diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cdf0e4b..867ec26 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aerofetch",
-  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "version": "0.3.0",
   "description": "A yt-dlp frontend for Windows",
   "main": "./out/main/index.js",
   "author": "AeroFetch",
diff --git a/src/main/download.ts b/src/main/download.ts
index 0e24b01..8e70e15 100644
--- a/src/main/download.ts
+++ b/src/main/download.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import { spawn, execFile, type ChildProcess } from 'child_process'
 import { existsSync } from 'fs'
 import { join } from 'path'
-import { app, BrowserWindow, Notification, type WebContents } from 'electron'
+import { BrowserWindow, Notification, type WebContents } from 'electron'
 import { getYtdlpPath, getBinDir, getAria2cPath, getFfmpegPath, getFfprobePath } from './binaries'
-import { getSettings, getDownloadArchivePath } from './settings'
+import { getSettings, getDownloadArchivePath, getDefaultMediaDir } from './settings'
 import { getCookiesFilePath } from './cookies'
 import { listTemplates } from './templates'
 import { assertHttpUrl } from './url'
@@ -165,7 +165,11 @@ function resolveExtraArgs(opts: StartDownloadOptions, settings: Settings): strin
 /** Resolve settings + per-download overrides into the full yt-dlp argv. */
 export function buildCommand(opts: StartDownloadOptions): string[] {
   const settings = getSettings()
-  const outDir = opts.outputDir?.trim() || settings.outputDir || app.getPath('downloads')
+  // Output dir resolution: a per-download override wins, then the user's explicit
+  // global folder (Settings → Download folder), and finally — when both are blank —
+  // the per-kind default (Documents\Video for video, Documents\Audio for audio).
+  const outDir =
+    opts.outputDir?.trim() || settings.outputDir?.trim() || getDefaultMediaDir(opts.kind)
   // A collection (media-manager) download is filed into <channel>/<playlist>/
   // <NNN> - <title> folders; an ordinary download uses the flat filenameTemplate.
   const filenameTemplate = settings.filenameTemplate?.trim() || '%(title)s.%(ext)s'
diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 42ca203..8e7b2f5 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 import { getYtdlpVersion, updateYtdlp } from './ytdlp'
 import { probeMedia } from './probe'
 import { startDownload, cancelDownload, previewCommand } from './download'
-import { getSettings, setSettings } from './settings'
+import { getSettings, setSettings, ensureMediaDirs } from './settings'
 import { listHistory, addHistory, removeHistory, removeManyHistory, clearHistory } from './history'
 import { listTemplates, saveTemplate, removeTemplate } from './templates'
 import { setupPortableData } from './portable'
@@ -303,6 +303,10 @@ if (isPrimaryInstance) {
   app.whenReady().then(() => {
     electronApp.setAppUserModelId('com.aerofetch.app')
 
+    // Create the default Documents\Video and Documents\Audio destinations so they
+    // exist from first launch (downloads are routed into them by kind).
+    ensureMediaDirs()
+
     app.on('browser-window-created', (_, window) => {
       optimizer.watchWindowShortcuts(window)
     })
diff --git a/src/main/settings.ts b/src/main/settings.ts
index 8b4add0..ea0b813 100644
--- a/src/main/settings.ts
+++ b/src/main/settings.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { app } from 'electron'
 import { join } from 'path'
+import { mkdirSync } from 'fs'
 import Store from 'electron-store'
 import { isSafeFilenameTemplate, isSafeOutputDir } from './validation'
 import {
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ import {
 } from '@shared/ipc'
 
 const DEFAULTS: Settings = {
-  outputDir: '', // resolved to the OS Downloads folder on first read
+  outputDir: '', // blank = route by kind into Documents\Video / Documents\Audio (see getDefaultMediaDir)
   defaultKind: 'video',
   defaultVideoQuality: 'Best available',
   defaultAudioQuality: 'Best (MP3)',
@@ -45,6 +46,31 @@ export function getDownloadArchivePath(): string {
   return join(app.getPath('userData'), 'download-archive.txt')
 }
 
