diff --git a/src/pages/Feed/FeedPage.tsx b/src/pages/Feed/FeedPage.tsx
index 0db2235..f7cb1ad 100644
--- a/src/pages/Feed/FeedPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Feed/FeedPage.tsx
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function FeedPage() {
 	// loaded window by 50 episodes. manual mode: Enter on the row. auto mode:
 	// reaching the bottom row fetches automatically (see the effect below).
 	const app = useAppStore();
-	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "manual";
+	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "auto";
 	const showFetchMore = () => feedStore.hasMoreAcrossAll();
 	// Total navigable rows: episodes + the optional Fetch More row.
 	const rowCount = () => episodes().length + (showFetchMore() ? 1 : 0);
diff --git a/src/pages/MyShows/MyShowsPage.tsx b/src/pages/MyShows/MyShowsPage.tsx
index b6f05fd..f10fb03 100644
--- a/src/pages/MyShows/MyShowsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/MyShows/MyShowsPage.tsx
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 	// counterpart to the Feed page's row (which loads every feed). manual
 	// mode: Enter on the row. auto mode: reaching the bottom row fetches
 	// automatically (see the effect below).
-	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "manual";
+	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "auto";
 	const showFetchMore = () =>
 		depth() >= 1 &&
 		!!drilledShowId() &&
diff --git a/src/pages/Settings/PreferencesPanel.tsx b/src/pages/Settings/PreferencesPanel.tsx
index 0d3d12f..c4a9439 100644
--- a/src/pages/Settings/PreferencesPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Settings/PreferencesPanel.tsx
@@ -211,10 +211,10 @@ export function usePreferencesItems(): SettingItem[] {
 			kind: "select",
 			display: () => (prefs().fetchMoreMode === "auto" ? "Auto" : "Manual"),
 			help: () =>
-				`How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes.\nManual: a "[Fetch More]" button at the bottom of the list.\nAuto: fetches automatically when reaching the bottom.\nType: select\nDefault: manual\nCurrent: ${prefs().fetchMoreMode === "auto" ? "Auto" : "Manual"}\nCycle with j/k; Enter to apply.`,
+				`How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes.\nManual: a "[Fetch More]" button at the bottom of the list.\nAuto: fetches automatically when reaching the bottom.\nType: select\nDefault: auto\nCurrent: ${prefs().fetchMoreMode === "auto" ? "Auto" : "Manual"}\nCycle with j/k; Enter to apply.`,
 			cycle: (dir) => {
 				const modes: Array<"manual" | "auto"> = ["manual", "auto"];
-				const idx = modes.indexOf(prefs().fetchMoreMode ?? "manual");
+				const idx = modes.indexOf(prefs().fetchMoreMode ?? "auto");
 				const next = modes[(idx + dir + modes.length) % modes.length];
 				app.updatePreferences({ fetchMoreMode: next });
 			},
diff --git a/src/stores/app.ts b/src/stores/app.ts
index 468b7e8..818655d 100644
--- a/src/stores/app.ts
+++ b/src/stores/app.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ const defaultPreferences: UserPreferences = {
 	autoDownloadScope: "all",
 	autoDownloadWhitelist: [],
 	autoJumpToPlayer: true,
-	fetchMoreMode: "manual",
+	fetchMoreMode: "auto",
 	refreshIntervalMinutes: 30,
 };
 
diff --git a/src/types/settings.ts b/src/types/settings.ts
index d557bcf..42f699c 100644
--- a/src/types/settings.ts
+++ b/src/types/settings.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export type AppSettings = {
 	visualizer: VisualizerSettings;
 };
 
-/** How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes (default: manual "[Fetch More]"). */
+/** How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes (default: auto). */
 export type FetchMoreMode = "manual" | "auto";
 
 /** Which shows the auto-download setting applies to (default: all). */
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ export type UserPreferences = {
 	autoDownloadWhitelist: string[];
 	/** Jump to the Player view automatically when playback starts (default: true) */
 	autoJumpToPlayer: boolean;
-	/** Load older episodes from the Feed list: manual button or automatic at the bottom (default: manual). */
+	/** Load older episodes from the Feed list: manual button or automatic at the bottom (default: auto). */
 	fetchMoreMode: FetchMoreMode;
 	/** Minutes between automatic background feed refreshes (default: 30). */
 	refreshIntervalMinutes: number;
diff --git a/src/utils/app-persistence.ts b/src/utils/app-persistence.ts
index d51deb1..6ee053c 100644
--- a/src/utils/app-persistence.ts
+++ b/src/utils/app-persistence.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const defaultPreferences: UserPreferences = {
 	autoDownloadScope: "all",
 	autoDownloadWhitelist: [],
 	autoJumpToPlayer: true,
-	fetchMoreMode: "manual",
+	fetchMoreMode: "auto",
 	refreshIntervalMinutes: 30,
 };