diff --git a/vidcutter/__main__.py b/vidcutter/__main__.py
index 3f50b58e..ff50c8c8 100644
--- a/vidcutter/__main__.py
+++ b/vidcutter/__main__.py
@@ -134,11 +134,11 @@ def init_settings(self) -> None:
             self.restoreGeometry(self.settings.value('geometry'))
         if self.settings.value('windowState') is not None:
             self.restoreState(self.settings.value('windowState'))
-        self.theme = self.settings.value('theme', 'light')
-        self.ontop = True if self.settings.value('alwaysOnTop', 'false') == 'true' else False
+        self.theme = self.settings.value('theme', 'light', str)
+        self.ontop = self.settings.value('alwaysOnTop', False, bool)
         if self.ontop:
             self.setWindowFlags(self.windowFlags() | Qt.WindowStaysOnTopHint)
-        self.startupvol = int(self.settings.value('volume', '100'))
+        self.startupvol = self.settings.value('volume', 100, int)
 
     @staticmethod
     def log_uncaught_exceptions(cls, exc, tb) -> None:
diff --git a/vidcutter/videocutter.py b/vidcutter/videocutter.py
index 450b1e14..bcd15512 100644
--- a/vidcutter/videocutter.py
+++ b/vidcutter/videocutter.py
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ def __init__(self, parent: QWidget):
             self.notifyInterval = 1000
             self.currentMedia, self.mediaAvailable = None, False
 
-            self.nativeDialogs = self.settings.value('nativeDialogs', 'true') == 'true'
-            self.keepClips = self.settings.value('keepClips', 'false') == 'true'
-            self.hardwareDecoding = self.settings.value('hwdec', 'auto') == 'auto'
+            self.nativeDialogs = self.settings.value('nativeDialogs', True, bool)
+            self.keepClips = self.settings.value('keepClips', False, bool)
+            self.hardwareDecoding = self.settings.value('hwdec', 'auto', str) == 'auto'
 
             self.edlblock_re = re.compile(r'(\d+(?:\.?\d+)?)\s(\d+(?:\.?\d+)?)\s([01])')
 
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ def initActions(self) -> None:
         else:
             self.lightThemeAction.setChecked(True)
         self.themeAction.triggered.connect(self.switchTheme)
-        if self.settings.value('aspectRatio', 'keep') == 'keep':
+        if self.settings.value('aspectRatio', 'keep', str) == 'keep':
             self.keepRatioAction.setChecked(True)
             self.zoomAction.setEnabled(False)
         self.zoomAction.triggered.connect(self.setZoom)
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ def initToolbar(self) -> None:
         self.toolbar.addAction(self.saveAction)
         self.toolbar.disableTooltips()
         self.labelAction.triggered.connect(self.toolbar.setLabels)
-        self.toolbar.setLabelByType(self.settings.value('toolbarLabels', 'beside'))
+        self.toolbar.setLabelByType(self.settings.value('toolbarLabels', 'beside', str))
 
     def initMenus(self) -> None:
         labelsMenu = QMenu('Toolbar labels', self.appMenu)