diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 10b341f..a8bd9a2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - /Applications symlink into OS X DMG for easier installation
 - Colored emojis on Linux/BSD
 
+### Changed
+
+- On Windows, the ConPTY backend will now be used by default if available
+- The `enable_experimental_conpty_backend` config option has been replaced with `winpty_backend`
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - URLs not truncated with non-matching single quote
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 13ba027..fee19f5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -145,13 +145,13 @@ desktop environment has trouble rendering the default SVG icons, you can find
 a prerendered SVG as well as simplified versions of the SVG in the
 `extra/logo/compat` directory.
 
-To work properly on Windows, Alacritty requires winpty to emulate UNIX's PTY
-API. The agent is a single binary (`winpty-agent.exe`) which **must** be in
-the same directory as the Alacritty executable and is available through the
-[GitHub releases page](https://github.com/jwilm/alacritty/releases).
+On Windows, Alacritty also requires Microsoft's VC++ redistributable.
 
-On Windows, Alacritty also requires Microsoft's VC++ redistributable to work
-properly.
+For Windows versions older than Windows 10 (October 2018 Update), Alacritty
+requires winpty to emulate UNIX's PTY API. The agent is a single binary
+(`winpty-agent.exe`) which **must** be in the same directory as the Alacritty
+executable and is available through the
+[GitHub releases page](https://github.com/jwilm/alacritty/releases).
 
 ## Configuration
 
diff --git a/alacritty.yml b/alacritty.yml
index fa40e0b..38303ee 100644
--- a/alacritty.yml
+++ b/alacritty.yml
@@ -337,16 +337,15 @@
 # directory of the parent process will be used.
 #working_directory: None
 
-# Windows 10 ConPTY backend (Windows only)
+# WinPTY backend (Windows only)
 #
-# This will enable better color support and may resolve other issues,
-# however this API and its implementation is still young and so is
-# disabled by default, as stability may not be as good as the winpty
-# backend.
+# Alacritty defaults to using the newer ConPTY backend if it is available,
+# since it resolves a lot of bugs and is quite a bit faster. If it is not
+# available, the the WinPTY backend will be used instead.
 #
-# Alacritty will fall back to the WinPTY automatically if the ConPTY
-# backend cannot be initialized.
-#enable_experimental_conpty_backend: false
+# Setting this option to `true` makes Alacritty use the legacy WinPTY backend,
+# even if the ConPTY backend is available.
+#winpty_backend: false
 
 # Send ESC (\x1b) before characters when alt is pressed.
 #alt_send_esc: true
diff --git a/alacritty_terminal/src/config/mod.rs b/alacritty_terminal/src/config/mod.rs
index 2643241..3c8a85a 100644
--- a/alacritty_terminal/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/alacritty_terminal/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -108,11 +108,10 @@ pub struct Config<T> {
     #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "failure_default")]
     pub cursor: Cursor,
 
-    /// Enable experimental conpty backend instead of using winpty.
-    /// Will only take effect on Windows 10 Oct 2018 and later.
+    /// Use WinPTY backend even if ConPTY is available
     #[cfg(windows)]
     #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "failure_default")]
-    pub enable_experimental_conpty_backend: bool,
+    pub winpty_backend: bool,
 
     /// Send escape sequences using the alt key.
     #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "failure_default")]
diff --git a/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/conpty.rs b/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/conpty.rs
index 5e5a011..44b3662 100644
--- a/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/conpty.rs
+++ b/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/conpty.rs
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ impl Drop for Conpty {
 unsafe impl Send for Conpty {}
 
 pub fn new<C>(config: &Config<C>, size: &SizeInfo, _window_id: Option<usize>) -> Option<Pty> {
-    if !config.enable_experimental_conpty_backend {
+    if config.winpty_backend {
         return None;
     }
 
diff --git a/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/mod.rs b/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/mod.rs
index 9e2f722..f5e0e61 100644
--- a/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/mod.rs
+++ b/alacritty_terminal/src/tty/windows/mod.rs
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ pub struct Pty {
 
 pub fn new<C>(config: &Config<C>, size: &SizeInfo, window_id: Option<usize>) -> Pty {
     if let Some(pty) = conpty::new(config, size, window_id) {
-        info!("Using Conpty agent");
+        info!("Using ConPTY backend");
         IS_CONPTY.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
         pty
     } else {
-        info!("Using Winpty agent");
+        info!("Using WinPTY backend");
         winpty::new(config, size, window_id)
     }
 }