diff --git a/resources/vnote.ini b/resources/vnote.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3d8fcab4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/vnote.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[global]
+welcome_page_path=:/resources/welcome.html
+template_path=:/resources/template.html
+pre_template_path=:/resources/pre_template.html
+post_template_path=:/resources/post_template.html
+template_css_url=qrc:/resources/markdown.css
+current_notebook=0
diff --git a/vconfigmanager.cpp b/vconfigmanager.cpp
index 847ce4d2..fc6dcb2b 100644
--- a/vconfigmanager.cpp
+++ b/vconfigmanager.cpp
@@ -10,31 +10,102 @@
 #include "utils/vutils.h"
 #include "vstyleparser.h"
 
+const QString VConfigManager::orgName = QString("tamlok");
+const QString VConfigManager::appName = QString("vnote");
 const QString VConfigManager::dirConfigFileName = QString(".vnote.json");
-VConfigManager* VConfigManager::instance = NULL;
+const QString VConfigManager::defaultConfigFilePath = QString(":/resources/vnote.ini");
 
 VConfigManager::VConfigManager()
-    : baseEditFont(QFont())
+    : userSettings(NULL), defaultSettings(NULL)
 {
 }
 
-VConfigManager* VConfigManager::getInst()
+VConfigManager::~VConfigManager()
 {
-    if (!instance) {
-        instance = new VConfigManager();
-        instance->initialize();
+    if (userSettings) {
+        delete userSettings;
+    }
+    if (defaultSettings) {
+        delete defaultSettings;
     }
-    return instance;
 }
 
 void VConfigManager::initialize()
 {
+    userSettings = new QSettings(QSettings::IniFormat, QSettings::UserScope, orgName, appName);
+    defaultSettings = new QSettings(defaultConfigFilePath, QSettings::IniFormat);
+
     baseEditFont.setPointSize(11);
     baseEditPalette = QTextEdit().palette();
 
+    welcomePagePath = getConfigFromSettings("global", "welcome_page_path").toString();
+    templatePath = getConfigFromSettings("global", "template_path").toString();
+    preTemplatePath = getConfigFromSettings("global", "pre_template_path").toString();
+    postTemplatePath = getConfigFromSettings("global", "post_template_path").toString();
+    templateCssUrl = getConfigFromSettings("global", "template_css_url").toString();
+    curNotebookIndex = getConfigFromSettings("global", "current_notebook").toInt();
+
+    // Update notebooks
+    readNotebookFromSettings();
+
     updateMarkdownEditStyle();
 }
 
+void VConfigManager::readNotebookFromSettings()
+{
+    notebooks.clear();
+    int size = userSettings->beginReadArray("notebooks");
+    for (int i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
+        userSettings->setArrayIndex(i);
+        VNotebook notebook;
+        QString name = userSettings->value("name").toString();
+        QString path = userSettings->value("path").toString();
+        notebook.setName(name);
+        notebook.setPath(path);
+        notebooks.append(notebook);
+    }
+    userSettings->endArray();
+    qDebug() << "read" << notebooks.size()
+             << "notebook items from [notebooks] section";
+}
+
+void VConfigManager::writeNotebookToSettings()
+{
+    userSettings->beginWriteArray("notebooks");
+    for (int i = 0; i < notebooks.size(); ++i) {
+        userSettings->setArrayIndex(i);
+        userSettings->setValue("name", notebooks[i].getName());
+        userSettings->setValue("path", notebooks[i].getPath());
+    }
+    userSettings->endArray();
+    qDebug() << "write" << notebooks.size()
+             << "notebook items in [notebooks] section";
+}
+
+QVariant VConfigManager::getConfigFromSettings(const QString &section, const QString &key)
+{
+    QString fullKey = section + "/" + key;
+    // First, look up the user-scoped config file
+    QVariant value = userSettings->value(fullKey);
+    if (!value.isNull()) {
+        qDebug() << "user config:" << fullKey << value.toString();
+        return value;
+    }
+
+    // Second, look up the default config file
+    value = defaultSettings->value(fullKey);
+    qDebug() << "default config:" << fullKey << value.toString();
+    return value;
+}
+
+void VConfigManager::setConfigToSettings(const QString &section, const QString &key, const QVariant &value)
+{
+    // Set the user-scoped config file
+    QString fullKey = section + "/" + key;
+    userSettings->setValue(fullKey, value);
+    qDebug() << "set user config:" << fullKey << value.toString();
+}
+
 QJsonObject VConfigManager::readDirectoryConfig(const QString &path)
 {
     QString configFile = QDir(path).filePath(dirConfigFileName);
diff --git a/vconfigmanager.h b/vconfigmanager.h
index c1ff160a..1a0b4adb 100644
--- a/vconfigmanager.h
+++ b/vconfigmanager.h
@@ -4,37 +4,140 @@
 #include <QFont>
 #include <QPalette>
 #include <QVector>
+#include <QSettings>
+#include "vnotebook.h"
 
