diff --git a/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/EnhancedTrackingProtectionTest.kt b/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/StrictEnhancedTrackingProtectionTest.kt
similarity index 97%
rename from app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/EnhancedTrackingProtectionTest.kt
rename to app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/StrictEnhancedTrackingProtectionTest.kt
index 7953301f1..5ac044f6c 100644
--- a/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/EnhancedTrackingProtectionTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/StrictEnhancedTrackingProtectionTest.kt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import org.junit.After
 import org.junit.Before
 import org.junit.Rule
 import org.junit.Test
+import org.mozilla.fenix.ext.settings
 import org.mozilla.fenix.helpers.AndroidAssetDispatcher
 import org.mozilla.fenix.helpers.HomeActivityTestRule
 import org.mozilla.fenix.helpers.TestAssetHelper
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ import org.mozilla.fenix.ui.robots.settingsSubMenuEnhancedTrackingProtection
  *  - Verifying Enhanced Tracking Protection site exceptions
  */
 
-class EnhancedTrackingProtectionTest {
+class StrictEnhancedTrackingProtectionTest {
     private lateinit var mockWebServer: MockWebServer
 
     @get:Rule
@@ -45,6 +46,8 @@ class EnhancedTrackingProtectionTest {
             start()
         }
 
+        InstrumentationRegistry.getInstrumentation().context.settings().setStrictETP()
+
         // Reset on-boarding notification for each test
         TestHelper.setPreference(
             InstrumentationRegistry.getInstrumentation().context,
diff --git a/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/robots/SettingsSubMenuEnhancedTrackingProtectionRobot.kt b/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/robots/SettingsSubMenuEnhancedTrackingProtectionRobot.kt
index ad4ac835d..082acce1c 100644
--- a/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/robots/SettingsSubMenuEnhancedTrackingProtectionRobot.kt
+++ b/app/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/fenix/ui/robots/SettingsSubMenuEnhancedTrackingProtectionRobot.kt
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ private fun assertEnhancedTrackingProtectionOptions() {
     onView(withText(stdText))
         .check(matches(withEffectiveVisibility(Visibility.VISIBLE)))
 
-    onView(withText("Strict (Default)"))
+    onView(withText("Strict"))
         .check(matches(withEffectiveVisibility(Visibility.VISIBLE)))
 
     val strictText =
@@ -152,13 +152,13 @@ private fun assertEnhancedTrackingProtectionDefaults() {
 }
 
 private fun assertRadioButtonDefaults() {
-    onView(withText("Standard")
+    onView(withText("Strict")
     ).assertIsChecked(false)
 
     onView(
         allOf(
             withId(org.mozilla.fenix.R.id.radio_button),
-            hasSibling(withText("Strict (Default)"))
+            hasSibling(withText("Standard"))
         )
     ).assertIsChecked(true)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt
index f7caa06c0..d588ad799 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/Settings.kt
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import org.mozilla.fenix.FeatureFlags
 import org.mozilla.fenix.R
 import org.mozilla.fenix.browser.browsingmode.BrowsingMode
 import org.mozilla.fenix.components.metrics.MozillaProductDetector
+import org.mozilla.fenix.ext.components
 import org.mozilla.fenix.ext.getPreferenceKey
 import org.mozilla.fenix.settings.PhoneFeature
 import org.mozilla.fenix.settings.deletebrowsingdata.DeleteBrowsingDataOnQuitType
@@ -332,7 +333,7 @@ class Settings private constructor(
 
     val useStrictTrackingProtection by booleanPreference(
         appContext.getPreferenceKey(R.string.pref_key_tracking_protection_strict_default),
-        true
+        false
     )
 
     val useCustomTrackingProtection by booleanPreference(
@@ -340,6 +341,24 @@ class Settings private constructor(
         false
     )
 
