diff --git a/src/args.c b/src/args.c
index bacfe46..e01d23b 100644
--- a/src/args.c
+++ b/src/args.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static void print_help(int status_code) {
       "[--wayland] "
       "[--cocoa] "
       "[--win32] "
+      "[-as / -nas] "
       "[-oma=MAJOR] "
       "[-omi=MINOR] "
       "\n\n"
@@ -87,6 +88,8 @@ static void print_help(int status_code) {
       "  -nls, --no-load-state       do not load saved state\n"
       "  -ss, --save-state           save state (default)\n"
       "  -nss, --no-save-state       do not save state\n"
+      "  -as, --auto-save            continuously save state (every ~10ms)\n"
+      "  -nas, --no-auto-save        do not continuously save state (default)\n"
       "  -mr, --midi-reconnect       auto-reconnect midi (default)\n"
       "  -nmr, --no-midi-reconnect   do not auto-reconnect midi\n"
       "  -tm, --trace-midi           print midi code and values\n"
@@ -168,6 +171,7 @@ void args_parse(Parameters *params, int argc, char **argv) {
   params->internal_size = 720;
   params->load_state = true;
   params->save_state = true;
+  params->auto_save = false;
   params->midi_reconnect = true;
   params->trace_midi = false;
   params->trace_fps = false;
@@ -234,6 +238,10 @@ void args_parse(Parameters *params, int argc, char **argv) {
       params->save_state = true;
     } else if (is_arg(arg, "-nss") || is_arg(arg, "--no-save-state")) {
       params->save_state = false;
+    } else if (is_arg(arg, "-as") || is_arg(arg, "--auto-save")) {
+      params->auto_save = true;
+    } else if (is_arg(arg, "-nas") || is_arg(arg, "--no-auto-save")) {
+      params->auto_save = false;
     } else if (is_arg(arg, "-mr") || is_arg(arg, "--midi-reconnect")) {
       params->midi_reconnect = true;
     } else if (is_arg(arg, "-nmr") || is_arg(arg, "--no-midi-reconnect")) {
diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
index 87489dd..2ea566c 100644
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -87,6 +87,12 @@
 #define MAX_TAP_VALUES 10
 #endif
 
+/* STATE */
+
+#ifndef STATE_AUTO_SAVE_SECONDS
+#define STATE_AUTO_SAVE_SECONDS 0.1
+#endif
+
 /* OPENGL */
 
 #ifndef OPENGL_MAJOR_VERSION
@@ -98,6 +104,7 @@
 #endif
 
 /* GLFW CONSTANTS */
+
 #ifndef GLFW_BACKENDS
 #define GLFW_BACKEND_ANY 0
 #define GLFW_BACKEND_X11 1
diff --git a/src/file.c b/src/file.c
index adb00dd..52c0b43 100644
--- a/src/file.c
+++ b/src/file.c
@@ -109,10 +109,12 @@ void file_dump(const char *path, const char *content) {
   fclose(file_pointer);
 }
 
-void file_write(const char *path, const StringArray *lines) {
+void file_write(const char *path, const StringArray *lines, const bool log) {
   FILE *file_pointer;
 
-  log_info("Writing %s...", path);
+  if (log) {
+    log_info("Writing %s...", path);
+  }
 
   // open file
   file_pointer = fopen(path, "w");
diff --git a/src/file.h b/src/file.h
index c683e68..aa05e7b 100644
--- a/src/file.h
+++ b/src/file.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ bool file_should_update(const File *file);
 
 bool file_update(File *file);
 
