diff --git a/docs/admin/plugins.rst b/docs/admin/plugins.rst
index d3d137fcf..be9778673 100644
--- a/docs/admin/plugins.rst
+++ b/docs/admin/plugins.rst
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ Configuration defaults (at built time):
       {% for plg in plugins %}
 
       * - {{plg.info.name}}
-        - {{(plg.default_on and "y") or ""}}
         - {{plg.info.description}}
 
       {% endfor %}
diff --git a/docs/admin/settings/settings_plugins.rst b/docs/admin/settings/settings_plugins.rst
index 991e7ee53..ae9976a88 100644
--- a/docs/admin/settings/settings_plugins.rst
+++ b/docs/admin/settings/settings_plugins.rst
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ Plugins
 
 
 The built-in plugins can be activated or deactivated via the settings
-(:ref:`settings enabled_plugins`) and external plugins can be integrated into
+(:ref:`settings plugins`) and external plugins can be integrated into
 SearXNG (:ref:`settings external_plugins`).
 
 
-.. _settings enabled_plugins:
+.. _settings plugins:
 
-``enabled_plugins:`` (internal)
+``plugins:`` (internal)
 ===============================
 
 In :ref:`plugins admin` you find a complete list of all plugins, the default
@@ -26,14 +26,23 @@ configuration looks like:
 
 .. code:: yaml
 
-   enabled_plugins:
-     - 'Basic Calculator'
-     - 'Hash plugin'
-     - 'Self Information'
-     - 'Tracker URL remover'
-     - 'Unit converter plugin'
-     - 'Ahmia blacklist'
+  plugins:
+    - id: 'calculator'
+      default_on: true
+    - id: 'hash_plugin'
+      default_on: true
+    - id: 'self_info'
+      default_on: true
+    - id: 'tracker_url_remover'
+      default_on: true
+    - id: 'unit_converter'
+      default_on: true
+    - id: 'ahmia_filter'  # activation depends on outgoing.using_tor_proxy
+      default_on: true
 
+In order to disable a plugin by default, but still allow users to use it by enabling
+it in their user settings, set ``default_on`` to ``false``. To completely disable a
+plugin, you can set `inactive` to `true`.
 
 .. _settings external_plugins:
 
@@ -56,9 +65,11 @@ In the :ref:`settings.yml` activate the ``plugins:`` section and add module
 .. code:: yaml
 
    plugins:
-     - only_show_green_results
-     # - mypackage.mymodule.MyPlugin
-     # - mypackage.mymodule.MyOtherPlugin
+     - id: only_show_green_results
+       default_on: true
+     # - fqn: mypackage.mymodule.MyPlugin
+     # - fqn: mypackage.mymodule.MyOtherPlugin
+     #   default_on: false
 
 .. hint::
 
diff --git a/searx/plugins/__init__.py b/searx/plugins/__init__.py
index 9aaf2f2db..63f9132f0 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/__init__.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ area:
    class MyPlugin(Plugin):
 
        id = "self_info"
-       default_on = True
 
        def __init__(self):
            super().__init__()
diff --git a/searx/plugins/_core.py b/searx/plugins/_core.py
index 70e5758ec..87c7558b0 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/_core.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/_core.py
@@ -75,9 +75,6 @@ class Plugin(abc.ABC):
     id: typing.ClassVar[str]
     """The ID (suffix) in the HTML form."""
 
-    default_on: typing.ClassVar[bool]
-    """Plugin is enabled/disabled by default."""
-
     keywords: list[str] = []
     """Keywords in the search query that activate the plugin.  The *keyword* is
     the first word in a search query.  If a plugin should be executed regardless
@@ -94,9 +91,8 @@ class Plugin(abc.ABC):
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         super().__init__()
 
-        for attr in ["id", "default_on"]:
-            if getattr(self, attr, None) is None:
-                raise NotImplementedError(f"plugin {self} is missing attribute {attr}")
+        if getattr(self, "id", None) is None:
+            raise NotImplementedError(f"plugin {self} is missing attribute id")
 
         if not self.id:
             self.id = f"{self.__class__.__module__}.{self.__class__.__name__}"
@@ -117,6 +113,25 @@ class Plugin(abc.ABC):
 
         return hash(self) == hash(other)
 