+/**
+ * The default per-kind download destination: video → Documents\Video,
+ * audio → Documents\Audio. Used when the user hasn't set an explicit output
+ * folder (Settings → Download folder), so downloads are sorted by type.
+ */
+export function getDefaultMediaDir(kind: 'video' | 'audio'): string {
+  return join(app.getPath('documents'), kind === 'audio' ? 'Audio' : 'Video')
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create the Documents\Video and Documents\Audio folders up front (called once
+ * at startup) so they exist the moment the app opens, not just after the first
+ * download. Best-effort: yt-dlp also creates the output dir at download time, so
+ * a failure here (read-only Documents, redirected folder) is non-fatal.
+ */
+export function ensureMediaDirs(): void {
+  for (const kind of ['video', 'audio'] as const) {
+    try {
+      mkdirSync(getDefaultMediaDir(kind), { recursive: true })
+    } catch {
+      /* non-fatal — the download path will be created on demand instead */
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 // Coerce an untrusted partial into a valid DownloadOptions, falling back to the
 // defaults for any missing/invalid field. Used both to migrate older settings
 // files (which predate downloadOptions) and to validate renderer writes.
@@ -100,10 +126,9 @@ export function getSettings(): Settings {
   // `set`, so only write when something actually changed — otherwise this churns
   // the settings file on every read. (audit P1)
   const cur = s.store
-  if (!cur.outputDir) {
-    // Fill in the real Downloads path the first time, and persist it once.
-    s.set('outputDir', app.getPath('downloads'))
-  }
+  // outputDir is intentionally left blank by default — an empty value routes each
+  // download into Documents\Video / Documents\Audio by kind (see buildCommand).
+  // Only an explicit user choice (Settings → Download folder) overrides that.
   // Migrate settings files that predate downloadOptions (or hold a partial one),
   // but only persist when sanitizing actually altered the stored value.
   const sanitized = sanitizeOptions(cur.downloadOptions)
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/DownloadBar.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/DownloadBar.tsx
index 2bf4b8e..a76f075 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/DownloadBar.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/DownloadBar.tsx
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ import {
   Input,
   Button,
   Checkbox,
-  Switch,
-  Field,
   Spinner,
   Text,
   Caption1,
@@ -16,36 +14,19 @@ import {
 import {
   ArrowDownloadRegular,
   ClipboardPasteRegular,
-  FolderRegular,
   SearchRegular,
   VideoClipRegular,
   MusicNote2Regular,
   ErrorCircleRegular,
   LinkRegular,
   DismissRegular,
-  OptionsRegular,
-  ChevronDownRegular,
-  ChevronUpRegular,
-  AppsListRegular,
-  CodeRegular,
-  EyeRegular,
-  EyeOffRegular,
-  CopyRegular
+  AppsListRegular
 } from '@fluentui/react-icons'
-import type {
-  MediaInfo,
-  FormatOption,
-  PlaylistInfo,
-  DownloadOptions,
-  CommandPreviewResult,
-  StartDownloadOptions
-} from '@shared/ipc'
+import type { MediaInfo, FormatOption, PlaylistInfo } from '@shared/ipc'
 import { useDownloads, QUALITY_OPTIONS, type MediaKind } from '../store/downloads'
 import { useSettings } from '../store/settings'
-import { useTemplates } from '../store/templates'
 import { Select } from './Select'
 import { Hint } from './Hint'
-import { DownloadOptionsForm } from './DownloadOptionsForm'
 
 /** A quick heuristic for "this clipboard text is a link worth offering". */
 function looksLikeUrl(text: string): boolean {
@@ -184,33 +165,6 @@ const useStyles = makeStyles({
   spacer: {
     flexGrow: 1
   },
-  // --- per-download options panel ---
-  optionsBar: {
-    display: 'flex',
-    alignItems: 'center',
-    gap: '8px'
-  },
-  optionsPanel: {
-    padding: '14px',
-    backgroundColor: tokens.colorNeutralBackground2,
-    ...shorthands.borderRadius(tokens.borderRadiusLarge),
-    border: `1px solid ${tokens.colorNeutralStroke2}`
-  },
-  // --- command preview ---
-  previewPanel: {
-    display: 'flex',
-    flexDirection: 'column',
-    gap: '8px',
-    padding: '14px',
-    backgroundColor: tokens.colorNeutralBackground2,
-    ...shorthands.borderRadius(tokens.borderRadiusLarge),
-    border: `1px solid ${tokens.colorNeutralStroke2}`
-  },
-  previewCommandText: {
-    fontFamily: tokens.fontFamilyMonospace,
-    whiteSpace: 'pre-wrap',
-    wordBreak: 'break-all'
-  },
   // --- playlist selection ---
   plPanel: {
     display: 'flex',
@@ -258,63 +212,21 @@ const useStyles = makeStyles({
   },
   plItemMeta: {
     color: tokens.colorNeutralForeground3
-  },
-  folder: {
-    display: 'flex',
-    alignItems: 'center',
-    gap: '6px',
-    color: tokens.colorNeutralForeground3,
-    maxWidth: '360px'
-  },
-  folderPath: {
-    overflow: 'hidden',
-    textOverflow: 'ellipsis',
-    whiteSpace: 'nowrap'
   }
 })
 
