diff --git a/.changeset/honest-dragons-lead.md b/.changeset/honest-dragons-lead.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68908f77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/honest-dragons-lead.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+'@youversion/platform-react-ui': patch
+'@youversion/platform-core': patch
+'@youversion/platform-react-hooks': patch
+---
+
+Fix user settings from localStorage not loading in the bible reader
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.stories.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.stories.tsx
index cf67319c..d4fee283 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.stories.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.stories.tsx
@@ -497,6 +497,62 @@ export const AuthenticatedWithAvatar: Story = {
   },
 };
 
+export const LoadsSavedPreferencesFromLocalStorage: Story = {
+  tags: ['integration'],
+  args: {
+    versionId: 111,
+    book: 'JHN',
+    chapter: '1',
+    background: 'light',
+  },
+  beforeEach: () => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+    // Pre-populate localStorage with saved preferences
+    localStorage.setItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-size', '18');
+    localStorage.setItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-family', 'Source Serif');
+  },
+  render: (args) => (
+    <div className="yv:h-screen yv:bg-background">
+      <BibleReader.Root {...args}>
+        <BibleReader.Content />
+        <BibleReader.Toolbar />
+      </BibleReader.Root>
+    </div>
+  ),
+  play: async ({ canvasElement }) => {
+    await waitFor(
+      async () => {
+        const verseContainer = canvasElement.querySelector('[data-slot="yv-bible-renderer"]');
+        await expect(verseContainer).toBeInTheDocument();
+      },
+      { timeout: 5000 },
+    );
+
+    // Verify the saved settings were applied via CSS variables
+    const verseContainer = canvasElement.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+      '[data-slot="yv-bible-renderer"]',
+    )!;
+    await expect(verseContainer.style.getPropertyValue('--yv-reader-font-size')).toBe('18px');
+    await expect(verseContainer.style.getPropertyValue('--yv-reader-font-family')).toBe(
+      'Source Serif',
+    );
+
+    // Open settings and verify the correct font family button is active
+    const settingsButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /settings/i });
+    await userEvent.click(settingsButton);
+
+    await waitFor(async () => {
+      await expect(await screen.findByText('Reader Settings')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    const sourceSerifButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /source serif/i });
+    await expect(sourceSerifButton).toHaveClass('yv:bg-black');
+
+    const interButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /inter/i });
+    await expect(interButton).not.toHaveClass('yv:bg-black');
+  },
+};
+
 export const AuthenticatedWithoutAvatar: Story = {
   tags: ['integration'],
   args: {
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.tsx
index b1847274..28a910e6 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/bible-reader.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { createContext, useContext, useMemo, useState, useEffect, type ReactNode } from 'react';
+import {
+  createContext,
+  useContext,
+  useMemo,
+  useState,
+  useEffect,
+  useLayoutEffect,
+  type ReactNode,
+} from 'react';
 import { useControllableState } from '@radix-ui/react-use-controllable-state';
 import { useBooks, useVersion, useTheme, useYVAuth } from '@youversion/platform-react-hooks';
 import { BibleChapterPicker } from './bible-chapter-picker';
@@ -96,26 +104,34 @@ function Root({
     onChange: onVersionChange,
   });
 
-  const [currentFontSize, setCurrentFontSize] = useState(() => {
-    const validatedFontSize =
-      fontSize > MAX_FONT_SIZE || fontSize < MIN_FONT_SIZE ? DEFAULT_FONT_SIZE : fontSize;
-    if (typeof window === 'undefined') return validatedFontSize;
-    const size = localStorage.getItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-size');
-    return size ? parseInt(size) : validatedFontSize;
-  });
+  const validatedFontSize =
+    fontSize > MAX_FONT_SIZE || fontSize < MIN_FONT_SIZE ? DEFAULT_FONT_SIZE : fontSize;
 
-  const [currentFontFamily, setCurrentFontFamily] = useState(() => {
-    if (typeof window === 'undefined') return fontFamily;
-    return localStorage.getItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-family') || fontFamily;
-  });
+  const [currentFontSize, setCurrentFontSize] = useState(validatedFontSize);
+  const [currentFontFamily, setCurrentFontFamily] = useState(fontFamily);
+
+  // Load saved preferences from localStorage before paint (avoids flash of default values)
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const savedFontSize = localStorage.getItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-size');
+    if (savedFontSize) {
+      const parsed = parseInt(savedFontSize);
+      if (parsed >= MIN_FONT_SIZE && parsed <= MAX_FONT_SIZE) {
+        setCurrentFontSize(parsed);
+      }
+    }
+
+    const savedFontFamily = localStorage.getItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-family');
+    if (savedFontFamily) {
+      setCurrentFontFamily(savedFontFamily);
+    }
+  }, []);
 
+  // Save preferences to localStorage when they change
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (typeof window === 'undefined') return;
     localStorage.setItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-size', currentFontSize.toString());
   }, [currentFontSize]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (typeof window === 'undefined') return;
     localStorage.setItem('youversion-platform:reader:font-family', currentFontFamily);
   }, [currentFontFamily]);