diff --git a/client/internal/engine_vnc_stub.go b/client/internal/engine_vnc_stub.go
index 4c8d7cd55..b36206380 100644
--- a/client/internal/engine_vnc_stub.go
+++ b/client/internal/engine_vnc_stub.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 package internal
 
 import (
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
 	mgmProto "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/management/proto"
 )
 
@@ -10,8 +12,12 @@ type vncServer interface{}
 
 func (e *Engine) updateVNC() error { return nil }
 
-func (e *Engine) updateVNCServerAuth(_ *mgmProto.VNCAuth) {
-	// no-op on platforms without a VNC server
+func (e *Engine) updateVNCServerAuth(auth *mgmProto.VNCAuth) {
+	if auth == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	log.Debugf("ignoring VNC auth push on platform without a VNC server: %d session pubkeys, %d authorized users",
+		len(auth.GetSessionPubKeys()), len(auth.GetAuthorizedUsers()))
 }
 
 func (e *Engine) stopVNCServer() error { return nil }
diff --git a/client/proto/daemon.pb.go b/client/proto/daemon.pb.go
index d5cb69277..08b73a25e 100644
--- a/client/proto/daemon.pb.go
+++ b/client/proto/daemon.pb.go
@@ -2128,7 +2128,10 @@ type VNCSessionInfo struct {
 	Username      string                 `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=username,proto3" json:"username,omitempty"`
 	// userID is the Noise-verified session identity (hashed user ID from
 	// the ACL session-key entry), empty when auth is disabled.
-	UserID        string `protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=userID,proto3" json:"userID,omitempty"`
+	UserID string `protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=userID,proto3" json:"userID,omitempty"`
+	// initiator is the human-readable display name of the dashboard user
+	// who minted the SessionPubKey, when known.
+	Initiator     string `protobuf:"bytes,5,opt,name=initiator,proto3" json:"initiator,omitempty"`
 	unknownFields protoimpl.UnknownFields
 	sizeCache     protoimpl.SizeCache
 }
@@ -2191,6 +2194,13 @@ func (x *VNCSessionInfo) GetUserID() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+func (x *VNCSessionInfo) GetInitiator() string {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.Initiator
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 // VNCServerState contains the latest state of the VNC server
 type VNCServerState struct {
 	state         protoimpl.MessageState `protogen:"open.v1"`
@@ -6717,12 +6727,13 @@ const file_daemon_proto_rawDesc = "" +
 	"\fportForwards\x18\x05 \x03(\tR\fportForwards\"^\n" +
 	"\x0eSSHServerState\x12\x18\n" +
 	"\aenabled\x18\x01 \x01(\bR\aenabled\x122\n" +
-	"\bsessions\x18\x02 \x03(\v2\x16.daemon.SSHSessionInfoR\bsessions\"~\n" +
+	"\bsessions\x18\x02 \x03(\v2\x16.daemon.SSHSessionInfoR\bsessions\"\x9c\x01\n" +
 	"\x0eVNCSessionInfo\x12$\n" +
 	"\rremoteAddress\x18\x01 \x01(\tR\rremoteAddress\x12\x12\n" +
 	"\x04mode\x18\x02 \x01(\tR\x04mode\x12\x1a\n" +
 	"\busername\x18\x03 \x01(\tR\busername\x12\x16\n" +
-	"\x06userID\x18\x04 \x01(\tR\x06userID\"^\n" +
+	"\x06userID\x18\x04 \x01(\tR\x06userID\x12\x1c\n" +
+	"\tinitiator\x18\x05 \x01(\tR\tinitiator\"^\n" +
 	"\x0eVNCServerState\x12\x18\n" +
 	"\aenabled\x18\x01 \x01(\bR\aenabled\x122\n" +
 	"\bsessions\x18\x02 \x03(\v2\x16.daemon.VNCSessionInfoR\bsessions\"\xef\x04\n" +
diff --git a/client/proto/daemon.proto b/client/proto/daemon.proto
index 9592e3a75..c253de2ed 100644
--- a/client/proto/daemon.proto
+++ b/client/proto/daemon.proto
@@ -418,6 +418,9 @@ message VNCSessionInfo {
   // userID is the Noise-verified session identity (hashed user ID from
   // the ACL session-key entry), empty when auth is disabled.
   string userID = 4;
+  // initiator is the human-readable display name of the dashboard user
+  // who minted the SessionPubKey, when known.
+  string initiator = 5;
 }
 
