diff --git a/backend/appsettings/serializers.py b/backend/appsettings/serializers.py
index 27115cd4..4ac45f93 100644
--- a/backend/appsettings/serializers.py
+++ b/backend/appsettings/serializers.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class AppConfigAppSerializer(
     enable_snapshot = serializers.BooleanField()
 
 
-class AppConfigSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+class AppConfigSerializer(ValidateUnknownFieldsMixin, serializers.Serializer):
     """serialize appconfig"""
 
     subscriptions = AppConfigSubSerializer(required=False)
diff --git a/backend/appsettings/views.py b/backend/appsettings/views.py
index ccddd378..31978b61 100644
--- a/backend/appsettings/views.py
+++ b/backend/appsettings/views.py
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ class AppConfigApiView(ApiBaseView):
         },
     )
     def post(request):
-        """update config values, partial"""
-        serializer = AppConfigSerializer(data=request.data)
+        """update config values, allows partial update"""
+        serializer = AppConfigSerializer(data=request.data, partial=True)
         serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
         validated_data = serializer.validated_data
         updated_config = AppConfig().update_config(validated_data)
diff --git a/backend/user/serializers.py b/backend/user/serializers.py
index 4db2603a..1b8f0fca 100644
--- a/backend/user/serializers.py
+++ b/backend/user/serializers.py
@@ -48,13 +48,6 @@ class UserMeConfigSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
     show_subed_only = serializers.BooleanField()
     show_help_text = serializers.BooleanField()
 
-    def __init__(self, *args, required=True, **kwargs):
-        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-
-        # Override 'required' for all fields if provided
-        for field in self.fields.values():
-            field.required = required
-
 
 class LoginSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
     """serialize login"""
diff --git a/backend/user/views.py b/backend/user/views.py
index 2ef5ce33..8bac0877 100644
--- a/backend/user/views.py
+++ b/backend/user/views.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class UserConfigView(ApiBaseView):
         """update config, allows partial update"""
 
         data_serializer = UserMeConfigSerializer(
-            data=request.data, required=False
+            data=request.data, partial=True
         )
         data_serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
         validated_data = data_serializer.validated_data
diff --git a/frontend/src/api/actions/updateAppsettingsConfig.ts b/frontend/src/api/actions/updateAppsettingsConfig.ts
index 462ca3ed..174dcf19 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api/actions/updateAppsettingsConfig.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/api/actions/updateAppsettingsConfig.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 import APIClient from '../../functions/APIClient';
+import { AppSettingsConfigType } from '../loader/loadAppsettingsConfig';
 
-const updateAppsettingsConfig = async (
-  configKey: string,
-  configValue: string | boolean | number | null,
-) => {
+const updateAppsettingsConfig = async (updatedConfig: Partial<AppSettingsConfigType>) => {
   return APIClient('/api/appsettings/config/', {
     method: 'POST',
-    body: { [configKey]: configValue },
+    body: updatedConfig,
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/SettingsApplication.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/SettingsApplication.tsx
index 7ed9f9d8..103b20d5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/SettingsApplication.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/SettingsApplication.tsx
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ const SettingsApplication = () => {
     configKey: string,
     configValue: string | boolean | number | null,
   ) => {
-    await updateAppsettingsConfig(configKey, configValue);
+    const [group, key] = configKey.split('.');
+    const updatedConfig = { [group]: { [key]: configValue } } as Partial<AppSettingsConfigType>;
+    await updateAppsettingsConfig(updatedConfig);
     setRefresh(true);
   };