diff --git a/src/state/models/ui/preferences.ts b/src/state/models/ui/preferences.ts
index 6e43198a31..d03fa8d24a 100644
--- a/src/state/models/ui/preferences.ts
+++ b/src/state/models/ui/preferences.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ export class PreferencesModel {
     prioritizeFollowedUsers: true,
     lab_treeViewEnabled: false, // experimental
   }
-  requireAltTextEnabled: boolean = false
 
   // used to help with transitions from device-stored to server-stored preferences
   legacyPreferences: LegacyPreferences | undefined
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ export class PreferencesModel {
       contentLabels: this.contentLabels,
       savedFeeds: this.savedFeeds,
       pinnedFeeds: this.pinnedFeeds,
-      requireAltTextEnabled: this.requireAltTextEnabled,
     }
   }
 
@@ -180,13 +178,6 @@ export class PreferencesModel {
       ) {
         this.pinnedFeeds = v.pinnedFeeds
       }
-      // check if requiring alt text is enabled in preferences, then hydrate
-      if (
-        hasProp(v, 'requireAltTextEnabled') &&
-        typeof v.requireAltTextEnabled === 'boolean'
-      ) {
-        this.requireAltTextEnabled = v.requireAltTextEnabled
-      }
       // grab legacy values
       this.legacyPreferences = getLegacyPreferences(v)
     }
@@ -608,10 +599,6 @@ export class PreferencesModel {
     }
   }
 
-  toggleRequireAltTextEnabled() {
-    this.requireAltTextEnabled = !this.requireAltTextEnabled
-  }
-
   setPrimaryLanguage(lang: string) {
     this.primaryLanguage = lang
   }
diff --git a/src/state/persisted/index.ts b/src/state/persisted/index.ts
index 67fac6b65b..f43cc9527c 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/index.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/index.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import * as store from '#/state/persisted/store'
 import BroadcastChannel from '#/state/persisted/broadcast'
 
 export type {Schema} from '#/state/persisted/schema'
-export {defaults as schema} from '#/state/persisted/schema'
+export {defaults} from '#/state/persisted/schema'
 
 const broadcast = new BroadcastChannel('BSKY_BROADCAST_CHANNEL')
 const UPDATE_EVENT = 'BSKY_UPDATE'
diff --git a/src/state/shell/alt-text-required.tsx b/src/state/shell/alt-text-required.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..81de9e0060
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/state/shell/alt-text-required.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import React from 'react'
+import * as persisted from '#/state/persisted'
+
+type StateContext = persisted.Schema['requireAltTextEnabled']
+type SetContext = (v: persisted.Schema['requireAltTextEnabled']) => void
+
+const stateContext = React.createContext<StateContext>(
+  persisted.defaults.requireAltTextEnabled,
+)
+const setContext = React.createContext<SetContext>(
+  (_: persisted.Schema['requireAltTextEnabled']) => {},
+)
+
+export function Provider({children}: React.PropsWithChildren<{}>) {
+  const [state, setState] = React.useState(
+    persisted.get('requireAltTextEnabled'),
+  )
+
+  const setStateWrapped = React.useCallback(
+    (requireAltTextEnabled: persisted.Schema['requireAltTextEnabled']) => {
+      setState(requireAltTextEnabled)
+      persisted.write('requireAltTextEnabled', requireAltTextEnabled)
+    },
+    [setState],
+  )
+
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    return persisted.onUpdate(() => {
+      setState(persisted.get('requireAltTextEnabled'))
+    })
+  }, [setStateWrapped])
+
+  return (
+    <stateContext.Provider value={state}>
+      <setContext.Provider value={setStateWrapped}>
+        {children}
+      </setContext.Provider>
+    </stateContext.Provider>
+  )
+}
+
+export function useRequireAltTextEnabled() {
+  return React.useContext(stateContext)
+}
+
+export function useSetRequireAltTextEnabled() {
+  return React.useContext(setContext)
+}
diff --git a/src/state/shell/index.tsx b/src/state/shell/index.tsx
index 1e01a4e7d5..807ee79ab8 100644
--- a/src/state/shell/index.tsx
+++ b/src/state/shell/index.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {Provider as DrawerOpenProvider} from './drawer-open'
 import {Provider as DrawerSwipableProvider} from './drawer-swipe-disabled'
 import {Provider as MinimalModeProvider} from './minimal-mode'
 import {Provider as ColorModeProvider} from './color-mode'
+import {Provider as AltTextRequiredProvider} from './alt-text-required'
 
