diff --git a/packaging/windows/flocks-setup.iss b/packaging/windows/flocks-setup.iss
index bccc5977..aa1643c6 100644
--- a/packaging/windows/flocks-setup.iss
+++ b/packaging/windows/flocks-setup.iss
@@ -49,13 +49,14 @@ Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Environment"; ValueType: string; ValueName: "FLOCKS_INSTALL
 Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Environment"; ValueType: string; ValueName: "FLOCKS_REPO_ROOT"; ValueData: "{app}\flocks"; Flags: uninsdeletevalue
 Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Environment"; ValueType: string; ValueName: "FLOCKS_NODE_HOME"; ValueData: "{app}\tools\node"; Flags: uninsdeletevalue
 
-; Shortcuts intentionally target the same wrapper path that `scripts\install.ps1`
-; writes, so the Start menu / desktop icon and `flocks start` typed in a new
-; terminal are strictly equivalent across all install flows.
+; Installer-created launch shortcuts intentionally go through a tiny elevation
+; helper first, then invoke the same `%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\flocks.cmd`
+; wrapper that `scripts\install.ps1` writes. This keeps the app entrypoint
+; consistent while letting Windows prompt for UAC on shortcut launches.
 [Icons]
-Name: "{autoprograms}\{#MyAppName}\Start Flocks"; Filename: "{%USERPROFILE}\.local\bin\flocks.cmd"; Parameters: "start"; WorkingDir: "{%USERPROFILE}"
+Name: "{autoprograms}\{#MyAppName}\Start Flocks"; Filename: "powershell.exe"; Parameters: "-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File ""{app}\flocks\packaging\windows\start-flocks-elevated.ps1"""; WorkingDir: "{%USERPROFILE}"
 Name: "{autoprograms}\{#MyAppName}\Flocks repository"; Filename: "{app}\flocks"; WorkingDir: "{app}\flocks"
-Name: "{userdesktop}\{#MyAppName}"; Filename: "{%USERPROFILE}\.local\bin\flocks.cmd"; Parameters: "start"; WorkingDir: "{%USERPROFILE}"; Tasks: desktopicon
+Name: "{userdesktop}\{#MyAppName}"; Filename: "powershell.exe"; Parameters: "-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File ""{app}\flocks\packaging\windows\start-flocks-elevated.ps1"""; WorkingDir: "{%USERPROFILE}"; Tasks: desktopicon
 
 [Run]
 Filename: "powershell.exe"; Parameters: "-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File ""{app}\flocks\packaging\windows\bootstrap-windows.ps1"" -InstallRoot ""{app}"""; StatusMsg: "Setting up Python and JavaScript dependencies..."; Flags: runascurrentuser waituntilterminated
diff --git a/packaging/windows/start-flocks-elevated.ps1 b/packaging/windows/start-flocks-elevated.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a7d5c14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/windows/start-flocks-elevated.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+[CmdletBinding()]
+param()
+
+$wrapperPath = Join-Path $HOME ".local\bin\flocks.cmd"
+if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $wrapperPath)) {
+    throw "Flocks launcher not found: $wrapperPath"
+}
+
+$cmdPath = $env:ComSpec
+if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($cmdPath)) {
+    $cmdPath = "cmd.exe"
+}
+
+# Route installer-created shortcuts through UAC, but keep the real app entrypoint
+# on the shared flocks.cmd wrapper so shortcut launches match terminal launches.
+Start-Process -FilePath $cmdPath -ArgumentList @("/c", "`"$wrapperPath`" start") -WorkingDirectory $HOME -WindowStyle Hidden -Verb RunAs
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test_browser_runtime_configuration.py b/tests/scripts/test_browser_runtime_configuration.py
index 24fe4756..9b275fde 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/test_browser_runtime_configuration.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/test_browser_runtime_configuration.py
@@ -87,11 +87,9 @@ def test_inno_setup_points_to_packaging_bootstrap() -> None:
     assert "scripts\\bootstrap-windows.ps1" not in iss
 
 
-def test_inno_shortcuts_point_to_user_local_bin_wrapper() -> None:
-    """Start-menu and desktop shortcuts must match the CLI wrapper location that
-    `scripts/install.ps1` writes, so `flocks start` triggered from the shortcut
-    and from a freshly opened terminal are strictly equivalent across all
-    install flows (source, one-liner, bundled installer)."""
+def test_inno_shortcuts_point_to_elevated_launcher() -> None:
+    """Installer-created launch shortcuts should route through the elevated
+    launcher so clicking them triggers UAC before running the shared wrapper."""
     iss = (PACKAGING_WINDOWS_DIR / "flocks-setup.iss").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
     icons_section_idx = iss.find("[Icons]")
@@ -99,7 +97,8 @@ def test_inno_shortcuts_point_to_user_local_bin_wrapper() -> None:
     assert icons_section_idx != -1 and run_section_idx != -1
     icons_block = iss[icons_section_idx:run_section_idx]
 
-    expected_target = "{%USERPROFILE}\\.local\\bin\\flocks.cmd"
+    expected_target = 'Filename: "powershell.exe"'
+    expected_script = 'start-flocks-elevated.ps1'
     start_menu_lines = [
         line
         for line in icons_block.splitlines()
@@ -108,14 +107,27 @@ def test_inno_shortcuts_point_to_user_local_bin_wrapper() -> None:
     assert start_menu_lines, "expected Start Flocks + desktop shortcut entries"
     for line in start_menu_lines:
         assert expected_target in line, (
-            f"shortcut must target the shared wrapper path; got: {line}"
+            f"shortcut must target PowerShell launcher; got: {line}"
         )
-        assert 'Parameters: "start"' in line
+        assert expected_script in line
+        assert "-WindowStyle Hidden" in line
 
-    # Guard against accidentally re-introducing a shortcut to {app}\bin, which
-    # would point to a non-existent file because install.ps1 writes the wrapper
-    # under %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin.
-    assert "{app}\\bin\\flocks.cmd" not in icons_block
+    # Guard against accidentally re-introducing direct shortcut launches that
+    # bypass the UAC prompt.
+    assert "{%USERPROFILE}\\.local\\bin\\flocks.cmd" not in icons_block
+
+
+def test_windows_elevated_launcher_runs_shared_wrapper_as_admin() -> None:
+    """The elevation helper should re-use the shared CLI wrapper and request
+    Administrator rights via Start-Process."""
+    script = (PACKAGING_WINDOWS_DIR / "start-flocks-elevated.ps1").read_text(
+        encoding="utf-8-sig"
+    )
+
+    assert 'Join-Path $HOME ".local\\bin\\flocks.cmd"' in script
+    assert "Start-Process" in script
+    assert "-Verb RunAs" in script
+    assert "`\"$wrapperPath`\" start" in script
 
 
 def test_inno_finish_page_reminds_user_to_reopen_terminal() -> None: