        } else {
+            let config = format!(
+                r#"# The commented values are the defaults on the file creation
+    [server]
+    # port = {}
+    # host = "{}"
+    [awatcher]
+    # idle-timeout-seconds={}
+    # poll-time-idle-seconds={}
+    # poll-time-window-seconds={}
+    "#,
+                default_port(),
+                default_host(),
+                default_idle_timeout_seconds(),
+                default_poll_time_idle_seconds(),
+                default_poll_time_window_seconds(),
+            );
+            let error = std::fs::create_dir(config_path.parent().unwrap());
+            if let Err(e) = error {
+                if e.kind() != ErrorKind::AlreadyExists {
+                    Err(e)?;
+                }
+            }
+            debug!("Creading config at {}", config_path.display());
+            std::fs::write(config_path, config)?;
+
+            Ok(Self::default())
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn merge_cli(&mut self, matches: &ArgMatches) {
+        self.client.poll_time_idle_seconds = get_arg_value(
+            "poll-time-idle",
+            matches,
+            self.client.poll_time_idle_seconds,
+        );
+        self.client.poll_time_window_seconds = get_arg_value(
+            "poll-time-window",
+            matches,
+            self.client.poll_time_window_seconds,
+        );
+        self.client.idle_timeout_seconds =
+            get_arg_value("idle-timeout", matches, self.client.idle_timeout_seconds);
+
+        self.server.port = get_arg_value("port", matches, self.server.port);
+        self.server.host = get_arg_value("host", matches, self.server.host.clone());
+    }
+
+    fn get_idle_timeout(&self) -> Duration {
+        Duration::from_secs(u64::from(self.client.idle_timeout_seconds))
+    }
+
+    fn get_poll_time_idle(&self) -> Duration {
+        Duration::from_secs(u64::from(self.client.poll_time_idle_seconds))
+    }
+
+    fn get_poll_time_window(&self) -> Duration {
+        Duration::from_secs(u64::from(self.client.poll_time_window_seconds))
+    }
+}
+
+fn get_arg_value<T>(id: &str, matches: &ArgMatches, config_value: T) -> T
+where
+    T: Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
+{
+    if let Some(ValueSource::CommandLine) = matches.value_source(id) {
+        matches.get_one::<T>(id).unwrap().clone()
+    } else {
+        config_value
+    }
+}
+
 impl Config {
-    pub fn from_cli() -> Self {
+    pub fn from_cli() -> Result<Self, BoxedError> {
+        let mut config_path: PathBuf = dirs::config_dir().ok_or("Config directory is unknown")?;
+        config_path.push("awatcher");
+        config_path.push("config.toml");
+
         let matches = Command::new("Activity Watcher")
             .version("0.1.0")
             .about("A set of ActivityWatch desktop watchers")
@@ -21,37 +154,37 @@ impl Config {
                 arg!(-c --config <FILE> "Custom config file").value_parser(value_parser!(PathBuf)),
                 arg!(--port <PORT> "Custom server port")
                     .value_parser(value_parser!(u32))
-                    .default_value("5600"),
+                    .default_value(default_port().to_string()),
                 arg!(--host <HOST> "Custom server host")
                     .value_parser(value_parser!(String))
-                    .default_value("localhost"),
+                    .default_value(default_host()),
                 arg!(--"idle-timeout" <SECONDS> "Time of inactivity to consider the user idle")
                     .value_parser(value_parser!(u32))
-                    .default_value("180"),
+                    .default_value(default_idle_timeout_seconds().to_string()),
                 arg!(--"poll-time-idle" <SECONDS> "Period between sending heartbeats to the server for idle activity")
                     .value_parser(value_parser!(u32))
-                    .default_value("5"),
+                    .default_value(default_poll_time_idle_seconds().to_string()),
                 arg!(--"poll-time-window" <SECONDS> "Period between sending heartbeats to the server for idle activity")
                     .value_parser(value_parser!(u32))
-                    .default_value("1"),
+                    .default_value(default_poll_time_window_seconds().to_string()),
             ])
             .get_matches();
 
+        let mut config = FileConfig::new(config_path.as_path())?;
+        config.merge_cli(&matches);
+
         let hostname = gethostname::gethostname().into_string().unwrap();
         let idle_bucket_name = format!("aw-watcher-afk_{hostname}");
         let active_window_bucket_name = format!("aw-watcher-window_{hostname}");
-        let poll_seconds_idle = *matches.get_one::<u32>("poll-time-idle").unwrap();
-        let poll_seconds_window = *matches.get_one::<u32>("poll-time-window").unwrap();
-        let idle_timeout_seconds = *matches.get_one::<u32>("idle-timeout").unwrap();
 
-        Self {
-            port: *matches.get_one("port").unwrap(),
-            host: String::clone(matches.get_one("host").unwrap()),
-            idle_timeout: Duration::from_secs(u64::from(idle_timeout_seconds)),
-            poll_time_idle: Duration::from_secs(u64::from(poll_seconds_idle)),
-            poll_time_window: Duration::from_secs(u64::from(poll_seconds_window)),
+        Ok(Self {
+            port: config.server.port,
+            host: config.server.host.clone(),
+            idle_timeout: config.get_idle_timeout(),
+            poll_time_idle: config.get_poll_time_idle(),
+            poll_time_window: config.get_poll_time_window(),
             idle_bucket_name,
             active_window_bucket_name,
-        }
+        })
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index a828490..74e31f5 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ fn setup_logger() -> Result<(), fern::InitError> {
 fn main() -> Result<(), BoxedError> {
     setup_logger()?;
 
-    let client = ReportClient::new(Config::from_cli())?;
+    let client = ReportClient::new(Config::from_cli()?)?;
     let client = Arc::new(client);
 
     info!(
@@ -115,7 +115,11 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), BoxedError> {
         client.config.idle_timeout.as_secs()
     );
     info!(
-        "Polling period: {} seconds",
+        "Idle polling period: {} seconds",
+        client.config.poll_time_idle.as_secs()
+    );
+    info!(
+        "Window polling period: {} seconds",
         client.config.poll_time_idle.as_secs()
     );
 
diff --git a/src/x11_window.rs b/src/x11_window.rs
index 0d523db..ef4b3f3 100644
--- a/src/x11_window.rs
+++ b/src/x11_window.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::{thread, time::Duration};
+use std::thread;
 
 use crate::{report_client::ReportClient, x11_connection::X11Connection, BoxedError, Watcher};