diff --git a/frontend/src/common/util.js b/frontend/src/common/util.js
index 97e40f5f3..7a9a495b1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/common/util.js
+++ b/frontend/src/common/util.js
@@ -470,6 +470,12 @@ export default class $util {
     return navigator.maxTouchPoints > 0;
   }
 
+  // shouldOpenOnHover reports whether menus should open on hover: the user's UI
+  // preference (default on) gated by the device having no touch input.
+  static shouldOpenOnHover() {
+    return ($config.getSettings()?.ui?.openOnHover ?? true) && !$util.hasTouch();
+  }
+
   // isMobile returns true when the current user agent or touch capability indicates a mobile device.
   // The `> 2` touch check covers iPads in desktop mode, where the user agent omits the mobile hint.
   static isMobile() {
diff --git a/frontend/src/component/action/menu.vue b/frontend/src/component/action/menu.vue
index 2de29a274..206022b4a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/component/action/menu.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/component/action/menu.vue
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export default {
     return {
       visible: false,
       actions: [],
-      openOnHover: !this.$util.hasTouch(),
+      openOnHover: this.$util.shouldOpenOnHover(),
     };
   },
   methods: {
diff --git a/frontend/src/component/auth/menu.vue b/frontend/src/component/auth/menu.vue
index 0212d8465..3dda7ba61 100644
--- a/frontend/src/component/auth/menu.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/component/auth/menu.vue
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export default {
   data() {
     return {
       open: false,
-      openOnHover: !this.$util.hasTouch(),
+      openOnHover: this.$util.shouldOpenOnHover(),
       instances: [],
     };
   },
diff --git a/frontend/src/component/lightbox/menu.vue b/frontend/src/component/lightbox/menu.vue
index ec006c403..fc1b80259 100644
--- a/frontend/src/component/lightbox/menu.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/component/lightbox/menu.vue
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export default {
     return {
       visible: false,
       actions: [],
-      openOnHover: !this.$util.hasTouch(),
+      openOnHover: this.$util.shouldOpenOnHover(),
     };
   },
   methods: {
diff --git a/frontend/tests/vitest/common/util.test.js b/frontend/tests/vitest/common/util.test.js
index db2e1af00..453afbc45 100644
--- a/frontend/tests/vitest/common/util.test.js
+++ b/frontend/tests/vitest/common/util.test.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, it, expect, afterEach } from "vitest";
 import "../fixtures";
 import $util from "common/util";
 import { tokenRegexp, tokenLength } from "common/util";
+import { $config } from "app/session";
 import * as can from "common/can";
 import { ContentTypeMp4AvcMain, ContentTypeMp4HvcMain } from "common/media";
 
@@ -369,4 +370,36 @@ describe("common/util", () => {
       expect($util.isMobile()).toBe(false);
     });
   });
+
+  describe("shouldOpenOnHover", () => {
+    const maxTouchPoints = navigator.maxTouchPoints;
+    const settings = $config.getSettings();
+    const openOnHover = settings.ui.openOnHover;
+    const stubTouch = (touch) => Object.defineProperty(navigator, "maxTouchPoints", { value: touch, configurable: true });
+    afterEach(() => {
+      stubTouch(maxTouchPoints);
+      settings.ui.openOnHover = openOnHover;
+    });
+
+    it("returns true when enabled and the device has no touch", () => {
+      stubTouch(0);
+      settings.ui.openOnHover = true;
+      expect($util.shouldOpenOnHover()).toBe(true);
+    });
+    it("returns false when the setting is disabled", () => {
+      stubTouch(0);
+      settings.ui.openOnHover = false;
+      expect($util.shouldOpenOnHover()).toBe(false);
+    });
+    it("defaults to true when the setting is absent", () => {
+      stubTouch(0);
+      delete settings.ui.openOnHover;
+      expect($util.shouldOpenOnHover()).toBe(true);
+    });
+    it("returns false on a touch device regardless of the setting", () => {
+      stubTouch(5);
+      settings.ui.openOnHover = true;
+      expect($util.shouldOpenOnHover()).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/internal/api/swagger.json b/internal/api/swagger.json
index 1efdfe65e..cc9e0989c 100644
--- a/internal/api/swagger.json
+++ b/internal/api/swagger.json
@@ -1102,6 +1102,9 @@
                 "language": {
                     "type": "string"
                 },
+                "openOnHover": {
+                    "type": "boolean"
+                },
                 "scrollbar": {
                     "type": "boolean"
                 },
diff --git a/internal/config/customize/settings.go b/internal/config/customize/settings.go
index 32133a11e..7c338f5ab 100644
--- a/internal/config/customize/settings.go
+++ b/internal/config/customize/settings.go
@@ -53,12 +53,13 @@ func NewSettings(theme, language, timeZone string) *Settings {
 
 	return &Settings{
 		UI: UISettings{
-			Scrollbar: true,
-			Zoom:      false,
-			Theme:     theme,
-			Language:  language,
-			TimeZone:  timeZone,
-			StartPage: DefaultStartPage,
+			Scrollbar:   true,
+			Zoom:        false,
+			OpenOnHover: true,
+			Theme:       theme,
+			Language:    language,
+			TimeZone:    timeZone,
+			StartPage:   DefaultStartPage,
 		},
 		Search: SearchSettings{
 			BatchSize:    -1,
diff --git a/internal/config/customize/testdata/settings.yml b/internal/config/customize/testdata/settings.yml
index 7edf6370d..d026e95a7 100755
--- a/internal/config/customize/testdata/settings.yml
+++ b/internal/config/customize/testdata/settings.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 UI:
   Scrollbar: true
   Zoom: false
+  OpenOnHover: true
   Theme: onyx
   Language: de
   TimeZone: Local
diff --git a/internal/config/customize/ui.go b/internal/config/customize/ui.go
index 26cfcadf0..e0fbe30bc 100644
--- a/internal/config/customize/ui.go
+++ b/internal/config/customize/ui.go
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ package customize
 
 // UISettings represents user interface settings.
 type UISettings struct {
-	Scrollbar bool   `json:"scrollbar" yaml:"Scrollbar"`
-	Zoom      bool   `json:"zoom" yaml:"Zoom"`
-	Theme     string `json:"theme" yaml:"Theme"`
-	Language  string `json:"language" yaml:"Language"`
-	TimeZone  string `json:"timeZone" yaml:"TimeZone"`
-	StartPage string `json:"startPage" yaml:"StartPage"`
+	Scrollbar   bool   `json:"scrollbar" yaml:"Scrollbar"`
+	Zoom        bool   `json:"zoom" yaml:"Zoom"`
+	OpenOnHover bool   `json:"openOnHover" yaml:"OpenOnHover"`
+	Theme       string `json:"theme" yaml:"Theme"`
+	Language    string `json:"language" yaml:"Language"`
+	TimeZone    string `json:"timeZone" yaml:"TimeZone"`
+	StartPage   string `json:"startPage" yaml:"StartPage"`
 }