diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index b6edc34..c7de43d 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1190,6 +1190,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "directories",
  "futures-util",
  "image",
+ "libc",
  "open",
  "ratatui",
  "reqwest",
@@ -1203,6 +1204,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "toml",
  "tracing",
  "tracing-subscriber",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 57a0997..0d313f1 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -31,3 +31,9 @@ tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3.23", features = ["env-filter"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(target_os="macos")'.dependencies]
 core-foundation = "0.10.1"
+
+[target."cfg(windows)".dependencies]
+windows-sys = { version = "0.61.2", features = ["Win32_Foundation", "Win32_UI_WindowsAndMessaging", "Win32_System_LibraryLoader"] }
+
+[target."cfg(unix)".dependencies]
+libc = "0.2.186"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 828fd39..54a06f1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,13 +31,14 @@ zbus (no libdbus), images and audio decoding are Rust crates.
 
 ### macOS / Windows
 
-No system packages required. (Windows: media keys are not wired up yet;
-playback works.)
+No system packages required.
 
 ## Configuration
 
-- `~/.config/furumi/keymap.toml` — keybinding overrides, see
+- `keymap.toml` in the config dir — keybinding overrides, see
   `src/config/default_keymap.toml` for the format and defaults.
-- `~/.config/furumi/credentials.json` — created on login (0600).
+  Config dir: `~/.config/furumi` on Linux,
+  `~/Library/Application Support/furumi` on macOS.
+- `credentials.json` in the same dir — created on login (0600).
 - Logs: in-app on the Logs tab (`5`), and in the cache dir
   (`furumi-cli.log`), filtered by `RUST_LOG`.
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 150f826..c232e72 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     if let Err(err) = config::logging::init() {
         startup_warning = Some(format!("logging disabled: {err:#}"));
     }
+    capture_stderr();
     let (keymap, keymap_warning) = config::keymap::Keymap::load();
     let startup_warning = keymap_warning.or(startup_warning);
 
@@ -84,6 +85,46 @@ fn run_app(
     result
 }
 
+/// C libraries (ALSA on some distros, in particular) print warnings straight
+/// to stderr, which corrupts the TUI. Replace stderr with a pipe and forward
+/// every line into tracing — it lands in the Logs tab and the log file
+/// instead of the screen.
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn capture_stderr() {
+    use std::io::BufRead as _;
+    use std::os::fd::FromRawFd as _;
+
+    let mut fds = [0i32; 2];
+    // SAFETY: plain pipe/dup2 syscalls on freshly created fds.
+    unsafe {
+        if libc::pipe(fds.as_mut_ptr()) != 0 {
+            return;
+        }
+        let [read_fd, write_fd] = fds;
+        if libc::dup2(write_fd, libc::STDERR_FILENO) == -1 {
+            libc::close(read_fd);
+            libc::close(write_fd);
+            return;
+        }
+        libc::close(write_fd);
+        let reader = std::fs::File::from_raw_fd(read_fd);
+        std::thread::Builder::new()
+            .name("stderr".to_string())
+            .spawn(move || {
+                for line in std::io::BufReader::new(reader).lines() {
+                    let Ok(line) = line else { break };
+                    if !line.trim().is_empty() {
+                        tracing::warn!(target: "stderr", "{line}");
+                    }
+                }
+            })
+            .ok();
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(unix))]
+fn capture_stderr() {}
+
 /// Kitty keyboard protocol, where supported, disambiguates Esc from alt-keys
 /// and modifier combos. The flags are popped on exit and on panic — leaving
 /// them pushed corrupts the user's shell.
diff --git a/src/media.rs b/src/media.rs
index 0b0fd1e..ede89b5 100644
--- a/src/media.rs
+++ b/src/media.rs
@@ -4,10 +4,9 @@
 //! MPRemoteCommandCenter on macOS, SMTC on Windows. On macOS the command
 //! callbacks are only delivered while the main thread services its CFRunLoop,
 //! so the app runs on a worker thread and `run_on_main_thread` keeps the main
-//! thread pumping the run loop and applying metadata updates.
-//!
-//! Windows note: SMTC needs a window handle; creating a hidden window is not
-//! wired up yet, so media keys are skipped there with a log line.
+//! thread pumping the run loop and applying metadata updates. On Windows,
+//! SMTC needs a window: a hidden one is created here and its message queue
+//! is pumped the same way.
 
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, RecvTimeoutError};
 use std::time::Duration;
@@ -86,15 +85,23 @@ pub fn run_on_main_thread(
 }
 
 fn create_controls() -> Option<MediaControls> {
+    // SMTC on Windows attaches to a window; console apps create a hidden one.
+    #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+    let hwnd = match create_hidden_window() {
+        Some(hwnd) => Some(hwnd),
+        None => {
+            tracing::warn!("media keys: hidden window creation failed");
+            return None;
+        }
+    };
+    #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+    let hwnd = None;
+
     let config = PlatformConfig {
         display_name: "Furumi",
         dbus_name: "cy.hexor.furumi",
-        hwnd: None,
+        hwnd,
     };
-    if cfg!(windows) {
-        tracing::info!("media keys: hidden-window SMTC setup not implemented yet, skipping");
-        return None;
-    }
     match MediaControls::new(config) {
         Ok(controls) => Some(controls),
         Err(err) => {
@@ -104,6 +111,42 @@ fn create_controls() -> Option<MediaControls> {
     }
 }
 
+/// An invisible top-level window owning the SMTC session. Created on the
+/// main thread, which also pumps its messages in `pump_platform_events`.
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+fn create_hidden_window() -> Option<*mut std::ffi::c_void> {
+    use windows_sys::Win32::System::LibraryLoader::GetModuleHandleW;
+    use windows_sys::Win32::UI::WindowsAndMessaging::{
+        CreateWindowExW, DefWindowProcW, RegisterClassW, WNDCLASSW,
+    };
+    unsafe {
+        let class_name: Vec<u16> = "furumi_media_keys\0".encode_utf16().collect();
+        let instance = GetModuleHandleW(core::ptr::null());
+        let mut class: WNDCLASSW = core::mem::zeroed();
+        class.lpfnWndProc = Some(DefWindowProcW);
+        class.hInstance = instance;
+        class.lpszClassName = class_name.as_ptr();
+        if RegisterClassW(&class) == 0 {
+            return None;
+        }
+        let hwnd = CreateWindowExW(
+            0,
+            class_name.as_ptr(),
+            class_name.as_ptr(),
+            0,
+            0,
+            0,
+            0,
+            0,
+            core::ptr::null_mut(),
+            core::ptr::null_mut(),
+            instance,
+            core::ptr::null(),
+        );
+        if hwnd.is_null() { None } else { Some(hwnd) }
+    }
+}
+
 fn apply(controls: &mut MediaControls, update: MediaUpdate) {
     let result = match update {
         MediaUpdate::Metadata {
@@ -155,5 +198,21 @@ fn pump_platform_events() {
     );
 }
 
-#[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+/// On Windows the hidden SMTC window needs its message queue drained on the
+/// thread that created it.
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+fn pump_platform_events() {
+    use windows_sys::Win32::UI::WindowsAndMessaging::{
+        DispatchMessageW, MSG, PM_REMOVE, PeekMessageW, TranslateMessage,
+    };
+    unsafe {
+        let mut msg: MSG = core::mem::zeroed();
+        while PeekMessageW(&mut msg, core::ptr::null_mut(), 0, 0, PM_REMOVE) != 0 {
+            TranslateMessage(&msg);
+            DispatchMessageW(&msg);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "windows")))]
 fn pump_platform_events() {}