diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b9bfee..dab9bc1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,9 +88,11 @@ Verify: run `/ghost-status` in Claude Code, then restart Codex.
 
 ### Windows (PowerShell)
 
-Native PowerShell — no WSL required. `install.ps1` creates the same symlink
-layout as the POSIX installer, so `/ghost-update` and the once-a-day update
-check behave identically.
+Native PowerShell — no WSL required, **no admin rights and no Developer Mode**.
+`install.ps1` wires each skill back to the repo with directory junctions and a
+copy of `SKILL.md`, none of which need elevated privileges (symbolic links on
+Windows do, which is why the script avoids them). Update with `update.ps1`,
+which re-syncs everything.
 
 ```powershell
 git clone git@github.com:leanpub/ghostai.git $HOME\.claude\skills\ghostai
@@ -98,18 +100,14 @@ git clone git@github.com:leanpub/ghostai.git $HOME\.claude\skills\ghostai
 ```
 
 Use `-Codex` for Codex, or `-All` for both. Verify by opening Claude Code and
-running `/ghost-status`. Two Windows-specific notes:
+running `/ghost-status`.
 
-- **Symbolic links.** The installer links each skill back to the repo, which on
-  Windows needs either **Developer Mode** (Settings → Privacy & security → For
-  developers) or an elevated ("Run as administrator") PowerShell. `install.ps1`
-  checks up front and tells you which to enable — it won't fail silently.
-- **Execution policy.** If PowerShell blocks the script with a policy error, run
-  it for the current session only:
-
-  ```powershell
-  powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File $HOME\.claude\skills\ghostai\install.ps1 -Claude
-  ```
+> **Execution policy.** If PowerShell blocks the script with a policy error, run
+> it for the current session only:
+>
+> ```powershell
+> powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File $HOME\.claude\skills\ghostai\install.ps1 -Claude
+> ```
 
 > **HTTPS clone:** replace `git@github.com:` with `https://github.com/` if you
 > don't have SSH keys set up.
@@ -148,10 +146,11 @@ Three gotchas account for most install problems:
 1. **Corporate proxies** block the `git clone`. Ask your network admin to whitelist
    `github.com`, or clone from a personal network.
 2. **Missing SSH keys.** Use the HTTPS clone URL — no keys needed.
-3. **Windows symlink errors.** `install.ps1` needs permission to create symbolic
-   links — enable Developer Mode (Settings → Privacy & security → For developers)
-   or run PowerShell as Administrator. Prefer WSL2? Install it and run the Linux
-   commands from inside it instead.
+3. **Windows execution policy.** If PowerShell refuses to run `install.ps1`, launch
+   it with `powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File ...` (see the Windows install
+   section). The installer itself needs no admin rights or Developer Mode — it uses
+   directory junctions and a file copy, not symbolic links. Prefer WSL2? Install it
+   and run the Linux commands from inside it instead.
 
 ## The Loop
 
diff --git a/install.ps1 b/install.ps1
index 861ddcd..d06d852 100644
--- a/install.ps1
+++ b/install.ps1
@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@
 
 .DESCRIPTION
   Installs GhostAI skills for Claude Code and/or Codex by creating lightweight
-  wrapper directories of symbolic links that point back at this repository.
+  wrapper directories that point back at this repository.
 
-  This is the PowerShell port of install.sh and produces an identical on-disk
-  layout, so the bash-based daily update checker and /ghost-update remain
-  compatible with a PowerShell install.
+  Unlike install.sh (which uses symbolic links), this script uses directory
+  junctions for directories and copies SKILL.md, because symbolic links on
+  Windows require admin or Developer Mode while junctions and file copies need
+  no special privileges. The resulting skill directories are equivalent: each
+  contains SKILL.md plus shared/ (and specialists/ and agents/ where present).
 
 .PARAMETER Claude
   Install skills into ~\.claude\skills
@@ -30,10 +32,9 @@
   .\install.ps1 -All
 
 .NOTES
-  Creating symbolic links on Windows requires either Developer Mode (Settings >
-  Privacy & security > For developers) or an elevated (Administrator) PowerShell
-  session. The script checks up front and explains what to do if links can't be
-  created.
+  No admin rights or Developer Mode required: directory junctions and file
+  copies work for a standard user. SKILL.md is copied rather than linked, and
+  update.ps1 re-copies it on every update so it stays in sync with the repo.
 #>
 [CmdletBinding()]
 param(
@@ -93,38 +94,6 @@ if (-not $target) {
     }
 }
 
