diff --git a/src/actions/settings.ts b/src/actions/settings.ts
index 7bda7c00c3..a3025ee1d5 100644
--- a/src/actions/settings.ts
+++ b/src/actions/settings.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const defaultSettings = ImmutableMap({
   underlineLinks: false,
   autoPlayGif: true,
   displayMedia: 'default',
+  displaySpoilers: false,
   unfollowModal: true,
   boostModal: false,
   deleteModal: true,
diff --git a/src/actions/statuses.ts b/src/actions/statuses.ts
index 2be5080116..75330d60ba 100644
--- a/src/actions/statuses.ts
+++ b/src/actions/statuses.ts
@@ -43,8 +43,11 @@ const STATUS_UNMUTE_REQUEST = 'STATUS_UNMUTE_REQUEST' as const;
 const STATUS_UNMUTE_SUCCESS = 'STATUS_UNMUTE_SUCCESS' as const;
 const STATUS_UNMUTE_FAIL = 'STATUS_UNMUTE_FAIL' as const;
 
-const STATUS_REVEAL = 'STATUS_REVEAL' as const;
-const STATUS_HIDE = 'STATUS_HIDE' as const;
+const STATUS_REVEAL_MEDIA = 'STATUS_REVEAL_MEDIA' as const;
+const STATUS_HIDE_MEDIA = 'STATUS_HIDE_MEDIA' as const;
+
+const STATUS_EXPAND_SPOILER = 'STATUS_EXPAND_SPOILER' as const;
+const STATUS_COLLAPSE_SPOILER = 'STATUS_COLLAPSE_SPOILER' as const;
 
 const STATUS_TRANSLATE_REQUEST = 'STATUS_TRANSLATE_REQUEST' as const;
 const STATUS_TRANSLATE_SUCCESS = 'STATUS_TRANSLATE_SUCCESS' as const;
@@ -219,33 +222,63 @@ const toggleMuteStatus = (status: Pick<Status, 'id' | 'muted'>) =>
     }
   };
 
-const hideStatus = (statusIds: string[] | string) => {
+const hideStatusMedia = (statusIds: string[] | string) => {
   if (!Array.isArray(statusIds)) {
     statusIds = [statusIds];
   }
 
   return {
-    type: STATUS_HIDE,
+    type: STATUS_HIDE_MEDIA,
     statusIds,
   };
 };
 
-const revealStatus = (statusIds: string[] | string) => {
+const revealStatusMedia = (statusIds: string[] | string) => {
   if (!Array.isArray(statusIds)) {
     statusIds = [statusIds];
   }
 
   return {
-    type: STATUS_REVEAL,
+    type: STATUS_REVEAL_MEDIA,
     statusIds,
   };
 };
 
-const toggleStatusHidden = (status: Pick<Status, 'id' | 'hidden'>) => {
+const toggleStatusMediaHidden = (status: Pick<Status, 'id' | 'hidden'>) => {
   if (status.hidden) {
-    return revealStatus(status.id);
+    return revealStatusMedia(status.id);
   } else {
-    return hideStatus(status.id);
+    return hideStatusMedia(status.id);
+  }
+};
+
+const collapseStatusSpoiler = (statusIds: string[] | string) => {
+  if (!Array.isArray(statusIds)) {
+    statusIds = [statusIds];
+  }
+
+  return {
+    type: STATUS_COLLAPSE_SPOILER,
+    statusIds,
+  };
+};
+
+const expandStatusSpoiler = (statusIds: string[] | string) => {
+  if (!Array.isArray(statusIds)) {
+    statusIds = [statusIds];
+  }
+
+  return {
+    type: STATUS_EXPAND_SPOILER,
+    statusIds,
+  };
+};
+
+const toggleStatusSpoilerExpanded = (status: Pick<Status, 'id' | 'expanded'>) => {
+  if (status.expanded) {
+    return collapseStatusSpoiler(status.id);
+  } else {
+    return expandStatusSpoiler(status.id);
   }
 };
 
