diff --git a/templates/dashboard.html b/templates/dashboard.html
index 17631eb..104b55c 100644
--- a/templates/dashboard.html
+++ b/templates/dashboard.html
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@
 
   <div id="filter-bar" style="display:flex;gap:0.5rem;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;margin-bottom:0.75rem;">
     <select id="filter-status" onchange="applyFilters()" style="padding:0.25rem 0.5rem;font-size:0.85rem;border:1px solid #cbd5e1;border-radius:4px;">
+      <option value="active" selected>Active (non-retired)</option>
       <option value="">All Statuses</option>
       <option value="available">Available</option>
       <option value="installed">Installed</option>
@@ -361,14 +362,18 @@ function applyFilters() {
   var size    = document.getElementById('filter-size').value;
   var storage = document.getElementById('filter-storage').value;
   var text    = document.getElementById('filter-text').value.trim().toLowerCase();
-  var anyActive = status || brand || size || storage || text;
+  var anyActive = (status && status !== 'active') || brand || size || storage || text;
   document.getElementById('filter-reset').style.display = anyActive ? '' : 'none';
 
   var rows = document.querySelectorAll('tbody tr[data-brand]');
   var visible = 0;
   rows.forEach(function(row) {
     var show = true;
-    if (status  && row.dataset.status  !== status)  show = false;
+    if (status === 'active') {
+      if (row.dataset.status === 'retired') show = false;
+    } else if (status) {
+      if (row.dataset.status !== status) show = false;
+    }
     if (brand   && row.dataset.brand   !== brand)   show = false;
     if (size    && row.dataset.size    !== size)     show = false;
     if (storage && row.dataset.storage !== storage)  show = false;
@@ -427,7 +432,8 @@ function quickAssign(action, batteryId) {
 }
 
 function resetFilters() {
-  ['filter-status','filter-brand','filter-size','filter-storage'].forEach(function(id) {
+  document.getElementById('filter-status').value = 'active';
+  ['filter-brand','filter-size','filter-storage'].forEach(function(id) {
     document.getElementById(id).value = '';
   });
   document.getElementById('filter-text').value = '';
@@ -568,5 +574,7 @@ function bulkStorageChanged(sel) {
     hidden.value = sel.value;
   }
 }
+
+applyFilters();
 </script>
 {% endblock %}