diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/data/prefs/SettingsPrefs.kt b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/data/prefs/SettingsPrefs.kt
index 733745d..baaaaeb 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/data/prefs/SettingsPrefs.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/data/prefs/SettingsPrefs.kt
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ data class Settings(
     val pushEnabled: Boolean = true,
     /** Lists of the current store whose tasks the smart lists (and their counts) leave out. */
     val hiddenFromSmartLists: Set<Long> = emptySet(),
+    /** Pre-fill a new task's start with today's date. */
+    val defaultStartToday: Boolean = false,
 ) {
     /** [tasks] as [filter] shows them: a smart list drops the lists kept out of it. */
     fun visibleIn(filter: TaskFilter, tasks: List<Task>): List<Task> =
@@ -153,6 +155,7 @@ class SettingsPrefs @Inject constructor(
                     .mapNotNull { entry -> entry.substringAfter("$mode:", "").toLongOrNull() }
                     .toSet()
             },
+            defaultStartToday = p[DEFAULT_START_TODAY] ?: false,
         )
     }
 
@@ -166,6 +169,8 @@ class SettingsPrefs @Inject constructor(
 
     suspend fun setAutofocusTitle(enabled: Boolean) = dataStore.edit { it[AUTOFOCUS_TITLE] = enabled }
 
+    suspend fun setDefaultStartToday(enabled: Boolean) = dataStore.edit { it[DEFAULT_START_TODAY] = enabled }
+
     suspend fun setTimeFormat(pref: TimeFormatPref) = dataStore.edit { it[TIME_FORMAT] = pref.name }
 
     suspend fun setWeekStart(day: DayOfWeek?) = dataStore.edit {
@@ -282,6 +287,7 @@ class SettingsPrefs @Inject constructor(
         val SYNC_INTERVAL = intPreferencesKey("sync_interval_minutes")
         val PUSH_ENABLED = booleanPreferencesKey("push_enabled")
         val SMART_LIST_HIDDEN = stringSetPreferencesKey("smart_list_hidden")
+        val DEFAULT_START_TODAY = booleanPreferencesKey("default_start_today")
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/edit/TaskEditViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/edit/TaskEditViewModel.kt
index 2c75dec..058eee1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/edit/TaskEditViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/edit/TaskEditViewModel.kt
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.asStateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.first
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import javax.inject.Inject
+import kotlin.time.Clock
 import kotlin.time.Instant
 
 /**
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ class TaskEditViewModel @Inject constructor(
                     isNew = true,
                     autofocusTitle = settings.autofocusTitle,
                     listId = defaultList,
+                    start = if (settings.defaultStartToday) Clock.System.now() else null,
                     parentId = parentId,
                     lists = lists,
                     parentCandidates = loadParents(defaultList, selfId = null),
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt
index e74a509..7171ae1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ class SettingsViewModel @Inject constructor(
     fun setSnoozeMinutes(minutes: Int) = viewModelScope.launch { prefs.setSnoozeMinutes(minutes) }
     fun setShowAddSubtaskRow(show: Boolean) = viewModelScope.launch { prefs.setShowAddSubtaskRow(show) }
     fun setBottomAddBar(enabled: Boolean) = viewModelScope.launch { prefs.setBottomAddBar(enabled) }
+    fun setDefaultStartToday(enabled: Boolean) = viewModelScope.launch { prefs.setDefaultStartToday(enabled) }
 
     /** Toggle whether [field] shows by default on a new task's edit form. */
     fun setFormFieldDefault(field: TaskFormField, enabled: Boolean) = viewModelScope.launch {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/TaskFormScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/TaskFormScreen.kt
index d8d7268..cd1c891 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/TaskFormScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/jeanlucmakiola/agendula/ui/settings/TaskFormScreen.kt
@@ -99,6 +99,18 @@ internal fun TaskFormScreen(
             },
             onClick = { viewModel.setShowAddSubtaskRow(!state.settings.showAddSubtaskRow) },
         )
+        GroupedRow(
+            title = stringResource(R.string.settings_default_start_today),
+            summary = stringResource(R.string.settings_default_start_today_hint),
+            position = Position.Middle,
+            trailing = {
+                Switch(
+                    checked = state.settings.defaultStartToday,
+                    onCheckedChange = viewModel::setDefaultStartToday,
+                )
+            },
+            onClick = { viewModel.setDefaultStartToday(!state.settings.defaultStartToday) },
+        )
         GroupedRow(
             title = stringResource(R.string.settings_bottom_add_bar),
             summary = stringResource(R.string.settings_bottom_add_bar_hint),
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index f89e585..0daf5fb 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -430,6 +430,8 @@
     <string name="settings_default_list_first">First available list</string>
     <string name="settings_add_subtask_row">Show \"add a subtask\" row</string>
     <string name="settings_add_subtask_row_hint">An add field at the end of an expanded task\'s subtasks</string>
+    <string name="settings_default_start_today">Default start to today</string>
+    <string name="settings_default_start_today_hint">Pre-fill a new task\'s start with today\'s date</string>
     <string name="settings_bottom_add_bar">Bottom quick-add bar</string>
     <string name="settings_bottom_add_bar_hint">Add tasks from a bar pinned to the bottom of a list, instead of the floating button</string>