diff --git a/src/game.rs b/src/game.rs
index 20cc2be..23ac10d 100644
--- a/src/game.rs
+++ b/src/game.rs
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ fn handle_game_event(
     mut er_game: EventReader<GameEvent>,
     mut ew_sfx: EventWriter<audio::PlaySfxEvent>,
     mut ew_updateoverlays: EventWriter<hud::UpdateOverlayVisibility>,
+    mut ew_updatemenu: EventWriter<menu::UpdateMenuEvent>,
     mut ew_togglemusic: EventWriter<audio::ToggleMusicEvent>,
     mut q_window: Query<&mut Window, With<PrimaryWindow>>,
-    mut q_menu_vis: Query<&mut Visibility, With<menu::MenuElement>>,
     mut q_light: Query<&mut DirectionalLight>,
     mut mapcam: ResMut<camera::MapCam>,
     opt: Res<var::CommandLineOptions>,
@@ -112,9 +112,7 @@ fn handle_game_event(
             }
             GameEvent::SetMenu(turn) => {
                 settings.menu_active = turn.to_bool(settings.menu_active);
-                for mut vis in &mut q_menu_vis {
-                    *vis = bool2vis(settings.menu_active);
-                }
+                ew_updatemenu.send(menu::UpdateMenuEvent);
             }
             GameEvent::SetThirdPerson(turn) => {
                 settings.third_person = turn.to_bool(settings.third_person);
diff --git a/src/menu.rs b/src/menu.rs
index b043572..3bdb1f4 100644
--- a/src/menu.rs
+++ b/src/menu.rs
@@ -22,12 +22,13 @@ impl Plugin for MenuPlugin {
         app.add_systems(Startup, setup.after(hud::setup));
         app.add_systems(PreUpdate, show_deathscreen.run_if(on_event::<DeathScreenEvent>()));
         app.add_systems(Update, handle_deathscreen_input);
-        app.add_systems(PostUpdate, update_menu);
+        app.add_systems(PostUpdate, update_menu.run_if(on_event::<UpdateMenuEvent>()));
         app.add_systems(Update, handle_input.run_if(alive));
         app.insert_resource(DeathScreenInputDelayTimer(
                 Timer::from_seconds(1.0, TimerMode::Once)));
         app.insert_resource(MenuState::default());
         app.add_event::<DeathScreenEvent>();
+        app.add_event::<UpdateMenuEvent>();
     }
 }
 
@@ -36,15 +37,16 @@ impl Plugin for MenuPlugin {
 #[derive(Component)] pub struct MenuTopLevel;
 #[derive(Component)] pub struct DeathScreenElement;
 #[derive(Component)] pub struct DeathText;
+#[derive(Event)] pub struct UpdateMenuEvent;
 #[derive(Event, PartialEq)] pub enum DeathScreenEvent { Show, Hide }
 
 pub const MENUDEF: &[(&str, MenuAction)] = &[
-    ("Toggle Map [M]", MenuAction::ToggleMap),
-    ("Toggle Augmented Reality [TAB]", MenuAction::ToggleAR),
-    ("Toggle Sound", MenuAction::ToggleSound),
-    ("Toggle Music", MenuAction::ToggleMusic),
+    ("", MenuAction::ToggleMap),
+    ("", MenuAction::ToggleAR),
+    ("", MenuAction::ToggleSound),
+    ("", MenuAction::ToggleMusic),
     ("Toggle Fullscreen [F11]", MenuAction::ToggleFullscreen),
-    ("Toggle Shadows", MenuAction::ToggleShadows),
+    ("", MenuAction::ToggleShadows),
     ("Restart Game", MenuAction::Restart),
     ("Quit", MenuAction::Quit),
 ];
@@ -244,11 +246,15 @@ pub struct MenuState {
 
