diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 30d8a879b6..76930b73ab 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 	url = https://github.com/coursier/test-metadata.git
 [submodule "modules/directories"]
 	path = modules/directories
-	url = https://github.com/dirs-dev/directories-jvm.git
+	url = https://github.com/coursier/directories-jvm.git
 [submodule "modules/tests/handmade-metadata"]
 	path = modules/tests/handmade-metadata
 	url = https://github.com/coursier/handmade-metadata.git
diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index 6484347585..013839d91f 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -130,7 +130,10 @@ lazy val paths = project("paths")
   .settings(
     pureJava,
     dontPublish,
-    addDirectoriesSources
+    addDirectoriesSources,
+    libraryDependencies ++= Seq(
+      Deps.jniUtils
+    )
   )
 
 lazy val cache = crossProject("cache")(JSPlatform, JVMPlatform)
@@ -143,6 +146,7 @@ lazy val cache = crossProject("cache")(JSPlatform, JVMPlatform)
     addPathsSources,
     Mima.previousArtifacts,
     libraryDependencies ++= Seq(
+      Deps.jniUtils,
       Deps.svm % Provided,
       Deps.windowsAnsi
     ),
@@ -230,7 +234,8 @@ lazy val `bootstrap-launcher` = project("bootstrap-launcher")
     utest,
     libraryDependencies ++= Seq(
       Deps.collectionCompat % Test,
-      Deps.java8Compat % Test
+      Deps.java8Compat % Test,
+      Deps.jniUtils
     ),
     addPathsSources,
     addWindowsAnsiPsSources,
@@ -244,6 +249,9 @@ lazy val `resources-bootstrap-launcher` = project("resources-bootstrap-launcher"
   .settings(
     pureJava,
     dontPublish,
+    libraryDependencies ++= Seq(
+      Deps.jniUtils
+    ),
     unmanagedSourceDirectories.in(Compile) ++= unmanagedSourceDirectories.in(`bootstrap-launcher`, Compile).value,
     mainClass.in(Compile) := Some("coursier.bootstrap.launcher.ResourcesLauncher"),
     proguardedBootstrap("coursier.bootstrap.launcher.ResourcesLauncher", resourceBased = true)
@@ -324,7 +332,8 @@ lazy val env = project("env")
     libs ++= Seq(
       Deps.collectionCompat,
       Deps.dataClass % Provided,
-      Deps.jimfs % Test
+      Deps.jimfs % Test,
+      Deps.jniUtils
     ),
     utest
   )
diff --git a/modules/bootstrap-launcher/src/main/java/coursier/bootstrap/launcher/Bootstrap.java b/modules/bootstrap-launcher/src/main/java/coursier/bootstrap/launcher/Bootstrap.java
index e46f4fa7b0..784b371ec6 100644
--- a/modules/bootstrap-launcher/src/main/java/coursier/bootstrap/launcher/Bootstrap.java
+++ b/modules/bootstrap-launcher/src/main/java/coursier/bootstrap/launcher/Bootstrap.java
@@ -16,17 +16,29 @@ private static void exit(String message) {
     }
 
