diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index ef8a1ce61..6bae033dc 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@ To update |kitty|, :doc:`follow the instructions <binary>`.
 - A new remote control command to :program:`visually select a window <kitty @
   select-window>` (:iss:`4165`)
 
-- A new :opt:`visual_window_select_characters` option to specify the preferred
-  alphanumeric characters for visual window select (:pull:`4215`)
-
 - A new option :opt:`background_image_anchor` to *anchor* the background image
   to a position in the OS Window, useful for displaying images with logos or
   similar (:pull:`4167`)
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index e7ef78292..0c47f807c 100755
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -964,8 +964,6 @@ class Boss:
         pending_sequences: SubSequenceMap = {}
         fmap = get_name_to_functional_number_map()
         alphanumerics = get_options().visual_window_select_characters
-        if not alphanumerics:
-            alphanumerics = string.digits[1:] + string.digits[0] + string.ascii_uppercase
         for idx, window in tab.windows.iter_windows_with_number(only_visible=True):
             if only_window_ids and window.id not in only_window_ids:
                 continue
diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index 79f2bb621..73970fc3c 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 # After editing this file run ./gen-config.py to apply the changes
 
+import string
 from kitty.conf.types import Action, Definition
 
 
@@ -888,13 +889,13 @@ does not currently work on Wayland.
 '''
     )
 
-opt('visual_window_select_characters', '',
+opt('visual_window_select_characters', defval=string.digits[1:] + '0' + string.ascii_uppercase,
     option_type='visual_window_select_characters',
     long_text='''
-The list of characters to use for visual window select. The value should be a
-series of unique numbers or alphabets, case insensitive. The default is the
-numbers 1 to 9, 0, and the alphabets A to Z. Specify your preference as a string
-of characters.
+The list of characters to use for visual window selection (for example for
+selecting a window to focus with :sc:`focus_visible_window`). The value should
+be a series of unique numbers or alphabets, case insensitive, from the set
+:code:`[0-9A-Z]`. Specify your preference as a string of characters.
 '''
     )
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/types.py b/kitty/options/types.py
index 2c913949e..87689d3d5 100644
--- a/kitty/options/types.py
+++ b/kitty/options/types.py
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ class Options:
     url_style: int = 3
     visual_bell_color: typing.Optional[kitty.fast_data_types.Color] = None
     visual_bell_duration: float = 0
-    visual_window_select_characters: str = ''
+    visual_window_select_characters: str = '1234567890ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'
     wayland_titlebar_color: int = 0
     wheel_scroll_multiplier: float = 5.0
     window_alert_on_bell: bool = True
diff --git a/kitty/options/utils.py b/kitty/options/utils.py
index d88e74db3..01fbecc2d 100644
--- a/kitty/options/utils.py
+++ b/kitty/options/utils.py
@@ -594,10 +594,11 @@ def visual_window_select_characters(x: str) -> str:
     import string
     valid_characters = string.digits + string.ascii_uppercase
     ans = x.upper()
-    if not all(ch in valid_characters for ch in ans):
-        raise ValueError(f'Invalid characters: {x} Only numbers (0-9) and alphabets (a-z,A-Z) are allowed. Ignoring.')
-    if len(set(ans)) < len(x):
-        raise ValueError(f'Invalid characters: {x} Contains identical numbers or alphabets, case insensitive. Ignoring.')
+    ans_chars = set(ans)
+    if not ans_chars.issubset(set(valid_characters)):
+        raise ValueError(f'Invalid characters in visual_window_select_characters: {x} Only numbers (0-9) and alphabets (a-z,A-Z) are allowed. Ignoring.')
+    if len(ans_chars) < len(x):
+        raise ValueError(f'Invalid characters in visual_window_select_characters: {x} Contains identical numbers or alphabets, case insensitive. Ignoring.')
     return ans
 
 
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index f2fa8b6ca..129acf1b6 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
 
     @ac('win', '''
         Focus a visible window by pressing the number of the window. Window numbers are displayed
-        over the windows for easy selection in this mode.
+        over the windows for easy selection in this mode. See :opt:`visual_window_select_characters`.
         ''')
     def focus_visible_window(self) -> None:
         def callback(tab: Optional[Tab], window: Optional[Window]) -> None:
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
 
         get_boss().visual_window_select_action(self, callback, 'Choose window to switch to', only_window_ids=self.all_window_ids_except_active_window)
 
-    @ac('win', 'Swap the current window with another window in the current tab, selected visually')
+    @ac('win', 'Swap the current window with another window in the current tab, selected visually. See :opt:`visual_window_select_characters`')
     def swap_with_window(self) -> None:
         def callback(tab: Optional[Tab], window: Optional[Window]) -> None:
             if tab and window: