diff --git a/backend/backends/base.py b/backend/backends/base.py
index c566af10..9168b1fe 100644
--- a/backend/backends/base.py
+++ b/backend/backends/base.py
@@ -77,6 +77,36 @@ def is_model_cached(
         return False
 
 
+def _detect_iris_igpu() -> bool:
+    """
+    Detect if system has Intel Iris integrated GPU (Windows).
+
+    Iris iGPU is typically found on:
+    - Intel i5/i7 12th-14th gen (Alder Lake, Raptor Lake) with Iris Xe Graphics
+    - Intel Arc A-series mobile discrete GPUs also work with this path
+
+    Returns True if Iris/Intel iGPU detected, False otherwise.
+    """
+    if platform.system() != "Windows":
+        return False
+
+    try:
+        import wmi
+        wmi_obj = wmi.WMI()
+        for item in wmi_obj.Win32_VideoController():
+            name = item.Name or ""
+            # Match Intel Iris, UHD, Arc Graphics names
+            if any(intel_gfx in name for intel_gfx in ["Iris", "UHD Graphics", "Arc", "Intel Arc"]):
+                logger.info(f"Detected Intel iGPU: {name}")
+                return True
+    except (ImportError, Exception) as e:
+        logger.debug(f"Could not detect Iris iGPU via WMI: {e}")
+        # Fallback: just try DirectML and log what's available
+        pass
+
+    return False
+
+
 def get_torch_device(
     *,
     allow_xpu: bool = False,
@@ -92,6 +122,9 @@ def get_torch_device(
         allow_directml: Check for DirectML (Windows) support.
         allow_mps: Allow MPS (Apple Silicon). If False, MPS falls back to CPU.
         force_cpu_on_mac: Force CPU on macOS regardless of GPU availability.
+
+    Priority: CUDA > XPU > DirectML > MPS > CPU
+    DirectML on Windows covers Intel iGPU (Iris/UHD), AMD iGPU, Arc discrete.
     """
     if force_cpu_on_mac and platform.system() == "Darwin":
         return "cpu"
@@ -106,6 +139,7 @@ def get_torch_device(
             import intel_extension_for_pytorch  # noqa: F401
 
             if hasattr(torch, "xpu") and torch.xpu.is_available():
+                logger.info("Using Intel XPU device")
                 return "xpu"
         except ImportError:
             pass
@@ -114,15 +148,26 @@ def get_torch_device(
         try:
             import torch_directml
 
-            if torch_directml.device_count() > 0:
-                return torch_directml.device(0)
+            device_count = torch_directml.device_count()
+            if device_count > 0:
+                device = torch_directml.device(0)
+                iris_detected = _detect_iris_igpu()
+                if iris_detected:
+                    logger.info("Using DirectML device (Intel Iris iGPU detected)")
+                else:
+                    logger.info("Using DirectML device (Windows GPU acceleration via DirectML)")
+                return device
         except ImportError:
-            pass
+            logger.debug("torch_directml not installed, falling back to CPU or MPS")
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning(f"DirectML initialization failed: {e}, falling back to CPU or MPS")
 
     if allow_mps:
         if hasattr(torch.backends, "mps") and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
+            logger.info("Using MPS (Apple Metal Performance Shaders)")
             return "mps"
 
+    logger.info("No GPU detected, using CPU")
     return "cpu"
 
 
diff --git a/backend/backends/pytorch_backend.py b/backend/backends/pytorch_backend.py
index f8ae79b8..28391f0a 100644
--- a/backend/backends/pytorch_backend.py
+++ b/backend/backends/pytorch_backend.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def __init__(self, model_size: str = "1.7B"):
         self._current_model_size = None
 
     def _get_device(self) -> str:
-        """Get the best available device."""
+        """Get the best available device (CUDA > XPU > DirectML > CPU)."""
         return get_torch_device(allow_xpu=True, allow_directml=True)
 
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ def __init__(self, model_size: str = "base"):
         self.device = self._get_device()
 
     def _get_device(self) -> str:
-        """Get the best available device."""
+        """Get the best available device (CUDA > XPU > DirectML > CPU)."""
         return get_torch_device(allow_xpu=True, allow_directml=True)
 
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
diff --git a/backend/requirements.txt b/backend/requirements.txt
index caafc0e7..d68a8003 100644
--- a/backend/requirements.txt
+++ b/backend/requirements.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ accelerate>=0.26.0
 huggingface_hub>=0.20.0
 qwen-tts>=0.0.5
 