     private static void maybeInitWindowsAnsi() throws InterruptedException, IOException {
-        if (!System.getProperty("coursier.bootstrap.windows-ansi", "").equalsIgnoreCase("false")) {
-            try {
-                // noop on Linux / macOS
+
+        boolean isWindows = System.getProperty("os.name")
+                .toLowerCase(java.util.Locale.ROOT)
+                .contains("windows");
+
+        if (!isWindows)
+            return;
+
+        if (System.getProperty("coursier.bootstrap.windows-ansi", "").equalsIgnoreCase("false"))
+            return;
+
+        boolean useJni = coursier.paths.Util.useJni();
+        try {
+            if (useJni)
+                coursier.jniutils.WindowsAnsiTerminal.enableAnsiOutput();
+            else
                 io.github.alexarchambault.windowsansi.WindowsAnsiPs.setup();
-            } catch (InterruptedException | IOException e) {
-                boolean doThrow = Boolean.getBoolean("coursier.bootstrap.windows-ansi.throw-exception");
-                if (doThrow || Boolean.getBoolean("coursier.bootstrap.windows-ansi.verbose"))
-                    System.err.println("Error setting up Windows terminal for ANSI escape codes: " + e);
-                if (doThrow)
-                    throw e;
-            }
+        } catch (InterruptedException | IOException e) {
+            boolean doThrow = Boolean.getBoolean("coursier.bootstrap.windows-ansi.throw-exception");
+            if (doThrow || Boolean.getBoolean("coursier.bootstrap.windows-ansi.verbose"))
+                System.err.println("Error setting up Windows terminal for ANSI escape codes: " + e);
+            if (doThrow)
+                throw e;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/modules/cache/jvm/src/main/scala/coursier/cache/internal/Terminal.scala b/modules/cache/jvm/src/main/scala/coursier/cache/internal/Terminal.scala
index 8d312f7a29..83f1816f10 100644
--- a/modules/cache/jvm/src/main/scala/coursier/cache/internal/Terminal.scala
+++ b/modules/cache/jvm/src/main/scala/coursier/cache/internal/Terminal.scala
@@ -65,10 +65,17 @@ object Terminal {
   private lazy val isWindows = System.getProperty("os.name").toLowerCase(java.util.Locale.ROOT).contains("windows")
 
   private def fromJLine(): Option[(Int, Int)] =
-    if (isWindows) {
-      val size = io.github.alexarchambault.windowsansi.WindowsAnsi.terminalSize()
-      Some((size.getWidth, size.getHeight))
-    } else
+    if (isWindows)
+      Some {
+        if (coursier.paths.Util.useJni()) {
+          val size = coursier.jniutils.WindowsAnsiTerminal.terminalSize()
+          (size.getWidth, size.getHeight)
+        } else {
+          val size = io.github.alexarchambault.windowsansi.WindowsAnsi.terminalSize()
+          (size.getWidth, size.getHeight)
+        }
+      }
+    else
       None
 
   def consoleDims(): (Int, Int) =
diff --git a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/Coursier.scala b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/Coursier.scala
index aed78a308a..a131007439 100644
--- a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/Coursier.scala
+++ b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/Coursier.scala
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import coursier.cli.search.Search
 import coursier.core.Version
 import coursier.install.InstallDir
 import coursier.launcher.internal.{FileUtil, Windows}
-import io.github.alexarchambault.windowsansi.WindowsAnsi
 import shapeless._
 
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
@@ -32,9 +31,14 @@ object Coursier extends CommandAppPreA(Parser[LauncherOptions], Help[LauncherOpt
 
   val isGraalvmNativeImage = sys.props.contains("org.graalvm.nativeimage.imagecode")
 
-  if (System.console() != null && Windows.isWindows)
-    try WindowsAnsi.setup()
-    catch {
+  if (System.console() != null && Windows.isWindows) {
+    val useJni = coursier.paths.Util.useJni()
+    try {
+      if (useJni)
+        coursier.jniutils.WindowsAnsiTerminal.enableAnsiOutput()
+      else
+        io.github.alexarchambault.windowsansi.WindowsAnsi.setup()
+    } catch {
       case NonFatal(e) =>
         val doThrow = java.lang.Boolean.getBoolean("coursier.windows-ansi.throw-exception")
         if (doThrow || java.lang.Boolean.getBoolean("coursier.windows-ansi.verbose"))
@@ -42,6 +46,7 @@ object Coursier extends CommandAppPreA(Parser[LauncherOptions], Help[LauncherOpt
         if (doThrow)
            throw e
     }
+  }
 
   CacheUrl.setupProxyAuth()
 
