diff --git a/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py b/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py
index 80c6d9c..e204bf2 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         self._mig_snapshot_check()
         self._mig_set_vid_type()
         self._mig_set_streams()
+        self._mig_set_autostart()
 
     def _sync_redis_state(self):
         """make sure redis gets new config.json values"""
@@ -236,3 +237,34 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
 
             if idx % 100 == 0:
                 self.stdout.write(f"    progress {idx}/{total}")
+
+    def _mig_set_autostart(self):
+        """migration: update from 0.3.5 to 0.3.6 set auto_start to false"""
+        self.stdout.write("[MIGRATION] set default download auto_start")
+        data = {
+            "query": {
+                "bool": {"must_not": [{"exists": {"field": "auto_start"}}]}
+            },
+            "script": {"source": "ctx._source['auto_start'] = false"},
+        }
+        path = "ta_download/_update_by_query"
+        response, status_code = ElasticWrap(path).post(data=data)
+        if status_code == 200:
+            updated = response.get("updated", 0)
+            if not updated:
+                self.stdout.write(
+                    "    no videos needed updating in ta_download"
+                )
+
+            self.stdout.write(
+                self.style.SUCCESS(
+                    f"    ✓ {updated} videos updated in ta_download"
+                )
+            )
+            return
+
+        message = "    🗙 ta_download auto_start update failed"
+        self.stdout.write(self.style.ERROR(message))
+        self.stdout.write(response)
+        sleep(60)
+        raise CommandError(message)
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/config.json b/tubearchivist/home/config.json
index 08f7645..8235133 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/config.json
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/config.json
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@
         "grid_items": 3
     },
     "subscriptions": {
-        "auto_search": false,
         "auto_download": false,
         "channel_size": 50,
         "live_channel_size": 50,
-        "shorts_channel_size": 50
+        "shorts_channel_size": 50,
+        "auto_start": false
     },
     "downloads": {
         "limit_count": false,
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/src/download/queue.py b/tubearchivist/home/src/download/queue.py
index 3309f51..325f8fd 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/src/download/queue.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/src/download/queue.py
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ class PendingList(PendingIndex):
             # match vid_type later
             self._add_video(video_id, VideoTypeEnum.UNKNOWN)
 
-    def add_to_pending(self, status="pending"):
+    def add_to_pending(self, status="pending", auto_start=False):
         """add missing videos to pending list"""
         self.get_channels()
         bulk_list = []
@@ -252,7 +252,13 @@ class PendingList(PendingIndex):
             if not video_details:
                 continue
 
-            video_details["status"] = status
+            video_details.update(
+                {
+                    "status": status,
+                    "auto_start": auto_start,
+                }
+            )
+
             action = {"create": {"_id": youtube_id, "_index": "ta_download"}}
             bulk_list.append(json.dumps(action))
             bulk_list.append(json.dumps(video_details))
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/src/download/subscriptions.py b/tubearchivist/home/src/download/subscriptions.py
index b006f84..760b303 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/src/download/subscriptions.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/src/download/subscriptions.py
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ class SubscriptionScanner:
     def __init__(self, task=False):
         self.task = task
         self.missing_videos = False
+        self.auto_start = AppConfig().config["subscriptions"].get("auto_start")
 
     def scan(self):
         """scan channels and playlists"""
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/src/es/index_mapping.json b/tubearchivist/home/src/es/index_mapping.json
index 6641159..c748204 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/src/es/index_mapping.json
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/src/es/index_mapping.json
@@ -357,6 +357,9 @@
                 },
                 "vid_type": {
                     "type": "keyword"
+                },
+                "auto_start": {
+                    "type": "boolean"
                 }
             },
             "expected_set": {
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py b/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py
index 2196468..2166db7 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py
@@ -171,10 +171,12 @@ def update_subscribed(self):
         return
 
     manager.init(self)
-    missing_videos = SubscriptionScanner(task=self).scan()
+    handler = SubscriptionScanner(task=self)
+    missing_videos = handler.scan()
+    auto_start = handler.auto_start
     if missing_videos:
         print(missing_videos)
-        extrac_dl.delay(missing_videos)
+        extrac_dl.delay(missing_videos, auto_start=auto_start)
 
 
 @shared_task(name="download_pending", bind=True, base=BaseTask)
@@ -194,12 +196,12 @@ def download_pending(self, from_queue=True):
 
 
 @shared_task(name="extract_download", bind=True, base=BaseTask)
-def extrac_dl(self, youtube_ids):
+def extrac_dl(self, youtube_ids, auto_start=False):
     """parse list passed and add to pending"""
     TaskManager().init(self)
     pending_handler = PendingList(youtube_ids=youtube_ids, task=self)
     pending_handler.parse_url_list()
-    pending_handler.add_to_pending()
+    pending_handler.add_to_pending(auto_start=auto_start)
 
 
 @shared_task(bind=True, name="check_reindex", base=BaseTask)