diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/common/categories-section.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/common/categories-section.js
index 9a9cd4e0816..b51c37c47b7 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/common/categories-section.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/sidebar/common/categories-section.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export default class SidebarCommonCategoriesSection extends Component {
           new CategorySectionLink({
             category,
             topicTrackingState: this.topicTrackingState,
+            currentUser: this.currentUser,
           })
         );
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/sidebar.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/sidebar.js
index 2b712f0290e..b4c1067d8f3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/sidebar.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/sidebar.js
@@ -1,14 +1,29 @@
 import Controller from "@ember/controller";
 import { action } from "@ember/object";
 import { tracked } from "@glimmer/tracking";
+import I18n from "I18n";
 
 import { popupAjaxError } from "discourse/lib/ajax-error";
 
+export const DEFAULT_LIST_DESTINATION = "default";
+export const UNREAD_LIST_DESTINATION = "unread_new";
+
 export default class extends Controller {
   @tracked saved = false;
   @tracked selectedSidebarCategories = [];
   @tracked selectedSidebarTagNames = [];
 
+  sidebarListDestinations = [
+    {
+      name: I18n.t("user.experimental_sidebar.list_destination_default"),
+      value: DEFAULT_LIST_DESTINATION,
+    },
+    {
+      name: I18n.t("user.experimental_sidebar.list_destination_unread_new"),
+      value: UNREAD_LIST_DESTINATION,
+    },
+  ];
+
   @action
   save() {
     const initialSidebarCategoryIds = this.model.sidebarCategoryIds;
@@ -20,6 +35,11 @@ export default class extends Controller {
 
     this.model.set("sidebar_tag_names", this.selectedSidebarTagNames);
 
+    this.model.set(
+      "user_option.sidebar_list_destination",
+      this.newSidebarListDestination
+    );
+
     this.model
       .save()
       .then((result) => {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/common/community-section/everything-section-link.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/common/community-section/everything-section-link.js
index 39873ea966f..197c2f96697 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/common/community-section/everything-section-link.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/common/community-section/everything-section-link.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import I18n from "I18n";
 
 import { tracked } from "@glimmer/tracking";
 import BaseSectionLink from "discourse/lib/sidebar/base-community-section-link";
+import { UNREAD_LIST_DESTINATION } from "discourse/controllers/preferences/sidebar";
 
 export default class EverythingSectionLink extends BaseSectionLink {
   @tracked totalUnread = 0;
@@ -63,6 +64,14 @@ export default class EverythingSectionLink extends BaseSectionLink {
   }
 
   get route() {
+    if (this.currentUser?.sidebarListDestination === UNREAD_LIST_DESTINATION) {
+      if (this.totalUnread > 0) {
+        return "discovery.unread";
+      }
+      if (this.totalNew > 0) {
+        return "discovery.new";
+      }
+    }
     return "discovery.latest";
   }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/user/categories-section/category-section-link.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/user/categories-section/category-section-link.js
index 4cdd34bc946..5057dc399af 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/user/categories-section/category-section-link.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/sidebar/user/categories-section/category-section-link.js
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ import { tracked } from "@glimmer/tracking";
 
 import { bind } from "discourse-common/utils/decorators";
 import Category from "discourse/models/category";
+import { UNREAD_LIST_DESTINATION } from "discourse/controllers/preferences/sidebar";
 
 export default class CategorySectionLink {
   @tracked totalUnread = 0;
   @tracked totalNew = 0;
 
-  constructor({ category, topicTrackingState }) {
+  constructor({ category, topicTrackingState, currentUser }) {
     this.category = category;
     this.topicTrackingState = topicTrackingState;
+    this.currentUser = currentUser;
     this.refreshCounts();
   }
 
@@ -79,6 +81,14 @@ export default class CategorySectionLink {
   }
 
   get route() {
+    if (this.currentUser?.sidebarListDestination === UNREAD_LIST_DESTINATION) {
+      if (this.totalUnread > 0) {
+        return "discovery.unreadCategory";
+      }
+      if (this.totalNew > 0) {
+        return "discovery.newCategory";
+      }
+    }
     return "discovery.category";
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
index 70e1abd31f2..d80c75fc1f2 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 import EmberObject, { computed, get, getProperties } from "@ember/object";
 import cookie, { removeCookie } from "discourse/lib/cookie";
 import { defaultHomepage, escapeExpression } from "discourse/lib/utilities";
-import { alias, equal, filterBy, gt, mapBy, or } from "@ember/object/computed";
+import {
+  alias,
+  equal,
+  filterBy,
+  gt,
+  mapBy,
+  or,
+  readOnly,
+} from "@ember/object/computed";
 import getURL, { getURLWithCDN } from "discourse-common/lib/get-url";
 import { A } from "@ember/array";
 import Badge from "discourse/models/badge";
@@ -109,6 +117,7 @@ let userOptionFields = [
   "seen_popups",
   "default_calendar",
   "bookmark_auto_delete_preference",
+  "sidebar_list_destination",
 ];
 
 export function addSaveableUserOptionField(fieldName) {
@@ -341,6 +350,8 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
     );
   },
 
