diff --git a/NetBird/Source/App/ViewModels/MainViewModel.swift b/NetBird/Source/App/ViewModels/MainViewModel.swift
index eb7930a..503ee05 100644
--- a/NetBird/Source/App/ViewModels/MainViewModel.swift
+++ b/NetBird/Source/App/ViewModels/MainViewModel.swift
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class ViewModel: ObservableObject {
             UserDefaults.standard.synchronize()
         }
     }
-    @Published var forceRelayConnection = true
+    @Published var forceRelayConnection = false
     @Published var showForceRelayAlert = false
     @Published var connectOnDemand = false
     @Published var showOnDemandAlert = false
@@ -616,14 +616,8 @@ class ViewModel: ObservableObject {
     
     func getForcedRelayConnectionEnabled() -> Bool {
         let userDefaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: GlobalConstants.userPreferencesSuiteName)
-        #if os(iOS)
-        userDefaults?.register(defaults: [GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection: true])
-        return userDefaults?.bool(forKey: GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection) ?? true
-        #else
-        // forced relay battery optimization not need on Apple Tv
         userDefaults?.register(defaults: [GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection: false])
         return userDefaults?.bool(forKey: GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection) ?? false
-        #endif
     }
     
     func setConnectOnDemand(isEnabled: Bool) {
diff --git a/NetBirdTests/SharedUserDefaultsTests.swift b/NetBirdTests/SharedUserDefaultsTests.swift
index c3c60bb..fef2620 100644
--- a/NetBirdTests/SharedUserDefaultsTests.swift
+++ b/NetBirdTests/SharedUserDefaultsTests.swift
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ final class SharedUserDefaultsTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssertFalse(value, "Login required flag should be false after clearing")
     }
 
-    func testForceRelayConnectionDefaultsToTrue() throws {
+    func testForceRelayConnectionDefaultsToFalse() throws {
         let defaults = try XCTUnwrap(userDefaults)
         defaults.removeObject(forKey: GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection)
-        defaults.register(defaults: [GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection: true])
+        defaults.register(defaults: [GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection: false])
         let value = defaults.bool(forKey: GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection)
-        XCTAssertTrue(value, "Force relay connection should default to true")
+        XCTAssertFalse(value, "Force relay connection should default to false")
     }
 }
diff --git a/NetbirdKit/EnvVarPackager.swift b/NetbirdKit/EnvVarPackager.swift
index 817d6e2..3a8487f 100644
--- a/NetbirdKit/EnvVarPackager.swift
+++ b/NetbirdKit/EnvVarPackager.swift
@@ -14,12 +14,10 @@ class EnvVarPackager {
             return nil
         }
 
-        #if os(iOS)
-        let defaultForceRelay = true
-        #else
-        // Forced relay battery optimization not needed on Apple TV
+        // P2P connections are more efficient than relay for both performance
+        // and battery life. The previous default of true was a workaround for
+        // ICE stability issues that have since been fixed upstream.
         let defaultForceRelay = false
-        #endif
 
         defaults.register(defaults: [GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection: defaultForceRelay])
         let forceRelayConnection = defaults.bool(forKey: GlobalConstants.keyForceRelayConnection)