diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 44b1389..3bd0edb 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -13,14 +13,23 @@ log.transports.file.level = 'error'
 log.transports.console.level = 'debug'
 
 const isDev = !app.isPackaged
+const MAX_CACHE_BYTES = 512 * 1024 * 1024
 
 // Allows video.play() without a prior user gesture — play() is called from hls.js callbacks
 // that fire asynchronously long after the original click event.
 app.commandLine.appendSwitch('autoplay-policy', 'no-user-gesture-required')
 // Explicit cache size prevents Chromium's dynamic sizing, which causes "Invalid cache (current)
 // size" errors when available disk space fluctuates.
+app.commandLine.appendSwitch('disk-cache-size', String(MAX_CACHE_BYTES))
 
-app.commandLine.appendSwitch('disk-cache-size', String(500 * 1024 * 1024))
+async function clearDefaultSessionCache(reason: 'startup' | 'quit'): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    await session.defaultSession.clearCache()
+    log.info(`[twitch4steamdeck] Cleared Electron cache on ${reason}.`)
+  } catch (err) {
+    log.warn(`[twitch4steamdeck] Failed to clear Electron cache on ${reason}.`, err)
+  }
+}
 
 function createWindow(): BrowserWindow {
   const isLinux = process.platform === 'linux'
@@ -105,6 +114,7 @@ function setupTwitchCors(): void {
 }
 
 app.whenReady().then(async () => {
+  await clearDefaultSessionCache('startup')
   setupTwitchCors()
   const clientId = import.meta.env.MAIN_VITE_TWITCH_CLIENT_ID ?? ''
   const auth = new AuthService(clientId)
@@ -119,10 +129,22 @@ app.whenReady().then(async () => {
   registerIpcHandlers(auth, helix, playback)
 
   const stopGamepad = startGamepadReader(() => BrowserWindow.getAllWindows()[0] ?? null)
+  let servicesStopped = false
+  let quitAfterCacheClear = false
 
-  app.on('before-quit', () => {
-    stopGamepad()
-    playback.stop()
+  app.on('before-quit', (event) => {
+    if (!servicesStopped) {
+      stopGamepad()
+      playback.stop()
+      servicesStopped = true
+    }
+    if (quitAfterCacheClear) return
+
+    event.preventDefault()
+    void clearDefaultSessionCache('quit').finally(() => {
+      quitAfterCacheClear = true
+      app.quit()
+    })
   })
 
   if (!clientId) {
diff --git a/src/main/prefs/hlsCachePref.ts b/src/main/prefs/hlsCachePref.ts
index 5389c53..63987f8 100644
--- a/src/main/prefs/hlsCachePref.ts
+++ b/src/main/prefs/hlsCachePref.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-let hlsCacheEnabled = false
+let hlsCacheEnabled = true
 
 export function getHlsCacheEnabled(): boolean {
   return hlsCacheEnabled
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/context/SettingsContext.tsx b/src/renderer/src/context/SettingsContext.tsx
index 8bbe11d..f38b0b2 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/context/SettingsContext.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/context/SettingsContext.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export interface AppSettings {
 }
 
 const STORAGE_KEY = 't4sd:settings'
+const HLS_CACHE_DEFAULT_MIGRATION_KEY = 't4sd:hls-cache-default-enabled-v1'
 const SIDEBAR_MIN = 240
 const SIDEBAR_MAX = 400
 const SIDEBAR_DEFAULT = 270
@@ -23,23 +24,37 @@ const DEFAULTS: AppSettings = {
   streamBadgeMode: 'both',
   sidebarWidth: SIDEBAR_DEFAULT,
   badgeGap: BADGE_GAP_DEFAULT,
-  hlsCacheEnabled: false,
+  hlsCacheEnabled: true,
   fileLoggingEnabled: false,
   language: 'en'
 }
 
