diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.cpp
index 69d52294ed8..1cc9c706550 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ static const std::wstring_view launchTag{ L"Launch_Nav" };
 static const std::wstring_view interactionTag{ L"Interaction_Nav" };
 static const std::wstring_view renderingTag{ L"Rendering_Nav" };
 static const std::wstring_view actionsTag{ L"Actions_Nav" };
+static const std::wstring_view globalProfileTag{ L"GlobalProfile_Nav" };
 static const std::wstring_view addProfileTag{ L"AddProfile" };
 static const std::wstring_view colorSchemesTag{ L"ColorSchemes_Nav" };
 static const std::wstring_view globalAppearanceTag{ L"GlobalAppearance_Nav" };
@@ -295,6 +296,17 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
         {
             contentFrame().Navigate(xaml_typename<Editor::Actions>(), winrt::make<ActionsPageNavigationState>(_settingsClone));
         }
+        else if (clickedItemTag == globalProfileTag)
+        {
+            auto profileVM{ _viewModelForProfile(_settingsClone.ProfileDefaults(), _settingsClone) };
+            profileVM.IsBaseLayer(true);
+            _lastProfilesNavState = winrt::make<ProfilePageNavigationState>(profileVM,
+                                                                            _settingsClone.GlobalSettings().ColorSchemes(),
+                                                                            _lastProfilesNavState,
+                                                                            *this);
+
+            contentFrame().Navigate(xaml_typename<Editor::Profiles>(), _lastProfilesNavState);
+        }
         else if (clickedItemTag == colorSchemesTag)
         {
             contentFrame().Navigate(xaml_typename<Editor::ColorSchemes>(), _colorSchemesNavState);
@@ -456,4 +468,9 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
         SettingsNav().SelectedItem(newSelectedItem);
         _Navigate(newSelectedItem.try_as<MUX::Controls::NavigationViewItem>().Tag().try_as<Editor::ProfileViewModel>());
     }
+
+    bool MainPage::ShowBaseLayerMenuItem() const noexcept
+    {
+        return Feature_ShowProfileDefaultsInSettings::IsEnabled();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.h b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.h
index 401c2576eb0..24c2c9cd503 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.h
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.h
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
         bool TryPropagateHostingWindow(IInspectable object) noexcept;
         uint64_t GetHostingWindow() const noexcept;
 
+        bool ShowBaseLayerMenuItem() const noexcept;
+
         TYPED_EVENT(OpenJson, Windows::Foundation::IInspectable, Model::SettingsTarget);
 
     private:
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.idl b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.idl
index 2513c8b7b40..6c368713a73 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.idl
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.idl
@@ -23,5 +23,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.Terminal.Settings.Editor
         // Due to the aforementioned bug, we can't use IInitializeWithWindow _here_ either.
         // Let's just smuggle the HWND in as a UInt64 :|
         void SetHostingWindow(UInt64 window);
+
+        Boolean ShowBaseLayerMenuItem { get; };
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.xaml b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.xaml
index 35c801e5125..76e7c733d12 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.xaml
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/MainPage.xaml
@@ -88,6 +88,15 @@
 
             <muxc:NavigationViewItemHeader x:Uid="Nav_Profiles" />
 
+            <muxc:NavigationViewItem x:Name="BaseLayerMenuItem"
+                                     x:Uid="Nav_ProfileDefaults"
+                                     Tag="GlobalProfile_Nav"
+                                     Visibility="{x:Bind ShowBaseLayerMenuItem}">
+                <muxc:NavigationViewItem.Icon>
+                    <FontIcon Glyph="&#xE81E;" />
+                </muxc:NavigationViewItem.Icon>
+            </muxc:NavigationViewItem>
+
         </muxc:NavigationView.MenuItems>
 
         <muxc:NavigationView.PaneFooter>
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Profiles.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Profiles.cpp
index 15838cb3e36..d1604ec7430 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Profiles.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Profiles.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
 
