diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 920515f..8c14ae4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ jobs:
             mingw-w64-x86_64-ffmpeg
             mingw-w64-x86_64-pkg-config
             mingw-w64-x86_64-clang
+            mingw-w64-x86_64-ntldd
+            python3
 
       - name: Build Release Binaries (Windows)
         shell: msys2 {0}
@@ -119,20 +121,34 @@ jobs:
           BINDGEN_EXTRA_CLANG_ARGS: "--target=x86_64-w64-windows-gnu"
         run: |
           cargo build --release
+          mkdir -p dist/bundle
+          cp target/release/vrec-daemon.exe dist/bundle/
+          cp target/release/vrec-ui.exe dist/bundle/
+          python3 packaging/windows/bundle_deps.py dist/bundle
 
-      - name: Package Windows Zip
+      - name: Package Windows Standalone (.exe), Installer, and Zip
         shell: pwsh
         run: |
-          New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path dist/vrec-windows-x64
-          Copy-Item target/release/vrec-daemon.exe dist/vrec-windows-x64/
-          Copy-Item target/release/vrec-ui.exe dist/vrec-windows-x64/
-          Compress-Archive -Path dist/vrec-windows-x64 -DestinationPath dist/vrec-windows-x64.zip
+          if (!(Get-Command makensis -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
+              if (Test-Path "C:\Program Files (x86)\NSIS\makensis.exe") {
+                  $env:Path += ";C:\Program Files (x86)\NSIS"
+              } else {
+                  choco install nsis -y --no-progress
+                  $env:Path += ";C:\Program Files (x86)\NSIS"
+              }
+          }
+          makensis packaging/windows/vrec-standalone.nsi
+          makensis packaging/windows/vrec-installer.nsi
+          Compress-Archive -Path dist/bundle/* -DestinationPath dist/vrec-windows-x64.zip
 
       - name: Upload Windows Artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: windows-package
-          path: dist/vrec-windows-x64.zip
+          name: windows-packages
+          path: |
+            dist/vrec.exe
+            dist/vrec-setup.exe
+            dist/vrec-windows-x64.zip
 
   publish-release:
     name: Publish GitHub Release
@@ -166,14 +182,16 @@ jobs:
             - Multi-channel audio routing (System audio, Microphone, Combined, and Mute)
 
