diff --git a/dll/dll/local_storage.h b/dll/dll/local_storage.h
index 6ae146e2..2e68ffb0 100644
--- a/dll/dll/local_storage.h
+++ b/dll/dll/local_storage.h
@@ -59,15 +59,15 @@ public:
     static std::string get_program_path();
     static std::string get_game_settings_path();
     static std::string get_user_appdata_path();
-    Local_Storage(std::string save_directory);
+    Local_Storage(const std::string &save_directory);
     static int get_file_data(std::string full_path, char *data, unsigned int max_length, unsigned int offset=0);
     void setAppId(uint32 appid);
-    static int store_file_data(std::string folder, std::string file, char *data, unsigned int length);
+    static int store_file_data(std::string folder, std::string file, const char *data, unsigned int length);
     static std::vector<std::string> get_filenames_path(std::string path);
     static std::vector<std::string> get_folders_path(std::string path);
 
     int store_data(std::string folder, std::string file, char *data, unsigned int length);
-    int store_data_settings(std::string file, char *data, unsigned int length);
+    int store_data_settings(std::string file, const char *data, unsigned int length);
     int get_data(std::string folder, std::string file, char *data, unsigned int max_length, unsigned int offset=0);
     int get_data_settings(std::string file, char *data, unsigned int max_length);
     int count_files(std::string folder);
diff --git a/dll/dll/settings.h b/dll/dll/settings.h
index 6ebc1f3e..72a22b4c 100644
--- a/dll/dll/settings.h
+++ b/dll/dll/settings.h
@@ -188,14 +188,14 @@ public:
     static const bool is_lobby_connect = false;
 #endif
 
-    static std::string sanitize(std::string name);
-    Settings(CSteamID steam_id, CGameID game_id, std::string name, std::string language, bool offline);
+    static std::string sanitize(const std::string &name);
+    Settings(CSteamID steam_id, CGameID game_id, const std::string &name, const std::string &language, bool offline);
     CSteamID get_local_steam_id();
     CGameID get_local_game_id();
     const char *get_local_name();
-    void set_local_name(char *name);
+    void set_local_name(const char *name);
     const char *get_language();
-    void set_language(char *language);
+    void set_language(const char *language);
 
     void set_game_id(CGameID game_id);
     void set_lobby(CSteamID lobby_id);
@@ -216,12 +216,12 @@ public:
     std::vector<DepotId_t> depots;
 
     //App Install paths
-    void setAppInstallPath(AppId_t appID, std::string path);
+    void setAppInstallPath(AppId_t appID, const std::string &path);
     std::string getAppInstallPath(AppId_t appID);
 
     //mod stuff
-    void addMod(PublishedFileId_t id, std::string title, std::string path);
-    void addModDetails(PublishedFileId_t id, Mod_entry details);
+    void addMod(PublishedFileId_t id, const std::string &title, const std::string &path);
+    void addModDetails(PublishedFileId_t id, const Mod_entry &details);
     Mod_entry getMod(PublishedFileId_t id);
     bool isModInstalled(PublishedFileId_t id);
     std::set<PublishedFileId_t> modSet();
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ public:
 
     //images
     std::map<int, struct Image_Data> images;
-    int add_image(std::string data, uint32 width, uint32 height);
+    int add_image(const std::string &data, uint32 width, uint32 height);
     bool disable_account_avatar = false;
 
     //installed app ids, Steam_Apps::BIsAppInstalled()
diff --git a/dll/dll/settings_parser.h b/dll/dll/settings_parser.h
index 38b926cf..1b4ec74f 100644
--- a/dll/dll/settings_parser.h
+++ b/dll/dll/settings_parser.h
@@ -22,6 +22,6 @@
 
 //returns appid
 uint32 create_localstorage_settings(Settings **settings_client_out, Settings **settings_server_out, Local_Storage **local_storage_out);
-void save_global_settings(Local_Storage *local_storage, char *name, char *language);
+void save_global_settings(Local_Storage *local_storage, const char *name, const char *language);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/dll/local_storage.cpp b/dll/local_storage.cpp
index 000a7ab2..6ad3fef9 100644
--- a/dll/local_storage.cpp
+++ b/dll/local_storage.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ std::string Local_Storage::get_global_settings_path()
     return "";
 }
 
-Local_Storage::Local_Storage(std::string save_directory)
+Local_Storage::Local_Storage(const std::string &save_directory)
 {
 
 }
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void Local_Storage::setAppId(uint32 appid)
 
 }
 
-int Local_Storage::store_file_data(std::string folder, std::string file, char *data, unsigned int length)
+int Local_Storage::store_file_data(std::string folder, std::string file, const char *data, unsigned int length)
 {
     return -1;
 }
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ int Local_Storage::store_data(std::string folder, std::string file, char *data,
     return -1;
 }
 
-int Local_Storage::store_data_settings(std::string file, char *data, unsigned int length)
+int Local_Storage::store_data_settings(std::string file, const char *data, unsigned int length)
 {
     return -1;
 }
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ static std::string desanitize_file_name(std::string name)
     return name;
 }
 
-Local_Storage::Local_Storage(std::string save_directory)
+Local_Storage::Local_Storage(const std::string &save_directory)
 {
     this->save_directory = save_directory;
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ void Local_Storage::setAppId(uint32 appid)
     this->appid = std::to_string(appid) + PATH_SEPARATOR;
 }
 
-int Local_Storage::store_file_data(std::string folder, std::string file, char *data, unsigned int length)
+int Local_Storage::store_file_data(std::string folder, std::string file, const char *data, unsigned int length)
 {
     if (folder.back() != *PATH_SEPARATOR) {
         folder.append(PATH_SEPARATOR);
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ int Local_Storage::store_data(std::string folder, std::string file, char *data,
     return store_file_data(save_directory + appid + folder, file, data, length);
 }
 
