diff --git a/authoring-ui/App.xaml b/authoring-ui/App.xaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf2f3f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/authoring-ui/App.xaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<Application
+    x:Class="Covenant.Setup.Authoring.AuthoringApp"
+    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
+    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
+    xmlns:controls="using:Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls">
+    <Application.Resources>
+        <controls:XamlControlsResources />
+    </Application.Resources>
+</Application>
diff --git a/authoring-ui/Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj b/authoring-ui/Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj
index 71d81cb..9742a97 100644
--- a/authoring-ui/Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj
+++ b/authoring-ui/Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj
@@ -7,13 +7,15 @@
     <WindowsAppSDKSelfContained Condition="'$(RuntimeIdentifier)' != ''">true</WindowsAppSDKSelfContained>
     <WindowsAppSdkBootstrapInitialize>false</WindowsAppSdkBootstrapInitialize>
     <WindowsAppSdkDeploymentManagerInitialize>false</WindowsAppSdkDeploymentManagerInitialize>
-    <WindowsAppSdkUndockedRegFreeWinRTInitialize>false</WindowsAppSdkUndockedRegFreeWinRTInitialize>
+    <WindowsAppSdkUndockedRegFreeWinRTInitialize Condition="'$(RuntimeIdentifier)' != ''">true</WindowsAppSdkUndockedRegFreeWinRTInitialize>
+    <WindowsAppSdkUndockedRegFreeWinRTInitialize Condition="'$(RuntimeIdentifier)' == ''">false</WindowsAppSdkUndockedRegFreeWinRTInitialize>
     <RuntimeIdentifiers>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifiers>
     <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
     <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
     <AssemblyName>Covenant.Setup.Authoring</AssemblyName>
     <RootNamespace>Covenant.Setup.Authoring</RootNamespace>
     <ApplicationManifest>app.manifest</ApplicationManifest>
+    <DefineConstants>$(DefineConstants);DISABLE_XAML_GENERATED_MAIN</DefineConstants>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="2.0.1" />
@@ -21,4 +23,7 @@
   <ItemGroup>
     <InternalsVisibleTo Include="Covenant.Setup.Authoring.Tests" />
   </ItemGroup>
+  <Target Name="CopyWinUIPriToPublishDirectory" AfterTargets="Publish" Condition="'$(PublishDir)' != '' and Exists('$(OutDir)$(AssemblyName).pri')">
+    <Copy SourceFiles="$(OutDir)$(AssemblyName).pri" DestinationFolder="$(PublishDir)" SkipUnchangedFiles="true" />
+  </Target>
 </Project>
diff --git a/authoring-ui/Covenant.Setup.Authoring.iss b/authoring-ui/Covenant.Setup.Authoring.iss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e9dac91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/authoring-ui/Covenant.Setup.Authoring.iss
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+; Inno Setup script for the Covenant Setup Authoring UI.
+;
+; Build prerequisites from the repository root:
+;   dotnet publish .\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained true -o .\dist\authoring-ui
+;
+; Compile this installer from the repository root:
+;   iscc .\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.iss
+
+#define MyAppName "Covenant Setup Authoring"
+#define MyAppVersion "0.1.0"
+#define MyAppPublisher "covenant-setup"
+#define MyAppExeName "Covenant.Setup.Authoring.exe"
+#define MyPublishDir "..\dist\authoring-ui"
+
+[Setup]
+AppId={{0E0A77B1-2045-49D9-A722-2C9B328BE900}
+AppName={#MyAppName}
+AppVersion={#MyAppVersion}
+AppPublisher={#MyAppPublisher}
+DefaultDirName={localappdata}\Programs\Covenant Setup Authoring
+DefaultGroupName={#MyAppName}
+DisableProgramGroupPage=yes
+PrivilegesRequired=lowest
+MinVersion=10.0.19041
+ArchitecturesAllowed=x64compatible
+ArchitecturesInstallIn64BitMode=x64compatible
+OutputDir=..\dist\inno
+OutputBaseFilename=covenant-setup-authoring-installer
+Compression=lzma2
+SolidCompression=yes
+WizardStyle=modern
+SetupLogging=yes
+UninstallDisplayIcon={app}\{#MyAppExeName}
+VersionInfoVersion={#MyAppVersion}.0
+VersionInfoDescription=Covenant Setup Authoring installer
+
+[Languages]
+Name: "english"; MessagesFile: "compiler:Default.isl"
+
+[Tasks]
+Name: "desktopicon"; Description: "{cm:CreateDesktopIcon}"; GroupDescription: "Additional shortcuts:"; Flags: unchecked
+
+[Files]
+Source: "{#MyPublishDir}\*"; DestDir: "{app}"; Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs createallsubdirs
+Source: "README.md"; DestDir: "{app}\docs"; DestName: "authoring-ui-readme.md"; Flags: ignoreversion
+
+[Icons]
