diff --git a/src/web/public/index.html b/src/web/public/index.html
index 78407eca..a5dce01d 100644
--- a/src/web/public/index.html
+++ b/src/web/public/index.html
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@
             <span class="stat-value" id="statMem">--</span>
           </div>
         </div>
-        <button class="btn-icon-header btn-response-viewer-header" onclick="app.toggleResponseViewer()" title="View last response" aria-label="View last response"><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><path d="M1 12s4-8 11-8 11 8 11 8-4 8-11 8-11-8-11-8z"/><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="3"/></svg></button>
+        <button class="btn-icon-header btn-response-viewer-header btn-response-viewer-header--hidden" onclick="app.toggleResponseViewer()" title="View last response" aria-label="View last response"><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"><path d="M1 12s4-8 11-8 11 8 11 8-4 8-11 8-11-8-11-8z"/><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="3"/></svg></button>
         <button class="btn-icon-header btn-multimonitor btn-multimonitor--hidden" onclick="app.launchMultiMonitor()" title="Open Codeman across all displays" aria-label="Open Codeman across all displays"><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><rect x="2" y="4" width="13" height="9" rx="1.5"/><rect x="11" y="9" width="11" height="8" rx="1.5"/></svg></button>
         <button class="btn-icon-header btn-notifications" onclick="app.toggleNotifications()" title="Notifications" aria-label="Toggle notifications" style="display:none;">
           <svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M18 8A6 6 0 0 0 6 8c0 7-3 9-3 9h18s-3-2-3-9"/><path d="M13.73 21a2 2 0 0 1-3.46 0"/></svg>
diff --git a/src/web/public/settings-ui.js b/src/web/public/settings-ui.js
index c6acc9ff..fdb61dbd 100644
--- a/src/web/public/settings-ui.js
+++ b/src/web/public/settings-ui.js
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
     document.getElementById('appSettingsShowTokenCount').checked = settings.showTokenCount ?? defaults.showTokenCount ?? true;
     document.getElementById('appSettingsShowCost').checked = settings.showCost ?? defaults.showCost ?? false;
     document.getElementById('appSettingsShowLifecycleLog').checked = settings.showLifecycleLog ?? defaults.showLifecycleLog ?? true;
-    document.getElementById('appSettingsShowResponseViewer').checked = settings.showResponseViewer ?? defaults.showResponseViewer ?? true;
+    document.getElementById('appSettingsShowResponseViewer').checked = settings.showResponseViewer ?? defaults.showResponseViewer ?? false;
     document.getElementById('appSettingsShowMonitor').checked = settings.showMonitor ?? defaults.showMonitor ?? false;
     document.getElementById('appSettingsShowProjectInsights').checked = settings.showProjectInsights ?? defaults.showProjectInsights ?? false;
     document.getElementById('appSettingsShowFileBrowser').checked = settings.showFileBrowser ?? defaults.showFileBrowser ?? false;
@@ -1674,7 +1674,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
 
     // Hide the response viewer (eye) button when setting is disabled.
     // Marker class, not inline style — the base rule is display:inline-flex !important.
-    const showResponseViewer = settings.showResponseViewer ?? defaults.showResponseViewer ?? true;
+    const showResponseViewer = settings.showResponseViewer ?? defaults.showResponseViewer ?? false;
     const responseViewerBtn = document.querySelector('.btn-response-viewer-header');
     if (responseViewerBtn) {
       responseViewerBtn.classList.toggle('btn-response-viewer-header--hidden', !showResponseViewer);