diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx b/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx
index e35aaed0d072..09ce6014d689 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx
@@ -65,10 +65,7 @@ If set to true, a `switch` statement over a union type that includes a `default`
 Otherwise, the rule enforces explicitly handling every constituent of the union type with their own explicit `case`.
 Keeping this option disabled can be useful if you want to make sure every value added to the union receives explicit handling, with the `default` case reserved for reporting an error.
 
-Examples of code with `{ considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true }`:
-
-<Tabs>
-<TabItem value="❌ Incorrect">
+Examples of additional **correct** code with `{ considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true }`:
 
 ```ts option='{ "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }' showPlaygroundButton
 declare const literal: 'a' | 'b';
@@ -81,36 +78,9 @@ switch (literal) {
 }
 ```
 
-</TabItem>
-
-<TabItem value="✅ Correct">
-
-```ts option='{ "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }' showPlaygroundButton
-declare const literal: 'a' | 'b';
-
-switch (literal) {
-  case 'a':
-    break;
-  case 'b':
-    break;
-  default:
-    break;
-}
-
-switch (literal) {
-  case 'a':
-    break;
-  case 'b':
-    break;
-}
-```
-
-</TabItem>
-</Tabs>
-
 ## Examples
 
-When the switch doesn't have exhaustive cases, either filling them all out or adding a default will correct the rule's complaint.
+When the switch doesn't have exhaustive cases, either filling them all out or adding a default (if you have `considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions` enabled) will address the rule's complaint.
 
 Here are some examples of code working with a union of literals:
 
@@ -181,7 +151,9 @@ switch (day) {
 </TabItem>
 <TabItem value="✅ Correct (Defaulted)">
 
-```ts
+```ts option='{ "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }'
+// requires `considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions` to be set to true
+
 type Day =
   | 'Monday'
   | 'Tuesday'
@@ -257,7 +229,9 @@ switch (fruit) {
 </TabItem>
 <TabItem value="✅ Correct (Defaulted)">
 
-```ts
+```ts option='{ "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }'
+// requires `considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions` to be set to true
+
 enum Fruit {
   Apple,
   Banana,
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.ts
index 6aa6f9f78fdb..62fbfcbd3c6f 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.ts
@@ -174,9 +174,9 @@ export default createRule<Options, MessageIds>({
       const { defaultCase, missingLiteralBranchTypes, symbolName } =
         switchMetadata;
 
-      // Unless considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions is enabled, the presence of a default case
+      // If considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions is enabled, the presence of a default case
       // always makes the switch exhaustive.
-      if (!considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions && defaultCase != null) {
+      if (considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions && defaultCase != null) {
         return;
       }
 
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/docs-eslint-output-snapshots/switch-exhaustiveness-check.shot b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/docs-eslint-output-snapshots/switch-exhaustiveness-check.shot
index f763ba7e0ed7..95c3ee829974 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/docs-eslint-output-snapshots/switch-exhaustiveness-check.shot
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/docs-eslint-output-snapshots/switch-exhaustiveness-check.shot
@@ -16,13 +16,11 @@ switch (value) {
 `;
 
 exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 2`] = `
-"Incorrect
-Options: { "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }
+"Options: { "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }
 
 declare const literal: 'a' | 'b';
 
