diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/openchamber/DefaultsSettings.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/openchamber/DefaultsSettings.tsx
index d7edb1bd..f4ff08f8 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/openchamber/DefaultsSettings.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/openchamber/DefaultsSettings.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ export const DefaultsSettings: React.FC = () => {
   const setSettingsDefaultModel = useConfigStore((state) => state.setSettingsDefaultModel);
   const setSettingsDefaultVariant = useConfigStore((state) => state.setSettingsDefaultVariant);
   const setSettingsDefaultAgent = useConfigStore((state) => state.setSettingsDefaultAgent);
+  const setSettingsDefaultFileViewerPreview = useConfigStore((state) => state.setSettingsDefaultFileViewerPreview);
+  const settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview = useConfigStore((state) => state.settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview);
   const showDeletionDialog = useUIStore((state) => state.showDeletionDialog);
   const setShowDeletionDialog = useUIStore((state) => state.setShowDeletionDialog);
   const providers = useConfigStore((state) => state.providers);
@@ -187,6 +189,12 @@ export const DefaultsSettings: React.FC = () => {
     [setAgent, setSettingsDefaultAgent]
   );
 
+  const handleToggleFileViewerPreview = React.useCallback(() => {
+    const next = !settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview;
+    setSettingsDefaultFileViewerPreview(next);
+    updateDesktopSettings({ defaultFileViewerPreview: next }).catch(console.warn);
+  }, [settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview, setSettingsDefaultFileViewerPreview]);
+
   const availableVariants = React.useMemo(() => {
     if (!parsedModel.providerId || !parsedModel.modelId) return [];
     const provider = providers.find((p) => p.id === parsedModel.providerId);
@@ -300,6 +308,23 @@ export const DefaultsSettings: React.FC = () => {
           <span className="typography-ui-label text-foreground">Show Deletion Dialog</span>
         </div>
 
+        <div
+          className="group flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-2 py-1"
+          role="button"
+          tabIndex={0}
+          aria-pressed={settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview}
+          onClick={handleToggleFileViewerPreview}
+          onKeyDown={(event) => {
+            if (event.key === ' ' || event.key === 'Enter') {
+              event.preventDefault();
+              handleToggleFileViewerPreview();
+            }
+          }}
+        >
+          <Checkbox checked={settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview} onChange={setSettingsDefaultFileViewerPreview} ariaLabel="Open files in preview mode" />
+          <span className="typography-ui-label text-foreground">Open files in preview mode</span>
+        </div>
+
       </section>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/views/FilesView.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/views/FilesView.tsx
index dab7ca74..c3f5db25 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/views/FilesView.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/views/FilesView.tsx
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ import { useThemeSystem } from '@/contexts/useThemeSystem';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/useUIStore';
 import { useFilesViewTabsStore } from '@/stores/useFilesViewTabsStore';
 import { useGitStatus } from '@/stores/useGitStore';
+import { useConfigStore } from '@/stores/useConfigStore';
 import { buildCodeMirrorCommentWidgets, normalizeLineRange, useInlineCommentController } from '@/components/comments';
 import { opencodeClient } from '@/lib/opencode/client';
 import { useDirectoryShowHidden } from '@/lib/directoryShowHidden';
@@ -729,6 +730,7 @@ export const FilesView: React.FC<FilesViewProps> = ({ mode = 'full' }) => {
   const pendingFileFocusPath = useUIStore((state) => state.pendingFileFocusPath);
   const setPendingFileFocusPath = useUIStore((state) => state.setPendingFileFocusPath);
   const shortcutOverrides = useUIStore((state) => state.shortcutOverrides);
+  const settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview = useConfigStore((state) => state.settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview);
 
   // Global mouseup to end drag selection
   React.useEffect(() => {
@@ -1864,25 +1866,37 @@ export const FilesView: React.FC<FilesViewProps> = ({ mode = 'full' }) => {
     }
   }, [canEdit, textViewMode]);
 
