diff --git a/media/options-widget.css b/media/options-widget.css
index 73538a7..fe7307c 100644
--- a/media/options-widget.css
+++ b/media/options-widget.css
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@
   gap: 8px;
 }
 
-.advanced-options-dropdown {
+.advanced-options-dropdown,
+.advanced-options-input {
   width: 100%;
 }
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d9d0453..7fb980d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
       {
         "command": "memory-inspector.show",
         "title": "Show Memory Inspector",
+        "icon": "$(file-binary)",
         "category": "Memory"
       },
       {
@@ -201,6 +202,13 @@
           "group": "display@6",
           "when": "webviewId === memory-inspector.memory"
         }
+      ],
+      "editor/title": [
+        {
+          "command": "memory-inspector.show",
+          "group": "navigation",
+          "when": "memory-inspector.canRead && (resourceLangId === c || resourceLangId === cpp)"
+        }
       ]
     },
     "customEditors": [
@@ -372,6 +380,20 @@
           "type": "boolean",
           "default": true,
           "description": "Display the radix prefix (e.g., '0x' for hexadecimal, '0b' for binary) before memory addresses."
+        },
+        "memory-inspector.autoRefresh.enabled": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": false,
+          "description": "Enable Auto Refresh"
+        },
+        "memory-inspector.autoRefresh.refreshRate": {
+          "type": [
+            "number",
+            "undefined"
+          ],
+          "default": 500,
+          "minimum": 500,
+          "description": "The interval between auto-refresh calls. Leave empty to disable auto-refresh."
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/plugin/manifest.ts b/src/plugin/manifest.ts
index e27a330..d53d9cf 100644
--- a/src/plugin/manifest.ts
+++ b/src/plugin/manifest.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ export const DEFAULT_GROUPS_PER_ROW: GroupsPerRowOption = 4;
 export const CONFIG_ENDIANNESS = 'endianness';
 export const DEFAULT_ENDIANNESS = Endianness.Little;
 
+// Auto Refresh
+export const CONFIG_AUTO_REFRESH_ENABLED = 'autoRefresh.enabled';
+export const DEFAULT_AUTO_REFRESH_ENABLED = false;
+export const CONFIG_AUTO_REFRESH_RATE = 'autoRefresh.refreshRate';
+export const DEFAULT_AUTO_REFRESH_RATE = 500;
+
 // Scroll
 export const CONFIG_SCROLLING_BEHAVIOR = 'scrollingBehavior';
 export const DEFAULT_SCROLLING_BEHAVIOR = 'Paginate';
diff --git a/src/plugin/memory-webview-main.ts b/src/plugin/memory-webview-main.ts
index ec585df..7e49835 100644
--- a/src/plugin/memory-webview-main.ts
+++ b/src/plugin/memory-webview-main.ts
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ export class MemoryWebview implements vscode.CustomReadonlyEditorProvider {
 
         const disposables = [
             this.messenger.onNotification(readyType, () => {
-                this.setInitialSettings(participant, panel.title);
                 this.setSessionContext(participant, this.memoryProvider.createContext());
+                this.setInitialSettings(participant, panel.title);
                 this.refresh(participant, options);
             }, { sender: participant }),
             this.messenger.onRequest(setOptionsType, o => {
@@ -266,9 +266,12 @@ export class MemoryWebview implements vscode.CustomReadonlyEditorProvider {
         const addressPadding = AddressPaddingOptions[memoryInspectorConfiguration.get(manifest.CONFIG_ADDRESS_PADDING, manifest.DEFAULT_ADDRESS_PADDING)];
         const addressRadix = memoryInspectorConfiguration.get<number>(manifest.CONFIG_ADDRESS_RADIX, manifest.DEFAULT_ADDRESS_RADIX);
         const showRadixPrefix = memoryInspectorConfiguration.get<boolean>(manifest.CONFIG_SHOW_RADIX_PREFIX, manifest.DEFAULT_SHOW_RADIX_PREFIX);
+        const autoRefreshEnabled = memoryInspectorConfiguration.get<boolean>(manifest.CONFIG_AUTO_REFRESH_ENABLED, manifest.DEFAULT_AUTO_REFRESH_ENABLED);
+        const autoRefreshRate = memoryInspectorConfiguration.get<number | undefined>(manifest.CONFIG_AUTO_REFRESH_RATE, manifest.DEFAULT_AUTO_REFRESH_RATE);
         return {
             messageParticipant, title, bytesPerWord, wordsPerGroup, groupsPerRow,
-            endianness, scrollingBehavior, visibleColumns, addressPadding, addressRadix, showRadixPrefix
+            endianness, scrollingBehavior, visibleColumns, addressPadding, addressRadix, showRadixPrefix,
+            autoRefreshRate, autoRefreshEnabled
         };
     }
 
