diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f5aa689..97a2ead 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -174,6 +174,21 @@ are in [ROADMAP.md](ROADMAP.md).
 
 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
+`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:
+
+```powershell
+$env:WGPU_BACKEND = "vulkan"
+& .\gridcraft.exe
+Remove-Item Env:WGPU_BACKEND                     # restore the default for later launches
+```
+
+An explicit `gl` override can bring the driver crash back on affected systems. The macOS, Linux
+and web backend defaults are unchanged.
+
 ### macOS
 
 | Build | File | Notes |
diff --git a/apps/gridcraft/src/graphics.rs b/apps/gridcraft/src/graphics.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccd0c45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/gridcraft/src/graphics.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+//! Windows graphics instance configuration, applied before wgpu can initialize any driver.
+
+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.
+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);
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn configured_backends(backend_override: Option<Backends>) -> Backends {
+        let mut options = NativeOptions::default();
+        configure(&mut options, backend_override);
+        let WgpuSetup::CreateNew(create) = options.wgpu_options.wgpu_setup else {
+            panic!("default native options must create a wgpu instance");
+        };
+        create.instance_descriptor.backends
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn windows_default_initializes_only_dx12() {
+        // 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);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn explicit_backend_override_is_preserved() {
+        for backends in [Backends::VULKAN, Backends::GL, Backends::DX12, Backends::VULKAN | Backends::DX12, Backends::empty()] {
+            assert_eq!(configured_backends(Some(backends)), backends);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs b/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs
index 6acaf51..c342ae4 100644
--- a/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/gridcraft/src/main.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #![deny(clippy::unwrap_used, clippy::expect_used, clippy::panic, clippy::unimplemented, clippy::todo, clippy::unreachable)]
 
 mod control_server;
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "windows", test))]
+mod graphics;
 #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
 mod native_menu;
 
@@ -187,6 +189,13 @@ fn main() -> eframe::Result<()> {
         viewport = viewport.with_icon(i);
     }
     let options = eframe::NativeOptions { viewport, ..Default::default() };
+    // Before eframe creates the wgpu instance: default Windows to DirectX 12 only (see graphics.rs).
+    #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+    let options = {
+        let mut options = options;
+        graphics::configure(&mut options, eframe::wgpu::Backends::from_env());
+        options
+    };
     eframe::run_native(
         "GridCraft",
         options,