-  React.useEffect(() => {
-    setTextViewMode('edit');
-    setHtmlViewMode('edit');
-  }, [selectedFile?.path]);
-
   const MD_VIEWER_MODE_KEY = 'openchamber:files:md-viewer-mode';
+  const HTML_VIEWER_MODE_KEY = 'openchamber:files:html-viewer-mode';
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
+    const defaultMode = settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview ? 'view' : 'edit';
+    setTextViewMode(defaultMode);
+
+    // Respect per-type localStorage preference when available,
+    // falling back to the setting-derived default when nothing is stored.
+    let mdDefault: 'preview' | 'edit' = settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview ? 'preview' : 'edit';
     try {
       const stored = localStorage.getItem(MD_VIEWER_MODE_KEY);
-      if (stored === 'preview') {
-        setMdViewMode('preview');
-      } else if (stored === 'edit') {
-        setMdViewMode('edit');
+      if (stored === 'preview' || stored === 'edit') {
+        mdDefault = stored;
       }
     } catch {
       // Ignore localStorage errors
     }
-  }, []);
+    setMdViewMode(mdDefault);
+
+    let htmlDefault: 'preview' | 'edit' = settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview ? 'preview' : 'edit';
+    try {
+      const stored = localStorage.getItem(HTML_VIEWER_MODE_KEY);
+      if (stored === 'preview' || stored === 'edit') {
+        htmlDefault = stored;
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Ignore localStorage errors
+    }
+    setHtmlViewMode(htmlDefault);
+  }, [selectedFile?.path, settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview]);
 
   const saveMdViewMode = React.useCallback((mode: 'preview' | 'edit') => {
     setMdViewMode(mode);
@@ -1912,21 +1926,6 @@ export const FilesView: React.FC<FilesViewProps> = ({ mode = 'full' }) => {
     }
   }, []);
 
-  const HTML_VIEWER_MODE_KEY = 'openchamber:files:html-viewer-mode';
-
-  React.useEffect(() => {
-    try {
-      const stored = localStorage.getItem(HTML_VIEWER_MODE_KEY);
-      if (stored === 'preview') {
-        setHtmlViewMode('preview');
-      } else if (stored === 'edit') {
-        setHtmlViewMode('edit');
-      }
-    } catch {
-      // Ignore localStorage errors
-    }
-  }, []);
-
   const saveJsonViewMode = React.useCallback((mode: 'tree' | 'text') => {
     setJsonViewMode(mode);
     try {
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/desktop.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/desktop.ts
index d3a74de1..fa231ee4 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/desktop.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/desktop.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ export type DesktopSettings = {
   autoCreateWorktree?: boolean;
   queueModeEnabled?: boolean;
   gitmojiEnabled?: boolean;
+  defaultFileViewerPreview?: boolean;
   zenModel?: string;
   gitProviderId?: string;
   gitModelId?: string;
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/stores/useConfigStore.ts b/packages/ui/src/stores/useConfigStore.ts
index a94ba23e..e139b01b 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/stores/useConfigStore.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/stores/useConfigStore.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ interface OpenChamberDefaults {
     defaultAgent?: string;
     autoCreateWorktree?: boolean;
     gitmojiEnabled?: boolean;
+    defaultFileViewerPreview?: boolean;
     zenModel?: string;
     messageStreamTransport?: 'auto' | 'ws' | 'sse';
 }
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ const fetchOpenChamberDefaults = async (): Promise<OpenChamberDefaults> => {
                     const defaultVariant = typeof data?.defaultVariant === 'string' ? data.defaultVariant.trim() : '';
                     const defaultAgent = typeof data?.defaultAgent === 'string' ? data.defaultAgent.trim() : '';
                     const gitmojiEnabled = typeof data?.gitmojiEnabled === 'boolean' ? data.gitmojiEnabled : undefined;
+                    const defaultFileViewerPreview = typeof data?.defaultFileViewerPreview === 'boolean' ? data.defaultFileViewerPreview : undefined;
                     const zenModel = typeof data?.zenModel === 'string' ? data.zenModel.trim() : '';
                     const messageStreamTransport =
                         data?.messageStreamTransport === 'ws' || data?.messageStreamTransport === 'sse' || data?.messageStreamTransport === 'auto'
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ const fetchOpenChamberDefaults = async (): Promise<OpenChamberDefaults> => {
                         defaultAgent: defaultAgent.length > 0 ? defaultAgent : undefined,
                         autoCreateWorktree: typeof data?.autoCreateWorktree === 'boolean' ? data.autoCreateWorktree : undefined,
                         gitmojiEnabled,
+                        defaultFileViewerPreview,
                         zenModel: zenModel.length > 0 ? zenModel : undefined,
                         messageStreamTransport,
                     };
@@ -79,6 +82,7 @@ const fetchOpenChamberDefaults = async (): Promise<OpenChamberDefaults> => {
         const defaultVariant = typeof data?.defaultVariant === 'string' ? data.defaultVariant.trim() : '';
         const defaultAgent = typeof data?.defaultAgent === 'string' ? data.defaultAgent.trim() : '';
         const gitmojiEnabled = typeof data?.gitmojiEnabled === 'boolean' ? data.gitmojiEnabled : undefined;
+        const defaultFileViewerPreview = typeof data?.defaultFileViewerPreview === 'boolean' ? data.defaultFileViewerPreview : undefined;
         const zenModel = typeof data?.zenModel === 'string' ? data.zenModel.trim() : '';
         const messageStreamTransport =
             data?.messageStreamTransport === 'ws' || data?.messageStreamTransport === 'sse' || data?.messageStreamTransport === 'auto'
@@ -91,6 +95,7 @@ const fetchOpenChamberDefaults = async (): Promise<OpenChamberDefaults> => {
             defaultAgent: defaultAgent.length > 0 ? defaultAgent : undefined,
             autoCreateWorktree: typeof data?.autoCreateWorktree === 'boolean' ? data.autoCreateWorktree : undefined,
             gitmojiEnabled,
+            defaultFileViewerPreview,
             zenModel: zenModel.length > 0 ? zenModel : undefined,
             messageStreamTransport,
         };
@@ -479,6 +484,7 @@ interface ConfigStore {
     settingsDefaultAgent: string | undefined;
     settingsAutoCreateWorktree: boolean;
     settingsGitmojiEnabled: boolean;
+    settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview: boolean;
     settingsZenModel: string | undefined;
     settingsMessageStreamTransport: 'auto' | 'ws' | 'sse';
     // Voice provider preference ('browser', 'openai', 'openai-compatible', or 'say' for macOS)
@@ -548,6 +554,7 @@ interface ConfigStore {
     setSettingsDefaultAgent: (agent: string | undefined) => void;
     setSettingsAutoCreateWorktree: (enabled: boolean) => void;
     setSettingsGitmojiEnabled: (enabled: boolean) => void;
+    setSettingsDefaultFileViewerPreview: (enabled: boolean) => void;
     setSettingsZenModel: (model: string | undefined) => void;
     setSettingsMessageStreamTransport: (transport: 'auto' | 'ws' | 'sse') => void;
     getResolvedGitGenerationModel: () => { providerId: string; modelId: string } | null;
@@ -601,6 +608,7 @@ export const useConfigStore = create<ConfigStore>()(
                 settingsDefaultAgent: undefined,
                 settingsAutoCreateWorktree: false,
                 settingsGitmojiEnabled: false,
+                settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview: false,
                 settingsZenModel: undefined,
                 settingsMessageStreamTransport: 'auto',
                 // Voice provider preference - load from localStorage or default to 'browser'
@@ -1275,6 +1283,7 @@ export const useConfigStore = create<ConfigStore>()(
                                     settingsDefaultAgent: openChamberDefaults.defaultAgent,
                                     settingsAutoCreateWorktree: openChamberDefaults.autoCreateWorktree ?? false,
                                     settingsGitmojiEnabled: openChamberDefaults.gitmojiEnabled ?? false,
+                                    settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview: openChamberDefaults.defaultFileViewerPreview ?? false,
                                     settingsZenModel: resolvedZenModel,
                                     settingsMessageStreamTransport: openChamberDefaults.messageStreamTransport ?? state.settingsMessageStreamTransport ?? 'auto',
                                     directoryScoped: {
@@ -1704,6 +1713,10 @@ export const useConfigStore = create<ConfigStore>()(
                     set({ settingsGitmojiEnabled: enabled });
                 },
 