+    @VisibleForTesting(otherwise = PRIVATE)
+    fun setStrictETP() {
+        preferences.edit().putBoolean(
+            appContext.getPreferenceKey(R.string.pref_key_tracking_protection_strict_default),
+            true
+        ).apply()
+        preferences.edit().putBoolean(
+            appContext.getPreferenceKey(R.string.pref_key_tracking_protection_standard_option),
+            false
+        ).apply()
+        appContext?.components?.let {
+            val policy = it.core.trackingProtectionPolicyFactory
+                .createTrackingProtectionPolicy()
+            it.useCases.settingsUseCases.updateTrackingProtection.invoke(policy)
+            it.useCases.sessionUseCases.reload.invoke()
+        }
+    }
+
     val blockCookiesInCustomTrackingProtection by booleanPreference(
         appContext.getPreferenceKey(R.string.pref_key_tracking_protection_custom_cookies),
         true
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/onboarding_tracking_protection.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/onboarding_tracking_protection.xml
index 7bad8a3f8..5bdacb8ce 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/onboarding_tracking_protection.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/onboarding_tracking_protection.xml
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
         android:layout_marginBottom="16dp"
         android:paddingStart="0dp"
         android:paddingEnd="8dp"
+        android:checked="true"
         android:theme="@style/Checkable.Colored"
         app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
         app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/description_text"
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@
         android:layout_marginStart="16dp"
         android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
         android:layout_marginBottom="16dp"
-        android:checked="true"
+        android:checked="false"
         android:paddingStart="0dp"
         android:paddingEnd="8dp"
         android:theme="@style/Checkable.Colored"
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@
         android:id="@+id/protection_strict_title"
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-        android:text="@string/onboarding_tracking_protection_strict_button"
+        android:text="@string/onboarding_tracking_protection_strict_option"
         android:textColor="@color/primary_state_list_text_color"
         android:textSize="16sp"
         app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/tracking_protection_strict_default"
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 1ded5605b..59ce7aef2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -937,6 +937,8 @@
     <string name="onboarding_tracking_protection_standard_button_description">Blocks fewer trackers but allows pages to load normally</string>
     <!-- text for tracking protection radio button option for strict level of blocking -->
     <string name="onboarding_tracking_protection_strict_button">Strict (recommended)</string>
+    <!-- text for tracking protection radio button option for strict level of blocking -->
+    <string name="onboarding_tracking_protection_strict_option">Strict</string>
     <!-- text for strict blocking option button description -->
     <string name="onboarding_tracking_protection_strict_button_description">Blocks more trackers for better protection and performance, but may cause some sites to not work properly</string>
     <!-- text for the toolbar position card header
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/xml/tracking_protection_preferences.xml b/app/src/main/res/xml/tracking_protection_preferences.xml
index 1c9d514e8..ef7b43cc7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/xml/tracking_protection_preferences.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/xml/tracking_protection_preferences.xml
@@ -15,18 +15,17 @@
         android:key="@string/pref_key_tracking_protection"
         android:title="@string/preference_enhanced_tracking_protection" />
     <org.mozilla.fenix.settings.RadioButtonInfoPreference
-        android:defaultValue="false"
+        android:defaultValue="true"
         android:dependency="@string/pref_key_tracking_protection"
         android:key="@string/pref_key_tracking_protection_standard_option"
         android:summary="@string/preference_enhanced_tracking_protection_standard_description_2"
         android:title="@string/preference_enhanced_tracking_protection_standard_option" />
     <org.mozilla.fenix.settings.RadioButtonInfoPreference
-        android:defaultValue="true"
+        android:defaultValue="false"
         android:dependency="@string/pref_key_tracking_protection"
         android:key="@string/pref_key_tracking_protection_strict_default"
         android:summary="@string/preference_enhanced_tracking_protection_strict_default_description"
-        android:title="@string/preference_enhanced_tracking_protection_strict_default" />
-
+        android:title="@string/preference_enhanced_tracking_protection_strict" />
     <org.mozilla.fenix.settings.RadioButtonInfoPreference
         android:defaultValue="false"
         android:dependency="@string/pref_key_tracking_protection"
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/SettingsTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/SettingsTest.kt
index ed62b4c2e..2fecb8d8e 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/SettingsTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/utils/SettingsTest.kt
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ class SettingsTest {
     fun shouldUseTrackingProtectionStrict() {
         // When
         // Then
-        assertTrue(settings.useStrictTrackingProtection)
+        assertFalse(settings.useStrictTrackingProtection)
     }
 
     @Test