-int Local_Storage::store_data_settings(std::string file, char *data, unsigned int length)
+int Local_Storage::store_data_settings(std::string file, const char *data, unsigned int length)
 {
     return store_file_data(get_global_settings_path(), file, data, length);
 }
diff --git a/dll/settings.cpp b/dll/settings.cpp
index 29b63e7e..c9b931f2 100644
--- a/dll/settings.cpp
+++ b/dll/settings.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #include "dll/settings.h"
 
 
-std::string Settings::sanitize(std::string name)
+std::string Settings::sanitize(const std::string &name)
 {
     // https://github.com/microsoft/referencesource/blob/51cf7850defa8a17d815b4700b67116e3fa283c2/mscorlib/system/io/path.cs#L88C9-L89C1
     // https://github.com/microsoft/referencesource/blob/51cf7850defa8a17d815b4700b67116e3fa283c2/mscorlib/system/io/pathinternal.cs#L32
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ std::string Settings::sanitize(std::string name)
         }
     }
 
-    std::string res;
+    std::string res{};
     utf8::utf32to8(unicode_name.begin(), unicode_name.end(), std::back_inserter(res));
     return res;
 }
 
-Settings::Settings(CSteamID steam_id, CGameID game_id, std::string name, std::string language, bool offline)
+Settings::Settings(CSteamID steam_id, CGameID game_id, const std::string &name, const std::string &language, bool offline)
 {
     this->steam_id = steam_id;
     this->game_id = game_id;
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@ const char *Settings::get_language()
     return language.c_str();
 }
 
-void Settings::set_local_name(char *name)
+void Settings::set_local_name(const char *name)
 {
     this->name = name;
 }
 
-void Settings::set_language(char *language)
+void Settings::set_language(const char *language)
 {
     this->language = language;
 }
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ void Settings::addDLC(AppId_t appID, std::string name, bool available)
     DLCs.push_back(new_entry);
 }
 
-void Settings::addMod(PublishedFileId_t id, std::string title, std::string path)
+void Settings::addMod(PublishedFileId_t id, const std::string &title, const std::string &path)
 {
     auto f = std::find_if(mods.begin(), mods.end(), [&id](Mod_entry const& item) { return item.id == id; });
     if (mods.end() != f) {
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ void Settings::addMod(PublishedFileId_t id, std::string title, std::string path)
     mods.push_back(new_entry);
 }
 
-void Settings::addModDetails(PublishedFileId_t id, Mod_entry details)
+void Settings::addModDetails(PublishedFileId_t id, const Mod_entry &details)
 {
     auto f = std::find_if(mods.begin(), mods.end(), [&id](Mod_entry const& item) { return item.id == id; });
     if (f != mods.end()) {
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ bool Settings::allDLCUnlocked() const
     return this->unlockAllDLCs;
 }
 
-void Settings::setAppInstallPath(AppId_t appID, std::string path)
+void Settings::setAppInstallPath(AppId_t appID, const std::string &path)
 {
     app_paths[appID] = path;
 }
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void Settings::setLeaderboard(std::string leaderboard, enum ELeaderboardSortMeth
     leaderboards[leaderboard] = leader;
 }
 
-int Settings::add_image(std::string data, uint32 width, uint32 height)
+int Settings::add_image(const std::string &data, uint32 width, uint32 height)
 {
     int last = images.size() + 1;
     struct Image_Data dt;
diff --git a/dll/settings_parser.cpp b/dll/settings_parser.cpp
index cc0a6cf4..5fafab5d 100644
--- a/dll/settings_parser.cpp
+++ b/dll/settings_parser.cpp
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ uint32 create_localstorage_settings(Settings **settings_client_out, Settings **s
     return appid;
 }
 
-void save_global_settings(Local_Storage *local_storage, char *name, char *language)
+void save_global_settings(Local_Storage *local_storage, const char *name, const char *language)
 {
     local_storage->store_data_settings("account_name.txt", name, strlen(name));
     local_storage->store_data_settings("language.txt", language, strlen(language));
diff --git a/overlay_experimental/steam_overlay.cpp b/overlay_experimental/steam_overlay.cpp
index 655c40be..1e28fe74 100644
--- a/overlay_experimental/steam_overlay.cpp
+++ b/overlay_experimental/steam_overlay.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static constexpr int base_notif_window_id  = 0 * max_window_id;
 static constexpr int base_friend_window_id = 1 * max_window_id;
 static constexpr int base_friend_item_id   = 2 * max_window_id;
 
-static constexpr char *valid_languages[] = {
+static const char* valid_languages[] = {
     "english",
     "arabic",
     "bulgarian",
@@ -158,8 +158,8 @@ Steam_Overlay::Steam_Overlay(Settings* settings, SteamCallResults* callback_resu
     const char *language = settings->get_language();
 
     int i = 0;
-    for (auto l : valid_languages) {
-        if (strcmp(l, language) == 0) {
+    for (auto &lang : valid_languages) {
+        if (strcmp(lang, language) == 0) {
             current_language = i;
             break;
         }
@@ -1371,7 +1371,7 @@ void Steam_Overlay::RunCallbacks()
     Steam_Matchmaking* steamMatchmaking = get_steam_client()->steam_matchmaking;
 
     if (save_settings) {
-        char *language_text = valid_languages[current_language];
+        const char *language_text = valid_languages[current_language];
         save_global_settings(get_steam_client()->local_storage, username_text, language_text);
         get_steam_client()->settings_client->set_local_name(username_text);
         get_steam_client()->settings_server->set_local_name(username_text);