diff --git a/opennow-stable/src/main/index.ts b/opennow-stable/src/main/index.ts
index b3c3e40..caec56f 100644
--- a/opennow-stable/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/opennow-stable/src/main/index.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ import type {
   SessionConflictChoice,
   PingResult,
   StreamRegion,
-  VideoAccelerationPreference,
   ScreenshotDeleteRequest,
   ScreenshotEntry,
   ScreenshotSaveAsRequest,
@@ -71,20 +70,15 @@ import {
 import { fetchSubscription, fetchDynamicRegions } from "./gfn/subscription";
 import { GfnSignalingClient } from "./gfn/signaling";
 import { isSessionError, SessionError, GfnErrorCode } from "./gfn/errorCodes";
+import { getBootstrapVideoPrefs } from "./videoAccelerationBootstrap";
 
 const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
 const __dirname = dirname(__filename);
 
 // Configure Chromium video and WebRTC behavior before app.whenReady().
-// Video acceleration is always set to "auto" - decoder and encoder preferences removed from settings
-
-const bootstrapVideoPrefs: {
-  decoderPreference: VideoAccelerationPreference;
-  encoderPreference: VideoAccelerationPreference;
-} = {
-  decoderPreference: "auto",
-  encoderPreference: "auto",
-};
+// Intel-only Windows: software decode/encode avoids broken D3D11/MF WebRTC paths on some iGPUs.
+
+const bootstrapVideoPrefs = getBootstrapVideoPrefs();
 console.log(
   `[Main] Video acceleration: decode=${bootstrapVideoPrefs.decoderPreference}, encode=${bootstrapVideoPrefs.encoderPreference}`,
 );
diff --git a/opennow-stable/src/main/videoAccelerationBootstrap.ts b/opennow-stable/src/main/videoAccelerationBootstrap.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..264fc94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opennow-stable/src/main/videoAccelerationBootstrap.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+import { execSync } from "node:child_process";
+import type { VideoAccelerationPreference } from "@shared/gfn";
+
+/**
+ * On Windows, Chromium's D3D11 + Media Foundation WebRTC decode path is unreliable on
+ * some Intel-only (iGPU) systems: streams can stay black with 0 Mbps while ICE is fine.
+ * When we detect no discrete NVIDIA/AMD GPU, force software decode/encode so WebRTC uses
+ * the CPU path (OpenH264 / dav1d) instead.
+ *
+ * Returns null if GPU list could not be read (keep "auto").
+ */
+function getWindowsVideoControllerNames(): string[] | null {
+  try {
+    const out = execSync("wmic path win32_VideoController get Name /format:list", {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      timeout: 5000,
+      windowsHide: true,
+      maxBuffer: 512 * 1024,
+    });
+    const names = out
+      .split(/\r?\n/)
+      .map((line) => line.trim())
+      .filter((line) => line.startsWith("Name="))
+      .map((line) => line.slice("Name=".length).trim())
+      .filter(Boolean);
+    if (names.length > 0) {
+      return names;
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // WMIC may be missing or fail on some installs
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const out = execSync(
+      "powershell -NoProfile -NonInteractive -Command \"Get-CimInstance Win32_VideoController | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Name\"",
+      {
+        encoding: "utf8",
+        timeout: 8000,
+        windowsHide: true,
+        maxBuffer: 512 * 1024,
+      },
+    );
+    const names = out
+      .split(/\r?\n/)
+      .map((s) => s.trim())
+      .filter(Boolean);
+    return names.length > 0 ? names : null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * True when the machine appears to use only Intel graphics (typical iGPU-only laptops).
+ * False when any NVIDIA or AMD discrete adapter is present.
+ */
+function isWindowsIntelOnlySystem(): boolean | null {
+  const names = getWindowsVideoControllerNames();
+  if (names === null) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  if (names.length === 0) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const hasDiscreteNvidiaOrAmd = names.some((n) => {
+    const lower = n.toLowerCase();
+    return lower.includes("nvidia") || /\bamd\b/.test(lower) || lower.includes("radeon");
+  });
+  if (hasDiscreteNvidiaOrAmd) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const hasIntel = names.some((n) => /\bintel\b/i.test(n));
+  if (hasIntel) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return null;
+}
+
+export interface BootstrapVideoPrefs {
+  decoderPreference: VideoAccelerationPreference;
+  encoderPreference: VideoAccelerationPreference;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Chromium command-line video prefs applied before app.ready.
+ * Intel-only Windows: prefer software paths to avoid broken HW WebRTC decode on some iGPUs.
+ */
+export function getBootstrapVideoPrefs(): BootstrapVideoPrefs {
+  if (process.platform !== "win32") {
+    return { decoderPreference: "auto", encoderPreference: "auto" };
+  }
+
+  const intelOnly = isWindowsIntelOnlySystem();
+  if (intelOnly === true) {
+    console.log(
+      "[Main] Windows: Intel-only GPU — using software video decode/encode (WebRTC iGPU workaround)",
+    );
+    return { decoderPreference: "software", encoderPreference: "software" };
+  }
+  if (intelOnly === null) {
+    console.log("[Main] Windows: GPU list unavailable; video acceleration remains auto");
+  }
+  return { decoderPreference: "auto", encoderPreference: "auto" };
+}