diff --git a/monitor.luau b/monitor.luau
index 65b1314..2e0d60d 100644
--- a/monitor.luau
+++ b/monitor.luau
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ local function finishSession(exitCode)
   end
   if exitCode == "0" then
     if intent.notify then
-      local key = intent.mode == "clipboard" and "notify.done_clipboard" or "notify.done_paste"
+      local key = intent.mode == "paste" and "notify.done_paste" or "notify.done_clipboard"
       noctalia.notify(noctalia.tr("title"), noctalia.tr(key))
     end
   elseif exitCode ~= nil then
diff --git a/recorder.luau b/recorder.luau
index 2e18441..fa16102 100644
--- a/recorder.luau
+++ b/recorder.luau
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@
 -- contract: SIGUSR1 finishes the recording and runs transcription (the same
 -- mechanism `ostt launch` uses for hotkey toggling).
 --
--- Output defaults to `ostt --paste`: the transcript is pasted straight into
--- the focused app. State/phase comes from the monitor service via
--- noctalia.state (see monitor.luau for the status/intent contract).
+-- Output defaults to the clipboard (`ostt -c`); the settings can switch it to
+-- `ostt --paste` (paste into the focused app — needs working wtype/ydotool key
+-- injection). State/phase comes from the monitor service via noctalia.state
+-- (see monitor.luau for the status/intent contract).
 
 local function shq(s)
   return "'" .. (s:gsub("'", "'\\''")) .. "'"
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ local osttRuntimeDir = runtime and (runtime .. "/ostt") or ("/tmp/ostt-" .. user
 local pidFile = osttRuntimeDir .. "/recording.pid"
 local exitFile = (runtime or "/tmp") .. "/noctalia-ostt-exit"
 
-local outputMode = barWidget.getConfig("output_mode") or "paste"
+local outputMode = barWidget.getConfig("output_mode") or "clipboard"
 local model = barWidget.getConfig("model") or ""
 local processAction = barWidget.getConfig("process_action") or ""
 local showElapsed = barWidget.getConfig("show_elapsed")
@@ -90,10 +91,10 @@ end)
 
 local function buildRecordCmd()
   local parts = { "ostt", "record" }
-  if outputMode == "clipboard" then
-    parts[#parts + 1] = "-c"
-  else
+  if outputMode == "paste" then
     parts[#parts + 1] = "--paste"
+  else
+    parts[#parts + 1] = "-c"
   end
   if model ~= "" then
     parts[#parts + 1] = "-m " .. shq(model)