@@ -359,8 +392,10 @@ export {
   STATUS_UNMUTE_REQUEST,
   STATUS_UNMUTE_SUCCESS,
   STATUS_UNMUTE_FAIL,
-  STATUS_REVEAL,
-  STATUS_HIDE,
+  STATUS_REVEAL_MEDIA,
+  STATUS_HIDE_MEDIA,
+  STATUS_EXPAND_SPOILER,
+  STATUS_COLLAPSE_SPOILER,
   STATUS_TRANSLATE_REQUEST,
   STATUS_TRANSLATE_SUCCESS,
   STATUS_TRANSLATE_FAIL,
@@ -377,9 +412,12 @@ export {
   muteStatus,
   unmuteStatus,
   toggleMuteStatus,
-  hideStatus,
-  revealStatus,
-  toggleStatusHidden,
+  hideStatusMedia,
+  revealStatusMedia,
+  toggleStatusMediaHidden,
+  expandStatusSpoiler,
+  collapseStatusSpoiler,
+  toggleStatusSpoilerExpanded,
   translateStatus,
   undoStatusTranslation,
   unfilterStatus,
diff --git a/src/components/status-content.tsx b/src/components/status-content.tsx
index 15c2429421..cb37cfb3b3 100644
--- a/src/components/status-content.tsx
+++ b/src/components/status-content.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import clsx from 'clsx';
 import parse, { Element, type HTMLReactParserOptions, domToReact, type DOMNode } from 'html-react-parser';
 import React, { useState, useRef, useLayoutEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
-import { FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
+import { defineMessages, FormattedMessage, useIntl } from 'react-intl';
 import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
 
+import { toggleStatusSpoilerExpanded } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
 import Icon from 'soapbox/components/icon';
-import { Text } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
+import { Button, Text } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
+import { useAppDispatch, useSettings } from 'soapbox/hooks';
 import { onlyEmoji as isOnlyEmoji } from 'soapbox/utils/rich-content';
 
 import { getTextDirection } from '../utils/rtl';
@@ -18,19 +20,27 @@ import Poll from './polls/poll';
 import type { Sizes } from 'soapbox/components/ui/text/text';
 import type { MinifiedStatus } from 'soapbox/reducers/statuses';
 
-const MAX_HEIGHT = 642; // 20px * 32 (+ 2px padding at the top)
+const MAX_HEIGHT = 322; // 20px * 16 (+ 2px padding at the top)
 const BIG_EMOJI_LIMIT = 10;
 
+const messages = defineMessages({
+  collapse: { id: 'status.spoiler.collapse', defaultMessage: 'Collapse' },
+  expand: { id: 'status.spoiler.expand', defaultMessage: 'Expand' },
+});
+
 interface IReadMoreButton {
   onClick: React.MouseEventHandler;
 }
 
 /** Button to expand a truncated status (due to too much content) */
 const ReadMoreButton: React.FC<IReadMoreButton> = ({ onClick }) => (
-  <button className='flex items-center border-0 bg-transparent p-0 pt-2 text-gray-900 hover:underline active:underline dark:text-gray-300' onClick={onClick}>
-    <FormattedMessage id='status.read_more' defaultMessage='Read more' />
-    <Icon className='inline-block h-5 w-5' src={require('@tabler/icons/outline/chevron-right.svg')} />
-  </button>
+  <div className='relative'>
+    <div className='absolute -top-16 h-16 w-full bg-gradient-to-b from-transparent to-white black:to-black dark:to-primary-900' />
+    <button className='flex items-center border-0 bg-transparent p-0 pt-2 text-gray-900 hover:underline active:underline dark:text-gray-300' onClick={onClick}>
+      <FormattedMessage id='status.read_more' defaultMessage='Read more' />
+      <Icon className='inline-block h-5 w-5' src={require('@tabler/icons/outline/chevron-right.svg')} />
+    </button>
+  </div>
 );
 
 interface IStatusContent {
@@ -49,6 +59,10 @@ const StatusContent: React.FC<IStatusContent> = React.memo(({
   translatable,
   textSize = 'md',
 }) => {
+  const intl = useIntl();
+  const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
+  const { displaySpoilers } = useSettings();
+
   const [collapsed, setCollapsed] = useState(false);
   const [onlyEmoji, setOnlyEmoji] = useState(false);
 
@@ -73,6 +87,13 @@ const StatusContent: React.FC<IStatusContent> = React.memo(({
     }
   };
 
+  const toggleExpanded: React.MouseEventHandler<HTMLButtonElement> = (e) => {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    e.stopPropagation();
+
+    dispatch(toggleStatusSpoilerExpanded(status));
+  };
+
   useLayoutEffect(() => {
     maybeSetCollapsed();
     maybeSetOnlyEmoji();
@@ -152,7 +173,7 @@ const StatusContent: React.FC<IStatusContent> = React.memo(({
   const className = clsx(baseClassName, {
     'cursor-pointer': onClick,
     'whitespace-normal': withSpoiler,
-    'max-h-[300px]': collapsed,
+    'max-h-[200px]': collapsed,
     'leading-normal big-emoji': onlyEmoji,
   });
 
@@ -160,16 +181,33 @@ const StatusContent: React.FC<IStatusContent> = React.memo(({
     ? status.spoilerMapHtml[status.currentLanguage] || status.spoilerHtml
     : status.spoilerHtml;
 
