diff --git a/windows/branding/lib/BrandingLayers.ps1 b/windows/branding/lib/BrandingLayers.ps1
index aa07ba4..7425954 100644
--- a/windows/branding/lib/BrandingLayers.ps1
+++ b/windows/branding/lib/BrandingLayers.ps1
@@ -35,10 +35,18 @@ function Set-DesktopBranding {
         Set-SmRegValue -Root $DefaultUserRoot -SubKey $p -Name 'AppsUseLightTheme'   -Type DWord -Value 0
         Set-SmRegValue -Root $DefaultUserRoot -SubKey $p -Name 'SystemUsesLightTheme' -Type DWord -Value 0
     }
-    # Accent color as COLORREF (0x00RRGGBB). #00d4ff = cyan.
-    $bgr = [Convert]::ToInt32($Manifest.desktop.accentColor,16)
-    Set-SmRegValue -Root $DefaultUserRoot -SubKey 'Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM' -Name 'AccentColor'       -Type DWord -Value $bgr
-    Set-SmRegValue -Root $DefaultUserRoot -SubKey 'Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM' -Name 'ColorizationColor' -Type DWord -Value $bgr
+    # Accent (cyan). DWM uses fully-opaque DWORDs with DIFFERENT byte orders:
+    #   ColorizationColor = 0xAARRGGBB (ARGB);  AccentColor = 0xAABBGGRR (ABGR).
+    # Manifest holds the plain RGB hex (source of truth); derive both, alpha=FF.
+    # NOTE: exact accent rendering is VM-verified (plan §9 soft spot).
+    $rgb = $Manifest.desktop.accentColor.TrimStart('#')
+    $r = [Convert]::ToInt32($rgb.Substring(0,2),16)
+    $g = [Convert]::ToInt32($rgb.Substring(2,2),16)
+    $b = [Convert]::ToInt32($rgb.Substring(4,2),16)
+    $argb = [int](0xFF000000 -bor ($r -shl 16) -bor ($g -shl 8) -bor $b)   # ColorizationColor
+    $abgr = [int](0xFF000000 -bor ($b -shl 16) -bor ($g -shl 8) -bor $r)   # AccentColor
+    Set-SmRegValue -Root $DefaultUserRoot -SubKey 'Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM' -Name 'AccentColor'       -Type DWord -Value $abgr
+    Set-SmRegValue -Root $DefaultUserRoot -SubKey 'Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM' -Name 'ColorizationColor' -Type DWord -Value $argb
     if (-not $Manifest.desktop.lockWallpaper) { return }
     Set-SmRegValue -Root $DefaultUserRoot -SubKey 'Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop' -Name 'NoChangingWallPaper' -Type DWord -Value 1
 }
diff --git a/windows/installer/autounattend/autounattend.xml b/windows/installer/autounattend/autounattend.xml
index 773914e..522cedb 100644
--- a/windows/installer/autounattend/autounattend.xml
+++ b/windows/installer/autounattend/autounattend.xml
@@ -101,10 +101,11 @@
         </LocalAccounts>
       </UserAccounts>
       <!--
-        AutoLogon: logs in as sm-bootstrap exactly once so that FirstLogonCommands
-        can launch the Welcome wizard.  After the wizard completes successfully,
-        ApplyService removes the AutoAdminLogon registry values and deletes
-        sm-bootstrap, so the one-time session cannot be re-entered.
+        AutoLogon: logs in as sm-bootstrap exactly once so that Shell Launcher v2
+        (configured by Configure-Kiosk.ps1, run from SetupComplete.cmd) can launch
+        the Welcome wizard as the sm-bootstrap session shell.  After the wizard
+        completes successfully, ApplyService removes the AutoAdminLogon registry
+        values and deletes sm-bootstrap, so the one-time session cannot be re-entered.
       -->
       <AutoLogon>
         <Enabled>true</Enabled>
diff --git a/windows/installer/build.ps1 b/windows/installer/build.ps1
index 73e7982..ddf78a1 100644
--- a/windows/installer/build.ps1
+++ b/windows/installer/build.ps1
@@ -222,17 +222,18 @@ function Invoke-ServiceWim {
         Copy-WelcomePayload
 
         # Bake the four branding layers into the offline hives (must be inside the mount).
-        Write-Stage 'Stage 3e: bake SilverMetal branding (OEM/lockscreen/desktop/bitlocker)'
+        Write-Stage 'Stage 3d: bake SilverMetal branding (OEM/lockscreen/desktop/bitlocker)'
         & (Join-Path $WindowsDir 'branding\Apply-Branding.ps1') -Mode Offline -MountPath $mount
         if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw 'branding apply failed' }
 
         # Bake offline UAC auto-approve policy so the Welcome wizard (launched via
-        # Start-Process -Verb RunAs in FirstLogonCommands) silently elevates during
-        # the ephemeral sm-bootstrap session without a UAC prompt.
+        # Shell Launcher v2 (Configure-Kiosk.ps1) as the sm-bootstrap shell, which
+        # elevates the app) silently elevates during the ephemeral sm-bootstrap
+        # session without a UAC prompt.
         # UAC stays enabled (EnableLUA=1); the wizard's hardening re-tightens the
         # policy for the daily user.  Only applies when Welcome is enabled.
         if ($env:SILVERMETAL_WELCOME_ENABLED -ne '0') {
-            Write-Stage 'Stage 3d: bake offline UAC auto-approve policy (silent elevation for sm-bootstrap)'
+            Write-Stage 'Stage 3e: bake offline UAC auto-approve policy (silent elevation for sm-bootstrap)'
             $hive = Join-Path $mount 'Windows\System32\config\SOFTWARE'
             & reg load HKLM\SM_OFFLINE "$hive" | Out-Null
             if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw 'reg load SOFTWARE hive failed' }