diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/common/remote.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/common/remote.contribution.ts
index 3e9e9616524..707332a5ec5 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/common/remote.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/common/remote.contribution.ts
@@ -184,10 +184,43 @@ Registry.as<IConfigurationRegistry>(ConfigurationExtensions.Configuration)
 						}
 					}
 				},
-				markdownDescription: localize('remote.portsAttributes', "Set default properties that are applied when a specific port number is forwarded. For example:\n\n```\n\"3000\": {\n  \"label\": \"Labeled Port\"\n},\n\"40000-55000\": {\n  \"onAutoForward\": \"ignore\"\n},\n\".+\\\\/server.js\": {\n \"onAutoForward\": \"openPreview\"\n}\n```"),
-				defaultSnippets: [{ body: { '${1:3000}': { label: '${2:My Port}', onAutoForward: 'openPreview' }, 'others': { onAutoForward: 'notify' } } }],
+				markdownDescription: localize('remote.portsAttributes', "Set properties that are applied when a specific port number is forwarded. For example:\n\n```\n\"3000\": {\n  \"label\": \"Labeled Port\"\n},\n\"40000-55000\": {\n  \"onAutoForward\": \"ignore\"\n},\n\".+\\\\/server.js\": {\n \"onAutoForward\": \"openPreview\"\n}\n```"),
+				defaultSnippets: [{ body: { '${1:3000}': { label: '${2:My Port}', onAutoForward: 'openPreview' } } }],
 				errorMessage: localize('remote.portsAttributes.patternError', "Must be a port number, range of port numbers, or regular expression."),
 				additionalProperties: false
+			},
+			'remote.portsAttributes.defaults': {
+				type: 'object',
+				properties: {
+					'onAutoForward': {
+						type: 'string',
+						enum: ['notify', 'openBrowser', 'openPreview', 'silent', 'ignore'],
+						enumDescriptions: [
+							localize('remote.portsAttributes.notify', "Shows a notification when a port is automatically forwarded."),
+							localize('remote.portsAttributes.openBrowser', "Opens the browser when the port is automatically forwarded. Depending on your settings, this could open an embedded browser."),
+							localize('remote.portsAttributes.openPreview', "Opens a preview in the same window when the port is automatically forwarded."),
+							localize('remote.portsAttributes.silent', "Shows no notification and takes no action when this port is automatically forwarded."),
+							localize('remote.portsAttributes.ignore', "This port will not be automatically forwarded.")
+						],
+						description: localize('remote.portsAttributes.onForward', "Defines the action that occurs when the port is discovered for automatic forwarding"),
+						default: 'notify'
+					},
+					'elevateIfNeeded': {
+						type: 'boolean',
+						description: localize('remote.portsAttributes.elevateIfNeeded', "Automatically prompt for elevation (if needed) when this port is forwarded. Elevate is required if the local port is a privileged port."),
+						default: false
+					},
+					'label': {
+						type: 'string',
+						description: localize('remote.portsAttributes.label', "Label that will be shown in the UI for this port."),
+						default: localize('remote.portsAttributes.labelDefault', "Labeled Port")
+					}
+				},
+				default: {
+					'onAutoForward': 'notify'
+				},
+				markdownDescription: localize('remote.portsAttributes.defaults', "Set default properties that are applied to all ports that don't get properties from the setting `remote.portsAttributes`. For example:\n\n```\n{\n  \"onAutoForward\": \"notify\"\n}\n```"),
+				additionalProperties: false
 			}
 		}
 	});
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/remote/common/remoteExplorerService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/remote/common/remoteExplorerService.ts
index 39cd8dcbd77..2b860229ca8 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/remote/common/remoteExplorerService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/remote/common/remoteExplorerService.ts
@@ -154,10 +154,10 @@ interface PortAttributes extends Attributes {
 
 export class PortsAttributes extends Disposable {
 	private static SETTING = 'remote.portsAttributes';
+	private static DEFAULTS = 'remote.portsAttributes.defaults';
 	private static RANGE = /^(\d+)\-(\d+)$/;
-	private static OTHERS = 'others';
 	private portsAttributes: PortAttributes[] = [];
-	private otherPortAttributes: Attributes | undefined;
+	private defaultPortAttributes: Attributes | undefined;
 	private _onDidChangeAttributes = new Emitter<void>();
 	public readonly onDidChangeAttributes = this._onDidChangeAttributes.event;
 
@@ -241,12 +241,6 @@ export class PortsAttributes extends Disposable {
 			let key: number | { start: number, end: number } | RegExp | undefined = undefined;
 			if (Number(attributesKey)) {
 				key = Number(attributesKey);
-			} else if (attributesKey === PortsAttributes.OTHERS) {
-				this.otherPortAttributes = {
-					elevateIfNeeded: setting.elevateIfPrivileged,
-					onAutoForward: setting.onAutoForward,
-					label: setting.label
-				};
 			} else if (isString(attributesKey)) {
 				if (PortsAttributes.RANGE.test(attributesKey)) {
 					const match = (<string>attributesKey).match(PortsAttributes.RANGE);
@@ -269,6 +263,15 @@ export class PortsAttributes extends Disposable {
 			});
 		}
 
+		const defaults = <any>this.configurationService.getValue(PortsAttributes.DEFAULTS);
+		if (defaults) {
+			this.defaultPortAttributes = {
+				elevateIfNeeded: defaults.elevateIfNeeded,
+				label: defaults.label,
+				onAutoForward: defaults.onAutoForward
+			};
+		}
+
 		return this.sortAttributes(attributes);
 	}
 
@@ -289,7 +292,7 @@ export class PortsAttributes extends Disposable {
 	}
 
 	private getOtherAttributes() {
-		return this.otherPortAttributes;
+		return this.defaultPortAttributes;
 	}
 
 	static providedActionToAction(providedAction: ProvidedOnAutoForward | undefined) {