diff --git a/apps/server/src/serverSettings.test.ts b/apps/server/src/serverSettings.test.ts
index 504d99e18def..cca8a251ec1d 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/serverSettings.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/serverSettings.test.ts
@@ -500,9 +500,11 @@ it.layer(NodeServices.layer)("server settings", (it) => {
           },
         },
         automaticGitFetchInterval: Duration.seconds(10),
+        defaultRuntimeMode: "approval-required",
       });
 
       assert.equal(next.providers.codex.binaryPath, "/opt/homebrew/bin/codex");
+      assert.equal(next.defaultRuntimeMode, "approval-required");
 
       const raw = yield* fileSystem.readFileString(serverConfig.settingsPath);
       // @effect-diagnostics-next-line preferSchemaOverJson:off
@@ -522,6 +524,7 @@ it.layer(NodeServices.layer)("server settings", (it) => {
           },
         },
         automaticGitFetchInterval: 10_000,
+        defaultRuntimeMode: "approval-required",
       });
     }).pipe(Effect.provide(makeServerSettingsLayer())),
   );
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
index f5ea5bb1eba8..0ae8111228cc 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ import {
 } from "../proposedPlan";
 import {
   DEFAULT_INTERACTION_MODE,
-  DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE,
   DEFAULT_THREAD_TERMINAL_ID,
   MAX_TERMINALS_PER_GROUP,
   type ChatMessage,
@@ -153,7 +152,10 @@ import { getProviderModelCapabilities, resolveSelectableProvider } from "../prov
 import { useEnvironmentSettings } from "../hooks/useSettings";
 import { resolveAppModelSelectionForInstance } from "../modelSelection";
 import { getTerminalFocusOwner } from "../lib/terminalFocus";
-import { resolveNewDraftStartFromOrigin } from "../lib/chatThreadActions";
+import {
+  buildNewDraftExecutionDefaults,
+  resolveNewDraftStartFromOrigin,
+} from "../lib/chatThreadActions";
 import {
   deriveLogicalProjectKeyFromSettings,
   selectProjectGroupingSettings,
@@ -1242,7 +1244,8 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
   const threadError = isServerThread
     ? (localServerError ?? serverThread?.session?.lastError ?? null)
     : localDraftError;
-  const runtimeMode = composerRuntimeMode ?? activeThread?.runtimeMode ?? DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE;
+  const runtimeMode =
+    composerRuntimeMode ?? activeThread?.runtimeMode ?? settings.defaultRuntimeMode;
   const interactionMode =
     composerInteractionMode ?? activeThread?.interactionMode ?? DEFAULT_INTERACTION_MODE;
   const isLocalDraftThread = !isServerThread && localDraftThread !== undefined;
@@ -1564,8 +1567,7 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
       setLogicalProjectDraftThreadId(logicalProjectKey, activeProjectRef, nextDraftId, {
         threadId: nextThreadId,
         createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-        runtimeMode: DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE,
-        interactionMode: DEFAULT_INTERACTION_MODE,
+        ...buildNewDraftExecutionDefaults(settings.defaultRuntimeMode),
         ...input,
       });
       await navigate({
@@ -1585,6 +1587,7 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
       routeKind,
       setDraftThreadContext,
       setLogicalProjectDraftThreadId,
+      settings.defaultRuntimeMode,
     ],
   );
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx
index 40017d563143..9fdf1ae9866a 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/settings/SettingsPanels.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   ProviderDriverKind,
   type ProviderInstanceConfig,
   type ProviderInstanceId,
+  type RuntimeMode,
   type ScopedThreadRef,
 } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import { scopeThreadRef } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/environment";
@@ -110,6 +111,12 @@ const TIMESTAMP_FORMAT_LABELS = {
   "24-hour": "24-hour",
 } as const;
 
+const RUNTIME_MODE_LABELS: Record<RuntimeMode, string> = {
+  "approval-required": "Supervised",
+  "auto-accept-edits": "Auto-accept edits",
+  "full-access": "Full access",
+};
+
 const DEFAULT_DRIVER_KIND = ProviderDriverKind.make("codex");
 
 function withoutProviderInstanceKey<V>(
@@ -412,6 +419,9 @@ export function useSettingsRestore(onRestored?: () => void) {
       DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.newWorktreesStartFromOrigin
         ? ["New worktrees start from origin"]
         : []),
+      ...(settings.defaultRuntimeMode !== DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.defaultRuntimeMode
+        ? ["Default access mode"]
+        : []),
       ...(settings.addProjectBaseDirectory !== DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.addProjectBaseDirectory
         ? ["Add project base directory"]
         : []),
@@ -429,6 +439,7 @@ export function useSettingsRestore(onRestored?: () => void) {
       settings.confirmThreadArchive,
       settings.confirmThreadDelete,
       settings.addProjectBaseDirectory,
+      settings.defaultRuntimeMode,
       settings.defaultThreadEnvMode,
       settings.newWorktreesStartFromOrigin,
       settings.diffIgnoreWhitespace,
@@ -462,6 +473,7 @@ export function useSettingsRestore(onRestored?: () => void) {
       automaticGitFetchInterval: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.automaticGitFetchInterval,
       defaultThreadEnvMode: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.defaultThreadEnvMode,
       newWorktreesStartFromOrigin: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.newWorktreesStartFromOrigin,
+      defaultRuntimeMode: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.defaultRuntimeMode,
       addProjectBaseDirectory: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.addProjectBaseDirectory,
       confirmThreadArchive: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.confirmThreadArchive,
       confirmThreadDelete: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.confirmThreadDelete,
@@ -797,6 +809,52 @@ export function GeneralSettingsPanel() {
           />
         ) : null}
 
