diff --git a/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/preferences.ts b/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/preferences.ts
index b544209a2..04369fc7e 100644
--- a/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/preferences.ts
+++ b/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/preferences.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,35 @@
 import type { ListRunsDirectionEnum, ListRunsSortEnum } from "@qltysh/fabro-api-client";
 
 import { parseHiddenColumns, serializeHiddenColumns } from "./toggleable-column";
+import type { ToggleableColumn } from "./toggleable-column";
+
+// Columns hidden by default in both the main runs list and the Children
+// sub-tab. Users can still reveal them via the column picker.
+export const DEFAULT_HIDDEN_RUN_LIST_COLUMNS: readonly ToggleableColumn[] = [
+  "updated",
+  "changes",
+];
+
+function defaultHideString(): string {
+  return serializeHiddenColumns(new Set(DEFAULT_HIDDEN_RUN_LIST_COLUMNS)) ?? "";
+}
+
+// Read the `hide` URL param honouring the convention that an absent param
+// means "use defaults" while an explicit empty value means "show every
+// column". Both forms persist round-trips through the column picker.
+export function hiddenColumnsFromSearchParams(
+  searchParams: URLSearchParams,
+): Set<ToggleableColumn> {
+  const raw = searchParams.get("hide");
+  if (raw == null) return new Set(DEFAULT_HIDDEN_RUN_LIST_COLUMNS);
+  return parseHiddenColumns(raw);
+}
+
+function readHideField(searchParams: URLSearchParams): string {
+  const raw = searchParams.get("hide");
+  if (raw == null) return defaultHideString();
+  return serializeHiddenColumns(parseHiddenColumns(raw)) ?? "";
+}
 
 export type ViewMode = "columns" | "list";
 
@@ -111,7 +140,7 @@ export function defaultRunsWorkspacePreferences(): RunsWorkspacePreferences {
     sort:      "created_at",
     direction: "desc",
     size:      DEFAULT_LIST_PAGE_SIZE,
-    hide:      "",
+    hide:      defaultHideString(),
     page:      1,
   };
 }
@@ -144,7 +173,6 @@ function normalizeStoredRunsWorkspacePreferences(value: unknown): RunsWorkspaceP
     return defaultRunsWorkspacePreferences();
   }
 
-  const hiddenColumns = parseHiddenColumns(stringValue(record.hide));
   const size = record.size;
 
   return {
@@ -158,11 +186,20 @@ function normalizeStoredRunsWorkspacePreferences(value: unknown): RunsWorkspaceP
     sort:      parseSort(stringValue(record.sort)),
     direction: parseDirection(stringValue(record.direction)),
     size:      parsePageSize(typeof size === "number" || typeof size === "string" ? String(size) : null),
-    hide:      serializeHiddenColumns(hiddenColumns) ?? "",
+    hide:      normalizeStoredHide(stringValue(record.hide)),
     page:      1,
   };
 }
 
+// Stored records from before the default-hidden-columns change have no `hide`
+// field. Treat the absence as "use the new defaults" so existing users pick up
+// the new default automatically. An explicit empty string means the user
+// chose to show every column, so preserve it.
+function normalizeStoredHide(stored: string | null): string {
+  if (stored == null) return defaultHideString();
+  return serializeHiddenColumns(parseHiddenColumns(stored)) ?? "";
+}
+
 export function runsWorkspacePreferencesFromSearchParams(
   searchParams: URLSearchParams,
 ): RunsWorkspacePreferences {
@@ -177,7 +214,7 @@ export function runsWorkspacePreferencesFromSearchParams(
     sort:      parseSort(searchParams.get("sort")),
     direction: parseDirection(searchParams.get("direction")),
     size:      parsePageSize(searchParams.get("size")),
-    hide:      serializeHiddenColumns(parseHiddenColumns(searchParams.get("hide"))) ?? "",
+    hide:      readHideField(searchParams),
     page:      parsePage(searchParams.get("page")),
   };
 }
@@ -195,7 +232,7 @@ export function runsWorkspacePreferencesToSearchParams(
   if (preferences.sort !== "created_at") params.set("sort", preferences.sort);
   if (preferences.direction === "asc") params.set("direction", "asc");
   if (preferences.size !== DEFAULT_LIST_PAGE_SIZE) params.set("size", String(preferences.size));
-  if (preferences.hide !== "") params.set("hide", preferences.hide);
+  if (preferences.hide !== defaultHideString()) params.set("hide", preferences.hide);
   if (preferences.page > 1) params.set("page", String(preferences.page));
   return params;
 }
@@ -281,7 +318,7 @@ export function defaultChildRunsListPreferences(): ChildRunsListPreferences {
     sort:      "created_at",
     direction: "desc",
     size:      DEFAULT_LIST_PAGE_SIZE,
-    hide:      "",
+    hide:      defaultHideString(),
     page:      1,
   };
 }
@@ -292,7 +329,6 @@ function normalizeStoredChildRunsListPreferences(value: unknown): ChildRunsListP
     return defaultChildRunsListPreferences();
   }
 