 export { SIDEBAR_MIN, SIDEBAR_MAX, SIDEBAR_DEFAULT, BADGE_GAP_MIN, BADGE_GAP_MAX, BADGE_GAP_DEFAULT }
 
+function applyHlsCacheDefaultMigration(settings: AppSettings): AppSettings {
+  try {
+    if (localStorage.getItem(HLS_CACHE_DEFAULT_MIGRATION_KEY) === '1') {
+      return settings
+    }
+    const next = { ...settings, hlsCacheEnabled: true }
+    saveSettings(next)
+    localStorage.setItem(HLS_CACHE_DEFAULT_MIGRATION_KEY, '1')
+    return next
+  } catch {
+    return { ...settings, hlsCacheEnabled: true }
+  }
+}
+
 function loadSettings(): AppSettings {
   try {
     const raw = localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY)
-    if (!raw) return DEFAULTS
+    if (!raw) return applyHlsCacheDefaultMigration(DEFAULTS)
     const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as Partial<AppSettings>
     const modes: StreamBadgeMode[] = ['off', 'language', 'flag', 'both']
     const languages: Language[] = ['de', 'en']
     const sw = Number(parsed.sidebarWidth)
     const bg = Number(parsed.badgeGap)
-    return {
+    return applyHlsCacheDefaultMigration({
       streamBadgeMode: modes.includes(parsed.streamBadgeMode as StreamBadgeMode)
         ? (parsed.streamBadgeMode as StreamBadgeMode)
         : DEFAULTS.streamBadgeMode,
@@ -50,7 +65,7 @@ function loadSettings(): AppSettings {
       language: languages.includes(parsed.language as Language)
         ? (parsed.language as Language)
         : DEFAULTS.language
-    }
+    })
   } catch {
     return DEFAULTS
   }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/de.ts b/src/renderer/src/i18n/de.ts
index da65564..2829ef8 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/de.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/de.ts
@@ -152,10 +152,10 @@ export const de = {
   'settings.badgeGap.title': 'Flaggen-Badge Abstand',
   'settings.badgeGap.hint': 'Abstand zwischen Menütext und Flaggen-Badge ({min}–{max} px).',
   'settings.storage.title': 'Speicher',
-  'settings.storage.hint': 'HLS-Segmente (Live & VODs) sind Single-Use — sie werden nach dem Abspielen nie wieder abgerufen. Caching erzeugt auf dem Steam Deck unnötiges Disk-Wachstum und Akku-Belastung. Thumbnails und API-Antworten bleiben immer gecacht. Maximale Cache-Größe: 500 MB.',
-  'settings.hlsCache.label': 'HLS-Cache (Live & VODs)',
-  'settings.hlsCache.on': 'Aktiv — Segmente werden gecacht',
-  'settings.hlsCache.off': 'Inaktiv — kein Disk-Wachstum (empfohlen)',
+  'settings.storage.hint': 'Thumbnails und API-Antworten bleiben während der App-Sitzung gecacht. Maximale Cache-Größe: 512 MB.',
+  'settings.hlsCache.label': 'HLS-Cache',
+  'settings.hlsCache.on': 'Aktiv — empfohlen für störungsfreie Wiedergabe und schnelles Seeking',
+  'settings.hlsCache.off': 'Inaktiv — kann Puffern und langsameres Seeking verursachen',
   'settings.cache.clearing': 'Wird geleert …',
   'settings.cache.clear': 'Cache leeren',
   'settings.fileLog.label': 'Datei-Logging',
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/en.ts b/src/renderer/src/i18n/en.ts
index db398cb..4653e9a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -153,10 +153,10 @@ export const en: Messages = {
   'settings.badgeGap.title': 'Flag badge spacing',
   'settings.badgeGap.hint': 'Spacing between menu text and the flag badge ({min}–{max} px).',
   'settings.storage.title': 'Storage',
-  'settings.storage.hint': 'HLS segments (live & VODs) are single-use — they are never fetched again after playback. Caching causes unnecessary disk growth and battery drain on the Steam Deck. Thumbnails and API responses are always cached. Maximum cache size: 500 MB.',
-  'settings.hlsCache.label': 'HLS cache (live & VODs)',
-  'settings.hlsCache.on': 'Active — segments will be cached',
-  'settings.hlsCache.off': 'Inactive — no disk growth (recommended)',
+  'settings.storage.hint': 'Thumbnails and API responses remain cached during the app session. Maximum cache size: 512 MB.',
+  'settings.hlsCache.label': 'HLS cache',
+  'settings.hlsCache.on': 'Active — recommended for smooth playback and fast seeking',
+  'settings.hlsCache.off': 'Inactive — may cause buffering and slower seeking',
   'settings.cache.clearing': 'Clearing…',
   'settings.cache.clear': 'Clear cache',
   'settings.fileLog.label': 'File logging',
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/styles/global.css b/src/renderer/src/styles/global.css
index e8a1c12..7ba5385 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/styles/global.css
+++ b/src/renderer/src/styles/global.css
@@ -1299,15 +1299,21 @@ body,
 }
 
 .settings-option__label {
-  flex: 1;
+  align-self: stretch;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
   font-weight: 600;
+  min-width: 0;
 }
 
 .settings-option__preview {
+  flex: 0 1 58%;
   font-size: 17px;
   color: var(--color-fg-dim);
   font-weight: 400;
-  white-space: nowrap;
+  line-height: 1.3;
+  text-align: right;
 }
 
 /* ── Settings Slider ─────────────────────────────── */