+    def is_enabled_by_default(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        Check whether a plugin is enabled by default based on the instance's configuration
+
+        This method may not be overriden in any plugin implementation!
+        """
+        plugins = searx.get_setting('plugins', [])
+
+        for plugin in plugins:
+            if isinstance(plugin, dict):
+                if plugin.get('id') == self.id:
+                    return plugin.get('default_on', True)
+
+        # legacy way of enabling plugins (list of strings) - TODO: remove in the future
+        legacy_enabled_plugins = searx.get_setting('enabled_plugins', [])
+        if not legacy_enabled_plugins:
+            return False
+        return self.info.name in legacy_enabled_plugins
+
     def init(self, app: flask.Flask) -> bool:  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
         """Initialization of the plugin, the return value decides whether this
         plugin is active or not.  Initialization only takes place once, at the
@@ -176,7 +191,7 @@ class ModulePlugin(Plugin):
     - `module.logger` --> :py:obj:`Plugin.log`
     """
 
-    _required_attrs = (("name", str), ("description", str), ("default_on", bool))
+    _required_attrs = (("name", str), ("description", str))
 
     def __init__(self, mod: types.ModuleType):
         """In case of missing attributes in the module or wrong types are given,
@@ -197,7 +212,6 @@ class ModulePlugin(Plugin):
                 self.log.critical(msg)
                 raise TypeError(msg)
 
-        self.default_on = mod.default_on
         self.info = PluginInfo(
             id=self.id,
             name=self.module.name,
@@ -271,21 +285,40 @@ class PluginStorage:
         - the external plugins from :ref:`settings plugins`.
         """
 
-        for f in _default.iterdir():
+        plugins = searx.get_setting('plugins', [])
 
-            if f.name.startswith("_"):
-                continue
+        # only there for backwards compatibility - TODO: remove
+        if not plugins and searx.get_setting('enabled_plugins', []):
+            for f in _default.iterdir():
+                if f.name.startswith("_"):
+                    continue
 
-            if f.stem not in self.legacy_plugins:
-                self.register_by_fqn(f"searx.plugins.{f.stem}.SXNGPlugin")
-                continue
+                self.load_by_id(f.stem)
 
-            # for backward compatibility
-            mod = load_module(f.name, str(f.parent))
-            self.register(ModulePlugin(mod))
+        for plugin in plugins:
+            if isinstance(plugin, dict):
+                if plugin.get('inactive', False):
+                    continue
 
-        for fqn in searx.get_setting("plugins"):  # type: ignore
-            self.register_by_fqn(fqn)
+                if 'fqn' in plugin:
+                    self.register_by_fqn(plugin['fqn'])
+                elif 'id' in plugin:
+                    self.load_by_id(plugin['id'])
+                else:
+                    log.debug('Invalid plugin configuration: %s', plugin)
+
+            # legacy way of enabling plugins - TODO: remove in the future
+            elif isinstance(plugin, str):
+                self.register_by_fqn(plugin)
+
+    def load_by_id(self, plugin_id):
+        if plugin_id not in self.legacy_plugins:
+            self.register_by_fqn(f"searx.plugins.{plugin_id}.SXNGPlugin")
+            return
+
+        # for backward compatibility
+        mod = load_module(f"{plugin_id}.py", _default)
+        self.register(ModulePlugin(mod))
 
     def register(self, plugin: Plugin):
         """Register a :py:obj:`Plugin`.  In case of name collision (if two
diff --git a/searx/plugins/ahmia_filter.py b/searx/plugins/ahmia_filter.py
index 3a6d48eed..55984465b 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/ahmia_filter.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/ahmia_filter.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ from searx import get_setting
 
 name = "Ahmia blacklist"
 description = "Filter out onion results that appear in Ahmia's blacklist. (See https://ahmia.fi/blacklist)"
-default_on = True
 preference_section = 'onions'
 
 ahmia_blacklist: list = []
diff --git a/searx/plugins/calculator.py b/searx/plugins/calculator.py
index 11caa272f..3f561df44 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/calculator.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/calculator.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from searx.result_types import EngineResults
 
 name = "Basic Calculator"
 description = gettext("Calculate mathematical expressions via the search bar")
-default_on = True
 preference_section = 'general'
 plugin_id = 'calculator'
 
diff --git a/searx/plugins/hash_plugin.py b/searx/plugins/hash_plugin.py
index 940c895a1..a0f92912e 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/hash_plugin.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/hash_plugin.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ class SXNGPlugin(Plugin):
     """
 
     id = "hash_plugin"
-    default_on = True
     keywords = ["md5", "sha1", "sha224", "sha256", "sha384", "sha512"]
 
     def __init__(self):
diff --git a/searx/plugins/hostnames.py b/searx/plugins/hostnames.py
index 5f88bcd40..c06e7c6e6 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/hostnames.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/hostnames.py
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@
     plugin"**, see :pull:`3463` & :pull:`3552`.
 
