diff --git a/Source/Core/Duality/DualityApp.cs b/Source/Core/Duality/DualityApp.cs
index c515067a2..fc6071c12 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Duality/DualityApp.cs
+++ b/Source/Core/Duality/DualityApp.cs
@@ -224,12 +224,12 @@ public static SoundDevice Sound
 		/// <summary>
 		/// [GET / SET] Provides access to Duality's current <see cref="DualityAppData">application data</see>. This is never null.
 		/// </summary>
-		public static SettingsContainer<DualityAppData> AppData { get; } = new SettingsContainer<DualityAppData>("AppData.dat");
+		public static SettingsContainer<DualityAppData> AppData { get; } = new SettingsContainer<DualityAppData>("AppData.xml");
 
 		/// <summary>
 		/// [GET / SET] Provides access to Duality's current <see cref="DualityUserData">user data</see>. This is never null.
 		/// </summary>
-		public static SettingsContainer<DualityUserData> UserData { get; } = new SettingsContainer<DualityUserData>(execContext == ExecutionContext.Editor ? "DefaultUserData.dat" : "UserData.dat");
+		public static SettingsContainer<DualityUserData> UserData { get; } = new SettingsContainer<DualityUserData>(execContext == ExecutionContext.Editor ? "DefaultUserData.xml" : "UserData.xml");
 
 		/// <summary>
 		/// [GET] Returns the <see cref="ExecutionContext"/> in which this DualityApp is currently running.
diff --git a/Source/Core/Duality/Utility/SettingsContainer.cs b/Source/Core/Duality/Utility/SettingsContainer.cs
index 6488ec0b1..79d8aace3 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Duality/Utility/SettingsContainer.cs
+++ b/Source/Core/Duality/Utility/SettingsContainer.cs
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ public SettingsContainer(string path)
 		/// </summary>
 		public void Load()
 		{
-			this.Value = Serializer.TryReadObject<TSettings>(this.path) ?? new TSettings();
-			Changed?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
+			this.Value = Serializer.TryReadObject<TSettings>(this.path, typeof(XmlSerializer)) ?? new TSettings();
+			this.Changed?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
 		}
 
 		/// <summary>
diff --git a/Source/DualityTemplates/DualityTemplates.csproj b/Source/DualityTemplates/DualityTemplates.csproj
index e5aa0d0d1..136d5683d 100644
--- a/Source/DualityTemplates/DualityTemplates.csproj
+++ b/Source/DualityTemplates/DualityTemplates.csproj
@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@
 		<None Remove="Templates\SolutionTemplate\Plugins\**" />
 	</ItemGroup>
 
+	<ItemGroup>
+	  <Content Include="Templates\SolutionTemplate\EditorAppData.xml" />
+	</ItemGroup>
+
+	<ItemGroup>
+	  <None Include="Templates\SolutionTemplate\EditorAppData.xml" />
+	</ItemGroup>
+
 	<ItemGroup>
 		<Content Update="Templates\SolutionTemplate\.template.config\template.json">
 			<CopyToOutputDirectory>Never</CopyToOutputDirectory>
diff --git a/Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/.gitignore b/Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/.gitignore
index 3b79cc92f..f4a3fd271 100644
--- a/Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/.gitignore
+++ b/Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/.gitignore
@@ -5,14 +5,14 @@
 # Duality specific files
 /Temp
 /Backup
-/UserData.dat
-/DesignTimeData.dat
 *.pdb
 /*.dll
 /*.exe
 /*.txt
 /*.xml
 /Plugins
+!AppData.xml
+!EditorAppData.xml
 
 # Visual studio specific files
 /.vs
diff --git a/Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/EditorAppData.dat b/Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/EditorAppData.xml
similarity index 100%
rename from Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/EditorAppData.dat
rename to Source/DualityTemplates/Templates/SolutionTemplate/EditorAppData.xml
diff --git a/Source/Editor/DualityEditor/DualityEditorApp.cs b/Source/Editor/DualityEditor/DualityEditorApp.cs
index 5a918e007..0661a3278 100644
--- a/Source/Editor/DualityEditor/DualityEditorApp.cs
+++ b/Source/Editor/DualityEditor/DualityEditorApp.cs
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public static bool IsFirstEditorSession
 		/// <summary>
 		/// [GET] Provides access to Duality's current <see cref="EditorAppData">application data</see>. This is never null.
 		/// </summary>
-		public static SettingsContainer<EditorAppData> EditorAppData { get; } = new SettingsContainer<EditorAppData>("EditorAppData.dat");
+		public static SettingsContainer<EditorAppData> EditorAppData { get; } = new SettingsContainer<EditorAppData>("EditorAppData.xml");
 
 		public static bool BackupsEnabled
 		{