diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@
     middleclickactioneventfilter.cpp
     dolphinnewfilemenu.cpp
     dolphindebug.cpp
+    global.cpp
 )
 
 if(HAVE_BALOO)
@@ -347,7 +348,9 @@
     settings/general/confirmationssettingspage.cpp
     settings/settingspagebase.cpp
     settings/serviceitemdelegate.cpp
-    settings/servicemodel.cpp)
+    settings/servicemodel.cpp
+    dolphindebug.cpp
+    global.cpp)
 
 kconfig_add_kcfg_files(kcm_dolphinviewmodes_PART_SRCS
     settings/dolphin_compactmodesettings.kcfgc
diff --git a/src/global.h b/src/global.h
--- a/src/global.h
+++ b/src/global.h
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@
      * Opens a new Dolphin window
      */
     void openNewWindow(const QList<QUrl> &urls = {}, QWidget *window = nullptr, const OpenNewWindowFlags &flags = OpenNewWindowFlag::None);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the default list of enabled preview plugins
+     */
+    QStringList defaultPlugins();
 }
 
 #endif //GLOBAL_H
diff --git a/src/global.cpp b/src/global.cpp
--- a/src/global.cpp
+++ b/src/global.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
 #include <QIcon>
 
 #include <KRun>
+#include <KIO/PreviewJob>
+#include <kio_version.h>
+#include <KConfigGroup>
 
 #include "global.h"
 #include "dolphindebug.h"
@@ -61,3 +64,16 @@
 
     KRun::run(command, urls, window, qApp->applicationDisplayName(), qApp->windowIcon().name());
 }
+
+QStringList Dolphin::defaultPlugins()
+{
+    const KConfigGroup globalConfig(KSharedConfig::openConfig(), QStringLiteral("PreviewSettings"));
+#if KIO_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(5, 40, 0)
+    return globalConfig.readEntry("Plugins", KIO::PreviewJob::defaultPlugins());
+#else
+    // We don't have KF5.40 yet; emulate the behavior of KIO::PreviewJob::defaultPlugins()
+    QStringList defaultPlugins = KIO::PreviewJob::availablePlugins();
+    defaultPlugins.removeAll(QStringLiteral("textthumbnail"));
+    return globalConfig.readEntry("Plugins", defaultPlugins);
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/src/kitemviews/kfileitemmodelrolesupdater.cpp b/src/kitemviews/kfileitemmodelrolesupdater.cpp
--- a/src/kitemviews/kfileitemmodelrolesupdater.cpp
+++ b/src/kitemviews/kfileitemmodelrolesupdater.cpp
@@ -19,10 +19,9 @@
 
 #include "kfileitemmodelrolesupdater.h"
 
+#include "global.h"
 #include "kfileitemmodel.h"
 
-#include <KConfig>
-#include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
 #include <KFileItem>
 #include <KIconLoader>
@@ -98,11 +97,7 @@
 {
     Q_ASSERT(model);
 
-    const KConfigGroup globalConfig(KSharedConfig::openConfig(), "PreviewSettings");
-    m_enabledPlugins = globalConfig.readEntry("Plugins", QStringList()
-                                                         << QStringLiteral("directorythumbnail")
-                                                         << QStringLiteral("imagethumbnail")
-                                                         << QStringLiteral("jpegthumbnail"));
+    m_enabledPlugins = Dolphin::defaultPlugins();
 
     connect(m_model, &KFileItemModel::itemsInserted,
             this,    &KFileItemModelRolesUpdater::slotItemsInserted);
diff --git a/src/settings/dolphin_directoryviewpropertysettings.kcfg b/src/settings/dolphin_directoryviewpropertysettings.kcfg
--- a/src/settings/dolphin_directoryviewpropertysettings.kcfg
+++ b/src/settings/dolphin_directoryviewpropertysettings.kcfg
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
         <entry name="PreviewsShown" type="Bool" >
             <label context="@label">Previews shown</label>
             <whatsthis context="@info:whatsthis">When this option is enabled, a preview of the file content is shown as an icon.</whatsthis>
-            <default>false</default>
+            <default>true</default>
         </entry>
 
         <entry name="GroupedSorting" type="Bool" >
diff --git a/src/settings/general/previewssettingspage.cpp b/src/settings/general/previewssettingspage.cpp
--- a/src/settings/general/previewssettingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/settings/general/previewssettingspage.cpp
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@
 
 #include "previewssettingspage.h"
 
+#include "global.h"
 #include "dolphin_generalsettings.h"
 #include "configurepreviewplugindialog.h"
 
+#include <KIO/PreviewJob>
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 #include <KServiceTypeTrader>
@@ -172,12 +174,8 @@
 
 void PreviewsSettingsPage::loadSettings()
 {
-    KConfigGroup globalConfig(KSharedConfig::openConfig(), "PreviewSettings");
-    m_enabledPreviewPlugins = globalConfig.readEntry("Plugins", QStringList()
-                                                     << QStringLiteral("directorythumbnail")
-                                                     << QStringLiteral("imagethumbnail")
-                                                     << QStringLiteral("jpegthumbnail"));
-
+    const KConfigGroup globalConfig(KSharedConfig::openConfig(), QStringLiteral("PreviewSettings"));
+    m_enabledPreviewPlugins = Dolphin::defaultPlugins();
     const qulonglong defaultRemotePreview = static_cast<qulonglong>(MaxRemotePreviewSize) * 1024 * 1024;
     const qulonglong maxRemoteByteSize = globalConfig.readEntry("MaximumRemoteSize", defaultRemotePreview);
     const int maxRemoteMByteSize = maxRemoteByteSize / (1024 * 1024);
diff --git a/src/views/dolphinitemlistview.cpp b/src/views/dolphinitemlistview.cpp
--- a/src/views/dolphinitemlistview.cpp
+++ b/src/views/dolphinitemlistview.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include "dolphinitemlistview.h"
 
+#include "global.h"
 #include "dolphin_generalsettings.h"
 #include "dolphin_iconsmodesettings.h"
 #include "dolphin_detailsmodesettings.h"
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@
 #include <kitemviews/kitemlistcontroller.h>
 #include <kitemviews/kitemliststyleoption.h>
 
-
 #include <views/viewmodecontroller.h>
 
 #include "zoomlevelinfo.h"
@@ -93,12 +93,7 @@
     updateFont();
     updateGridSize();
 
-    const KConfigGroup globalConfig(KSharedConfig::openConfig(), "PreviewSettings");
-    const QStringList plugins = globalConfig.readEntry("Plugins", QStringList()
-                                                       << QStringLiteral("directorythumbnail")
-                                                       << QStringLiteral("imagethumbnail")
-                                                       << QStringLiteral("jpegthumbnail"));
-    setEnabledPlugins(plugins);
+    setEnabledPlugins(Dolphin::defaultPlugins());
 
     endTransaction();
 }