+  const expandable = !displaySpoilers;
+  const expanded = !withSpoiler || status.expanded || false;
+
   const output = [];
 
   if (spoilerText) {
     output.push(
       <Text className='mb-2' size='2xl' weight='medium'>
         <span dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: spoilerText }} />
+        {expandable && (
+          <Button
+            className='ml-2 align-middle'
+            type='button'
+            theme='muted'
+            size='xs'
+            onClick={toggleExpanded}
+            icon={expanded ? require('@tabler/icons/outline/chevron-up.svg') : require('@tabler/icons/outline/chevron-down.svg')} 
+          >
+            {intl.formatMessage(expanded ? messages.collapse : messages.expand)}
+          </Button>
+        )}
       </Text>,
     );
   }
 
+  if (expandable && !expanded) return <>{output}</>;
+
   if (onClick) {
     output.push(
       <Markup
diff --git a/src/components/status.tsx b/src/components/status.tsx
index b72a5d827b..e99c31e13c 100644
--- a/src/components/status.tsx
+++ b/src/components/status.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { Link, useHistory } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { mentionCompose, replyCompose } from 'soapbox/actions/compose';
 import { toggleFavourite, toggleReblog } from 'soapbox/actions/interactions';
 import { openModal } from 'soapbox/actions/modals';
-import { toggleStatusHidden, unfilterStatus } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
+import { toggleStatusMediaHidden, unfilterStatus } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
 import TranslateButton from 'soapbox/components/translate-button';
 import AccountContainer from 'soapbox/containers/account-container';
 import QuotedStatus from 'soapbox/features/status/containers/quoted-status-container';
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ const Status: React.FC<IStatus> = (props) => {
   };
 
   const handleHotkeyToggleSensitive = (): void => {
-    dispatch(toggleStatusHidden(actualStatus));
+    dispatch(toggleStatusMediaHidden(actualStatus));
   };
 
   const handleHotkeyReact = (): void => {
diff --git a/src/components/statuses/sensitive-content-overlay.tsx b/src/components/statuses/sensitive-content-overlay.tsx
index f974cd8826..072bd18e5b 100644
--- a/src/components/statuses/sensitive-content-overlay.tsx
+++ b/src/components/statuses/sensitive-content-overlay.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import clsx from 'clsx';
 import React from 'react';
 import { defineMessages, useIntl } from 'react-intl';
 
-import { toggleStatusHidden } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
+import { toggleStatusMediaHidden } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
 import { useAppDispatch, useSettings } from 'soapbox/hooks';
 
 import { Button, HStack, Text } from '../ui';
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const SensitiveContentOverlay = React.forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, ISensitiveConte
   const toggleVisibility = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement>) => {
     event.stopPropagation();
 
-    dispatch(toggleStatusHidden(status));
+    dispatch(toggleStatusMediaHidden(status));
   };
 
   if (visible && !showHideButton) return null;
diff --git a/src/features/notifications/components/notification.tsx b/src/features/notifications/components/notification.tsx
index c24e66cc04..de8f8649d5 100644
--- a/src/features/notifications/components/notification.tsx
+++ b/src/features/notifications/components/notification.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { mentionCompose } from 'soapbox/actions/compose';
 import { reblog, favourite, unreblog, unfavourite } from 'soapbox/actions/interactions';
 import { openModal } from 'soapbox/actions/modals';
 import { getSettings } from 'soapbox/actions/settings';
-import { toggleStatusHidden } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
+import { toggleStatusMediaHidden } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
 import Icon from 'soapbox/components/icon';
 import RelativeTimestamp from 'soapbox/components/relative-timestamp';
 import { HStack, Text, Emoji } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ const Notification: React.FC<INotification> = (props) => {
 
   const handleHotkeyToggleSensitive = useCallback((e?: KeyboardEvent) => {
     if (status && typeof status === 'object') {
-      dispatch(toggleStatusHidden(status));
+      dispatch(toggleStatusMediaHidden(status));
     }
   }, [status]);
 
diff --git a/src/features/preferences/index.tsx b/src/features/preferences/index.tsx
index e6be6add96..b0da2ec489 100644
--- a/src/features/preferences/index.tsx
+++ b/src/features/preferences/index.tsx
@@ -153,6 +153,10 @@ const Preferences = () => {
           />
         </ListItem>
 