 export function DownloadBar(): React.JSX.Element {
   const styles = useStyles()
   const addFromUrl = useDownloads((s) => s.addFromUrl)
-  const outputDir = useSettings((s) => s.outputDir)
-  const chooseOutputDir = useSettings((s) => s.chooseOutputDir)
   const settingsLoaded = useSettings((s) => s.loaded)
   const defaultKind = useSettings((s) => s.defaultKind)
   const defaultVideoQuality = useSettings((s) => s.defaultVideoQuality)
   const defaultAudioQuality = useSettings((s) => s.defaultAudioQuality)
-  const downloadOptions = useSettings((s) => s.downloadOptions)
 
   const [url, setUrl] = useState('')
   const [kind, setKind] = useState<MediaKind>('video')
   const [quality, setQuality] = useState(QUALITY_OPTIONS.video[0])
 
-  // Per-download options override (null = use the persisted defaults).
-  const [override, setOverride] = useState<DownloadOptions | null>(null)
-  const [showOptions, setShowOptions] = useState(false)
-  const effectiveOptions = override ?? downloadOptions
-
-  // Private mode — sticky like an incognito tab; the download still runs and
-  // appears in the queue, but its completion is never recorded to history.
-  const [incognito, setIncognito] = useState(false)
-
-  // Per-download custom-command override: undefined = defer to the settings
-  // default (customCommandEnabled + defaultTemplateId); null = explicit
-  // "None" for just this download; a string = a chosen template id override.
-  const [templateOverride, setTemplateOverride] = useState<string | null | undefined>(undefined)
-  const [showCustomCommand, setShowCustomCommand] = useState(false)
-  const customCommandEnabled = useSettings((s) => s.customCommandEnabled)
-  const settingsDefaultTemplateId = useSettings((s) => s.defaultTemplateId)
-  const templates = useTemplates((s) => s.templates)
-  const effectiveTemplateId =
-    templateOverride !== undefined
-      ? templateOverride
-      : customCommandEnabled
-        ? settingsDefaultTemplateId
-        : null
-
-  const [previewResult, setPreviewResult] = useState<CommandPreviewResult | null>(null)
-  const [previewing, setPreviewing] = useState(false)
-
   // Apply the saved default format once, when persisted settings first arrive.
   const appliedDefaults = useRef(false)
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -393,7 +305,6 @@ export function DownloadBar(): React.JSX.Element {
     setSuggestion(null)
   }
 
-  const folder = outputDir || 'your Downloads folder'
   const usingFormats = kind === 'video' && info !== null && info.formats.length > 0
   const selectedFormat: FormatOption | undefined = usingFormats
     ? info.formats.find((f) => f.id === formatId) ?? info.formats[0]
@@ -468,61 +379,6 @@ export function DownloadBar(): React.JSX.Element {
     setSelected(allSelected ? new Set() : new Set(playlist.entries.map((e) => e.index)))
   }
 
