diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.rs
index 47b21346f..2477c9c52 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.rs
@@ -392,6 +392,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Object Layer Options", "خيارات طبقات الكائن"),
     ("Colour Picker", "منتقي الألوان"),
     ("Color Picker", "أداة اختيار الألوان"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "طيف الألوان"),
     ("Color Settings", "إعدادات الألوان"),
     ("User Dictionary", "قاموس المستخدم"),
     ("Menu Customization", "تخصيص القوائم"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.rs
index ba02423f1..dfe22ad6f 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.rs
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "Vybrat obrázek…"),
     ("Class:", "Třída:"),
     ("Color Picker", "Výběr barvy"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "Barevné spektrum"),
     ("Color Settings", "Nastavení barev"),
     ("Color:", "Barva:"),
     ("Columns", "Sloupce"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.rs
index ca2569de1..2b41bdff1 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.rs
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "Bild auswählen …"),
     ("Class:", "Klasse:"),
     ("Color Picker", "Farbwähler"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "Farbspektrum"),
     ("Color Settings", "Farbeinstellungen"),
     ("Color:", "Farbe:"),
     ("Columns", "Spalten"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.rs
index f681918f5..1b07e86a2 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.rs
@@ -306,6 +306,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "Scegli immagine…"),
     ("Class:", "Classe:"),
     ("Color Picker", "Selettore colore"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "Spettro dei colori"),
     ("Color Settings", "Impostazioni colore"),
     ("Color:", "Colore:"),
     ("Columns", "Colonne"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.rs
index 2cffe0f01..c17929d7e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.rs
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "画像を選択…"),
     ("Class:", "クラス:"),
     ("Color Picker", "カラーピッカー"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "カラースペクトル"),
     ("Color Settings", "カラー設定"),
     ("Color:", "カラー:"),
     ("Columns", "列数"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ka.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ka.rs
index 634392346..8fae7debc 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ka.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ka.rs
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "გამოსახულების არჩევა…"),
     ("Class:", "კლასი:"),
     ("Color Picker", "ფერის ამრჩევი"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "ფერთა სპექტრი"),
     ("Color Settings", "ფერის პარამეტრები"),
     ("Color:", "ფერი:"),
     ("Columns", "სვეტები"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pl.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pl.rs
index ec8d5a5c3..8442c1164 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pl.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pl.rs
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "Wybierz obraz…"),
     ("Class:", "Klasa:"),
     ("Color Picker", "Próbnik kolorów"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "Spektrum kolorów"),
     ("Color Settings", "Ustawienia kolorów"),
     ("Color:", "Kolor:"),
     ("Columns", "Łamy"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt_br.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt_br.rs
index 8fa2fb1da..68b413834 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt_br.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt_br.rs
@@ -400,6 +400,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Object Layer Options", "Opções de camada do objeto"),
     ("Colour Picker", "Seletor de cores"),
     ("Color Picker", "Seletor de cores"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "Espectro de cores"),
     ("Color Settings", "Configurações de cores"),
     ("User Dictionary", "Dicionário do usuário"),
     ("Menu Customization", "Personalização de menus"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.rs
index 92d292aa1..3ea850899 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.rs
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "Выбрать изображение…"),
     ("Class:", "Класс:"),
     ("Color Picker", "Палитра цветов"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "Цветовой спектр"),
     ("Color Settings", "Настройка цветов"),
     ("Color:", "Цвет:"),
     ("Columns", "Колонки"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/table.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/table.rs
index e1597abc8..91f77a83c 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/table.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/table.rs
@@ -959,6 +959,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, [&str; 5])] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", ["Choose Image…", "Choisir une image…", "Choose Image…", "Choose Image…", "选择图像…"]),
     ("Class:", ["Class:", "Classe :", "Class:", "Class:", "类别："]),
     ("Color Picker", ["Color Picker", "Sélecteur de couleurs", "Color Picker", "Color Picker", "拾色器"]),
+    ("Color spectrum", ["Farbspektrum", "Spectre de couleurs", "Espectro de color", "カラースペクトル", "色谱"]),
     ("Color Settings", ["Color Settings", "Réglages des couleurs", "Color Settings", "Color Settings", "颜色设置"]),
     ("Color:", ["Color:", "Couleur :", "Color:", "Color:", "颜色："]),
     ("Columns", ["Columns", "Colonnes", "Columns", "Columns", "栏"]),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.rs
index 7ec7299ef..a6b1775f1 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.rs
@@ -309,6 +309,7 @@ pub(super) const TABLE: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("Choose Image…", "Вибрати зображення…"),
     ("Class:", "Клас:"),
     ("Color Picker", "Палітра кольорів"),
+    ("Color spectrum", "Колірний спектр"),
     ("Color Settings", "Налаштування кольору"),
     ("Color:", "Колір:"),
     ("Columns", "Колонки"),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
index 5f1b8829c..8088e5adf 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
@@ -82,6 +82,19 @@ pub fn color_target(app: &mut DesignApp) -> Option<(String, f32, String, f32)> {
     Some((i.fill, sel_tint(app, false), i.stroke, sel_tint(app, true)))
 }
 
+/// [`color_target`], or with nothing selected the colours new shapes get (the Color and Swatches
+/// panels then edit those, as InDesign's do).
