diff --git a/src/KeyKeeper/App.axaml.cs b/src/KeyKeeper/App.axaml.cs
index a55380a..e61b9f4 100644
--- a/src/KeyKeeper/App.axaml.cs
+++ b/src/KeyKeeper/App.axaml.cs
@@ -24,9 +24,11 @@ public partial class App : Application
             // Avoid duplicate validations from both Avalonia and the CommunityToolkit. 
             // More info: https://docs.avaloniaui.net/docs/guides/development-guides/data-validation#manage-validationplugins
             DisableAvaloniaDataAnnotationValidation();
-            desktop.MainWindow = new MainWindow
+            var recentFilesService = new RecentFilesService();
+            recentFilesService.Load();
+            desktop.MainWindow = new MainWindow(recentFilesService)
             {
-                DataContext = new MainWindowViewModel(new RecentFilesService()),
+                DataContext = new MainWindowViewModel(recentFilesService),
             };
         }
 
diff --git a/src/KeyKeeper/Services/IRecentFilesService.cs b/src/KeyKeeper/Services/IRecentFilesService.cs
index 8621da8..25894f0 100644
--- a/src/KeyKeeper/Services/IRecentFilesService.cs
+++ b/src/KeyKeeper/Services/IRecentFilesService.cs
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@ public interface IRecentFilesService
 {
     // files are stored in reverse chronological order
     ObservableCollection<RecentFile> RecentFiles { get; }
-    
+
+    void Load();
+    void Save();
+
     void Remember(string filename);
     void Forget(string filename);
     void ForgetAll();
-
-    // TODO load and store
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs b/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs
index 7ddc7e4..aa569c2 100644
--- a/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs
+++ b/src/KeyKeeper/Services/RecentFilesService.cs
@@ -1,19 +1,69 @@
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
+using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Text.Json;
 using KeyKeeper.Models;
 
 namespace KeyKeeper.Services;
 
 internal class RecentFilesService : IRecentFilesService
 {
+    private const string RecentFilesFilename = "recent-files.json";
+    private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions jsonOptions = new() { WriteIndented = true };
+
     // files are stored in reverse chronological order
     public ObservableCollection<RecentFile> RecentFiles { get; }
     private readonly int maxEntries = 8;
+    private readonly string recentFilesPath;
 
     public RecentFilesService()
     {
         RecentFiles = new ObservableCollection<RecentFile>();
+        var appDataDirectory = Path.Combine(
+            Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData),
+            "KeyKeeper");
+        recentFilesPath = Path.Combine(appDataDirectory, RecentFilesFilename);
+    }
+
+    public void Load()
+    {
+        RecentFiles.Clear();
+
+        if (!File.Exists(recentFilesPath))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            var content = File.ReadAllText(recentFilesPath);
+            var loadedFiles = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<List<RecentFile>>(content) ?? new List<RecentFile>();
+
+            foreach (var recentFile in loadedFiles
+                         .OrderByDescending(file => file.LastOpened)
+                         .Take(maxEntries))
+            {
+                RecentFiles.Add(recentFile);
+            }
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // ignore broken data and continue with empty recent files
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void Save()
+    {
+        var directory = Path.GetDirectoryName(recentFilesPath);
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(directory))
+        {
+            Directory.CreateDirectory(directory);
+        }
+
+        var payload = JsonSerializer.Serialize(RecentFiles, jsonOptions);
+        File.WriteAllText(recentFilesPath, payload);
     }
 
     public void Remember(string filename)
@@ -24,16 +74,19 @@ internal class RecentFilesService : IRecentFilesService
         {
             RecentFiles.RemoveAt(RecentFiles.Count - 1);
         }
+        Save();
     }
 
     public void Forget(string filename)
     {
         RemoveIfExists(filename);
+        Save();
     }
 
     public void ForgetAll()
     {
         RecentFiles.Clear();
+        Save();
     }
 
     public void RemoveIfExists(string filename)
diff --git a/src/KeyKeeper/ViewModels/MainWindowViewModel.cs b/src/KeyKeeper/ViewModels/MainWindowViewModel.cs
index 7903556..f967df0 100644
--- a/src/KeyKeeper/ViewModels/MainWindowViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/KeyKeeper/ViewModels/MainWindowViewModel.cs
@@ -20,16 +20,6 @@ public partial class MainWindowViewModel : ViewModelBase
         this.recentFilesService = recentFilesService;
     }
 