 The **Hostnames plugin** can be enabled by adding it to the
-``enabled_plugins`` **list** in the ``setting.yml`` like so.
+``plugins`` **list** in the ``setting.yml`` like so.
 
   .. code:: yaml
 
-     enabled_plugins:
-       - 'Hostnames plugin'
+     plugins:
+       - id: 'hostnames'
+         default_on: true
        ...
 
 - ``hostnames.replace``: A **mapping** of regular expressions to hostnames to be
@@ -104,7 +105,6 @@ from searx.settings_loader import get_yaml_cfg
 
 name = gettext('Hostnames plugin')
 description = gettext('Rewrite hostnames, remove results or prioritize them based on the hostname')
-default_on = False
 preference_section = 'general'
 
 plugin_id = 'hostnames'
diff --git a/searx/plugins/oa_doi_rewrite.py b/searx/plugins/oa_doi_rewrite.py
index be5a8d4a4..61f3eb322 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/oa_doi_rewrite.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/oa_doi_rewrite.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ regex = re.compile(r'10\.\d{4,9}/[^\s]+')
 
 name = gettext('Open Access DOI rewrite')
 description = gettext('Avoid paywalls by redirecting to open-access versions of publications when available')
-default_on = False
 preference_section = 'general/doi_resolver'
 
 
diff --git a/searx/plugins/self_info.py b/searx/plugins/self_info.py
index f5498e480..d9c54d055 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/self_info.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/self_info.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ class SXNGPlugin(Plugin):
     """
 
     id = "self_info"
-    default_on = True
     keywords = ["ip", "user-agent"]
 
     def __init__(self):
diff --git a/searx/plugins/tor_check.py b/searx/plugins/tor_check.py
index 95281eb42..2baafad19 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/tor_check.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/tor_check.py
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ Enable in ``settings.yml``:
 
 .. code:: yaml
 
-  enabled_plugins:
+  plugins:
     ..
-    - 'Tor check plugin'
+    - id: 'tor_check'
+      default_on: true
 
 """
 
@@ -24,8 +25,6 @@ from searx.network import get
 from searx.result_types import Answer
 
 
-default_on = False
-
 name = gettext("Tor check plugin")
 '''Translated name of the plugin'''
 
diff --git a/searx/plugins/tracker_url_remover.py b/searx/plugins/tracker_url_remover.py
index f33f7fdfd..78bba4e70 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/tracker_url_remover.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/tracker_url_remover.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ regexes = {
 
 name = gettext('Tracker URL remover')
 description = gettext('Remove trackers arguments from the returned URL')
-default_on = True
 preference_section = 'privacy'
 
 
diff --git a/searx/plugins/unit_converter.py b/searx/plugins/unit_converter.py
index cdd8287fe..c35493cb2 100644
--- a/searx/plugins/unit_converter.py
+++ b/searx/plugins/unit_converter.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ Enable in ``settings.yml``:
 
   enabled_plugins:
     ..
-    - 'Unit converter plugin'
+    - name: 'Unit converter plugin'
+      default_on: true
 
 """
 
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@ from searx.result_types import Answer
 
 name = "Unit converter plugin"
 description = gettext("Convert between units")
-default_on = True
 
 plugin_id = "unit_converter"
 preference_section = "general"
diff --git a/searx/preferences.py b/searx/preferences.py
index 9f810ec72..6910e0208 100644
--- a/searx/preferences.py
+++ b/searx/preferences.py
@@ -316,7 +316,8 @@ class PluginsSetting(BooleanChoices):
     """Plugin settings"""
 
     def __init__(self, default_value, plugins: Iterable[searx.plugins.Plugin]):
-        super().__init__(default_value, {plugin.id: plugin.default_on for plugin in plugins})
+        plugin_states = {plugin.id: plugin.is_enabled_by_default() for plugin in plugins}
+        super().__init__(default_value, plugin_states)
 
     def transform_form_items(self, items):
         return [item[len('plugin_') :] for item in items]
diff --git a/searx/settings.yml b/searx/settings.yml
index 23092b800..dc3135def 100644
--- a/searx/settings.yml
+++ b/searx/settings.yml
@@ -226,30 +226,43 @@ outgoing:
   #    - 1.1.1.2
   #    - fe80::/126
 