+        <SettingsRow
+          title="Default access"
+          description="Pick the permission mode used when newly created draft threads start."
+          resetAction={
+            settings.defaultRuntimeMode !== DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.defaultRuntimeMode ? (
+              <SettingResetButton
+                label="default access mode"
+                onClick={() =>
+                  updateSettings({
+                    defaultRuntimeMode: DEFAULT_UNIFIED_SETTINGS.defaultRuntimeMode,
+                  })
+                }
+              />
+            ) : null
+          }
+          control={
+            <Select
+              value={settings.defaultRuntimeMode}
+              onValueChange={(value) => {
+                if (
+                  value === "approval-required" ||
+                  value === "auto-accept-edits" ||
+                  value === "full-access"
+                ) {
+                  updateSettings({ defaultRuntimeMode: value });
+                }
+              }}
+            >
+              <SelectTrigger className="w-full sm:w-44" aria-label="Default access mode">
+                <SelectValue>{RUNTIME_MODE_LABELS[settings.defaultRuntimeMode]}</SelectValue>
+              </SelectTrigger>
+              <SelectPopup align="end" alignItemWithTrigger={false}>
+                <SelectItem hideIndicator value="approval-required">
+                  {RUNTIME_MODE_LABELS["approval-required"]}
+                </SelectItem>
+                <SelectItem hideIndicator value="auto-accept-edits">
+                  {RUNTIME_MODE_LABELS["auto-accept-edits"]}
+                </SelectItem>
+                <SelectItem hideIndicator value="full-access">
+                  {RUNTIME_MODE_LABELS["full-access"]}
+                </SelectItem>
+              </SelectPopup>
+            </Select>
+          }
+        />
+
         <SettingsRow
           title="Add project starts in"
           description='Leave empty to use "~/" when the Add Project browser opens.'
diff --git a/apps/web/src/hooks/useHandleNewThread.ts b/apps/web/src/hooks/useHandleNewThread.ts
index 1b1c07b31c90..498c5c3c3fc1 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/hooks/useHandleNewThread.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/hooks/useHandleNewThread.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@ import {
   scopeProjectRef,
   scopeThreadRef,
 } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/environment";
-import {
-  DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE,
-  DEFAULT_SERVER_SETTINGS,
-  type ScopedProjectRef,
-} from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import { DEFAULT_SERVER_SETTINGS, type ScopedProjectRef } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import { useParams, useRouter } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { useCallback, useMemo } from "react";
 import {
@@ -24,7 +20,10 @@ import {
   selectProjectGroupingSettings,
 } from "../logicalProject";
 import { readThreadShell, useProjects, useServerConfigs, useThread } from "../state/entities";
-import { resolveNewDraftStartFromOrigin } from "../lib/chatThreadActions";
+import {
+  buildNewDraftExecutionDefaults,
+  resolveNewDraftStartFromOrigin,
+} from "../lib/chatThreadActions";
 import { resolveThreadRouteTarget } from "../threadRoutes";
 import { legacyProjectCwdPreferenceKey, useUiStateStore } from "../uiStateStore";
 import { useClientSettings } from "./useSettings";
@@ -173,7 +172,7 @@ export function useNewThreadHandler() {
               envMode: initialEnvMode,
               newWorktreesStartFromOrigin: environmentSettings.newWorktreesStartFromOrigin,
             }),
-          runtimeMode: DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE,
+          ...buildNewDraftExecutionDefaults(environmentSettings.defaultRuntimeMode),
         });
         applyStickyState(draftId);
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.test.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.test.ts
index 2b1d7b09b9f1..faa12d9a8e02 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.test.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ import { scopeProjectRef } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/environment";
 import { EnvironmentId, ProjectId } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vite-plus/test";
 import {
-  resolveThreadActionProjectRef,
+  buildNewDraftExecutionDefaults,
   resolveNewDraftStartFromOrigin,
+  resolveThreadActionProjectRef,
   startNewLocalThreadFromContext,
   startNewThreadFromContext,
   type ChatThreadActionContext,
@@ -24,6 +25,13 @@ function createContext(overrides: Partial<ChatThreadActionContext> = {}): ChatTh
 }
 
