diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b722962..d4e1820 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ This repository contains the initial production-minded MVP scaffold:
 
 ## Desktop Requirements
 
-- Windows x86: package NexaVPN with the bundled Windows x86 tunnel helper
+- Windows x64: package NexaVPN with the bundled Windows x64 tunnel helper
 - macOS ARM: package NexaVPN with the bundled macOS ARM tunnel helper
 
 See [client-platforms.md](/mnt/c/Users/neste/Documents/GIT/NexaVPN/docs/client-platforms.md) for the current platform strategy.
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Helper build commands:
 
 ```bash
 cd desktop-client
-npm run helper:windows-x86
+npm run helper:windows-x64
 npm run helper:macos-arm64
 ```
 
@@ -64,17 +64,19 @@ Ubuntu-to-Windows `Setup.exe` build:
 ```bash
 cd desktop-client
 cargo install --locked cargo-xwin
-rustup target add i686-pc-windows-msvc
+rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
 npm install
-npm run helper:windows-x86
-npm run tauri:build:windows-x86:linux
+npm run helper:windows-x64
+npm run tauri:build:windows-x64:linux
 ```
 
 The resulting NSIS installer is written to:
 
 - `desktop-client/src-tauri/target/i686-pc-windows-msvc/release/bundle/nsis/`
+ - `desktop-client/src-tauri/target/x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/release/bundle/nsis/`
 
 This Linux cross-build path is intended for NSIS `Setup.exe` output. Native MSI packaging and final Windows code signing should still be done on Windows.
+For `x86_64-pc-windows-msvc`, the build uses the Windows `x86_64` SDK/CRT set via `cargo-xwin`.
 
 Gateway utility scripts:
 
diff --git a/desktop-client/package.json b/desktop-client/package.json
index 5c3ec80..8ac206c 100644
--- a/desktop-client/package.json
+++ b/desktop-client/package.json
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@
     "build": "tsc -b && vite build",
     "tauri:dev": "tauri dev",
     "tauri:build": "tauri build",
-    "helper:windows-x86": "bash ./scripts/build-tunnel-helper.sh i686-pc-windows-msvc",
+    "helper:windows-x64": "bash ./scripts/build-tunnel-helper.sh x86_64-pc-windows-msvc",
     "helper:macos-arm64": "bash ./scripts/build-tunnel-helper.sh aarch64-apple-darwin",
-    "tauri:build:windows-x86:linux": "tauri build --runner cargo-xwin --target i686-pc-windows-msvc --config src-tauri/tauri.windows.conf.json"
+    "tauri:build:windows-x64:linux": "XWIN_ARCH=x86_64 tauri build --runner cargo-xwin --target x86_64-pc-windows-msvc --config src-tauri/tauri.windows.conf.json"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@tauri-apps/api": "^2.3.0",
diff --git a/desktop-client/scripts/build-tunnel-helper.sh b/desktop-client/scripts/build-tunnel-helper.sh
index 3fb6b87..00e7f09 100644
--- a/desktop-client/scripts/build-tunnel-helper.sh
+++ b/desktop-client/scripts/build-tunnel-helper.sh
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ if [ -z "${TARGET}" ]; then
 fi
 
 case "${TARGET}" in
-  i686-pc-windows-msvc)
-    OUTPUT_DIR="${BUNDLED_DIR}/windows-x86"
+  x86_64-pc-windows-msvc)
+    OUTPUT_DIR="${BUNDLED_DIR}/windows-x64"
     OUTPUT_NAME="nexavpn-tunnel-helper.exe"
     ;;
   aarch64-apple-darwin)
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ case "${TARGET}" in
     ;;
 esac
 
