diff --git a/assets/settings/default.json b/assets/settings/default.json
index 5c950e2469..c5ee98abf0 100644
--- a/assets/settings/default.json
+++ b/assets/settings/default.json
@@ -590,6 +590,13 @@
   // }
   //
   "file_types": {},
+  // The extensions that Zed should automatically install on startup.
+  //
+  // If you don't want any of these extensions, add this field to your settings
+  // and change the value to `false`.
+  "auto_install_extensions": {
+    "html": true
+  },
   // Different settings for specific languages.
   "languages": {
     "C++": {
diff --git a/crates/extension/src/extension_settings.rs b/crates/extension/src/extension_settings.rs
index 42ee34930c..c11a6622b8 100644
--- a/crates/extension/src/extension_settings.rs
+++ b/crates/extension/src/extension_settings.rs
@@ -5,14 +5,29 @@ use schemars::JsonSchema;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use settings::{Settings, SettingsSources};
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use util::merge_non_null_json_value_into;
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Serialize, Debug, Default, Clone, JsonSchema)]
 pub struct ExtensionSettings {
+    /// The extensions that should be automatically installed by Zed.
+    ///
+    /// This is used to make functionality provided by extensions (e.g., language support)
+    /// available out-of-the-box.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub auto_install_extensions: HashMap<Arc<str>, bool>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub auto_update_extensions: HashMap<Arc<str>, bool>,
 }
 
 impl ExtensionSettings {
+    /// Returns whether the given extension should be auto-installed.
+    pub fn should_auto_install(&self, extension_id: &str) -> bool {
+        self.auto_install_extensions
+            .get(extension_id)
+            .copied()
+            .unwrap_or(true)
+    }
+
     pub fn should_auto_update(&self, extension_id: &str) -> bool {
         self.auto_update_extensions
             .get(extension_id)
@@ -27,6 +42,10 @@ impl Settings for ExtensionSettings {
     type FileContent = Self;
 
     fn load(sources: SettingsSources<Self::FileContent>, _cx: &mut AppContext) -> Result<Self> {
-        Ok(sources.user.cloned().unwrap_or_default())
+        let mut merged = serde_json::Value::Null;
+        for value in [sources.default].into_iter().chain(sources.user) {
+            merge_non_null_json_value_into(serde_json::to_value(value).unwrap(), &mut merged);
+        }
+        Ok(serde_json::from_value(merged)?)
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/extension/src/extension_store.rs b/crates/extension/src/extension_store.rs
index a4bdcb215e..f6bd040c53 100644
--- a/crates/extension/src/extension_store.rs
+++ b/crates/extension/src/extension_store.rs
@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ impl ExtensionStore {
             if let Some(future) = reload_future {
                 future.await;
             }
+            this.update(&mut cx, |this, cx| this.auto_install_extensions(cx))
+                .ok();
             this.update(&mut cx, |this, cx| this.check_for_updates(cx))
                 .ok();
         })
@@ -480,6 +482,38 @@ impl ExtensionStore {
         self.fetch_extensions_from_api(&format!("/extensions/{extension_id}"), &[], cx)
     }
 
+    /// Installs any extensions that should be included with Zed by default.
+    ///
+    /// This can be used to make certain functionality provided by extensions
+    /// available out-of-the-box.
+    pub fn auto_install_extensions(&mut self, cx: &mut ModelContext<Self>) {
+        let extension_settings = ExtensionSettings::get_global(cx);
+
+        let extensions_to_install = extension_settings
+            .auto_install_extensions
+            .keys()
+            .filter(|extension_id| extension_settings.should_auto_install(extension_id))
+            .filter(|extension_id| {
+                let is_already_installed = self
+                    .extension_index
+                    .extensions
+                    .contains_key(extension_id.as_ref());
+                !is_already_installed
+            })
+            .cloned()
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
+        cx.spawn(move |this, mut cx| async move {
+            for extension_id in extensions_to_install {
+                this.update(&mut cx, |this, cx| {
+                    this.install_latest_extension(extension_id.clone(), cx);
+                })
+                .ok();
+            }
+        })
+        .detach();
+    }
+
     pub fn check_for_updates(&mut self, cx: &mut ModelContext<Self>) {
         let task = self.fetch_extensions_with_update_available(cx);
         cx.spawn(move |this, mut cx| async move {