 // VNCServerState contains the latest state of the VNC server
diff --git a/client/server/server.go b/client/server/server.go
index 143bc8177..b102cf63e 100644
--- a/client/server/server.go
+++ b/client/server/server.go
@@ -1205,6 +1205,7 @@ func (s *Server) getVNCServerState() *proto.VNCServerState {
 			Mode:          sess.Mode,
 			Username:      sess.Username,
 			UserID:        sess.UserID,
+			Initiator:     sess.Initiator,
 		})
 	}
 	return &proto.VNCServerState{
diff --git a/client/status/status.go b/client/status/status.go
index 30760efe1..6b88e891a 100644
--- a/client/status/status.go
+++ b/client/status/status.go
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ type VNCSessionOutput struct {
 	Mode          string `json:"mode" yaml:"mode"`
 	Username      string `json:"username,omitempty" yaml:"username,omitempty"`
 	UserID        string `json:"userID,omitempty" yaml:"userID,omitempty"`
+	Initiator     string `json:"initiator,omitempty" yaml:"initiator,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type VNCServerStateOutput struct {
@@ -297,6 +298,7 @@ func mapVNCServer(state *proto.VNCServerState) VNCServerStateOutput {
 			Mode:          sess.GetMode(),
 			Username:      sess.GetUsername(),
 			UserID:        sess.GetUserID(),
+			Initiator:     sess.GetInitiator(),
 		})
 	}
 	return VNCServerStateOutput{
@@ -582,15 +584,7 @@ func (o *OutputOverview) GeneralSummary(showURL bool, showRelays bool, showNameS
 
 		if showSSHSessions && vncSessionCount > 0 {
 			for _, sess := range o.VNCServerState.Sessions {
-				var line string
-				if sess.UserID != "" {
-					line = fmt.Sprintf("[%s@%s -> %s] mode=%s",
-						sess.UserID, sess.RemoteAddress, sess.Username, sess.Mode)
-				} else {
-					line = fmt.Sprintf("[%s] mode=%s user=%s",
-						sess.RemoteAddress, sess.Mode, sess.Username)
-				}
-				vncServerStatus += "\n  " + line
+				vncServerStatus += "\n  " + formatVNCSessionLine(sess)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1004,6 +998,26 @@ func anonymizePeerDetail(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, peer *PeerStateDetailOutput) {
 	}
 }
 
+// formatVNCSessionLine renders a single VNC session row for the detailed
+// status output. The leading slot identifies the initiator (display name
+// when known, hashed UserID otherwise); the post-arrow slot is the OS
+// user the session targets and is omitted in attach mode where the
+// destination is the current console user (unknown to the daemon).
+func formatVNCSessionLine(sess VNCSessionOutput) string {
+	who := sess.Initiator
+	if who == "" {
+		who = sess.UserID
+	}
+	prefix := sess.RemoteAddress
+	if who != "" {
+		prefix = fmt.Sprintf("%s@%s", who, sess.RemoteAddress)
+	}
+	if sess.Username != "" {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("[%s -> %s] mode=%s", prefix, sess.Username, sess.Mode)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("[%s] mode=%s", prefix, sess.Mode)
+}
+
 func anonymizeOverview(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview) {
 	for i, peer := range overview.Peers.Details {
 		peer := peer
@@ -1077,5 +1091,6 @@ func anonymizeServerSessions(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview)
 		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].RemoteAddress = anonymizeRemoteAddress(a, sess.RemoteAddress)
 		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].Username = a.AnonymizeString(sess.Username)
 		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].UserID = a.AnonymizeString(sess.UserID)
+		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].Initiator = a.AnonymizeString(sess.Initiator)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/client/vnc/server/agent_ipc.go b/client/vnc/server/agent_ipc.go
index aba3e7da5..7bfb988de 100644
--- a/client/vnc/server/agent_ipc.go
+++ b/client/vnc/server/agent_ipc.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleServiceConnection(conn net.Conn, sa sessionAgent) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	authedLog, _, ok := s.authorizeSession(conn, header, connLog)
+	authedLog, sessionUserID, ok := s.authorizeSession(conn, header, connLog)
 	if !ok {
 		authedLog.Info("VNC connection rejected: auth failed")
 		return
@@ -101,6 +101,19 @@ func (s *Server) handleServiceConnection(conn net.Conn, sa sessionAgent) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	var initiator string
+	if s.authorizer != nil {
+		initiator = s.authorizer.LookupSessionDisplayName(header.clientStatic)
+	}
+	sessionID := s.addSession(ActiveSessionInfo{
+		RemoteAddress: conn.RemoteAddr().String(),
+		Mode:          modeString(header.mode),
+		Username:      header.username,
+		UserID:        sessionUserID,
+		Initiator:     initiator,
+	}, conn)
+	defer s.removeSession(sessionID)
+
 	replayConn := &prefixConn{
 		Reader: io.MultiReader(&headerBuf, conn),
 		Conn:   conn,
@@ -198,8 +211,8 @@ func proxyToAgent(ctx context.Context, client net.Conn, socketPath, authToken st
 		log.Debugf("proxy %s: %d bytes, err=%v", label, n, err)
 		done <- struct{}{}
 	}
-	go cp("client→agent", agentConn, client)
-	go cp("agent→client", client, agentConn)
+	go cp("client->agent", agentConn, client)
+	go cp("agent->client", client, agentConn)
 	<-done
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/client/vnc/server/capture_windows.go b/client/vnc/server/capture_windows.go
index 8afbad110..11600bded 100644
--- a/client/vnc/server/capture_windows.go
+++ b/client/vnc/server/capture_windows.go
@@ -445,6 +445,14 @@ type captureWorker struct {
 	lastDesktop   string
 	nextInitRetry time.Time
 	cursor        cursorSampler
+	// lastBackend records the last capturer kind that came out of
+	// createCapturer ("dxgi" or "gdi"); used to demote repeat "using X"
+	// and DXGI-unavailable logs to debug when nothing changed.
+	lastBackend string
+	// lastDXGIErr is the textual DXGI failure printed in the most recent
+	// fallback warning; suppresses repeat warns when DXGI keeps failing
+	// the same way across desktop changes (login -> lock -> login).
+	lastDXGIErr string
 }
 