+pub fn color_target_or_defaults(app: &mut DesignApp) -> Option<(String, f32, String, f32)> {
+    color_target(app).or_else(|| {
+        let state = app.session.active()?;
+        if !state.selection.items.is_empty() || state.selection.text.is_some() || state.selection.cells.is_some() {
+            return None;
+        }
+        let colors = &state.doc.settings.new_object;
+        Some((colors.fill.clone(), colors.fill_tint, colors.stroke.clone(), colors.stroke_tint))
+    })
+}
+
 /// Apply a swatch (and tint) to the fill or stroke of what colour edits apply to.
 pub fn apply_swatch(app: &mut DesignApp, stroke: bool, swatch: &str, tint: Option<f32>) -> Result<Value, String> {
     remember_swatch(app, swatch);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs
index 98ee3efa5..e8624ee2c 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut DesignApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
     let Some(st) = app.session.active() else { return };
     let doc = st.doc.clone();
-    let target = super::color_target(app);
+    // With nothing selected, the proxy, Tint field and highlighted row are those of new shapes.
+    let target = super::color_target_or_defaults(app);
     header(app, ui, &doc, target.as_ref());
     // The row of the colour in front of the proxy is highlighted.
     let fill_cur = target.map(|(fill, _, stroke, _)| if app.ui.stroke_front { stroke } else { fill });
@@ -510,7 +511,8 @@ pub enum ColorMode {
 /// swatch), the spectrum ramp, Add to Swatches. Edits apply unnamed colours (`object.color`).
 pub fn color_panel(app: &mut DesignApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
-    let Some((fill, fill_tint, stroke_sw, stroke_tint)) = super::color_target(app) else {
+    let target = super::color_target_or_defaults(app);
+    let Some((fill, fill_tint, stroke_sw, stroke_tint)) = target else {
         ui.label(crate::rtl::widget(
             ui,
             egui::RichText::new(crate::i18n::tr(&app.ui.language, "Select an object or text to color its fill or stroke.")).color(t.text_dim),
@@ -723,6 +725,7 @@ fn cmyk_ramp(k: usize, x: f32) -> egui::Color32 {
 /// The spectrum ramp: hue across, light to dark down; click to apply.
 fn spectrum(app: &mut DesignApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, target: &str) {
     let (r, resp) = ui.allocate_exact_size(vec2(ui.available_width(), 36.0), Sense::click());
+    resp.widget_info(|| egui::WidgetInfo::labeled(egui::Role::Button, true, crate::i18n::tr(&app.ui.language, "Color spectrum")));
     let at = |u: f32, v: f32| -> [f32; 3] {
         let c = egui::ecolor::Hsva::new(u, (v * 2.0).min(1.0), (2.0 - v * 2.0).min(1.0), 1.0).to_rgb();
         [c[0], c[1], c[2]]
@@ -768,6 +771,92 @@ fn color_json(c: &designcraft_color::Color) -> serde_json::Value {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod color_panel_defaults_tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use egui_kittest::kittest::Queryable;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn color_panel_with_no_selection_edits_future_shapes_without_recoloring_existing_ones() {
+        let mut app = DesignApp::new(designcraft_engine::Session::new(), crate::Services::default());
+        app.run("file.new", json!({})).unwrap();
+        let old =
+            designcraft_doc::ItemId(app.run("frame.create", json!({"rect":[72,72,200,200],"content":"unassigned"})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap());
+        let original = app.session.active().unwrap().doc.item(old).unwrap().stroke.clone();
+        app.run("selection.set", json!({"ids":[]})).unwrap();
+        app.ui.stroke_front = true;
+        app.run("window.panel", json!({"panel":"color"})).unwrap();
+        let mut h = crate::test_window::open(app, vec2(1440.0, 900.0));
+        assert!(h.query_by_label("Select an object or text to color its fill or stroke.").is_none());
+        let ramp = h.get_by_label("Color spectrum").rect();
+        crate::test_window::click_at(&mut h, egui::pos2(ramp.left() + ramp.width() / 3.0, ramp.center().y));
+        let defaults = h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.settings.new_object.clone();
+        assert_ne!(defaults.stroke, original.swatch);
+        assert_eq!(h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.item(old).unwrap().stroke, original);
+        h.state_mut().app.run("selection.set", json!({"ids":[old.0]})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(crate::panels::color_target(&mut h.state_mut().app).unwrap().2, original.swatch);
+        h.state_mut().app.run("selection.set", json!({"ids":[]})).unwrap();
+        let new = designcraft_doc::ItemId(
+            h.state_mut().app.run("frame.create", json!({"rect":[240,72,368,200],"content":"unassigned"})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap(),
+        );
+        assert_eq!(h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.item(new).unwrap().stroke.swatch, defaults.stroke);
+        // Two undo steps: the new frame, then the spectrum click's default stroke.
