diff --git a/cmd/task/main.go b/cmd/task/main.go
index d91c303a..196d85a5 100644
--- a/cmd/task/main.go
+++ b/cmd/task/main.go
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ Examples:
 	createCmd.Flags().String("effort", "", "Per-task Claude effort override: low, medium, high, xhigh, max (default: Claude's global default)")
 	createCmd.Flags().BoolP("execute", "x", false, "Queue task for immediate execution")
 	createCmd.Flags().Bool("dangerous", false, "Execute in dangerous mode (alias for --permission-mode dangerous)")
-	createCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Permission mode: default (prompt), auto (auto-accept edits), dangerous (skip all). Defaults to the project's setting")
+	createCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Permission mode: default (prompt), accept-edits (auto-accept file edits, still prompt for risky actions; alias: auto), dangerous (skip all). Defaults to the project's setting")
 	createCmd.Flags().String("tags", "", "Task tags (comma-separated)")
 	createCmd.Flags().Bool("pinned", false, "Pin the task to the top of its column")
 	createCmd.Flags().StringP("branch", "b", "", "Existing branch to checkout for worktree (e.g., fix/ui-overflow)")
@@ -1602,13 +1602,13 @@ Examples:
 			case db.PermissionModeDangerous:
 				msg += " (dangerous mode)"
 			case db.PermissionModeAuto:
-				msg += " (auto mode)"
+				msg += " (accept-edits mode)"
 			}
 			fmt.Println(successStyle.Render(msg))
 		},
 	}
 	executeCmd.Flags().Bool("dangerous", false, "Execute in dangerous mode (alias for --permission-mode dangerous)")
-	executeCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Override permission mode: default (prompt), auto (auto-accept edits), dangerous (skip all)")
+	executeCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Override permission mode: default (prompt), accept-edits (auto-accept file edits; alias: auto), dangerous (skip all)")
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(executeCmd)
 
 	statusCmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -2532,7 +2532,7 @@ Examples:
 	projectsCreateCmd.Flags().StringP("color", "c", "", "Hex color for display (e.g., #61AFEF)")
 	projectsCreateCmd.Flags().StringP("aliases", "a", "", "Comma-separated aliases for lookup")
 	projectsCreateCmd.Flags().String("claude-config-dir", "", "Override CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR for this project")
-	projectsCreateCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Default permission mode for tasks: default (prompt), auto (auto-accept edits), dangerous (skip all)")
+	projectsCreateCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Default permission mode for tasks: default (prompt), accept-edits (auto-accept file edits; alias: auto), dangerous (skip all)")
 	projectsCreateCmd.Flags().Bool("no-git", false, "Disable git worktrees (for non-git projects)")
 	projectsCreateCmd.Flags().Bool("json", false, "Output in JSON format")
 	projectsCreateCmd.MarkFlagRequired("path")
@@ -2590,7 +2590,7 @@ Examples:
 	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().StringP("aliases", "a", "", "Comma-separated aliases for lookup")
 	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().String("claude-config-dir", "", "Override CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR for this project")
 	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().String("context", "", "Cached project context summary")
-	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Default permission mode for tasks: default (prompt), auto (auto-accept edits), dangerous (skip all)")
+	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().String("permission-mode", "", "Default permission mode for tasks: default (prompt), accept-edits (auto-accept file edits; alias: auto), dangerous (skip all)")
 	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().Bool("no-git", false, "Disable git worktrees (for non-git projects)")
 	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().Bool("git", false, "Enable git worktrees (default)")
 	projectsUpdateCmd.Flags().Bool("json", false, "Output in JSON format")
@@ -5700,7 +5700,7 @@ func updateProjectCLI(currentName, newName, path, instructions, color, aliases,
 	if permissionMode != "" {
 		normalized := db.NormalizePermissionMode(permissionMode)
 		if normalized == "" {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, errorStyle.Render("Error: invalid permission mode (use default, auto, or dangerous)"))
+			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, errorStyle.Render("Error: invalid permission mode (use default, accept-edits, or dangerous)"))
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 		project.DefaultPermissionMode = normalized
diff --git a/internal/db/permission_mode_test.go b/internal/db/permission_mode_test.go
index 1f7bbda3..4343ca3e 100644
--- a/internal/db/permission_mode_test.go
+++ b/internal/db/permission_mode_test.go
@@ -8,12 +8,16 @@ import (
 
