diff --git a/esphome/components/copy/fan/copy_fan.cpp b/esphome/components/copy/fan/copy_fan.cpp
index 14c600d71f..e7d01827aa 100644
--- a/esphome/components/copy/fan/copy_fan.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/copy/fan/copy_fan.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ fan::FanTraits CopyFan::get_traits() {
   traits.set_speed(base.supports_speed());
   traits.set_supported_speed_count(base.supported_speed_count());
   traits.set_direction(base.supports_direction());
-  traits.set_supported_preset_modes(base.supported_preset_modes());
+  // Preset modes are wired from source fan's storage via get_traits()
+  this->set_supported_preset_modes(base.supported_preset_modes());
   return traits;
 }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/fan/fan.cpp b/esphome/components/fan/fan.cpp
index dc7a75018c..659abf70a9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/fan/fan.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/fan/fan.cpp
@@ -148,7 +148,13 @@ const char *Fan::find_preset_mode_(const char *preset_mode) {
 }
 
 const char *Fan::find_preset_mode_(const char *preset_mode, size_t len) {
-  return this->get_traits().find_preset_mode(preset_mode, len);
+  if (preset_mode == nullptr || len == 0)
+    return nullptr;
+  for (const char *mode : this->supported_preset_modes_) {
+    if (strncmp(mode, preset_mode, len) == 0 && mode[len] == '\0')
+      return mode;
+  }
+  return nullptr;
 }
 
 bool Fan::set_preset_mode_(const char *preset_mode, size_t len) {
@@ -261,8 +267,6 @@ void Fan::save_state_() {
     return;
   }
 
-  auto traits = this->get_traits();
-
   FanRestoreState state{};
   state.state = this->state;
   state.oscillating = this->oscillating;
@@ -271,10 +275,9 @@ void Fan::save_state_() {
   state.preset_mode = FanRestoreState::NO_PRESET;
 
   if (this->has_preset_mode()) {
-    const auto &preset_modes = traits.supported_preset_modes();
-    // Find index of current preset mode (pointer comparison is safe since preset is from traits)
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < preset_modes.size(); i++) {
-      if (preset_modes[i] == this->preset_mode_) {
+    // Find index of current preset mode (pointer comparison is safe since preset is from our vector)
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < this->supported_preset_modes_.size(); i++) {
+      if (this->supported_preset_modes_[i] == this->preset_mode_) {
         state.preset_mode = i;
         break;
       }
diff --git a/esphome/components/fan/fan.h b/esphome/components/fan/fan.h
index e7b3681e32..42999d16f7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/fan/fan.h
+++ b/esphome/components/fan/fan.h
@@ -130,6 +130,14 @@ class Fan : public EntityBase {
 
   virtual FanTraits get_traits() = 0;
 
+  /// Set the supported preset modes (stored on Fan, referenced by FanTraits via pointer).
+  void set_supported_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> preset_modes) {
+    this->supported_preset_modes_ = preset_modes;
+  }
+  void set_supported_preset_modes(const std::vector<const char *> &preset_modes) {
+    this->supported_preset_modes_ = preset_modes;
+  }
+
   /// Set the restore mode of this fan.
   void set_restore_mode(FanRestoreMode restore_mode) { this->restore_mode_ = restore_mode; }
 
@@ -171,6 +179,9 @@ class Fan : public EntityBase {
   ESPPreferenceObject rtc_;
   FanRestoreMode restore_mode_;
 
