diff --git a/src/models.py b/src/models.py
index b265274..ffe4031 100644
--- a/src/models.py
+++ b/src/models.py
@@ -493,8 +493,9 @@ class TrackState:
 @dataclass
 class FileItem:
  path: str
- auto_aggregate: bool = False
+ auto_aggregate: bool = True
  force_full: bool = False
+ view_mode: str = 'full'
  selected: bool = False
  ast_signatures: bool = False
  ast_definitions: bool = False
@@ -510,6 +511,7 @@ class FileItem:
    "path": self.path,
    "auto_aggregate": self.auto_aggregate,
    "force_full": self.force_full,
+   "view_mode": self.view_mode,
    "ast_signatures": self.ast_signatures,
    "ast_definitions": self.ast_definitions,
    "ast_mask": self.ast_mask,
@@ -520,12 +522,13 @@ class FileItem:
  @classmethod
  def from_dict(cls, data: Dict[str, Any]) -> "FileItem":
   """
-  [C: src/personas.py:PersonaManager.load_all, src/presets.py:PresetManager.load_all, src/project_manager.py:load_project, src/project_manager.py:load_track_state, src/tool_presets.py:ToolPresetManager.load_all_bias_profiles, src/tool_presets.py:ToolPresetManager.load_all_presets, src/workspace_manager.py:WorkspaceManager.load_all_profiles, tests/test_bias_models.py:test_bias_profile_model, tests/test_bias_models.py:test_tool_model, tests/test_bias_models.py:test_tool_preset_extension, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestExternalEditorConfig.test_from_dict_with_dict_editors, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestExternalEditorConfig.test_from_dict_with_string_editors, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestTextEditorConfig.test_from_dict_with_diff_args, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestTextEditorConfig.test_from_dict_without_diff_args, tests/test_file_item_model.py:test_file_item_from_dict, tests/test_file_item_model.py:test_file_item_from_dict_defaults, tests/test_mcp_config.py:test_mcp_configuration_to_from_dict, tests/test_mcp_config.py:test_mcp_server_config_to_from_dict, tests/test_per_ticket_model.py:test_model_override_default_on_deserialize, tests/test_per_ticket_model.py:test_model_override_deserialization, tests/test_persona_id.py:test_ticket_persona_id_deserialization, tests/test_persona_models.py:test_persona_defaults, tests/test_persona_models.py:test_persona_deserialization, tests/test_project_serialization.py:TestProjectSerialization.test_backward_compatibility_strings, tests/test_ticket_queue.py:test_ticket_from_dict_default_priority, tests/test_ticket_queue.py:test_ticket_from_dict_priority, tests/test_tiered_aggregation.py:test_persona_aggregation_strategy, tests/test_track_state_schema.py:test_track_state_from_dict, tests/test_track_state_schema.py:test_track_state_from_dict_empty_and_missing, tests/test_ui_summary_only_removal.py:test_file_item_serialization_with_flags]
+  [C: src/personas.py:PersonaManager.load_all, src/presets.py:PresetManager.load_all, src/project_manager.py:load_project, src/project_manager.py:load_track_state, src/tool_presets.py:ToolPresetManager.load_all_bias_profiles, src/tool_presets.py:ToolPresetManager.load_all_presets, src/workspace_manager.py:WorkspaceManager.load_all_profiles, tests/test_bias_models.py:test_bias_profile_model, tests/test_bias_models.py:test_tool_model, tests/test_bias_models.py:test_tool_preset_extension, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestExternalEditorConfig.test_from_dict_with_dict_editors, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestExternalEditorConfig.test_from_dict_with_string_editors, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestTextEditorConfig.test_from_dict_with_diff_args, tests/test_external_editor.py:TestTextEditorConfig.test_from_dict_without_diff_args, tests/test_file_item_model.py:test_file_item_from_dict, tests/test_file_item_model.py:test_file_item_from_dict_defaults, tests/test_mcp_config.py:test_mcp_configuration_to_from_dict, tests/test_mcp_config.py:test_mcp_server_config_to_from_dict, tests/test_per_ticket_model.py:test_model_override_default_on_deserialize, tests/test_per_ticket_model.py:test_model_override_deserialization, tests/test_persona_id.py:test_ticket_persona_id_deserialization, tests/test_persona_models.py:test_persona_defaults, tests/test_persona_models.py:test_persona_serialization, tests/test_project_serialization.py:TestProjectSerialization.test_backward_compatibility_strings, tests/test_ticket_queue.py:test_ticket_from_dict_default_priority, tests/test_ticket_queue.py:test_ticket_from_dict_priority, tests/test_tiered_aggregation.py:test_persona_aggregation_strategy, tests/test_track_state_schema.py:test_track_state_from_dict, tests/test_track_state_schema.py:test_track_state_from_dict_empty_and_missing, tests/test_ui_summary_only_removal.py:test_file_item_serialization_with_flags]
   """
   return cls(
    path=data["path"],
    auto_aggregate=data.get("auto_aggregate", True),
    force_full=data.get("force_full", False),
+   view_mode=data.get("view_mode", 'full'),
    ast_signatures=data.get("ast_signatures", False),
    ast_definitions=data.get("ast_definitions", False),
    ast_mask=data.get("ast_mask", {}),
diff --git a/tests/test_file_item_model.py b/tests/test_file_item_model.py
index 8296aba..0e503ee 100644
--- a/tests/test_file_item_model.py
+++ b/tests/test_file_item_model.py
@@ -7,17 +7,19 @@ def test_file_item_fields():
  assert item.path == "src/models.py"
  assert item.auto_aggregate is True
  assert item.force_full is False
+ assert item.view_mode == "full"
  assert item.ast_mask == {}
  assert item.custom_slices == []
  assert item.injected_at is None
 
 def test_file_item_to_dict():
  """Test that FileItem can be serialized to a dict."""
- item = FileItem(path="test.py", auto_aggregate=False, force_full=True)
+ item = FileItem(path="test.py", auto_aggregate=False, force_full=True, view_mode="summary")
  expected = {
   "path": "test.py",
   "auto_aggregate": False,
   "force_full": True,
+  "view_mode": "summary",
   "ast_signatures": False,
   "ast_definitions": False,
   "ast_mask": {},
@@ -32,12 +34,14 @@ def test_file_item_from_dict():
   "path": "test.py",
   "auto_aggregate": False,
   "force_full": True,
+  "view_mode": "summary",
   "injected_at": 123.456
  }
  item = FileItem.from_dict(data)
  assert item.path == "test.py"
  assert item.auto_aggregate is False
  assert item.force_full is True
+ assert item.view_mode == "summary"
  assert item.injected_at == 123.456
  assert item.ast_mask == {}
 
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ def test_file_item_from_dict_defaults():
  assert item.path == "test.py"
  assert item.auto_aggregate is True
  assert item.force_full is False
+ assert item.view_mode == "full"
  assert item.ast_mask == {}
  assert item.custom_slices == []
  assert item.injected_at is None