diff --git a/quartz/cli/handlers.js b/quartz/cli/handlers.js
index 084014e..3bf762f 100644
--- a/quartz/cli/handlers.js
+++ b/quartz/cli/handlers.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   gitPull,
   popContentFolder,
   stashContentFolder,
+  symlinkOrCopy,
 } from "./helpers.js"
 import {
   handlePluginRestore,
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ export async function handleCreate(argv) {
         preserveTimestamps: true,
       })
     } else if (setupStrategy === "symlink") {
-      await fs.promises.symlink(originalFolder, contentFolder, "dir")
+      await symlinkOrCopy(originalFolder, contentFolder)
     }
   } else if (setupStrategy === "new") {
     await fs.promises.writeFile(
diff --git a/quartz/cli/helpers.js b/quartz/cli/helpers.js
index 18c160b..7339e24 100644
--- a/quartz/cli/helpers.js
+++ b/quartz/cli/helpers.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { styleText } from "util"
 import { contentCacheFolder } from "./constants.js"
 import { spawnSync } from "child_process"
 import fs from "fs"
+import path from "path"
 
 export function escapePath(fp) {
   return fp
@@ -52,3 +53,57 @@ export async function popContentFolder(contentFolder) {
   })
   await fs.promises.rm(contentCacheFolder, { force: true, recursive: true })
 }
+
+/**
+ * Create a directory symlink with Windows fallback.
+ *
+ * On Windows, creating symlinks requires Developer Mode or admin privileges.
+ * When that fails (EPERM), we try a junction first (no elevation needed),
+ * then fall back to a recursive copy as a last resort.
+ *
+ * @param {string} target  Symlink target (may be relative)
+ * @param {string} linkPath  Path where the link is created
+ */
+export function symlinkOrCopySync(target, linkPath) {
+  try {
+    fs.symlinkSync(target, linkPath, "dir")
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err.code === "EEXIST") return
+    if (err.code === "EPERM" && process.platform === "win32") {
+      try {
+        fs.symlinkSync(target, linkPath, "junction")
+        return
+      } catch {
+        const resolvedTarget = path.resolve(path.dirname(linkPath), target)
+        fs.cpSync(resolvedTarget, linkPath, { recursive: true })
+        return
+      }
+    }
+    throw err
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Async version of {@link symlinkOrCopySync}.
+ *
+ * @param {string} target  Symlink target (may be relative)
+ * @param {string} linkPath  Path where the link is created
+ */
+export async function symlinkOrCopy(target, linkPath) {
+  try {
+    await fs.promises.symlink(target, linkPath, "dir")
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err.code === "EEXIST") return
+    if (err.code === "EPERM" && process.platform === "win32") {
+      try {
+        await fs.promises.symlink(target, linkPath, "junction")
+        return
+      } catch {
+        const resolvedTarget = path.resolve(path.dirname(linkPath), target)
+        await fs.promises.cp(resolvedTarget, linkPath, { recursive: true })
+        return
+      }
+    }
+    throw err
+  }
+}
diff --git a/quartz/cli/plugin-git-handlers.js b/quartz/cli/plugin-git-handlers.js
index 6ff7360..3a2278d 100644
--- a/quartz/cli/plugin-git-handlers.js
+++ b/quartz/cli/plugin-git-handlers.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
   resolveLockfileName,
   getNameOverrides,
 } from "./plugin-data.js"
+import { symlinkOrCopySync } from "./helpers.js"
 
 const INTERNAL_EXPORTS = new Set(["manifest", "default"])
 
@@ -128,12 +129,7 @@ function needsBuild(pluginDir) {
  *     share a single copy of packages like unified, vfile, rehype-raw, etc.
  */
 function trySymlink(target, linkPath) {
-  try {
-    fs.symlinkSync(target, linkPath, "dir")
-  } catch (err) {
-    if (err.code === "EEXIST") return
-    throw err
-  }
+  symlinkOrCopySync(target, linkPath)
 }
 
 function linkPeerPlugins(pluginDir) {
@@ -621,7 +617,7 @@ export async function handlePluginInstallUnified({
           }
           console.log(styleText("cyan", `→ Linking ${name} from ${resolvedPath}...`))
           fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(pluginDir), { recursive: true })
-          fs.symlinkSync(resolvedPath, pluginDir, "dir")
+          symlinkOrCopySync(resolvedPath, pluginDir)
           lockfile.plugins[name] = {
             source: entry.source,
             resolved: resolvedPath,
@@ -810,7 +806,7 @@ export async function handlePluginInstallUnified({
             continue
           }
           fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(pluginDir), { recursive: true })
-          fs.symlinkSync(entry.resolved, pluginDir, "dir")
+          symlinkOrCopySync(entry.resolved, pluginDir)
           console.log(styleText("green", `✓ ${name} restored (local symlink)`))
           restoredPlugins.push({ name, pluginDir })
           installed++
@@ -1045,7 +1041,7 @@ export async function handlePluginInstallUnified({
           continue
         }
         fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(pluginDir), { recursive: true })
-        fs.symlinkSync(entry.resolved, pluginDir, "dir")
+        symlinkOrCopySync(entry.resolved, pluginDir)
         console.log(styleText("green", `  ✓ ${name} (local) linked`))
         pluginsToBuild.push({ name, pluginDir })
         installed++
@@ -1222,7 +1218,7 @@ export async function handlePluginAdd(
         }
         console.log(styleText("cyan", `→ Adding ${name} from local path ${resolvedPath}...`))
         fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(pluginDir), { recursive: true })
-        fs.symlinkSync(resolvedPath, pluginDir, "dir")
+        symlinkOrCopySync(resolvedPath, pluginDir)
         lockfile.plugins[name] = {
           source,
           resolved: resolvedPath,