 func TestNormalizePermissionMode(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := map[string]string{
-		"auto":      PermissionModeAuto,
-		"dangerous": PermissionModeDangerous,
-		"default":   PermissionModeDefault,
-		"prompt":    PermissionModeDefault,
-		"":          "",
-		"bogus":     "",
+		"auto":         PermissionModeAuto, // legacy alias, kept for back-compat
+		"accept-edits": PermissionModeAuto, // unambiguous spelling normalizes to the canonical value
+		"accept_edits": PermissionModeAuto,
+		"acceptEdits":  PermissionModeAuto, // Claude Code's own spelling
+		"  Auto  ":     PermissionModeAuto, // trimmed + case-insensitive
+		"dangerous":    PermissionModeDangerous,
+		"default":      PermissionModeDefault,
+		"prompt":       PermissionModeDefault,
+		"":             "",
+		"bogus":        "",
 	}
 	for in, want := range cases {
 		if got := NormalizePermissionMode(in); got != want {
diff --git a/internal/db/tasks.go b/internal/db/tasks.go
index f21a30e5..e89c4366 100644
--- a/internal/db/tasks.go
+++ b/internal/db/tasks.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type Task struct {
 	PRNumber        int    // Pull request number (if associated with a PR)
 	PRInfoJSON      string // Cached PR state as JSON (state, checks, mergeable, etc.)
 	DangerousMode   bool   // Whether task is running in dangerous mode (--dangerously-skip-permissions). Kept for backward compat; PermissionMode is authoritative.
-	PermissionMode  string // Permission mode for execution: "default" (prompt), "auto" (acceptEdits), "dangerous" (skip permissions). Empty falls back to DangerousMode/global default.
+	PermissionMode  string // Permission mode for execution: "default" (prompt), "auto"/"accept-edits" (Claude's acceptEdits — auto-accept file edits, still prompts for risky actions), "dangerous" (skip permissions). Empty falls back to DangerousMode/global default.
 	Pinned          bool   // Whether the task is pinned to the top of its column
 	Tags            string // Comma-separated tags for categorization (e.g., "customer-support,email,influence-kit")
 	SourceBranch    string // Existing branch to checkout for worktree (e.g., "fix/ui-overflow") instead of creating new branch
@@ -68,24 +68,43 @@ func IsInProgress(status string) bool {
 }
 
 // Permission modes control how the underlying agent handles permission prompts.
+//
+// IMPORTANT: the stored value "auto" is historical — it predates Claude Code's
+// own "auto mode" (the agentic permission flow gated by --enable-auto-mode).
+// In TaskYou, "auto" means Claude Code's ACCEPT-EDITS mode (--permission-mode
+// acceptEdits): auto-accept file edits while still prompting for risky actions.
+// It is NOT Claude Code's --enable-auto-mode. To avoid that overloaded word,
+// surface this mode to users and agents as "accept edits" / "accept-edits";
+// the "auto" value is kept only for back-compat (and accepted as an alias).
 const (
 	// PermissionModeDefault prompts for permissions (the historical default).
 	PermissionModeDefault = "default"
-	// PermissionModeAuto auto-accepts file edits but still gates risky actions
-	// (Claude's --permission-mode acceptEdits). This is the "auto mode" most
-	// users want: handles ~99% of permission prompts without the risk of
-	// fully bypassing permissions.
+	// PermissionModeAuto maps to Claude Code's accept-edits mode
+	// (--permission-mode acceptEdits): auto-accept file edits but still gate
+	// risky actions. This is the low-friction mode most users want — it handles
+	// ~99% of permission prompts without fully bypassing permissions. Despite
+	// the stored "auto" value, this is NOT Claude Code's --enable-auto-mode;
+	// display it as "accept edits" (see PermissionModeAutoLabel).
 	PermissionModeAuto = "auto"
 	// PermissionModeDangerous bypasses all permission checks
 	// (Claude's --dangerously-skip-permissions).
 	PermissionModeDangerous = "dangerous"
 )
 
