Best match means best; preference preselects the combo row

src/video.rs

@@ -1464,9 +1464,29 @@ fn select_muxed_format(formats: &[Format], want: Option<u32>) -> Option<StreamSe
     }
 }
 
+/// Default combo selection for a fresh resolve: "Best match" (index
+/// 0) when the preference is Best, else the listed height closest to
+/// the preferred one (ties go taller). The combo lists Best first,
+/// then the options in order — so the preference preselects a row
+/// instead of masquerading as Best match. Pure for tests.
+pub fn default_quality_index(formats: &[VideoFormatOption], quality: &str) -> usize {
+    let want = match quality_height(quality) {
+        None => return 0,
+        Some(h) => h,
+    };
+    formats
+        .iter()
+        .enumerate()
+        .map(|(i, opt)| (i + 1, opt.height))
+        .min_by_key(|(_, h)| (h.abs_diff(want), std::cmp::Reverse(*h)))
+        .map(|(i, _)| i)
+        .unwrap_or(0)
+}
+
 /// Stored quality value to a height cap: `None` (Best) takes the
-/// tallest variant available.
-fn quality_height(value: &str) -> Option<u32> {
+/// tallest variant available. Unknown values fall back to 1080p (same
+/// fallback as the combo mapping and the extractor selector).
+pub(crate) fn quality_height(value: &str) -> Option<u32> {
     match value {
         "best" => None,
         "2160p" => Some(2160),

src/video_tests.rs

@@ -2556,3 +2556,42 @@ fn resolve_hls_input_prefers_binary_dump() {
     assert_eq!(input.referer.as_deref(), Some("https://www.tiktok.com/"));
     let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
 }
+
+// ── default combo selection ──────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn test_options() -> Vec<VideoFormatOption> {
+    [480u32, 720, 1080]
+        .iter()
+        .map(|h| VideoFormatOption {
+            id: format!("v{h}"),
+            label: format!("{h}p"),
+            height: *h,
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_quality_index_preselects() {
+    let opts = test_options();
+    // Best (and empty listings) stay on "Best match".
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&opts, "best"), 0);
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&[], "720p"), 0);
+    // Otherwise the closest listed height wins (combo index 1-based).
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&opts, "1080p"), 3);
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&opts, "720p"), 2);
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&opts, "480p"), 1);
+    // Between buckets the nearer height wins, ties go taller.
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&opts, "2160p"), 3);
+    // Unknown stored values degrade like the extractor selector (1080p).
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&opts, "mystery"), 3);
+    // Exact ties (odd extractor heights equidistant from the cap) go taller.
+    let odd = [600u32, 840]
+        .iter()
+        .map(|h| VideoFormatOption {
+            id: format!("v{h}"),
+            label: format!("{h}p"),
+            height: *h,
+        })
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    assert_eq!(default_quality_index(&odd, "720p"), 2);
+}

src/window.rs

@@ -1677,7 +1677,12 @@ pub fn show_add_dialog(manager: Rc<DownloadManager>) {
                             .quality
                             .set_model(Some(&gtk4::StringList::new(&refs)));
                         *formats_b.borrow_mut() = ids;
-                        step_b.quality.set_selected(0);
+                        step_b
+                            .quality
+                            .set_selected(crate::video::default_quality_index(
+                                &v.formats,
+                                &settings_b.video_quality(),
+                            ) as u32);
                         *info_b.borrow_mut() = Some(v);
                         show_video_ready(&step_b);
                         set_lookup_add(&lookup_add_b, true);
@@ -2058,15 +2063,17 @@ pub fn show_add_dialog(manager: Rc<DownloadManager>) {
                         } else {
                             Some(typed.as_str())
                         };
-                        // The fallback quality follows the picked format's
-                        // height, so a dropped pin still degrades to the
-                        // chosen height; "Best match" (index 0) keeps the
-                        // live global preference. The combo lists Best
-                        // match first, then the info formats in order.
+                        // "Best match" (index 0) means best available,
+                        // not the global preference: the preference
+                        // already preselected a row at resolve time.
+                        // Exact picks carry their height as the
+                        // fallback, so a dropped pin still degrades to
+                        // the chosen height. The combo lists Best match
+                        // first, then the info formats in order.
                         let selected = step2.quality.selected() as usize;
                         let format_id = formats.borrow().get(selected).cloned().flatten();
                         let quality = match selected {
-                            0 => m.settings().video_quality(),
+                            0 => "best".to_string(),
                             i => v
                                 .formats
                                 .get(i - 1)