diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4f7edabfe..4b69fbdd6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Unreleased
 * Add a "Give Feedback" button (#551, Rahul Jha).
 * Test code on macOS (#552, Rahul Jha).
+* added feature to auto-indent text in editor (#561, Allen Benter)
 
 # 2.21 (2020-12-07)
 * Update MathJax to version 3 (#515, @dgcampea).
diff --git a/rednotebook/configuration.py b/rednotebook/configuration.py
index 15f63c1d7..22d83ef50 100644
--- a/rednotebook/configuration.py
+++ b/rednotebook/configuration.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class Config(dict):
         "leftDividerPosition": 260,
         "rightDividerPosition": None,
         "cloudMaxTags": 1000,
+        "autoindent": 1,
     }
 
     obsolete_keys = {
diff --git a/rednotebook/gui/main_window.py b/rednotebook/gui/main_window.py
index 38396d720..1ecec1b50 100644
--- a/rednotebook/gui/main_window.py
+++ b/rednotebook/gui/main_window.py
@@ -666,6 +666,14 @@ def load_values_from_config(self):
         )
 
         self.set_font(config.read("mainFont", editor.DEFAULT_FONT))
+        
+        self.set_autoIndent()
+        
+    def set_autoIndent(self):
+        if self.journal.config.read("autoindent") == 1:
+            self.day_text_field.day_text_view.set_auto_indent(True)
+        else:
+            self.day_text_field.day_text_view.set_auto_indent(False)
 
     def set_font(self, font_name):
         self.day_text_field.set_font(font_name)
diff --git a/rednotebook/gui/options.py b/rednotebook/gui/options.py
index 48f94245b..3efc6e72a 100644
--- a/rednotebook/gui/options.py
+++ b/rednotebook/gui/options.py
@@ -320,6 +320,8 @@ def on_options_dialog(self):
         )
 
         self.options.append(TickOption(_("Search as you type"), "instantSearch"))
+        
+        self.options.append(TickOption(_("Auto indent"), "autoindent"))
 
         def check_version_action(widget):
             utils.check_new_version(
@@ -383,6 +385,7 @@ def check_version_action(widget):
             # Apply some options
             self.main_window.cloud.update_lists()
             self.main_window.cloud.update(force_update=True)
+            self.main_window.set_autoIndent()
 
             visible = self.config.read("closeToTray") == 1
             self.main_window.tray_icon.set_visible(visible)