diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/App.css b/packages/frontend/src/App.css
index c3a42e4..73da498 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/App.css
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/App.css
@@ -146,3 +146,10 @@
 .font-700 {
     font-weight: 700;
 }
+
+.noselect {
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+    -moz-user-select: none;
+    -ms-user-select: none;
+    user-select: none;
+}
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx
index 587fe54..d7eb621 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /** biome-ignore-all lint/correctness/useExhaustiveDependencies: <> */
 import { type ChangeEvent, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
+import { ServerConfigurationDialog } from "@/components/server-configuration-dialog";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
@@ -176,10 +177,11 @@ export default function LogInForm() {
             <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
                 <div
                     className={cn(
-                        "flex flex-col gap-2 items-center border p-6 pb-4",
+                        "relative flex flex-col gap-2 items-center border p-6 pb-4",
                         error !== "" && "border-destructive",
                     )}
                 >
+                    <ServerConfigurationDialog />
                     <span className="text-xl mb-2">{capitalise(mode)}</span>
 
                     {mode === "register" && (
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/server-configuration-dialog.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/server-configuration-dialog.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4b0729
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/server-configuration-dialog.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+import { CheckIcon, ServerIcon, Undo2 } from "lucide-react";
+import { type ReactNode, useState } from "react";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle, DialogTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dialog";
+import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
+import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
+import { getServerURL } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+const DEFAULT_URL = "https://eussi.ob248.com";
+
+const formatURL = (url: string) => {
+    if (url.endsWith("/")) {
+        url = url.slice(0, -1);
+    }
+    if (
+        (url.includes("localhost") || url.includes("127.0.0.1")) &&
+        !url.startsWith("http://") &&
+        !url.startsWith("https://")
+    ) {
+        url = `http://${url}`; // use http for localhost
+    } else if (!url.startsWith("http://") && !url.startsWith("https://")) {
+        url = `https://${url}`; // assume https if none is provided
+    }
+    return url;
+};
+
+const isValidURL = (url: string) => {
+    try {
+        new URL(formatURL(url));
+        return true;
+    } catch {
+        return false;
+    }
+};
+
+export function ServerConfigurationDialog({ trigger }: { trigger?: ReactNode }) {
+    const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+    const [serverURL, setServerURL] = useState(getServerURL());
+    const [originalURL, setOriginalURL] = useState(getServerURL());
+    const [countdown, setCountdown] = useState<number | null>(null);
+    const [isValid, setIsValid] = useState(true);
+    const [isCheckingHealth, setIsCheckingHealth] = useState(false);
+    const [healthError, setHealthError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+
+    const hasChanged = formatURL(serverURL) !== formatURL(originalURL);
+    const isNotDefault = formatURL(serverURL) !== formatURL(DEFAULT_URL);
+    const canSave = hasChanged && isValidURL(serverURL);
+
+    const handleOpenChange = (nextOpen: boolean) => {
+        setOpen(nextOpen);
+        if (nextOpen) {
+            setServerURL(getServerURL());
+            setOriginalURL(getServerURL());
+            setIsValid(true);
+            setCountdown(null);
+            setHealthError(null);
+        }
+    };
+
+    const handleServerURLChange = (value: string) => {
+        setServerURL(value);
+        setIsValid(isValidURL(value));
+        setHealthError(null);
+    };
+
+    const handleResetToDefault = () => {
+        setServerURL(DEFAULT_URL);
+        setIsValid(true);
+        setHealthError(null);
+    };
+
+    const handleSave = async () => {
+        if (!canSave) return;
+
+        setIsCheckingHealth(true);
+
+        try {
+            const response = await fetch(`${formatURL(serverURL)}/health`, {
+                method: "GET",
+                signal: AbortSignal.timeout(5000),
+            });
+
+            if (!response.ok) {
+                throw new Error(`Server returned ${response.status}`);
+            }
+            setHealthError(null);
+
+            localStorage.setItem("serverURL", formatURL(serverURL));
+
+            let count = 3;
+            setCountdown(count);
+            setOpen(false);
+
+            const interval = setInterval(() => {
+                count--;
+                if (count <= 0) {
+                    clearInterval(interval);
+                    window.location.reload();
+                } else {
+                    setCountdown(count);
+                }
+            }, 1000);
+        } catch (err) {
+            setHealthError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Failed to connect to server");
+        } finally {
+            setIsCheckingHealth(false);
+        }
+    };
+
+    return (
+        <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={handleOpenChange}>
+            <DialogTrigger asChild>
+                {trigger || (
+                    <Button
+                        variant="ghost"
+                        size="icon"
+                        className="absolute top-2 right-2"
+                        title="Server Configuration"
+                    >
+                        <ServerIcon className="size-4" />
+                    </Button>
+                )}
+            </DialogTrigger>
+
+            <DialogContent>
+                <DialogHeader>
+                    <DialogTitle>Server Configuration</DialogTitle>
+                </DialogHeader>
+
+                <div className="grid gap-4">
+                    <div className="grid gap-2">
+                        <Label htmlFor="server-url">Server URL</Label>
+                        <div className="flex gap-2">
+                            <Input
+                                id="server-url"
+                                value={serverURL}
+                                onChange={(e) => handleServerURLChange(e.target.value)}
+                                onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                                    if (e.key === "Enter" && canSave && !isCheckingHealth) {
+                                        e.preventDefault();
+                                        void handleSave();
+                                    }
+                                }}
+                                placeholder="https://example.com"
+                                className={!isValid ? "border-destructive" : ""}
+                            />
+                            <Button
+                                type="button"
+                                size="icon"
+                                variant={canSave ? "default" : "outline"}
+                                disabled={!canSave || isCheckingHealth}
+                                onClick={handleSave}
+                            >
+                                <CheckIcon className="size-4" />
+                            </Button>
+                            <Button
+                                type="button"
+                                size="icon"
+                                variant="secondary"
+                                disabled={!isNotDefault || isCheckingHealth}
+                                onClick={handleResetToDefault}
+                                title="Reset to default"
+                            >
+                                <Undo2 className="size-4" />
+                            </Button>
+                        </div>
+                        {!isValid && (
+                            <Label className="text-destructive text-sm">Please enter a valid URL</Label>
+                        )}
+                        {healthError && <Label className="text-destructive text-sm">{healthError}</Label>}
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            </DialogContent>
+
+            {countdown !== null && (
+                <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[100] bg-black/50 flex flex-col items-center justify-center pointer-events-auto">
+                    <div className="text-2xl font-bold pointer-events-none noselect">Redirecting</div>
+                    <div className="text-8xl font-bold pointer-events-none noselect">{countdown}</div>
+                </div>
+            )}
+        </Dialog>
+    );
+}
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index 2ab8d95..815a80d 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -6,4 +6,3 @@
   - issue assignee
   - deadline
 - time tracking (linked to issues or standalone)
-- store backend/server URL in localstorage (can be changed in user settings). this will be used in substitution of VITE_SERVER_URL (use VITE_SERVER_URL as the default. this way, the frontend releases can ship with eussi.ob248.com, but dev can keep localhost backend)