 export {useIsDrawerOpen, useSetDrawerOpen} from './drawer-open'
 export {
@@ -11,13 +12,19 @@ export {
 } from './drawer-swipe-disabled'
 export {useMinimalShellMode, useSetMinimalShellMode} from './minimal-mode'
 export {useColorMode, useSetColorMode} from './color-mode'
+export {
+  useRequireAltTextEnabled,
+  useSetRequireAltTextEnabled,
+} from './alt-text-required'
 
 export function Provider({children}: React.PropsWithChildren<{}>) {
   return (
     <DrawerOpenProvider>
       <DrawerSwipableProvider>
         <MinimalModeProvider>
-          <ColorModeProvider>{children}</ColorModeProvider>
+          <ColorModeProvider>
+            <AltTextRequiredProvider>{children}</AltTextRequiredProvider>
+          </ColorModeProvider>
         </MinimalModeProvider>
       </DrawerSwipableProvider>
     </DrawerOpenProvider>
diff --git a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
index e44a0ce010..a08992df42 100644
--- a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import {LabelsBtn} from './labels/LabelsBtn'
 import {SelectLangBtn} from './select-language/SelectLangBtn'
 import {EmojiPickerButton} from './text-input/web/EmojiPicker.web'
 import {insertMentionAt} from 'lib/strings/mention-manip'
+import {useRequireAltTextEnabled} from '#/state/shell'
 
 type Props = ComposerOpts
 export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
   const pal = usePalette('default')
   const {isDesktop, isMobile} = useWebMediaQueries()
   const store = useStores()
+  const requireAltTextEnabled = useRequireAltTextEnabled()
   const textInput = useRef<TextInputRef>(null)
   const [isKeyboardVisible] = useIsKeyboardVisible({iosUseWillEvents: true})
   const [isProcessing, setIsProcessing] = useState(false)
@@ -187,7 +189,7 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
     if (isProcessing || graphemeLength > MAX_GRAPHEME_LENGTH) {
       return
     }
-    if (store.preferences.requireAltTextEnabled && gallery.needsAltText) {
+    if (requireAltTextEnabled && gallery.needsAltText) {
       return
     }
 
@@ -241,12 +243,8 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
   const canPost = useMemo(
     () =>
       graphemeLength <= MAX_GRAPHEME_LENGTH &&
-      (!store.preferences.requireAltTextEnabled || !gallery.needsAltText),
-    [
-      graphemeLength,
-      store.preferences.requireAltTextEnabled,
-      gallery.needsAltText,
-    ],
+      (!requireAltTextEnabled || !gallery.needsAltText),
+    [graphemeLength, requireAltTextEnabled, gallery.needsAltText],
   )
   const selectTextInputPlaceholder = replyTo ? 'Write your reply' : `What's up?`
 
@@ -314,7 +312,7 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
             </>
           )}
         </View>
-        {store.preferences.requireAltTextEnabled && gallery.needsAltText && (
+        {requireAltTextEnabled && gallery.needsAltText && (
           <View style={[styles.reminderLine, pal.viewLight]}>
             <View style={styles.errorIcon}>
               <FontAwesomeIcon
diff --git a/src/view/screens/Settings.tsx b/src/view/screens/Settings.tsx
index ca4ef2a40d..09a99e6d22 100644
--- a/src/view/screens/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/view/screens/Settings.tsx
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ import {
   useSetMinimalShellMode,
   useColorMode,
   useSetColorMode,
+  useRequireAltTextEnabled,
+  useSetRequireAltTextEnabled,
 } from '#/state/shell'
 
 // TEMPORARY (APP-700)
@@ -66,6 +68,8 @@ export const SettingsScreen = withAuthRequired(
     const pal = usePalette('default')
     const store = useStores()
     const setMinimalShellMode = useSetMinimalShellMode()
+    const requireAltTextEnabled = useRequireAltTextEnabled()
+    const setRequireAltTextEnabled = useSetRequireAltTextEnabled()
     const navigation = useNavigation<NavigationProp>()
     const {isMobile} = useWebMediaQueries()
     const {screen, track} = useAnalytics()
@@ -372,8 +376,8 @@ export const SettingsScreen = withAuthRequired(
               type="default-light"
               label="Require alt text before posting"
               labelType="lg"
-              isSelected={store.preferences.requireAltTextEnabled}
-              onPress={store.preferences.toggleRequireAltTextEnabled}
+              isSelected={requireAltTextEnabled}
+              onPress={() => setRequireAltTextEnabled(!requireAltTextEnabled)}
             />
           </View>