+  sidebarListDestination: readOnly("user_option.sidebar_list_destination"),
+
   changeUsername(new_username) {
     return ajax(userPath(`${this.username_lower}/preferences/username`), {
       type: "PUT",
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/preferences-sidebar.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/preferences-sidebar.js
index 26e50bf84bf..7dbfb121ebb 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/preferences-sidebar.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/preferences-sidebar.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export default RestrictedUserRoute.extend({
     if (this.siteSettings.tagging_enabled) {
       props.selectedSidebarTagNames = user.sidebarTagNames;
     }
+    props.newSidebarListDestination = user.sidebarListDestination;
 
     controller.setProperties(props);
   },
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/sidebar.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/sidebar.hbs
index 61a6286787a..70270db4004 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/sidebar.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/sidebar.hbs
@@ -35,4 +35,13 @@
   </div>
 {{/if}}
 
+<div class="control-group preferences-sidebar-navigation">
+  <legend class="control-label">{{i18n "user.experimental_sidebar.navigation_section"}}</legend>
+
+  <div class="controls controls-dropdown">
+    <label>{{i18n "user.experimental_sidebar.list_destination_instruction"}}</label>
+    <ComboBox @valueProperty="value" @content={{this.sidebarListDestinations}} @value={{this.newSidebarListDestination}} @onChange={{action (mut this.newSidebarListDestination)}} />
+  </div>
+</div>
+
 <SaveControls @model={{this.model}} @action={{action "save"}} @saved={{this.saved}} />
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-categories-section-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-categories-section-test.js
index e1c07c679e2..d47e21dca7a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-categories-section-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-categories-section-test.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import Site from "discourse/models/site";
 import discoveryFixture from "discourse/tests/fixtures/discovery-fixtures";
 import categoryFixture from "discourse/tests/fixtures/category-fixtures";
 import { cloneJSON } from "discourse-common/lib/object";
+import { NotificationLevels } from "discourse/lib/notification-levels";
 
 acceptance(
   "Sidebar - Logged on user - Categories Section - allow_uncategorized_topics disabled",
@@ -292,6 +293,124 @@ acceptance("Sidebar - Logged on user - Categories Section", function (needs) {
     );
   });
 
+  test("clicking section links - sidebar_list_destination set to unread/new and no unread or new topics", async function (assert) {
+    updateCurrentUser({
+      user_option: {
+        sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new",
+      },
+    });
+    const { category1 } = setupUserSidebarCategories();
+
+    await visit("/");
+
+    await click(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`);
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      currentURL(),
+      `/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}`,
+      "it should transition to the category1 default view page"
+    );
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      count(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active"),
+      1,
+      "only one link is marked as active"
+    );
+
+    assert.ok(
+      exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}.active`),
+      "the category1 section link is marked as active"
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("clicking section links - sidebar_list_destination set to unread/new with new topics", async function (assert) {
+    const { category1 } = setupUserSidebarCategories();
+    const topicTrackingState = this.container.lookup(
+      "service:topic-tracking-state"
+    );
+    topicTrackingState.states.set("t112", {
+      last_read_post_number: null,
+      id: 112,
+      notification_level: NotificationLevels.TRACKING,
+      category_id: category1.id,
+      created_in_new_period: true,
+    });
+    updateCurrentUser({
+      user_option: {
+        sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new",
+      },
+    });
+
+    await visit("/");
+
+    await click(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`);
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      currentURL(),
+      `/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}/l/new`,
+      "it should transition to the category1 new page"
+    );
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      count(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active"),
+      1,
+      "only one link is marked as active"
+    );
+
+    assert.ok(
+      exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}.active`),
+      "the category1 section link is marked as active"
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("clicking section links - sidebar_list_destination set to unread/new with new and unread topics", async function (assert) {
+    const { category1 } = setupUserSidebarCategories();
+    const topicTrackingState = this.container.lookup(
+      "service:topic-tracking-state"
+    );
+    topicTrackingState.states.set("t112", {
+      last_read_post_number: null,
+      id: 112,
+      notification_level: NotificationLevels.TRACKING,
+      category_id: category1.id,
+      created_in_new_period: true,
+    });
+    topicTrackingState.states.set("t113", {
+      last_read_post_number: 1,
+      highest_post_number: 2,
+      id: 113,
+      notification_level: NotificationLevels.TRACKING,
+      category_id: category1.id,
+      created_in_new_period: true,
+    });
+    updateCurrentUser({
+      user_option: {
+        sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new",
+      },
+    });
+
+    await visit("/");
+
+    await click(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}`);
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      currentURL(),
+      `/c/${category1.slug}/${category1.id}/l/unread`,
+      "it should transition to the category1 unread page"
+    );
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      count(".sidebar-section-categories .sidebar-section-link.active"),
+      1,
+      "only one link is marked as active"
+    );
+
+    assert.ok(
+      exists(`.sidebar-section-link-${category1.slug}.active`),
+      "the category1 section link is marked as active"
+    );
+  });
+
   test("category section link for category with 3-digit hex code for color", async function (assert) {
     const { category1 } = setupUserSidebarCategories();
     category1.set("color", "888");
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-community-section-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-community-section-test.js
index 4230f0ed932..c8fda4f2152 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-community-section-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/sidebar-user-community-section-test.js
@@ -160,6 +160,121 @@ acceptance("Sidebar - Logged on user - Community Section", function (needs) {
     );
   });
 