diff --git a/src/webview/components/memory-widget.tsx b/src/webview/components/memory-widget.tsx
index 96a5b71..f8834e9 100644
--- a/src/webview/components/memory-widget.tsx
+++ b/src/webview/components/memory-widget.tsx
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ export class MemoryWidget extends React.Component<MemoryWidgetProps, MemoryWidge
                 bytesPerWord={this.props.bytesPerWord}
                 wordsPerGroup={this.props.wordsPerGroup}
                 groupsPerRow={this.props.groupsPerRow}
+                autoRefreshEnabled={this.props.autoRefreshEnabled}
+                autoRefreshRate={this.props.autoRefreshRate}
                 updateMemoryState={this.props.updateMemoryState}
                 updateRenderOptions={this.props.updateMemoryDisplayConfiguration}
                 resetRenderOptions={this.props.resetMemoryDisplayConfiguration}
@@ -115,6 +117,8 @@ export class MemoryWidget extends React.Component<MemoryWidgetProps, MemoryWidge
                 bytesPerWord={this.props.bytesPerWord}
                 wordsPerGroup={this.props.wordsPerGroup}
                 groupsPerRow={this.props.groupsPerRow}
+                autoRefreshEnabled={this.props.autoRefreshEnabled}
+                autoRefreshRate={this.props.autoRefreshRate}
                 effectiveAddressLength={this.props.effectiveAddressLength}
                 fetchMemory={this.props.fetchMemory}
                 isMemoryFetching={this.props.isMemoryFetching}
diff --git a/src/webview/components/options-widget.tsx b/src/webview/components/options-widget.tsx
index cd23952..f52215e 100644
--- a/src/webview/components/options-widget.tsx
+++ b/src/webview/components/options-widget.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { Formik, FormikConfig, FormikErrors, FormikProps } from 'formik';
 import { Button } from 'primereact/button';
 import { Checkbox } from 'primereact/checkbox';
 import { Dropdown, DropdownChangeEvent } from 'primereact/dropdown';
+import { InputNumber } from 'primereact/inputnumber';
 import { InputText } from 'primereact/inputtext';
 import { OverlayPanel } from 'primereact/overlaypanel';
 import { classNames } from 'primereact/utils';
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ export interface OptionsWidgetProps
 
 interface OptionsWidgetState {
     isTitleEditing: boolean;
+    isEnablingAutoRefresh: boolean;
 }
 
 const enum InputId {
@@ -65,6 +67,8 @@ const enum InputId {
     AddressPadding = 'address-padding',
     AddressRadix = 'address-radix',
     ShowRadixPrefix = 'show-radix-prefix',
+    AutoRefreshEnabled = 'auto-refresh-enabled',
+    AutoRefreshRate = 'auto-refresh-rate',
 }
 
 interface OptionsForm {
@@ -77,6 +81,7 @@ export class OptionsWidget extends React.Component<OptionsWidgetProps, OptionsWi
     protected formConfig: FormikConfig<OptionsForm>;
     protected extendedOptions = React.createRef<OverlayPanel>();
     protected labelEditInput = React.createRef<HTMLInputElement>();
+    protected refreshRateInput = React.createRef<InputNumber>();
     protected coreOptionsDiv = React.createRef<HTMLDivElement>();
     protected optionsMenuContext = createSectionVscodeContext('optionsWidget');
     protected advancedOptionsContext = createSectionVscodeContext('advancedOptionsOverlay');
@@ -100,7 +105,7 @@ export class OptionsWidget extends React.Component<OptionsWidgetProps, OptionsWi
                 this.props.fetchMemory(this.props.configuredReadArguments);
             },
         };
-        this.state = { isTitleEditing: false };
+        this.state = { isTitleEditing: false, isEnablingAutoRefresh: false };
     }
 
