diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 00427b9..b8c5166 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -96,50 +96,72 @@ impl Config {
                 )
             })?;
 
-            // Run interactive configuration wizard
-            let paths = Self::prompt_for_paths()?;
-            let max_depth = Self::prompt_for_max_depth()?;
-            let cache_enabled = Self::prompt_for_cache_enabled()?;
-            let cache_ttl_hours = if cache_enabled {
-                Self::prompt_for_cache_ttl()?
-            } else {
-                24
-            };
-            let windows = Self::prompt_for_windows()?;
-
-            // Render styled success message before moving windows
-            ui::render_config_created(&paths, max_depth, cache_enabled, cache_ttl_hours, &windows);
-
-            let config = Config {
-                paths: paths.clone(),
-                max_depth,
-                cache_enabled,
-                cache_ttl_hours,
-                update_check_interval_hours: default_update_check_interval_hours(),
-                default_session: SessionConfig { windows },
-            };
-
-            let toml_string =
-                toml::to_string_pretty(&config).context("Failed to serialize config")?;
-
-            fs::write(&config_path, toml_string).with_context(|| {
-                format!("Failed to write config file: {}", config_path.display())
-            })?;
-
-            // Offer to set up a keyboard shortcut (best-effort, non-fatal)
-            if let Err(e) = crate::shortcut::setup_shortcut_wizard() {
-                eprintln!("Warning: shortcut setup failed: {}", e);
-            }
-
-            // Offer to install .desktop entry + icon (best-effort, non-fatal)
-            if let Err(e) = crate::shortcut::setup_desktop_integration_wizard() {
-                eprintln!("Warning: desktop integration failed: {}", e);
+            // Ask whether to run the interactive wizard or apply sensible defaults
+            let raw = ui::render_setup_choice_prompt()?;
+            match ui::parse_setup_choice_input(&raw) {
+                ui::SetupChoice::Default => {
+                    Self::write_default_config(&config_path)?;
+                    ui::render_default_config_saved(&config_path.display().to_string());
+                }
+                ui::SetupChoice::Wizard => {
+                    Self::run_wizard(&config_path)?;
+                }
             }
         }
 
         Ok(config_path)
     }
 
+    /// Write the built-in default config to `config_path` without any prompts.
+    fn write_default_config(config_path: &std::path::Path) -> Result<()> {
+        let config = Self::default_config();
+        let toml_string = toml::to_string_pretty(&config).context("Failed to serialize config")?;
+        fs::write(config_path, toml_string)
+            .with_context(|| format!("Failed to write config file: {}", config_path.display()))
+    }
+
+    /// Run the full interactive configuration wizard and offer shortcut / desktop setup at the end.
+    fn run_wizard(config_path: &std::path::Path) -> Result<()> {
+        let paths = Self::prompt_for_paths()?;
+        let max_depth = Self::prompt_for_max_depth()?;
+        let cache_enabled = Self::prompt_for_cache_enabled()?;
+        let cache_ttl_hours = if cache_enabled {
+            Self::prompt_for_cache_ttl()?
+        } else {
+            24
+        };
+        let windows = Self::prompt_for_windows()?;
+
+        // Render styled success message before moving windows
+        ui::render_config_created(&paths, max_depth, cache_enabled, cache_ttl_hours, &windows);
+
+        let config = Config {
+            paths,
+            max_depth,
+            cache_enabled,
+            cache_ttl_hours,
+            update_check_interval_hours: default_update_check_interval_hours(),
+            default_session: SessionConfig { windows },
+        };
+
+        let toml_string = toml::to_string_pretty(&config).context("Failed to serialize config")?;
+
+        fs::write(config_path, toml_string)
+            .with_context(|| format!("Failed to write config file: {}", config_path.display()))?;
+
+        // Offer to set up a keyboard shortcut (best-effort, non-fatal)
+        if let Err(e) = crate::shortcut::setup_shortcut_wizard() {
+            eprintln!("Warning: shortcut setup failed: {}", e);
+        }
+
+        // Offer to install .desktop entry + icon (best-effort, non-fatal)
+        if let Err(e) = crate::shortcut::setup_desktop_integration_wizard() {
+            eprintln!("Warning: desktop integration failed: {}", e);
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn prompt_for_paths() -> Result<Vec<String>> {
         // Render styled welcome banner
         ui::render_welcome_banner();
@@ -377,6 +399,35 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(ui::parse_layout_input("invalid"), None);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn should_write_default_config_to_file() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let config_path = dir.path().join("tmuxido.toml");
+
+        Config::write_default_config(&config_path).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(config_path.exists());
+        let content = std::fs::read_to_string(&config_path).unwrap();
+        let loaded: Config = toml::from_str(&content).unwrap();
+        assert!(!loaded.paths.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(loaded.max_depth, 5);
+        assert!(loaded.cache_enabled);
+        assert_eq!(loaded.cache_ttl_hours, 24);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_write_valid_toml_in_default_config() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let config_path = dir.path().join("tmuxido.toml");
+
+        Config::write_default_config(&config_path).unwrap();
+
+        let content = std::fs::read_to_string(&config_path).unwrap();
+        // Must parse cleanly
+        let result: Result<Config, _> = toml::from_str(&content);
+        assert!(result.is_ok(), "Default config must be valid TOML");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn should_parse_config_with_windows_and_panes() {
         let toml_str = r#"
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index b8cb37c..5c1e5c1 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -613,6 +613,91 @@ pub fn render_desktop_integration_success(result: &crate::shortcut::DesktopInsta
 
