diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editor.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editor.ts
index a106452ec50882846f08f46bf1706f1ef4c77819..b5bbfdeb8646240d89bc3e8334de21953f833bb7 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editor.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editor.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_EDITOR_PART_OPTIONS: IEditorPartOptions = {
 	showIcons: true,
 	enablePreview: true,
 	openPositioning: 'right',
-	openSideBySideDirection: 'horizontal',
+	openSideBySideDirection: 'right',
 	closeEmptyGroups: true,
 	labelFormat: 'default',
 	iconTheme: 'vs-seti'
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/common/editor.ts b/src/vs/workbench/common/editor.ts
index 0fc52586c57a92578da2c902f777664fdc2f6041..380739216dc1d7e652b07bed2af50b17ea7c8fbb 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/common/editor.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/common/editor.ts
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ export interface IWorkbenchEditorPartConfiguration {
 	enablePreviewFromQuickOpen?: boolean;
 	closeOnFileDelete?: boolean;
 	openPositioning?: 'left' | 'right' | 'first' | 'last';
-	openSideBySideDirection?: 'horizontal' | 'vertical';
+	openSideBySideDirection?: 'right' | 'down';
 	closeEmptyGroups?: boolean;
 	revealIfOpen?: boolean;
 	swipeToNavigate?: boolean;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/main.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/main.contribution.ts
index 1410d315c3cd669d21d7cc259fb137329cde10c1..2dbb22ea627ee8608f05fa1f1eb75f0d1a0f03ed 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/main.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/main.contribution.ts
@@ -218,9 +218,9 @@ configurationRegistry.registerConfiguration({
 		},
 		'workbench.editor.openSideBySideDirection': {
 			'type': 'string',
-			'enum': ['horizontal', 'vertical'],
-			'default': 'horizontal',
-			'description': nls.localize('sideBySideDirection', "Controls the default direction of editors that are opened side by side (e.g. from the explorer). By default, editors will open horizontally on the rigth hand side of the currently active one. If changed to open vertically, the editors will open below the currently active one.")
+			'enum': ['right', 'down'],
+			'default': 'right',
+			'description': nls.localize('sideBySideDirection', "Controls the default direction of editors that are opened side by side (e.g. from the explorer). By default, editors will open on the rigth hand side of the currently active one. If changed to open down, the editors will open below the currently active one.")
 		},
 		'workbench.editor.closeEmptyGroups': {
 			'type': 'boolean',
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/group/common/editorGroupsService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/group/common/editorGroupsService.ts
index 11b77ed12c4c3702ed725c4ae82179e408201e76..f8393d2426a5d030709f21bb34f4f61f06489cf8 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/group/common/editorGroupsService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/group/common/editorGroupsService.ts
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ export enum GroupDirection {
 }
 
 export function preferredSideBySideGroupDirection(configurationService: IConfigurationService): GroupDirection.DOWN | GroupDirection.RIGHT {
-	const openSideBySideDirection = configurationService.getValue<'horizontal' | 'vertical'>('workbench.editor.openSideBySideDirection');
+	const openSideBySideDirection = configurationService.getValue<'right' | 'down'>('workbench.editor.openSideBySideDirection');
 
-	if (openSideBySideDirection === 'vertical') {
+	if (openSideBySideDirection === 'down') {
 		return GroupDirection.DOWN;
 	}