+  /// Preset mode storage — owned by Fan, referenced by FanTraits via pointer.
+  std::vector<const char *> supported_preset_modes_;
+
  private:
   const char *preset_mode_{nullptr};
 };
diff --git a/esphome/components/fan/fan_traits.h b/esphome/components/fan/fan_traits.h
index c0c5f34c50..f8202f36ce 100644
--- a/esphome/components/fan/fan_traits.h
+++ b/esphome/components/fan/fan_traits.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <cstring>
 #include <vector>
 #include <initializer_list>
+#include "esphome/core/helpers.h"
 
 namespace esphome {
 
@@ -31,20 +32,29 @@ class FanTraits {
   /// Set whether this fan supports changing direction
   void set_direction(bool direction) { this->direction_ = direction; }
   /// Return the preset modes supported by the fan.
-  const std::vector<const char *> &supported_preset_modes() const { return this->preset_modes_; }
-  /// Set the preset modes supported by the fan (from initializer list).
-  void set_supported_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> preset_modes) {
-    this->preset_modes_ = preset_modes;
+  const std::vector<const char *> &supported_preset_modes() const {
+    return this->preset_modes_ ? *this->preset_modes_ : this->owned_preset_modes_;
   }
-  /// Set the preset modes supported by the fan (from vector).
-  void set_supported_preset_modes(const std::vector<const char *> &preset_modes) { this->preset_modes_ = preset_modes; }
+  /// Set the preset modes pointer (points to vector owned by Fan base class).
+  void set_supported_preset_modes(const std::vector<const char *> *preset_modes) { this->preset_modes_ = preset_modes; }
 
-  // Deleted overloads to catch incorrect std::string usage at compile time with clear error messages
-  void set_supported_preset_modes(const std::vector<std::string> &preset_modes) = delete;
-  void set_supported_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<std::string> preset_modes) = delete;
+  // Remove before 2027.1.0
+  ESPDEPRECATED("Call set_supported_preset_modes() on the Fan entity instead. Removed in 2026.11.0", "2026.5.0")
+  void set_supported_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> preset_modes) {
+    this->owned_preset_modes_ = preset_modes;
+    this->preset_modes_ = &this->owned_preset_modes_;
+  }
+  // Remove before 2027.1.0
+  ESPDEPRECATED("Call set_supported_preset_modes() on the Fan entity instead. Removed in 2026.11.0", "2026.5.0")
+  void set_supported_preset_modes(const std::vector<const char *> &preset_modes) {
+    this->owned_preset_modes_ = preset_modes;
+    this->preset_modes_ = &this->owned_preset_modes_;
+  }
 
   /// Return if preset modes are supported
-  bool supports_preset_modes() const { return !this->preset_modes_.empty(); }
+  bool supports_preset_modes() const {
+    return (this->preset_modes_ && !this->preset_modes_->empty()) || !this->owned_preset_modes_.empty();
+  }
   /// Find and return the matching preset mode pointer from supported modes, or nullptr if not found.
   const char *find_preset_mode(const char *preset_mode) const {
     return this->find_preset_mode(preset_mode, preset_mode ? strlen(preset_mode) : 0);
@@ -52,7 +62,8 @@ class FanTraits {
   const char *find_preset_mode(const char *preset_mode, size_t len) const {
     if (preset_mode == nullptr || len == 0)
       return nullptr;
-    for (const char *mode : this->preset_modes_) {
+    const auto &modes = this->preset_modes_ ? *this->preset_modes_ : this->owned_preset_modes_;
+    for (const char *mode : modes) {
       if (strncmp(mode, preset_mode, len) == 0 && mode[len] == '\0') {
         return mode;  // Return pointer from traits
       }
@@ -65,7 +76,8 @@ class FanTraits {
   bool speed_{false};
   bool direction_{false};
   int speed_count_{};
-  std::vector<const char *> preset_modes_{};
+  const std::vector<const char *> *preset_modes_{nullptr};
+  std::vector<const char *> owned_preset_modes_{};  ///< Compat: used when old setters are called directly on traits
 };
 
