diff --git a/frontend/src/components/editor/renderers/slides-layout/slides-layout.tsx b/frontend/src/components/editor/renderers/slides-layout/slides-layout.tsx
index 130b00c75fd..386b9eb836a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/editor/renderers/slides-layout/slides-layout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/editor/renderers/slides-layout/slides-layout.tsx
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export const SlidesLayoutRenderer: React.FC<Props> = ({
       setLayout={setLayout}
       activeIndex={resolvedIndex}
       onSlideChange={handleSlideChange}
-      configWidth={300}
+      configWidth={280}
       mode={isReading ? "read" : mode}
       isEditable={!isReading}
     />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/slides/reveal-component.tsx b/frontend/src/components/slides/reveal-component.tsx
index 850adfb88b5..b82030c4dda 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/slides/reveal-component.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/slides/reveal-component.tsx
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ const RevealSlidesComponent = ({
   activeIndex,
   onSlideChange,
   mode,
-  configWidth = 300, // px
+  configWidth, // px
   isEditable = false,
 }: {
   cellsWithOutput: RuntimeCell[];
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ const RevealSlidesComponent = ({
   activeIndex?: number;
   onSlideChange?: (index: number) => void;
   mode: AppMode;
-  configWidth?: number;
+  configWidth: number;
   isEditable?: boolean;
 }) => {
   const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ const RevealSlidesComponent = ({
       <div className="group relative" style={{ width, height }}>
         <Deck
           deckRef={deckRef}
-          className="aspect-video w-full overflow-hidden border rounded bg-background mo-slides-theme prose-slides"
+          className="aspect-video w-full overflow-hidden border rounded bg-background mo-slides-theme prose-slides focus:outline-none focus-visible:outline-none"
           config={revealConfig}
           onReady={handleDeckReady}
           onSlideChange={handleSlideChange}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/slides/slide-form.tsx b/frontend/src/components/slides/slide-form.tsx
index 44fac7f1786..bdc326de56e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/slides/slide-form.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/slides/slide-form.tsx
@@ -26,15 +26,23 @@ import type {
   SlidesLayout,
   SlideType,
 } from "../editor/renderers/slides-layout/types";
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useAtom } from "jotai";
+import { atomWithStorage } from "jotai/utils";
 import { Tooltip } from "../ui/tooltip";
 import { Button } from "../ui/button";
 import { Kbd } from "../ui/kbd";
 import type { RuntimeCell } from "@/core/cells/types";
+import { jotaiJsonStorage } from "@/utils/storage/jotai";
 
 export const DEFAULT_SLIDE_TYPE: SlideType = "slide";
 export const DEFAULT_DECK_TRANSITION: DeckTransition = "slide";
 const COLLAPSED_CONFIG_WIDTH = 36;
+const slideConfigOpenAtom = atomWithStorage<boolean>(
+  "marimo:slides:config-open",
+  true,
+  jotaiJsonStorage,
+  { getOnInit: true },
+);
 
 export interface SlideTypeOption {
   value: SlideType;
@@ -322,7 +330,7 @@ export const SlideSidebar = ({
   setLayout: (layout: SlidesLayout) => void;
   activeConfigCell?: RuntimeCell;
 }) => {
-  const [isConfigOpen, setIsConfigOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [isConfigOpen, setIsConfigOpen] = useAtom(slideConfigOpenAtom);
 
   return (
     <aside
@@ -350,7 +358,7 @@ export const SlideSidebar = ({
             variant="ghost"
             size="icon"
             className="h-7 w-7 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
-            onClick={() => setIsConfigOpen(!isConfigOpen)}
+            onClick={() => setIsConfigOpen((open) => !open)}
             aria-expanded={isConfigOpen}
             aria-controls="slide-config-panel"
           >