diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 09c5008..1715c6e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ environment); set `LOG_FILE` in it since there is no console.
 
 Suggested layout: `C:\Program Files\gpu-turnstile\` for the exe and
 `gpu-turnstile.env`, logs under `C:\ProgramData\gpu-turnstile\` via
-`LOG_FILE`. The service runs as `LocalSystem` by default, which can write
-the install directory for self-updates. For least privilege, run it as the
-virtual account `NT SERVICE\gpu-turnstile` and grant write access to just
-those two directories.
+`LOG_FILE`. The service always runs as the virtual account
+`NT SERVICE\gpu-turnstile` (low-privilege, per-service, no password); the
+installer automatically grants it write access to the install and log
+directories — nothing else to do.
 
 ### Run natively on Linux (systemd)
 
diff --git a/SPEC.md b/SPEC.md
index e5208d6..3eb5bf3 100644
--- a/SPEC.md
+++ b/SPEC.md
@@ -180,13 +180,16 @@ install|remove` does the same thing.
   it 5 s after any failure.
 - **Layout**: install to `C:\Program Files\gpu-turnstile\` (exe plus
   `gpu-turnstile.env`); logs belong in `C:\ProgramData\gpu-turnstile\` via
-  `LOG_FILE`. The service must be able to write its install directory for
-  self-updates — Program Files is writable by LocalSystem and admins, which
-  is why running as the default `LocalSystem` account is the simple choice.
-- **Account**: the default `LocalSystem` works out of the box. For least
-  privilege, create the service with the virtual account
-  `NT SERVICE\gpu-turnstile` and grant it write access to the install and
-  log directories only (no network logon, no user profile).
+  `LOG_FILE`.
+- **Account**: the service always runs as the virtual account
+  `NT SERVICE\gpu-turnstile` — a per-service low-privilege identity the
+  SCM manages (no password, automatic logon-as-a-service right, no admin
+  rights, gone when the service is removed). The installer grants it
+  modify access to the install directory (self-updates rewrite the exe)
+  and the `LOG_FILE` directory (created if missing), plus read access to
+  the config file when it lives elsewhere. The grants happen after service
+  registration because the virtual account's SID only exists from that
+  point on; if a grant fails the service registration is rolled back.
 - Use a config file (above) for the service — Windows services have no
   convenient environment. Logs go to `LOG_FILE` since there is no console.
 
diff --git a/internal/service/service_windows.go b/internal/service/service_windows.go
index 6760762..bfe8fce 100644
--- a/internal/service/service_windows.go
+++ b/internal/service/service_windows.go
@@ -2,22 +2,34 @@
 
 // Package service integrates gpu-turnstile with the Windows Service
 // Control Manager: running as a service with graceful stop, plus
-// install/remove helpers.
+// install/remove helpers. Installed services always run as the virtual
+// account NT SERVICE\gpu-turnstile — a per-service low-privilege identity
+// managed by the SCM, with no password and no admin rights.
 package service
 
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/svc"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/svc/mgr"
+
+	"gpu-turnstile/internal/config"
 )
 
 // Name is the Windows service name.
 const Name = "gpu-turnstile"
 
+// virtualAccount is the per-service identity the service runs as. The SCM
+// manages it: no password, automatic "log on as a service" right, gone
+// when the service is removed.
+const virtualAccount = `NT SERVICE\` + Name
+
 // IsService reports whether the process is running as a Windows service.
 func IsService() bool {
 	isSvc, err := svc.IsWindowsService()
@@ -64,15 +76,26 @@ func (h *handler) Execute(_ []string, requests <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, status
 	}
 }
 
-// Install registers gpu-turnstile as an auto-start Windows service whose
-// binPath loads the given config file. Recovery actions restart the
-// service after 5s on failure — this is also what brings up a staged
-// update after the updater exits with a non-zero code.
+// Install registers gpu-turnstile as an auto-start Windows service running
+// as the NT SERVICE\gpu-turnstile virtual account, whose binPath loads the
+// given config file. Recovery actions restart the service after 5s on
+// failure — this is also what brings up a staged update after the updater
+// exits with a non-zero code. After registering, the virtual account is
+// granted modify access to the install directory (self-updates rewrite the
+// exe) and to the LOG_FILE directory, and read access to the config file
+// if it lives elsewhere. The grants must come after CreateService: the
+// virtual account's SID only exists once the service is registered.
 func Install(configPath string) error {
 	exe, err := os.Executable()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if configPath != "" {
+		if abs, absErr := filepath.Abs(configPath); absErr == nil {
+			configPath = abs
+		}
+	}
+
 	m, err := mgr.Connect()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("connect to service manager (run as administrator): %w", err)
@@ -81,9 +104,10 @@ func Install(configPath string) error {
 
 	binPath := fmt.Sprintf(`"%s" -config "%s"`, exe, configPath)
 	s, err := m.CreateService(Name, binPath, mgr.Config{
-		StartType:   mgr.StartAutomatic,
-		DisplayName: "gpu-turnstile",
-		Description: "GPU arbitration proxy for Ollama and ComfyUI",
+		StartType:        mgr.StartAutomatic,
+		DisplayName:      "gpu-turnstile",
+		Description:      "GPU arbitration proxy for Ollama and ComfyUI",
+		ServiceStartName: virtualAccount,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create service: %w", err)
@@ -97,10 +121,39 @@ func Install(configPath string) error {
 	if err := s.SetRecoveryActionsOnNonCrashFailures(true); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("set failure actions flag: %w", err)
 	}
+
+	if err := grantAll(exe, configPath); err != nil {
+		s.Delete() // roll back so a retry starts clean
+		return err
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Remove stops (if running) and unregisters the service.
+// grantAll gives the virtual account every ACL the service needs.
+func grantAll(exe, configPath string) error {
+	exeDir := filepath.Dir(exe)
+	if err := grantAccess(exeDir, "(OI)(CI)(M)"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if configPath != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(strings.ToLower(configPath), strings.ToLower(exeDir)+`\`) {
+		if err := grantAccess(configPath, "(R)"); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	if logFile := configuredLogFile(configPath); logFile != "" {
+		dir := filepath.Dir(logFile)
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0o755); err == nil {
+			if err := grantAccess(dir, "(OI)(CI)(M)"); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Remove stops (if running) and unregisters the service. The virtual
+// account ceases to exist with it; the ACL grants on the install and log
+// directories are left in place (harmless without the account).
 func Remove() error {
 	m, err := mgr.Connect()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -118,3 +171,28 @@ func Remove() error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// grantAccess gives the virtual account the icacls permission set (e.g.
+// "(OI)(CI)(M)") on path.
+func grantAccess(path, perms string) error {
+	out, err := exec.Command("icacls", path, "/grant", virtualAccount+":"+perms).CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("grant %s access to %s: %w (%s)", virtualAccount, path, err, strings.TrimSpace(string(out)))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// configuredLogFile reads LOG_FILE from the config file so the installer
+// can pre-create and ACL the log directory. "" when unset or unreadable.
+func configuredLogFile(configPath string) string {
+	f, err := os.Open(configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	values, err := config.ParseEnvFile(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return values["LOG_FILE"]
+}