-# Verify we can create symbolic links before touching anything.
-function Test-SymlinkSupport {
-    $base = Join-Path ([System.IO.Path]::GetTempPath()) ('ghostai-symtest-' + [System.Guid]::NewGuid().ToString('N'))
-    $link = "$base-link"
-    try {
-        New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $base -Force | Out-Null
-        New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path $link -Target $base -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null
-        return $true
-    } catch {
-        return $false
-    } finally {
-        if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $link) { Remove-Item -LiteralPath $link -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue }
-        if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $base) { Remove-Item -LiteralPath $base -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue }
-    }
-}
-
-if (-not (Test-SymlinkSupport)) {
-    Write-Host ''
-    Write-Host 'Error: Unable to create symbolic links on this system.' -ForegroundColor Red
-    Write-Host ''
-    Write-Host 'GhostAI installs by linking each skill back to this repository.'
-    Write-Host 'Windows allows that in one of two ways:'
-    Write-Host ''
-    Write-Host '  1) Enable Developer Mode (recommended, no admin needed):'
-    Write-Host '     Settings > Privacy & security > For developers > Developer Mode'
-    Write-Host ''
-    Write-Host '  2) Re-run this script from an elevated PowerShell:'
-    Write-Host '     right-click PowerShell > "Run as administrator"'
-    Write-Host ''
-    exit 1
-}
-
 # Discover the ghost-* skills shipped in this repo.
 $skills = @()
 foreach ($dir in Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath $ScriptDir -Directory -Filter 'ghost-*') {
@@ -138,33 +107,66 @@ if ($skills.Count -eq 0) {
     exit 1
 }
 
-# Create a symbolic link at $Target pointing to $Source, idempotently.
+# Make $Target mirror $Source, idempotently and without elevated privileges.
+#   - Directory source -> a junction (no admin / Developer Mode needed).
+#   - File source (SKILL.md) -> a copy. Junctions can't target files, and a
+#     hard link would go stale when git replaces the file on update; update.ps1
+#     re-copies on every update so the copy stays current.
 function New-GhostLink {
     param(
         [Parameter(Mandatory)][string]$Source,
         [Parameter(Mandatory)][string]$Target
     )
 
-    $sourceReal = (Resolve-Path -LiteralPath $Source).Path
+    $sourceItem = Get-Item -LiteralPath $Source -Force
+    $sourceReal = $sourceItem.FullName
+    $sourceIsDir = $sourceItem.PSIsContainer
 
-    # If the link already points where we want, leave it alone.
     if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Target) {
         $existing = Get-Item -LiteralPath $Target -Force
-        if ($existing.LinkType -eq 'SymbolicLink' -and $existing.Target) {
-            $existingTarget = $existing.Target | Select-Object -First 1
+
+        # Never touch the target when it resolves to the source itself. This is
+        # the documented install flow: the repo is cloned straight into its
+        # final location ($HOME\.claude\skills\ghostai) and then linked, so the
+        # repo-link's Source and Target are the same path. Deleting here would
+        # wipe the freshly cloned checkout.
+        $targetReal = $null
+        try { $targetReal = (Resolve-Path -LiteralPath $Target -ErrorAction Stop).Path } catch { }
+        if ($targetReal -and $targetReal -eq $sourceReal) { return }
+
+        $isReparse = [bool]($existing.Attributes -band [System.IO.FileAttributes]::ReparsePoint)
+
+        # A junction already pointing where we want? Leave it.
+        if ($sourceIsDir -and $isReparse -and $existing.Target) {
+            $existingTarget = @($existing.Target)[0]
             if (-not [System.IO.Path]::IsPathRooted($existingTarget)) {
                 $existingTarget = Join-Path (Split-Path -Parent $Target) $existingTarget
             }
             try { $existingTarget = (Resolve-Path -LiteralPath $existingTarget -ErrorAction Stop).Path } catch { }
             if ($existingTarget -eq $sourceReal) { return }
         }
-    }
 
-    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Target) {
-        Remove-Item -LiteralPath $Target -Recurse -Force
+        # Replace it. For a reparse point (junction or a symlink left by an older
+        # install) delete ONLY the link itself — a non-recursive delete.
+        # Remove-Item -Recurse on a directory reparse point in Windows PowerShell
+        # 5.1 follows the link and deletes the target's contents, which would
+        # destroy the real repo files.
+        if ($isReparse) {
+            if ($existing.PSIsContainer) {
+                [System.IO.Directory]::Delete($existing.FullName, $false)
+            } else {
+                [System.IO.File]::Delete($existing.FullName)
+            }
+        } else {
+            Remove-Item -LiteralPath $Target -Recurse -Force
+        }
     }
 
-    New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path $Target -Target $sourceReal -Force | Out-Null
+    if ($sourceIsDir) {
+        New-Item -ItemType Junction -Path $Target -Target $sourceReal | Out-Null
+    } else {
+        Copy-Item -LiteralPath $sourceReal -Destination $Target -Force
+    }
 }
 
 function Install-Skills {