diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 6338d8ad..b3368e40 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 * **[Mission Generation]** Automatic datalink network setup for applicable aircraft (_should_ in theory avoid the need to re-save the mission)
 * **[Options]** New option to force-enable deck-crew for super-carriers on dedicated server.
 * **[Mission Generation]** Enable Supercarrier's LSO & Airboss stations
+* **[UX]** Default settings are now loaded from Default.zip
 * **[Autoplanner]** Plan Air-to-Air Escorts for AWACS & Tankers
 
 ## Fixes
diff --git a/game/settings/settings.py b/game/settings/settings.py
index b808591a..4326da56 100644
--- a/game/settings/settings.py
+++ b/game/settings/settings.py
@@ -1339,27 +1339,31 @@ class Settings:
         self.plugins[self.plugin_settings_key(identifier)] = value
 
     def __setstate__(self, state: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
-        # restore Enum & timedelta types
-        for key, value in state.items():
-            if isinstance(self.__dict__.get(key), timedelta) and isinstance(value, int):
-                state[key] = timedelta(minutes=value)
-            elif isinstance(self.__dict__.get(key), Enum) and isinstance(value, str):
-                state[key] = eval(value)
-            elif isinstance(value, dict):
-                state[key] = self.obj_hook(value)
-
         # __setstate__ is called with the dict of the object being unpickled. We
         # can provide save compatibility for new settings options (which
         # normally would not be present in the unpickled object) by creating a
         # new settings object, updating it with the unpickled state, and
         # updating our dict with that.
         new_state = Settings().__dict__
-        new_state.update(state)
+        new_state.update(self.deserialize_state_dict(state))
         self.__dict__.update(new_state)
         from game.plugins import LuaPluginManager
 
         LuaPluginManager().load_settings(self)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def deserialize_state_dict(state: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        # restore Enum & timedelta types
+        s = Settings()
+        for key, value in state.items():
+            if isinstance(s.__dict__.get(key), timedelta) and isinstance(value, int):
+                state[key] = timedelta(minutes=value)
+            elif isinstance(s.__dict__.get(key), Enum) and isinstance(value, str):
+                state[key] = eval(value)
+            elif isinstance(value, dict):
+                state[key] = s.obj_hook(value)
+        return state
+
     @classmethod
     def _field_description(cls, settings_field: Field[Any]) -> OptionDescription:
         return settings_field.metadata[SETTING_DESCRIPTION_KEY]
diff --git a/qt_ui/windows/newgame/WizardPages/QNewGameSettings.py b/qt_ui/windows/newgame/WizardPages/QNewGameSettings.py
index edbd970f..1c6d273a 100644
--- a/qt_ui/windows/newgame/WizardPages/QNewGameSettings.py
+++ b/qt_ui/windows/newgame/WizardPages/QNewGameSettings.py
@@ -12,26 +12,29 @@ class NewGameSettings(QtWidgets.QWizardPage):
         super().__init__(parent)
 
         self.setTitle("Campaign options")
-        self.setSubTitle("\nAll other options unrelated to campaign generation.")
+        self.setSubTitle(
+            "\nAll other options unrelated to campaign generation. Defaults can be changed by overwriting Default.zip"
+        )
         self.setPixmap(
             QtWidgets.QWizard.WizardPixmap.LogoPixmap,
             QtGui.QPixmap("./resources/ui/wizard/logo1.png"),
         )
 
         settings = Settings()
-        settings.__setstate__(campaign.settings)
+        self.settings_widget = QSettingsWidget(settings)
+        self.settings_widget.load_default_settings()
+        settings.__dict__.update(Settings.deserialize_state_dict(campaign.settings))
         settings.player_income_multiplier = (
             campaign.recommended_player_income_multiplier
         )
         settings.enemy_income_multiplier = campaign.recommended_enemy_income_multiplier
-        settings.__dict__.update(campaign.settings)
-        self.settings_widget = QSettingsWidget(settings)
+        self.settings_widget.update_from_settings()
         self.setLayout(self.settings_widget.layout)
 
     def set_campaign_values(self, c: Campaign):
         sw = self.settings_widget
-        sw.settings.__setstate__(c.settings)
+        sw.load_default_settings()
+        sw.settings.__dict__.update(Settings.deserialize_state_dict(c.settings))
         sw.settings.player_income_multiplier = c.recommended_player_income_multiplier
         sw.settings.enemy_income_multiplier = c.recommended_enemy_income_multiplier
-        sw.settings.__dict__.update(c.settings)
         sw.update_from_settings()
diff --git a/qt_ui/windows/settings/QSettingsWindow.py b/qt_ui/windows/settings/QSettingsWindow.py
index 6d4525b2..68bf96fd 100644
--- a/qt_ui/windows/settings/QSettingsWindow.py
+++ b/qt_ui/windows/settings/QSettingsWindow.py
@@ -572,3 +572,33 @@ class QSettingsWidget(QtWidgets.QWizardPage, SettingsContainer):
                     ),
                     zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED,
                 )
+
+    def load_default_settings(self):
+        sd = settings_dir()
+        default_zip_path = sd / "Default.zip"
+        if default_zip_path.exists():
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(default_zip_path, "r") as zf:
+                filename = "Default.json"
+                if filename in zf.namelist():
+                    settings_data = json.loads(
+                        zf.read(filename).decode("utf-8"),
+                        object_hook=self.settings.obj_hook,
+                    )
+                    self.settings.__setstate__(settings_data)
+        else:
+            if self.settings is None:
+                default_settings = Settings()
+            else:
+                default_settings = self.settings
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(default_zip_path, "w", zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zf:
+                filename = "Default.json"
+                zf.writestr(
+                    filename,
+                    json.dumps(
+                        default_settings.__dict__,
+                        indent=2,
+                        default=default_settings.default_json,
+                    ),
+                    zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED,
+                )
+            self.settings.__setstate__(default_settings.__dict__)