diff --git a/.github/workflows/_test.yml b/.github/workflows/_test.yml
index 917ebb5e6c..3c25f5496c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/_test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/_test.yml
@@ -67,9 +67,38 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           python3 -m pip install --constraint requirements/build.txt tox coveralls
 
-      - name: Run tox
+      - name: Run tox (non-Windows)
+        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
         run: tox -e py
 
+      - name: Run tox on Windows (unprivileged user without Developer Mode)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: powershell
+        run: |
+          # Disable Developer Mode in registry
+          Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModelUnlock" -Name "AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense" -Value 0 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+
+          # Create a non-admin local user
+          $secpasswd = ConvertTo-SecureString "Password123!" -AsPlainText -Force
+          $user = New-LocalUser -Name "testuser" -Password $secpasswd -FullName "Test User" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+
+          # Grant testuser permission to workspace directory and ancestors
+          $curr = Get-Item $pwd
+          while ($curr -ne $null) {
+              $acl = Get-Acl $curr.FullName
+              $rule = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemAccessRule("testuser", "FullControl", "ContainerInherit,ObjectInherit", "None", "Allow")
+              $acl.AddAccessRule($rule)
+              Set-Acl $curr.FullName $acl
+              $curr = $curr.Parent
+          }
+
+          # Run tox as unprivileged user
+          $cred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential ("testuser", $secpasswd)
+          $process = Start-Process -FilePath "tox" -ArgumentList "-e py" -Credential $cred -NoNewWindow -Wait -PassThru
+          if ($process.ExitCode -ne 0) {
+              exit $process.ExitCode
+          }
+
       - name: Publish on coveralls.io
         # A failure to publish coverage results on coveralls should not
         # be a reason for a job failure.
diff --git a/tests/test_updater_ng.py b/tests/test_updater_ng.py
index 5fc436ba97..06ace050ac 100644
--- a/tests/test_updater_ng.py
+++ b/tests/test_updater_ng.py
@@ -362,6 +362,29 @@ def test_user_agent(self) -> None:
 
         self.assertEqual(ua[:23], "MyApp/1.2.3 python-tuf/")
 
+    @patch("os.symlink")
+    def test_update_root_symlink_oserror_fallback(
+        self, mock_symlink: MagicMock
+    ) -> None:
+        """Test fallback to os.link when os.symlink raises OSError."""
+        err = OSError("A required privilege is not held by the client")
+        err.winerror = 1314
+        mock_symlink.side_effect = err
+
+        self.updater._update_root_symlink()
+        mock_symlink.assert_called_once()
+
+        linkname = os.path.join(self.updater._dir, "root.json")
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(linkname))
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.islink(linkname))
+
+        version = self.updater._trusted_set.root.version
+        target = os.path.join(
+            self.updater._dir, "root_history", f"{version}.root.json"
+        )
+        with open(linkname, "rb") as f1, open(target, "rb") as f2:
+            self.assertEqual(f1.read(), f2.read())
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     utils.configure_test_logging(sys.argv)
diff --git a/tuf/ngclient/updater.py b/tuf/ngclient/updater.py
index a253b18d4c..9b93053464 100644
--- a/tuf/ngclient/updater.py
+++ b/tuf/ngclient/updater.py
@@ -369,7 +369,14 @@ def _update_root_symlink(self) -> None:
         current = os.path.join("root_history", f"{version}.root.json")
         with contextlib.suppress(FileNotFoundError):
             os.remove(linkname)
-        os.symlink(current, linkname)
+        try:
+            os.symlink(current, linkname)
+        except OSError as e:
+            if getattr(e, "winerror", None) == 1314:
+                # Fallback for NTFS "required privilege is not held by client"
+                os.link(os.path.join(self._dir, current), linkname)
+            else:
+                raise
 
     def _load_root(self) -> None:
         """Load root metadata.