diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c b/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
index c7990ec178..7cff83ce22 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
@@ -1811,6 +1811,7 @@ static TranslationEntry translations[] = {
   { FALSE, "org.gnome.desktop.interface", "font-hinting", "gtk-xft-hinting", G_TYPE_NONE, { .i = 1 } },
   { FALSE, "org.gnome.desktop.interface", "font-hinting", "gtk-xft-hintstyle", G_TYPE_NONE, { .i = 1 } },
   { FALSE, "org.gnome.desktop.interface", "font-rgba-order", "gtk-xft-rgba", G_TYPE_NONE, { .i = 0 } },
+  { FALSE, "org.gnome.desktop.interface", "font-rendering", "gtk-font-rendering", G_TYPE_ENUM, { .i = 0 } },
   { FALSE, "org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.xsettings", "antialiasing", "gtk-xft-antialias", G_TYPE_NONE, { .i = 1 } },
   { FALSE, "org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.xsettings", "hinting", "gtk-xft-hinting", G_TYPE_NONE, { .i = 1 } },
   { FALSE, "org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.xsettings", "hinting", "gtk-xft-hintstyle", G_TYPE_NONE, { .i = 1 } },
diff --git a/gtk/gtkenums.h b/gtk/gtkenums.h
index c8e7713e44..584c296f15 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkenums.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkenums.h
@@ -1852,4 +1852,29 @@ typedef enum { /*< prefix=GTK_POPOVER_MENU >*/
   GTK_POPOVER_MENU_NESTED = 1 << 0
 } GtkPopoverMenuFlags;
 
+/**
+ * GtkFontRendering:
+ * @GTK_FONT_RENDERING_AUTOMATIC: Set up font rendering automatically,
+ *   taking factors like screen resolution and scale into account
+ * @GTK_FONT_RENDERING_MANUAL: Follow low-level font-related settings
+ *   when configuring font rendering
+ *
+ * Values for the [property@Gtk.Settings:gtk-font-rendering] setting
+ * that influence how GTK renders fonts.
+ *
+ * The @GTK_FONT_RENDERING_AUTOMATIC value allows GTK to disregard the
+ * low-level font-related settings:
+ * [property@Gtk.Settings:gtk-hint-font-metrics],
+ * [property@Gtk.Settings:gtk-xft-antialias],
+ * [property@Gtk.Settings:gtk-xft-hinting],
+ * [property@Gtk.Settings:gtk-xft-hintstyle] and
+ * [property@Gtk.Settings:gtk-xft-rgba].
+ *
+ * Since: 4.16
+ */
+typedef enum {
+  GTK_FONT_RENDERING_AUTOMATIC,
+  GTK_FONT_RENDERING_MANUAL,
+} GtkFontRendering;
+
 G_END_DECLS
diff --git a/gtk/gtksettings.c b/gtk/gtksettings.c
index 8b4522bee2..742ba182f8 100644
--- a/gtk/gtksettings.c
+++ b/gtk/gtksettings.c
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ enum {
   PROP_LONG_PRESS_TIME,
   PROP_KEYNAV_USE_CARET,
   PROP_OVERLAY_SCROLLING,
+  PROP_FONT_RENDERING,
 
   NUM_PROPERTIES
 };
@@ -955,6 +956,18 @@ gtk_settings_class_init (GtkSettingsClass *class)
                                                          TRUE,
                                                          GTK_PARAM_READWRITE);
 
+  /**
+   * GtkSettings:gtk-font-rendering:
+   *
+   * How GTK font rendering is set up.
+   *
+   * Since: 4.16
+   */
+  pspecs[PROP_FONT_RENDERING] = g_param_spec_enum ("gtk-font-rendering", NULL, NULL,
+                                                   GTK_TYPE_FONT_RENDERING,
+                                                   GTK_FONT_RENDERING_AUTOMATIC,
+                                                   GTK_PARAM_READWRITE);
+
   g_object_class_install_properties (gobject_class, NUM_PROPERTIES, pspecs);
 }
 
@@ -1260,6 +1273,9 @@ gtk_settings_notify (GObject    *object,
       if (settings_update_fontconfig (settings))
         gtk_system_setting_changed (settings->display, GTK_SYSTEM_SETTING_FONT_CONFIG);
       break;
+    case PROP_FONT_RENDERING:
+      gtk_system_setting_changed (settings->display, GTK_SYSTEM_SETTING_FONT_CONFIG);
+      break;
     case PROP_ENABLE_ANIMATIONS:
       settings_invalidate_style (settings);
       break;
diff --git a/gtk/gtkwidget.c b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
index e63b200aee..0e7f578b6d 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkwidget.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 
 #include "gdk/gdkeventsprivate.h"
 #include "gdk/gdkprofilerprivate.h"
+#include "gdk/gdkmonitorprivate.h"
 #include "gsk/gskdebugprivate.h"
 #include "gsk/gskrendererprivate.h"
 
@@ -6464,6 +6465,7 @@ gtk_widget_update_pango_context (GtkWidget        *widget,
   PangoFontDescription *font_desc;
   GtkSettings *settings;
   guint old_serial;
+  GtkFontRendering font_rendering;
 
   old_serial = pango_context_get_serial (context);
 
@@ -6483,6 +6485,11 @@ gtk_widget_update_pango_context (GtkWidget        *widget,
   settings = gtk_widget_get_settings (widget);
 
   if (settings)
+    g_object_get (settings, "gtk-font-rendering", &font_rendering, NULL);
+  else
+    font_rendering = GTK_FONT_RENDERING_AUTOMATIC;
+
+  if (font_rendering == GTK_FONT_RENDERING_MANUAL)
     {
       gboolean hint_font_metrics;
       cairo_font_options_t *font_options, *options;
@@ -6501,6 +6508,46 @@ gtk_widget_update_pango_context (GtkWidget        *widget,
       pango_context_set_round_glyph_positions (context, hint_font_metrics);
       pango_cairo_context_set_font_options (context, options);
 
+      cairo_font_options_destroy (options);
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      cairo_font_options_t *options;
+      double dpi = 96.;
+      GdkSurface *surface;
+
+      surface = gtk_widget_get_surface (widget);
+      if (surface)
+        {
+          GdkDisplay *display;
+          GdkMonitor *monitor;
+
+          display = gdk_surface_get_display (surface);
+          monitor = gdk_display_get_monitor_at_surface (display, surface);
+          if (monitor)
+            dpi = gdk_monitor_get_dpi (monitor);
+        }
+
+      options = cairo_font_options_create ();
+
+      cairo_font_options_set_antialias (options, CAIRO_ANTIALIAS_GRAY);
+
+      if (dpi < 200.)
+        {
+          /* Not high-dpi. Prefer sharpness by enabling hinting */
+          cairo_font_options_set_hint_metrics (options, CAIRO_HINT_METRICS_ON);
+          cairo_font_options_set_hint_style (options, CAIRO_HINT_STYLE_SLIGHT);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          /* High-dpi. Prefer precise positioning */
+          cairo_font_options_set_hint_metrics (options, CAIRO_HINT_METRICS_OFF);
+          cairo_font_options_set_hint_style (options, CAIRO_HINT_STYLE_NONE);
+        }
+
+      pango_context_set_round_glyph_positions (context, FALSE);
+      pango_cairo_context_set_font_options (context, options);
+
       cairo_font_options_destroy (options);
     }