 #include "hgmarkdownhighlighter.h"
 
 class QJsonObject;
 class QString;
 
-#define VConfigInst VConfigManager::getInst()
-
 class VConfigManager
 {
 public:
-    static VConfigManager *getInst();
+    VConfigManager();
+    ~VConfigManager();
+    void initialize();
+
+    // Static helper functions
     // Read config from the directory config json file into a QJsonObject
     static QJsonObject readDirectoryConfig(const QString &path);
     static bool writeDirectoryConfig(const QString &path, const QJsonObject &configJson);
     static bool deleteDirectoryConfig(const QString &path);
 
+    // Constants
+    static const QString orgName;
+    static const QString appName;
+
+    inline QFont getMdEditFont() const;
+
+    inline QPalette getMdEditPalette() const;
+
+    inline QVector<HighlightingStyle> getMdHighlightingStyles() const;
+
+    inline QString getWelcomePagePath() const;
+
+    inline QString getTemplatePath() const;
+
+    inline QString getTemplateCssUrl() const;
+
+    inline QFont getBaseEditFont() const;
+
+    inline int getCurNotebookIndex() const;
+    inline void setCurNotebookIndex(int index);
+
+    inline const QVector<VNotebook>& getNotebooks() const;
+    inline void setNotebooks(const QVector<VNotebook> &notebooks);
+
+private:
     void updateMarkdownEditStyle();
+    QVariant getConfigFromSettings(const QString &section, const QString &key);
+    void setConfigToSettings(const QString &section, const QString &key, const QVariant &value);
+    void readNotebookFromSettings();
+    void writeNotebookToSettings();
 
     QFont baseEditFont;
     QPalette baseEditPalette;
     QFont mdEditFont;
     QPalette mdEditPalette;
     QVector<HighlightingStyle> mdHighlightingStyles;
+    QString welcomePagePath;
+    QString templatePath;
+    QString preTemplatePath;
+    QString postTemplatePath;
+    QString templateCssUrl;
+    int curNotebookIndex;
+    QVector<VNotebook> notebooks;
 
-private:
-    VConfigManager();
-    void initialize();
     // The name of the config file in each directory
     static const QString dirConfigFileName;
-    static VConfigManager *instance;
+    // The name of the default configuration file
+    static const QString defaultConfigFilePath;
+    // QSettings for the user configuration
+    QSettings *userSettings;
+    // Qsettings for @defaultConfigFileName
+    QSettings *defaultSettings;
 };
 
