diff --git a/AmiReel.csproj b/AmiReel.csproj
index 78d3d0b..596d6b2 100644
--- a/AmiReel.csproj
+++ b/AmiReel.csproj
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@
          which a single-file self-contained publish bundles into the exe in a way that ms-appx://
          can no longer resolve at runtime — this embedded copy sidesteps that entirely. -->
     <EmbeddedResource Include="Assets\Square44x44Logo.scale-200.png" LogicalName="AmiReel.Assets.TitleBarIcon.png" />
+    <!-- Loaded at runtime and extracted to a real .ico file for AppWindow.SetIcon (MainWindow.xaml.cs),
+         which sets the taskbar/Alt+Tab window icon and requires an actual .ico file path — passing
+         the .exe path there does not work. Embedding it keeps this independent of publish mode too. -->
+    <EmbeddedResource Include="branding\AmiReel.ico" LogicalName="AmiReel.Assets.AppIcon.ico" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <!--
diff --git a/MainWindow.xaml.cs b/MainWindow.xaml.cs
index b7dedb5..dad9b19 100644
--- a/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -34,10 +34,7 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window
         ExtendsContentIntoTitleBar = true;
         SetTitleBar(AppTitleBar);
 
-        string? executablePath = Environment.ProcessPath;
-        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(executablePath) && File.Exists(executablePath))
-            AppWindow.SetIcon(executablePath);
-
+        SetWindowIcon();
         SetDefaultSizeAndPosition();
         LoadTitleBarIcon();
 
@@ -47,6 +44,38 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window
         AppWindow.Closing += AppWindow_Closing;
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Sets the window's taskbar/Alt+Tab icon. <see cref="AppWindow.SetIcon(string)"/> requires an
+    /// actual .ico file path (an .exe path is silently ignored), so the embedded .ico is extracted
+    /// once to a stable file under %LOCALAPPDATA% and that path is used instead.
+    /// </summary>
+    private void SetWindowIcon()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            string iconPath = Path.Combine(
+                Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData),
+                "AmiReel", "app-icon.ico");
+
+            if (!File.Exists(iconPath))
+            {
+                Directory.CreateDirectory(Path.GetDirectoryName(iconPath)!);
+                Assembly assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
+                using Stream? resource = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream("AmiReel.Assets.AppIcon.ico");
+                if (resource is null) return;
+
+                using FileStream file = File.Create(iconPath);
+                resource.CopyTo(file);
+            }
+
+            AppWindow.SetIcon(iconPath);
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // Non-critical: the window simply keeps whatever default icon Windows assigned.
+        }
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Loads the title bar icon from an embedded resource instead of an "ms-appx:///Assets/..."
     /// URI. A single-file self-contained publish bundles Content/Assets items into the exe in a