diff --git a/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.cpp b/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.cpp
index d3cfd82271..de5beca6f2 100644
--- a/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.cpp
+++ b/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.cpp
@@ -143,7 +143,9 @@ LammpsGui::LammpsGui(QWidget *parent, const char *filename) :
     connect(ui->action_Help, &QAction::triggered, this, &LammpsGui::help);
     connect(ui->actionLAMMPS_Manual, &QAction::triggered, this, &LammpsGui::manual);
     connect(ui->actionPreferences, &QAction::triggered, this, &LammpsGui::preferences);
-    connect(ui->actionDefaults, &QAction::triggered, this, &LammpsGui::defaults);
+    connect(ui->actionView_Log_Window, &QAction::triggered, this, &LammpsGui::view_log);
+    connect(ui->actionView_Graph_Window, &QAction::triggered, this, &LammpsGui::view_chart);
+
     connect(ui->textEdit->document(), &QTextDocument::modificationChanged, this,
             &LammpsGui::modified);
 
@@ -404,7 +406,7 @@ void LammpsGui::logupdate()
         }
     }
 
-    // extract chache thermo data
+    // extract cached thermo data
     if (chartwindow) {
         void *ptr = lammps.last_thermo("step", 0);
         if (ptr) {
@@ -567,7 +569,10 @@ void LammpsGui::run_buffer()
     QObject::connect(shortcut, &QShortcut::activated, logwindow, &LogWindow::close);
     shortcut = new QShortcut(QKeySequence(Qt::CTRL + Qt::Key_Slash), logwindow);
     QObject::connect(shortcut, &QShortcut::activated, this, &LammpsGui::stop_run);
-    logwindow->show();
+    if (settings.value("viewlog",true).toBool())
+        logwindow->show();
+    else
+        logwindow->hide();
 
     // if configured, delete old log window before opening new one
     if (settings.value("chartreplace", false).toBool()) delete chartwindow;
@@ -580,7 +585,10 @@ void LammpsGui::run_buffer()
     QObject::connect(shortcut, &QShortcut::activated, chartwindow, &ChartWindow::close);
     shortcut = new QShortcut(QKeySequence(Qt::CTRL + Qt::Key_Slash), chartwindow);
     QObject::connect(shortcut, &QShortcut::activated, this, &LammpsGui::stop_run);
-    chartwindow->show();
+    if (settings.value("viewchart",true).toBool())
+        chartwindow->show();
+    else
+        chartwindow->hide();
 
     logupdater = new QTimer(this);
     connect(logupdater, &QTimer::timeout, this, &LammpsGui::logupdate);
@@ -637,6 +645,34 @@ void LammpsGui::clear()
     ui->textEdit->moveCursor(QTextCursor::Start, QTextCursor::MoveAnchor);
 }
 
+void LammpsGui::view_chart()
+{
+    QSettings settings;
+    if (chartwindow) {
+        if (chartwindow->isVisible()) {
+            chartwindow->hide();
+            settings.setValue("viewchart", false);
+        } else {
+            chartwindow->show();
+            settings.setValue("viewchart", true);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void LammpsGui::view_log()
+{
+    QSettings settings;
+    if (logwindow) {
+        if (logwindow->isVisible()) {
+            logwindow->hide();
+            settings.setValue("viewlog", false);
+        } else {
+            logwindow->show();
+            settings.setValue("viewlog", true);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void LammpsGui::about()
 {
     std::string version = "This is LAMMPS-GUI version " LAMMPS_GUI_VERSION;
diff --git a/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.h b/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.h
index a36dca2757..8a365adfcb 100644
--- a/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.h
+++ b/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.h
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ private slots:
     void run_buffer();
     void stop_run();
     void view_image();
+    void view_chart();
+    void view_log();
     void about();
     void help();
     void manual();
diff --git a/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.ui b/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.ui
index 14f354b3c0..cab83abcf6 100644
--- a/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.ui
+++ b/tools/lammps-gui/lammpsgui.ui
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
      <x>0</x>
      <y>0</y>
      <width>600</width>
-     <height>24</height>
+     <height>23</height>
     </rect>
    </property>
    <widget class="QMenu" name="menuFile">
@@ -73,9 +73,17 @@
     <addaction name="action_Help"/>
     <addaction name="actionLAMMPS_Manual"/>
    </widget>
+   <widget class="QMenu" name="menu_View">
+    <property name="title">
+     <string>&amp;View</string>
+    </property>
+    <addaction name="actionView_Log_Window"/>
+    <addaction name="actionView_Graph_Window"/>
+   </widget>
    <addaction name="menuFile"/>
    <addaction name="menuEdit"/>
    <addaction name="menu_Run"/>
+   <addaction name="menu_View"/>
    <addaction name="menuAbout"/>
   </widget>
   <widget class="QStatusBar" name="statusbar"/>
@@ -346,6 +354,22 @@
     <string>Reset to &amp;Defaults</string>
    </property>
   </action>
+  <action name="actionView_Log_Window">
+   <property name="icon">
+    <iconset theme="utilities-terminal"/>
+   </property>
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>&amp;Log Window</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
+  <action name="actionView_Graph_Window">
+   <property name="icon">
+    <iconset theme="x-office-drawing"/>
+   </property>
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>&amp;Chart Window</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
  </widget>
  <customwidgets>
   <customwidget>
diff --git a/tools/lammps-gui/preferences.cpp b/tools/lammps-gui/preferences.cpp
index ca476d1b10..eb7745dc45 100644
--- a/tools/lammps-gui/preferences.cpp
+++ b/tools/lammps-gui/preferences.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ void Preferences::accept()
     if (box) settings->setValue("logreplace", box->isChecked());
     box = tabWidget->findChild<QCheckBox *>("chartreplace");
     if (box) settings->setValue("chartreplace", box->isChecked());
+    box = tabWidget->findChild<QCheckBox *>("viewlog");
+    if (box) settings->setValue("viewlog", box->isChecked());
+    box = tabWidget->findChild<QCheckBox *>("viewchart");
+    if (box) settings->setValue("viewchart", box->isChecked());
     QDialog::accept();
 }
 
@@ -131,6 +135,12 @@ GeneralTab::GeneralTab(QSettings *_settings, LammpsWrapper *_lammps, QWidget *pa
     auto *cite = new QCheckBox("Include citation details");
     cite->setObjectName("cite");
     cite->setCheckState(settings->value("cite", false).toBool() ? Qt::Checked : Qt::Unchecked);
+    auto *logv = new QCheckBox("Show log window by default");
+    logv->setObjectName("viewlog");
+    logv->setCheckState(settings->value("viewlog", true).toBool() ? Qt::Checked : Qt::Unchecked);
+    auto *pltv = new QCheckBox("Show chart window by default");
+    pltv->setObjectName("viewchart");
+    pltv->setCheckState(settings->value("viewchart", true).toBool() ? Qt::Checked : Qt::Unchecked);
     auto *logr = new QCheckBox("Replace log window on new run");
     logr->setObjectName("logreplace");
     logr->setCheckState(settings->value("logreplace", false).toBool() ? Qt::Checked
@@ -164,6 +174,8 @@ GeneralTab::GeneralTab(QSettings *_settings, LammpsWrapper *_lammps, QWidget *pa
 #endif
     layout->addWidget(echo);
     layout->addWidget(cite);
+    layout->addWidget(logv);
+    layout->addWidget(pltv);
     layout->addWidget(logr);
     layout->addWidget(pltr);
 #if !defined(__APPLE__)