-if [ "${TARGET}" = "i686-pc-windows-msvc" ]; then
+if [ "${TARGET}" = "x86_64-pc-windows-msvc" ]; then
   case "${HOST_OS}" in
     MINGW64_NT*|MSYS_NT*|CYGWIN_NT*)
       ;;
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ if [ "${TARGET}" = "i686-pc-windows-msvc" ]; then
       fi
       ;;
     *)
-      echo "Windows x86 helper builds are supported on Windows or on Linux with cargo-xwin."
+      echo "Windows x64 helper builds are supported on Windows or on Linux with cargo-xwin."
       echo "Current host: ${HOST_OS}"
       echo "Install the target with:"
-      echo "  rustup target add i686-pc-windows-msvc"
+      echo "  rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-msvc"
       exit 1
       ;;
   esac
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ if ! rustup target list --installed | grep -qx "${TARGET}"; then
 fi
 
 mkdir -p "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
-if [ "${HOST_OS}" = "Linux" ] && [ "${TARGET}" = "i686-pc-windows-msvc" ]; then
-  cargo xwin build --manifest-path "${HELPER_DIR}/Cargo.toml" --release --target "${TARGET}"
+if [ "${HOST_OS}" = "Linux" ] && [ "${TARGET}" = "x86_64-pc-windows-msvc" ]; then
+  cargo xwin build --manifest-path "${HELPER_DIR}/Cargo.toml" --release --target "${TARGET}" --xwin-arch x86_64
 else
   cargo build --manifest-path "${HELPER_DIR}/Cargo.toml" --release --target "${TARGET}"
 fi
diff --git a/desktop-client/src-tauri/bundled/windows-x64/README.txt b/desktop-client/src-tauri/bundled/windows-x64/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d75a73d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop-client/src-tauri/bundled/windows-x64/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Bundle the Windows x64 NexaVPN tunnel helper here.
diff --git a/desktop-client/src-tauri/src/tunnel_manager.rs b/desktop-client/src-tauri/src/tunnel_manager.rs
index 6073c05..0b267d9 100644
--- a/desktop-client/src-tauri/src/tunnel_manager.rs
+++ b/desktop-client/src-tauri/src/tunnel_manager.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use tauri::{AppHandle, Manager};
 
 pub fn current_tunnel_strategy() -> &'static str {
     if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
-        "embedded-wireguard-windows-x86"
+        "embedded-wireguard-windows-x64"
     } else if cfg!(target_os = "macos") {
         "embedded-wireguard-macos-arm"
     } else {
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ fn bundled_backend(app: &AppHandle) -> Result<PathBuf, String> {
         .map_err(|err| format!("Unable to resolve resource dir: {}", err))?;
 
     let relative = if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
-        PathBuf::from("bundled/windows-x86/nexavpn-tunnel-helper.exe")
+        PathBuf::from("bundled/windows-x64/nexavpn-tunnel-helper.exe")
     } else if cfg!(target_os = "macos") {
         PathBuf::from("bundled/macos-arm64/nexavpn-tunnel-helper")
     } else {
-        return Err("This NexaVPN client build supports embedded tunnel backends only for Windows x86 and macOS ARM".into());
+        return Err("This NexaVPN client build supports embedded tunnel backends only for Windows x64 and macOS ARM".into());
     };
 
     let path = resource_dir.join(relative);
diff --git a/docs/client-platforms.md b/docs/client-platforms.md
index 0d83a96..ef499f5 100644
--- a/docs/client-platforms.md
+++ b/docs/client-platforms.md
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 # Desktop Platform Strategy
 
-## Windows x86
+## Windows x64
 
 Current MVP integration path:
 
 - NexaVPN enrolls the device and stores the generated profile locally.
-- NexaVPN is intended to ship its own bundled Windows x86 tunnel helper.
+- NexaVPN is intended to ship its own bundled Windows x64 tunnel helper.
 - The end user should interact only with NexaVPN.
 - The bundled helper encapsulates the WireGuard runtime internally.
 
 Repository status:
 
 - the NexaVPN tunnel helper CLI is now included in `desktop-client/tunnel-helper/`
-- the Windows x86 build can be bundled into `src-tauri/bundled/windows-x86/`
-- Ubuntu server builds can cross-compile the Windows x86 helper and Tauri app with `cargo-xwin`
+- the Windows x64 build can be bundled into `src-tauri/bundled/windows-x64/`
+- Ubuntu server builds can cross-compile the Windows x64 helper and Tauri app with `cargo-xwin`
 - the Linux-based Windows packaging path targets NSIS `Setup.exe`; MSI packaging still requires a Windows environment
 
 ## macOS ARM