diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 39eb0325..606b3e31 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -327,8 +327,8 @@ Nothing below the front ends depends on a UI toolkit or OS API. `cargo xtask ci`
 
 Installers and executables are code-signed.
 
-**If the app doesn't open on Windows:** the desktop app initializes only DirectX 12 by default.
-Letting wgpu also create an OpenGL instance can crash some graphics drivers (AMD's
+**If the app doesn't open on Windows:** the desktop app initializes only Vulkan and DirectX 12 by
+default, not OpenGL. Letting wgpu also create an OpenGL instance can crash some graphics drivers (AMD's
 `atio6axx.dll`) before the window appears, so the app would flash in Task Manager and quit.
 `WGPU_BACKEND` overrides the default for troubleshooting (for example `dx12` or `vulkan`). In
 PowerShell, from the folder containing the executable:
diff --git a/apps/filmcraft/src/graphics.rs b/apps/filmcraft/src/graphics.rs
index ccd0c459..b2be99cb 100644
--- a/apps/filmcraft/src/graphics.rs
+++ b/apps/filmcraft/src/graphics.rs
@@ -2,16 +2,18 @@
 
 use eframe::{NativeOptions, egui_wgpu::WgpuSetup, wgpu::Backends};
 
-/// Restrict the wgpu instance to DirectX 12 unless `backend_override` (normally
-/// `Backends::from_env()`, i.e. `WGPU_BACKEND`) names other backends.
+/// Restrict the wgpu instance to the primary backends (Vulkan, DirectX 12, Metal), i.e. leave
+/// OpenGL out, unless `backend_override` (normally `Backends::from_env()`, i.e. `WGPU_BACKEND`)
+/// names other backends.
 pub fn configure(options: &mut NativeOptions, backend_override: Option<Backends>) {
     if let WgpuSetup::CreateNew(create) = &mut options.wgpu_options.wgpu_setup {
         // eframe's default includes GL. Creating that backend can crash inside AMD's
         // atio6axx.dll before adapter selection or any Rust error handling runs, so the
         // window never appears. Choosing an adapter afterwards is too late: only leaving GL
-        // out of the instance avoids it. This matches the verified WGPU_BACKEND=dx12
-        // workaround without mutating process environment variables.
-        create.instance_descriptor.backends = backend_override.unwrap_or(Backends::DX12);
+        // out of the instance avoids it. Keep Vulkan and DX12 both: forcing DX12 alone sends
+        // shaders through FXC (which rejects fx.wgsl, silently falling back to the CPU) and
+        // leaves machines without DX12 with no backend at all.
+        create.instance_descriptor.backends = backend_override.unwrap_or(Backends::PRIMARY);
     }
 }
 
@@ -29,13 +31,16 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn windows_default_initializes_only_dx12() {
+    fn windows_default_leaves_out_gl() {
         // eframe's own default (PRIMARY | GL) would initialize OpenGL as well.
         let WgpuSetup::CreateNew(eframe_default) = NativeOptions::default().wgpu_options.wgpu_setup else {
             panic!("default native options must create a wgpu instance");
         };
         assert!(eframe_default.instance_descriptor.backends.contains(Backends::GL));
-        assert_eq!(configured_backends(None), Backends::DX12);
+        let configured = configured_backends(None);
+        assert_eq!(configured, Backends::PRIMARY);
+        assert!(!configured.contains(Backends::GL));
+        assert!(configured.contains(Backends::DX12) && configured.contains(Backends::VULKAN));
     }
 
     #[test]