+# Comment plugins out to completely disable them.
+# Set 'default_on' to false in order to disable them by default,
+# but allow users to manually enable them in the settings.
+# see https://docs.searxng.org/admin/settings/settings_plugins.html
+#
+# You can set 'inactive' to 'true' in order to force disable a plugin
+# that's enabled by default.
+plugins:
+  - id: 'calculator'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'hash_plugin'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'self_info'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'tracker_url_remover'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'unit_converter'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'ahmia_filter'  # activation depends on outgoing.using_tor_proxy
+    default_on: true
+#
+# These plugins are completely disabled if nothing is configured ..
+#   - id: 'hostnames'  # see 'hostnames' configuration below
+#     default_on: false
+#   - id: 'oa_doi_rewrite'
+#     default_on: false
+#   - id: 'tor_check'
+#     default_on: false
+#
 # External plugin configuration, for more details see
 #   https://docs.searxng.org/admin/settings/settings_plugins.html
-#
-# plugins:
-#   - mypackage.mymodule.MyPlugin
-#   - mypackage.mymodule.MyOtherPlugin
+#   - fqn: mypackage.mymodule.MyPlugin
+#     default_on: true
+#   - fqn: mypackage.mymodule.MyOtherPlugin
+#     default_on: false
 #   - ...
 
-# Comment or un-comment plugin to activate / deactivate by default.
-#   https://docs.searxng.org/admin/settings/settings_plugins.html
-#
-# enabled_plugins:
-#   # these plugins are enabled if nothing is configured ..
-#   - 'Basic Calculator'
-#   - 'Hash plugin'
-#   - 'Self Information'
-#   - 'Tracker URL remover'
-#   - 'Unit converter plugin'
-#   - 'Ahmia blacklist'  # activation depends on outgoing.using_tor_proxy
-#   # these plugins are disabled if nothing is configured ..
-#   - 'Hostnames plugin'  # see 'hostnames' configuration below
-#   - 'Open Access DOI rewrite'
-#   - 'Tor check plugin'
-
 # Configuration of the "Hostnames plugin":
 #
 # hostnames:
diff --git a/searx/settings_defaults.py b/searx/settings_defaults.py
index 1bafa749a..8fd705b46 100644
--- a/searx/settings_defaults.py
+++ b/searx/settings_defaults.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
-"""Implementation of the default settings.
-
-"""
+"""Implementation of the default settings."""
 
 import typing
 import numbers
@@ -236,7 +234,7 @@ SCHEMA = {
         'proxify_results': SettingsValue(bool, False),
     },
     'plugins': SettingsValue(list, []),
-    'enabled_plugins': SettingsValue((None, list), None),
+    'enabled_plugins': SettingsValue((None, list), None),  # legacy - TODO: remove
     'checker': {
         'off_when_debug': SettingsValue(bool, True, None),
         'scheduling': SettingsValue((None, dict), None, None),
diff --git a/searx/webapp.py b/searx/webapp.py
index 9d51b5e8c..f8f3d5c93 100755
--- a/searx/webapp.py
+++ b/searx/webapp.py
@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ def config():
 
     _plugins = []
     for _ in searx.plugins.STORAGE:
-        _plugins.append({'name': _.id, 'enabled': _.default_on})
+        _plugins.append({'name': _.id})
 
     _limiter_cfg = limiter.get_cfg()
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_plugins.py b/tests/unit/test_plugins.py
index 33df0f320..c1d86e2c5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_plugins.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_plugins.py
@@ -47,10 +47,16 @@ def do_post_search(query, storage, **kwargs) -> Mock:
 
 class PluginMock(searx.plugins.Plugin):
 
