diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.cpp b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.cpp
index faaf6d937ff..27192a67f64 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,24 @@ ClangFormatConfigWidget::ClangFormatConfigWidget(ProjectExplorer::Project *proje
 {
     m_ui->setupUi(this);
 
+    m_preview = new TextEditor::SnippetEditorWidget(this);
+    m_ui->horizontalLayout_2->addWidget(m_preview);
+    if (m_project) {
+        m_ui->applyButton->show();
+        hideGlobalCheckboxes();
+        m_ui->overrideDefault->setChecked(
+            m_project->namedSettings(Constants::OVERRIDE_FILE_ID).toBool());
+    } else {
+        m_ui->applyButton->hide();
+        showGlobalCheckboxes();
+        m_ui->overrideDefault->setChecked(ClangFormatSettings::instance().overrideDefaultFile());
+    }
+
+    connect(m_ui->overrideDefault, &QCheckBox::toggled, this, [this](bool checked) {
+        if (checked)
+            createStyleFileIfNeeded(!m_project);
+        initialize();
+    });
     initialize();
 }
 
@@ -81,15 +99,18 @@ void ClangFormatConfigWidget::showGlobalCheckboxes()
     m_ui->formatOnSave->show();
 }
 
+static bool projectConfigExists()
+{
+    return Utils::FileName::fromString(Core::ICore::userResourcePath())
+        .appendPath(currentProjectUniqueId())
+        .appendPath((Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME))
+        .exists();
+}
+
 void ClangFormatConfigWidget::initialize()
 {
-    m_ui->projectHasClangFormat->show();
-    m_ui->clangFormatOptionsTable->show();
-    m_ui->applyButton->show();
-    hideGlobalCheckboxes();
+    m_ui->projectHasClangFormat->hide();
 
-    m_preview = new TextEditor::SnippetEditorWidget(this);
-    m_ui->horizontalLayout_2->addWidget(m_preview);
     m_preview->setPlainText(QLatin1String(CppTools::Constants::DEFAULT_CODE_STYLE_SNIPPETS[0]));
     m_preview->textDocument()->setIndenter(new ClangFormatIndenter(m_preview->document()));
     m_preview->textDocument()->setFontSettings(TextEditor::TextEditorSettings::fontSettings());
@@ -103,21 +124,15 @@ void ClangFormatConfigWidget::initialize()
     if (lastItem->spacerItem())
         m_ui->verticalLayout->removeItem(lastItem);
 
-    if (m_project
-        && !m_project->projectDirectory().appendPath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME).exists()) {
-        m_ui->projectHasClangFormat->setText(tr("No .clang-format file for the project."));
+    if (!m_ui->overrideDefault->isChecked()) {
         m_ui->clangFormatOptionsTable->hide();
-        m_ui->applyButton->hide();
+        m_preview->hide();
         m_ui->verticalLayout->addStretch(1);
-
-        connect(m_ui->createFileButton, &QPushButton::clicked, this, [this]() {
-            createStyleFileIfNeeded(false);
-            initialize();
-        });
         return;
     }
 
-    m_ui->createFileButton->hide();
+    m_ui->clangFormatOptionsTable->show();
+    m_preview->show();
 
     Utils::FileName fileName;
     if (m_project) {
@@ -126,19 +141,13 @@ void ClangFormatConfigWidget::initialize()
         fileName = m_project->projectFilePath().appendPath("snippet.cpp");
     } else {
         const Project *currentProject = SessionManager::startupProject();
-        if (!currentProject
-            || !currentProject->projectDirectory()
-                    .appendPath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME)
-                    .exists()) {
+        if (!currentProject || !projectConfigExists()) {
             m_ui->projectHasClangFormat->hide();
         } else {
             m_ui->projectHasClangFormat->setText(
-                tr("Current project has its own .clang-format file "
+                tr("Current project has its own overridden .clang-format file "
                    "and can be configured in Projects > Code Style > C++."));
         }
-        createStyleFileIfNeeded(true);
-        showGlobalCheckboxes();
-        m_ui->applyButton->hide();
         fileName = Utils::FileName::fromString(Core::ICore::userResourcePath())
                        .appendPath("snippet.cpp");
     }
@@ -160,7 +169,7 @@ void ClangFormatConfigWidget::fillTable()
 {
     clang::format::FormatStyle style = m_project ? currentProjectStyle() : currentGlobalStyle();
 