     Model::TerminalSettings ProfileViewModel::TermSettings() const
     {
-        return Model::TerminalSettings::CreateWithProfileByID(_appSettings, _profile.Guid(), nullptr).DefaultSettings();
+        return Model::TerminalSettings::CreateWithProfile(_appSettings, _profile, nullptr).DefaultSettings();
     }
 
     // Method Description:
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Resources/en-US/Resources.resw b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Resources/en-US/Resources.resw
index 86bfd3e5533..467dc069db2 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Resources/en-US/Resources.resw
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/Resources/en-US/Resources.resw
@@ -452,8 +452,8 @@
     <comment>Header for a menu item. This opens the JSON file that is used to log the app's settings.</comment>
   </data>
   <data name="Nav_ProfileDefaults.Content" xml:space="preserve">
-    <value>Base layer</value>
-    <comment>Header for the "base layer" menu item. This navigates to a page that lets you see and modify settings that affect profiles. The base layer is the lowest layer of profile settings that all other profile settings are based on. If a profile doesn't define a setting, base layer is responsible for figuring out what that setting is supposed to be.</comment>
+    <value>Defaults</value>
+    <comment>Header for the "defaults" menu item. This navigates to a page that lets you see and modify settings that affect profiles. This is the lowest layer of profile settings that all other profile settings are based on. If a profile doesn't define a setting, this page is responsible for figuring out what that setting is supposed to be.</comment>
   </data>
   <data name="Nav_Rendering.Content" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Rendering</value>
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@
   </data>
   <data name="Profile_BaseLayerDisclaimer.Text" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Settings defined here will apply to all profiles unless they are overridden by a profile's settings.</value>
-    <comment>A disclaimer presented at the top of a page. See "Nav_ProfileDefaults.Content" for a description on what the base layer does in the app.</comment>
+    <comment>A disclaimer presented at the top of a page. See "Nav_ProfileDefaults.Content" for a description on what the defaults layer does in the app.</comment>
   </data>
   <data name="Profile_DeleteConfirmationButton.Content" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Yes, delete profile</value>
@@ -1087,8 +1087,8 @@
     <comment>Header for a control to toggle animations on panes. "Enabled" value enables the animations.</comment>
   </data>
   <data name="SettingContainer_OverrideMessageBaseLayer" xml:space="preserve">
-    <value>Reset to base layer value.</value>
-    <comment>"base layer" should match Nav_ProfileDefaults.Content's text. This is a text label on a button.</comment>
+    <value>Reset to inherited value.</value>
+    <comment>This button will remove a user's customization from a given setting, restoring it to the value that the profile inherited. This is a text label on a button.</comment>
   </data>
   <data name="ColorScheme_TerminalColorsHeader.Text" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Terminal colors</value>
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.cpp
index f2566da7f84..7d53785c608 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.cpp
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
             _SettingOverrideSourceProperty =
                 DependencyProperty::Register(
                     L"SettingOverrideSource",
-                    xaml_typename<bool>(),
+                    xaml_typename<IInspectable>(),
                     xaml_typename<Editor::SettingContainer>(),
-                    PropertyMetadata{ nullptr });
+                    PropertyMetadata{ nullptr, PropertyChangedCallback{ &SettingContainer::_OnHasSettingValueChanged } });
         }
     }
 
@@ -152,17 +152,9 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
                     // We want to be smart about showing the override system.
                     // Don't just show it if the user explicitly set the setting.
                     // If the tooltip is empty, we'll hide the entire override system.
-                    hstring tooltip{};
 
                     const auto& settingSrc{ SettingOverrideSource() };
-                    if (const auto& profile{ settingSrc.try_as<Model::Profile>() })
-                    {
-                        tooltip = _GenerateOverrideMessage(profile);
-                    }
-                    else if (const auto& appearanceConfig{ settingSrc.try_as<Model::AppearanceConfig>() })
-                    {
-                        tooltip = _GenerateOverrideMessage(appearanceConfig.SourceProfile());
-                    }
+                    const auto tooltip{ _GenerateOverrideMessage(settingSrc) };
 