+        <ListItem label={<FormattedMessage id='preferences.fields.spoilers_display_label' defaultMessage='Automatically expand text behind spoilers' />}>
+          <SettingToggle settings={settings} settingPath={['displaySpoilers']} onChange={onToggleChange} />
+        </ListItem>
+
         <ListItem label={<FormattedMessage id='preferences.fields.media_display_label' defaultMessage='Sensitive content' />}>
           <SelectDropdown
             className='max-w-[200px]'
diff --git a/src/features/status/components/thread.tsx b/src/features/status/components/thread.tsx
index 4b2f408070..98b4e6f3a0 100644
--- a/src/features/status/components/thread.tsx
+++ b/src/features/status/components/thread.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { type ComposeReplyAction, mentionCompose, replyCompose } from 'soapbox/a
 import { reblog, toggleFavourite, unreblog } from 'soapbox/actions/interactions';
 import { openModal } from 'soapbox/actions/modals';
 import { getSettings } from 'soapbox/actions/settings';
-import { toggleStatusHidden } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
+import { toggleStatusMediaHidden } from 'soapbox/actions/statuses';
 import ScrollableList from 'soapbox/components/scrollable-list';
 import StatusActionBar from 'soapbox/components/status-action-bar';
 import Tombstone from 'soapbox/components/tombstone';
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ const Thread: React.FC<IThread> = ({
   };
 
   const handleHotkeyToggleSensitive = () => {
-    dispatch(toggleStatusHidden(status));
+    dispatch(toggleStatusMediaHidden(status));
   };
 
   const handleMoveUp = (id: string) => {
diff --git a/src/locales/en.json b/src/locales/en.json
index a6db589aa1..426f42f11a 100644
--- a/src/locales/en.json
+++ b/src/locales/en.json
@@ -1180,6 +1180,7 @@
   "preferences.fields.preserve_spoilers_label": "Preserve content warning when replying",
   "preferences.fields.privacy_label": "Default post privacy",
   "preferences.fields.reduce_motion_label": "Reduce motion in animations",
+  "preferences.fields.spoilers_display_label": "Automatically expand text behind spoilers",
   "preferences.fields.system_font_label": "Use system's default font",
   "preferences.fields.theme": "Theme",
   "preferences.fields.underline_links_label": "Always underline links in posts",
@@ -1474,6 +1475,8 @@
   "status.show_less_all": "Show less for all",
   "status.show_more_all": "Show more for all",
   "status.show_original": "Show original",
+  "status.spoiler.collapse": "Collapse",
+  "status.spoiler.expand": "Expand",
   "status.title": "Post details",
   "status.title_direct": "Direct message",
   "status.translate": "Translate",
diff --git a/src/locales/pl.json b/src/locales/pl.json
index 15586b1539..5c695bb932 100644
--- a/src/locales/pl.json
+++ b/src/locales/pl.json
@@ -1180,6 +1180,7 @@
   "preferences.fields.preserve_spoilers_label": "Pozostaw ostrzeżenie o zawartości, gdy odpowiadasz na wpis",
   "preferences.fields.privacy_label": "Prywatność wpisów",
   "preferences.fields.reduce_motion_label": "Ogranicz ruch w animacjach",
+  "preferences.fields.spoilers_display_label": "Automatycznie rozwijaj tekst za spoilerami",
   "preferences.fields.system_font_label": "Używaj domyślnej czcionki systemu",
   "preferences.fields.theme": "Motyw",
   "preferences.fields.underline_links_label": "Zawsze podkreślaj odnośniki we wpisach",
@@ -1474,6 +1475,8 @@
   "status.show_less_all": "Zwiń wszystkie",
   "status.show_more_all": "Rozwiń wszystkie",
   "status.show_original": "Pokaż oryginalny wpis",
+  "status.spoiler.collapse": "Zwiń",
+  "status.spoiler.expand": "Rozwiń",
   "status.title": "Wpis",
   "status.title_direct": "Wiadomość bezpośrednia",
   "status.translate": "Przetłumacz wpis",
diff --git a/src/normalizers/status.ts b/src/normalizers/status.ts
index eda1d4fa62..4dc334ebc2 100644
--- a/src/normalizers/status.ts
+++ b/src/normalizers/status.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ type CalculatedValues = {
   spoilerHtml: string;
   contentMapHtml?: Record<string, string>;
   spoilerMapHtml?: Record<string, string>;
-  hidden?: boolean;
+  expanded?: boolean | null;
+  hidden?: boolean | null;
   translation?: Translation | null | false;
   currentLanguage?: string;
 };
@@ -67,11 +68,11 @@ const calculateSpoiler = (text: string, emojiMap: any) => DOMPurify.sanitize(emo
 const calculateStatus = (status: BaseStatus, oldStatus?: OldStatus): CalculatedValues => {
   if (oldStatus && oldStatus.content === status.content && oldStatus.spoiler_text === status.spoiler_text) {
     const {
-      search_index, contentHtml, spoilerHtml, contentMapHtml, spoilerMapHtml, hidden, translation, currentLanguage,
+      search_index, contentHtml, spoilerHtml, contentMapHtml, spoilerMapHtml, hidden, expanded, translation, currentLanguage,
     } = oldStatus;
 
