diff --git a/goldens/cdk/overlay/index.api.md b/goldens/cdk/overlay/index.api.md
index bfca45f81adf..855db513f679 100644
--- a/goldens/cdk/overlay/index.api.md
+++ b/goldens/cdk/overlay/index.api.md
@@ -378,6 +378,9 @@ export class Overlay {
     static ɵprov: i0.ɵɵInjectableDeclaration<Overlay>;
 }
 
+// @public
+export const OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG: InjectionToken<OverlayDefaultConfig>;
+
 // @public
 export class OverlayConfig {
     constructor(config?: OverlayConfig);
@@ -428,6 +431,12 @@ export class OverlayContainer implements OnDestroy {
     static ɵprov: i0.ɵɵInjectableDeclaration<OverlayContainer>;
 }
 
+// @public
+export interface OverlayDefaultConfig {
+    // (undocumented)
+    usePopover?: boolean;
+}
+
 // @public
 export class OverlayKeyboardDispatcher extends BaseOverlayDispatcher {
     add(overlayRef: OverlayRef): void;
diff --git a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-directives.ts b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-directives.ts
index 9cb58cc99700..4fe99f3768b0 100644
--- a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-directives.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-directives.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import {
 import {_getEventTarget} from '../platform';
 import {Subscription} from 'rxjs';
 import {takeWhile} from 'rxjs/operators';
-import {createOverlayRef} from './overlay';
+import {createOverlayRef, OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG} from './overlay';
 import {OverlayConfig} from './overlay-config';
 import {OverlayRef} from './overlay-ref';
 import {ConnectedOverlayPositionChange, ViewportMargin} from './position/connected-position';
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ export class CdkConnectedOverlay implements OnDestroy, OnChanges {
 
   /** Whether the connected overlay should be rendered inside a popover element or the overlay container. */
   @Input({alias: 'cdkConnectedOverlayUsePopover'})
-  usePopover: FlexibleOverlayPopoverLocation | null = 'global';
+  usePopover: FlexibleOverlayPopoverLocation | null;
 
   /** Whether the overlay should match the trigger's width. */
   @Input({alias: 'cdkConnectedOverlayMatchWidth', transform: booleanAttribute})
@@ -293,7 +293,9 @@ export class CdkConnectedOverlay implements OnDestroy, OnChanges {
     const templateRef = inject<TemplateRef<any>>(TemplateRef);
     const viewContainerRef = inject(ViewContainerRef);
     const defaultConfig = inject(CDK_CONNECTED_OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG, {optional: true});
+    const globalConfig = inject(OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG, {optional: true});
 
+    this.usePopover = globalConfig?.usePopover === false ? null : 'global';
     this._templatePortal = new TemplatePortal(templateRef, viewContainerRef);
     this.scrollStrategy = this._scrollStrategyFactory();
 
diff --git a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.ts b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.ts
index 3a909dfdb442..6d0176fdc25c 100644
--- a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
   RendererFactory2,
   DOCUMENT,
   Renderer2,
+  InjectionToken,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {_IdGenerator} from '../a11y';
 import {_CdkPrivateStyleLoader} from '../private';
@@ -31,6 +32,16 @@ import {OverlayRef} from './overlay-ref';
 import {OverlayPositionBuilder} from './position/overlay-position-builder';
 import {ScrollStrategyOptions} from './scroll/index';
 
+/** Object used to configure the default options for overlays. */
+export interface OverlayDefaultConfig {
+  usePopover?: boolean;
+}
+
+/** Injection token used to configure the default options for CDK overlays. */
+export const OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG = new InjectionToken<OverlayDefaultConfig>(
+  'OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG',
+);
+
 /**
  * Creates an overlay.
  * @param injector Injector to use when resolving the overlay's dependencies.
@@ -52,12 +63,15 @@ export function createOverlayRef(injector: Injector, config?: OverlayConfig): Ov
     injector.get(RendererFactory2).createRenderer(null, null);
 
   const overlayConfig = new OverlayConfig(config);
+  const defaultUsePopover =
+    injector.get(OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG, null, {optional: true})?.usePopover ?? true;
+
   overlayConfig.direction = overlayConfig.direction || directionality.value;
 
   if (!('showPopover' in doc.body)) {
     overlayConfig.usePopover = false;
   } else {
-    overlayConfig.usePopover = config?.usePopover ?? true;
+    overlayConfig.usePopover = config?.usePopover ?? defaultUsePopover;
   }
 
   const pane = doc.createElement('div');
diff --git a/src/cdk/overlay/public-api.ts b/src/cdk/overlay/public-api.ts
index 729dee69c465..95819b1ce4ea 100644
--- a/src/cdk/overlay/public-api.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/overlay/public-api.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export * from './position/connected-position';
 export * from './scroll/index';
 export * from './overlay-module';
 export * from './dispatchers/index';
-export {Overlay, createOverlayRef} from './overlay';
+export {Overlay, createOverlayRef, OverlayDefaultConfig, OVERLAY_DEFAULT_CONFIG} from './overlay';
 export {OverlayContainer} from './overlay-container';
 export {
   CdkOverlayOrigin,