diff --git a/src/common/logging/log.cpp b/src/common/logging/log.cpp
index 4a1efd01e..a50090f58 100644
--- a/src/common/logging/log.cpp
+++ b/src/common/logging/log.cpp
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ void Setup(std::string_view shadps4_filename) {
 
     for (auto& [name, logger] : ALL_LOGGERS) {
         logger = std::make_shared<spdlog::logger>(std::string(name));
+        logger->set_level(spdlog::level::trace);
     }
 
     // Setup console
@@ -209,7 +210,6 @@ void Setup(std::string_view shadps4_filename) {
     g_shad_file_sink->set_pattern("%^%v%$");
 
     UpdateSinks();
-    UpdateLogLevels(EmulatorSettings.GetLogFilter());
 }
 
 void Switch(std::string_view game_filename) {
diff --git a/src/common/logging/log.h b/src/common/logging/log.h
index eb3dfa552..287d604a9 100644
--- a/src/common/logging/log.h
+++ b/src/common/logging/log.h
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ static constexpr std::array level_string_views{"Trace", "Debug",    "Info", "War
         }                                                                                          \
     } while (false)
 
-#ifdef _DEBUG
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+#define LOG_TRACE(log_class, ...) (void(0))
+#else
 #define LOG_TRACE(log_class, ...)                                                                  \
     LOG_GENERIC(Common::Log::Class::log_class, spdlog::level::trace, __VA_ARGS__)
-#else
-#define LOG_TRACE(log_class, ...) (void(0))
 #endif
 
 #define LOG_DEBUG(log_class, ...)                                                                  \
diff --git a/src/core/emulator_settings.cpp b/src/core/emulator_settings.cpp
index 91c305a6a..785973c22 100644
--- a/src/core/emulator_settings.cpp
+++ b/src/core/emulator_settings.cpp
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void EmulatorSettingsImpl::ResetGameSpecificValue(const std::string& key) {
         return;
     if (tryGroup(m_vulkan))
         return;
-    LOG_DEBUG(Config, "ResetGameSpecificValue: key '{}' not found", key);
+    LOG_WARNING(Config, "ResetGameSpecificValue: key '{}' not found", key);
 }
 
 bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::Save(const std::string& serial) {
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::Save(const std::string& serial) {
 
             std::ofstream out(path);
             if (!out) {
-                LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to open game config for writing: {}", path.string());
+                LOG_ERROR(Config, "Failed to open game config for writing: {}", path.string());
                 return false;
             }
             out << std::setw(2) << j;
@@ -342,14 +342,14 @@ bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::Save(const std::string& serial) {
 
             std::ofstream out(path);
             if (!out) {
-                LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to open config for writing: {}", path.string());
+                LOG_ERROR(Config, "Failed to open config for writing: {}", path.string());
                 return false;
             }
             out << std::setw(2) << existing;
             return !out.fail();
         }
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-        LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Error saving settings: {}", e.what());
+        LOG_ERROR(Config, "Error saving settings: {}", e.what());
         return false;
     }
 }
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::Load(const std::string& serial) {
             return true;
         }
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-        LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Error loading settings: {}", e.what());
+        LOG_ERROR(Config, "Error loading settings: {}", e.what());
         return false;
     }
 }
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::TransferSettings() {
             }
             s.install_dirs.value = settings_install_dirs;
         } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-            LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to transfer install directories: {}", e.what());
+            LOG_WARNING(Config, "Failed to transfer install directories: {}", e.what());
         }
 
         // Transfer addon install directory
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::TransferSettings() {
                 }
             }
         } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-            LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to transfer addon install directory: {}", e.what());
+            LOG_WARNING(Config, "Failed to transfer addon install directory: {}", e.what());
         }
     }
     if (og_data.contains("General")) {
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::TransferSettings() {
                 }
             }
         } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-            LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to transfer sysmodules install directory: {}", e.what());
+            LOG_WARNING(Config, "Failed to transfer sysmodules install directory: {}", e.what());
         }
 
         // Transfer font install directory
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ bool EmulatorSettingsImpl::TransferSettings() {
                 }
             }
         } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-            LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to transfer font install directory: {}", e.what());
+            LOG_WARNING(Config, "Failed to transfer font install directory: {}", e.what());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/core/emulator_settings.h b/src/core/emulator_settings.h
index 274c445dc..8d3125fdb 100644
--- a/src/core/emulator_settings.h
+++ b/src/core/emulator_settings.h
@@ -127,9 +127,9 @@ inline OverrideItem make_override(const char* key, Setting<T> Struct::* member)
                 }
                 dst.game_specific_value = newValue;
             } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-                LOG_DEBUG(Config, "[make_override] error parsing {}: {}", key, e.what());
-                LOG_DEBUG(Config, "[make_override] Entry was: {}", entry.dump());
-                LOG_DEBUG(Config, "[make_override] Type name: {}", entry.type_name());
+                LOG_ERROR(Config, "[make_override] error parsing {}: {}", key, e.what());
+                LOG_ERROR(Config, "[make_override] Entry was: {}", entry.dump());
+                LOG_ERROR(Config, "[make_override] Type name: {}", entry.type_name());
             }
         },
 
diff --git a/src/core/user_settings.cpp b/src/core/user_settings.cpp
index fdc129a8c..2fa8c42bc 100644
--- a/src/core/user_settings.cpp
+++ b/src/core/user_settings.cpp
@@ -59,13 +59,13 @@ bool UserSettingsImpl::Save() const {
 
         std::ofstream out(path);
         if (!out) {
-            LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to open user settings for writing: {}", path.string());
+            LOG_ERROR(Config, "Failed to open user settings for writing: {}", path.string());
             return false;
         }
         out << std::setw(2) << existing;
         return !out.fail();
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-        LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Error saving user settings: {}", e.what());
+        LOG_ERROR(Config, "Error saving user settings: {}", e.what());
         return false;
     }
 }
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ bool UserSettingsImpl::Load() {
 
         std::ifstream in(path);
         if (!in) {
-            LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Failed to open user settings: {}", path.string());
+            LOG_ERROR(Config, "Failed to open user settings: {}", path.string());
             return false;
         }
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ bool UserSettingsImpl::Load() {
 
         return true;
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-        LOG_DEBUG(Config, "Error loading user settings: {}", e.what());
+        LOG_ERROR(Config, "Error loading user settings: {}", e.what());
         if (m_userManager.GetUsers().user.empty())
             m_userManager.GetUsers() = m_userManager.CreateDefaultUsers();
         return false;