             ### Packages
-            - Windows: `vrec-windows-x64.zip`
+            - Windows Standalone: `vrec.exe` (Single standalone executable, zero install required)
+            - Windows Setup: `vrec-setup.exe` (Full installer with Start Menu & Desktop shortcuts)
+            - Windows Portable: `vrec-windows-x64.zip` (Zip with all binaries & runtime DLLs)
             - Universal Linux: `vrec-x86_64.AppImage`
             - Debian / Ubuntu / Mint: `vrec_0.1.0_amd64.deb`
             - Fedora / RHEL / openSUSE: `vrec-0.1.0-2.x86_64.rpm`
             - Generic Linux: `vrec-linux-x86_64.tar.gz`
           files: |
             artifacts/linux-packages/*
-            artifacts/windows-package/*
+            artifacts/windows-packages/*
           draft: false
           prerelease: false
           generate_release_notes: false
diff --git a/packaging/windows/vrec-installer.nsi b/packaging/windows/vrec-installer.nsi
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2543704
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/windows/vrec-installer.nsi
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+!include "MUI2.nsh"
+!include "FileFunc.nsh"
+
+Name "vrec"
+OutFile "..\..\dist\vrec-setup.exe"
+InstallDir "$LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\vrec"
+RequestExecutionLevel user
+
+!define MUI_ABORTWARNING
+
+!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_WELCOME
+!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
+!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES
+
+!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN "$INSTDIR\vrec-ui.exe"
+!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN_PARAMETERS "--menu"
+!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN_TEXT "Launch vrec Studio Overlay"
+!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_FINISH
+
+!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_CONFIRM
+!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_INSTFILES
+
+!insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE "English"
+
+Section "vrec" SecMain
+  SetOutPath "$INSTDIR"
+  File /r "..\..\dist\bundle\*.*"
+
+  ; Create Start Menu and Desktop shortcuts
+  CreateDirectory "$SMPROGRAMS\vrec"
+  CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\vrec\vrec Studio.lnk" "$INSTDIR\vrec-ui.exe" "--menu"
+  CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\vrec\vrec Background Engine.lnk" "$INSTDIR\vrec-daemon.exe" ""
+  CreateShortcut "$DESKTOP\vrec.lnk" "$INSTDIR\vrec-ui.exe" "--menu"
+
+  ; Register uninstaller with Windows Control Panel / Settings
+  WriteUninstaller "$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"
+  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\vrec" "DisplayName" "vrec Screen Recorder"
+  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\vrec" "UninstallString" '"$INSTDIR\uninstall.exe"'
+  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\vrec" "DisplayIcon" "$INSTDIR\vrec-ui.exe"
+  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\vrec" "Publisher" "oiupoyt"
+SectionEnd
+
+Section "Uninstall"
+  Delete "$DESKTOP\vrec.lnk"
+  RMDir /r "$SMPROGRAMS\vrec"
+  RMDir /r "$INSTDIR"
+  DeleteRegKey HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\vrec"
+SectionEnd
diff --git a/packaging/windows/vrec-standalone.nsi b/packaging/windows/vrec-standalone.nsi
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c798d38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/windows/vrec-standalone.nsi
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+!include "FileFunc.nsh"
+!include "LogicLib.nsh"
+
+Name "vrec"
+OutFile "..\..\dist\vrec.exe"
+Caption "vrec Screen Recorder"
+SilentInstall silent
+RequestExecutionLevel user
+
+Section
+  ; Extract self-contained binaries and all runtime DLLs directly to user app data
+  SetOutPath "$LOCALAPPDATA\vrec"
+  File /r "..\..\dist\bundle\*.*"
+
+  ; Execute vrec-ui with any forwarded command-line arguments, or default to overlay menu
+  ${GetParameters} $R0
+  ${If} $R0 == ""
+    Exec '"$LOCALAPPDATA\vrec\vrec-ui.exe" --menu'
+  ${Else}
+    Exec '"$LOCALAPPDATA\vrec\vrec-ui.exe" $R0'
+  ${EndIf}
+SectionEnd
diff --git a/src/bin/vrec-ui.rs b/src/bin/vrec-ui.rs
index 165d83e..650543e 100644
--- a/src/bin/vrec-ui.rs
+++ b/src/bin/vrec-ui.rs
@@ -35,16 +35,34 @@ fn ensure_wayland_env() {
     }
 }
 
+fn get_daemon_cmd() -> std::process::Command {
+    if let Ok(mut path) = std::env::current_exe() {
+        path.pop();
+        #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+        let candidate = path.join("vrec-daemon.exe");
+        #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+        let candidate = path.join("vrec-daemon");
+
+        if candidate.exists() {
+            return std::process::Command::new(candidate);
+        }
+    }
+    #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+    return std::process::Command::new("vrec-daemon.exe");
+    #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+    return std::process::Command::new("vrec-daemon");
+}
+
 fn ensure_daemon_running() {
     if query_status().is_err() {
         println!("vrec-daemon not running. Auto-launching vrec-daemon...");
-        let _ = std::process::Command::new("vrec-daemon")
+        let _ = get_daemon_cmd()
             .stdin(std::process::Stdio::null())
             .stdout(std::process::Stdio::null())
             .stderr(std::process::Stdio::null())
             .spawn();
-        for _ in 0..15 {
-            std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(100));
+        for _ in 0..20 {
+            std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(150));
             if query_status().is_ok() {
                 println!("vrec-daemon successfully connected.");
                 break;