+  test("clicking on everything link - sidebar_list_destination set to unread/new and no unread or new topics", async function (assert) {
+    updateCurrentUser({
+      user_option: {
+        sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new",
+      },
+    });
+
+    await visit("/t/280");
+    await click(".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link-everything");
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      currentURL(),
+      "/latest",
+      "it should transition to the latest page"
+    );
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      count(".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link.active"),
+      1,
+      "only one link is marked as active"
+    );
+
+    assert.ok(
+      exists(
+        ".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link-everything.active"
+      ),
+      "the everything link is marked as active"
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("clicking on everything link - sidebar_list_destination set to unread/new with new topics", async function (assert) {
+    const topicTrackingState = this.container.lookup(
+      "service:topic-tracking-state"
+    );
+    topicTrackingState.states.set("t112", {
+      last_read_post_number: null,
+      id: 112,
+      notification_level: NotificationLevels.TRACKING,
+      category_id: 2,
+      created_in_new_period: true,
+    });
+    updateCurrentUser({
+      user_option: {
+        sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new",
+      },
+    });
+    await visit("/t/280");
+    await click(".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link-everything");
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      currentURL(),
+      "/new",
+      "it should transition to the new page"
+    );
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      count(".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link.active"),
+      1,
+      "only one link is marked as active"
+    );
+
+    assert.ok(
+      exists(
+        ".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link-everything.active"
+      ),
+      "the everything link is marked as active"
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("clicking on everything link - sidebar_list_destination set to unread/new with new and unread topics", async function (assert) {
+    const topicTrackingState = this.container.lookup(
+      "service:topic-tracking-state"
+    );
+    topicTrackingState.states.set("t112", {
+      last_read_post_number: null,
+      id: 112,
+      notification_level: NotificationLevels.TRACKING,
+      category_id: 2,
+      created_in_new_period: true,
+    });
+    topicTrackingState.states.set("t113", {
+      last_read_post_number: 1,
+      highest_post_number: 2,
+      id: 113,
+      notification_level: NotificationLevels.TRACKING,
+      category_id: 2,
+      created_in_new_period: true,
+    });
+    updateCurrentUser({
+      user_option: {
+        sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new",
+      },
+    });
+    await visit("/t/280");
+    await click(".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link-everything");
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      currentURL(),
+      "/unread",
+      "it should transition to the unread page"
+    );
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      count(".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link.active"),
+      1,
+      "only one link is marked as active"
+    );
+
+    assert.ok(
+      exists(
+        ".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link-everything.active"
+      ),
+      "the everything link is marked as active"
+    );
+  });
+
   test("clicking on tracked link", async function (assert) {
     await visit("/t/280");
     await click(".sidebar-section-community .sidebar-section-link-tracked");
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-preferences-sidebar-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-preferences-sidebar-test.js
index 023a119a262..a78df47e32e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-preferences-sidebar-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-preferences-sidebar-test.js
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ acceptance("User Preferences - Sidebar", function (needs) {
               { name: "monkey", pm_only: false },
               { name: "gazelle", pm_only: false },
             ],
+            user_option: {
+              sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new",
+            },
           },
         });
       }
diff --git a/app/models/user_option.rb b/app/models/user_option.rb
index ac724dbfe66..8add4161d91 100644
--- a/app/models/user_option.rb
+++ b/app/models/user_option.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class UserOption < ActiveRecord::Base
   scope :human_users, -> { where('user_id > 0') }
 
