diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx b/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
index fe404d1..358f161 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ export function Sidebar({ open, onToggle }) {
     stopClaudeSession,
     clearMessages,
     updateSessionConfig,
+    settings,
+    updateSettings,
   } = useSessionManager();
 
   const { user, authEnabled, logout, isAdmin } = useAuth();
@@ -102,6 +104,22 @@ export function Sidebar({ open, onToggle }) {
     updateSessionConfig(focusedSessionId, { resumeOnStart: !resumeSession });
   }, [focusedSessionId, resumeSession, updateSessionConfig]);
 
+  // Handle autoConnect toggle
+  const handleToggleAutoConnect = useCallback(() => {
+    const newAutoConnect = !settings?.autoConnect;
+    // If disabling autoConnect, also disable autoStart
+    if (!newAutoConnect) {
+      updateSettings({ autoConnect: false, autoStart: false });
+    } else {
+      updateSettings({ autoConnect: true });
+    }
+  }, [settings?.autoConnect, updateSettings]);
+
+  // Handle autoStart toggle
+  const handleToggleAutoStart = useCallback(() => {
+    updateSettings({ autoStart: !settings?.autoStart });
+  }, [settings?.autoStart, updateSettings]);
+
   // Browse directories on host
   const browsePath = useCallback(async (path) => {
     if (!currentHost) return;
@@ -320,7 +338,7 @@ export function Sidebar({ open, onToggle }) {
           )}
 
           {/* Resume toggle */}
-          <div className="pt-2">
+          <div className="pt-2 space-y-3">
             <label className="flex items-center gap-3 cursor-pointer group">
               <div
                 onClick={handleToggleResume}
@@ -340,6 +358,49 @@ export function Sidebar({ open, onToggle }) {
                 Resume previous session
               </span>
             </label>
+
+            {/* Auto-connect toggle */}
+            <label className="flex items-center gap-3 cursor-pointer group">
+              <div
+                onClick={handleToggleAutoConnect}
+                className={`
+                  relative w-10 h-5 rounded-full transition-colors
+                  ${settings?.autoConnect ? 'bg-orange-600' : 'bg-dark-700'}
+                `}
+              >
+                <div
+                  className={`
+                    absolute top-0.5 w-4 h-4 rounded-full bg-white shadow transition-transform
+                    ${settings?.autoConnect ? 'translate-x-5' : 'translate-x-0.5'}
+                  `}
+                />
+              </div>
+              <span className="text-sm text-dark-300 group-hover:text-dark-200">
+                Auto-connect on load
+              </span>
+            </label>
+
+            {/* Auto-start toggle (only works if auto-connect is enabled) */}
+            <label className={`flex items-center gap-3 cursor-pointer group ${!settings?.autoConnect ? 'opacity-50' : ''}`}>
+              <div
+                onClick={() => settings?.autoConnect && handleToggleAutoStart()}
+                className={`
+                  relative w-10 h-5 rounded-full transition-colors
+                  ${settings?.autoStart && settings?.autoConnect ? 'bg-orange-600' : 'bg-dark-700'}
+                  ${!settings?.autoConnect ? 'cursor-not-allowed' : ''}
+                `}
+              >
+                <div
+                  className={`
+                    absolute top-0.5 w-4 h-4 rounded-full bg-white shadow transition-transform
+                    ${settings?.autoStart && settings?.autoConnect ? 'translate-x-5' : 'translate-x-0.5'}
+                  `}
+                />
+              </div>
+              <span className="text-sm text-dark-300 group-hover:text-dark-200">
+                Auto-start sessions
+              </span>
+            </label>
           </div>
         </div>
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/contexts/SessionContext.jsx b/frontend/src/contexts/SessionContext.jsx
index 6c44dea..17e296d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/contexts/SessionContext.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/contexts/SessionContext.jsx
@@ -8,8 +8,28 @@ function getWsUrl() {
 }
 
 const SESSIONS_STORAGE_KEY = 'claude-webui-sessions';
+const SETTINGS_STORAGE_KEY = 'claude-webui-settings';
 const MAX_FILE_SIZE = 10 * 1024 * 1024; // 10MB
 
+// Load global settings from localStorage
+function loadSettings() {
+  try {
+    const stored = localStorage.getItem(SETTINGS_STORAGE_KEY);
+    return stored ? JSON.parse(stored) : { autoConnect: true, autoStart: false };
+  } catch {
+    return { autoConnect: true, autoStart: false };
+  }
+}
+
+// Save global settings to localStorage
+function saveSettings(settings) {
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(SETTINGS_STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(settings));
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error('Failed to save settings:', e);
+  }
+}
+
 // Generate unique session ID
 function generateSessionId() {
   return `session-${Date.now()}-${Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 9)}`;
@@ -64,6 +84,9 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }) {
   // Tab order (array of session IDs)
   const [tabOrder, setTabOrder] = useState([]);
 
