diff --git a/GlazeWM.App.Watcher/WatcherStartup.cs b/GlazeWM.App.Watcher/WatcherStartup.cs
index e25f8c409..eeed4de7f 100644
--- a/GlazeWM.App.Watcher/WatcherStartup.cs
+++ b/GlazeWM.App.Watcher/WatcherStartup.cs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using GlazeWM.Domain.Common;
 using GlazeWM.Infrastructure.Common;
-using GlazeWM.Infrastructure.WindowsApi;
 using static GlazeWM.Infrastructure.WindowsApi.WindowsApiService;
 
 namespace GlazeWM.App.Watcher
@@ -12,19 +11,14 @@ namespace GlazeWM.App.Watcher
   public sealed class WatcherStartup
   {
     /// <summary>
-    /// Watcher is responsible for handling cleanup when the main process is killed
-    /// unexpectedly. This includes restoring all managed handles and restoring window
-    /// animation preferences.
+    /// Watcher is responsible for restoring all managed handles when the main process is
+    /// killed unexpectedly.
     /// </summary>
     public static async Task<ExitCode> Run(int ipcServerPort)
     {
       var client = new IpcClient(ipcServerPort);
       var managedHandles = new List<IntPtr>();
 
-      // Get user's global setting for whether window animations are enabled. This
-      // needs to be restored on exit.
-      var animationsEnabled = SystemSettings.AreWindowAnimationsEnabled();
-
       try
       {
         await client.ConnectAsync();
@@ -54,10 +48,6 @@ public static async Task<ExitCode> Run(int ipcServerPort)
         // Restore managed handles on failure to communicate with the main process'
         // IPC server.
         RestoreHandles(managedHandles);
-
-        // Restore window animations setting to its initial value.
-        SystemSettings.SetWindowAnimationsEnabled(animationsEnabled);
-
         await client.DisconnectAsync();
         return ExitCode.Success;
       }
diff --git a/GlazeWM.Domain/UserConfigs/GeneralConfig.cs b/GlazeWM.Domain/UserConfigs/GeneralConfig.cs
index b5b6905b5..56628c2e2 100644
--- a/GlazeWM.Domain/UserConfigs/GeneralConfig.cs
+++ b/GlazeWM.Domain/UserConfigs/GeneralConfig.cs
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ public class GeneralConfig
     /// <summary>
     /// Whether to enable window transition animations (on minimize, close, etc).
     /// </summary>
-    public bool WindowAnimations { get; set; }
+    public bool WindowAnimations { get; set; } = true;
   }
 }