diff --git a/web/src/lib/player/store.svelte.ts b/web/src/lib/player/store.svelte.ts
index 362242e4..6a0d9d82 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/player/store.svelte.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/player/store.svelte.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { untrack } from 'svelte';
 import { api } from '$lib/api/client';
 import { user } from '$lib/auth/user.svelte';
 import { sessionEnd } from '$lib/auth/sessionEnd.svelte';
+import * as storage from '$lib/util/safeLocalStorage';
 import { readPersistedQueue, writePersistedQueue, clearPersistedQueue } from './persisted';
 
 export type PlayerState = 'idle' | 'loading' | 'playing' | 'paused' | 'error';
@@ -11,15 +12,11 @@ export type RepeatMode = 'off' | 'all' | 'one';
 const VOLUME_KEY = 'minstrel.volume';
 
 export function readStoredVolume(): number {
-  try {
-    const raw = localStorage.getItem(VOLUME_KEY);
-    if (raw == null) return 1;
-    const n = Number(raw);
-    if (Number.isFinite(n) && n >= 0 && n <= 1) return n;
-    return 1;
-  } catch {
-    return 1;
-  }
+  const raw = storage.read(VOLUME_KEY);
+  if (raw == null) return 1;
+  const n = Number(raw);
+  if (Number.isFinite(n) && n >= 0 && n <= 1) return n;
+  return 1;
 }
 
 let _queue    = $state<TrackRef[]>([]);
@@ -135,7 +132,7 @@ export function seekTo(sec: number): void {
 export function setVolume(v: number): void {
   const clamped = Math.max(0, Math.min(1, v));
   _volume = clamped;
-  try { localStorage.setItem(VOLUME_KEY, String(clamped)); } catch { /* ignore */ }
+  storage.write(VOLUME_KEY, String(clamped));
 }
 
 export function reportTimeUpdate(sec: number): void {
diff --git a/web/src/lib/stores/theme.svelte.ts b/web/src/lib/stores/theme.svelte.ts
index 1657d3a8..1aa70d97 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/stores/theme.svelte.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/stores/theme.svelte.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
+import * as storage from '$lib/util/safeLocalStorage';
+
 const STORAGE_KEY = 'minstrel:theme';
 
 export type ThemePreference = 'dark' | 'light' | 'system';
 export type ResolvedTheme = 'dark' | 'light';
 
 function readPref(): ThemePreference {
-  if (typeof localStorage === 'undefined') return 'system';
-  try {
-    const v = localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY);
-    return v === 'dark' || v === 'light' || v === 'system' ? v : 'system';
-  } catch {
-    return 'system';
-  }
+  const v = storage.read(STORAGE_KEY);
+  return v === 'dark' || v === 'light' || v === 'system' ? v : 'system';
 }
 
 function systemResolved(): ResolvedTheme {
@@ -51,9 +48,7 @@ export const resolvedTheme = {
 export function setTheme(pref: ThemePreference): void {
   _theme = pref;
   _resolved = resolve(pref);
-  if (typeof localStorage !== 'undefined') {
-    try { localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, pref); } catch { /* ignore quota / unavailable */ }
-  }
+  storage.write(STORAGE_KEY, pref);
   applyToDOM(_resolved);
 }
 
diff --git a/web/src/lib/util/safeLocalStorage.ts b/web/src/lib/util/safeLocalStorage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..66f01178
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/lib/util/safeLocalStorage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// SSR-safe localStorage wrapper. Returns null / no-ops when window
+// is undefined or access throws (private mode, quota, security).
+//
+// Caller handles parse / serialize. For object payloads, JSON.stringify
+// before write and JSON.parse(read(key) ?? '...') after.
+
+export function read(key: string): string | null {
+  if (typeof localStorage === 'undefined') return null;
+  try {
+    return localStorage.getItem(key);
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+export function write(key: string, value: string): void {
+  if (typeof localStorage === 'undefined') return;
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(key, value);
+  } catch {
+    // quota / security — drop silently
+  }
+}
+
+export function remove(key: string): void {
+  if (typeof localStorage === 'undefined') return;
+  try {
+    localStorage.removeItem(key);
+  } catch {
+    /* ignore */
+  }
+}