diff --git a/docs/cli/settings.md b/docs/cli/settings.md
index ac1fdc98fc..3165983d14 100644
--- a/docs/cli/settings.md
+++ b/docs/cli/settings.md
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ they appear in the UI.
 | Dynamic Window Title                 | `ui.dynamicWindowTitle`                | Update the terminal window title with current status icons (Ready: ◇, Action Required: ✋, Working: ✦)                                                            | `true`   |
 | Show Home Directory Warning          | `ui.showHomeDirectoryWarning`          | Show a warning when running Gemini CLI in the home directory.                                                                                                     | `true`   |
 | Show Compatibility Warnings          | `ui.showCompatibilityWarnings`         | Show warnings about terminal or OS compatibility issues.                                                                                                          | `true`   |
-| Hide Tips                            | `ui.hideTips`                          | Hide helpful tips in the UI                                                                                                                                       | `false`  |
+| Hide Tips                            | `ui.hideTips`                          | Hide helpful tips in the UI                                                                                                                                       | `true`   |
 | Escape Pasted @ Symbols              | `ui.escapePastedAtSymbols`             | When enabled, @ symbols in pasted text are escaped to prevent unintended @path expansion.                                                                         | `false`  |
 | Show Shortcuts Hint                  | `ui.showShortcutsHint`                 | Show the "? for shortcuts" hint above the input.                                                                                                                  | `true`   |
 | Hide Banner                          | `ui.hideBanner`                        | Hide the application banner                                                                                                                                       | `false`  |
diff --git a/docs/reference/configuration.md b/docs/reference/configuration.md
index acfb272754..91e19076f1 100644
--- a/docs/reference/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/reference/configuration.md
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ their corresponding top-level category object in your `settings.json` file.
 
 - **`ui.hideTips`** (boolean):
   - **Description:** Hide helpful tips in the UI
-  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Default:** `true`
 
 - **`ui.escapePastedAtSymbols`** (boolean):
   - **Description:** When enabled, @ symbols in pasted text are escaped to
@@ -1933,7 +1933,7 @@ of v0.3.0:
   "ui": {
     "theme": "GitHub",
     "hideBanner": true,
-    "hideTips": false,
+    "hideTips": true,
     "customWittyPhrases": [
       "You forget a thousand things every day. Make sure this is one of ’em",
       "Connecting to AGI"
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts
index c40e87db18..cc214564ac 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ const SETTINGS_SCHEMA = {
         label: 'Hide Tips',
         category: 'UI',
         requiresRestart: false,
-        default: false,
+        default: true,
         description: 'Hide helpful tips in the UI',
         showInDialog: true,
       },
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/App.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/App.test.tsx
index 3505e63452..f31d656b77 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/App.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/App.test.tsx
@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
   it('should render main content and composer when not quitting', async () => {
     const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
       uiState: mockUIState,
-      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: false } }),
+      settings: createMockSettings({
+        ui: { useAlternateBuffer: false, hideTips: false },
+      }),
     });
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Tips for getting started');
@@ -111,7 +113,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
 
     const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
       uiState: quittingUIState,
-      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: false } }),
+      settings: createMockSettings({
+        ui: { useAlternateBuffer: false, hideTips: false },
+      }),
     });
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Quitting...');
@@ -128,7 +132,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
 
     const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
       uiState: quittingUIState,
-      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+      settings: createMockSettings({
+        ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+      }),
     });
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('HistoryItemDisplay');
@@ -144,7 +150,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
 
     const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
       uiState: dialogUIState,
-      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+      settings: createMockSettings({
+        ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+      }),
     });
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Tips for getting started');
@@ -167,7 +175,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
 
       const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
         uiState,
-        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+        settings: createMockSettings({
+          ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+        }),
       });
 
       expect(lastFrame()).toContain(`Press Ctrl+${key} again to exit.`);
@@ -180,7 +190,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
 
