Allow configuring default model for built-in agents
Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened Jan 27, 2026 by c2keesey Closed Jan 31, 2026
Feature Request
Allow users to configure the default model for built-in agents (Explore, Plan, etc.) through settings.
Use Case
The built-in Explore agent defaults to Haiku for speed, but some users prefer Sonnet for better quality results when exploring codebases. Currently, the only way to use a different model is to specify it on every Task tool call.
Proposed Solution
Add an agentDefaults section to settings.json:
{
"agentDefaults": {
"Explore": {
"model": "sonnet"
},
"Plan": {
"model": "sonnet"
}
}
}
This would let users override the default model for any built-in agent type while preserving the current defaults for those who don't configure it.
Alternatives Considered
- Creating custom agents via plugins (works but duplicates built-in functionality)
- Specifying model on every Task call (tedious and easy to forget)
This issue has 3 comments on GitHub. Read the full discussion on GitHub ↗