diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 643f56e..903ad8b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ Added
   The confirmation dialog can be disalbed in:
   Settings -> Miscellaneous -> Confirm when closing an unsaved file
 * Add option to arrange by filename (Arrange -> Square (by filename))
+* Added a setting to choose the default arrange method on importing
+  images in batch.
+  (Settings -> Settings -> Images & Items -> Default Arrange Method).
 
 Fixed
 -----
diff --git a/beeref/config/settings.py b/beeref/config/settings.py
index 917bdde..c6743de 100644
--- a/beeref/config/settings.py
+++ b/beeref/config/settings.py
@@ -122,6 +122,11 @@ class BeeSettings(QtCore.QSettings):
             'cast': int,
             'validate': lambda x: 0 <= x <= 200,
         },
+        'Items/arrange_default': {
+            'default': 'optimal',
+            'validate': lambda x: x in (
+                'optimal', 'horizontal', 'vertical', 'square'),
+        },
         'Items/image_allocation_limit': {
             'default': 256,
             'cast': int,
diff --git a/beeref/scene.py b/beeref/scene.py
index cbb4f43..56325c2 100644
--- a/beeref/scene.py
+++ b/beeref/scene.py
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with BeeRef.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-from queue import Queue
+from functools import partial
 import logging
 import math
+from queue import Queue
 
 from PyQt6 import QtCore, QtWidgets, QtGui
 from PyQt6.QtCore import Qt
@@ -178,6 +179,17 @@ def normalize_size(self):
         self.undo_stack.push(
             commands.NormalizeItems(items, scale_factors))
 
+    def arrange_default(self):
+        default = self.settings.valueOrDefault('Items/arrange_default')
+        MAPPING = {
+            'optimal': self.arrange_optimal,
+            'horizontal': self.arrange,
+            'vertical': partial(self.arrange, vertical=True),
+            'square': self.arrange_square,
+        }
+
+        MAPPING[default]()
+
     def arrange(self, vertical=False):
         """Arrange items in a line (horizontally or vertically)."""
 
diff --git a/beeref/view.py b/beeref/view.py
index df9c2e3..b54453a 100644
--- a/beeref/view.py
+++ b/beeref/view.py
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ def on_insert_images_finished(self, new_scene, filename, errors):
                 'Problem loading images',
                 msg + IMG_LOADING_ERROR_MSG + errornames)
         self.scene.add_queued_items()
-        self.scene.arrange_optimal()
+        self.scene.arrange_default()
         self.undo_stack.endMacro()
         if new_scene:
             self.on_action_fit_scene()
diff --git a/beeref/widgets/settings.py b/beeref/widgets/settings.py
index b8c2b3f..26bdcf2 100644
--- a/beeref/widgets/settings.py
+++ b/beeref/widgets/settings.py
@@ -133,6 +133,19 @@ def convert_value_from_qt(self, value):
         return value == Qt.CheckState.Checked
 
 
+class ArrangeDefaultWidget(RadioGroup):
+    TITLE = 'Default Arrange Method:'
+    HELPTEXT = ('How images are arranged when inserted in batch')
+    KEY = 'Items/arrange_default'
+    OPTIONS = (
+        ('optimal', 'Optimal', 'Arrange Optimal'),
+        ('horizontal', 'Horizontal (by filename)',
+         'Arrange Horizontal (by filename)'),
+        ('vertical', 'Vertical (by filename)',
+         'Arrange Vertical (by filename)'),
+        ('square', 'Square (by filename)', 'Arrannge Square (by filename)'))
+
+
 class ImageStorageFormatWidget(RadioGroup):
     TITLE = 'Image Storage Format:'
     HELPTEXT = ('How images are stored inside bee files.'
@@ -191,8 +204,9 @@ def __init__(self, parent):
         items_layout = QtWidgets.QGridLayout()
         items.setLayout(items_layout)
         items_layout.addWidget(ImageStorageFormatWidget(), 0, 0)
-        items_layout.addWidget(ArrangeGapWidget(), 0, 1)
-        items_layout.addWidget(AllocationLimitWidget(), 1, 0)
+        items_layout.addWidget(AllocationLimitWidget(), 0, 1)
+        items_layout.addWidget(ArrangeGapWidget(), 1, 0)
+        items_layout.addWidget(ArrangeDefaultWidget(), 1, 1)
         tabs.addTab(items, '&Images && Items')
 
         layout = QtWidgets.QVBoxLayout()
diff --git a/tests/test_scene.py b/tests/test_scene.py
index 138d905..6bbed5a 100644
--- a/tests/test_scene.py
+++ b/tests/test_scene.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import math
 from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
 
+import pytest
 from pytest import approx
 
 from PyQt6 import QtCore, QtGui, QtWidgets
@@ -249,6 +250,20 @@ def test_normalize_size_when_no_items(view):
     view.scene.cancel_crop_mode.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('value,expected_func,expected_kwargs',
+                         [('optimal', 'arrange_optimal', {}),
+                          ('horizontal', 'arrange', {}),
+                          ('vertical', 'arrange', {'vertical': True}),
+                          ('square', 'arrange_square', {})])
+def test_arrange_default(
+        value, expected_func, expected_kwargs, settings, view):
+    settings.setValue('Items/arrange_default', value)
+    setattr(view.scene, expected_func, MagicMock())
+    view.scene.arrange_default()
+    getattr(view.scene, expected_func).assert_called_once_with(
+        **expected_kwargs)
+
+
 def test_arrange_horizontal(view):
     item1 = BeePixmapItem(QtGui.QImage())
     item1.filename = 'foo.png'