diff --git a/.github/workflows/dotnet.yml b/.github/workflows/dotnet.yml
index b59f6cd..3ade5de 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dotnet.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dotnet.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Publish WinCertInstaller
       if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
-      run: dotnet publish WinCertInstaller/WinCertInstaller.csproj -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained false -p:PublishSingleFile=true -o ./publish
+      run: dotnet publish WinCertInstaller/WinCertInstaller.csproj -c Release -r win-x64 -o ./publish
       
     - name: Upload Artifact
       if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/master'
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ jobs:
       shell: pwsh
       run: |
         $tag = $env:GITHUB_REF -replace 'refs/tags/', ''
-        gh release create $tag ./publish/WinCertInstaller.exe ./publish/appsettings.json --title "Release $tag" --notes "Automated release for version $tag"
+        gh release create $tag ./publish/WinCertInstaller.exe --title "Release $tag" --notes "Automated release for version $tag"
       env:
         GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/WinCertInstaller/Configuration/AppSettings.cs b/WinCertInstaller/Configuration/AppSettings.cs
index 72d916a..a2c453f 100644
--- a/WinCertInstaller/Configuration/AppSettings.cs
+++ b/WinCertInstaller/Configuration/AppSettings.cs
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ public class AppSettings
         /// <summary>
         /// The URL to the ZIP file containing ITI (ICP-Brasil) certificates.
         /// </summary>
-        public string ITICertUrl { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+        public string ITICertUrl { get; set; } = "http://acraiz.icpbrasil.gov.br/credenciadas/CertificadosAC-ICP-Brasil/ACcompactado.zip";
 
         /// <summary>
         /// The URL to the P7B (PKCS #7) file containing MPF certificates.
         /// </summary>
-        public string MPFCertUrl { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+        public string MPFCertUrl { get; set; } = "http://repositorio.acinterna.mpf.mp.br/ejbca/ra/downloads/ACIMPF-cadeia-completa.p7b";
     }
 }
diff --git a/WinCertInstaller/Configuration/AppSettingsJsonContext.cs b/WinCertInstaller/Configuration/AppSettingsJsonContext.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f298d7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/WinCertInstaller/Configuration/AppSettingsJsonContext.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+using WinCertInstaller.Configuration;
+
+namespace WinCertInstaller.Configuration
+{
+    [JsonSerializable(typeof(AppSettings))]
+    internal partial class AppSettingsJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext
+    {
+    }
+}
diff --git a/WinCertInstaller/Program.cs b/WinCertInstaller/Program.cs
index bc48268..3593ddb 100644
--- a/WinCertInstaller/Program.cs
+++ b/WinCertInstaller/Program.cs
@@ -195,30 +195,19 @@ private static AppSettings LoadSettings()
             try
             {
                 string json = File.ReadAllText(configPath);
+                if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(json)) return new AppSettings();
+
                 using var doc = JsonDocument.Parse(json);
                 var root = doc.RootElement;
                 
-                var settings = new AppSettings();
-
+                // Try to get the "CertificateSources" property if it exists (nested structure support)
                 if (root.TryGetProperty("CertificateSources", out var sources))
                 {
-                    if (sources.TryGetProperty("ITICertUrl", out var itiUrl))
-                        settings.ITICertUrl = itiUrl.GetString() ?? string.Empty;
-                    
-                    if (sources.TryGetProperty("MPFCertUrl", out var mpfUrl))
-                        settings.MPFCertUrl = mpfUrl.GetString() ?? string.Empty;
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    // Fallback to root level if not nested
-                    if (root.TryGetProperty("ITICertUrl", out var itiUrl))
-                        settings.ITICertUrl = itiUrl.GetString() ?? string.Empty;
-                    
-                    if (root.TryGetProperty("MPFCertUrl", out var mpfUrl))
-                        settings.MPFCertUrl = mpfUrl.GetString() ?? string.Empty;
+                    return JsonSerializer.Deserialize(sources.GetRawText(), AppSettingsJsonContext.Default.AppSettings) ?? new AppSettings();
                 }
-
-                return settings;
+                
+                // Try to deserialize from the root (flat structure support)
+                return JsonSerializer.Deserialize(json, AppSettingsJsonContext.Default.AppSettings) ?? new AppSettings();
             }
             catch
             {
diff --git a/WinCertInstaller/WinCertInstaller.csproj b/WinCertInstaller/WinCertInstaller.csproj
index 6110ca7..e2d1ce1 100644
--- a/WinCertInstaller/WinCertInstaller.csproj
+++ b/WinCertInstaller/WinCertInstaller.csproj
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@
     <RootNamespace>WinCertInstaller</RootNamespace>
     <GenerateAssemblyInfo>false</GenerateAssemblyInfo>
     <ApplicationManifest>app.manifest</ApplicationManifest>
-    <RuntimeIdentifier>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifier>
-    <SelfContained>false</SelfContained>
-    <PublishSingleFile>true</PublishSingleFile>
-    <EnableConfigurationBindingGenerator>true</EnableConfigurationBindingGenerator>
+    <PublishAot>true</PublishAot>
+    <IsAotCompatible>true</IsAotCompatible>
+    <InvariantGlobalization>false</InvariantGlobalization>
+    <StackTraceSupport>true</StackTraceSupport>
+    <OptimizationPreference>Size</OptimizationPreference>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <PackageReference Include="System.Security.Cryptography.Pkcs" Version="10.0.5" />
@@ -20,8 +21,5 @@
 
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="README.md" CopyToOutputDirectory="Never" />
-    <Content Include="appsettings.json">
-      <CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
-    </Content>
   </ItemGroup>
 </Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/WinCertInstaller/appsettings.json b/WinCertInstaller/appsettings.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 522d697..0000000
--- a/WinCertInstaller/appsettings.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "Logging": {
-    "LogLevel": {
-      "Default": "Information",
-      "Microsoft": "Warning",
-      "Microsoft.Hosting.Lifetime": "Information"
-    }
-  },
-  "CertificateSources": {
-    "ITICertUrl": "http://acraiz.icpbrasil.gov.br/credenciadas/CertificadosAC-ICP-Brasil/ACcompactado.zip",
-    "MPFCertUrl": "http://repositorio.acinterna.mpf.mp.br/ejbca/ra/downloads/ACIMPF-cadeia-completa.p7b"
-  }
-}
diff --git a/publish_optimized/appsettings.json b/publish_optimized/appsettings.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 522d697..0000000
--- a/publish_optimized/appsettings.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "Logging": {
-    "LogLevel": {
-      "Default": "Information",
-      "Microsoft": "Warning",
-      "Microsoft.Hosting.Lifetime": "Information"
-    }
-  },
-  "CertificateSources": {
-    "ITICertUrl": "http://acraiz.icpbrasil.gov.br/credenciadas/CertificadosAC-ICP-Brasil/ACcompactado.zip",
-    "MPFCertUrl": "http://repositorio.acinterna.mpf.mp.br/ejbca/ra/downloads/ACIMPF-cadeia-completa.p7b"
-  }
-}