   enum default_calendar: { none_selected: 0, ics: 1, google: 2 }, _scopes: false
+  enum sidebar_list_destination: { none_selected: 0, default: 0, unread_new: 1 }, _prefix: "sidebar_list"
 
   def self.ensure_consistency!
     sql = <<~SQL
@@ -269,6 +270,7 @@ end
 #  bookmark_auto_delete_preference  :integer          default(3), not null
 #  enable_experimental_sidebar      :boolean          default(FALSE)
 #  seen_popups                      :integer          is an Array
+#  sidebar_list_destination         :integer          default("none_selected"), not null
 #
 # Indexes
 #
diff --git a/app/serializers/user_option_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/user_option_serializer.rb
index 19e7c794b0b..582e00b7f23 100644
--- a/app/serializers/user_option_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/user_option_serializer.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ class UserOptionSerializer < ApplicationSerializer
              :timezone,
              :skip_new_user_tips,
              :default_calendar,
-             :oldest_search_log_date
+             :oldest_search_log_date,
+             :sidebar_list_destination
 
   def auto_track_topics_after_msecs
     object.auto_track_topics_after_msecs || SiteSetting.default_other_auto_track_topics_after_msecs
@@ -51,4 +52,8 @@ class UserOptionSerializer < ApplicationSerializer
   def theme_ids
     object.theme_ids.presence || [SiteSetting.default_theme_id]
   end
+
+  def sidebar_list_destination
+    object.sidebar_list_none_selected? ? SiteSetting.default_sidebar_list_destination : object.sidebar_list_destination
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/services/user_updater.rb b/app/services/user_updater.rb
index 31feebbf91d..ad7271c0678 100644
--- a/app/services/user_updater.rb
+++ b/app/services/user_updater.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ class UserUpdater
     :timezone,
     :skip_new_user_tips,
     :seen_popups,
-    :default_calendar
+    :default_calendar,
+    :sidebar_list_destination
   ]
 
   NOTIFICATION_SCHEDULE_ATTRS = -> {
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index 8b97e26c1d1..7bcc8992ddb 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -1183,6 +1183,10 @@ en:
         categories_section_instruction: "Selected categories will be displayed under Sidebar's categories section."
         tags_section: "Tags Section"
         tags_section_instruction: "Selected tags will be displayed under Sidebar's tags section."
+        navigation_section: "Navigation"
+        list_destination_instruction: "When I click a topic list link in the sidebar with new or unread topics, take me to"
+        list_destination_default: "Default"
+        list_destination_unread_new: "New/Unread"
       change: "change"
       featured_topic: "Featured Topic"
       moderator: "%{user} is a moderator"
diff --git a/config/site_settings.yml b/config/site_settings.yml
index 0ea994e947c..e7bca7d67d5 100644
--- a/config/site_settings.yml
+++ b/config/site_settings.yml
@@ -2056,6 +2056,13 @@ sidebar:
     type: tag_list
     default: ""
     client: true
+  default_sidebar_list_destination:
+    hidden: true
+    default: "default"
+    type: "list"
+    choices:
+      - "default"
+      - "unread_new"
 
 embedding:
   embed_by_username:
diff --git a/db/migrate/20221013045158_add_sidebar_list_destination_to_user_option.rb b/db/migrate/20221013045158_add_sidebar_list_destination_to_user_option.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8e6a64ede1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20221013045158_add_sidebar_list_destination_to_user_option.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+class AddSidebarListDestinationToUserOption < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.0]
+  def change
+    add_column :user_options, :sidebar_list_destination, :integer, default: 0, null: false
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/user_get_response.json b/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/user_get_response.json
index 3ccc50d8df1..d669aa5cb44 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/user_get_response.json
+++ b/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/user_get_response.json
@@ -767,6 +767,9 @@
             },
             "oldest_search_log_date": {
               "type": ["string", "null"]
+            },
+            "sidebar_list_destination": {
+              "type": "string"
             }
           },
           "required": [
diff --git a/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb b/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb
index b5abe360d24..dc82b84251c 100644
--- a/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb
@@ -426,4 +426,13 @@ RSpec.describe UserSerializer do
   end
 
   include_examples "#display_sidebar_tags", UserSerializer
+
+  describe "#sidebar_list_destination" do
+    it "returns choosen value or default" do
+      expect(serializer.as_json[:user_option][:sidebar_list_destination]).to eq(SiteSetting.default_sidebar_list_destination)
+
+      user.user_option.update!(sidebar_list_destination: "unread_new")
+      expect(serializer.as_json[:user_option][:sidebar_list_destination]).to eq("unread_new")
+    end
+  end
 end