+
+inline QFont VConfigManager::getMdEditFont() const
+{
+    return mdEditFont;
+}
+
+inline QPalette VConfigManager::getMdEditPalette() const
+{
+    return mdEditPalette;
+}
+
+inline QVector<HighlightingStyle> VConfigManager::getMdHighlightingStyles() const
+{
+    return mdHighlightingStyles;
+}
+
+inline QString VConfigManager::getWelcomePagePath() const
+{
+    return welcomePagePath;
+}
+
+inline QString VConfigManager::getTemplatePath() const
+{
+    return templatePath;
+}
+
+inline QString VConfigManager::getTemplateCssUrl() const
+{
+    return templateCssUrl;
+}
+
+inline QFont VConfigManager::getBaseEditFont() const
+{
+    return baseEditFont;
+}
+
+inline int VConfigManager::getCurNotebookIndex() const
+{
+    return curNotebookIndex;
+}
+
+inline void VConfigManager::setCurNotebookIndex(int index)
+{
+    if (index == curNotebookIndex) {
+        return;
+    }
+    curNotebookIndex = index;
+    setConfigToSettings("global", "current_notebook", index);
+}
+
+inline const QVector<VNotebook>& VConfigManager::getNotebooks() const
+{
+    return notebooks;
+}
+
+inline void VConfigManager::setNotebooks(const QVector<VNotebook> &notebooks)
+{
+    this->notebooks = notebooks;
+    writeNotebookToSettings();
+}
+
 #endif // VCONFIGMANAGER_H
diff --git a/vdirectorytree.cpp b/vdirectorytree.cpp
index a362693c..d87d46e6 100644
--- a/vdirectorytree.cpp
+++ b/vdirectorytree.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ void VDirectoryTree::setTreePath(const QString& path)
         return;
     }
 
+    if (path.isEmpty()) {
+        clear();
+        return;
+    }
     treePath = path;
     qDebug() << "set directory tree path:" << path;
 
diff --git a/vedit.cpp b/vedit.cpp
index 84bfd5da..1528e33e 100644
--- a/vedit.cpp
+++ b/vedit.cpp
@@ -3,14 +3,16 @@
 #include "vnote.h"
 #include "vconfigmanager.h"
 
+extern VConfigManager vconfig;
+
 VEdit::VEdit(VNoteFile *noteFile, QWidget *parent)
     : QTextEdit(parent), noteFile(noteFile)
 {
     if (noteFile->docType == DocType::Markdown) {
-        setPalette(VConfigInst->mdEditPalette);
-        setFont(VConfigInst->mdEditFont);
+        setPalette(vconfig.getMdEditPalette());
+        setFont(vconfig.getMdEditFont());
     } else {
-        setFont(VConfigInst->baseEditFont);
+        setFont(vconfig.getBaseEditFont());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/veditor.cpp b/veditor.cpp
index bc90fb3a..3265991b 100644
--- a/veditor.cpp
+++ b/veditor.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 #include "hgmarkdownhighlighter.h"
 #include "vconfigmanager.h"
 
+extern VConfigManager vconfig;
+
 VEditor::VEditor(const QString &path, const QString &name, bool modifiable,
                  QWidget *parent)
     : QStackedWidget(parent)
@@ -44,14 +46,14 @@ void VEditor::setupUI()
         setupMarkdownPreview();
         textBrowser = NULL;
 
-        mdHighlighter = new HGMarkdownHighlighter(VConfigInst->mdHighlightingStyles,
+        mdHighlighter = new HGMarkdownHighlighter(vconfig.getMdHighlightingStyles(),
                                                   textEditor->document(), 500);
         break;
 
     case DocType::Html:
         textBrowser = new QTextBrowser();
         addWidget(textBrowser);
-        textBrowser->setFont(VConfigInst->baseEditFont);
+        textBrowser->setFont(vconfig.getBaseEditFont());
         webPreviewer = NULL;
         break;
     default:
diff --git a/vmainwindow.cpp b/vmainwindow.cpp
index 3580ec0b..d2d650d5 100644
--- a/vmainwindow.cpp
+++ b/vmainwindow.cpp
@@ -6,15 +6,15 @@
 #include "vtabwidget.h"
 #include "vconfigmanager.h"
 
+extern VConfigManager vconfig;
+
 VMainWindow::VMainWindow(QWidget *parent)
     : QMainWindow(parent)
 {
-    VConfigInst;
+    vnote = new VNote();
     setupUI();
     initActions();
     initToolBar();
-    vnote = new VNote();
-    vnote->readGlobalConfig();
     updateNotebookComboBox();
 }
 