+// PermissionModeAutoLabel is the unambiguous human-facing name for
+// PermissionModeAuto. We deliberately avoid the word "auto" in UI and prompts
+// because it collides with Claude Code's separate "auto mode"
+// (--enable-auto-mode), which TaskYou does not currently expose.
+const PermissionModeAutoLabel = "accept-edits"
+
 // NormalizePermissionMode coerces a raw value into a known permission mode.
-// "prompt" and "" are treated as default; unknown values return "".
+// "prompt" and "" are treated as default. The unambiguous "accept-edits" name
+// (and its variants, plus Claude's own "acceptEdits") all map to the canonical
+// PermissionModeAuto value, so callers can use the clearer spelling while old
+// "auto" values keep working. Unknown values return "".
 func NormalizePermissionMode(mode string) string {
-	switch mode {
-	case PermissionModeAuto:
+	switch strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(mode)) {
+	case PermissionModeAuto, PermissionModeAutoLabel, "accept_edits", "acceptedits":
 		return PermissionModeAuto
 	case PermissionModeDangerous:
 		return PermissionModeDangerous
@@ -124,7 +143,7 @@ func (t *Task) IsDangerous() bool {
 	return t.EffectivePermissionMode() == PermissionModeDangerous
 }
 
-// IsAutoPermission reports whether the task runs in auto (acceptEdits) mode.
+// IsAutoPermission reports whether the task runs in accept-edits (acceptEdits) mode.
 func (t *Task) IsAutoPermission() bool {
 	return t.EffectivePermissionMode() == PermissionModeAuto
 }
diff --git a/internal/executor/claude_executor.go b/internal/executor/claude_executor.go
index 63daca0c..fe44bc89 100644
--- a/internal/executor/claude_executor.go
+++ b/internal/executor/claude_executor.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (c *ClaudeExecutor) ResumeProcess(taskID int64) bool {
 
 // BuildCommand returns the shell command to start an interactive Claude session.
 func (c *ClaudeExecutor) BuildCommand(task *db.Task, sessionID, prompt string) string {
-	// Build permission mode flag (dangerous, auto/acceptEdits, or none)
+	// Build permission mode flag (dangerous, accept-edits/acceptEdits, or none)
 	dangerousFlag := claudePermissionFlag(task)
 
 	// Build per-task effort override flag (empty = use Claude's global default)
diff --git a/internal/executor/permission_flag_test.go b/internal/executor/permission_flag_test.go
index 3349116f..b27f9f6b 100644
--- a/internal/executor/permission_flag_test.go
+++ b/internal/executor/permission_flag_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ func TestClaudePermissionFlag(t *testing.T) {
 		{"default empty", &db.Task{}, ""},
 		{"explicit default", &db.Task{PermissionMode: db.PermissionModeDefault}, ""},
 		{"auto", &db.Task{PermissionMode: db.PermissionModeAuto}, "--permission-mode acceptEdits "},
+		{"accept-edits alias", &db.Task{PermissionMode: "accept-edits"}, "--permission-mode acceptEdits "},
 		{"dangerous", &db.Task{PermissionMode: db.PermissionModeDangerous}, "--dangerously-skip-permissions "},
 		{"legacy dangerous bool", &db.Task{DangerousMode: true}, "--dangerously-skip-permissions "},
 	}
diff --git a/internal/mcp/server.go b/internal/mcp/server.go
index 655785a6..fda076c7 100644
--- a/internal/mcp/server.go
+++ b/internal/mcp/server.go
@@ -242,8 +242,8 @@ func (s *Server) handleRequest(req *jsonRPCRequest) {
 							},
 							"permission_mode": map[string]interface{}{
 								"type":        "string",
-								"description": "Permission mode for execution: 'default' (prompt), 'auto' (auto-accept edits), or 'dangerous' (skip all prompts). Defaults to the project's configured default.",
-								"enum":        []string{"default", "auto", "dangerous"},
+								"description": "Permission mode for execution: 'default' (prompt for each permission), 'accept-edits' (Claude Code's acceptEdits / --permission-mode acceptEdits: auto-accept file edits but still prompt for risky actions — this is NOT Claude Code's separate 'auto mode' from --enable-auto-mode), or 'dangerous' (skip all prompts / --dangerously-skip-permissions). The legacy value 'auto' is still accepted and means the same as 'accept-edits'. Defaults to the project's configured default.",
+								"enum":        []string{"default", "accept-edits", "dangerous"},
 							},
 						},
 						"required": []string{"title"},
diff --git a/internal/ui/app.go b/internal/ui/app.go
index 72a8d214..dda0e0c7 100644
--- a/internal/ui/app.go
+++ b/internal/ui/app.go
@@ -2900,7 +2900,7 @@ func (m *AppModel) updateNewTaskForm(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 						Options(
 							huh.NewOption("No — save to backlog", "no"),
 							huh.NewOption("Yes — execute now", "yes"),
-							huh.NewOption("Yes — execute in auto mode", "auto"),
+							huh.NewOption("Yes — execute in accept-edits mode", "auto"),
 							huh.NewOption("Yes — execute in dangerous mode", "dangerous"),
 						).
 						Value(&m.queueValue),
diff --git a/internal/ui/detail.go b/internal/ui/detail.go
index 34316335..b04afa9a 100644
--- a/internal/ui/detail.go
+++ b/internal/ui/detail.go
@@ -2358,7 +2358,9 @@ func (m *DetailModel) renderHeader() string {
 		meta.WriteString("  ")
 	}
 