     protected validate = (values: OptionsForm) => {
@@ -125,6 +130,11 @@ export class OptionsWidget extends React.Component<OptionsWidgetProps, OptionsWi
             this.labelEditInput.current?.focus();
             this.labelEditInput.current?.select();
         }
+        if (!prevState.isEnablingAutoRefresh && this.state.isEnablingAutoRefresh) {
+            const input = this.refreshRateInput.current?.getElement().getElementsByTagName('input')[0];
+            input?.focus();
+            input?.select();
+        }
     }
 
     override render(): React.ReactNode {
@@ -397,6 +407,29 @@ export class OptionsWidget extends React.Component<OptionsWidgetProps, OptionsWi
                                 />
                                 <label htmlFor={InputId.ShowRadixPrefix} className='ml-2'>Display Radix Prefix</label>
                             </div>
+
+                            <h2>Auto-Refresh</h2>
+                            <div className='flex align-items-center'>
+                                <Checkbox
+                                    id={InputId.AutoRefreshEnabled}
+                                    onChange={this.handleAdvancedOptionsDropdownChange}
+                                    checked={this.props.autoRefreshEnabled}
+                                />
+                                <InputNumber
+                                    id={InputId.AutoRefreshRate}
+                                    ref={this.refreshRateInput}
+                                    disabled={!this.props.autoRefreshEnabled}
+                                    value={this.props.autoRefreshRate}
+                                    placeholder='Refresh Rate in Milliseconds'
+                                    inputClassName='ml-2 advanced-options-input'
+                                    min={500}
+                                    step={250}
+                                    maxFractionDigits={0}
+                                    useGrouping={false}
+                                    onBlur={this.handleRefreshRateChange}
+                                    onKeyDown={this.handleRefreshRateChange} />
+                                <label htmlFor={InputId.AutoRefreshRate} className='ml-2'>ms</label>
+                            </div>
                         </div>
                     </OverlayPanel>
                 </div>
@@ -487,6 +520,10 @@ export class OptionsWidget extends React.Component<OptionsWidgetProps, OptionsWi
             case InputId.ShowRadixPrefix:
                 this.props.updateRenderOptions({ showRadixPrefix: !!event.target.checked });
                 break;
+            case InputId.AutoRefreshEnabled:
+                this.props.updateRenderOptions({ autoRefreshEnabled: !!event.target.checked });
+                this.setState({ isEnablingAutoRefresh: !!event.target.checked });
+                break;
             default: {
                 throw new Error(`${id} can not be handled. Did you call the correct method?`);
             }
@@ -502,6 +539,14 @@ export class OptionsWidget extends React.Component<OptionsWidgetProps, OptionsWi
         }
     }
 
+    protected handleRefreshRateChange: (event: React.FocusEvent<HTMLInputElement> | React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => void = event => this.doHandleRefreshRateChange(event);
+    doHandleRefreshRateChange(event: React.FocusEvent<HTMLInputElement> | React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>): void {
+        if (!('key' in event) || event.key === 'Enter') {
+            const autoRefreshRate = tryToNumber(event.currentTarget.value);
+            this.props.updateRenderOptions({ autoRefreshRate });
+        }
+    }
+
     protected handleResetAdvancedOptions: MouseEventHandler<HTMLButtonElement> | undefined = () => this.props.resetRenderOptions();
 
     protected enableTitleEditing = () => this.doEnableTitleEditing();
diff --git a/src/webview/memory-webview-view.tsx b/src/webview/memory-webview-view.tsx
index c84c8e2..18ce31b 100644
--- a/src/webview/memory-webview-view.tsx
+++ b/src/webview/memory-webview-view.tsx
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ const MEMORY_DISPLAY_CONFIGURATION_DEFAULTS: MemoryDisplayConfiguration = {
     addressPadding: 'Min',
     addressRadix: 16,
     showRadixPrefix: true,
+    autoRefreshEnabled: false,
+    autoRefreshRate: undefined
 };
 
 const DEFAULT_READ_ARGUMENTS: Required<ReadMemoryArguments> = {
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ const DEFAULT_READ_ARGUMENTS: Required<ReadMemoryArguments> = {
 