 describe("chatThreadActions", () => {
+  it("initializes new drafts with the configured default access mode", () => {
+    expect(buildNewDraftExecutionDefaults("approval-required")).toEqual({
+      runtimeMode: "approval-required",
+      interactionMode: "default",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("only applies the start-from-origin default to new worktree drafts", () => {
     expect(
       resolveNewDraftStartFromOrigin({
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.ts
index 4f30885610ad..76a2327a6305 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/chatThreadActions.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 import { scopeProjectRef } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/environment";
-import type { EnvironmentId, ProjectId, ScopedProjectRef } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import {
+  DEFAULT_PROVIDER_INTERACTION_MODE,
+  type EnvironmentId,
+  type ProjectId,
+  type ProviderInteractionMode,
+  type RuntimeMode,
+  type ScopedProjectRef,
+} from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import type { DraftThreadEnvMode } from "../composerDraftStore";
 
 interface ThreadContextLike {
@@ -42,6 +49,16 @@ export function resolveNewDraftStartFromOrigin(input: {
   return input.envMode === "worktree" && input.newWorktreesStartFromOrigin;
 }
 
+export function buildNewDraftExecutionDefaults(defaultRuntimeMode: RuntimeMode): {
+  runtimeMode: RuntimeMode;
+  interactionMode: ProviderInteractionMode;
+} {
+  return {
+    runtimeMode: defaultRuntimeMode,
+    interactionMode: DEFAULT_PROVIDER_INTERACTION_MODE,
+  };
+}
+
 export function resolveThreadActionProjectRef(
   context: ChatThreadActionContext,
 ): ScopedProjectRef | null {
diff --git a/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts b/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts
index ac2d47ca3365..568984b93e81 100644
--- a/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts/src/settings.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vite-plus/test";
 import * as Schema from "effect/Schema";
 
+import { DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE } from "./orchestration.ts";
 import { ProviderInstanceId } from "./providerInstance.ts";
 import {
   ClientSettingsSchema,
@@ -14,6 +15,19 @@ const decodeServerSettings = Schema.decodeUnknownSync(ServerSettings);
 const decodeServerSettingsPatch = Schema.decodeUnknownSync(ServerSettingsPatch);
 const encodeServerSettings = Schema.encodeSync(ServerSettings);
 
+describe("ServerSettings default runtime mode", () => {
+  it("defaults new thread access mode to the existing runtime default", () => {
+    expect(DEFAULT_SERVER_SETTINGS.defaultRuntimeMode).toBe(DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE);
+    expect(decodeServerSettings({}).defaultRuntimeMode).toBe(DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts runtime mode patches", () => {
+    const patch = decodeServerSettingsPatch({ defaultRuntimeMode: "approval-required" });
+
+    expect(patch.defaultRuntimeMode).toBe("approval-required");
+  });
+});
+
 describe("ClientSettings word wrap", () => {
   it("defaults word wrap on", () => {
     expect(decodeClientSettings({}).wordWrap).toBe(true);
diff --git a/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts b/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts
index 6ccd65533dde..43e13fcc5336 100644
--- a/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts/src/settings.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import * as Schema from "effect/Schema";
 import * as SchemaTransformation from "effect/SchemaTransformation";
 import { TrimmedNonEmptyString, TrimmedString } from "./baseSchemas.ts";
 import { DEFAULT_GIT_TEXT_GENERATION_MODEL, ProviderOptionSelections } from "./model.ts";
-import { ModelSelection } from "./orchestration.ts";
+import { DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE, ModelSelection, RuntimeMode } from "./orchestration.ts";
 import { ProviderInstanceConfig, ProviderInstanceId } from "./providerInstance.ts";
 
 // ── Client Settings (local-only) ───────────────────────────────
@@ -374,6 +374,9 @@ export const ServerSettings = Schema.Struct({
   defaultThreadEnvMode: ThreadEnvMode.pipe(
     Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed("local" as const satisfies ThreadEnvMode)),
   ),
+  defaultRuntimeMode: RuntimeMode.pipe(
+    Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed(DEFAULT_RUNTIME_MODE)),
+  ),
   newWorktreesStartFromOrigin: Schema.Boolean.pipe(
     Schema.withDecodingDefault(Effect.succeed(false)),
   ),
@@ -507,6 +510,7 @@ export const ServerSettingsPatch = Schema.Struct({
   enableProviderUpdateChecks: Schema.optionalKey(Schema.Boolean),
   automaticGitFetchInterval: Schema.optionalKey(Schema.DurationFromMillis),
   defaultThreadEnvMode: Schema.optionalKey(ThreadEnvMode),
+  defaultRuntimeMode: Schema.optionalKey(RuntimeMode),
   newWorktreesStartFromOrigin: Schema.optionalKey(Schema.Boolean),
   addProjectBaseDirectory: Schema.optionalKey(TrimmedString),
   textGenerationModelSelection: Schema.optionalKey(ModelSelectionPatch),