diff --git a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/params/EnvParams.scala b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/params/EnvParams.scala
index 8893349c7a..d36721728c 100644
--- a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/params/EnvParams.scala
+++ b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/coursier/cli/params/EnvParams.scala
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ final case class EnvParams(
   // TODO Allow to customize some parameters of WindowsEnvVarUpdater / ProfileUpdater?
   def envVarUpdater: Either[WindowsEnvVarUpdater, ProfileUpdater] =
     if (Windows.isWindows)
-      Left(WindowsEnvVarUpdater())
+      Left(WindowsEnvVarUpdater().withUseJni(Some(coursier.paths.Util.useJni())))
     else
       Right(
         ProfileUpdater()
diff --git a/modules/directories b/modules/directories
index 006ca7ff80..7acadf2ab9 160000
--- a/modules/directories
+++ b/modules/directories
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 006ca7ff804ca48f692d59a7fce8599f8a1eadfc
+Subproject commit 7acadf2ab9a4ce306d840d652cdb77fade11b94b
diff --git a/modules/env/src/main/scala/coursier/env/WindowsEnvVarUpdater.scala b/modules/env/src/main/scala/coursier/env/WindowsEnvVarUpdater.scala
index 66fc6d97a3..6bafe4ee96 100644
--- a/modules/env/src/main/scala/coursier/env/WindowsEnvVarUpdater.scala
+++ b/modules/env/src/main/scala/coursier/env/WindowsEnvVarUpdater.scala
@@ -4,26 +4,41 @@ import dataclass.data
 
 @data class WindowsEnvVarUpdater(
   powershellRunner: PowershellRunner = PowershellRunner(),
-  target: String = "User"
+  target: String = "User",
+  useJni: Option[Boolean] = None
 ) extends EnvVarUpdater {
 
+  private lazy val useJni0 = useJni.getOrElse {
+    // FIXME Should be coursier.paths.Util.useJni(), but it's not available from here.
+    !System.getProperty("coursier.jni", "").equalsIgnoreCase("false")
+  }
+
   // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9546324/adding-directory-to-path-environment-variable-in-windows/29109007#29109007
   // https://docs.microsoft.com/fr-fr/dotnet/api/system.environment.getenvironmentvariable?view=netframework-4.8#System_Environment_GetEnvironmentVariable_System_String_System_EnvironmentVariableTarget_
   // https://docs.microsoft.com/fr-fr/dotnet/api/system.environment.setenvironmentvariable?view=netframework-4.8#System_Environment_SetEnvironmentVariable_System_String_System_String_System_EnvironmentVariableTarget_
 
-  private def getEnvironmentVariable(name: String): Option[String] = {
-    val output = powershellRunner.runScript(WindowsEnvVarUpdater.getEnvVarScript(name)).stripSuffix(System.lineSeparator())
-    if (output == "null") // if ever the actual value is "null", we'll miss it
-      None
-    else
-      Some(output)
-  }
+  private def getEnvironmentVariable(name: String): Option[String] =
+    if (useJni0)
+      Option(coursier.jniutils.WindowsEnvironmentVariables.get(name))
+    else {
+      val output = powershellRunner.runScript(WindowsEnvVarUpdater.getEnvVarScript(name)).stripSuffix(System.lineSeparator())
+      if (output == "null") // if ever the actual value is "null", we'll miss it
+        None
+      else
+        Some(output)
+    }
 
   private def setEnvironmentVariable(name: String, value: String): Unit =
-    powershellRunner.runScript(WindowsEnvVarUpdater.setEnvVarScript(name, value))
+    if (useJni0)
+      coursier.jniutils.WindowsEnvironmentVariables.set(name, value)
+    else
+      powershellRunner.runScript(WindowsEnvVarUpdater.setEnvVarScript(name, value))
 
   private def clearEnvironmentVariable(name: String): Unit =
-    powershellRunner.runScript(WindowsEnvVarUpdater.clearEnvVarScript(name))
+    if (useJni0)
+      coursier.jniutils.WindowsEnvironmentVariables.delete(name)
+    else
+      powershellRunner.runScript(WindowsEnvVarUpdater.clearEnvVarScript(name))
 
   def applyUpdate(update: EnvironmentUpdate): Boolean = {
 
diff --git a/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/CoursierPaths.java b/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/CoursierPaths.java
index ec1d95b456..b85d04da39 100644
--- a/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/CoursierPaths.java
+++ b/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/CoursierPaths.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 
+import dev.dirs.GetWinDirs;
 import dev.dirs.ProjectDirectories;
 
