diff --git a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java
index 34d723451..44f8d967b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/element/Keys.java
@@ -682,4 +682,11 @@ public final class Keys {
     public static final Key<Boolean> WIDE_SHAPE
             = new Key<>("wideShape", false).setSecondary().allowGroupEdit();
 
+    /**
+     * Selects the wide shapes as the default
+     */
+    public static final Key<Boolean> SETTINGS_USE_WIDE_SHAPES
+            = new Key<>("wideShapeAsDefault", false).setSecondary();
+
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/InsertAction.java b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/InsertAction.java
index c9ba75b43..f4deba2fd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/InsertAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/InsertAction.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  */
 package de.neemann.digital.gui;
 
+import de.neemann.digital.core.element.Keys;
 import de.neemann.digital.draw.elements.VisualElement;
 import de.neemann.digital.draw.graphics.Vector;
 import de.neemann.digital.draw.library.LibraryNode;
@@ -57,8 +58,19 @@ public final class InsertAction extends ToolTipAction {
                     SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new ErrorMessage(Lang.get("msg_errorImportingModel_N0", node.getName())).addCause(ex));
                 }
             }
+
+            // set the wide shape option to the new element
+            try {
+                if (Settings.getInstance().get(Keys.SETTINGS_USE_WIDE_SHAPES)
+                        && node.getDescription().hasAttribute(Keys.WIDE_SHAPE))
+                    visualElement.setAttribute(Keys.WIDE_SHAPE, true);
+            } catch (IOException e1) {
+                // do nothing on error
+            }
+
             if (visualElement.getShape() instanceof MissingShape)
                 return;
+
             circuitComponent.setPartToInsert(visualElement);
             insertHistory.add(this);
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Settings.java b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Settings.java
index f8afc8bf5..adc40bcb0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Settings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/gui/Settings.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public final class Settings implements AttributeListener {
     private Settings() {
         List<Key> intList = new ArrayList<>();
         intList.add(Keys.SETTINGS_IEEE_SHAPES);
+        intList.add(Keys.SETTINGS_USE_WIDE_SHAPES);
         intList.add(Keys.SETTINGS_LANGUAGE);
         intList.add(Keys.SETTINGS_EXPRESSION_FORMAT);
         intList.add(Keys.SETTINGS_DEFAULT_TREESELECT);
diff --git a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
index bfa89d8af..7e79f5ad8 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
@@ -1196,7 +1196,8 @@ Sind evtl. die Namen der Variablen nicht eindeutig?</string>
     </string>
     <string name="key_wideShape">Breites Symbol</string>
     <string name="key_wideShape_tt">Verwendet ein breiteres Symbol zur Darstellung des Gatters.</string>
-
+    <string name="key_wideShapeAsDefault">Standardmäßig breites Symbol verwenden.</string>
+    <string name="key_wideShapeAsDefault_tt">Werden neue Gatter eingefügt, wird standardmäßig die breite Variante gewählt.</string>
 
     <string name="key_shapeType">Form</string>
     <string name="key_shapeType_tt">Die Form, welche für die Repräsentation der Schaltung in einer einbettenden
diff --git a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
index 93b853b27..a5c6b9180 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
@@ -1188,6 +1188,8 @@
     </string>
     <string name="key_wideShape">Wide Shape</string>
     <string name="key_wideShape_tt">Uses a wider shape to visualize the gate.</string>
+    <string name="key_wideShapeAsDefault">Use wider shapes by default.</string>
+    <string name="key_wideShapeAsDefault_tt">If new gates are inserted, the wide variant is selected by default.</string>
 
     <string name="key_shapeType">Shape</string>
     <string name="key_shapeType_tt">The shape to be used for the representation of the circuit in an embedding circuit.