diff --git a/src/core/host_interface.cpp b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
index 63f8f5215..bc119b0e2 100644
--- a/src/core/host_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ void HostInterface::SetDefaultSettings(SettingsInterface& si)
   si.SetFloatValue("Main", "EmulationSpeed", 1.0f);
   si.SetFloatValue("Main", "FastForwardSpeed", 0.0f);
   si.SetFloatValue("Main", "TurboSpeed", 0.0f);
-  si.SetBoolValue("Main", "SyncToHostRefreshRate", true);
+  si.SetBoolValue("Main", "SyncToHostRefreshRate", false);
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "IncreaseTimerResolution", true);
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "StartPaused", false);
   si.SetBoolValue("Main", "StartFullscreen", false);
diff --git a/src/core/settings.cpp b/src/core/settings.cpp
index 1d08b8ed7..09449a266 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/core/settings.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ void Settings::Load(SettingsInterface& si)
   emulation_speed = si.GetFloatValue("Main", "EmulationSpeed", 1.0f);
   fast_forward_speed = si.GetFloatValue("Main", "FastForwardSpeed", 0.0f);
   turbo_speed = si.GetFloatValue("Main", "TurboSpeed", 0.0f);
-  sync_to_host_refresh_rate = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "SyncToHostRefreshRate", true);
+  sync_to_host_refresh_rate = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "SyncToHostRefreshRate", false);
   increase_timer_resolution = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "IncreaseTimerResolution", true);
   start_paused = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "StartPaused", false);
   start_fullscreen = si.GetBoolValue("Main", "StartFullscreen", false);
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/consolesettingswidget.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/consolesettingswidget.cpp
index 00f88434b..258496bca 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/consolesettingswidget.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/consolesettingswidget.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ ConsoleSettingsWidget::ConsoleSettingsWidget(QtHostInterface* host_interface, QW
                                                &Settings::ParseConsoleRegionName, &Settings::GetConsoleRegionName,
                                                Settings::DEFAULT_CONSOLE_REGION);
   SettingWidgetBinder::BindWidgetToBoolSetting(m_host_interface, m_ui.syncToHostRefreshRate, "Main",
-                                               "SyncToHostRefreshRate", true);
+                                               "SyncToHostRefreshRate", false);
   SettingWidgetBinder::BindWidgetToEnumSetting(m_host_interface, m_ui.cpuExecutionMode, "CPU", "ExecutionMode",
                                                &Settings::ParseCPUExecutionMode, &Settings::GetCPUExecutionModeName,
                                                Settings::DEFAULT_CPU_EXECUTION_MODE);
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ ConsoleSettingsWidget::ConsoleSettingsWidget(QtHostInterface* host_interface, QW
     tr("Sets the turbo speed. This speed will be used when the turbo hotkey is pressed/toggled. Turboing will take "
        "priority over fast forwarding if both hotkeys are pressed/toggled."));
   dialog->registerWidgetHelp(
-    m_ui.syncToHostRefreshRate, tr("Sync To Host Refresh Rate"), tr("Checked"),
+    m_ui.syncToHostRefreshRate, tr("Sync To Host Refresh Rate"), tr("Unchecked"),
     tr("Adjusts the emulation speed so the console's refresh rate matches the host's refresh rate when both VSync and "
        "Audio Resampling settings are enabled. This results in the smoothest animations possible, at the cost of "
        "potentially increasing the emulation speed by less than 1%. Sync To Host Refresh Rate will not take effect if "