+# DirectML support for Windows Intel iGPU / integrated GPUs (Iris, UHD, Arc)
+# Latest dev version (1.13.0 stable not yet released); use latest 0.2.x dev
+torch-directml>=0.2.0 ; platform_system == "Windows"
+
 # LuxTTS (voice cloning engine)
 # piper-phonemize needs custom index (no PyPI wheels)
 --find-links https://k2-fsa.github.io/icefall/piper_phonemize.html
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_directml_iris.py b/backend/tests/test_directml_iris.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..99fc6926
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_directml_iris.py
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+"""
+Test DirectML device detection and Iris iGPU support on Windows.
+
+Run with: pytest backend/tests/test_directml_iris.py -v -s
+"""
+
+import platform
+import logging
+import pytest
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(platform.system() != "Windows", reason="DirectML tests only on Windows")
+class TestDirectMLDetection:
+    """Test DirectML device availability and Iris iGPU detection."""
+
+    def test_directml_import(self):
+        """Test torch_directml can be imported."""
+        try:
+            import torch_directml
+            assert torch_directml is not None
+            logger.info("✓ torch_directml imported successfully")
+        except ImportError as e:
+            pytest.skip(f"torch_directml not installed: {e}")
+
+    def test_directml_device_count(self):
+        """Test DirectML detects at least one device."""
+        try:
+            import torch_directml
+            device_count = torch_directml.device_count()
+            assert device_count > 0, f"DirectML device_count returned {device_count}, expected > 0"
+            logger.info(f"✓ DirectML detected {device_count} device(s)")
+        except ImportError:
+            pytest.skip("torch_directml not installed")
+
+    def test_directml_device_creation(self):
+        """Test creating a DirectML device object."""
+        try:
+            import torch_directml
+            if torch_directml.device_count() > 0:
+                device = torch_directml.device(0)
+                assert device is not None
+                logger.info(f"✓ DirectML device created: {device}")
+        except ImportError:
+            pytest.skip("torch_directml not installed")
+
+    def test_get_torch_device_directml(self):
+        """Test get_torch_device returns DirectML on Windows with iGPU."""
+        from ..backends.base import get_torch_device
+        import torch
+
+        device = get_torch_device(allow_directml=True)
+        logger.info(f"Selected device: {device}")
+
+        # On Windows with iGPU and torch_directml installed, should use DirectML
+        try:
+            import torch_directml
+            if torch_directml.device_count() > 0:
+                # Should be DirectML device, not CPU
+                assert str(device) != "cpu", f"Expected DirectML but got {device}"
+                logger.info(f"✓ DirectML device selected: {device}")
+        except ImportError:
+            logger.info("torch_directml not installed, may fall back to CPU")
+
+    def test_iris_igpu_detection(self):
+        """Test Iris iGPU detection via WMI."""
+        from ..backends.base import _detect_iris_igpu
+
+        try:
+            import wmi
+            has_iris = _detect_iris_igpu()
+            logger.info(f"Iris iGPU detected: {has_iris}")
+        except ImportError:
+            logger.info("wmi module not available, skipping Iris detection test")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(platform.system() != "Windows", reason="DirectML tests only on Windows")
+class TestDirectMLTorchTensor:
+    """Test basic torch tensor operations on DirectML device."""
+
+    def test_torch_tensor_on_directml(self):
+        """Test creating and operating on tensors with DirectML."""
+        try:
+            import torch
+            import torch_directml
+
+            if torch_directml.device_count() == 0:
+                pytest.skip("No DirectML devices available")
+
+            device = torch_directml.device(0)
+            x = torch.randn(3, 3, device=device)
+            y = torch.randn(3, 3, device=device)
+            z = torch.mm(x, y)
+
+            assert z.shape == (3, 3)
+            logger.info(f"✓ Tensor operation successful on {device}")
+            logger.info(f"  Result shape: {z.shape}")
+        except ImportError:
+            pytest.skip("torch_directml not installed")
+
+    def test_directml_memory_management(self):
+        """Test DirectML memory can be freed properly."""
+        try:
+            import torch
+            import torch_directml
+
+            if torch_directml.device_count() == 0:
+                pytest.skip("No DirectML devices available")
+
+            device = torch_directml.device(0)
+            # Create and delete tensors to check memory cleanup
+            for _ in range(5):
+                x = torch.randn(1000, 1000, device=device)
+                del x
+
+            logger.info("✓ DirectML memory management OK")
+        except ImportError:
+            pytest.skip("torch_directml not installed")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(platform.system() != "Windows", reason="Model tests only on Windows")
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+class TestWhisperOnDirectML:
+    """Test Whisper (STT) model on DirectML device."""
+
+    async def test_whisper_model_loads_on_directml(self):
+        """Test Whisper model can load on DirectML."""
+        try:
+            import torch_directml
+            if torch_directml.device_count() == 0:
+                pytest.skip("No DirectML devices available")
+        except ImportError:
+            pytest.skip("torch_directml not installed")
+
+        from ..backends.pytorch_backend import PyTorchSTTBackend
+
+        backend = PyTorchSTTBackend(model_size="base")
+        assert backend.device != "cpu", f"Expected GPU device, got {backend.device}"
+        logger.info(f"✓ Whisper backend using device: {backend.device}")
+
+        # Try to load the model (this will download if needed)
+        try:
+            await backend.load_model_async("base")
+            assert backend.is_loaded()
+            logger.info("✓ Whisper model loaded successfully on DirectML")
+            backend.unload_model()
+        except (TimeoutError, ConnectionError, OSError) as e:
+            pytest.skip(f"Environment/network limitation during model load: {e}")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(platform.system() != "Windows", reason="Model tests only on Windows")
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+class TestQwenTTSOnDirectML:
+    """Test Qwen TTS model on DirectML device."""
+
+    async def test_qwen_tts_loads_on_directml(self):
+        """Test Qwen TTS model can load on DirectML."""
+        try:
+            import torch_directml
+            if torch_directml.device_count() == 0:
+                pytest.skip("No DirectML devices available")
+        except ImportError:
+            pytest.skip("torch_directml not installed")
+
+        from ..backends.pytorch_backend import PyTorchTTSBackend
+
+        backend = PyTorchTTSBackend(model_size="0.6B")
+        assert backend.device != "cpu", f"Expected GPU device, got {backend.device}"
+        logger.info(f"✓ Qwen TTS backend using device: {backend.device}")
+
+        # Try to load the model (this will download if needed)
+        try:
+            await backend.load_model_async("0.6B")
+            assert backend.is_loaded()
+            logger.info("✓ Qwen TTS model loaded successfully on DirectML")
+            backend.unload_model()
+        except (TimeoutError, ConnectionError, OSError) as e:
+            pytest.skip(f"Environment/network limitation during model load: {e}")