-  const hiddenColumns = parseHiddenColumns(stringValue(record.hide));
   const size = record.size;
 
   return {
@@ -303,7 +339,7 @@ function normalizeStoredChildRunsListPreferences(value: unknown): ChildRunsListP
     sort:      parseSort(stringValue(record.sort)),
     direction: parseDirection(stringValue(record.direction)),
     size:      parsePageSize(typeof size === "number" || typeof size === "string" ? String(size) : null),
-    hide:      serializeHiddenColumns(hiddenColumns) ?? "",
+    hide:      normalizeStoredHide(stringValue(record.hide)),
     page:      1,
   };
 }
@@ -319,7 +355,7 @@ export function childRunsListPreferencesFromSearchParams(
     sort:      parseSort(searchParams.get("sort")),
     direction: parseDirection(searchParams.get("direction")),
     size:      parsePageSize(searchParams.get("size")),
-    hide:      serializeHiddenColumns(parseHiddenColumns(searchParams.get("hide"))) ?? "",
+    hide:      readHideField(searchParams),
     page:      parsePage(searchParams.get("page")),
   };
 }
@@ -334,7 +370,7 @@ export function childRunsListPreferencesToSearchParams(
   if (preferences.sort !== "created_at") params.set("sort", preferences.sort);
   if (preferences.direction === "asc") params.set("direction", "asc");
   if (preferences.size !== DEFAULT_LIST_PAGE_SIZE) params.set("size", String(preferences.size));
-  if (preferences.hide !== "") params.set("hide", preferences.hide);
+  if (preferences.hide !== defaultHideString()) params.set("hide", preferences.hide);
   if (preferences.page > 1) params.set("page", String(preferences.page));
   return params;
 }
diff --git a/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/run-table-row.tsx b/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/run-table-row.tsx
index de39d465e..79f11ec47 100644
--- a/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/run-table-row.tsx
+++ b/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/run-table-row.tsx
@@ -112,11 +112,6 @@ export function RunTableRow({
           <span className={`font-mono text-xs ${statusDisplay.text}`}>{run.statusLabel}</span>
         </span>
       </td>
-      {show("elapsed") && (
-        <td className="whitespace-nowrap px-3 py-2.5 font-mono text-xs text-fg-muted">
-          {run.elapsed}
-        </td>
-      )}
       {show("repo") && (
         <td className="whitespace-nowrap px-3 py-2.5 font-mono text-xs font-medium text-teal-500">
           {run.repo}
@@ -164,6 +159,11 @@ export function RunTableRow({
           {run.lastEventAt != null ? formatRelativeTime(run.lastEventAt) : ""}
         </td>
       )}
+      {show("elapsed") && (
+        <td className="whitespace-nowrap px-3 py-2.5 text-right font-mono text-xs text-fg-muted">
+          {run.elapsed}
+        </td>
+      )}
       {show("changes") && (
         <td className="whitespace-nowrap px-3 py-2.5 text-right font-mono text-xs tabular-nums">
           {run.additions != null && <span className="text-mint">+{run.additions.toLocaleString()}</span>}
diff --git a/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/runs-list-view.tsx b/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/runs-list-view.tsx
index 392fe8fc8..84780c578 100644
--- a/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/runs-list-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/fabro-web/app/components/runs-list/runs-list-view.tsx
@@ -134,9 +134,6 @@ export function RunsListView({
                   />
                 </th>
                 <SortHeader label="Status" sortKey="status" activeSort={sort} direction={direction} onClick={onSortClick} />
-                {show("elapsed") && (
-                  <SortHeader label="Elapsed" sortKey="elapsed" activeSort={sort} direction={direction} onClick={onSortClick} />
-                )}
                 {show("repo") && (
                   <SortHeader label="Repo" sortKey="repo" activeSort={sort} direction={direction} onClick={onSortClick} />
                 )}
@@ -150,6 +147,9 @@ export function RunsListView({
                 {show("updated") && (
                   <SortHeader label="Updated" sortKey="updated_at" activeSort={sort} direction={direction} align="right" onClick={onSortClick} />
                 )}
+                {show("elapsed") && (
+                  <SortHeader label="Elapsed" sortKey="elapsed" activeSort={sort} direction={direction} align="right" onClick={onSortClick} />
+                )}
                 {show("changes") && (
                   <SortHeader label="Changes" sortKey="changes" activeSort={sort} direction={direction} align="right" onClick={onSortClick} />
                 )}
diff --git a/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/run-children.tsx b/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/run-children.tsx
index eda2b344a..60c4bdcc5 100644
--- a/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/run-children.tsx
+++ b/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/run-children.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   childRunsListPreferencesToSearchParams,
   createdCutoffMsFor,
   createdFilterOptions,
+  hiddenColumnsFromSearchParams,
   parseCreatedFilter,
   parseDirection,
   parsePage,
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ import {
 } from "../components/runs-list/preferences";
 import type { ChildRunsListPreferences, CreatedFilter } from "../components/runs-list/preferences";
 import { RunsListView } from "../components/runs-list/runs-list-view";
-import { parseHiddenColumns, serializeHiddenColumns } from "../components/runs-list/toggleable-column";
+import { serializeHiddenColumns } from "../components/runs-list/toggleable-column";
 import type { ToggleableColumn } from "../components/runs-list/toggleable-column";
 import { SECONDARY_BUTTON_CLASS } from "../components/ui";
 import { ApiError } from "../lib/api-client";
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ export default function RunChildren() {
   const page = parsePage(searchParams.get("page"));
   const pageSize = parsePageSize(searchParams.get("size"));
   const hiddenColumns = useMemo(
-    () => parseHiddenColumns(searchParams.get("hide")),
+    () => hiddenColumnsFromSearchParams(searchParams),
     [searchParams],
   );
 