-    std::string configText = clang::format::configurationAsText(style);
+    const std::string configText = clang::format::configurationAsText(style);
     m_ui->clangFormatOptionsTable->setPlainText(QString::fromStdString(configText));
 }
 
@@ -168,13 +177,16 @@ ClangFormatConfigWidget::~ClangFormatConfigWidget() = default;
 
 void ClangFormatConfigWidget::apply()
 {
+    ClangFormatSettings &settings = ClangFormatSettings::instance();
     if (!m_project) {
-        ClangFormatSettings &settings = ClangFormatSettings::instance();
         settings.setFormatCodeInsteadOfIndent(m_ui->formatAlways->isChecked());
         settings.setFormatWhileTyping(m_ui->formatWhileTyping->isChecked());
         settings.setFormatOnSave(m_ui->formatOnSave->isChecked());
-        settings.write();
+        settings.setOverrideDefaultFile(m_ui->overrideDefault->isChecked());
+    } else {
+        m_project->setNamedSettings(Constants::OVERRIDE_FILE_ID, m_ui->overrideDefault->isChecked());
     }
+    settings.write();
 
     const QString text = m_ui->clangFormatOptionsTable->toPlainText();
     clang::format::FormatStyle style;
@@ -184,16 +196,18 @@ void ClangFormatConfigWidget::apply()
         QMessageBox::warning(this,
                              tr("Error in ClangFormat configuration"),
                              QString::fromStdString(error.message()));
-        fillTable();
-        updatePreview();
+        if (m_ui->overrideDefault->isChecked()) {
+            fillTable();
+            updatePreview();
+        }
         return;
     }
 
-    QString filePath;
+    QString filePath = Core::ICore::userResourcePath();
     if (m_project)
-        filePath = m_project->projectDirectory().appendPath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME).toString();
-    else
-        filePath = Core::ICore::userResourcePath() + "/" + Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME;
+        filePath += "/" + currentProjectUniqueId();
+    filePath += "/" + QLatin1String(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME);
+
     QFile file(filePath);
     if (!file.open(QFile::WriteOnly))
         return;
@@ -201,7 +215,8 @@ void ClangFormatConfigWidget::apply()
     file.write(text.toUtf8());
     file.close();
 
-    updatePreview();
+    if (m_ui->overrideDefault->isChecked())
+        updatePreview();
 }
 
 } // namespace ClangFormat
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.ui b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.ui
index 41e40ef1fdc..c8225981f59 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.ui
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconfigwidget.ui
@@ -54,6 +54,13 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
+   <item>
+    <widget class="QCheckBox" name="overrideDefault">
+     <property name="text">
+      <string>Override Clang Format configuration file</string>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
    <item>
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_2">
      <item>
@@ -63,13 +70,6 @@
    </item>
    <item>
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout">
-     <item>
-      <widget class="QPushButton" name="createFileButton">
-       <property name="text">
-        <string>Create Clang Format Configuration File</string>
-       </property>
-      </widget>
-     </item>
      <item>
       <widget class="QPushButton" name="applyButton">
        <property name="text">
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconstants.h b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconstants.h
index 8b7cbcf9bd2..65ea9b6e81f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconstants.h
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatconstants.h
@@ -34,5 +34,6 @@ static const char SETTINGS_ID[] = "ClangFormat";
 static const char FORMAT_CODE_INSTEAD_OF_INDENT_ID[] = "ClangFormat.FormatCodeInsteadOfIndent";
 static const char FORMAT_WHILE_TYPING_ID[] = "ClangFormat.FormatWhileTyping";
 static const char FORMAT_CODE_ON_SAVE_ID[] = "ClangFormat.FormatCodeOnSave";
+static const char OVERRIDE_FILE_ID[] = "ClangFormat.OverrideFile";
 } // namespace Constants
 } // namespace ClangFormat
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatindenter.cpp b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatindenter.cpp
index 42cedb7b6c9..381762ee7f2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatindenter.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatindenter.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ bool ClangFormatIndenter::formatWhileTyping() const
 
