There are several words with similar (in some sense) meaning:
Options, Settings, Properties, Configuration, Preferences
English is n
I just did a quick scan and wanted to post this list for reference.
Edge Settings
Google Chrome Settings
Google Chrome DevTools Settings > Preferences
Mozilla FireFox Options (about:preferences) > Network Settings
Mozilla FireFox DevTools Settings > Editor Preferences
Opera Settings
DeviantArt Settings
Facebook Settings, News Feed Preferences
GitHub Settings
Google Settings
IMDb Account Settings > Preferences
Instagram Options (aria-label)
JSFiddle Settings
StackOverflow Settings > Preferences
Twitter Settings
YouTube Settings
FileZilla Edit > Settings
GitHub File > Options
Notepad++ Settings > Preferences
VS Code Preferences > Settings
Audacity Preferences
IcoFx Options > Preferences > Options
Process Explorer Options
TeamViewer Tools > Options
uTorrent Options > Preferences
Windows Media Player Tools/Organize > Options
phpmyadmin Settings
XAMPP Config > Service and Port Settings
> Log Options
MS Word File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
> Writing Style Settings
Photoshop Edit > Color Settings
Edit > Preferences
Type > Language Options
3D > 3D Print Settings
Viev > 32-bit Preview Options
Window > Options
Windows Settings
Used as the parent (window/choice):
Settings
: 20 timesOptions
: 10 timesPreferences
: 4 timesConfig(uration)
: 1 timeTotal mentions:
Settings
: 24Options
: 15Preferences
: 12Config(uration)
: 1Based on this, I'd sort these in this order (from general/fixed/app-related to specific/dynamic/user-related):
Settings > Options > Preferences
I think that one point of view is missing here namely the relation between configuration/settings/options/preferences.
To me a configuration or preferences contain many settings or options so there can be one setting or one option.
You usually say "Change this option/setting" and not "Change this preference/configuration", don't you?
When someone says preferences or configuration I understand it as a set of settings or options.
I believe it's largely a matter of personal preference.
However, I feel that I usually see properties as referencing one single part of an appliation, where as Options/Settings are usually a more global property.
In addition, Preferences are probably not things that have as large of an impact as something labeled options or settings. Things such as a minor change in the display or something similar.
The most important thing is to have consistency across the application.
And personally, I prefer the term 'options', as it sounds less intimidating than settings, properties, or configuration.
Apart from Properties (which usually applies to a document or object inside a document, except when it doesn't), they're pretty much all the same. No-one agrees which terminology is best.
For example for program config, Apple style is ‘Preferences’ in the application menu, GNOME style is ‘Preferences’ on the ‘Edit’ menu. KDE style is a whole ‘Settings’ menu of its own. Windows style was ‘Options’ on the ‘Tools’ menu, though all bets are off now as more MS apps drop the menu bar and throw the old predictable controls all over the place with no consistent pettern.
RISC OS style was ‘Choices’ on the icon bar menu, just to add yet another pointless possibility.
Tricky, this, as there's no one single consistent style followed by all applications. As you say they are (broadly) synonyms.
In truth it doesn't really matter so long as your expected audience understands what you mean.
The biggest difference is between Properties, which usually affect a component or object, and the others, which affect the whole application.
Following an approximate lead from Visual Studio and other Microsoft products:
But there's no single rule.
I'd suggest you use Properties for object characteristics and Settings for everything else that's application-wide.
Settings: Thinking of a slider to select a value from 1 to 10 for example
Options: Thinking of an on/off button
Preferences: Thinking of a choice from multiple choices, like morning, afternoon or evening
Configuration: Technical settings probably end users should not know about. Like what is the data source?