                     Controls::ToolTipService::SetToolTip(button, box_value(tooltip));
                     button.Visibility(tooltip.empty() ? Visibility::Collapsed : Visibility::Visible);
@@ -182,35 +174,43 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
     // - profile: the profile that defines the setting (aka SettingOverrideSource)
     // Return Value:
     // - text specifying where the setting was defined. If empty, we don't want to show the system.
-    hstring SettingContainer::_GenerateOverrideMessage(const Model::Profile& profile)
+    hstring SettingContainer::_GenerateOverrideMessage(const IInspectable& settingOrigin)
     {
-        const auto originTag{ profile.Origin() };
-        if (originTag == Model::OriginTag::InBox)
+        // We only get here if the user had an override in place.
+        Model::OriginTag originTag{ Model::OriginTag::None };
+        winrt::hstring source;
+
+        if (const auto& profile{ settingOrigin.try_as<Model::Profile>() })
         {
-            // in-box profile
-            return {};
+            source = profile.Source();
+            originTag = profile.Origin();
         }
-        else if (originTag == Model::OriginTag::Generated)
+        else if (const auto& appearanceConfig{ settingOrigin.try_as<Model::AppearanceConfig>() })
         {
-            // from a dynamic profile generator
-            return {};
+            const auto profile = appearanceConfig.SourceProfile();
+            source = profile.Source();
+            originTag = profile.Origin();
         }
-        else if (originTag == Model::OriginTag::Fragment)
+
+        if constexpr (Feature_ShowProfileDefaultsInSettings::IsEnabled())
         {
-            // from a fragment extension
-            return hstring{ fmt::format(std::wstring_view{ RS_(L"SettingContainer_OverrideMessageFragmentExtension") }, profile.Source()) };
+            // EXPERIMENTAL FEATURE
+            // We will display arrows for all origins, and informative tooltips for Fragments and Generated
+            if (originTag == Model::OriginTag::Fragment || originTag == Model::OriginTag::Generated)
+            {
+                // from a fragment extension or generated profile
+                return hstring{ fmt::format(std::wstring_view{ RS_(L"SettingContainer_OverrideMessageFragmentExtension") }, source) };
+            }
+            return RS_(L"SettingContainer_OverrideMessageBaseLayer");
         }
-        else
+
+        // STABLE FEATURE
+        // We will only display arrows and informative tooltips for Fragments
+        if (originTag == Model::OriginTag::Fragment)
         {
-            // base layer
-            // TODO GH#3818: When we add profile inheritance as a setting,
-            //               we'll need an extra conditional check to see if this
-            //               is the base layer or some other profile
-
-            // GH#9539: Base Layer has been removed from the Settings UI.
-            //          In the event that the Base Layer comes back,
-            //          return RS_(L"SettingContainer_OverrideMessageBaseLayer") instead
-            return {};
+            // from a fragment extension
+            return hstring{ fmt::format(std::wstring_view{ RS_(L"SettingContainer_OverrideMessageFragmentExtension") }, source) };
         }
+        return {}; // no tooltip
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.h b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.h
index 490792c99d9..de9570e7f11 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.h
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsEditor/SettingContainer.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Editor::implementation
     private:
         static void _InitializeProperties();
         static void _OnHasSettingValueChanged(Windows::UI::Xaml::DependencyObject const& d, Windows::UI::Xaml::DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs const& e);
-        static hstring _GenerateOverrideMessage(const Model::Profile& profile);
+        static hstring _GenerateOverrideMessage(const IInspectable& settingOrigin);
         void _UpdateOverrideSystem();
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/CascadiaSettingsSerialization.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/CascadiaSettingsSerialization.cpp
index 3b4aa1db639..398fe1ccc5e 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/CascadiaSettingsSerialization.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/CascadiaSettingsSerialization.cpp
@@ -850,6 +850,7 @@ void CascadiaSettings::LayerJson(const Json::Value& json)
 void CascadiaSettings::_LayerOrCreateProfile(const Json::Value& profileJson)
 {
     // Layer the json on top of an existing profile, if we have one:
+    winrt::com_ptr<implementation::Profile> profile{ nullptr };
     auto profileIndex{ _FindMatchingProfileIndex(profileJson) };
     if (profileIndex)
     {
@@ -862,6 +863,7 @@ void CascadiaSettings::_LayerOrCreateProfile(const Json::Value& profileJson)
             // When we loaded Profile.Defaults, we created an empty child already.
             // So this just populates the empty child
             parent->LayerJson(profileJson);
+            profile.copy_from(parent);
         }
         else
         {
@@ -871,6 +873,7 @@ void CascadiaSettings::_LayerOrCreateProfile(const Json::Value& profileJson)
 
