diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ac80b8270..20ae8afb2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -377,40 +377,37 @@ that handles configuring the app.
 When the app settings are opened, this function is called with one
 argument, `back`: a callback to return to the settings menu.
 
-Usually it will save any information in `app.json` where `app` is the name
+Usually it will save any information in `myappid.json` where `myappid` is the name
 of your app - so you should change the example accordingly.
 
 Example `settings.js`
 ```js
 // make sure to enclose the function in parentheses
 (function(back) {
-  let settings = require('Storage').readJSON('app.json',1)||{};
-  function save(key, value) {
-    settings[key] = value;
-    require('Storage').write('app.json',settings);
-  }
+  function get(key, def) { return require('Settings').get('myappid', key, def); }
+  function set(key, value) { require('Settings').set('myappid', key, value); }
   const appMenu = {
     '': {'title': 'App Settings'},
     '< Back': back,
     'Monkeys': {
-      value: settings.monkeys||12,
-      onchange: (m) => {save('monkeys', m)}
+      value: get('monkeys', 12),
+      onchange: (m) => set('monkeys', m)
     }   
   };
   E.showMenu(appMenu)
 })
 ```
-In this example the app needs to add `app.settings.js` to `storage` in `apps.json`.   
-It should also add `app.json` to `data`, to make sure it is cleaned up when the app is uninstalled.
+In this example the app needs to add `myappid.settings.js` to `storage` in `apps.json`.   
+It should also add `myappid.json` to `data`, to make sure it is cleaned up when the app is uninstalled.
 ```json
-  { "id": "app",
+  { "id": "myappid",
     ...
     "storage": [
       ...
-      {"name":"app.settings.js","url":"settings.js"},
+      {"name":"myappid.settings.js","url":"settings.js"}
     ],
     "data": [
-      {"name":"app.json"}
+      {"name":"myappid.json"}
     ]
   },
 ```
diff --git a/bin/sanitycheck.js b/bin/sanitycheck.js
index a84d26efd..ea45dc19b 100755
--- a/bin/sanitycheck.js
+++ b/bin/sanitycheck.js
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ apps.forEach((app,appIdx) => {
   // prefer "appid.json" over "appid.settings.json" (TODO: change to ERROR once all apps comply?)
   if (dataNames.includes(app.id+".settings.json") && !dataNames.includes(app.id+".json"))
     WARN(`App ${app.id} uses data file ${app.id+'.settings.json'} instead of ${app.id+'.json'}`)
+  else if (dataNames.includes(app.id+".settings.json"))
+    WARN(`App ${app.id} uses data file ${app.id+'.settings.json'}`)
   // settings files should be listed under data, not storage (TODO: change to ERROR once all apps comply?)
   if (fileNames.includes(app.id+".settings.json"))
     WARN(`App ${app.id} uses storage file ${app.id+'.settings.json'} instead of data file`)
diff --git a/modules/Settings.js b/modules/Settings.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8d7fba653
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/Settings.js
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+/*
+- Read/write app settings, stored in <appid>.json
+- Read/write global settings (stored in setting.json)
+
+Usage:
+```
+// read a single app setting
+value = require('Settings').get(appid, key, default);
+// omit key to read all app settings
+value = require('Settings').get();
+// write a single app setting
+require('Settings').set(appid, key, value)
+// omit key and pass an object as values to overwrite all settings
+require('Settings').set(appid, values)
+
+// read Bangle settings by passing the Bangle object instead of an app name
+value = require('Settings').get(Bangle, key, default);
+// read all global settings
+values = require('Settings').get(Bangle);
+// write a global setting
+require('Settings').set(Bangle, key, value)
+```
+
+For example:
+```
+require('Settings').set('test', 'foo', 123);        // writes to 'test.json'
+require('Settings').set('test', 'bar', 456);        // updates 'test.json'
+// 'test.json' now contains  {baz:123,bam:456}
+baz = require('Settings').get('test', 'foo');       // baz = 123
+def = require('Settings').get('test', 'jkl', 789);  // def = 789
+all = require('Settings').get('test');              // all = {foo: 123, bar: 456}
+baz = require('Settings').get('test', 'baz');       // baz = undefined
+
+// read global setting
+vibrate = require('Settings').get(Bangle, 'vibrate', true);
+
+// Hint: if your app reads multiple settings, you can create a helper function:
+function s(key, def) { return require('Settings').get('myapp', key, def); }
+var foo = s('foo setting', 'default value'), bar = s('bar setting');
+```
+
+*/
+
+/**
+ * Read setting value from file
+ *
+ * @param {string} file Settings file
+ * @param {string} key  Setting to get, omit to get all settings as object
+ * @param {*}      def  Default value
+ * @return {*} Setting value (or default if not found)
+ */
+function get(file, key, def) {
+  var s = require("Storage").readJSON(file);
+  if (def===undefined && ["object", "undefined"].includes(typeof key)) {
+    // get(file) or get(file, def): get all settings
+    return (s!==undefined) ? s : key;
+  }
+  return ((typeof s==="object") && (key in s)) ? s[key] : def;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Write setting value to file
+ *
+ * @param {string} file  Settings file
+ * @param {string} key   Setting to change, omit to replace all settings
+ * @param {*}      value Value to store
+ */
+function set(file, key, value) {
+  if (value===undefined && typeof key==="object") {
+    // set(file, value): overwrite settings completely
+    require("Storage").writeJSON(file, key);
+    return;
+  }
+  var s = require("Storage").readJSON(file, 1);
+  if (typeof s!=="object") s = {};
+  s[key] = value;
+  require("Storage").write(file, s);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Read setting value
+ *
+ * @param {string|object} app App name or Bangle
+ * @param {string}        key Setting to get, omit to get all settings as object
+ * @param {*}             def Default value
+ * @return {*} Setting value (or default if not found)
+ */
+exports.get = function(app, key, def) {
+  return get((app===Bangle) ? 'setting.json' : app+".json", key, def);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Write setting value
+ *
+ * @param {string|object} app App name or Bangle
+ * @param {string}        key Setting to change, omit to replace all settings
+ * @param {*}             val Value to store
+ */
+exports.set = function(app, key, val) {
+  set((app===Bangle) ? 'setting.json' : app+".json", key, val);
+};