     return {
-      search_index, contentHtml, spoilerHtml, contentMapHtml, spoilerMapHtml, hidden, translation, currentLanguage,
+      search_index, contentHtml, spoilerHtml, contentMapHtml, spoilerMapHtml, hidden, expanded, translation, currentLanguage,
     };
   } else {
     const searchContent = buildSearchContent(status);
@@ -159,7 +160,8 @@ const normalizeStatus = (status: BaseStatus & {
     account: normalizeAccount(status.account),
     accounts: status.accounts?.map(normalizeAccount),
     mentions,
-    hidden: status.sensitive,
+    expanded: null,
+    hidden: null,
     /** Rewrite `<p></p>` to empty string. */
     content: status.content === '<p></p>' ? '' : status.content,
     filtered: status.filtered?.map(result => result.filter.title),
diff --git a/src/reducers/statuses.ts b/src/reducers/statuses.ts
index d5a32e9ec9..5234ca2f30 100644
--- a/src/reducers/statuses.ts
+++ b/src/reducers/statuses.ts
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ import {
   STATUS_CREATE_FAIL,
   STATUS_DELETE_REQUEST,
   STATUS_DELETE_FAIL,
-  STATUS_HIDE,
+  STATUS_HIDE_MEDIA,
   STATUS_MUTE_SUCCESS,
-  STATUS_REVEAL,
+  STATUS_REVEAL_MEDIA,
   STATUS_TRANSLATE_FAIL,
   STATUS_TRANSLATE_REQUEST,
   STATUS_TRANSLATE_SUCCESS,
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ import {
   STATUS_UNFILTER,
   STATUS_UNMUTE_SUCCESS,
   STATUS_LANGUAGE_CHANGE,
+  STATUS_COLLAPSE_SPOILER,
+  STATUS_EXPAND_SPOILER,
 } from '../actions/statuses';
 import { TIMELINE_DELETE } from '../actions/timelines';
 
@@ -232,7 +234,7 @@ const statuses = (state = initialState, action: AnyAction): State => {
       return state.setIn([action.statusId, 'muted'], true);
     case STATUS_UNMUTE_SUCCESS:
       return state.setIn([action.statusId, 'muted'], false);
-    case STATUS_REVEAL:
+    case STATUS_REVEAL_MEDIA:
       return state.withMutations(map => {
         action.statusIds.forEach((id: string) => {
           if (!(state.get(id) === undefined)) {
@@ -240,7 +242,7 @@ const statuses = (state = initialState, action: AnyAction): State => {
           }
         });
       });
-    case STATUS_HIDE:
+    case STATUS_HIDE_MEDIA:
       return state.withMutations(map => {
         action.statusIds.forEach((id: string) => {
           if (!(state.get(id) === undefined)) {
@@ -248,6 +250,22 @@ const statuses = (state = initialState, action: AnyAction): State => {
           }
         });
       });
+    case STATUS_EXPAND_SPOILER:
+      return state.withMutations(map => {
+        action.statusIds.forEach((id: string) => {
+          if (!(state.get(id) === undefined)) {
+            map.setIn([id, 'expanded'], true);
+          }
+        });
+      });
+    case STATUS_COLLAPSE_SPOILER:
+      return state.withMutations(map => {
+        action.statusIds.forEach((id: string) => {
+          if (!(state.get(id) === undefined)) {
+            map.setIn([id, 'expanded'], false);
+          }
+        });
+      });
     case STATUS_DELETE_REQUEST:
       return decrementReplyCount(state, action.params);
     case STATUS_DELETE_FAIL:
diff --git a/src/schemas/soapbox/settings.ts b/src/schemas/soapbox/settings.ts
index c9d879d757..de6a0bccf8 100644
--- a/src/schemas/soapbox/settings.ts
+++ b/src/schemas/soapbox/settings.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const settingsSchema = z.object({
   underlineLinks: z.boolean().catch(false),
   autoPlayGif: z.boolean().catch(true),
   displayMedia: z.enum(['default', 'hide_all', 'show_all']).catch('default'),
+  displaySpoilers: z.boolean().catch(false),
   preserveSpoilers: z.boolean().catch(false),
   unfollowModal: z.boolean().catch(false),
   boostModal: z.boolean().catch(false),