-  // Resolves the per-download custom-command override to the raw extra-args
-  // string sent to main; undefined defers to the settings default there.
-  function resolveExtraArgs(): string | undefined {
-    if (templateOverride === undefined) return undefined
-    if (templateOverride === null) return ''
-    return templates.find((t) => t.id === templateOverride)?.args ?? ''
-  }
-
-  // The StartDownloadOptions the current form state would produce — shared by
-  // the real download() call and the command-preview button so they can never
-  // drift apart.
-  function currentStartOptions(): StartDownloadOptions {
-    const base: StartDownloadOptions = {
-      id: 'preview',
-      url: url.trim(),
-      kind,
-      quality,
-      outputDir: outputDir || undefined,
-      options: override ?? undefined,
-      extraArgs: resolveExtraArgs()
-    }
-    if (usingFormats && selectedFormat) {
-      return {
-        ...base,
-        kind: 'video',
-        quality: selectedFormat.label,
-        formatId: selectedFormat.id,
-        formatHasAudio: selectedFormat.hasAudio
-      }
-    }
-    return base
-  }
-
-  async function previewCommand(): Promise<void> {
-    if (!url.trim() || previewing) return
-    setPreviewing(true)
-    setPreviewResult(null)
-    try {
-      setPreviewResult(await window.api.previewCommand(currentStartOptions()))
-    } catch (e) {
-      setPreviewResult({ ok: false, error: e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e) })
-    } finally {
-      setPreviewing(false)
-    }
-  }
-
-  async function copyPreview(): Promise<void> {
-    if (!previewResult?.command) return
-    try {
-      await navigator.clipboard.writeText(previewResult.command)
-    } catch {
-      /* clipboard blocked — ignore in preview */
-    }
-  }
-
   function download(): void {
     const trimmed = url.trim()
     if (!trimmed) return
@@ -543,18 +399,10 @@ export function DownloadBar(): React.JSX.Element {
           id: selectedFormat.id,
           hasAudio: selectedFormat.hasAudio,
           label: selectedFormat.label
-        },
-        options: override ?? undefined,
-        extraArgs: resolveExtraArgs(),
-        incognito
+        }
       })
     } else {
-      addFromUrl(trimmed, kind, quality, {
-        ...meta,
-        options: override ?? undefined,
-        extraArgs: resolveExtraArgs(),
-        incognito
-      })
+      addFromUrl(trimmed, kind, quality, meta)
     }
 