-    public void OpenVault(string filename)
-    {
-        recentFilesService.Remember(filename);
-    }
-
-    public void CreateVault(string filename)
-    {
-        recentFilesService.Remember(filename);
-    }
-
     [RelayCommand]
     private async Task OpenSettings()
     {
diff --git a/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml b/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml
index 5f2cd54..86a0554 100644
--- a/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml
+++ b/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml
@@ -78,9 +78,14 @@
                              ItemsSource="{Binding RecentFiles}">
                         <ListBox.ItemTemplate>
                             <DataTemplate x:DataType="m:RecentFile">
-                                <TextBlock Text="{Binding DisplayPath}"
-                                           Foreground="#000"
-                                           Margin="5"/>
+                                <Border Background="Transparent" 
+                                        Cursor="Hand"
+                                        DoubleTapped="RecentVaultsListItem_DoubleTapped"
+                                        Padding="10">
+                                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding DisplayPath}"
+                                               Foreground="#000"
+                                               Margin="5"/>
+                                </Border>
                             </DataTemplate>
                         </ListBox.ItemTemplate>
                         <ListBox.Styles>
@@ -93,7 +98,5 @@
                 </Border>
             </Grid>
         </Grid>
-
-
     </Grid>
 </Window>
diff --git a/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml.cs b/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml.cs
index 3e0a731..aea5e39 100644
--- a/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml.cs
+++ b/src/KeyKeeper/Views/MainWindow.axaml.cs
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ using Avalonia.Controls;
 using Avalonia.Input;
 using Avalonia.Interactivity;
 using Avalonia.Platform.Storage;
+using KeyKeeper.Models;
 using KeyKeeper.PasswordStore;
 using KeyKeeper.PasswordStore.Crypto;
+using KeyKeeper.Services;
 using KeyKeeper.ViewModels;
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
@@ -15,8 +17,11 @@ namespace KeyKeeper.Views
 {
     public partial class MainWindow : Window
     {
-        public MainWindow()
+        private IRecentFilesService recentFilesService;
+
+        public MainWindow(IRecentFilesService recentFilesService)
         {
+            this.recentFilesService = recentFilesService;
             InitializeComponent();
             this.MinWidth = 550;
             this.MinHeight = 350;
@@ -42,6 +47,9 @@ namespace KeyKeeper.Views
                         Key = compositeKey,
                         LockTimeoutSeconds = 800
                     });
+
+                recentFilesService.Remember(path);
+
                 IPassStore passStore = passStoreAccessor;
                 OpenRepositoryWindow(passStore);
             }
@@ -71,11 +79,21 @@ namespace KeyKeeper.Views
                 var file = files[0];
                 if (file.TryGetLocalPath() is string path)
                 {
+                    recentFilesService.Remember(path);
                     OpenRepositoryWindow(new PassStoreFileAccessor(path, false, null));
                 }
             }
         }
 
+        private void RecentVaultsListItem_DoubleTapped(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            if (sender is Control c && c.DataContext is RecentFile recentFile)
+            {
+                recentFilesService.Remember(recentFile.Path);
+                OpenRepositoryWindow(new PassStoreFileAccessor(recentFile.Path, false, null));
+            }
+        }
+
         private void OpenRepositoryWindow(IPassStore passStore)
         {
             var repositoryWindow = new RepositoryWindow(new RepositoryWindowViewModel(passStore))