diff --git a/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml b/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml
index 517d1efc..f78c29f7 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ Singleton {
     property int dankLauncherV2BorderThickness: 2
     property string dankLauncherV2BorderColor: "primary"
     property bool dankLauncherV2ShowFooter: true
+    property bool dankLauncherV2UnloadOnClose: false
 
     property string _legacyWeatherLocation: "New York, NY"
     property string _legacyWeatherCoordinates: "40.7128,-74.0060"
diff --git a/quickshell/Common/settings/SettingsSpec.js b/quickshell/Common/settings/SettingsSpec.js
index aa347353..9feccf61 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/settings/SettingsSpec.js
+++ b/quickshell/Common/settings/SettingsSpec.js
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ var SPEC = {
     dankLauncherV2BorderThickness: { def: 2 },
     dankLauncherV2BorderColor: { def: "primary" },
     dankLauncherV2ShowFooter: { def: true },
+    dankLauncherV2UnloadOnClose: { def: false },
 
     useAutoLocation: { def: false },
     weatherEnabled: { def: true },
diff --git a/quickshell/DMSShell.qml b/quickshell/DMSShell.qml
index 059e43ab..b0a5feb6 100644
--- a/quickshell/DMSShell.qml
+++ b/quickshell/DMSShell.qml
@@ -531,6 +531,11 @@ Item {
                 PopoutService.dankLauncherV2Modal = dankLauncherV2Modal;
                 PopoutService._onDankLauncherV2ModalLoaded();
             }
+
+            onDialogClosed: {
+                if (SettingsData.dankLauncherV2UnloadOnClose)
+                    PopoutService.unloadDankLauncherV2();
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/Controller.qml b/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/Controller.qml
index 1517612a..1caec144 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/Controller.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/Controller.qml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Item {
             sections = [];
             flatModel = [];
             selectedItem = null;
+            _clearModeCache();
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/DankLauncherV2Modal.qml b/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/DankLauncherV2Modal.qml
index 75920ac8..ad401754 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/DankLauncherV2Modal.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modals/DankLauncherV2/DankLauncherV2Modal.qml
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import Quickshell.Wayland
 import Quickshell.Hyprland
 import qs.Common
 import qs.Services
-import qs.Widgets
 
 Item {
     id: root
@@ -264,7 +263,7 @@ Item {
 
     PanelWindow {
         id: launcherWindow
-        visible: root._windowEnabled
+        visible: root._windowEnabled && (!SettingsData.dankLauncherV2UnloadOnClose || spotlightOpen || isClosing)
         color: "transparent"
         exclusionMode: ExclusionMode.Ignore
 
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/LauncherTab.qml b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/LauncherTab.qml
index 79fbc709..7df07911 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/LauncherTab.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/LauncherTab.qml
@@ -415,6 +415,15 @@ Item {
                     onToggled: checked => SettingsData.set("dankLauncherV2ShowFooter", checked)
                 }
 
+                SettingsToggleRow {
+                    settingKey: "dankLauncherV2UnloadOnClose"
+                    tags: ["launcher", "unload", "close", "memory", "vram"]
+                    text: I18n.tr("Unload on Close")
+                    description: I18n.tr("Free VRAM/memory when the launcher is closed. May cause a slight delay when reopening.")
+                    checked: SettingsData.dankLauncherV2UnloadOnClose
+                    onToggled: checked => SettingsData.set("dankLauncherV2UnloadOnClose", checked)
+                }
+
                 SettingsToggleRow {
                     settingKey: "dankLauncherV2BorderEnabled"
                     tags: ["launcher", "border", "outline"]
diff --git a/quickshell/Services/PopoutService.qml b/quickshell/Services/PopoutService.qml
index 162f5545..d14522a1 100644
--- a/quickshell/Services/PopoutService.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Services/PopoutService.qml
@@ -454,6 +454,13 @@ Singleton {
         dankLauncherV2Modal?.hide();
     }
 
+    function unloadDankLauncherV2() {
+        if (dankLauncherV2ModalLoader) {
+            dankLauncherV2Modal = null;
+            dankLauncherV2ModalLoader.active = false;
+        }
+    }
+
     function toggleDankLauncherV2() {
         if (dankLauncherV2Modal) {
             dankLauncherV2Modal.toggle();