diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 22eda1075..c841f9130 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 - Models: add image-specific model config (`agent.imageModel` + fallbacks) and scan support.
 - Agent tools: new `image` tool routed to the image model (when configured).
 - Config: default model shorthands (`opus`, `sonnet`, `gpt`, `gpt-mini`, `gemini`, `gemini-flash`).
+- Docs: document built-in model shorthands + precedence (user config wins).
 
 ### Fixes
 - Android: tapping the foreground service notification brings the app to the front. (#179) — thanks @Syhids
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 56ca4246f..99673c336 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -434,6 +434,17 @@ Controls the embedded agent runtime (model/thinking/verbose/timeouts).
 `imageModel` selects an image-capable model for the `image` tool.
 `imageModelFallbacks` lists ordered fallback image models for the `image` tool.
 
+Clawdbot also ships a few built-in `modelAliases` shorthands (when an `agent` section exists):
+
+- `opus` -> `anthropic/claude-opus-4-5`
+- `sonnet` -> `anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5`
+- `gpt` -> `openai/gpt-5.2`
+- `gpt-mini` -> `openai/gpt-5-mini`
+- `gemini` -> `google/gemini-3-pro-preview`
+- `gemini-flash` -> `google/gemini-3-flash-preview`
+
+If you configure the same alias name (case-insensitive) yourself, your value wins (defaults never override).
+
 ```json5
 {
   agent: {
diff --git a/docs/faq.md b/docs/faq.md
index 2f2266ba2..c47d44e94 100644
--- a/docs/faq.md
+++ b/docs/faq.md
@@ -530,8 +530,15 @@ Use `/model` to switch without restarting:
 /model sonnet
 /model haiku
 /model opus
+/model gpt
+/model gpt-mini
+/model gemini
+/model gemini-flash
 ```
 
