diff --git a/Source/Canvas.cpp b/Source/Canvas.cpp
index a9229168a..0c8f6228d 100644
--- a/Source/Canvas.cpp
+++ b/Source/Canvas.cpp
@@ -108,8 +108,9 @@ Canvas::Canvas(PluginEditor* parent, pd::Patch::Ptr p, Component* parentGraph)
 
     setSize(infiniteCanvasSize, infiniteCanvasSize);
 
-    // initialize per canvas zoom to 100% when first creating canvas
-    zoomScale.setValue(1.0f);
+    // initialize to default zoom
+    auto defaultZoom = SettingsFile::getInstance()->getPropertyAsValue("default_zoom");
+    zoomScale.setValue(getValue<float>(defaultZoom)/100.0f);
     zoomScale.addListener(this);
 
     // Add lasso component
diff --git a/Source/Dialogs/AdvancedSettingsPanel.h b/Source/Dialogs/AdvancedSettingsPanel.h
index 2a54a20be..0cf7c9158 100644
--- a/Source/Dialogs/AdvancedSettingsPanel.h
+++ b/Source/Dialogs/AdvancedSettingsPanel.h
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ class AdvancedSettingsPanel : public Component
         scaleValue.addListener(this);
         otherProperties.add(new PropertiesPanel::EditableComponent<float>("Global scale factor", scaleValue));
 
+        defaultZoom = settingsFile->getProperty<float>("default_zoom");
+        defaultZoom.addListener(this);
+        otherProperties.add(new PropertiesPanel::EditableComponent<float>("Default zoom %", defaultZoom));
+
         propertiesPanel.addSection("Other", otherProperties);
 
         addAndMakeVisible(propertiesPanel);
@@ -85,6 +89,11 @@ class AdvancedSettingsPanel : public Component
             SettingsFile::getInstance()->setGlobalScale(scale);
             scaleValue = scale;
         }
+        if (v.refersToSameSourceAs(defaultZoom)) {
+            auto zoom = std::clamp(getValue<float>(defaultZoom), 20.0f, 300.0f);
+            SettingsFile::getInstance()->setProperty("default_zoom", zoom);
+            defaultZoom = zoom;
+        }
     }
     Component* editor;
 
@@ -94,6 +103,7 @@ class AdvancedSettingsPanel : public Component
     Value macTitlebarButtons;
     Value reloadPatch;
     Value scaleValue;
+    Value defaultZoom;
 
     Value showPalettesValue;
     Value autoPatchingValue;
diff --git a/Source/Utility/SettingsFile.h b/Source/Utility/SettingsFile.h
index bad3ce1f0..cc82a2245 100644
--- a/Source/Utility/SettingsFile.h
+++ b/Source/Utility/SettingsFile.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ class SettingsFile : public ValueTree::Listener
         { "order", var(0) },
         { "direction", var(0) },
         { "global_scale", var(1.0f) },
+        { "default_zoom", var(100.0f) },
         { "show_palettes", var(true) },
         { "show_all_audio_device_rates", var(false) },
         { "add_object_menu_pinned", var(false) },