diff --git a/app/ipcHandlers.js b/app/ipcHandlers.js
index bd04fe6..611dc91 100644
--- a/app/ipcHandlers.js
+++ b/app/ipcHandlers.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const { configFeatures, featuresPath } = require("../config");
 const { getThemes, reloadThemes } = require("./themeManager");
 const config = require("../config");
 const { validateDownloadPath, getDefaultDownloadPath } = require("./pathValidator");
+const { userThemesPath } = require("../server/helpers/path.helpers");
 
 const FEATURE_WHITELIST = new Set([
   "autoUpdate",
@@ -24,9 +25,7 @@ const FEATURE_WHITELIST = new Set([
 
 const configFolderPath = featuresPath;
 
-const themeFolderPath = config.localMode
-  ? path.join(__dirname, "..", "theme")
-  : path.join(process.resourcesPath, "theme");
+const themeFolderPath = userThemesPath;
 
 function registerIpcHandlers(getMainWindow) {
     
diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index b985890..829a519 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ const { checkNativeDependencies } = require("./app/dependencyCheck");
 const { updateYtDlp } = require("./app/ytDlpUpdater");
 const { createMainWindow, getMainWindow } = require("./app/windowManager");
 const { registerIpcHandlers } = require("./app/ipcHandlers");
+const { userThemesPath, initUserThemes } = require("./server/helpers/path.helpers");
 
 app.setName("Freedom Loader");
 app.setAppUserModelId("com.masteracnolo.freedomloader");
@@ -56,13 +57,9 @@ app.whenReady().then(async () => {
     setSplashProgress(1); // Starting server
     registerIpcHandlers(getMainWindow);
 
-    const themeFolderPath = config.localMode
-      ? path.join(__dirname, "theme")
-      : path.join(process.resourcesPath, "theme");
-
     setSplashProgress(2); // Loading themes
-    await initThemes(themeFolderPath); 
-
+    initUserThemes();
+    await initThemes(userThemesPath); 
 
     setSplashProgress(3); // Almost ready
     await createMainWindow();
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6300b61..9fcef47 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@
     "files": [
       "**/*",
       "node_modules/**/*",
-      "!config/config.dev.json"
+      "!config/config.dev.json",
+      "!theme/**/*"
     ],
     "directories": {
       "buildResources": "build"
diff --git a/server/helpers/path.helpers.js b/server/helpers/path.helpers.js
index ed630c4..38efa9e 100644
--- a/server/helpers/path.helpers.js
+++ b/server/helpers/path.helpers.js
@@ -50,8 +50,74 @@ const binaryPaths = {
   deno: path.join(resourcesPath, "binaries", "deno.exe")
 };
 
+// Theme paths - themes stored in AppData to survive updates
+const userThemesPath = path.join(app.getPath("userData"), "themes");
+const defaultThemesSourcePath = path.join(resourcesPath, "theme");
+
+function initUserThemes() {
+  try {
+    if (!fs.existsSync(userThemesPath)) {
+      fs.mkdirSync(userThemesPath, { recursive: true });
+      // Ensure folder is writable
+      fs.chmodSync(userThemesPath, 0o777);
+      logger.info("Created user themes directory");
+    }
+
+    // Copy default themes from resources to user directory if they don't exist
+    if (fs.existsSync(defaultThemesSourcePath)) {
+      const defaultThemes = fs.readdirSync(defaultThemesSourcePath);
+      for (const theme of defaultThemes) {
+        const srcPath = path.join(defaultThemesSourcePath, theme);
+        const destPath = path.join(userThemesPath, theme);
+        
+        if (!fs.existsSync(destPath)) {
+          try {
+            copyDirectory(srcPath, destPath);
+            fs.chmodSync(destPath, 0o777);
+            logger.info(`Copied default theme: ${theme}`);
+          } catch (copyErr) {
+            logger.warn(`Failed to copy theme ${theme}: ${copyErr.message}. Theme folder will be created, add theme files manually.`);
+            try {
+              fs.mkdirSync(destPath, { recursive: true });
+              fs.chmodSync(destPath, 0o777);
+            } catch (mkdirErr) {
+              logger.warn(`Could not create theme directory ${theme}: ${mkdirErr.message}`);
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    } else {
+      logger.warn(`Default themes source path not found: ${defaultThemesSourcePath}`);
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    logger.error(`Failed to initialize user themes: ${err.message}`);
+  }
+}
+
+function copyDirectory(src, dest) {
+  try {
+    if (!fs.existsSync(dest)) {
+      fs.mkdirSync(dest, { recursive: true, mode: 0o777 });
+    }
+    
+    const files = fs.readdirSync(src);
+    for (const file of files) {
+      const srcFile = path.join(src, file);
+      const destFile = path.join(dest, file);
+      
+      if (fs.statSync(srcFile).isDirectory()) {
+        copyDirectory(srcFile, destFile);
+      } else {
+        fs.copyFileSync(srcFile, destFile);
+      }
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw new Error(`Copy error: ${err.message}`);
+  }
+}
+
 if (!userYtDlp){ logger.error("Missing YT-DLP")}
 if (!ffmpegPath){ logger.error("Missing FFMPEG")}
 if (!denoPath){ logger.error("Missing DENO")}
 
-module.exports = { userYtDlp, ffmpegPath, denoPath, iconPaths, binaryPaths, resourcesPath, defaultDownloadFolder };
+module.exports = { userYtDlp, ffmpegPath, denoPath, iconPaths, binaryPaths, resourcesPath, defaultDownloadFolder, userThemesPath, initUserThemes };