 pub fn update_menu(
     mut q_text: Query<&mut Text, With<MenuTopLevel>>,
+    mut q_vis: Query<&mut Visibility, With<menu::MenuElement>>,
     menustate: Res<MenuState>,
     settings: Res<Settings>,
 ) {
-    if !settings.menu_active {
-        return;
+    for mut vis in &mut q_vis {
+        *vis = bool2vis(settings.menu_active);
+    }
+    fn bool2string(boolean: bool) -> String {
+        if boolean { "On" } else { "Off" }.to_string()
     }
     if let Ok(mut text) = q_text.get_single_mut() {
         for i in 0..text.sections.len() {
@@ -257,6 +263,34 @@ pub fn update_menu(
             } else {
                 text.sections[i].style.color = settings.hud_color;
             }
+
+            match MENUDEF[i].1 {
+                MenuAction::ToggleSound => {
+                    let onoff = bool2string(!settings.mute_sfx);
+                    text.sections[i].value = format!("Sound: {onoff}\n");
+                }
+                MenuAction::ToggleMusic => {
+                    let onoff = bool2string(!settings.mute_music);
+                    text.sections[i].value = format!("Music: {onoff}\n");
+                }
+                MenuAction::ToggleAR => {
+                    let onoff = bool2string(settings.hud_active);
+                    text.sections[i].value = format!("Augmented Reality: {onoff} [TAB]\n");
+                }
+                MenuAction::ToggleMap => {
+                    let onoff = bool2string(settings.map_active);
+                    text.sections[i].value = format!("Map: {onoff} [M]\n");
+                }
+                MenuAction::ToggleShadows => {
+                    let onoff = if settings.shadows_sun {
+                        "Flashlight + Sun"
+                    } else {
+                        "Flashlight Only"
+                    };
+                    text.sections[i].value = format!("Shadows: {onoff}\n");
+                }
+                _ => {}
+            }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -269,6 +303,7 @@ pub fn handle_input(
     mut ew_game: EventWriter<game::GameEvent>,
     mut ew_playerdies: EventWriter<game::PlayerDiesEvent>,
     mut ew_sfx: EventWriter<audio::PlaySfxEvent>,
+    mut ew_updatemenu: EventWriter<UpdateMenuEvent>,
 ) {
     if keyboard_input.just_pressed(settings.key_menu)
     || keyboard_input.just_pressed(settings.key_vehicle) && settings.menu_active
@@ -284,6 +319,7 @@ pub fn handle_input(
     {
         menustate.cursor = menustate.cursor.saturating_sub(1);
         ew_sfx.send(audio::PlaySfxEvent(audio::Sfx::Click));
+        ew_updatemenu.send(UpdateMenuEvent);
     }
     if keyboard_input.just_pressed(settings.key_back)
     || keyboard_input.just_pressed(settings.key_mousedown)
@@ -291,6 +327,7 @@ pub fn handle_input(
     {
         menustate.cursor = (menustate.cursor + 1).min(MENUDEF.len() - 1);
         ew_sfx.send(audio::PlaySfxEvent(audio::Sfx::Click));
+        ew_updatemenu.send(UpdateMenuEvent);
     }
     if keyboard_input.just_pressed(settings.key_interact)
     || keyboard_input.just_pressed(KeyCode::Enter)
@@ -300,21 +337,26 @@ pub fn handle_input(
             MenuAction::ToggleMap => {
                 ew_game.send(GameEvent::SetMap(Toggle));
                 ew_game.send(GameEvent::SetMenu(Turn::Off));
+                ew_updatemenu.send(UpdateMenuEvent);
             },
             MenuAction::ToggleAR => {
                 ew_game.send(GameEvent::SetAR(Toggle));
+                ew_updatemenu.send(UpdateMenuEvent);
             },
             MenuAction::ToggleMusic => {
                 ew_game.send(GameEvent::SetMusic(Toggle));
+                ew_updatemenu.send(UpdateMenuEvent);
             },
             MenuAction::ToggleSound => {
                 ew_game.send(GameEvent::SetSound(Toggle));
+                ew_updatemenu.send(UpdateMenuEvent);
             },
             MenuAction::ToggleFullscreen => {
                 ew_game.send(GameEvent::SetFullscreen(Toggle));
             },
             MenuAction::ToggleShadows => {
                 ew_game.send(GameEvent::SetShadows(Toggle));
+                ew_updatemenu.send(UpdateMenuEvent);
             },
             MenuAction::Restart => {
                 settings.god_mode = false;