diff --git a/src/VRio.App/MainForm.cs b/src/VRio.App/MainForm.cs
index 2b75143..857cfd8 100644
--- a/src/VRio.App/MainForm.cs
+++ b/src/VRio.App/MainForm.cs
@@ -8,12 +8,21 @@ namespace VRio.App;
 /// <summary>
 /// vRIO main window: the interactive cockpit panel on the left (the same
 /// functional map RIOJoy's profile editor shows) and a control strip on the
-/// right — COM port, device settings, and a live wire log. Open the COM port,
-/// point RIOJoy at the other end of the null-modem pair, and every click here
-/// arrives at RIOJoy exactly as if the physical cockpit sent it.
+/// right — COM port, device settings, and a live wire log. At startup the
+/// usual port (<see cref="PreferredPort"/>) is opened automatically when it's
+/// available; otherwise open a COM port by hand. Point RIOJoy at the other
+/// end of the null-modem pair, and every click here arrives at RIOJoy exactly
+/// as if the physical cockpit sent it.
 /// </summary>
 internal sealed class MainForm : Form
 {
+    /// <summary>
+    /// vRIO's usual port: the device end of the COM1⇄COM11 com0com pair.
+    /// Auto-opened at startup when present and free; the picker still allows
+    /// any other port.
+    /// </summary>
+    private const string PreferredPort = "COM11";
+
     private readonly VRioDevice _device = new();
     private readonly VRioSerialService _service;
     private readonly PanelCanvas _canvas = new();
@@ -248,6 +257,7 @@ internal sealed class MainForm : Form
         UpdateStatus();
         PrependLog("vRIO ready. Open a COM port, then point RIOJoy at the other end of the pair.");
         LoadBindings();
+        AutoOpenPreferredPort();
     }
 
     private Panel BuildControlStrip()
@@ -307,6 +317,32 @@ internal sealed class MainForm : Form
         _portBox.SelectedIndex = idx >= 0 ? idx : 0;
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Startup convenience: if <see cref="PreferredPort"/> exists, select it
+    /// and try to open it. Failures (port missing, or busy because another
+    /// vRIO/app holds it) just log — no modal box at launch — and leave the
+    /// manual picker in charge.
+    /// </summary>
+    private void AutoOpenPreferredPort()
+    {
+        int idx = _portBox.Items.IndexOf(PreferredPort);
+        if (idx < 0)
+        {
+            PrependLog($"{PreferredPort} not present — pick a port and open it manually.");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        _portBox.SelectedIndex = idx;
+        try
+        {
+            _service.Open(PreferredPort);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex) when (ex is IOException or UnauthorizedAccessException or InvalidOperationException or ArgumentException)
+        {
+            PrependLog($"{PreferredPort} is present but could not be opened ({ex.Message.TrimEnd('.')}) — open it manually once it frees up.");
+        }
+    }
+
     private void ToggleOpen()
     {
         if (_service.IsOpen)