 // ============================================================================
 
+/// Choices offered when no configuration file is found on first run
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub enum SetupChoice {
+    Wizard,
+    Default,
+}
+
+/// Parse the first-run setup choice input.
+///
+/// Accepts:
+/// - `""`, `" "`, `"1"`, `"w"`, `"wizard"` → `Wizard` (default)
+/// - `"2"`, `"d"`, `"default"` → `Default`
+/// - anything else falls back to `Wizard`
+pub fn parse_setup_choice_input(input: &str) -> SetupChoice {
+    match input.trim().to_lowercase().as_str() {
+        "2" | "d" | "default" => SetupChoice::Default,
+        _ => SetupChoice::Wizard,
+    }
+}
+
+/// Renders the first-run prompt asking whether to run the wizard or use defaults.
+/// Returns the raw user input.
+pub fn render_setup_choice_prompt() -> Result<String> {
+    let prompt_style = Style::new().bold(true).foreground(color_green());
+    let hint_style = Style::new().italic(true).foreground(color_dark_gray());
+    let title_style = Style::new().bold(true).foreground(color_blue());
+    let option_style = Style::new().foreground(color_purple());
+
+    println!();
+    println!("{}", title_style.render("  🚀 Welcome to tmuxido!"));
+    println!();
+    println!(
+        "{}",
+        hint_style.render("  No configuration found. How would you like to get started?")
+    );
+    println!();
+    println!(
+        "  {}",
+        option_style
+            .render("1. Run setup wizard   — configure paths, cache, and windows interactively")
+    );
+    println!(
+        "  {}",
+        option_style.render("2. Use default config — start immediately with sensible defaults")
+    );
+    println!();
+    print!("  {} ", prompt_style.render("❯ Choose (1/2):"));
+    io::stdout().flush().context("Failed to flush stdout")?;
+
+    let mut input = String::new();
+    io::stdin()
+        .read_line(&mut input)
+        .context("Failed to read input")?;
+
+    Ok(input.trim().to_string())
+}
+
+/// Renders a confirmation message after the default config is written.
+pub fn render_default_config_saved(config_path: &str) {
+    let success_style = Style::new().bold(true).foreground(color_green());
+    let info_style = Style::new().foreground(color_dark_gray());
+    let path_style = Style::new().bold(true).foreground(color_blue());
+
+    println!();
+    println!(
+        "{}",
+        success_style.render("  ✅ Default configuration saved!")
+    );
+    println!(
+        "    {} {}",
+        info_style.render("Config:"),
+        path_style.render(config_path)
+    );
+    println!();
+    println!(
+        "{}",
+        info_style.render(
+            "  ⚙️  Edit it anytime to customise your setup, or run 'tmuxido --setup-shortcut'."
+        )
+    );
+    println!();
+}
+
+// ============================================================================
+
 /// Parse comma-separated list into Vec<String>, filtering empty items
 pub fn parse_comma_separated_list(input: &str) -> Vec<String> {
     input
@@ -882,4 +967,50 @@ mod tests {
         };
         render_desktop_integration_success(&result);
     }
+
+    // ---- SetupChoice / parse_setup_choice_input ----
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_return_wizard_for_empty_input() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input(""), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("   "), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_return_wizard_for_option_1() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("1"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_return_wizard_for_w_aliases() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("w"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("wizard"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("W"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("WIZARD"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_return_default_for_option_2() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("2"), SetupChoice::Default);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_return_default_for_d_aliases() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("d"), SetupChoice::Default);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("default"), SetupChoice::Default);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("D"), SetupChoice::Default);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("DEFAULT"), SetupChoice::Default);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_return_wizard_for_unknown_input() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("banana"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("3"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+        assert_eq!(parse_setup_choice_input("yes"), SetupChoice::Wizard);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn render_default_config_saved_should_not_panic() {
+        render_default_config_saved("/home/user/.config/tmuxido/tmuxido.toml");
+    }
 }