diff --git a/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.toml b/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.toml
index 5a8565d5a5..a91985ee41 100644
--- a/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.toml
+++ b/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.toml
@@ -6638,9 +6638,13 @@ defaultPdfEditorActive = "Stirling PDF is your default PDF editor"
 defaultPdfEditorChecking = "Checking..."
 defaultPdfEditorInactive = "Another application is set as default"
 defaultPdfEditorSet = "Already Default"
+defaultStartupView = "Default view on launch"
+defaultStartupViewDescription = "Choose which tab is active in the left column when the app starts"
 defaultToolPickerMode = "Default tool picker mode"
 defaultToolPickerModeDescription = "Choose whether the tool picker opens in fullscreen or sidebar by default"
 description = "Configure general application preferences."
+defaultViewerZoom = "Default reader zoom"
+defaultViewerZoomDescription = "Set the default zoom level when opening PDFs in the reader"
 hideUnavailableConversions = "Hide unavailable conversions"
 hideUnavailableConversionsDescription = "Remove disabled conversion options in the Convert tool instead of showing them greyed out."
 hideUnavailableTools = "Hide unavailable tools"
@@ -6663,6 +6667,16 @@ title = "For System Administrators"
 fullscreen = "Fullscreen"
 sidebar = "Sidebar"
 
+[settings.general.startupView]
+automate = "Automate"
+read = "Reader"
+tools = "Tools"
+
+[settings.general.zoomLevel]
+auto = "Auto"
+fitPage = "Fit page"
+fitWidth = "Fit width"
+
 [settings.general.updates]
 checkForUpdates = "Check for Updates"
 currentBackendVersion = "Current Backend Version"
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
index 2d4c9f42de..d65bdcc8bf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/shared/config/configSections/GeneralSection.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   Tooltip,
   NumberInput,
   SegmentedControl,
+  Select,
   Code,
   Group,
   Anchor,
@@ -19,6 +20,8 @@ import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { usePreferences } from "@app/contexts/PreferencesContext";
 import { useAppConfig } from "@app/contexts/AppConfigContext";
 import type { ToolPanelMode } from "@app/constants/toolPanel";
+import type { StartupView, ViewerZoomSetting } from "@app/services/preferencesService";
+import { Z_INDEX_OVER_CONFIG_MODAL } from "@app/styles/zIndex";
 import LocalIcon from "@app/components/shared/LocalIcon";
 import { updateService, UpdateSummary } from "@app/services/updateService";
 import UpdateModal from "@app/components/shared/UpdateModal";
@@ -293,6 +296,61 @@ const GeneralSection: React.FC<GeneralSectionProps> = ({ hideTitle = false, hide
               ]}
             />
           </div>
+          <div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
+            <div>
+              <Text fw={500} size="sm">
+                {t("settings.general.defaultStartupView", "Default view on launch")}
+              </Text>
+              <Text size="xs" c="dimmed" mt={4}>
+                {t(
+                  "settings.general.defaultStartupViewDescription",
+                  "Choose which tab is active in the left column when the app starts",
+                )}
+              </Text>
+            </div>
+            <SegmentedControl
+              value={preferences.defaultStartupView}
+              onChange={(val: string) => updatePreference("defaultStartupView", val as StartupView)}
+              data={[
+                { label: t("settings.general.startupView.tools", "Tools"), value: "tools" },
+                { label: t("settings.general.startupView.read", "Reader"), value: "read" },
+                { label: t("settings.general.startupView.automate", "Automate"), value: "automate" },
+              ]}
+            />
+          </div>
+          <div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
+            <div>
+              <Text fw={500} size="sm">
+                {t("settings.general.defaultViewerZoom", "Default reader zoom")}
+              </Text>
+              <Text size="xs" c="dimmed" mt={4}>
+                {t(
+                  "settings.general.defaultViewerZoomDescription",
+                  "Set the default zoom level when opening PDFs in the reader",
+                )}
+              </Text>
+            </div>
+            <Select
+              value={preferences.defaultViewerZoom}
+              onChange={(val: string | null) => {
+                if (val) updatePreference("defaultViewerZoom", val as ViewerZoomSetting);
+              }}
+              data={[
+                { label: t("settings.general.zoomLevel.auto", "Auto"), value: "auto" },
+                { label: t("settings.general.zoomLevel.fitWidth", "Fit width"), value: "fitWidth" },
+                { label: t("settings.general.zoomLevel.fitPage", "Fit page"), value: "fitPage" },
+                { label: "50%", value: "50" },
+                { label: "75%", value: "75" },
+                { label: "100%", value: "100" },
+                { label: "125%", value: "125" },
+                { label: "150%", value: "150" },
+                { label: "200%", value: "200" },
+              ]}
+              style={{ width: 140 }}
+              allowDeselect={false}
+              comboboxProps={{ withinPortal: true, zIndex: Z_INDEX_OVER_CONFIG_MODAL }}
+            />
+          </div>
           <div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
             <div>
               <Text fw={500} size="sm">
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/viewer/ZoomAPIBridge.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/viewer/ZoomAPIBridge.tsx
index 1b0ea744d4..836716682b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/viewer/ZoomAPIBridge.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/viewer/ZoomAPIBridge.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
 } from '@app/utils/viewerZoom';
 import { getFirstPageAspectRatioFromStub } from '@app/utils/pageMetadata';
 import { useDocumentReady } from '@app/components/viewer/hooks/useDocumentReady';
+import { preferencesService, type ViewerZoomSetting } from '@app/services/preferencesService';
 