+  // Global settings (autoConnect, etc.)
+  const [settings, setSettings] = useState(() => loadSettings());
+
   // WebSocket refs keyed by session ID
   const wsRefs = useRef({});
 
@@ -74,9 +97,14 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }) {
   const sessionsRef = useRef(sessions);
   sessionsRef.current = sessions;
 
+  // Ref to current settings (for stable callbacks)
+  const settingsRef = useRef(settings);
+  settingsRef.current = settings;
+
   // Track if initial load is done (for auto-connecting restored sessions)
   const initialLoadDone = useRef(false);
   const sessionsToConnect = useRef([]);
+  const sessionsToAutoStart = useRef(new Set()); // Sessions that should auto-start after connecting
 
   // Load sessions from localStorage on mount
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -690,16 +718,73 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }) {
     };
   }, [updateSession, handleWsMessage]);
 
-  // Auto-connect restored sessions
+  // Auto-connect restored sessions (only if autoConnect is enabled)
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (sessionsToConnect.current.length > 0) {
+    if (sessionsToConnect.current.length > 0 && settings.autoConnect) {
       const toConnect = [...sessionsToConnect.current];
       sessionsToConnect.current = [];
+
+      // Mark sessions for auto-start if autoStart is also enabled
+      if (settings.autoStart) {
+        toConnect.forEach(sessionId => {
+          sessionsToAutoStart.current.add(sessionId);
+        });
+      }
+
       toConnect.forEach(sessionId => {
         connectSession(sessionId);
       });
     }
-  }, [connectSession]);
+  }, [connectSession, settings.autoConnect, settings.autoStart]);
+
+  // Auto-start sessions after they connect (if marked for auto-start)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (sessionsToAutoStart.current.size === 0) return;
+
+    // Check each session marked for auto-start
+    sessionsToAutoStart.current.forEach(sessionId => {
+      const session = sessions[sessionId];
+      // If session is connected but not yet active, start it
+      if (session?.connected && !session?.active) {
+        console.log(`[${sessionId}] Auto-starting session`);
+        sessionsToAutoStart.current.delete(sessionId);
+
+        // Use the websocket directly to start the session
+        const ws = wsRefs.current[sessionId];
+        if (ws?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+          // Load history first if resumeOnStart is enabled
+          const startSession = async () => {
+            if (session.resumeOnStart) {
+              try {
+                const res = await fetch(
+                  `/api/history/${encodeURIComponent(session.project)}?host=${session.host}`,
+                  { credentials: 'include' }
+                );
+                const data = await res.json();
+                if (data.messages && Array.isArray(data.messages)) {
+                  setSessionMessages(prev => ({
+                    ...prev,
+                    [sessionId]: data.messages,
+                  }));
+                }
+              } catch (e) {
+                console.error('Failed to load history:', e);
+              }
+            }
+
+            ws.send(JSON.stringify({
+              type: 'start_session',
+              project: session.project,
+              resume: session.resumeOnStart,
+              host: session.host,
+            }));
+          };
+
+          startSession();
+        }
+      }
+    });
+  }, [sessions]);
 
   // Disconnect WebSocket for a session
   const disconnectSession = useCallback((sessionId) => {
@@ -955,6 +1040,15 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }) {
     updateSession(sessionId, config);
   }, [updateSession]);
 
+  // Update global settings (autoConnect, etc.)
+  const updateSettings = useCallback((newSettings) => {
+    setSettings(prev => {
+      const updated = { ...prev, ...newSettings };
+      saveSettings(updated);
+      return updated;
+    });
+  }, []);
+
   // Memoize focused session to prevent unnecessary re-renders
   const focusedSession = useMemo(() => {
     return focusedSessionId ? sessions[focusedSessionId] : null;
@@ -969,6 +1063,7 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }) {
     splitSessions,
     focusedSessionId,
     focusedSession,
+    settings,
 
     // Session management
     createSession,
@@ -976,6 +1071,7 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }) {
     removeSession,
     renameSession,
     updateSessionConfig,
+    updateSettings,
 
     // Focus & view
     setFocusedSessionId,
@@ -1001,8 +1097,8 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }) {
     changePermissionMode,
     respondToPermission,
   }), [
-    sessions, sessionMessages, tabOrder, splitSessions, focusedSessionId, focusedSession,
-    createSession, closeSession, removeSession, renameSession, updateSessionConfig,
+    sessions, sessionMessages, tabOrder, splitSessions, focusedSessionId, focusedSession, settings,
+    createSession, closeSession, removeSession, renameSession, updateSessionConfig, updateSettings,
     setFocusedSessionId, markAsRead, reorderTabs, addToSplit, removeFromSplit, clearSplit,
     connectSession, disconnectSession, startClaudeSession, stopClaudeSession,
     sendMessage, stopGeneration, clearMessages, setCompacting, changePermissionMode, respondToPermission,