+        h.state_mut().app.run("edit.undo", json!({})).unwrap();
+        h.state_mut().app.run("edit.undo", json!({})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.settings.new_object.stroke, original.swatch);
+        assert_eq!(h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.item(old).unwrap().stroke, original);
+        // With the Fill box in front, the ramp sets the default fill instead.
+        let original_fill = h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.item(old).unwrap().fill.clone();
+        h.state_mut().app.ui.stroke_front = false;
+        h.run_steps(2);
+        let ramp = h.get_by_label("Color spectrum").rect();
+        crate::test_window::click_at(&mut h, egui::pos2(ramp.left() + ramp.width() * 2.0 / 3.0, ramp.center().y));
+        let defaults = h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.settings.new_object.clone();
+        assert_ne!(defaults.fill, original_fill.swatch);
+        assert_eq!(defaults.stroke, original.swatch, "the stroke default is left alone");
+        assert_eq!(h.state().app.session.active().unwrap().doc.item(old).unwrap().fill, original_fill);
+    }
+
+    /// The Swatches panel shows the same defaults: its Tint field reads the default fill's tint,
+    /// and a click on a swatch row sets the default fill, not an existing frame's.
+    #[test]
+    fn swatches_panel_with_no_selection_shows_and_edits_future_shape_colors() {
+        use egui::accesskit::Role;
+        let mut app = DesignApp::new(designcraft_engine::Session::new(), crate::Services::default());
+        app.run("file.new", json!({})).unwrap();
+        let old =
+            designcraft_doc::ItemId(app.run("frame.create", json!({"rect":[72,72,200,200],"content":"unassigned"})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap());
+        let original = app.session.active().unwrap().doc.item(old).unwrap().fill.clone();
+        app.run("selection.set", json!({"ids":[]})).unwrap();
+        app.run("object.fill", json!({"swatch": "[Black]", "tint": 0.4})).unwrap();
+        app.ui.stroke_front = false;
+        let mut h = egui_kittest::Harness::builder().with_size(vec2(320.0, 480.0)).build_ui_state(
+            |ui, app: &mut DesignApp| {
+                // The panel's fonts are installed on the first frame and used from the next.
+                let id = egui::Id::unique("test_fonts");
+                if ui.data(|d| d.get_temp::<bool>(id)).is_none() {
+                    crate::theme::install_fonts(ui.ctx(), "");
+                    ui.data_mut(|d| d.insert_temp(id, true));
+                    return;
+                }
+                show(app, ui);
+            },
+            app,
+        );
+        h.run_steps(3);
+        let fields = h.query_all_by(|n| matches!(n.role(), Role::SpinButton | Role::TextInput)).filter_map(|n| n.value()).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        assert!(fields.iter().any(|v| v.starts_with("40")), "the Tint field shows the default fill's 40 %: {fields:?}");
+        let row = h.get_by_label("[Paper]").rect().center();
+        h.hover_at(row);
+        h.drag_at(row);
+        h.drop_at(row);
+        h.run_steps(3);
+        let defaults = h.state().session.active().unwrap().doc.settings.new_object.clone();
+        assert_eq!((defaults.fill.as_str(), defaults.fill_tint), ("[Paper]", 1.0));
+        assert_eq!(h.state().session.active().unwrap().doc.item(old).unwrap().fill, original);
+    }
+}
+
 /// Stops in `object.gradient` form: a stop on a swatch also names it, so it keeps its inks.
 fn stops_json(g: &designcraft_color::Gradient) -> Vec<serde_json::Value> {
     g.stops