diff --git a/extension/options.jsx b/extension/options.jsx
index fb3622d..60bd011 100644
--- a/extension/options.jsx
+++ b/extension/options.jsx
@@ -10,15 +10,19 @@ function Options() {
   let [privKey, setPrivKey] = useState('')
   let [relays, setRelays] = useState([])
   let [newRelayURL, setNewRelayURL] = useState('')
-  let [policies, setPermissions] = useState()
-  let [protocolHandler, setProtocolHandler] = useState(null)
+  let [policies, setPermissions] = useState([])
+  let [protocolHandler, setProtocolHandler] = useState('')
   let [hidingPrivateKey, hidePrivateKey] = useState(true)
   let [showNotifications, setNotifications] = useState(false)
-  let [message, setMessage] = useState('')
+  let [messages, setMessages] = useState([])
+  let [handleNostrLinks, setHandleNostrLinks] = useState(false)
+  let [showProtocolHandlerHelp, setShowProtocolHandlerHelp] = useState(false)
+  let [unsavedChanges, setUnsavedChanges] = useState([])
 
   const showMessage = useCallback(msg => {
-    setMessage(msg)
-    setTimeout(setMessage, 3000)
+    messages.push(msg)
+    setMessages(messages)
+    setTimeout(() => setMessages([]), 3000)
   })
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -40,6 +44,8 @@ function Options() {
         }
         if (results.protocol_handler) {
           setProtocolHandler(results.protocol_handler)
+          setHandleNostrLinks(true)
+          setShowProtocolHandlerHelp(false)
         }
         if (results.notifications) {
           setNotifications(true)
@@ -74,65 +80,32 @@ function Options() {
 