 class App extends React.Component<{}, MemoryAppState> {
     protected memoryWidget = React.createRef<MemoryWidget>();
+    protected refreshTimer?: NodeJS.Timeout | number;
 
     public constructor(props: {}) {
         super(props);
@@ -135,6 +138,7 @@ class App extends React.Component<{}, MemoryAppState> {
         messenger.onRequest(getWebviewSelectionType, () => this.getWebviewSelection());
         messenger.onNotification(showAdvancedOptionsType, () => this.showAdvancedOptions());
         messenger.sendNotification(readyType, HOST_EXTENSION, undefined);
+        this.updateAutoRefresh();
     }
 
     public componentDidUpdate(_: {}, prevState: MemoryAppState): void {
@@ -147,9 +151,27 @@ class App extends React.Component<{}, MemoryAppState> {
                 this.setState({ effectiveAddressLength });
             }
         }
+        if (this.state.autoRefreshEnabled !== prevState.autoRefreshEnabled || this.state.autoRefreshRate !== prevState.autoRefreshRate) {
+            this.updateAutoRefresh();
+        }
         hoverService.setMemoryState(this.state);
     }
 
+    componentWillUnmount(): void {
+        clearTimeout(this.refreshTimer);
+    }
+
+    protected updateAutoRefresh = (): void => {
+        clearTimeout(this.refreshTimer);
+
+        if (this.state.autoRefreshEnabled && this.state.autoRefreshRate && this.state.autoRefreshRate > 0) {
+            // we do not use an interval here as we only want to schedule another refresh AFTER the previous execution AND the delay has passed
+            // and not strictly every n milliseconds. Even if 'fetchMemory' fails here, we schedule another auto-refresh.
+            const scheduleRefresh = () => this.fetchMemory().finally(() => this.updateAutoRefresh());
+            this.refreshTimer = setTimeout(scheduleRefresh, this.state.autoRefreshRate);
+        }
+    };
+
     // use a slight debounce as the same event may come in short succession
     protected memoryWritten = debounce((writtenMemory: WrittenMemory): void => {
         if (!this.state.memory) {
@@ -222,6 +244,8 @@ class App extends React.Component<{}, MemoryAppState> {
                 showRadixPrefix={this.state.showRadixPrefix}
                 storeMemory={this.storeMemory}
                 applyMemory={this.applyMemory}
+                autoRefreshEnabled={this.state.autoRefreshEnabled}
+                autoRefreshRate={this.state.autoRefreshRate}
             />
         </PrimeReactProvider>;
     }
@@ -246,16 +270,19 @@ class App extends React.Component<{}, MemoryAppState> {
 
     protected fetchMemory = async (partialOptions?: MemoryOptions): Promise<void> => this.doFetchMemory(partialOptions);
     protected async doFetchMemory(partialOptions?: MemoryOptions): Promise<void> {
-        if (this.state.isFrozen) {
+        if (this.state.isFrozen || !this.state.sessionContext.canRead) {
             return;
         }
-        this.setState(prev => ({ ...prev, isMemoryFetching: true }));
         const completeOptions = {
             memoryReference: partialOptions?.memoryReference || this.state.activeReadArguments.memoryReference,
             offset: partialOptions?.offset ?? this.state.activeReadArguments.offset,
             count: partialOptions?.count ?? this.state.activeReadArguments.count
         };
-
+        if (completeOptions.memoryReference === '') {
+            // may happen when we initialize empty
+            return;
+        }
+        this.setState(prev => ({ ...prev, isMemoryFetching: true }));
         try {
             const response = await messenger.sendRequest(readMemoryType, HOST_EXTENSION, completeOptions);
             await Promise.all(Array.from(
diff --git a/src/webview/utils/view-types.ts b/src/webview/utils/view-types.ts
index 8b0c6ac..82a2509 100644
--- a/src/webview/utils/view-types.ts
+++ b/src/webview/utils/view-types.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ export interface MemoryDisplayConfiguration {
     addressPadding: AddressPadding;
     addressRadix: Radix;
     showRadixPrefix: boolean;
+    autoRefreshEnabled: boolean;
+    autoRefreshRate?: number;
 }
 export type ScrollingBehavior = 'Paginate' | 'Grow' | 'Auto-Append';