 /**
@@ -87,7 +88,18 @@ private static ProjectDirectories coursierDirectories() throws IOException {
         if (coursierDirectories0 == null)
             synchronized (coursierDirectoriesLock) {
                 if (coursierDirectories0 == null) {
-                    coursierDirectories0 = ProjectDirectories.from(null, null, "Coursier");
+                    GetWinDirs getWinDirs;
+                    if (coursier.paths.Util.useJni())
+                        getWinDirs = guids -> {
+                            String[] dirs = new String[guids.length];
+                            for (int i = 0; i < guids.length; i++) {
+                                dirs[i] = coursier.jniutils.WindowsKnownFolders.knownFolderPath("{" + guids[i] + "}");
+                            }
+                            return dirs;
+                        };
+                    else
+                        getWinDirs = GetWinDirs.powerShellBased;
+                    coursierDirectories0 = ProjectDirectories.from(null, null, "Coursier", getWinDirs);
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/Util.java b/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/Util.java
index 157d835891..9b80cd977d 100644
--- a/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/Util.java
+++ b/modules/paths/src/main/java/coursier/paths/Util.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
@@ -150,4 +151,47 @@ public static boolean useAnsiOutput() {
         }
         return useAnsiOutput0;
     }
+
+    private static Boolean useJni0 = null;
+    public static boolean useJni() {
+        if (useJni0 != null)
+          return useJni0;
+
+        boolean isWindows = System.getProperty("os.name")
+                .toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT)
+                .contains("windows");
+        if (!isWindows) {
+            useJni0 = false;
+            return useJni0;
+        }
+
+        String prop = System.getenv("COURSIER_JNI");
+        if (prop == null || prop.isEmpty())
+          prop = System.getProperty("coursier.jni", "");
+
+        boolean force = prop.equalsIgnoreCase("force");
+        if (force) {
+            useJni0 = true;
+            return useJni0;
+        }
+
+        boolean disabled = prop.equalsIgnoreCase("false");
+        if (disabled) {
+            useJni0 = false;
+            return useJni0;
+        }
+
+        // Try to get a dummy user env var from registry. If it fails, assume the JNI stuff is broken,
+        // and fallback on PowerShell scripts.
+        try {
+            coursier.jniutils.WindowsEnvironmentVariables.get("PATH");
+            useJni0 = true;
+        } catch (Throwable t) {
+            if (System.getProperty("coursier.jni.check.throw", "").equalsIgnoreCase("true"))
+                throw new RuntimeException(t);
+            useJni0 = false;
+        }
+
+        return useJni0;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/project/Deps.scala b/project/Deps.scala
index ca7a6ac9d4..221a9c8e9c 100644
--- a/project/Deps.scala
+++ b/project/Deps.scala
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ object Deps {
   def http4sDsl = "org.http4s" %% "http4s-dsl" % versions.http4s
   def java8Compat = "org.scala-lang.modules" %% "scala-java8-compat" % "0.9.1"
   def jimfs = "com.google.jimfs" % "jimfs" % "1.1"
+  def jniUtils = "io.get-coursier.jniutils" % "windows-jni-utils" % "0.2.0"
   def jol = "org.openjdk.jol" % "jol-core" % "0.14"
   def jsoniterCore = "com.github.plokhotnyuk.jsoniter-scala" %% "jsoniter-scala-core" % versions.jsoniterScala
   def jsoniterMacros = "com.github.plokhotnyuk.jsoniter-scala" %% "jsoniter-scala-macros" % versions.jsoniterScala
diff --git a/project/Settings.scala b/project/Settings.scala
index 770a976d09..94b1659727 100644
--- a/project/Settings.scala
+++ b/project/Settings.scala
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream
+import java.io.{ByteArrayOutputStream, File}
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets
 import java.nio.file.Files
 import java.util.{Arrays, Locale}
@@ -547,6 +547,12 @@ object Settings {
       proguardBinaryDeps.in(Proguard) ++= rtJarOpt.toSeq, // seems needed with sbt 1.4.0
       proguardedJar := proguardedJarTask.value,
       proguardVersion.in(Proguard) := Deps.proguardVersion,
+      proguardOptions.in(Proguard) := {
+        val current = proguardOptions.in(Proguard).value
+        val idx = current.indexWhere(_.contains(File.separator + "windows-jni-utils"))
+        assert(idx >= 0, s"options: $current")
+        current.take(idx) ++ Seq(current(idx).replace("-libraryjars", "-injars")) ++ current.drop(idx + 1)
+      },
       proguardOptions.in(Proguard) ++= Seq(
         "-dontnote",
         "-dontwarn",