-void file_write(const char *path, const StringArray *lines);
+void file_write(const char *path, const StringArray *lines, const bool log);
 
 void file_dump(const char *path, const char *content);
 
diff --git a/src/forge.c b/src/forge.c
index 7d3d3ad..7ea9b5f 100644
--- a/src/forge.c
+++ b/src/forge.c
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ static void start_state_background_write() {
   process_args->context = &context;
   process_args->state_config = project.state_config;
   process_args->midi = &midi;
+  process_args->auto_save = init_params.auto_save;
   if (pthread_create(&thread, NULL, state_background_write, process_args) ==
       0) {
     pthread_detach(thread);
diff --git a/src/state.c b/src/state.c
index 4549686..c7361d2 100644
--- a/src/state.c
+++ b/src/state.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "rand.h"
 #include "state.h"
 #include "tempo.h"
+#include "timer.h"
 
 static void safe_midi_write(MidiDevice midi, unsigned int code,
                             unsigned char value) {
@@ -179,10 +180,12 @@ static void load_from_index_file(Context *context, StateConfig state_config,
 }
 
 static void save_to_file(const Context *context, StateConfig state_config,
-                         const char *state_file) {
+                         const char *state_file, const bool log) {
   StringArray lines;
 
-  log_info("Saving state to '%s'...", state_file);
+  if (log) {
+    log_info("Saving state to '%s'...", state_file);
+  }
 
   lines.length = 0;
 
@@ -278,16 +281,16 @@ static void save_to_file(const Context *context, StateConfig state_config,
     }
   }
 
-  file_write(state_file, &lines);
+  file_write(state_file, &lines, log);
 }
 
 static void save_to_default_file(const Context *context,
-                                 StateConfig state_config) {
+                                 StateConfig state_config, const bool log) {
   char state_file[STR_LEN];
 
   snprintf(state_file, STR_LEN, "%s.txt", state_config.save_file_prefix);
 
-  save_to_file(context, state_config, state_file);
+  save_to_file(context, state_config, state_file, log);
 }
 
 static void save_to_index_file(const Context *context, StateConfig state_config,
@@ -297,7 +300,7 @@ static void save_to_index_file(const Context *context, StateConfig state_config,
   snprintf(state_file, STR_LEN, "%s.%d.txt", state_config.save_file_prefix,
            index);
 
-  save_to_file(context, state_config, state_file);
+  save_to_file(context, state_config, state_file, true);
 }
 
 void state_parse_config(StateConfig *state_config, const ConfigFile *config) {
@@ -756,16 +759,20 @@ void *state_background_write(void *args) {
   Context *context = process_args->context;
   StateConfig state_config = process_args->state_config;
   MidiDevice *midi = process_args->midi;
+  bool auto_save = process_args->auto_save;
 
   bool beat_active;
   bool last_active;
   bool change;
   bool last_change;
+  bool do_auto_save;
+  bool last_auto_save;
 
   log_info("(state) background writing started");
 
   last_active = false;
   last_change = false;
+  last_auto_save = false;
 
   while (!context->stop) {
     beat_active = tempo_progress(&context->tempo, 1.0) < 0.5;
@@ -791,6 +798,15 @@ void *state_background_write(void *args) {
     }
 
     last_change = change;
+
+    do_auto_save = fmod(context->time, STATE_AUTO_SAVE_SECONDS) <
+                   STATE_AUTO_SAVE_SECONDS * 0.5;
+
+    if (auto_save && do_auto_save && !last_auto_save) {
+      save_to_default_file(context, state_config, false);
+    }
+
+    last_auto_save = do_auto_save;
   }
 
   log_info("(state) background writing stopped by main thread");
@@ -831,5 +847,5 @@ void state_init(Context *context, StateConfig state_config, bool demo,
 }
 
 void state_save(const Context *context, StateConfig state_config) {
-  save_to_default_file(context, state_config);
+  save_to_default_file(context, state_config, true);
 }
diff --git a/src/types.h b/src/types.h
index 98a18cf..ad9afa8 100644
--- a/src/types.h
+++ b/src/types.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ typedef struct Parameters {
   unsigned int internal_size;
   bool load_state;
   bool save_state;
+  bool auto_save;
   bool midi_reconnect;
   bool trace_midi;
   bool trace_fps;
@@ -279,6 +280,7 @@ typedef struct StateBackgroundWriteArgs {
   Context *context;
   StateConfig state_config;
   MidiDevice *midi;
+  bool auto_save;
 } StateBackgroundWriteArgs;
 
 // timer.c