   return (
     <>
-      <h1>nos2x</h1>
-      <p>nostr signer extension</p>
-      <h2>options</h2>
-      <div style={{marginBottom: '10px'}}>
-        <div style={{display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center'}}>
-          <span>preferred relays:</span>
-          <button style={{marginLeft: '20px'}} onClick={saveRelays}>
-            save
-          </button>
-        </div>
-        <div style={{marginLeft: '10px'}}>
-          {relays.map(({url, policy}, i) => (
-            <div key={i} style={{display: 'flex'}}>
-              <input
-                style={{marginRight: '10px', width: '400px'}}
-                value={url}
-                onChange={changeRelayURL.bind(null, i)}
-              />
-              <label>
-                read
-                <input
-                  type="checkbox"
-                  checked={policy.read}
-                  onChange={toggleRelayPolicy.bind(null, i, 'read')}
-                />
-              </label>
-              <label>
-                write
-                <input
-                  type="checkbox"
-                  checked={policy.write}
-                  onChange={toggleRelayPolicy.bind(null, i, 'write')}
-                />
-              </label>
-              <button style={{marginLeft: '10px'}} onClick={removeRelay.bind(null, i)}>
-                remove
-              </button>
-            </div>
-          ))}
-          <div style={{display: 'flex'}}>
-            <input
-              style={{width: '400px'}}
-              value={newRelayURL}
-              onChange={e => setNewRelayURL(e.target.value)}
-              onBlur={addNewRelay}
-            />
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-      <div style={{marginBottom: '10px'}}>
-        <label>
+      <h1 style={{fontSize: '25px', marginBlockEnd: '0px'}}>nos2x</h1>
+      <p style={{marginBlockStart: '0px'}}>nostr signer extension</p>
+      <h2 style={{marginBlockStart: '20px', marginBlockEnd: '5px'}}>options</h2>
+      <div style={{marginBottom: '10px', display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: '10px', width: 'fit-content'}}>
+        <div>
           <div>private key:&nbsp;</div>
-          <div style={{marginLeft: '10px'}}>
-            {!hidingPrivateKey && (
+          <div style={{marginLeft: '10px', display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: '10px'}}>
+            <div style={{display: 'flex', gap: '10px'}}>
+              <input
+                type={hidingPrivateKey ? 'password' : 'text'}
+                style={{width: '600px'}}
+                value={privKey}
+                onChange={handleKeyChange}
+              />
+              {privKey === '' && <button onClick={generate}>generate</button>}
+              {privKey && hidingPrivateKey && <button onClick={() => hidePrivateKey(false)}>show key</button>}
+              {privKey && !hidingPrivateKey && <button onClick={() => hidePrivateKey(true)}>hide key</button>}
+            </div>
+            {privKey && !isKeyValid() && <div style={{color: 'red'}}>private key is invalid!</div>}
+            {!hidingPrivateKey && isKeyValid() && (
               <div
                 style={{
                   height: 'auto',
                   maxWidth: 256,
-                  width: '100%'
+                  width: '100%',
+                  marginTop: '5px'
                 }}
               >
                 <QRCode
@@ -143,170 +116,182 @@ function Options() {
                 />
               </div>
             )}
-
-            <div style={{display: 'flex'}}>
-              <input
-                type={hidingPrivateKey ? 'password' : 'text'}
-                style={{width: '600px'}}
-                value={privKey}
-                onChange={handleKeyChange}
-                onFocus={() => hidePrivateKey(false)}
-                onBlur={() => hidePrivateKey(true)}
-              />
-              {privKey === '' && <button onClick={generate}>generate</button>}
-            </div>
-
-            <button disabled={!isKeyValid()} onClick={saveKey}>
-              save
-            </button>
           </div>
-        </label>
-        {policies?.length > 0 && (
-          <>
-            <div style={{display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center'}}>
-              <h2>policies</h2>
-              <label
-                style={{
-                  display: 'flex',
-                  alignItems: 'center',
-                  marginLeft: '14px'
-                }}
-              >
-                show a notification when a permission is used by a page
+        </div>
+        <div>
+          <div>preferred relays:</div>
+          <div style={{marginLeft: '10px', display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: '1px'}}>
+            {relays.map(({url, policy}, i) => (
+              <div key={i} style={{display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '15px'}}>
                 <input
-                  type="checkbox"
-                  checked={showNotifications}
-                  onClick={handleNotifications}
+                  style={{width: '400px'}}
+                  value={url}
+                  onChange={changeRelayURL.bind(null, i)}
                 />
-              </label>
+                <div style={{display: 'flex', gap: '5px'}}>
+                  <label style={{display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center'}}>
+                    read
+                    <input
+                      type="checkbox"
+                      checked={policy.read}
+                      onChange={toggleRelayPolicy.bind(null, i, 'read')}
+                    />
+                  </label>
+                  <label style={{display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center'}}>
+                    write
+                    <input
+                      type="checkbox"
+                      checked={policy.write}
+                      onChange={toggleRelayPolicy.bind(null, i, 'write')}
+                    />
+                  </label>
+                </div>
+                <button onClick={removeRelay.bind(null, i)}>
+                  remove
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            ))}
+            <div style={{display: 'flex', gap: '10px', marginTop: '5px'}}>
+              <input
+                style={{width: '400px'}}
+                value={newRelayURL}
+                onChange={e => setNewRelayURL(e.target.value)}
+                onKeyDown={e => { if (e.key === 'Enter') addNewRelay()}}
+              />
+              <button disabled={!newRelayURL} onClick={addNewRelay}>add relay</button>
             </div>
-            <table>
-              <thead>
-                <tr>
-                  <th>domain</th>
-                  <th>permission</th>
-                  <th>answer</th>
-                  <th>conditions</th>
-                  <th>since</th>
-                  <th></th>
-                </tr>
-              </thead>
-              <tbody>
-                {policies.map(
-                  ({host, type, accept, conditions, created_at}) => (
-                    <tr key={host + type + accept + JSON.stringify(conditions)}>
-                      <td>{host}</td>
-                      <td>{type}</td>
-                      <td>{accept}</td>
-                      <td>
-                        {conditions.kinds
-                          ? `kinds: ${Object.keys(conditions.kinds).join(', ')}`
-                          : 'always'}
-                      </td>
-                      <td>
-                        {new Date(created_at * 1000)
-                          .toISOString()
-                          .split('.')[0]
-                          .split('T')
-                          .join(' ')}
-                      </td>
-                      <td>
-                        <button
-                          onClick={handleRevoke}
-                          data-host={host}
-                          data-accept={accept}
-                          data-type={type}
-                        >
-                          revoke
-                        </button>
-                      </td>
-                    </tr>
-                  )
-                )}
-              </tbody>
-            </table>
-          </>
-        )}
-      </div>
-      <div>
-        <h2>
-          handle{' '}
-          <span style={{padding: '2px', background: 'silver'}}>nostr:</span>{' '}
-          links:
-        </h2>
-        <div style={{marginLeft: '10px'}}>
-          <div>
-            <label>
-              <input
-                type="radio"
-                name="ph"
-                value="no"
-                checked={protocolHandler === null}
-                onChange={handleChangeProtocolHandler}
-              />{' '}
-              no
-            </label>
           </div>
+        </div>
+        <div>
+          <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}>
           <div>
-            <label>
-              <input
-                type="radio"
-                name="ph"
-                value="yes"
-                checked={protocolHandler !== null}
-                onChange={handleChangeProtocolHandler}
-              />
-              yes
-            </label>
+            handle{' '}
+            <span style={{padding: '2px', background: 'silver'}}>nostr:</span>{' '}
+            links:
           </div>
-          {protocolHandler !== null && (
-            <div>
-              <input
-                placeholder="url template"
-                value={protocolHandler}
-                onChange={handleChangeProtocolHandler}
-                style={{width: '680px', maxWidth: '90%'}}
-              />
-              <pre>{`
-  {hex} = hex pubkey for npub or nprofile, hex event id for note or nevent
-  {p_or_e} = "p" for npub or nprofile, "e" for note or nevent
-  {u_or_n} = "u" for npub or nprofile, "n" for note or nevent
-  {relay0} = first relay in a nprofile or nevent
-  {relay1} = second relay in a nprofile or nevent
-  {relay2} = third relay in a nprofile or nevent
-  {raw} = anything after the colon, i.e. the full nip19 bech32 string
-  {hrp} = human-readable prefix of the nip19 string
+            <input
+              type="checkbox"
+              checked={handleNostrLinks}
+              onChange={changeHandleNostrLinks}
+            />
+          </label>
+          <div style={{marginLeft: '10px'}}>
+            {handleNostrLinks && (
+              <div>
+                <div style={{display: 'flex'}}>
+                  <input
+                    placeholder="url template"
+                    value={protocolHandler}
+                    onChange={handleChangeProtocolHandler}
+                    style={{width: '680px', maxWidth: '90%'}}
+                  />
+                  {!showProtocolHandlerHelp && <button onClick={changeShowProtocolHandlerHelp}>?</button>}
+                </div>
+                {showProtocolHandlerHelp && (<pre>{`
+    {hex} = hex pubkey for npub or nprofile, hex event id for note or nevent
+    {p_or_e} = "p" for npub or nprofile, "e" for note or nevent
+    {u_or_n} = "u" for npub or nprofile, "n" for note or nevent
+    {relay0} = first relay in a nprofile or nevent
+    {relay1} = second relay in a nprofile or nevent
+    {relay2} = third relay in a nprofile or nevent
+    {raw} = anything after the colon, i.e. the full nip19 bech32 string
+    {hrp} = human-readable prefix of the nip19 string
 