+Name: "{group}\Covenant Setup Authoring"; Filename: "{app}\{#MyAppExeName}"; WorkingDir: "{app}"
+Name: "{group}\Authoring UI README"; Filename: "{app}\docs\authoring-ui-readme.md"
+Name: "{group}\Uninstall Covenant Setup Authoring"; Filename: "{uninstallexe}"
+Name: "{autodesktop}\Covenant Setup Authoring"; Filename: "{app}\{#MyAppExeName}"; WorkingDir: "{app}"; Tasks: desktopicon
+
+[Run]
+Filename: "{app}\{#MyAppExeName}"; Description: "Launch Covenant Setup Authoring"; Flags: nowait postinstall skipifsilent unchecked
diff --git a/authoring-ui/Program.cs b/authoring-ui/Program.cs
index 37c60da..17ba881 100644
--- a/authoring-ui/Program.cs
+++ b/authoring-ui/Program.cs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ internal static class Program
     [STAThread]
     private static void Main()
     {
+        WinRT.ComWrappersSupport.InitializeComWrappers();
         Application.Start(_params =>
         {
             var dispatcherQueue = DispatcherQueue.GetForCurrentThread();
@@ -22,10 +23,15 @@ internal static class Program
     }
 }
 
-internal sealed class AuthoringApp : Application
+partial class AuthoringApp : Application
 {
     private Window? _window;
 
+    public AuthoringApp()
+    {
+        InitializeComponent();
+    }
+
     protected override void OnLaunched(LaunchActivatedEventArgs args)
     {
         var window = new MainWindow();
diff --git a/authoring-ui/README.md b/authoring-ui/README.md
index 8da2157..730aff0 100644
--- a/authoring-ui/README.md
+++ b/authoring-ui/README.md
@@ -14,6 +14,32 @@ Run unit tests from the repository root:
 dotnet test .\authoring-ui.Tests\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.Tests.csproj
 ```
 
+Build a release publish from the repository root:
+
+```powershell
+dotnet publish .\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained true -o .\dist\authoring-ui
+```
+
+The published app entry point is:
+
+```powershell
+.\dist\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.exe
+```
+
+Keep the full `dist\authoring-ui` folder together when copying it to another Windows machine. The release output includes the WinUI, Windows App SDK, and .NET runtime files required by the app.
+
+Build the Inno Setup installer from the repository root:
+
+```powershell
+iscc .\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.iss
+```
+
+The installer output is:
+
+```powershell
+.\dist\inno\covenant-setup-authoring-installer.exe
+```
+
 The app edits the current manifest schema:
 
 - `app_name`
diff --git a/authoring-ui/README.md~ b/authoring-ui/README.md~
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0770993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/authoring-ui/README.md~
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# Covenant Setup Authoring UI
+
+WinUI 3 desktop app for creating `install.toml` manifests for `covenant-setup`.
+
+Run from the repository root:
+
+```powershell
+dotnet run --project .\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj
+```
+
+Run unit tests from the repository root:
+
+```powershell
+dotnet test .\authoring-ui.Tests\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.Tests.csproj
+```
+
+Build a release publish from the repository root:
+
+```powershell
+dotnet publish .\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.csproj -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained true -o .\dist\authoring-ui
+```
+
+The published app entry point is:
+
+```powershell
+.\dist\authoring-ui\Covenant.Setup.Authoring.exe
+```
+
+Keep the full `dist\authoring-ui` folder together when copying it to another Windows machine. The release output includes the WinUI, Windows App SDK, and .NET runtime files required by the app.
+
+The app edits the current manifest schema:
+
+- `app_name`
+- `directories`
+- `files`
+- `registry`
+- `shortcuts`
+- `scripts`
+- `purge`
+
+It keeps a live TOML preview, validates required fields locally, warns when a manifest appears to require elevation, and saves a TOML file through the Windows file picker.
+
+## Installer EXE Generation
+
+The Installer EXE section is enabled only when the app finds `covenant-setup.exe`. It checks:
+
+- next to the authoring app
+- the current working directory
+- `target\release` and `target\debug` under nearby repo roots
+- directories on `PATH`
+
+When enabled, **Generate Installer EXE** writes the current TOML to the selected `install.toml` location and runs:
+
+```powershell
+covenant-setup.exe --json package install.toml --output <output-directory>
+```
+
+The manifest should be saved in the payload source root so relative file sources package correctly.