@@ -106,22 +106,28 @@ void VMainWindow::updateNotebookComboBox()
     const QVector<VNotebook> &notebooks = vnote->getNotebooks();
 
     notebookComboBox->clear();
+    if (notebooks.isEmpty()) {
+        return;
+    }
     for (int i = 0; i <notebooks.size(); ++i) {
         notebookComboBox->addItem(notebooks[i].getName());
     }
 
     qDebug() << "update notebook combobox with" << notebookComboBox->count()
              << "items";
-    notebookComboBox->setCurrentIndex(vnote->getCurNotebookIndex());
+    notebookComboBox->setCurrentIndex(vconfig.getCurNotebookIndex());
 }
 
 void VMainWindow::setCurNotebookIndex(int index)
 {
     Q_ASSERT(index < vnote->getNotebooks().size());
     qDebug() << "set current notebook index:" << index;
-    vnote->setCurNotebookIndex(index);
-    notebookComboBox->setCurrentIndex(index);
+    vconfig.setCurNotebookIndex(index);
 
     // Update directoryTree
-    emit curNotebookIndexChanged(vnote->getNotebooks()[index].getPath());
+    QString treePath;
+    if (index > -1) {
+        treePath = vnote->getNotebooks()[index].getPath();
+    }
+    emit curNotebookIndexChanged(treePath);
 }
diff --git a/vnote.cpp b/vnote.cpp
index 1254dde3..96b533fb 100644
--- a/vnote.cpp
+++ b/vnote.cpp
@@ -2,106 +2,26 @@
 #include <QDebug>
 #include "vnote.h"
 #include "utils/vutils.h"
+#include "vconfigmanager.h"
 
-const QString VNote::orgName = QString("tamlok");
-const QString VNote::appName = QString("VNote");
-const QString VNote::welcomePagePath = QString(":/resources/welcome.html");
-const QString VNote::preTemplatePath = QString(":/resources/pre_template.html");
-const QString VNote::postTemplatePath = QString(":/resources/post_template.html");
-const QString VNote::templatePath = QString(":/resources/template.html");
-const QString VNote::defaultCssUrl = QString("qrc:/resources/markdown.css");
+VConfigManager vconfig;
 
 QString VNote::templateHtml;
-QString VNote::cssUrl = VNote::defaultCssUrl;
 
 VNote::VNote()
-    : curNotebookIndex(0)
 {
+    vconfig.initialize();
     decorateTemplate();
+    notebooks = vconfig.getNotebooks();
 }
 
 void VNote::decorateTemplate()
 {
-    templateHtml = VUtils::readFileFromDisk(templatePath);
-    templateHtml.replace("CSS_PLACE_HOLDER", cssUrl);
-}
-
-void VNote::readGlobalConfig()
-{
-    QSettings settings(QSettings::IniFormat, QSettings::UserScope,
-                       orgName, appName);
-
-    // [global] section
-    settings.beginGroup("global");
-    curNotebookIndex = settings.value("current_notebook", 0).toInt();
-    qDebug() << "read current_notebook=" << curNotebookIndex;
-    settings.endGroup();
-
-    readGlobalConfigNotebooks(settings);
-}
-
-void VNote::writeGlobalConfig()
-{
-    QSettings settings(QSettings::IniFormat, QSettings::UserScope,
-                       orgName, appName);
-
-    // [global] section
-    settings.beginGroup("global");
-    settings.setValue("current_notebook", curNotebookIndex);
-    qDebug() << "write current_notebook=" << curNotebookIndex;
-    settings.endGroup();
-
-    writeGlobalConfigNotebooks(settings);
-}
-
-void VNote::readGlobalConfigNotebooks(QSettings &settings)
-{
-    notebooks.clear();
-    int size = settings.beginReadArray("notebooks");
-    for (int i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
-        settings.setArrayIndex(i);
-        VNotebook notebook;
-        QString name = settings.value("name").toString();
-        QString path = settings.value("path").toString();
-        notebook.setName(name);
-        notebook.setPath(path);
-        notebooks.append(notebook);
-    }
-    settings.endArray();
-    qDebug() << "read" << notebooks.size()
-             << "notebook items from [notebooks] section";
-}
-
-void VNote::writeGlobalConfigNotebooks(QSettings &settings)
-{
-    settings.beginWriteArray("notebooks");
-    for (int i = 0; i < notebooks.size(); ++i) {
-        settings.setArrayIndex(i);
-        settings.setValue("name", notebooks[i].getName());
-        settings.setValue("path", notebooks[i].getPath());
-    }
-    settings.endArray();
-    qDebug() << "write" << notebooks.size()
-             << "notebook items in [notebooks] section";
+    templateHtml = VUtils::readFileFromDisk(vconfig.getTemplatePath());
+    templateHtml.replace("CSS_PLACE_HOLDER", vconfig.getTemplateCssUrl());
 }
 
