diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/xml/general_preferences.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/xml/general_preferences.xml
index 9f4fdd919..db3c08585 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/xml/general_preferences.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/xml/general_preferences.xml
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     <SwitchPreferenceCompat
         app:key="Main/AutoLoadCheats"
         app:title="@string/settings_load_patch_codes"
-        app:defaultValue="false"
+        app:defaultValue="true"
         app:summary="@string/settings_summary_load_patch_codes"
         app:iconSpaceReserved="false" />
     <SwitchPreferenceCompat
diff --git a/src/core/host_interface.cpp b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
index 88ec11d21..7bf4a851f 100644
--- a/src/core/host_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
@@ -500,6 +500,7 @@ void HostInterface::SetDefaultSettings(SettingsInterface& si)
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "ConfirmPowerOff", true);
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "LoadDevicesFromSaveStates", false);
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "ApplyGameSettings", true);
+  si.SetBoolValue("Main", "AutoLoadCheats", true);
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "DisableAllEnhancements", false);
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "RewindEnable", false);
   si.SetFloatValue("Main", "RewindFrequency", 10.0f);
diff --git a/src/core/settings.cpp b/src/core/settings.cpp
index c3816ec43..3d810e6cb 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/core/settings.cpp
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ void Settings::Load(SettingsInterface& si)
   confim_power_off = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "ConfirmPowerOff", true);
   load_devices_from_save_states = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "LoadDevicesFromSaveStates", false);
   apply_game_settings = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "ApplyGameSettings", true);
-  auto_load_cheats = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "AutoLoadCheats", false);
+  auto_load_cheats = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "AutoLoadCheats", true);
   disable_all_enhancements = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "DisableAllEnhancements", false);
   rewind_enable = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "RewindEnable", false);
   rewind_save_frequency = si.GetFloatValue("Main", "RewindFrequency", 10.0f);
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/generalsettingswidget.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/generalsettingswidget.cpp
index 75e74a104..bc30b0adc 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/generalsettingswidget.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/generalsettingswidget.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ GeneralSettingsWidget::GeneralSettingsWidget(QtHostInterface* host_interface, QW
                                                "LoadDevicesFromSaveStates", false);
   SettingWidgetBinder::BindWidgetToBoolSetting(m_host_interface, m_ui.applyGameSettings, "Main", "ApplyGameSettings",
                                                true);
-  SettingWidgetBinder::BindWidgetToBoolSetting(m_host_interface, m_ui.autoLoadCheats, "Main", "AutoLoadCheats", false);
+  SettingWidgetBinder::BindWidgetToBoolSetting(m_host_interface, m_ui.autoLoadCheats, "Main", "AutoLoadCheats", true);
   SettingWidgetBinder::BindWidgetToBoolSetting(m_host_interface, m_ui.enableFullscreenUI, "Main", "EnableFullscreenUI",
                                                false);