diff --git a/src/config/preferences.c b/src/config/preferences.c
index 22e80874..e91068a4 100644
--- a/src/config/preferences.c
+++ b/src/config/preferences.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #include "preferences.h"
 #include "tools/autocomplete.h"
 
+// preference groups refer to the sections in .profrc, for example [ui]
 #define PREF_GROUP_LOGGING "logging"
 #define PREF_GROUP_CHATSTATES "chatstates"
 #define PREF_GROUP_UI "ui"
@@ -487,6 +488,9 @@ _get_preferences_file(void)
     return result;
 }
 
+// get the preference group for a specific preference
+// for example the PREF_BEEP setting ("beep" in .profrc, see _get_key) belongs
+// to the [ui] section.
 static const char *
 _get_group(preference_t pref)
 {
@@ -550,6 +554,8 @@ _get_group(preference_t pref)
     }
 }
 
+// get the key used in .profrc for the preference
+// for example the PREF_AUTOAWAY_MODE maps to "autoaway.mode" in .profrc
 static const char *
 _get_key(preference_t pref)
 {
@@ -652,6 +658,8 @@ _get_key(preference_t pref)
     }
 }
 
+// the default setting for a boolean type preference
+// if it is not specified in .profrc
 static gboolean
 _get_default_boolean(preference_t pref)
 {
@@ -675,6 +683,8 @@ _get_default_boolean(preference_t pref)
     }
 }
 
+// the default setting for a string type preference
+// if it is not specified in .profrc
 static char *
 _get_default_string(preference_t pref)
 {
diff --git a/src/config/preferences.h b/src/config/preferences.h
index c8b206ef..c543fbce 100644
--- a/src/config/preferences.h
+++ b/src/config/preferences.h
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
 #define PREFS_MIN_LOG_SIZE 64
 #define PREFS_MAX_LOG_SIZE 1048580
 
+// represents all settings in .profrc
+// each enum value is mapped to a group and key in .profrc (see preferences.c)
 typedef enum {
     PREF_SPLASH,
     PREF_BEEP,