diff --git a/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/runs.tsx b/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/runs.tsx
index a58b270a4..f34af3c37 100644
--- a/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/runs.tsx
+++ b/apps/fabro-web/app/routes/runs.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import { FilterButton } from "../components/runs-list/filter-button";
 import {
   createdCutoffMsFor,
   createdFilterOptions,
+  hiddenColumnsFromSearchParams,
   parseCreatedFilter,
   parseDirection,
   parsePage,
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ import type {
   ViewMode,
 } from "../components/runs-list/preferences";
 import { RunsListView } from "../components/runs-list/runs-list-view";
-import { parseHiddenColumns, serializeHiddenColumns } from "../components/runs-list/toggleable-column";
+import { serializeHiddenColumns } from "../components/runs-list/toggleable-column";
 import type { ToggleableColumn } from "../components/runs-list/toggleable-column";
 import { mutateRunListCaches } from "../lib/board-cache";
 import { shouldRefreshBoardForEvent, useBoardEvents } from "../lib/board-events";
@@ -746,7 +747,7 @@ export default function Runs() {
   const page = parsePage(searchParams.get("page"));
   const pageSize = parsePageSize(searchParams.get("size"));
   const hiddenColumns = useMemo(
-    () => parseHiddenColumns(searchParams.get("hide")),
+    () => hiddenColumnsFromSearchParams(searchParams),
     [searchParams],
   );