+Clawdbot ships a few default model shorthands (you can override them in config):
+`opus`, `sonnet`, `gpt`, `gpt-mini`, `gemini`, `gemini-flash`.
+
 **Setup:** Configure allowed models and aliases in `clawdbot.json`:
 
 ```json
diff --git a/src/commands/setup.ts b/src/commands/setup.ts
index 22824d2df..cc36943cb 100644
--- a/src/commands/setup.ts
+++ b/src/commands/setup.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   ensureAgentWorkspace,
 } from "../agents/workspace.js";
 import { type ClawdbotConfig, CONFIG_PATH_CLAWDBOT } from "../config/config.js";
+import { applyModelAliasDefaults } from "../config/defaults.js";
 import { resolveSessionTranscriptsDir } from "../config/sessions.js";
 import type { RuntimeEnv } from "../runtime.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../runtime.js";
@@ -30,7 +31,9 @@ async function readConfigFileRaw(): Promise<{
 
 async function writeConfigFile(cfg: ClawdbotConfig) {
   await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(CONFIG_PATH_CLAWDBOT), { recursive: true });
-  const json = JSON.stringify(cfg, null, 2).trimEnd().concat("\n");
+  const json = JSON.stringify(applyModelAliasDefaults(cfg), null, 2)
+    .trimEnd()
+    .concat("\n");
   await fs.writeFile(CONFIG_PATH_CLAWDBOT, json, "utf-8");
 }
 
diff --git a/src/config/defaults.ts b/src/config/defaults.ts
index fcf52e021..725d71695 100644
--- a/src/config/defaults.ts
+++ b/src/config/defaults.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,20 @@ type WarnState = { warned: boolean };
 
 let defaultWarnState: WarnState = { warned: false };
 
+const DEFAULT_MODEL_ALIASES: Readonly<Record<string, string>> = {
+  // Anthropic (pi-ai catalog uses "latest" ids without date suffix)
+  opus: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
+  sonnet: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
+
+  // OpenAI
+  gpt: "openai/gpt-5.2",
+  "gpt-mini": "openai/gpt-5-mini",
+
+  // Google Gemini (3.x are preview ids in the catalog)
+  gemini: "google/gemini-3-pro-preview",
+  "gemini-flash": "google/gemini-3-flash-preview",
+};
+
 export type SessionDefaultsOptions = {
   warn?: (message: string) => void;
   warnState?: WarnState;
@@ -78,6 +92,56 @@ export function applyTalkApiKey(config: ClawdbotConfig): ClawdbotConfig {
   };
 }
 
+function normalizeAliasKey(value: string): string {
+  return value.trim().toLowerCase();
+}
+
+export function applyModelAliasDefaults(cfg: ClawdbotConfig): ClawdbotConfig {
+  const existingAgent = cfg.agent;
+  if (!existingAgent) return cfg;
+  const existingAliases = existingAgent?.modelAliases ?? {};
+
+  const byNormalized = new Map<string, string>();
+  for (const key of Object.keys(existingAliases)) {
+    const norm = normalizeAliasKey(key);
+    if (!norm) continue;
+    if (!byNormalized.has(norm)) byNormalized.set(norm, key);
+  }
+
+  let mutated = false;
+  const nextAliases: Record<string, string> = { ...existingAliases };
+
+  for (const [canonicalKey, target] of Object.entries(DEFAULT_MODEL_ALIASES)) {
+    const norm = normalizeAliasKey(canonicalKey);
+    const existingKey = byNormalized.get(norm);
+
+    if (!existingKey) {
+      nextAliases[canonicalKey] = target;
+      byNormalized.set(norm, canonicalKey);
+      mutated = true;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const existingValue = String(existingAliases[existingKey] ?? "");
+    if (existingKey !== canonicalKey && existingValue === target) {
+      delete nextAliases[existingKey];
+      nextAliases[canonicalKey] = target;
+      byNormalized.set(norm, canonicalKey);
+      mutated = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!mutated) return cfg;
+
+  return {
+    ...cfg,
+    agent: {
+      ...existingAgent,
+      modelAliases: nextAliases,
+    },
+  };
+}
+
 export function resetSessionDefaultsWarningForTests() {
   defaultWarnState = { warned: false };
 }
diff --git a/src/config/model-alias-defaults.test.ts b/src/config/model-alias-defaults.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2599f94f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/model-alias-defaults.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { applyModelAliasDefaults } from "./defaults.js";
+import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "./types.js";
+
+describe("applyModelAliasDefaults", () => {
+  it("adds default shorthands", () => {
+    const cfg = { agent: {} } satisfies ClawdbotConfig;
+    const next = applyModelAliasDefaults(cfg);
+
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases).toEqual({
+      opus: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
+      sonnet: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
+      gpt: "openai/gpt-5.2",
+      "gpt-mini": "openai/gpt-5-mini",
+      gemini: "google/gemini-3-pro-preview",
+      "gemini-flash": "google/gemini-3-flash-preview",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("normalizes casing when alias matches the default target", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      agent: { modelAliases: { Opus: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5" } },
+    } satisfies ClawdbotConfig;
+
+    const next = applyModelAliasDefaults(cfg);
+
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases).toMatchObject({
+      opus: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
+    });
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases).not.toHaveProperty("Opus");
+  });
+
+  it("does not override existing alias values", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      agent: { modelAliases: { gpt: "openai/gpt-4.1" } },
+    } satisfies ClawdbotConfig;
+
+    const next = applyModelAliasDefaults(cfg);
+
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases?.gpt).toBe("openai/gpt-4.1");
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases).toMatchObject({
+      "gpt-mini": "openai/gpt-5-mini",
+      opus: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
+      sonnet: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
+      gemini: "google/gemini-3-pro-preview",
+      "gemini-flash": "google/gemini-3-flash-preview",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not rename when casing differs and value differs", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      agent: { modelAliases: { GPT: "openai/gpt-4.1-mini" } },
+    } satisfies ClawdbotConfig;
+
+    const next = applyModelAliasDefaults(cfg);
+
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases).toMatchObject({
+      GPT: "openai/gpt-4.1-mini",
+    });
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases).not.toHaveProperty("gpt");
+  });
+
+  it("respects explicit empty-string disables", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      agent: { modelAliases: { gemini: "" } },
+    } satisfies ClawdbotConfig;
+
+    const next = applyModelAliasDefaults(cfg);
+
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases?.gemini).toBe("");
+    expect(next.agent?.modelAliases).toHaveProperty(
+      "gemini-flash",
+      "google/gemini-3-flash-preview",
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/config/validation.ts b/src/config/validation.ts
index e2d2cfb3c..ecf57d8ab 100644
--- a/src/config/validation.ts
+++ b/src/config/validation.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import { applyIdentityDefaults, applySessionDefaults } from "./defaults.js";
+import {
+  applyIdentityDefaults,
+  applyModelAliasDefaults,
+  applySessionDefaults,
+} from "./defaults.js";
 import { findLegacyConfigIssues } from "./legacy.js";
 import type { ClawdbotConfig, ConfigValidationIssue } from "./types.js";
 import { ClawdbotSchema } from "./zod-schema.js";
@@ -30,8 +34,10 @@ export function validateConfigObject(
   }
   return {
     ok: true,
-    config: applySessionDefaults(
-      applyIdentityDefaults(validated.data as ClawdbotConfig),
+    config: applyModelAliasDefaults(
+      applySessionDefaults(
+        applyIdentityDefaults(validated.data as ClawdbotConfig),
+      ),
     ),
   };
 }