             // replace parent in _profiles with child
             _allProfiles.SetAt(*profileIndex, *childImpl);
+            profile = std::move(childImpl);
         }
     }
     else
@@ -880,7 +883,7 @@ void CascadiaSettings::_LayerOrCreateProfile(const Json::Value& profileJson)
         // `source`. Dynamic profiles _must_ be layered on an existing profile.
         if (!Profile::IsDynamicProfileObject(profileJson))
         {
-            auto profile{ winrt::make_self<Profile>() };
+            profile = winrt::make_self<Profile>();
 
             // GH#2325: If we have a set of default profile settings, set that as my parent.
             // We _won't_ have these settings yet for defaults, dynamic profiles.
@@ -893,6 +896,12 @@ void CascadiaSettings::_LayerOrCreateProfile(const Json::Value& profileJson)
             _allProfiles.Append(*profile);
         }
     }
+
+    if (profile && _userDefaultProfileSettings)
+    {
+        // If we've loaded defaults{} we're in the "user settings" phase for sure
+        profile->Origin(OriginTag::User);
+    }
 }
 
 // Method Description:
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.h b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.h
index d61c35308c4..365775586cc 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.h
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::implementation
 
         void _FinalizeInheritance() override;
 
-        WINRT_PROPERTY(OriginTag, Origin, OriginTag::Custom);
+        WINRT_PROPERTY(OriginTag, Origin, OriginTag::None);
 
         INHERITABLE_SETTING(Model::Profile, guid, Guid, _GenerateGuidForProfile(Name(), Source()));
         INHERITABLE_SETTING(Model::Profile, hstring, Name, L"Default");
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.idl b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.idl
index 3015c5119d2..92a671dbf94 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.idl
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/Profile.idl
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.Terminal.Settings.Model
     // This tag is used to identify the context in which the Profile was created
     enum OriginTag
     {
-        Custom = 0,
+        None = 0,
+        User,
         InBox,
         Generated,
         Fragment,
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.cpp
index de0047be2f3..a0ec41a43ad 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.cpp
@@ -62,14 +62,11 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::implementation
     // Return Value:
     // - A TerminalSettingsCreateResult, which contains a pair of TerminalSettings objects,
     //   one for when the terminal is focused and the other for when the terminal is unfocused
-    Model::TerminalSettingsCreateResult TerminalSettings::CreateWithProfileByID(const Model::CascadiaSettings& appSettings, winrt::guid profileGuid, const IKeyBindings& keybindings)
+    Model::TerminalSettingsCreateResult TerminalSettings::CreateWithProfile(const Model::CascadiaSettings& appSettings, const Model::Profile& profile, const IKeyBindings& keybindings)
     {
         auto settings{ winrt::make_self<TerminalSettings>() };
         settings->_KeyBindings = keybindings;
 