-	// Auto mode badge (acceptEdits) for active tasks.
+	// Accept-edits badge (Claude's acceptEdits mode) for active tasks. Labeled
+	// "ACCEPT EDITS" rather than "AUTO" so it isn't confused with Claude Code's
+	// separate auto mode (--enable-auto-mode).
 	if t.IsAutoPermission() && (t.Status == db.StatusProcessing || t.Status == db.StatusBlocked) {
 		var autoStyle lipgloss.Style
 		if m.focused {
@@ -2373,7 +2375,7 @@ func (m *DetailModel) renderHeader() string {
 				Background(dimmedBg).
 				Foreground(dimmedFg)
 		}
-		meta.WriteString(autoStyle.Render("AUTO"))
+		meta.WriteString(autoStyle.Render("ACCEPT EDITS"))
 		meta.WriteString("  ")
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/ui/kanban.go b/internal/ui/kanban.go
index 2c477047..1af324e4 100644
--- a/internal/ui/kanban.go
+++ b/internal/ui/kanban.go
@@ -1165,7 +1165,7 @@ func (k *KanbanBoard) renderTaskCard(task *db.Task, width int, isSelected bool,
 			indicators = append(indicators, dangerStyle.Render("●"))
 		}
 	}
-	// Auto mode indicator (green dot) for active tasks running in auto/acceptEdits mode.
+	// Accept-edits indicator (green dot) for active tasks running in Claude's acceptEdits mode.
 	if task.IsAutoPermission() && (task.Status == db.StatusProcessing || task.Status == db.StatusBlocked) {
 		if isSelected {
 			indicators = append(indicators, "●")
diff --git a/internal/ui/settings.go b/internal/ui/settings.go
index 54eef64f..8b4f96cc 100644
--- a/internal/ui/settings.go
+++ b/internal/ui/settings.go
@@ -278,8 +278,8 @@ func (m *SettingsModel) showProjectForm(project *db.Project) (*SettingsModel, te
 	m.projectFormUseWorktrees = project.UseWorktrees
 
 	// Default permission mode. Use the project's explicit setting when present,
-	// otherwise pre-select the effective default (auto) so the form mirrors the
-	// mode tasks will actually run in.
+	// otherwise pre-select the effective default (accept-edits) so the form
+	// mirrors the mode tasks will actually run in.
 	m.projectFormPermissionMode = db.NormalizePermissionMode(project.DefaultPermissionMode)
 	if m.projectFormPermissionMode == "" {
 		m.projectFormPermissionMode = project.EffectiveDefaultPermissionMode()
@@ -342,9 +342,9 @@ func (m *SettingsModel) showProjectForm(project *db.Project) (*SettingsModel, te
 		huh.NewSelect[string]().
 			Key("permission_mode").
 			Title("Default Permission Mode").
-			Description("How new tasks handle permissions. Auto handles ~99% without prompting.").
+			Description("How new tasks handle permissions. Accept Edits handles ~99% without prompting.").
 			Options(
-				huh.NewOption("Auto — auto-accept edits (recommended)", db.PermissionModeAuto),
+				huh.NewOption("Accept Edits — auto-accept file edits, still prompt for risky actions (recommended)", db.PermissionModeAuto),
 				huh.NewOption("Prompt — ask for each permission", db.PermissionModeDefault),
 				huh.NewOption("Dangerous — skip all permission checks", db.PermissionModeDangerous),
 			).