diff --git a/src/Preferences.js b/src/Preferences.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19879e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Preferences.js
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import {Platform} from "./client/Platform.js";
+
+export class Preferences {
+	constructor(localStorage) {
+		this._localStorage = localStorage;
+		this.clientId = null;
+		// used to differentiate web from native if a client supports both
+		this.platform = null;
+		this.homeservers = [];
+
+		const prefsStr = localStorage.getItem("preferred_client");
+		if (prefsStr) {
+			const {id, platform} = JSON.parse(prefsStr);
+			this.clientId = id;
+			this.platform = Platform[platform];
+		}
+	}
+
+	setClient(id, platform) {
+		this.clientId = id;
+		platform = Platform[platform];
+		this.platform = platform;
+		this._localStorage.setItem("preferred_client", JSON.stringify({id, platform}));
+	}
+
+	setHomeservers(homeservers) {
+
+	}
+
+	clear() {
+		this._localStorage.removeItem("preferred_client");
+		this.clientId = null;
+		this.platform = null;
+	}
+
+	get canClear() {
+		return !!this.clientId || !!this.platform; 
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/RootView.js b/src/RootView.js
index b5a9cca..c4f42a8 100644
--- a/src/RootView.js
+++ b/src/RootView.js
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ export class RootView extends TemplateView {
 				t.ul({className: "links"}, [
 					t.li(externalLink(t, "https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix.to", "GitHub project")),
 					t.li(externalLink(t, "https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix.to/tree/main/src/clients", "Add your app")),
+					t.li({className: {hidden: vm => !vm.hasPreferences}},
+						t.button({className: "text", onClick: () => vm.clearPreferences()}, "Clear preferences")),
 				])
 			])
 		]);
diff --git a/src/RootViewModel.js b/src/RootViewModel.js
index 9c1a43a..dc41435 100644
--- a/src/RootViewModel.js
+++ b/src/RootViewModel.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {Link} from "./Link.js";
 import {ViewModel} from "./utils/ViewModel.js";
 import {PreviewViewModel} from "./preview/PreviewViewModel.js";
 import {Element} from "./client/clients/Element.js";
+import {Platform} from "./client/Platform.js";
 
 export class RootViewModel extends ViewModel {
 	constructor(options) {
@@ -33,8 +34,6 @@ export class RootViewModel extends ViewModel {
 				this.previewViewModel = new PreviewViewModel(this.childOptions({
 					link: this.link,
 					consentedServers: this.link.servers,
-					// preferredClient: element,
-					// preferredPlatform: this.platforms[0],
 					clients: [element]
 				}));
 				this.previewViewModel.load();
@@ -57,4 +56,13 @@ export class RootViewModel extends ViewModel {
 		}
 		return "";
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+
+	clearPreferences() {
+		this.preferences.clear();
+		this._updateChildVMs();
+	}
+
+	get hasPreferences() {
+		return this.preferences.canClear;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index de41b5d..a31032c 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {xhrRequest} from "./utils/xhr.js";
 import {RootViewModel} from "./RootViewModel.js";
 import {RootView} from "./RootView.js";
+import {Preferences} from "./Preferences.js";
 import {guessApplicablePlatforms} from "./client/Platform.js";
 
 export async function main(container) {
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ export async function main(container) {
 		request: xhrRequest,
 		openLink: url => location.href = url,
 		platforms: guessApplicablePlatforms(navigator.userAgent),
+		preferences: new Preferences(window.localStorage),
 	});
 	vm.updateHash(location.hash);
 	window.__rootvm = vm;
diff --git a/src/preview/PreviewViewModel.js b/src/preview/PreviewViewModel.js
index 919e01b..74aac1f 100644
--- a/src/preview/PreviewViewModel.js
+++ b/src/preview/PreviewViewModel.js
@@ -18,20 +18,16 @@ import {LinkKind} from "../Link.js";
 import {ViewModel} from "../utils/ViewModel.js";
 import {resolveServer} from "./HomeServer.js";
 import {ClientListViewModel} from "../client/ClientListViewModel.js";
+import {ClientViewModel} from "../client/ClientViewModel.js";
 
 export class PreviewViewModel extends ViewModel {
 	constructor(options) {
 		super(options);
-		const {
-			link, consentedServers,
-			preferredClient, preferredPlatform, clients
-		} = options;
+		const { link, consentedServers, clients } = options;
 		this._link = link;
 		this._consentedServers = consentedServers;
-		this._preferredClient = preferredClient;
-		// used to differentiate web from native if a client supports both
-		this._preferredPlatform = preferredPlatform;
 		this._clients = clients;
+		this._preferredClient = this.preferences.clientId ? clients.find(c => c.id === this.preferences.clientId) : null;
 
 		this.loading = false;
 		this.name = null;
@@ -39,6 +35,7 @@ export class PreviewViewModel extends ViewModel {
 		this.previewDomain = null;
 		this.clientsViewModel = null;
 		this.acceptInstructions = null;
+		this.missingClientViewModel = null;
 	}
 
 	async load() {
@@ -76,7 +73,7 @@ export class PreviewViewModel extends ViewModel {
 
 	get acceptLabel() {
 		if (this._preferredClient) {
-			return `Open in ${this._preferredClient.getName(this._preferredPlatform)}`;
+			return `Open in ${this._preferredClient.getName(this.preferences.platform)}`;
 		} else {
 			return "Choose app";
 		}
@@ -84,17 +81,16 @@ export class PreviewViewModel extends ViewModel {
 
 	accept() {
 		if (this._preferredClient) {
-			if (this._preferredClient.getLinkSupport(this._preferredPlatform, this._link)) {
-				const deepLink = this._preferredClient.getDeepLink(this._preferredPlatform, this._link);
+			if (this._preferredClient.getLinkSupport(this.preferences.platform, this._link)) {
+				const deepLink = this._preferredClient.getDeepLink(this.preferences.platform, this._link);
 				this.openLink(deepLink);
-				// show "looks like you don't have the native app installed"
 				const protocol = new URL(deepLink).protocol;
 				const isWebProtocol = protocol === "http:" || protocol === "https:";
 				if (!isWebProtocol) {
 					this.missingClientViewModel = new ClientViewModel(this.childOptions({client: this._preferredClient, link: this._link}));
 				}
 			} else {
-				this.acceptInstructions = this._preferredClient.getLinkInstructions(this._preferredPlatform, this._link);
+				this.acceptInstructions = this._preferredClient.getLinkInstructions(this.preferences.platform, this._link);
 			}
 		} else {
 			this.clientsViewModel = new ClientListViewModel(this.childOptions({clients: this._clients, link: this._link}));
diff --git a/src/utils/ViewModel.js b/src/utils/ViewModel.js
index 3cc34f2..40507f6 100644
--- a/src/utils/ViewModel.js
+++ b/src/utils/ViewModel.js
@@ -63,12 +63,14 @@ export class ViewModel extends EventEmitter {
     get request() { return this._options.request; }
     get openLink() { return this._options.openLink; }
     get platforms() { return this._options.platforms; }
+    get preferences() { return this._options.preferences; }
 
     childOptions(options = {}) {
         return Object.assign({
             request: this.request,
             openLink: this.openLink,
             platforms: this.platforms,
+            preferences: this.preferences,
         }, options);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file