-        const auto profile = appSettings.FindProfile(profileGuid);
-        THROW_HR_IF_NULL(E_INVALIDARG, profile);
-
         const auto globals = appSettings.GlobalSettings();
         settings->_ApplyProfileSettings(profile);
         settings->_ApplyGlobalSettings(globals);
@@ -86,6 +83,25 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::implementation
         return winrt::make<TerminalSettingsCreateResult>(*settings, child);
     }
 
+    // Method Description:
+    // - Create a TerminalSettingsCreateResult for the provided profile guid. We'll
+    //   use the guid to look up the profile that should be used to
+    //   create these TerminalSettings. Then, we'll apply settings contained in the
+    //   global and profile settings to the instance.
+    // Arguments:
+    // - appSettings: the set of settings being used to construct the new terminal
+    // - profileGuid: the unique identifier (guid) of the profile
+    // - keybindings: the keybinding handler
+    // Return Value:
+    // - A TerminalSettingsCreateResult, which contains a pair of TerminalSettings objects,
+    //   one for when the terminal is focused and the other for when the terminal is unfocused
+    Model::TerminalSettingsCreateResult TerminalSettings::CreateWithProfileByID(const Model::CascadiaSettings& appSettings, winrt::guid profileGuid, const IKeyBindings& keybindings)
+    {
+        const auto profile = appSettings.FindProfile(profileGuid);
+        THROW_HR_IF_NULL(E_INVALIDARG, profile);
+        return CreateWithProfile(appSettings, profile, keybindings);
+    }
+
     // Method Description:
     // - Create a TerminalSettings object for the provided newTerminalArgs. We'll
     //   use the newTerminalArgs to look up the profile that should be used to
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.h b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.h
index 4f8a850009d..5e87d415143 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.h
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.h
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ namespace winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::implementation
     {
         TerminalSettings() = default;
 
+        static Model::TerminalSettingsCreateResult CreateWithProfile(const Model::CascadiaSettings& appSettings,
+                                                                     const Model::Profile& profile,
+                                                                     const Control::IKeyBindings& keybindings);
+
         static Model::TerminalSettingsCreateResult CreateWithProfileByID(const Model::CascadiaSettings& appSettings,
                                                                          guid profileGuid,
                                                                          const Control::IKeyBindings& keybindings);
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.idl b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.idl
index 73661d096ce..a28c6ab81a8 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.idl
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalSettingsModel/TerminalSettings.idl
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.Terminal.Settings.Model
     {
         TerminalSettings();
 
+        static TerminalSettingsCreateResult CreateWithProfile(CascadiaSettings appSettings, Profile profile, Microsoft.Terminal.Control.IKeyBindings keybindings);
         static TerminalSettingsCreateResult CreateWithProfileByID(CascadiaSettings appSettings, Guid profileGuid, Microsoft.Terminal.Control.IKeyBindings keybindings);
         static TerminalSettingsCreateResult CreateWithNewTerminalArgs(CascadiaSettings appSettings, NewTerminalArgs newTerminalArgs, Microsoft.Terminal.Control.IKeyBindings keybindings);
         static TerminalSettingsCreateResult CreateWithParent(TerminalSettingsCreateResult parent);
diff --git a/src/features.xml b/src/features.xml
index 7ad1db40c0c..4eb0f6aaaa4 100644
--- a/src/features.xml
+++ b/src/features.xml
@@ -49,4 +49,13 @@
             <brandingToken>WindowsInbox</brandingToken>
         </alwaysEnabledBrandingTokens>
     </feature>
+
+    <feature>
+        <name>Feature_ShowProfileDefaultsInSettings</name>
+        <description>Whether to show the "defaults" page in the Terminal settings UI</description>
+        <id>10430</id>
+        <stage>AlwaysEnabled</stage>
+        <!-- This feature will not ship to Stable until it is complete. -->
+        <alwaysDisabledReleaseTokens />
+    </feature>
 </featureStaging>