diff --git a/docs/api/index.md b/docs/api/index.md
index 144669b8d..8210c64a9 100644
--- a/docs/api/index.md
+++ b/docs/api/index.md
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ runtime
    :nosignatures:
 
    kernel
-   set_default_settings
    Config
    Settings
 ```
diff --git a/docs/api/settings.md b/docs/api/settings.md
index 469f3e219..a9a28c0f4 100644
--- a/docs/api/settings.md
+++ b/docs/api/settings.md
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ Settings can be configured via:
 
 1. **Environment variables**
 2. **Keyword arguments to `@helion.kernel`**
-3. **Global defaults via `helion.set_default_settings()`**
+
+If both are provided, decorator arguments take precedence.
 
 ## Configuration Examples
 
@@ -62,24 +63,6 @@ def my_kernel(x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
     return result
 ```
 
-### Global Configuration
-
-```python
-import logging
-import helion
-
-# Set global defaults
-with helion.set_default_settings(
-    ignore_warnings=[helion.exc.TensorOperationInWrapper],
-    autotune_log_level=logging.WARNING
-):
-    # All kernels in this block use these settings
-    @helion.kernel
-    def kernel1(x): ...
-
-    @helion.kernel
-    def kernel2(x): ...
-```
 
 ## Settings Reference
 
@@ -231,9 +214,7 @@ Built-in values for ``HELION_AUTOTUNER`` include ``"PatternSearch"``, ``"Differe
 ## Functions
 
 ```{eval-rst}
-.. autofunction:: set_default_settings
 
-.. automethod:: Settings.default
 ```
 
 ## Environment Variable Reference
diff --git a/helion/__init__.py b/helion/__init__.py
index 508b0bd9b..b02e42e47 100644
--- a/helion/__init__.py
+++ b/helion/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 from .runtime import kernel as jit  # alias
 from .runtime.settings import RefMode
 from .runtime.settings import Settings
-from .runtime.settings import set_default_settings
 
 __all__ = [
     "Config",
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@
     "language",
     "next_power_of_2",
     "runtime",
-    "set_default_settings",
 ]
 
 _logging.init_logs()
diff --git a/helion/runtime/kernel.py b/helion/runtime/kernel.py
index b875caebf..b905850e3 100644
--- a/helion/runtime/kernel.py
+++ b/helion/runtime/kernel.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def __init__(
         Args:
             fn: The function to be compiled as a Helion kernel.
             configs: A list of configurations to use for the kernel.
-            settings: The settings to be used by the Kernel. If None, default settings are used.
+            settings: The settings to be used by the Kernel. If None, a new `Settings()` instance is created.
             key: Optional callable that returns an extra hashable component for specialization.
         """
         super().__init__()
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.name: str = fn.__name__
         self.fn: types.FunctionType = fn
         self.signature: inspect.Signature = inspect.signature(fn)
-        self.settings: Settings = settings or Settings.default()
+        self.settings: Settings = settings or Settings()
         self._key_fn: Callable[..., Hashable] | None = key
         self.configs: list[Config] = [
             Config(**c) if isinstance(c, dict) else c  # pyright: ignore[reportArgumentType]
diff --git a/helion/runtime/settings.py b/helion/runtime/settings.py
index 2a9484d88..d4e4315d5 100644
--- a/helion/runtime/settings.py
+++ b/helion/runtime/settings.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import dataclasses
 import logging
 import os
-import threading
 import time
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 from typing import Literal
@@ -20,47 +19,15 @@
 from .ref_mode import RefMode
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from contextlib import AbstractContextManager
-
     from ..autotuner.base_search import BaseAutotuner
     from .kernel import BoundKernel
 
-    class _TLS(Protocol):
-        default_settings: Settings | None
-
     class AutotunerFunction(Protocol):
         def __call__(
             self, bound_kernel: BoundKernel, args: Sequence[object], **kwargs: object
         ) -> BaseAutotuner: ...
 
 
-_tls: _TLS = cast("_TLS", threading.local())
-
-
-def set_default_settings(settings: Settings) -> AbstractContextManager[None, None]:
-    """
-    Set the default settings for the current thread and return a context manager
-    that restores the previous settings upon exit.
-
-    Args:
-        settings: The Settings object to set as the default.
-
-    Returns:
-        AbstractContextManager[None, None]: A context manager that restores the previous settings upon exit.
-    """
-    prior = getattr(_tls, "default_settings", None)
-    _tls.default_settings = settings
-
-    class _RestoreContext:
-        def __enter__(self) -> None:
-            pass
-
-        def __exit__(self, *args: object) -> None:
-            _tls.default_settings = prior
-
-    return _RestoreContext()
-
-
 def default_autotuner_fn(
     bound_kernel: BoundKernel, args: Sequence[object], **kwargs: object
 ) -> BaseAutotuner:
@@ -254,15 +221,8 @@ class Settings(_Settings):
     def __init__(self, **settings: object) -> None:
         """
         Initialize the Settings object with the provided dictionary of settings.
-        If no settings are provided, the default settings are used (see `set_default_settings`).
-
-        Args:
-            settings: Keyword arguments representing various settings.
         """
 
-        if defaults := getattr(_tls, "default_settings", None):
-            settings = {**defaults.to_dict(), **settings}
-
         super().__init__(**settings)  # pyright: ignore[reportArgumentType]
 
         self._check_ref_eager_mode_before_print_output_code()
@@ -323,16 +283,3 @@ def _check_ref_eager_mode_before_print_output_code(self) -> None:
         """
         if self.ref_mode == RefMode.EAGER and self.print_output_code:
             raise exc.RefEagerModeCodePrintError
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def default() -> Settings:
-        """
-        Get the default Settings object. If no default settings are set, create a new one.
-
-        Returns:
-            Settings: The default Settings object.
-        """
-        result = getattr(_tls, "default_settings", None)
-        if result is None:
-            _tls.default_settings = result = Settings()
-        return result