diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-rc-ota-build-core.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-rc-ota-build-core.yml
index 97822797044..c847996c55a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-rc-ota-build-core.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-rc-ota-build-core.yml
@@ -142,5 +142,4 @@ jobs:
       build_commit_sha: ${{ needs.trigger-build.outputs.built_commit_sha }}
       build_version: ${{ needs.trigger-build.outputs.semantic_version }}
       build_number: ${{ needs.trigger-build.outputs.ios_version_code }}
-      distribute_external: false
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-upload-to-testflight.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-upload-to-testflight.yml
index 180cdc18f2d..2529842406d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-upload-to-testflight.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-upload-to-testflight.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ on:
         type: string
         default: 'MetaMask BETA & Release Candidates'
       distribute_external:
-        description: 'Whether to distribute to external testers. Defaults to false; nightly-build.yml relies on the script default (true) so it always distributes externally.'
+        description: 'Whether to distribute to external testers. (default: false)'
         required: false
         type: boolean
         default: false
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ on:
           - 'MM Card Team'
           - 'Ramp Provider Testing'
       distribute_external:
-        description: 'Whether to distribute to external testers'
+        description: 'Whether to distribute to external testers (default: false)'
         required: false
         type: boolean
         default: false
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-build.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-build.yml
index 0d8bb6dc6cb..26b1fbac786 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-build.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ jobs:
       source_branch: main
       environment: exp
       testflight_group: 'MetaMask BETA & Release Candidates'
-      distribute_external: true
     secrets: inherit
 
   # ── iOS rc: build + TestFlight upload (after exp for sequential versions) ─
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@ jobs:
       source_branch: main
       environment: rc
       testflight_group: 'MetaMask BETA & Release Candidates'
-      distribute_external: false
     secrets: inherit
 
   # ── Android exp: ephemeral branch + build ──────────────────────────────
diff --git a/.github/workflows/runway-production-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/runway-production-builds.yml
index 583009a997a..52d9fe32751 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/runway-production-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/runway-production-builds.yml
@@ -65,5 +65,4 @@ jobs:
       build_commit_sha: ${{ needs.build.outputs.built_commit_sha }}
       build_version: ${{ needs.build.outputs.semantic_version }}
       build_number: ${{ needs.build.outputs.ios_version_code }}
-      distribute_external: false
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/runway-rc-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/runway-rc-builds.yml
index 51286edf9b6..0dbc66c3650 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/runway-rc-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/runway-rc-builds.yml
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ jobs:
       build_commit_sha: ${{ needs.build.outputs.built_commit_sha }}
       build_version: ${{ needs.build.outputs.semantic_version }}
       build_number: ${{ needs.build.outputs.ios_version_code }}
-      distribute_external: false
     secrets: inherit
 
   slack-notification:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/upload-to-testflight.yml b/.github/workflows/upload-to-testflight.yml
index ad45695772e..787ff60f535 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upload-to-testflight.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upload-to-testflight.yml
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ on:
         required: true
         type: string
       distribute_external:
-        description: 'Whether to distribute to external testers. Set false for nightly/internal builds to avoid expiring previous TestFlight builds.'
+        description: 'Whether to distribute to external testers. (default: false)'
         required: false
         type: boolean
-        default: true
+        default: false
       runner_provider:
         description: Runner provider forwarded from the caller
         required: false
diff --git a/ios/fastlane/Fastfile b/ios/fastlane/Fastfile
index 3ca465e0924..19de05c4bb6 100644
--- a/ios/fastlane/Fastfile
+++ b/ios/fastlane/Fastfile
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ platform :ios do
     # Convert groups parameter to array (Fastlane CLI passes strings, not arrays)
     groups_param = options[:groups] || ['MetaMask BETA & Release Candidates']
     groups = groups_param.is_a?(Array) ? groups_param : [groups_param]
-    distribute_external = options[:distribute_external].nil? ? true : options[:distribute_external].to_s.downcase == 'true'
+    distribute_external = options[:distribute_external].nil? ? false : options[:distribute_external].to_s.downcase == 'true'
     notify_external_testers = distribute_external
     
     if ipa_path.nil? || ipa_path.empty?
diff --git a/scripts/upload-to-testflight.sh b/scripts/upload-to-testflight.sh
index b1d461856b3..6ef4df89697 100644
--- a/scripts/upload-to-testflight.sh
+++ b/scripts/upload-to-testflight.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #   branch              - Git branch name (required)
 #   ipa_path            - Optional: Direct path to IPA file (if not provided, uses find-ipa-file.sh)
 #   testflight_group    - Optional: TestFlight external testing group name (default: MetaMask BETA & Release Candidates)
-#   distribute_external - Optional: Whether to distribute to external testers (default: true)
+#   distribute_external - Optional: Whether to distribute to external testers (default: false)
 #
 # Environment variables:
 #   IPA_PATH - IPA path (set by find-ipa-file.sh if not provided as argument)
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ PIPELINE_NAME="$1"
 BRANCH="$2"
 LOCAL_IPA_PATH="$3"
 TESTFLIGHT_GROUP="${4:-MetaMask BETA & Release Candidates}"
-DISTRIBUTE_EXTERNAL="${5:-true}"
+DISTRIBUTE_EXTERNAL="${5:-false}"
 
 # Get IPA path: use argument if provided, otherwise use find-ipa-file.sh
 if [ -n "$LOCAL_IPA_PATH" ]; then