diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a1278de..05207e4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,29 +105,30 @@ pip install cryptography
 ### Basic Usage
 
 ```bash
-# Create paste from file
-./fpaste create file.txt
+# Create paste from file (encrypts by default)
+./fpaste file.txt
+# Returns: https://paste.example.com/abc123#<key>
+
+# Shortcut: file path auto-selects "create" command
+./fpaste secret.txt                    # Same as: ./fpaste create secret.txt
 
 # Create paste from stdin
 echo "Hello" | ./fpaste
 
-# Create encrypted paste (E2E, zero-knowledge)
-./fpaste create -e secret.txt
-# Returns: https://paste.example.com/abc123#<key>
+# Disable encryption (upload plaintext)
+./fpaste -E file.txt
+./fpaste create --no-encrypt file.txt
 
 # Create burn-after-read paste (single access, auto-deletes)
-./fpaste create -b secret.txt
+./fpaste -b secret.txt
 
 # Create paste with custom expiry (1 hour)
-./fpaste create -x 3600 temp.txt
+./fpaste -x 3600 temp.txt
 
 # Combine options: encrypted + burn-after-read
-./fpaste create -e -b secret.txt
+./fpaste -b secret.txt
 
-# Get paste content
-./fpaste get abc12345
-
-# Get encrypted paste (auto-decrypts if URL has #key fragment)
+# Get paste content (auto-decrypts if URL has #key fragment)
 ./fpaste get "https://paste.example.com/abc123#<key>"
 
 # Get paste metadata
@@ -142,12 +143,13 @@ echo "Hello" | ./fpaste
 
 ### End-to-End Encryption
 
-The `-e` flag encrypts content client-side using AES-256-GCM before upload:
+Content is encrypted by default using AES-256-GCM before upload:
 
 - Key is generated locally and never sent to server
 - Key is appended to URL as fragment (`#...`) which browsers never transmit
 - Server stores only opaque ciphertext
 - Retrieval auto-detects `#key` fragment and decrypts locally
+- Use `-E` or `--no-encrypt` to disable encryption
 
 This provides true zero-knowledge storage: the server cannot read your content.
 
diff --git a/app/api/routes.py b/app/api/routes.py
index 341f3b5..e425cde 100644
--- a/app/api/routes.py
+++ b/app/api/routes.py
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ class IndexView(MethodView):
                 400,
                 size=content_size,
                 min_size=min_size,
-                hint="Encrypt content before uploading (-e flag in fpaste)",
+                hint="Encrypt content before uploading (fpaste encrypts by default)",
             )
 
         # Entropy check
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ class IndexView(MethodView):
                     400,
                     entropy=round(entropy, 2),
                     min_entropy=min_entropy,
-                    hint="Encrypt content before uploading (-e flag in fpaste)",
+                    hint="Encrypt content before uploading (fpaste encrypts by default)",
                 )
 
         # Binary content requirement (reject recognizable formats)
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ class IndexView(MethodView):
                     "Recognizable format not allowed",
                     400,
                     detected=detected_format,
-                    hint="Encrypt content before uploading (-e flag in fpaste)",
+                    hint="Encrypt content before uploading (fpaste encrypts by default)",
                 )
 
         # Deduplication check
diff --git a/documentation/api.md b/documentation/api.md
index c26f52f..91f142f 100644
--- a/documentation/api.md
+++ b/documentation/api.md
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ export FLASKPASTE_MIN_ENTROPY_SIZE=256 # Only check content >= this size (defaul
   "error": "Content entropy too low",
   "entropy": 4.12,
   "min_entropy": 7.0,
-  "hint": "Encrypt content before uploading (-e flag in fpaste)"
+  "hint": "Encrypt content before uploading (fpaste encrypts by default)"
 }
 ```
 
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ export FLASKPASTE_REQUIRE_BINARY=1  # Reject recognizable formats (0=disabled)
 {
   "error": "Recognizable format not allowed",
   "detected": "text/plain",
-  "hint": "Encrypt content before uploading (-e flag in fpaste)"
+  "hint": "Encrypt content before uploading (fpaste encrypts by default)"
 }
 ```