+                setSettingsDefaultFileViewerPreview: (enabled: boolean) => {
+                    set({ settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview: enabled });
+                },
+
                 setSettingsZenModel: (model: string | undefined) => {
                     set({ settingsZenModel: model });
                 },
@@ -2027,6 +2040,7 @@ export const useConfigStore = create<ConfigStore>()(
                     settingsDefaultAgent: state.settingsDefaultAgent,
                     settingsAutoCreateWorktree: state.settingsAutoCreateWorktree,
                     settingsGitmojiEnabled: state.settingsGitmojiEnabled,
+                    settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview: state.settingsDefaultFileViewerPreview,
                     settingsZenModel: state.settingsZenModel,
                     settingsMessageStreamTransport: state.settingsMessageStreamTransport,
                     speechRate: state.speechRate,
diff --git a/packages/web/server/lib/opencode/settings-helpers.js b/packages/web/server/lib/opencode/settings-helpers.js
index 5714dcf9..913cb219 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/lib/opencode/settings-helpers.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/lib/opencode/settings-helpers.js
@@ -289,6 +289,9 @@ export const createSettingsHelpers = (dependencies) => {
     if (typeof candidate.gitmojiEnabled === 'boolean') {
       result.gitmojiEnabled = candidate.gitmojiEnabled;
     }
+    if (typeof candidate.defaultFileViewerPreview === 'boolean') {
+      result.defaultFileViewerPreview = candidate.defaultFileViewerPreview;
+    }
     if (typeof candidate.zenModel === 'string') {
       const trimmed = candidate.zenModel.trim();
       result.zenModel = trimmed.length > 0 ? trimmed : undefined;