     setUrl('')
@@ -568,10 +416,7 @@ export function DownloadBar(): React.JSX.Element {
       addFromUrl(e.url, kind, quality, {
         title: e.title,
         channel: e.uploader,
-        durationLabel: e.durationLabel,
-        options: override ?? undefined,
-        extraArgs: resolveExtraArgs(),
-        incognito
+        durationLabel: e.durationLabel
       })
     }
     setUrl('')
@@ -769,136 +614,6 @@ export function DownloadBar(): React.JSX.Element {
           </Button>
         )}
       </div>
-
-      <div className={styles.optionsBar}>
-        {incognito ? <EyeOffRegular /> : <EyeRegular />}
-        <Switch
-          checked={incognito}
-          onChange={(_, d) => setIncognito(d.checked)}
-          label={incognito ? 'Private — won’t be saved to history' : 'Private mode'}
-        />
-      </div>
-
-      <div className={styles.optionsBar}>
-        <Button
-          appearance="subtle"
-          size="small"
-          icon={<OptionsRegular />}
-          iconPosition="before"
-          onClick={() => setShowOptions((v) => !v)}
-        >
-          Options {showOptions ? <ChevronUpRegular /> : <ChevronDownRegular />}
-        </Button>
-        {override && (
-          <>
-            <Caption1 className={styles.previewMeta}>Customised for this download</Caption1>
-            <Button appearance="subtle" size="small" onClick={() => setOverride(null)}>
-              Reset to defaults
-            </Button>
-          </>
-        )}
-      </div>
-
-      {showOptions && (
-        <div className={styles.optionsPanel}>
-          <DownloadOptionsForm value={effectiveOptions} onChange={(o) => setOverride(o)} />
-        </div>
-      )}
-
-      <div className={styles.optionsBar}>
-        <Button
-          appearance="subtle"
-          size="small"
-          icon={<CodeRegular />}
-          iconPosition="before"
-          onClick={() => setShowCustomCommand((v) => !v)}
-        >
-          Custom command {showCustomCommand ? <ChevronUpRegular /> : <ChevronDownRegular />}
-        </Button>
-        {templateOverride !== undefined && (
-          <>
-            <Caption1 className={styles.previewMeta}>Customised for this download</Caption1>
-            <Button appearance="subtle" size="small" onClick={() => setTemplateOverride(undefined)}>
-              Reset to default
-            </Button>
-          </>
-        )}
-        <div className={styles.spacer} />
-        <Hint label="Build and show the exact yt-dlp command line" placement="top" align="end">
-          <Button
-            appearance="subtle"
-            size="small"
-            icon={previewing ? <Spinner size="tiny" /> : <EyeRegular />}
-            iconPosition="before"
-            onClick={previewCommand}
-            disabled={!url.trim() || previewing}
-          >
-            Preview command
-          </Button>
-        </Hint>
-      </div>
-
-      {showCustomCommand && (
-        <div className={styles.optionsPanel}>
-          <Field label="Template" hint="Extra yt-dlp flags layered onto this download, after every other option.">
-            <Select
-              aria-label="Custom command template"
-              value={effectiveTemplateId ?? 'none'}
-              options={[
-                { value: 'none', label: 'None' },
-                ...templates.map((t) => ({ value: t.id, label: t.name }))
-              ]}
-              onChange={(v) => setTemplateOverride(v === 'none' ? null : v)}
-            />
-          </Field>
-          {templates.length === 0 && (
-            <Caption1 className={styles.previewMeta}>
-              No templates yet — add one in Settings → Custom commands.
-            </Caption1>
-          )}
-        </div>
-      )}
-
-      {previewResult && (
-        <div className={styles.previewPanel}>
-          <div className={styles.plHeader}>
-            <Caption1 className={styles.plHeaderText}>
-              {previewResult.ok ? 'Command preview' : 'Could not build the command'}
-            </Caption1>
-            {previewResult.ok && (
-              <Button size="small" icon={<CopyRegular />} onClick={copyPreview}>
-                Copy
-              </Button>
-            )}
-            <Button
-              size="small"
-              appearance="subtle"
-              icon={<DismissRegular />}
-              onClick={() => setPreviewResult(null)}
-              aria-label="Dismiss preview"
-            />
-          </div>
-          {previewResult.ok ? (
-            <Text className={styles.previewCommandText}>{previewResult.command}</Text>
-          ) : (
-            <Caption1 className={mergeClasses(styles.previewMeta, styles.errorRow)}>
-              {previewResult.error}
-            </Caption1>
-          )}
-        </div>
-      )}
-
-      <div className={styles.folder}>
-        <FolderRegular />
-        <Caption1 className={styles.folderPath} title={folder}>
-          Saving to {folder}
-        </Caption1>
-        <Hint label="Change download folder" placement="top" align="start">
-          <Button size="small" appearance="transparent" onClick={chooseOutputDir}>
-            Change
-          </Button>
-        </Hint>
-      </div>
     </div>
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/Onboarding.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
index 519ac20..4e76623 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
@@ -118,12 +118,16 @@ export function Onboarding(): React.JSX.Element {
           audio. yt-dlp and ffmpeg are bundled, so there&apos;s nothing else to install.
         </Body1>
 
-        <Field label="Download folder">
+        <Field
+          label="Download folder"
+          hint="Leave blank to sort downloads into Documents\Video and Documents\Audio by type, or pick a folder for everything."
+        >
           <div className={styles.folderRow}>
             <Input
               readOnly
               className={styles.folderInput}
               value={outputDir}
+              placeholder="Documents\Video and Documents\Audio (by type)"
               contentBefore={<FolderRegular />}
             />
             <Button icon={<FolderRegular />} onClick={chooseOutputDir}>
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/SettingsView.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/SettingsView.tsx
index 6558517..cd8e58d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/SettingsView.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/SettingsView.tsx
@@ -328,12 +328,16 @@ export function SettingsView(): React.JSX.Element {
           <Subtitle2>Downloads</Subtitle2>
         </div>
 
-        <Field label="Download folder">
+        <Field
+          label="Download folder"
+          hint="Leave blank to sort downloads by type into Documents\Video and Documents\Audio. Choose a folder to send everything there instead."
+        >
           <div className={styles.folderRow}>
             <Input
               readOnly
               className={styles.folderInput}
               value={outputDir}
+              placeholder="Documents\Video and Documents\Audio (by type)"
               contentBefore={<FolderRegular />}
             />
             <Button icon={<FolderRegular />} onClick={chooseOutputDir}>