     const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
       uiState: mockUIState,
-      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+      settings: createMockSettings({
+        ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+      }),
     });
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Notifications');
@@ -195,7 +207,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
 
     const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
       uiState: mockUIState,
-      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+      settings: createMockSettings({
+        ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+      }),
     });
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Tips for getting started');
@@ -247,7 +261,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
     const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
       uiState: stateWithConfirmingTool,
       config: configWithExperiment,
-      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+      settings: createMockSettings({
+        ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+      }),
     });
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Tips for getting started');
@@ -263,7 +279,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
       (useIsScreenReaderEnabled as Mock).mockReturnValue(false);
       const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
         uiState: mockUIState,
-        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+        settings: createMockSettings({
+          ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+        }),
       });
       expect(lastFrame()).toMatchSnapshot();
       unmount();
@@ -273,7 +291,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
       (useIsScreenReaderEnabled as Mock).mockReturnValue(true);
       const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
         uiState: mockUIState,
-        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+        settings: createMockSettings({
+          ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+        }),
       });
       expect(lastFrame()).toMatchSnapshot();
       unmount();
@@ -286,7 +306,9 @@ describe('App', () => {
       } as UIState;
       const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<App />, {
         uiState: dialogUIState,
-        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true } }),
+        settings: createMockSettings({
+          ui: { useAlternateBuffer: true, hideTips: false },
+        }),
       });
       expect(lastFrame()).toMatchSnapshot();
       unmount();
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.test.tsx
index 4dbdbc0052..03697b1b6d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.test.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   renderWithProviders,
   persistentStateMock,
 } from '../../test-utils/render.js';
+import { createMockSettings } from '../../test-utils/settings.js';
 import type { LoadedSettings } from '../../config/settings.js';
 import { AppHeader } from './AppHeader.js';
 import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
       <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
       {
         uiState,
+        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
       },
     );
 
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
       <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
       {
         uiState,
+        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
       },
     );
 
@@ -76,6 +79,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
       <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
       {
         uiState,
+        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
       },
     );
 
@@ -106,6 +110,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
       <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
       {
         uiState,
+        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
       },
     );
 
@@ -160,6 +165,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
       <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
       {
         uiState,
+        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
       },
     );
 
@@ -183,6 +189,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
       <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
       {
         uiState,
+        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
       },
     );
 
@@ -205,6 +212,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
       <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
       {
         uiState,
+        settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
       },
     );
 
@@ -227,6 +235,7 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
     // First session
     const session1 = await renderWithProviders(<AppHeader version="1.0.0" />, {
       uiState,
+      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
     });
 
     expect(session1.lastFrame()).toContain('Tips');
@@ -234,10 +243,9 @@ describe('<AppHeader />', () => {
     session1.unmount();
 
     // Second session - state is persisted in the fake
-    const session2 = await renderWithProviders(
-      <AppHeader version="1.0.0" />,
-      {},
-    );
+    const session2 = await renderWithProviders(<AppHeader version="1.0.0" />, {
+      settings: createMockSettings({ ui: { hideTips: false } }),
+    });
 
     expect(session2.lastFrame()).not.toContain('Tips');
     session2.unmount();
diff --git a/schemas/settings.schema.json b/schemas/settings.schema.json
index 52a6f1e183..8d04f9e640 100644
--- a/schemas/settings.schema.json
+++ b/schemas/settings.schema.json
@@ -299,8 +299,8 @@
         "hideTips": {
           "title": "Hide Tips",
           "description": "Hide helpful tips in the UI",
-          "markdownDescription": "Hide helpful tips in the UI\n\n- Category: `UI`\n- Requires restart: `no`\n- Default: `false`",
-          "default": false,
+          "markdownDescription": "Hide helpful tips in the UI\n\n- Category: `UI`\n- Requires restart: `no`\n- Default: `true`",
+          "default": true,
           "type": "boolean"
         },
         "escapePastedAtSymbols": {