 // handleNextRequest waits for either shutdown or a capture request and runs
@@ -503,9 +511,14 @@ func (w *captureWorker) prepCapturer() (frameCapturer, error) {
 	w.cap = fc
 	sw, sh := screenSize()
 	w.c.mu.Lock()
+	sizeChanged := w.c.w != sw || w.c.h != sh
 	w.c.w, w.c.h = sw, sh
 	w.c.mu.Unlock()
-	log.Infof("screen capturer ready: %dx%d", sw, sh)
+	if sizeChanged {
+		log.Infof("screen capturer ready: %dx%d", sw, sh)
+	} else {
+		log.Debugf("screen capturer ready: %dx%d", sw, sh)
+	}
 	return w.cap, nil
 }
 
@@ -536,15 +549,32 @@ func (w *captureWorker) refreshDesktop() error {
 func (w *captureWorker) createCapturer() (frameCapturer, error) {
 	dc, err := newDXGICapturer()
 	if err == nil {
-		log.Info("using DXGI Desktop Duplication for capture")
+		if w.lastBackend != "dxgi" {
+			log.Info("using DXGI Desktop Duplication for capture")
+		} else {
+			log.Debug("using DXGI Desktop Duplication for capture")
+		}
+		w.lastBackend = "dxgi"
+		w.lastDXGIErr = ""
 		return dc, nil
 	}
-	log.Warnf("DXGI Desktop Duplication unavailable, falling back to slower GDI BitBlt: %v", err)
+	errStr := err.Error()
+	if errStr != w.lastDXGIErr {
+		log.Warnf("DXGI Desktop Duplication unavailable, falling back to slower GDI BitBlt: %v", err)
+		w.lastDXGIErr = errStr
+	} else {
+		log.Debugf("DXGI Desktop Duplication still unavailable, falling back to slower GDI BitBlt: %v", err)
+	}
 	gc, err := newGDICapturer()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	log.Info("using GDI BitBlt for capture")
+	if w.lastBackend != "gdi" {
+		log.Info("using GDI BitBlt for capture")
+	} else {
+		log.Debug("using GDI BitBlt for capture")
+	}
+	w.lastBackend = "gdi"
 	return gc, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/client/vnc/server/server.go b/client/vnc/server/server.go
index 4c31aae21..a19fbcdc2 100644
--- a/client/vnc/server/server.go
+++ b/client/vnc/server/server.go
@@ -246,6 +246,10 @@ type ActiveSessionInfo struct {
 	// UserID is the authenticated session identity (hashed user ID from
 	// the Noise_IK static-key registration), empty when auth is disabled.
 	UserID string
+	// Initiator is the dashboard-supplied display name of the user who
+	// minted the SessionPubKey, when known. Empty when auth is disabled
+	// or the authorizer has no display-name mapping.
+	Initiator string
 }
 
 // vncSession provides capturer and injector for a virtual display session.
@@ -852,11 +856,16 @@ func (s *Server) handleConnection(conn net.Conn) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	var initiator string
+	if s.authorizer != nil {
+		initiator = s.authorizer.LookupSessionDisplayName(header.clientStatic)
+	}
 	sessionID := s.addSession(ActiveSessionInfo{
 		RemoteAddress: conn.RemoteAddr().String(),
 		Mode:          modeString(header.mode),
 		Username:      header.username,
 		UserID:        sessionUserID,
+		Initiator:     initiator,
 	}, conn)
 	defer s.removeSession(sessionID)
 
diff --git a/client/wasm/internal/vnc/proxy.go b/client/wasm/internal/vnc/proxy.go
index 1a486c5e6..09314f438 100644
--- a/client/wasm/internal/vnc/proxy.go
+++ b/client/wasm/internal/vnc/proxy.go
@@ -480,10 +480,10 @@ func (p *VNCProxy) runNoiseHandshake(conn net.Conn, dest vncDestination) error {
 	defer conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Time{}) //nolint:errcheck
 	msg2 := make([]byte, noiseResponderMsgLen)
 	if _, err := io.ReadFull(conn, msg2); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("read noise msg2: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("read noise msg2 from server: %w", err)
 	}
 	if _, _, _, err := state.ReadMessage(nil, msg2); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("noise read msg2: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("decrypt noise msg2 (peer pubkey mismatch or session revoked): %w", err)
 	}
 	return nil
 }