 Utils::optional<TabSettings> ClangFormatIndenter::tabSettings() const
 {
-    FormatStyle style = currentProjectStyle();
+    FormatStyle style = styleForFile();
     TabSettings tabSettings;
 
     switch (style.UseTab) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.cpp
index 8be2b3cefee..8f70130ae3a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ ClangFormatSettings::ClangFormatSettings()
                               .toBool();
     m_formatOnSave = settings->value(QLatin1String(Constants::FORMAT_CODE_ON_SAVE_ID), false)
                          .toBool();
+    m_overrideDefaultFile = settings->value(QLatin1String(Constants::OVERRIDE_FILE_ID), false)
+                                .toBool();
     settings->endGroup();
 }
 
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ void ClangFormatSettings::write() const
                        m_formatCodeInsteadOfIndent);
     settings->setValue(QLatin1String(Constants::FORMAT_WHILE_TYPING_ID), m_formatWhileTyping);
     settings->setValue(QLatin1String(Constants::FORMAT_CODE_ON_SAVE_ID), m_formatOnSave);
+    settings->setValue(QLatin1String(Constants::OVERRIDE_FILE_ID), m_overrideDefaultFile);
     settings->endGroup();
 }
 
@@ -90,4 +93,14 @@ bool ClangFormatSettings::formatOnSave() const
     return m_formatOnSave;
 }
 
+void ClangFormatSettings::setOverrideDefaultFile(bool enable)
+{
+    m_overrideDefaultFile = enable;
+}
+
+bool ClangFormatSettings::overrideDefaultFile() const
+{
+    return m_overrideDefaultFile;
+}
+
 } // namespace ClangFormat
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.h b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.h
index 0ea9ed9747e..9344cf34a96 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.h
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatsettings.h
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <QString>
+
 namespace ClangFormat {
 
 class ClangFormatSettings
@@ -43,10 +45,14 @@ public:
 
     void setFormatOnSave(bool enable);
     bool formatOnSave() const;
+
+    void setOverrideDefaultFile(bool enable);
+    bool overrideDefaultFile() const;
 private:
     bool m_formatCodeInsteadOfIndent = false;
     bool m_formatWhileTyping = false;
     bool m_formatOnSave = false;
+    bool m_overrideDefaultFile = false;
 };
 
 } // namespace ClangFormat
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.cpp b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.cpp
index babe94da24f..36bcf2f97d0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "clangformatutils.h"
 
 #include "clangformatconstants.h"
+#include "clangformatsettings.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/icore.h>
 #include <cpptools/cppcodestylesettings.h>
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@
 #include <projectexplorer/project.h>
 #include <projectexplorer/session.h>
 
+#include <QCryptographicHash>
+
 using namespace clang;
 using namespace format;
 using namespace llvm;
@@ -92,13 +95,26 @@ static void applyCppCodeStyleSettings(clang::format::FormatStyle &style,
             : - static_cast<int>(style.IndentWidth);
 }
 
-static Utils::FileName projectPath()
+static bool useGlobalOverriddenSettings()
+{
+    return ClangFormatSettings::instance().overrideDefaultFile();
+}
+
+QString currentProjectUniqueId()
 {
     const Project *project = SessionManager::startupProject();
-    if (project)
-        return project->projectDirectory();
+    if (!project)
+        return QString();
 
-    return Utils::FileName();
+    return QString::fromUtf8(QCryptographicHash::hash(project->projectFilePath().toString().toUtf8(),
+                                                      QCryptographicHash::Md5)
+                                 .toHex(0));
+}
+
+static bool useProjectOverriddenSettings()
+{
+    const Project *project = SessionManager::startupProject();
+    return project ? project->namedSettings(Constants::OVERRIDE_FILE_ID).toBool() : false;
 }
 
 static Utils::FileName globalPath()
@@ -106,25 +122,40 @@ static Utils::FileName globalPath()
     return Utils::FileName::fromString(Core::ICore::userResourcePath());
 }
 
-static QString configForFile(Utils::FileName fileName)
+static Utils::FileName projectPath()
 {
-    Utils::FileName topProjectPath = projectPath();
-    if (topProjectPath.isEmpty())
-        return QString();
+    const Project *project = SessionManager::startupProject();
+    if (project)
+        return globalPath().appendPath("clang-format").appendPath(currentProjectUniqueId());
 