-  examples:
-    - https://nostr.guru/{p_or_e}/{hex}
-    - https://brb.io/{u_or_n}/{hex}
-    - https://notes.blockcore.net/{p_or_e}/{hex}
-              `}</pre>
-            </div>
-          )}
-          <button
-            style={{marginTop: '10px'}}
-            onClick={saveNostrProtocolHandlerSettings}
-          >
-            save
-          </button>
+    examples:
+      - https://nostr.guru/{p_or_e}/{hex}
+      - https://brb.io/{u_or_n}/{hex}
+      - https://notes.blockcore.net/{p_or_e}/{hex}
+                `}</pre>)}
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <label style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}>
+          show notifications when permissions are used:
+          <input
+            type="checkbox"
+            checked={showNotifications}
+            onChange={handleNotifications}
+          />
+        </label>
+        <button disabled={!unsavedChanges.length} onClick={saveChanges} style={{padding: '5px 20px'}}>
+          save
+        </button>
+        <div style={{fontSize: '120%'}}>
+          {messages.map((message, i) => (
+            <div key={i}>{message}</div>
+          ))}
         </div>
       </div>
-      <div style={{marginTop: '12px', fontSize: '120%'}}>{message}</div>
+      <div>
+        <h2>permissions</h2>
+        <table>
+          <thead>
+            <tr>
+              <th>domain</th>
+              <th>permission</th>
+              <th>answer</th>
+              <th>conditions</th>
+              <th>since</th>
+              <th></th>
+            </tr>
+          </thead>
+          <tbody>
+            {policies.map(
+              ({host, type, accept, conditions, created_at}) => (
+                <tr key={host + type + accept + JSON.stringify(conditions)}>
+                  <td>{host}</td>
+                  <td>{type}</td>
+                  <td>{accept}</td>
+                  <td>
+                    {conditions.kinds
+                      ? `kinds: ${Object.keys(conditions.kinds).join(', ')}`
+                      : 'always'}
+                  </td>
+                  <td>
+                    {new Date(created_at * 1000)
+                      .toISOString()
+                      .split('.')[0]
+                      .split('T')
+                      .join(' ')}
+                  </td>
+                  <td>
+                    <button
+                      onClick={handleRevoke}
+                      data-host={host}
+                      data-accept={accept}
+                      data-type={type}
+                    >
+                      revoke
+                    </button>
+                  </td>
+                </tr>
+              )
+            )}
+            {!policies.length && <tr>{Array(5).fill('N/A').map((v, i) => (<td key={i}>{v}</td>))}</tr>}
+          </tbody>
+        </table>
+        {!policies.length && <div style={{marginTop: '5px'}}>no permissions have been granted yet</div>}
+      </div>
     </>
   )
 
