diff --git a/apps/web/src/config/features.ts b/apps/web/src/config/features.ts
index 01b401c12..16ebbfa0d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/config/features.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/config/features.ts
@@ -49,14 +49,19 @@ export const FEATURES = {
    * HLS Streaming
    * Backend endpoints: /api/v1/tracks/:id/hls/info, /api/v1/tracks/:id/hls/status
    *
-   * Default is `false` to match backend `HLS_STREAMING` env (off by default).
-   * When off, playback goes through `/api/v1/tracks/:id/stream` (MP3 range requests).
-   * Enable via VITE_FEATURE_HLS_STREAMING=true in environments where the backend
-   * transcoder is actually running.
+   * Default flipped to `true` in v1.0.10 polish to match backend
+   * `HLS_STREAMING=true` (Day 17 of the v1.0.9 sprint). Adaptive
+   * bitrate via HLS is the canonical playback path; MP3 range
+   * requests via `/api/v1/tracks/:id/stream` remain a fallback when
+   * the browser can't play HLS or the transcoder hasn't produced
+   * segments yet.
+   *
+   * Set VITE_FEATURE_HLS_STREAMING=false to opt out (unit-test envs
+   * without a transcoder, or to bisect playback regressions).
    */
   HLS_STREAMING: parseFeatureEnv(
     import.meta.env.VITE_FEATURE_HLS_STREAMING,
-    false,
+    true,
   ),
 
   /**