 /**
  * Connects the PDF zoom plugin to the shared ViewerContext.
@@ -155,6 +156,21 @@ function ZoomAPIBridgeInner({ documentId }: { documentId: string }) {
         return;
       }
 
+      // Check user preference for default viewer zoom
+      const zoomPref: ViewerZoomSetting = preferencesService.getPreference('defaultViewerZoom');
+      if (zoomPref !== 'auto') {
+        if (zoomPref === 'fitWidth') {
+          applyTrackedZoom(ZoomMode.FitWidth, fitWidthZoom);
+        } else if (zoomPref === 'fitPage') {
+          applyTrackedZoom(ZoomMode.FitPage, fitWidthZoom);
+        } else {
+          // Numeric zoom: '50', '75', '100', '125', '150', '200'
+          const numericZoom = parseInt(zoomPref, 10) / 100;
+          applyTrackedZoom(numericZoom, numericZoom);
+        }
+        return;
+      }
+
       const viewportWidth = window.innerWidth ?? 0;
       const viewportHeight = window.innerHeight ?? 0;
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx b/frontend/src/core/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx
index 564dfa004c..6cd83598c8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/contexts/ToolWorkflowContext.tsx
@@ -258,6 +258,28 @@ export function ToolWorkflowProvider({ children }: ToolWorkflowProviderProps) {
     }
   }, [preferences.defaultToolPanelMode, state.toolPanelMode]);
 
+  // Apply default startup view preference on initial load.
+  // This runs once to navigate to the user's preferred tab (read/automate)
+  // instead of always starting on the tools tab.
+  const hasAppliedStartupView = React.useRef(false);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (hasAppliedStartupView.current) return;
+    const startupView = preferences.defaultStartupView;
+    if (startupView === 'read') {
+      hasAppliedStartupView.current = true;
+      setReaderMode(true);
+      actions.setSelectedTool('read');
+    } else if (startupView === 'automate') {
+      hasAppliedStartupView.current = true;
+      actions.setSelectedTool('automate');
+      setLeftPanelView('toolContent');
+    }
+    // 'tools' is the default — no action needed
+    if (startupView === 'tools') {
+      hasAppliedStartupView.current = true;
+    }
+  }, [preferences.defaultStartupView, actions, setReaderMode, setLeftPanelView]);
+
   // Tool reset methods
   const registerToolReset = useCallback((toolId: string, resetFunction: () => void) => {
     setToolResetFunctions(prev => ({ ...prev, [toolId]: resetFunction }));
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/services/preferencesService.ts b/frontend/src/core/services/preferencesService.ts
index d951099a9e..34ea05e6d2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/services/preferencesService.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/core/services/preferencesService.ts
@@ -5,10 +5,16 @@ export type LogoVariant = 'modern' | 'classic';
 
 export type PdfRenderMode = 'normal' | 'dark' | 'sepia';
 
+export type StartupView = 'tools' | 'read' | 'automate';
+
+export type ViewerZoomSetting = 'auto' | 'fitWidth' | 'fitPage' | '50' | '75' | '100' | '125' | '150' | '200';
+
 export interface UserPreferences {
   autoUnzip: boolean;
   autoUnzipFileLimit: number;
   defaultToolPanelMode: ToolPanelMode;
+  defaultStartupView: StartupView;
+  defaultViewerZoom: ViewerZoomSetting;
   theme: ThemeMode;
   toolPanelModePromptSeen: boolean;
   hasSelectedToolPanelMode: boolean;
@@ -26,6 +32,8 @@ export const DEFAULT_PREFERENCES: UserPreferences = {
   autoUnzip: true,
   autoUnzipFileLimit: 4,
   defaultToolPanelMode: DEFAULT_TOOL_PANEL_MODE,
+  defaultStartupView: 'tools',
+  defaultViewerZoom: 'auto',
   theme: getSystemTheme(),
   toolPanelModePromptSeen: false,
   hasSelectedToolPanelMode: false,