 const QVector<VNotebook>& VNote::getNotebooks()
 {
     return notebooks;
 }
-
-int VNote::getCurNotebookIndex() const
-{
-    return curNotebookIndex;
-}
-
-void VNote::setCurNotebookIndex(int index)
-{
-    curNotebookIndex = index;
-
-    // Update settings
-    QSettings settings(QSettings::IniFormat, QSettings::UserScope,
-                       orgName, appName);
-    settings.setValue("global/current_notebook", curNotebookIndex);
-    qDebug() << "write current_notebook=" << curNotebookIndex;
-}
diff --git a/vnote.h b/vnote.h
index 42dfb97f..ebb371b5 100644
--- a/vnote.h
+++ b/vnote.h
@@ -11,36 +11,15 @@ class VNote
 {
 public:
     VNote();
-    void readGlobalConfig();
-    void writeGlobalConfig();
 
     const QVector<VNotebook>& getNotebooks();
-    int getCurNotebookIndex() const;
-    void setCurNotebookIndex(int index);
 
     static void decorateTemplate();
 
-    static const QString orgName;
-    static const QString appName;
-    static const QString welcomePagePath;
-    static const QString templatePath;
-
     static QString templateHtml;
 
 private:
-    // Write notebooks section of global config
-    void writeGlobalConfigNotebooks(QSettings &settings);
-    // Read notebooks section of global config
-    void readGlobalConfigNotebooks(QSettings &settings);
-
     QVector<VNotebook> notebooks;
-    int curNotebookIndex;
-    static const QString preTemplatePath;
-    static const QString postTemplatePath;
-    static const QString defaultCssUrl;
-
-    // For self CSS definition
-    static QString cssUrl;
 };
 
 #endif // VNOTE_H
diff --git a/vnote.qrc b/vnote.qrc
index 3c609274..5148a7df 100644
--- a/vnote.qrc
+++ b/vnote.qrc
@@ -35,5 +35,6 @@
         <file>resources/styles/default.mdhl</file>
         <file>resources/styles/solarized-light.mdhl</file>
         <file>resources/styles/solarized-dark.mdhl</file>
+        <file>resources/vnote.ini</file>
     </qresource>
 </RCC>
diff --git a/vtabwidget.cpp b/vtabwidget.cpp
index 5180ecb3..21b043c8 100644
--- a/vtabwidget.cpp
+++ b/vtabwidget.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 #include "vtabwidget.h"
 #include "veditor.h"
 #include "vnote.h"
+#include "vconfigmanager.h"
+
+extern VConfigManager vconfig;
 
 VTabWidget::VTabWidget(QWidget *parent)
     : QTabWidget(parent)
@@ -16,7 +19,7 @@ VTabWidget::VTabWidget(QWidget *parent)
 
 void VTabWidget::openWelcomePage()
 {
-    int idx = openFileInTab(VNote::welcomePagePath, "", false);
+    int idx = openFileInTab(vconfig.getWelcomePagePath(), "", false);
     setTabText(idx, "Welcome to VNote");
     setTabToolTip(idx, "VNote");
 }