-    QDir projectDir(fileName.parentDir().toString());
-    while (!projectDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME)
-           && !projectDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_ALT_NAME)) {
-        if (projectDir.path() == topProjectPath.toString()
-            || !Utils::FileName::fromString(projectDir.path()).isChildOf(topProjectPath)
-            || !projectDir.cdUp()) {
-            return QString();
-        }
+    return Utils::FileName();
+}
+
+static QString configForFile(Utils::FileName fileName, bool checkForSettings)
+{
+    QDir overrideDir;
+    if (!checkForSettings || useProjectOverriddenSettings()) {
+        overrideDir = projectPath().toString();
+        if (!overrideDir.isEmpty() && overrideDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME))
+            return overrideDir.filePath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME);
     }
 
-    if (projectDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME))
-        return projectDir.filePath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME);
-    return projectDir.filePath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_ALT_NAME);
+    if (!checkForSettings || useGlobalOverriddenSettings()) {
+        overrideDir = globalPath().toString();
+        if (!overrideDir.isEmpty() && overrideDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME))
+            return overrideDir.filePath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME);
+    }
+
+    QDir parentDir(fileName.parentDir().toString());
+    while (!parentDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME)
+           && !parentDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_ALT_NAME)) {
+        if (!parentDir.cdUp())
+            return QString();
+    }
+
+    if (parentDir.exists(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME))
+        return parentDir.filePath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME);
+    return parentDir.filePath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_ALT_NAME);
 }
 
 static clang::format::FormatStyle constructStyle(bool isGlobal,
@@ -169,6 +200,7 @@ void createStyleFileIfNeeded(bool isGlobal)
     if (QFile::exists(configFile))
         return;
 
+    QDir().mkpath(path.parentDir().toString());
     std::fstream newStyleFile(configFile.toStdString(), std::fstream::out);
     if (newStyleFile.is_open()) {
         newStyleFile << clang::format::configurationAsText(constructStyle(isGlobal));
@@ -198,16 +230,11 @@ static QByteArray configBaseStyleName(const QString &configFile)
         .trimmed();
 }
 
-clang::format::FormatStyle styleForFile(Utils::FileName fileName)
+static clang::format::FormatStyle styleForFile(Utils::FileName fileName, bool checkForSettings)
 {
-    bool isGlobal = false;
-    QString configFile = configForFile(fileName);
-    if (configFile.isEmpty()) {
-        Utils::FileName path = fileName = globalPath();
-        fileName.appendPath(Constants::SAMPLE_FILE_NAME);
-        createStyleFileIfNeeded(true);
-        configFile = path.appendPath(Constants::SETTINGS_FILE_NAME).toString();
-    }
+    QString configFile = configForFile(fileName, checkForSettings);
+    if (configFile.isEmpty())
+        return constructStyle(true);
 
     Expected<FormatStyle> style = format::getStyle("file",
                                                    fileName.toString().toStdString(),
@@ -219,17 +246,22 @@ clang::format::FormatStyle styleForFile(Utils::FileName fileName)
         // do nothing
     });
 
-    return constructStyle(isGlobal, configBaseStyleName(configFile));
+    return constructStyle(true, configBaseStyleName(configFile));
+}
+
+clang::format::FormatStyle styleForFile(Utils::FileName fileName)
+{
+    return styleForFile(fileName, true);
 }
 
 clang::format::FormatStyle currentProjectStyle()
 {
-    return styleForFile(projectPath().appendPath(Constants::SAMPLE_FILE_NAME));
+    return styleForFile(projectPath().appendPath(Constants::SAMPLE_FILE_NAME), false);
 }
 
 clang::format::FormatStyle currentGlobalStyle()
 {
-    return styleForFile(globalPath().appendPath(Constants::SAMPLE_FILE_NAME));
+    return styleForFile(globalPath().appendPath(Constants::SAMPLE_FILE_NAME), false);
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.h b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.h
index 41e2b5611fa..2c818ffe6aa 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.h
+++ b/src/plugins/clangformat/clangformatutils.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <coreplugin/id.h>
 #include <utils/fileutils.h>
 #include <clang/Format/Format.h>
 
@@ -37,6 +38,8 @@ namespace ClangFormat {
 // Creates the style for the current project or the global style if needed.
 void createStyleFileIfNeeded(bool isGlobal);
 
+QString currentProjectUniqueId();
+
 clang::format::FormatStyle currentProjectStyle();
 clang::format::FormatStyle currentGlobalStyle();