 }  // namespace fan
diff --git a/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.cpp b/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.cpp
index 89c162eebf..d548128b99 100644
--- a/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ fan::FanCall HBridgeFan::brake() {
 void HBridgeFan::setup() {
   // Construct traits before restore so preset modes can be looked up by index
   this->traits_ = fan::FanTraits(this->oscillating_ != nullptr, true, true, this->speed_count_);
-  this->traits_.set_supported_preset_modes(this->preset_modes_);
 
   auto restore = this->restore_state_();
   if (restore.has_value()) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.h b/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.h
index ec1e8ada0e..7511e0eb0b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.h
+++ b/esphome/components/hbridge/fan/hbridge_fan.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class HBridgeFan : public Component, public fan::Fan {
   void set_pin_a(output::FloatOutput *pin_a) { pin_a_ = pin_a; }
   void set_pin_b(output::FloatOutput *pin_b) { pin_b_ = pin_b; }
   void set_enable_pin(output::FloatOutput *enable) { enable_ = enable; }
-  void set_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> presets) { preset_modes_ = presets; }
+  void set_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> presets) { this->set_supported_preset_modes(presets); }
 
   void setup() override;
   void dump_config() override;
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ class HBridgeFan : public Component, public fan::Fan {
   int speed_count_{};
   DecayMode decay_mode_{DECAY_MODE_SLOW};
   fan::FanTraits traits_;
-  std::vector<const char *> preset_modes_{};
 
   void control(const fan::FanCall &call) override;
   void write_state_();
diff --git a/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.cpp b/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.cpp
index d45237c467..eaa8a55858 100644
--- a/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ static const char *const TAG = "speed.fan";
 void SpeedFan::setup() {
   // Construct traits before restore so preset modes can be looked up by index
   this->traits_ = fan::FanTraits(this->oscillating_ != nullptr, true, this->direction_ != nullptr, this->speed_count_);
-  this->traits_.set_supported_preset_modes(this->preset_modes_);
 
   auto restore = this->restore_state_();
   if (restore.has_value()) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.h b/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.h
index e9a389e0f3..44bd1a15cb 100644
--- a/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.h
+++ b/esphome/components/speed/fan/speed_fan.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class SpeedFan : public Component, public fan::Fan {
   void set_output(output::FloatOutput *output) { this->output_ = output; }
   void set_oscillating(output::BinaryOutput *oscillating) { this->oscillating_ = oscillating; }
   void set_direction(output::BinaryOutput *direction) { this->direction_ = direction; }
-  void set_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> presets) { this->preset_modes_ = presets; }
+  void set_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> presets) { this->set_supported_preset_modes(presets); }
   fan::FanTraits get_traits() override { return this->traits_; }
 
  protected:
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ class SpeedFan : public Component, public fan::Fan {
   output::BinaryOutput *direction_{nullptr};
   int speed_count_{};
   fan::FanTraits traits_;
-  std::vector<const char *> preset_modes_{};
 };
 
 }  // namespace speed
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.cpp b/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.cpp
index 46a5cba9bb..431be84654 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ void TemplateFan::setup() {
   // Construct traits before restore so preset modes can be looked up by index
   this->traits_ =
       fan::FanTraits(this->has_oscillating_, this->speed_count_ > 0, this->has_direction_, this->speed_count_);
-  this->traits_.set_supported_preset_modes(this->preset_modes_);
 
   auto restore = this->restore_state_();
   if (restore.has_value()) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.h b/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.h
index b7e1d4ab5a..d8229ef047 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.h
+++ b/esphome/components/template/fan/template_fan.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class TemplateFan final : public Component, public fan::Fan {
   void set_has_direction(bool has_direction) { this->has_direction_ = has_direction; }
   void set_has_oscillating(bool has_oscillating) { this->has_oscillating_ = has_oscillating; }
   void set_speed_count(int count) { this->speed_count_ = count; }
-  void set_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> presets) { this->preset_modes_ = presets; }
+  void set_preset_modes(std::initializer_list<const char *> presets) { this->set_supported_preset_modes(presets); }
   fan::FanTraits get_traits() override { return this->traits_; }
 
  protected:
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ class TemplateFan final : public Component, public fan::Fan {
   bool has_direction_{false};
   int speed_count_{0};
   fan::FanTraits traits_;
-  std::vector<const char *> preset_modes_{};
 };
 
 }  // namespace esphome::template_