diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/ModelCallbacks.kt b/src/com/android/launcher3/ModelCallbacks.kt
index 13062b6..8137fef 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/ModelCallbacks.kt
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/ModelCallbacks.kt
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
     var pagesToBindSynchronously = LIntSet()
 
     private var isFirstPagePinnedItemEnabled =
-        (BuildConfig.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN && !enableSmartspaceRemovalToggle())
+        (FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN && !enableSmartspaceRemovalToggle())
 
     var stringCache: StringCache? = null
 
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java
index 19a3002..c1ef4b4 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import android.app.ActivityManager;
 import android.app.ActivityOptions;
 import android.app.Person;
+import android.app.ProgressDialog;
 import android.app.WallpaperManager;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.pm.LauncherActivityInfo;
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.testing.shared.ResourceUtils;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.FlagOp;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.IntArray;
+import com.android.launcher3.util.Executors;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.SplitConfigurationOptions.SplitPositionOption;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.Themes;
 import com.android.launcher3.views.ActivityContext;
@@ -181,10 +183,18 @@
         sIsRunningInTestHarness = true;
     }
 
+    public static final String QSB_SHOW = "pref_qsb_show";
+    public static final long WAIT_BEFORE_RESTART = 250;
+
     public static boolean isPropertyEnabled(String propertyName) {
         return Log.isLoggable(propertyName, Log.VERBOSE);
     }
 
+    public static boolean showQsbWidget(Context context) {
+         return LauncherPrefs.getPrefs(context).getBoolean(QSB_SHOW,
+                context.getResources().getBoolean(R.bool.qsb_show_default));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Given a coordinate relative to the descendant, find the coordinate in a parent view's
      * coordinates.
@@ -864,4 +874,15 @@
         }
         return null;
     }
+
+    public static void restart(final Context context) {
+        ProgressDialog.show(context, null, context.getString(R.string.state_loading), true, false);
+        Executors.MODEL_EXECUTOR.execute(() -> {
+            try {
+                Thread.sleep(WAIT_BEFORE_RESTART);
+            } catch (Exception ignored) {
+            }
+            android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());
+        });
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/Workspace.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/Workspace.java
index e601a3e..0676c05 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/Workspace.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/Workspace.java
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@
      * Initializes and binds the first page
      */
     public void bindAndInitFirstWorkspaceScreen() {
-        if ((!FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN
+        if ((!Utilities.showQsbWidget(mContext)
                 || !mLauncher.getIsFirstPagePinnedItemEnabled())
                 || SHOULD_SHOW_FIRST_PAGE_WIDGET) {
             mFirstPagePinnedItem = null;
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@
             int id = mWorkspaceScreens.keyAt(i);
             CellLayout cl = mWorkspaceScreens.valueAt(i);
             // FIRST_SCREEN_ID can never be removed.
-            if (((!FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN
+            if (((!Utilities.showQsbWidget(getContext())
                     || SHOULD_SHOW_FIRST_PAGE_WIDGET)
                     || id > FIRST_SCREEN_ID)
                     && cl.getShortcutsAndWidgets().getChildCount() == 0) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java
index 33e6f91..82bf1ba 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@
      * @deprecated Use {@link BuildConfig#QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN} directly
      */
     @Deprecated
-    public static final boolean QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN = BuildConfig.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN;
+    // NOTE: replaced by resource qsb_show_default
+    public static final boolean QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN = true;
 
     /**
      * Feature flag to handle define config changes dynamically instead of killing the process.
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/graphics/LauncherPreviewRenderer.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/graphics/LauncherPreviewRenderer.java
index ae8f1d5..91deef1 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/graphics/LauncherPreviewRenderer.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/graphics/LauncherPreviewRenderer.java
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@
         }
 
         // Add first page QSB
-        if (FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN && dataModel.isFirstPagePinnedItemEnabled
+        if (Utilities.showQsbWidget(mContext) && dataModel.isFirstPagePinnedItemEnabled
                 && !SHOULD_SHOW_FIRST_PAGE_WIDGET) {
             CellLayout firstScreen = mWorkspaceScreens.get(FIRST_SCREEN_ID);
             View qsb = mHomeElementInflater.inflate(R.layout.qsb_preview, firstScreen, false);
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java
index 9a9fa5b..6a68de2 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/BgDataModel.java
@@ -162,9 +162,7 @@
                 screenSet.add(item.screenId);
             }
         }
-        if ((FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN
-                && !SHOULD_SHOW_FIRST_PAGE_WIDGET)
-                || screenSet.isEmpty()) {
+        if (screenSet.isEmpty()) {
             screenSet.add(Workspace.FIRST_SCREEN_ID);
         }
         return screenSet.getArray();
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderCursor.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderCursor.java
index 84130c7..b668b84 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderCursor.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderCursor.java
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@
                 // container.
                 int spanX = mIDP.numSearchContainerColumns;
                 int spanY = 1;
-                screen.markCells(0, 0, spanX, spanY, true);
+                screen.markCells(0, 0, spanX, spanY, Utilities.showQsbWidget(mContext));
             }
             mOccupied.put(item.screenId, screen);
         }
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java
index 312c6f4..fa0c24e 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/model/LoaderTask.java
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@
             mModelDelegate.markActive();
             logASplit("workspaceDelegateItems");
         }
-        mBgDataModel.isFirstPagePinnedItemEnabled = FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN
+        mBgDataModel.isFirstPagePinnedItemEnabled = Utilities.showQsbWidget(mApp.getContext())
                 && (!enableSmartspaceRemovalToggle() || LauncherPrefs.getPrefs(
                 mApp.getContext()).getBoolean(SMARTSPACE_ON_HOME_SCREEN, true));
     }
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/qsb/QsbContainerView.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/qsb/QsbContainerView.java
index d6b41b0..5415a9b 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/qsb/QsbContainerView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/qsb/QsbContainerView.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.InvariantDeviceProfile;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherAppState;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherPrefs;
+import com.android.launcher3.Utilities;
 import com.android.launcher3.R;
 import com.android.launcher3.config.FeatureFlags;
 import com.android.launcher3.graphics.FragmentWithPreview;
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@
         }
 
         public boolean isQsbEnabled() {
-            return FeatureFlags.QSB_ON_FIRST_SCREEN
+            return Utilities.showQsbWidget(getActivity())
                     && !SHOULD_SHOW_FIRST_PAGE_WIDGET;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/settings/SettingsActivity.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/settings/SettingsActivity.java
index 4cdc4eb..6379469 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/settings/SettingsActivity.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/settings/SettingsActivity.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import android.net.Uri;
 import android.content.res.XmlResourceParser;
 import android.os.Bundle;
+import android.os.Handler;
 import android.provider.Settings;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.util.Log;
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherFiles;
 import com.android.launcher3.R;
 import com.android.launcher3.states.RotationHelper;
+import com.android.launcher3.Utilities;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.DisplayController;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.SettingsCache;
 
@@ -218,6 +220,14 @@
                 getActivity().setTitle(getPreferenceScreen().getTitle());
             }
 
+            Preference showQsbWidget = findPreference(Utilities.QSB_SHOW);
+            showQsbWidget.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(new Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener() {
+                public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object newValue) {
+                    new Handler().postDelayed(() -> Utilities.restart(getActivity()), Utilities.WAIT_BEFORE_RESTART);
+                    return true;
+                }
+            });
+
             final ListPreference grid = (ListPreference) findPreference(GRID_SIZE_PREFERENCE_KEY);
             InvariantDeviceProfile idp = InvariantDeviceProfile.INSTANCE.get(getContext());
             ArrayList<String> entries = new ArrayList<>();