diff --git a/assets/vk.ico b/assets/vk.ico
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6925d0b
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/vk.ico differ
diff --git a/assets/vk.png b/assets/vk.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4c6580
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/vk.png differ
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index bcfc042..757b811 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@
 
     log.info("[FROZEN] Environment configured for frozen app")
 
+from PyQt6.QtGui import QIcon
 from PyQt6.QtWidgets import QApplication
 from voxkit.config import STARTUP_SCRIPT
+from voxkit.config.app_config import get_app_icon_path
 from voxkit.gui import VoxKitGUI
 from voxkit.gui.workers.startup import execute_mfa_provisioning, execute_startup_script
 
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ def main():
 
     app = QApplication(sys.argv)
     app.setStyle("Fusion")
+    app.setWindowIcon(QIcon(str(get_app_icon_path())))
 
     # Execute startup script on first launch (before GUI initialization)
     log.info("Running startup script")
diff --git a/scripts/build.py b/scripts/build.py
index 70811ed..4dc7930 100644
--- a/scripts/build.py
+++ b/scripts/build.py
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ def build(args):
         # This is important because PyInstaller resolves paths relative to CWD
         project_root = Path(__file__).parent.parent
         original_cwd = Path.cwd()
-        
+
         if original_cwd != project_root:
                 print(f"[INFO] Changing working directory to project root: {project_root}")
                 os.chdir(project_root)
-        
+
         opts = []
 
         # Basic options
@@ -136,6 +136,17 @@ def build(args):
                 opts.append(f'--specpath={args.specpath}')
         if args.icon:
                 opts.append(f'--icon={args.icon}')
+        else:
+                # Default the executable's embedded icon, so packaged builds do
+                # not ship with PyInstaller's generic one. This is separate from
+                # the runtime QIcon: --icon is what Explorer, the Start menu and
+                # a pinned shortcut read off the .exe itself, before the app has
+                # run at all. Windows needs .ico; macOS needs .icns, which we do
+                # not ship, and Linux ignores the flag entirely.
+                default_icon = project_root / "assets" / "vk.ico"
+                if sys.platform == "win32" and default_icon.exists():
+                        print(f"[INFO] Using default executable icon: {default_icon}")
+                        opts.append(f'--icon={default_icon}')
 
         # Hidden imports
         default_hidden = [
@@ -184,6 +195,14 @@ def build(args):
                 print("[INFO] Adding vendor folder to build assets")
                 opts.append(f'--add-data={vendor_dir}{sep}vendor')
 
+        # Add assets folder if it exists (branding images used for the in-app
+        # window icon and first-launch splash logo, resolved at runtime via
+        # voxkit.config.app_config.get_assets_root())
+        assets_dir = project_root / "assets"
+        if assets_dir.exists() and assets_dir.is_dir():
+                print("[INFO] Adding assets folder to build assets")
+                opts.append(f'--add-data={assets_dir}{sep}assets')
+
         for ad in args.add_data:
                 if sep in ad:
                         opts.append(f'--add-data={ad}')
@@ -217,7 +236,7 @@ def build(args):
                         print(f"   Run with: ./dist/{args.name}/{args.name}")
                 else:
                         print(f"\n⚠️  Expected build output not found at {app_path}")
-        
+
         # Restore original working directory
         if original_cwd != project_root:
                 os.chdir(original_cwd)
diff --git a/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py b/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py
index c6376a9..1455e3b 100644
--- a/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py
+++ b/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py
@@ -36,6 +36,36 @@ def get_config_root() -> Path:
         return Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent.parent / "config"
 
 
+def get_assets_root() -> Path:
+    """Get the path to the assets root directory.
+
+    Returns the correct assets path whether running from source or as a
+    PyInstaller bundle.
+
+    Returns:
+        Path to the assets directory
+    """
+    if getattr(sys, "_MEIPASS", None):
+        return Path(getattr(sys, "_MEIPASS")) / "assets"
+    else:
+        return Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent.parent / "assets"
+
+
+def get_app_icon_path() -> Path:
+    """Get the best available runtime icon file for QIcon/QPixmap use.
+
+    Prefers the Windows .ico (multi-resolution, sharper in the taskbar/title
+    bar) when on Windows, falling back to the PNG everywhere else.
+
+    Returns:
+        Path to the icon file
+    """
+    root = get_assets_root()
+    if sys.platform == "win32" and (root / "vk.ico").exists():
+        return root / "vk.ico"
+    return root / "vk.png"
+
+
 def get_active_profile() -> str:
     """Get the active configuration profile name.
 
diff --git a/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py b/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py
index 0878851..1758972 100644
--- a/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py
+++ b/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py
@@ -411,7 +411,10 @@ def open_feedback(self):
         webbrowser.open(mailto_url)
 
     def init_ui(self):
+        from voxkit.config.app_config import get_app_icon_path
+
         self.setWindowTitle(self.app_config.app_name)
+        self.setWindowIcon(QIcon(str(get_app_icon_path())))
         self.setMinimumSize(1200, 800)
 
         # Set application-wide stylesheet