diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/windows-msix.yml b/.gitea/workflows/windows-msix.yml
index f36f3f5a..6e70e5da 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/windows-msix.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/windows-msix.yml
@@ -104,8 +104,9 @@ jobs:
           "MSIX_VERSION=$v" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append -Encoding utf8
           Write-Output "MSIX version $v  arch ${{ matrix.arch }}  target ${{ matrix.target }}"
 
-      # Both client binaries — the shell spawns punktfunk-session.exe (a package sibling)
-      # for every stream. --no-default-features on ARM64 is a no-op for the shell.
+      # All three client binaries — the shell spawns punktfunk-session.exe (a package
+      # sibling) for every stream, and punktfunk-console.exe is the couch Start-menu tile's
+      # hand-off shim. --no-default-features on ARM64 is a no-op for the shell.
       - name: Build (release)
         shell: pwsh
         run: cargo build --release -p punktfunk-client-windows -p punktfunk-client-session ${{ matrix.session_flags }} --target ${{ matrix.target }}
diff --git a/clients/windows/Cargo.toml b/clients/windows/Cargo.toml
index 87f1e626..af6d3960 100644
--- a/clients/windows/Cargo.toml
+++ b/clients/windows/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ repository.workspace = true
 name = "punktfunk-client"
 path = "src/main.rs"
 
+# The couch/HTPC Start-menu entry. Its own executable because an MSIX <Application> cannot
+# pass arguments to a full-trust exe — see the binary's own docs.
+[[bin]]
+name = "punktfunk-console"
+path = "src/bin/punktfunk-console.rs"
+
 # Everything is Windows-gated so `cargo build --workspace` stays green on Linux/macOS (the
 # other native clients live in clients/linux and clients/apple); on other
 # platforms this builds as a stub binary. Mirrors the Linux client's cfg(target_os="linux")
diff --git a/clients/windows/packaging/AppxManifest.xml b/clients/windows/packaging/AppxManifest.xml
index 62429448..dc1c9de7 100644
--- a/clients/windows/packaging/AppxManifest.xml
+++ b/clients/windows/packaging/AppxManifest.xml
@@ -57,6 +57,23 @@
         <uap:DefaultTile Square71x71Logo="Assets\Square71x71Logo.png" />
       </uap:VisualElements>
     </Application>
+    <!--
+      Second entry point: the couch/console UI, for an HTPC or a TV-attached box where the
+      desktop shell is the wrong first screen. Same full-trust executable, launched with
+      `--console`, which hands straight off to the session binary's controller-driven
+      browse mode (host list, pairing, settings, library) fullscreen.
+    -->
+    <Application Id="PunktfunkConsole" Executable="punktfunk-console.exe"
+                 EntryPoint="Windows.FullTrustApplication">
+      <uap:VisualElements
+        DisplayName="Punktfunk Console"
+        Description="Controller-driven couch interface for TVs and HTPCs"
+        BackgroundColor="transparent"
+        Square150x150Logo="Assets\Square150x150Logo.png"
+        Square44x44Logo="Assets\Square44x44Logo.png">
+        <uap:DefaultTile Square71x71Logo="Assets\Square71x71Logo.png" />
+      </uap:VisualElements>
+    </Application>
   </Applications>
 
   <Capabilities>
diff --git a/clients/windows/packaging/pack-msix.ps1 b/clients/windows/packaging/pack-msix.ps1
index 83112f66..9aac70fa 100644
--- a/clients/windows/packaging/pack-msix.ps1
+++ b/clients/windows/packaging/pack-msix.ps1
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path (Join-Path $layout 'Assets') | Out-Nul
 # session client the shell spawns for every stream (sibling resolution — see clients/windows/
 # src/spawn.rs); Skia links statically and vulkan-1.dll is a GPU-driver component, so the session
 # adds no DLLs of its own.
-$required = @('punktfunk-client.exe', 'punktfunk-session.exe', 'Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.Bootstrap.dll', 'SDL3.dll', 'resources.pri')
+$required = @('punktfunk-client.exe', 'punktfunk-session.exe', 'punktfunk-console.exe', 'Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.Bootstrap.dll', 'SDL3.dll', 'resources.pri')
 foreach ($f in $required) {
     $src = Join-Path $TargetDir $f
     if (-not (Test-Path $src)) { throw "missing build artifact '$f' in $TargetDir (did 'cargo build --release' run?)" }
diff --git a/clients/windows/src/app/hosts.rs b/clients/windows/src/app/hosts.rs
index 890ccdaa..8b658df5 100644
--- a/clients/windows/src/app/hosts.rs
+++ b/clients/windows/src/app/hosts.rs
@@ -352,10 +352,15 @@ pub(crate) fn hosts_page(props: &HostsProps, cx: &mut RenderCx) -> Element {
         );
     }
 
