diff --git a/core/templates/core/_format_toolbar.html b/core/templates/core/_format_toolbar.html
index 8d487a3..486e36e 100644
--- a/core/templates/core/_format_toolbar.html
+++ b/core/templates/core/_format_toolbar.html
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
   {% if item_kind_choices %}
     <label class="ms-auto mb-0 d-flex align-items-center gap-2 small text-muted">
       <span class="d-none d-sm-inline">{% trans 'Type' %}</span>
-      <select class="form-select form-select-sm w-auto" name="default_item_kind" title="{% trans 'Default type for new entry' %}">
+      <select class="form-select form-select-sm w-auto" name="default_item_kind" title="{% trans 'Default type for new entry' %}" hx-post="{% url 'set_default_item_kind' %}" hx-trigger="change" hx-swap="none">
         {% for value, label in item_kind_choices %}<option value="{{ value }}"{% if value == selected_item_kind %} selected{% endif %}>{{ label }}</option>{% endfor %}
       </select>
     </label>
diff --git a/core/templates/core/index.html b/core/templates/core/index.html
index 4f3e2cb..5b5a275 100644
--- a/core/templates/core/index.html
+++ b/core/templates/core/index.html
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
     </div>
   </aside>
   <section class="col-lg-9">
-    <form class="desktop-quick-create position-relative mb-4" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" hx-post="{{ request.get_full_path }}" hx-target="#items" hx-swap="afterbegin" x-data="quickComposer([{% for tag in composer_tags %}'{{ tag.name|escapejs }}'{% if not forloop.last %},{% endif %}{% endfor %}])" x-on:htmx:after-request="if($event.detail.successful){text='';open=false;$el.reset()}">
+    <form class="desktop-quick-create position-relative mb-4" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" hx-post="{{ request.get_full_path }}" hx-target="#items" hx-swap="afterbegin" x-data="quickComposer([{% for tag in composer_tags %}'{{ tag.name|escapejs }}'{% if not forloop.last %},{% endif %}{% endfor %}])" x-on:htmx:after-request="if($event.detail.successful){let kind=$el.querySelector('[name=default_item_kind]')?.value;text='';open=false;$el.reset();if(kind)$el.querySelector('[name=default_item_kind]').value=kind}">
       {% csrf_token %}
       <fieldset :disabled="editingItem" :class="{'opacity-50': editingItem}">
       <div class="small text-muted mb-2" x-show="editingItem" x-cloak>{% trans "Inline editor is open; quick entry is disabled." %}</div>
diff --git a/core/tests.py b/core/tests.py
index da94510..3b2a526 100644
--- a/core/tests.py
+++ b/core/tests.py
@@ -51,10 +51,21 @@ class DefaultItemKindTests(TestCase):
         self.assertRedirects(response, reverse('index'))
         self.assertEqual(Item.objects.get().kind, Item.Kind.TODO)
 
-    def test_quick_create_can_override_default_from_composer(self):
+    def test_quick_create_can_override_and_persist_default_from_composer(self):
         response = self.client.post(reverse('index'), {'content': 'Composer note', 'default_item_kind': Item.Kind.NOTE})
         self.assertRedirects(response, reverse('index'))
         self.assertEqual(Item.objects.get().kind, Item.Kind.NOTE)
+        self.preferences.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(self.preferences.default_item_kind, Item.Kind.NOTE)
+
+    def test_default_item_kind_select_persists_immediately(self):
+        response = self.client.post(reverse('set_default_item_kind'), {'default_item_kind': Item.Kind.LINK})
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 204)
+        self.preferences.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(self.preferences.default_item_kind, Item.Kind.LINK)
+
+        response = self.client.get(reverse('index'))
+        self.assertContains(response, '<option value="link" selected>', html=False)
 
     def test_explicit_command_overrides_default(self):
         kind, _, content, _ = parse_quick_content('/note Explicit note', Item.Kind.TODO)
diff --git a/core/urls.py b/core/urls.py
index 0294f70..d16317f 100644
--- a/core/urls.py
+++ b/core/urls.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     path('kanban/<int:pk>/', views.kanban_detail, name='kanban_detail'),
     path('kanban/<int:pk>/move/<int:item_pk>/', views.kanban_move, name='kanban_move'),
     path('language/', views.set_user_language, name='set_user_language'),
+    path('default-item-kind/', views.set_default_item_kind, name='set_default_item_kind'),
     path('settings/', views.settings_view, name='settings'),
     path('settings/api-keys/<int:pk>/delete/', views.delete_api_key, name='delete_api_key'),
     path('settings/invites/<int:pk>/delete/', views.delete_user_invite, name='delete_user_invite'),
diff --git a/core/views.py b/core/views.py
index cb85d89..571b034 100644
--- a/core/views.py
+++ b/core/views.py
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ def index(request):
         if form.is_valid():
             raw = form.cleaned_data['content']
             raw, due_at, _ = parse_due_command(raw)
-            kind, visibility, content, url = parse_quick_content(raw, requested_default_item_kind(request.POST, prefs))
+            kind, visibility, content, url = parse_quick_content(raw, requested_default_item_kind(request.POST, prefs, save=True))
             active_tag = request.GET.get('tag')
             if active_tag and not TAG_RE.search(without_markdown_code(content)):
                 content = f'{content} #{active_tag.strip().lower()}'
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ def new_item(request):
             if requested_kind in {'todo', 'link', 'journal'} and not TYPE_COMMAND_RE.match(raw.strip()):
                 raw = f'/{requested_kind} {raw}'
             raw, due_at, _ = parse_due_command(raw)
-            kind, visibility, content, url = parse_quick_content(raw, requested_default_item_kind(request.POST, prefs))
+            kind, visibility, content, url = parse_quick_content(raw, requested_default_item_kind(request.POST, prefs, save=True))
             item = Item.objects.create(owner=request.user, kind=kind, visibility=visibility, content=content, url=url, due_at=due_at)
             attach_files_and_replace_tokens(item, request.FILES.getlist('files'))
             item.sync_metadata()
@@ -1169,9 +1169,21 @@ def tag_list(request):
     return render(request, 'core/_tags.html', {'tags': index_filter_tags(request, request.user, prefs, active_tags), 'active_tag': active_tags[0] if active_tags else None, 'active_tags': active_tags, 'active_tag_mode': active_tag_mode})
 
 
-def requested_default_item_kind(post, prefs):
+def requested_default_item_kind(post, prefs, save=False):
     kind = post.get('default_item_kind') or prefs.default_item_kind
-    return kind if kind in Item.Kind.values else prefs.default_item_kind
+    kind = kind if kind in Item.Kind.values else prefs.default_item_kind
+    if save and kind != prefs.default_item_kind:
+        prefs.default_item_kind = kind
+        prefs.save(update_fields=['default_item_kind'])
+    return kind
+
+
+@login_required
+@require_POST
+def set_default_item_kind(request):
+    prefs, created = UserPreference.objects.get_or_create(user=request.user)
+    requested_default_item_kind(request.POST, prefs, save=True)
+    return HttpResponse(status=204)
 
 
 @login_required