-    def __init__(self, _id: str, name: str, default_on: bool):
+    def __init__(self, _id: str, name: str, default_enabled: bool = False):
         self.id = _id
-        self.default_on = default_on
         self._name = name
+        self.default_enabled = default_enabled
+        self.info = searx.plugins.PluginInfo(
+            id=id,
+            name=name,
+            description=f"Dummy plugin: {id}",
+            preference_section="general",
+        )
         super().__init__()
 
     # pylint: disable= unused-argument
@@ -63,14 +69,6 @@ class PluginMock(searx.plugins.Plugin):
     def on_result(self, request, search, result) -> bool:
         return False
 
-    def info(self):
-        return searx.plugins.PluginInfo(
-            id=self.id,
-            name=self._name,
-            description=f"Dummy plugin: {self.id}",
-            preference_section="general",
-        )
-
 
 class PluginStorage(SearxTestCase):
 
@@ -78,9 +76,13 @@ class PluginStorage(SearxTestCase):
         super().setUp()
         engines = {}
 
+        searx.settings['plugins'] = [
+            {'id': 'plg001', 'default_on': True},
+            {'id': 'plg002', 'default_on': False},
+        ]
         self.storage = searx.plugins.PluginStorage()
-        self.storage.register(PluginMock("plg001", "first plugin", True))
-        self.storage.register(PluginMock("plg002", "second plugin", True))
+        self.storage.register(PluginMock("plg001", "first plugin"))
+        self.storage.register(PluginMock("plg002", "second plugin"))
         self.storage.init(self.app)
         self.pref = searx.preferences.Preferences(["simple"], ["general"], engines, self.storage)
         self.pref.parse_dict({"locale": "en"})
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_preferences.py b/tests/unit/test_preferences.py
index d7009cbfd..2c77f5a8b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_preferences.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_preferences.py
@@ -115,19 +115,26 @@ class TestSettings(SearxTestCase):
 
     # plugins settings
 
-    def test_plugins_setting_all_default_enabled(self):
-        storage = searx.plugins.PluginStorage()
-        storage.register(PluginMock("plg001", "first plugin", True))
-        storage.register(PluginMock("plg002", "second plugin", True))
-        plgs_settings = PluginsSetting(False, storage)
-        self.assertEqual(set(plgs_settings.get_enabled()), {"plg001", "plg002"})
-
     def test_plugins_setting_few_default_enabled(self):
+        searx.settings['plugins'] = [
+            {
+                'id': 'plg001',
+            },
+            {
+                'id': 'plg002',
+                'default_on': False,
+            },
+            {
+                'id': 'plg003',
+                'default_on': True,
+            },
+        ]
         storage = searx.plugins.PluginStorage()
-        storage.register(PluginMock("plg001", "first plugin", True))
-        storage.register(PluginMock("plg002", "second plugin", False))
-        storage.register(PluginMock("plg003", "third plugin", True))
+        storage.register(PluginMock("plg001", "first plugin"))
+        storage.register(PluginMock("plg002", "second plugin"))
+        storage.register(PluginMock("plg003", "third plugin"))
         plgs_settings = PluginsSetting(False, storage)
+        self.assertEqual(set(plgs_settings.get_disabled()), set(['plg002']))
         self.assertEqual(set(plgs_settings.get_enabled()), set(['plg001', 'plg003']))
 
 
diff --git a/utils/templates/etc/searxng/settings.yml b/utils/templates/etc/searxng/settings.yml
index be79810b1..999233e8f 100644
--- a/utils/templates/etc/searxng/settings.yml
+++ b/utils/templates/etc/searxng/settings.yml
@@ -31,16 +31,20 @@ ui:
 #     - autocomplete
 #     - method
 
-enabled_plugins:
-  - 'Hash plugin'
-  - 'Self Information'
-  - 'Tracker URL remover'
-  - 'Ahmia blacklist'
-  # - 'Hostnames plugin'  # see 'hostnames' configuration below
-  # - 'Open Access DOI rewrite'
-
-# plugins:
-#   - only_show_green_results
+plugins:
+  - id: 'calculator'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'hash_plugin'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'self_info'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'tracker_url_remover'
+    default_on: true
+  - id: 'unit_converter'
+    default_on: true
+#   - id: 'ahmia_filter'  # activation depends on outgoing.using_tor_proxy
+#   - fqn: only_show_green_results
+#     default_on: true
 
 # hostnames:
 #   replace: