diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/schema.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
index 911314ea2cbf3..1f772c929f07d 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ function populate_options( array $options = array() ) {
 		'wp_notes_notify'                 => 1,
 
 		// 7.0.0
-		'enable_real_time_collaboration'  => 0,
+		'enable_real_time_collaboration'  => 1,
 	);
 
 	// 3.3.0
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/option.php b/src/wp-includes/option.php
index 22695444cde35..d39cf349f2c5f 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/option.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/option.php
@@ -2904,7 +2904,7 @@ function register_initial_settings() {
 			'type'              => 'boolean',
 			'description'       => __( 'Enable Real-Time Collaboration' ),
 			'sanitize_callback' => 'rest_sanitize_boolean',
-			'default'           => false,
+			'default'           => true,
 			'show_in_rest'      => true,
 		)
 	);
diff --git a/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js b/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js
index 5caf39e3b4fdf..b0bbb70563b73 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js
@@ -14552,7 +14552,7 @@ mockedApiResponse.settings = {
     "use_smilies": true,
     "default_category": 1,
     "default_post_format": "0",
-    "enable_real_time_collaboration": false,
+    "enable_real_time_collaboration": true,
     "posts_per_page": 10,
     "show_on_front": "posts",
     "page_on_front": 0,