   async function handleKeyChange(e) {
     let key = e.target.value.toLowerCase().trim()
     setPrivKey(key)
+    addUnsavedChanges('private_key')
   }
 
   async function generate() {
     setPrivKey(nip19.nsecEncode(generatePrivateKey()))
+    addUnsavedChanges('private_key')
   }
 
   async function saveKey() {
-    if (!isKeyValid()) return
+    if (!isKeyValid()) {
+      showMessage('PRIVATE KEY IS INVALID! did not save private key.')
+      return
+    }
 
     let hexOrEmptyKey = privKey
 
@@ -341,6 +326,7 @@ function Options() {
       {url: ev.target.value, policy: relays[i].policy},
       ...relays.slice(i + 1)
     ])
+    addUnsavedChanges('relays')
   }
 
   function toggleRelayPolicy(i, cat) {
@@ -352,6 +338,7 @@ function Options() {
       },
       ...relays.slice(i + 1)
     ])
+    addUnsavedChanges('relays')
   }
 
   function removeRelay(i) {
@@ -359,6 +346,7 @@ function Options() {
       ...relays.slice(0, i),
       ...relays.slice(i + 1)
     ])
+    addUnsavedChanges('relays')
   }
 
   function addNewRelay() {
@@ -368,6 +356,7 @@ function Options() {
       policy: {read: true, write: true}
     })
     setRelays(relays)
+    addUnsavedChanges('relays')
     setNewRelayURL('')
   }
 
@@ -386,19 +375,22 @@ function Options() {
     }
   }
 
-  async function handleNotifications() {
-    if (showNotifications) {
-      await browser.storage.local.set({notifications: false})
-      setNotifications(false)
-    } else {
-      let granted = await browser.permissions.request({
-        permissions: ['notifications']
-      })
-      if (granted) {
-        await browser.storage.local.set({notifications: true})
-        setNotifications(true)
-      }
-    }
+  function handleNotifications() {
+    setNotifications(!showNotifications)
+    addUnsavedChanges('notifications')
+    if (!showNotifications) requestBrowserNotificationPermissions()
+  }
+
+  async function requestBrowserNotificationPermissions() {
+    let granted = await browser.permissions.request({
+      permissions: ['notifications']
+    })
+    if (!granted) setNotifications(false)
+  }
+
+  async function saveNotifications() {
+    await browser.storage.local.set({notifications: showNotifications})
+    showMessage('saved notifications!')
   }
 
   async function saveRelays() {
@@ -412,23 +404,54 @@ function Options() {
     showMessage('saved relays!')
   }
 
+  function changeShowProtocolHandlerHelp() {
+    setShowProtocolHandlerHelp(true)
+  }
+
+  function changeHandleNostrLinks() {
+    if (handleNostrLinks) {
+      setProtocolHandler('')
+      addUnsavedChanges('protocol_handler')
+    } else setShowProtocolHandlerHelp(true)
+    setHandleNostrLinks(!handleNostrLinks)
+  }
+
   function handleChangeProtocolHandler(e) {
-    if (e.target.type === 'text') setProtocolHandler(e.target.value)
-    else
-      switch (e.target.value) {
-        case 'no':
-          setProtocolHandler(null)
-          break
-        case 'yes':
-          setProtocolHandler('')
-          break
-      }
+    setProtocolHandler(e.target.value)
+    addUnsavedChanges('protocol_handler')
   }
 
   async function saveNostrProtocolHandlerSettings() {
     await browser.storage.local.set({protocol_handler: protocolHandler})
     showMessage('saved protocol handler!')
   }
+
+  function addUnsavedChanges(section) {
+    if (!unsavedChanges.find(s => s === section)) {
+      unsavedChanges.push(section)
+      setUnsavedChanges(unsavedChanges)
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function saveChanges() {
+    for (let section of unsavedChanges) {
+      switch (section) {
+        case 'private_key':
+          await saveKey()
+          break
+        case 'relays':
+          await saveRelays()
+          break
+        case 'protocol_handler':
+          await saveNostrProtocolHandlerSettings()
+          break
+        case 'notifications':
+          await saveNotifications()
+          break
+      }
+    }
+    setUnsavedChanges([])
+  }
 }
 
 render(<Options />, document.getElementById('main'))