 switch (literal) {
-        ~~~~~~~ Switch is not exhaustive. Cases not matched: "b"
   case 'a':
     break;
   default:
@@ -32,30 +30,6 @@ switch (literal) {
 `;
 
 exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 3`] = `
-"Correct
-Options: { "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }
-
-declare const literal: 'a' | 'b';
-
-switch (literal) {
-  case 'a':
-    break;
-  case 'b':
-    break;
-  default:
-    break;
-}
-
-switch (literal) {
-  case 'a':
-    break;
-  case 'b':
-    break;
-}
-"
-`;
-
-exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 4`] = `
 "Incorrect
 
 type Day =
@@ -79,7 +53,7 @@ switch (day) {
 "
 `;
 
-exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 5`] = `
+exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 4`] = `
 "Correct
 
 type Day =
@@ -120,8 +94,11 @@ switch (day) {
 "
 `;
 
-exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 6`] = `
+exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 5`] = `
 "Correct
+Options: { "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }
+
+// requires \`considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions\` to be set to true
 
 type Day =
   | 'Monday'
@@ -145,7 +122,7 @@ switch (day) {
 "
 `;
 
-exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 7`] = `
+exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 6`] = `
 "Incorrect
 
 enum Fruit {
@@ -165,7 +142,7 @@ switch (fruit) {
 "
 `;
 
-exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 8`] = `
+exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 7`] = `
 "Correct
 
 enum Fruit {
@@ -192,8 +169,11 @@ switch (fruit) {
 "
 `;
 
-exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 9`] = `
+exports[`Validating rule docs switch-exhaustiveness-check.mdx code examples ESLint output 8`] = `
 "Correct
+Options: { "considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions": true }
+
+// requires \`considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions\` to be set to true
 
 enum Fruit {
   Apple,
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.test.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.test.ts
index 3bcbd37a491a..a3e9dd90cdd0 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.test.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/switch-exhaustiveness-check.test.ts
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ function test(value: Union): number {
 }
     `,
     // Switch contains default clause.
-    `
+    {
+      code: `
 type Day =
   | 'Monday'
   | 'Tuesday'
@@ -166,7 +167,13 @@ switch (day) {
     result = 42;
   }
 }
-    `,
+      `,
+      options: [
+        {
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
+        },
+      ],
+    },
     // Exhaustiveness check only works for union types...
     `
 const day = 'Monday' as string;
@@ -553,6 +560,7 @@ switch (value) {
       options: [
         {
           allowDefaultCaseForExhaustiveSwitch: true,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
           requireDefaultForNonUnion: false,
         },
       ],
@@ -570,6 +578,7 @@ switch (value) {
       options: [
         {
           allowDefaultCaseForExhaustiveSwitch: false,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
           requireDefaultForNonUnion: false,
         },
       ],
@@ -745,6 +754,7 @@ switch (value) {
       options: [
         {
           allowDefaultCaseForExhaustiveSwitch: true,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
           requireDefaultForNonUnion: true,
         },
       ],
@@ -762,6 +772,7 @@ switch (value) {
       options: [
         {
           allowDefaultCaseForExhaustiveSwitch: false,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
           requireDefaultForNonUnion: true,
         },
       ],
@@ -832,8 +843,6 @@ declare const literal: 'a' | 'b';
 switch (literal) {
   case 'a':
     break;
-  case 'b':
-    break;
   default:
     break;
 }
@@ -857,7 +866,6 @@ switch (literal) {
       options: [
         {
           allowDefaultCaseForExhaustiveSwitch: false,
-          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
         },
       ],
     },
@@ -876,8 +884,6 @@ switch (myEnum) {
     break;
   case MyEnum.Bar:
     break;
-  case MyEnum.Baz:
-    break;
   default: {
     break;
   }
@@ -895,8 +901,6 @@ declare const value: boolean;
 switch (value) {
   case false:
     break;
-  case true:
-    break;
   default: {
     break;
   }
@@ -2507,7 +2511,7 @@ switch (literal) {
       ],
       options: [
         {
-          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: false,
         },
       ],
     },
@@ -2541,11 +2545,6 @@ switch (literal) {
           ],
         },
       ],
-      options: [
-        {
-          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
-        },
-      ],
     },
     {
       code: `
@@ -2581,7 +2580,7 @@ switch (literal) {
       ],
       options: [
         {
-          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: false,
         },
       ],
     },
@@ -2622,7 +2621,7 @@ switch (literal) {
       ],
       options: [
         {
-          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: false,
         },
       ],
     },
@@ -2677,7 +2676,7 @@ switch (myEnum) {
       ],
       options: [
         {
-          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: false,
         },
       ],
     },
@@ -2714,7 +2713,7 @@ switch (value) {
       ],
       options: [
         {
-          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: true,
+          considerDefaultExhaustiveForUnions: false,
         },
       ],
     },