-    // A controller is connected and a paired host is REACHABLE (advertising or probed —
-    // an offline host would just open the console onto an error scene): offer the couch
-    // experience — the console (gamepad) UI on the most recently used such host.
-    if CONSOLE_UI_AVAILABLE && props.pads > 0 {
+    // The couch entry point, for the most recently used paired + REACHABLE host (an offline
+    // one would just open the console onto an error scene).
+    //
+    // Deliberately NOT gated on a controller being connected any more: it used to be, which
+    // meant that with no pad plugged in the gamepad UI had no visible entry point on this
+    // page at all — its only other door is the per-host overflow menu, behind a "…" nobody
+    // opens. The card now always shows (the copy below adapts), so the feature is findable
+    // before you own the hardware for it.
+    if CONSOLE_UI_AVAILABLE {
         let reachable = |k: &&crate::trust::KnownHost| {
             hosts
                 .iter()
@@ -382,12 +387,27 @@ pub(crate) fn hosts_page(props: &HostsProps, cx: &mut RenderCx) -> Element {
                 card(
                     grid((
                         vstack((
-                            text_block("Controller detected").font_size(14.0).semibold(),
-                            text_block(format!(
-                                "Browse {}\u{2019}s game library with the gamepad \u{2014} \
-                                 launches stream in the same window.",
-                                k.name
-                            ))
+                            text_block(if props.pads > 0 {
+                                "Controller detected"
+                            } else {
+                                "Console UI"
+                            })
+                            .font_size(14.0)
+                            .semibold(),
+                            text_block(if props.pads > 0 {
+                                format!(
+                                    "Browse {}\u{2019}s game library with the gamepad \u{2014} \
+                                     launches stream in the same window.",
+                                    k.name
+                                )
+                            } else {
+                                format!(
+                                    "The couch interface for {} \u{2014} a controller- and \
+                                     remote-friendly library that launches streams in the same \
+                                     window. Works with keyboard arrows too.",
+                                    k.name
+                                )
+                            })
                             .font_size(12.0)
                             .wrap()
                             .foreground(ThemeRef::SecondaryText),
diff --git a/clients/windows/src/bin/punktfunk-console.rs b/clients/windows/src/bin/punktfunk-console.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06538880
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/windows/src/bin/punktfunk-console.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+//! `punktfunk-console.exe` — the couch/HTPC entry point.
+//!
+//! Exists because an MSIX `<Application>` cannot pass ARGUMENTS to a full-trust executable:
+//! a second Start-menu tile therefore cannot simply be "punktfunk-client.exe --console", it
+//! needs its own executable. This is that executable, and it is deliberately nothing but a
+//! hand-off — it starts the session binary's `--browse` mode (the complete controller-driven
+//! client: host list, discovery, PIN pairing, settings, Wake-on-LAN, library) fullscreen and
+//! mirrors its exit code, so whatever supervises this process sees the real result.
+//!
+//! `--windowed` keeps it in a window; everything else is the session binary's own business.
+
+// No console window: this is launched from a Start-menu tile / shortcut, and a flashing
+// console behind the couch UI looks like a crash.
+#![cfg_attr(windows, windows_subsystem = "windows")]
+
+#[cfg(windows)]
+fn main() {
+    // The session binary ships beside us in the package; fall back to PATH for a dev run.
+    let session = std::env::current_exe()
+        .ok()
+        .map(|e| e.with_file_name("punktfunk-session.exe"))
+        .filter(|p| p.exists())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| "punktfunk-session".into());
+
+    let mut cmd = std::process::Command::new(session);
+    cmd.arg("--browse");
+    if !std::env::args().any(|a| a == "--windowed") {
+        cmd.arg("--fullscreen");
+    }
+    match cmd.status() {
+        Ok(st) => std::process::exit(st.code().unwrap_or(0)),
+        Err(_) => std::process::exit(1),
+    }
+}
+
+/// The workspace builds on Linux/macOS too; there is nothing to launch there.
+#[cfg(not(windows))]
+fn main() {}
diff --git a/clients/windows/src/main.rs b/clients/windows/src/main.rs
index c6340683..aa256880 100644
--- a/clients/windows/src/main.rs
+++ b/clients/windows/src/main.rs
@@ -76,6 +76,27 @@ fn main() {
         return;
     }
 
+    // `--console`: go straight to the gamepad/couch UI, skipping the WinUI shell entirely —
+    // the HTPC entry point (a Start-menu tile, a Steam shortcut, a startup item). The session
+    // binary's bare `--browse` IS a complete standalone client: host list, discovery, PIN
+    // pairing, settings and Wake-on-LAN, all controller-driven. We just exec it and mirror
+    // its exit code, so anything supervising this process sees the real result.
+    if flag("--console") {
+        let mut cmd = std::process::Command::new(spawn::session_binary());
+        cmd.arg("--browse");
+        // A couch UI is fullscreen unless explicitly told otherwise.
+        if !flag("--windowed") {
+            cmd.arg("--fullscreen");
+        }
+        match cmd.status() {
+            Ok(st) => std::process::exit(st.code().unwrap_or(0)),
+            Err(e) => {
+                eprintln!("could not start the console UI: {e}");
+                std::process::exit(1);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     // Windowed (default): the WinUI 3 app owns host selection, settings, and pairing.
     // Framework-dependent deployment: initialize the Windows App SDK runtime before any WinUI
     // call (build.rs stages the bootstrap DLL via windows-reactor-setup).