diff --git a/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.spec.ts b/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.spec.ts
index fcbac4d3d89..50eba4ff896 100644
--- a/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.spec.ts
@@ -1663,7 +1663,8 @@ describe('store', function () {
         const plugin = activatePlugin();
         store = plugin.store;
         deactivate = () => plugin.deactivate();
-        await dataService.insertOne('compass-crud.test', { name: 'testing' });
+        await dataService.insertOne('compass-crud.test', { name: 'testing1' });
+        await dataService.insertOne('compass-crud.test', { name: 'testing2' });
       });
 
       afterEach(function () {
@@ -1680,9 +1681,36 @@ describe('store', function () {
 
             (state) => {
               expect(state.error).to.equal(null);
-              expect(state.docs).to.have.length(1);
+              expect(state.docs).to.have.length(2);
+              expect(state.docs[0].doc.name).to.equal('testing1');
               expect(state.debouncingLoad).to.equal(false);
-              expect(state.count).to.equal(1);
+              expect(state.count).to.equal(2);
+              expect(state.start).to.equal(1);
+              expect(state.shardKeys).to.deep.equal({});
+            },
+          ]);
+
+          void store.refreshDocuments();
+
+          await listener;
+        });
+
+        it('uses the sort order from preferences', async function () {
+          await preferences.savePreferences({
+            defaultSortOrder: '{ _id: -1 }',
+          });
+          const listener = waitForStates(store, [
+            (state) => {
+              expect(state.debouncingLoad).to.equal(true);
+              expect(state.count).to.equal(null);
+            },
+
+            (state) => {
+              expect(state.error).to.equal(null);
+              expect(state.docs).to.have.length(2);
+              expect(state.docs[0].doc.name).to.equal('testing2');
+              expect(state.debouncingLoad).to.equal(false);
+              expect(state.count).to.equal(2);
               expect(state.start).to.equal(1);
               expect(state.shardKeys).to.deep.equal({});
             },
diff --git a/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.ts b/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.ts
index 3475a8392ad..13afb48418a 100644
--- a/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-crud/src/stores/crud-store.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import semver from 'semver';
 import StateMixin from '@mongodb-js/reflux-state-mixin';
 import type { Element } from 'hadron-document';
 import { Document } from 'hadron-document';
+import { validate } from 'mongodb-query-parser';
 import HadronDocument from 'hadron-document';
 import _parseShellBSON, { ParseMode } from '@mongodb-js/shell-bson-parser';
 import type { PreferencesAccess } from 'compass-preferences-model/provider';
@@ -1615,8 +1616,16 @@ class CrudStoreImpl
       countOptions.hint = '_id_';
     }
 
+    let sort = query.sort;
+    if (!sort && this.preferences.getPreferences().defaultSortOrder) {
+      sort = validate(
+        'sort',
+        this.preferences.getPreferences().defaultSortOrder
+      );
+    }
+
     const findOptions = {
-      sort: query.sort,
+      sort,
       projection: query.project,
       skip: query.skip,
       limit: docsPerPage,
diff --git a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-schema.ts b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-schema.ts
index 4e64d527446..cde2c1a2ea1 100644
--- a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-schema.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/preferences-schema.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ import {
 export const THEMES_VALUES = ['DARK', 'LIGHT', 'OS_THEME'] as const;
 export type THEMES = typeof THEMES_VALUES[number];
 
+export const SORT_ORDER_VALUES = [
+  '',
+  '{ $natural: -1 }',
+  '{ _id: 1 }',
+  '{ _id: -1 }',
+] as const;
+export type SORT_ORDERS = typeof SORT_ORDER_VALUES[number];
+
 export type PermanentFeatureFlags = {
   showDevFeatureFlags?: boolean;
   enableDebugUseCsfleSchemaMap?: boolean;
@@ -69,6 +77,7 @@ export type UserConfigurablePreferences = PermanentFeatureFlags &
     enableGenAISampleDocumentPassing: boolean;
     enablePerformanceAdvisorBanner: boolean;
     maximumNumberOfActiveConnections?: number;
+    defaultSortOrder: SORT_ORDERS;
     enableShowDialogOnQuit: boolean;
     enableCreatingNewConnections: boolean;
     enableProxySupport: boolean;
@@ -187,7 +196,13 @@ type PreferenceDefinition<K extends keyof AllPreferences> = {
   /** A description used for the --help text and the Settings UI */
   description: K extends keyof InternalUserPreferences
     ? null
-    : { short: string; long?: string };
+    : {
+        short: string;
+        long?: string;
+        options?: AllPreferences[K] extends string
+          ? { [k in AllPreferences[K]]: { label: string; description: string } }
+          : never;
+      };
   /** A method for deriving the current semantic value of this option, even if it differs from the stored value */
   deriveValue?: DeriveValueFunction<AllPreferences[K]>;
   /** A method for cleaning up/normalizing input from the command line or global config file */
@@ -199,6 +214,7 @@ type PreferenceDefinition<K extends keyof AllPreferences> = {
       ? boolean
       : false
     : boolean;
+
   validator: z.Schema<
     AllPreferences[K],
     z.ZodTypeDef,
@@ -537,6 +553,39 @@ export const storedUserPreferencesProps: Required<{
     validator: z.boolean().default(false),
     type: 'boolean',
   },
+  /**
+   * Set the default sort.
+   */
+  defaultSortOrder: {
+    ui: true,
+    cli: true,
+    global: true,
+    description: {
+      short: 'Default Sort for Query Bar',
+      long: "All queries executed from the query bar will apply the sort order '$natural: -1'.",
+      options: {
+        '': {
+          label: '$natural: 1 (MongoDB server default)',
+          description: 'in natural order of documents',
+        },
+        '{ $natural: -1 }': {
+          label: '$natural: -1',
+          description: 'in reverse natural order of documents',
+        },
+        '{ _id: 1 }': {
+          label: '_id: 1',
+          description: 'in ascending order by id',
+        },
+        '{ _id: -1 }': {
+          label: '_id: -1',
+          description: 'in descending order by id',
+        },
+      },
+    },
+    validator: z.enum(SORT_ORDER_VALUES).default(''),
+    type: 'string',
+  },
+
   /**
    * Switch to enable DevTools in Electron.
    */
diff --git a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/provider.ts b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/provider.ts
index ef2fa77b65c..42395233548 100644
--- a/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/provider.ts
+++ b/packages/compass-preferences-model/src/provider.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@ export {
 } from './utils';
 export { capMaxTimeMSAtPreferenceLimit } from './maxtimems';
 export { featureFlags } from './feature-flags';
-export { getSettingDescription } from './preferences-schema';
-export type { AllPreferences } from './preferences-schema';
+export { getSettingDescription, SORT_ORDER_VALUES } from './preferences-schema';
+export type { AllPreferences, SORT_ORDERS } from './preferences-schema';
 export type { DevtoolsProxyOptions } from '@mongodb-js/devtools-proxy-support';
diff --git a/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.spec.tsx b/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.spec.tsx
index 3c666420721..fb498be3330 100644
--- a/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.spec.tsx
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@ describe('GeneralSettings', function () {
     });
   });
 
