diff --git a/crates/cli/src/commands/clean.rs b/crates/cli/src/commands/clean.rs
index eb69d26fa..092388150 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/commands/clean.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/commands/clean.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 use crate::helpers::ToolsLoader;
 use clap::Args;
 use dialoguer::Confirm;
-use proto_core::{get_plugins_dir, get_temp_dir, load_tool, Id, ProtoError, Tool, VersionSpec};
+use proto_core::{
+    get_plugins_dir, get_temp_dir, load_tool, remove_bin_file, Id, ProtoError, Tool, VersionSpec,
+};
 use starbase::diagnostics::IntoDiagnostic;
 use starbase::{system, SystemResult};
 use starbase_styles::color;
@@ -206,7 +208,7 @@ pub async fn purge_tool(id: &Id, yes: bool) -> SystemResult {
 
         // Delete binaries
         for bin in tool.get_bin_locations()? {
-            fs::remove_link(bin.path)?;
+            remove_bin_file(bin.path)?;
         }
 
         // Delete shims
diff --git a/crates/core/src/helpers.rs b/crates/core/src/helpers.rs
index a0cc60855..b7c1f7af5 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/helpers.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/helpers.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use regex::Regex;
 use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
 use serde::Serialize;
+use sha2::digest::typenum::Len;
 use sha2::{Digest, Sha256};
 use starbase_archive::is_supported_archive_extension;
 use starbase_utils::dirs::home_dir;
@@ -235,3 +236,17 @@ pub fn write_json_file_with_lock<T: Serialize>(
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+pub fn remove_bin_file(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> miette::Result<()> {
+    let path = path.as_ref();
+    let metadata = std::fs::symlink_metadata(path).into_diagnostic()?;
+
+    // Unix uses symlinks for bins, while Windows copies the file
+    if metadata.is_symlink() {
+        fs::remove_link(path)?;
+    } else {
+        fs::remove_file(path)?;
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/crates/core/src/tool.rs b/crates/core/src/tool.rs
index 9edd328f3..1c841a19a 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/tool.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/tool.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use crate::error::ProtoError;
-use crate::events::*;
 use crate::helpers::{
     extract_filename_from_url, hash_file_contents, is_archive_file, is_cache_enabled, is_offline,
     ENV_VAR,
@@ -9,6 +8,7 @@ use crate::proto::ProtoEnvironment;
 use crate::shimmer::{get_shim_file_names, ShimContext, SHIM_VERSION};
 use crate::tool_manifest::ToolManifest;
 use crate::version_resolver::VersionResolver;
+use crate::{events::*, remove_bin_file};
 use extism::{manifest::Wasm, Manifest as PluginManifest};
 use miette::IntoDiagnostic;
 use proto_pdk_api::*;
@@ -1459,11 +1459,14 @@ impl Tool {
                 "Creating binary symlink"
             );
 
-            fs::remove_link(&output_path)?;
+            remove_bin_file(&output_path)?;
 
+            // Windows requires admin privileges to create soft/hard links,
+            // so just copy the binary... Annoying...
             #[cfg(windows)]
             {
-                std::os::windows::fs::symlink_file(input_path, &output_path).into_diagnostic()?;
+                // std::os::windows::fs::symlink_file(input_path, &output_path).into_diagnostic()?;
+                fs::copy_file(input_path, &output_path)?;
             }
 
             #[cfg(not(windows))]
@@ -1561,7 +1564,7 @@ impl Tool {
         // otherwise the OS will throw errors for missing sources
         if self.manifest.default_version.is_none() || self.manifest.installed_versions.is_empty() {
             for bin in self.get_bin_locations()? {
-                fs::remove_link(bin.path)?;
+                remove_bin_file(bin.path)?;
             }
         }