+  it('renders defaultSortOrder', function () {
+    expect(within(container).getByTestId('defaultSortOrder')).to.exist;
+  });
+
+  it('changes defaultSortOrder value when selecting an option', function () {
+    within(container).getByTestId('defaultSortOrder').click();
+    within(container).getByText('_id: 1').click();
+    expect(getSettings()).to.have.property('defaultSortOrder', '{ _id: 1 }');
+  });
+
   ['maxTimeMS'].forEach((option) => {
     it(`renders ${option}`, function () {
       expect(within(container).getByTestId(option)).to.exist;
diff --git a/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.tsx b/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.tsx
index 3962ac54b08..98ec03a3d18 100644
--- a/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.tsx
+++ b/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/general.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const generalFields = [
   'readOnly',
   'enableShell',
   'protectConnectionStrings',
+  'defaultSortOrder',
   'showKerberosPasswordField',
   'maxTimeMS',
   'enableDevTools',
diff --git a/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/settings-list.tsx b/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/settings-list.tsx
index bb8b0ac79af..4950add99c6 100644
--- a/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/settings-list.tsx
+++ b/packages/compass-settings/src/components/settings/settings-list.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   getSettingDescription,
   featureFlags,
 } from 'compass-preferences-model/provider';
+import { SORT_ORDER_VALUES } from 'compass-preferences-model/provider';
 import { settingStateLabels } from './state-labels';
 import {
   Checkbox,
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@ import {
   css,
   spacing,
   TextInput,
+  Select,
+  Option,
   FormFieldContainer,
   Badge,
 } from '@mongodb-js/compass-components';
@@ -157,6 +160,55 @@ function NumericSetting<PreferenceName extends NumericPreferences>({
   );
 }
 
+function DefaultSortOrderSetting<PreferenceName extends 'defaultSortOrder'>({
+  name,
+  onChange,
+  value,
+  disabled,
+}: {
+  name: PreferenceName;
+  onChange: HandleChange<PreferenceName>;
+  value: string;
+  disabled: boolean;
+}) {
+  const optionDescriptions = getSettingDescription(name).description.options;
+  const onChangeCallback = useCallback(
+    (value: string) => {
+      onChange(name, value as UserConfigurablePreferences[PreferenceName]);
+    },
+    [name, onChange]
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <SettingLabel name={name} />
+      <Select
+        className={inputStyles}
+        allowDeselect={false}
+        aria-labelledby={`${name}-label`}
+        id={name}
+        name={name}
+        data-testid={name}
+        value={value}
+        onChange={onChangeCallback}
+        disabled={disabled}
+      >
+        {SORT_ORDER_VALUES.map((option) => (
+          <Option
+            key={option}
+            value={option}
+            description={
+              optionDescriptions && optionDescriptions[option].description
+            }
+          >
+            {optionDescriptions && optionDescriptions[option].label}
+          </Option>
+        ))}
+      </Select>
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
 function StringSetting<PreferenceName extends StringPreferences>({
   name,
   onChange,
@@ -263,9 +315,16 @@ function SettingsInput({
         disabled={!!disabled}
       />
     );
-  }
-
-  if (type === 'number') {
+  } else if (type === 'string' && name === 'defaultSortOrder') {
+    input = (
+      <DefaultSortOrderSetting
+        name={name}
+        onChange={onChange}
+        value={value as string}
+        disabled={!!disabled}
+      />
+    );
+  } else if (type === 'number') {
     input = (
       <NumericSetting
         name={name}
@@ -275,9 +334,7 @@ function SettingsInput({
         disabled={!!disabled}
       />
     );
-  }
-
-  if (type === 'string') {
+  } else if (type === 'string') {
     input = (
       <StringSetting
         name={name}