diff --git a/deny.toml b/deny.toml
index 87517bb061..bbda73e1ea 100644
--- a/deny.toml
+++ b/deny.toml
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ feature-depth = 1
 # output a note when they are encountered.
 ignore = [
   { id = "RUSTSEC-2024-0370", reason = "subdependency cannot be updated" },
+  { id = "RUSTSEC-2025-0007", reason = "subdependency cannot be updated" },
   #"RUSTSEC-0000-0000",
   #{ id = "RUSTSEC-0000-0000", reason = "you can specify a reason the advisory is ignored" },
   #"a-crate-that-is-yanked@0.1.1", # you can also ignore yanked crate versions if you wish
diff --git a/docs/dev-tools/backends/ubi.md b/docs/dev-tools/backends/ubi.md
index 2e751ecc17..45f291d507 100644
--- a/docs/dev-tools/backends/ubi.md
+++ b/docs/dev-tools/backends/ubi.md
@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@ use the `exe` option to specify the executable name:
 "ubi:cli/cli" = { version = "latest", exe = "gh" } # github's cli
 ```
 
+### `rename_exe`
+
+The `rename_exe` option allows you to specify the name of the executable once it has been extracted.
+
+use the `rename_exe` option to specify the target executable name:
+
+```toml
+[tools]
+"ubi:cli/cli" = { version = "latest", exe = "gh", rename_exe = "github" } # github's cli
+```
+
 ### `matching`
 
 Set a string to match against the release filename when there are multiple files for your
@@ -60,7 +71,7 @@ then this will be ignored.
 
 ### `extract_all`
 
-Set to `true` to extract all files in the tarball instead of just the "bin". Not compatible with `exe`.
+Set to `true` to extract all files in the tarball instead of just the "bin". Not compatible with `exe` nor `rename_exe`.
 
 ```toml
 [tools]
diff --git a/docs/installing-mise.md b/docs/installing-mise.md
index 545478ea35..775fbdc311 100644
--- a/docs/installing-mise.md
+++ b/docs/installing-mise.md
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ You will need to first create the parent directory if it does not exist.
 :::
 
 ```powershell
-echo '~/.local/bin/mise activate mise activate pwsh | Out-String | Invoke-Expression' >> $HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
+echo 'mise activate pwsh | Out-String | Invoke-Expression' >> $HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
 ```
 
 ### Nushell
diff --git a/docs/lang/zig.md b/docs/lang/zig.md
index fdb5c54ece..fd7ac097ee 100644
--- a/docs/lang/zig.md
+++ b/docs/lang/zig.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ The following installs zig and makes it the global default:
 ```sh
 mise use -g zig@0.13     # install zig 0.13.x
 mise use -g zig@latest  # install latest zig release
-mise use -g zig@ref:master # instaLL latest nightly from master
+mise use -g zig@ref:master # install latest nightly from master
 mise use -g zig@ref:mach-latest # install latest nominated zig
 mise use -g zig@0.14.0-dev.2577+271452d22 # install dev version
 ```
diff --git a/e2e-win/shim.Tests.ps1 b/e2e-win/shim.Tests.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e70e200e91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e-win/shim.Tests.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+Describe 'shim_mode' {
+
+    BeforeAll {
+        function changeShimMode {
+            param (
+                [string]$mode
+            )
+
+            mise settings windows_shim_mode $mode
+            mise reshim --force
+        }
+
+        $shimPath = Join-Path -Path $env:MISE_DATA_DIR -ChildPath "shims"
+    }
+
+    AfterAll {
+        mise settings unset windows_shim_mode
+    }
+
+    It 'run on symlink' {
+        changeShimMode "symlink"
+
+        mise x go@1.23.3 -- where go
+        mise x go@1.23.3 -- go version | Should -BeLike "go version go1.23.3 windows/*"
+        
+        (Get-Item -Path (Join-Path -Path $shimPath -ChildPath go.exe)).LinkType | Should -Be "SymbolicLink"
+    }
+
+    It 'run on file' {
+        changeShimMode "file"
+
+        mise x go@1.23.3 -- where go
+        mise x go@1.23.3 -- go version | Should -BeLike "go version go1.23.3 windows/*"
+
+        (Get-Item -Path  (Join-Path -Path $shimPath -ChildPath go.cmd)).LinkType | Should -Be $null
+    }
+
+    It 'run on hardlink' {
+        mise settings windows_shim_mode "hardlink"
+
+        # make mise is on same filesystem
+        $misePath = (Get-Command -Type Application mise -all | Select-Object -First 1).Source
+        $binPath = (Join-Path -Path $env:MISE_DATA_DIR -ChildPath "bin")
+        $newMisePath = (Join-Path -Path $binPath -ChildPath "mise.exe")
+        New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $binPath -Force
+        Copy-Item  $misePath $newMisePath
+
+        &$newMisePath reshim --force
+
+        &$newMisePath x go@1.23.3 -- where go
+        &$newMisePath x go@1.23.3 -- go version | Should -BeLike "go version go1.23.3 windows/*"
+
+        (Get-Item -Path (Join-Path -Path $shimPath -ChildPath go.exe)).LinkType | Should -Be "HardLink"
+    }
+}
diff --git a/e2e/cli/test_outdated b/e2e/cli/test_outdated
index 345b35f805..48c098f619 100644
--- a/e2e/cli/test_outdated
+++ b/e2e/cli/test_outdated
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+assert "mise outdated --json" "{}"
+assert "mise outdated" ""
+
 echo 'dummy 1' >.tool-versions
 mise install dummy@1.0.0
 
diff --git a/e2e/cli/test_unuse b/e2e/cli/test_unuse
index edd2f96b80..9f21fb78ec 100644
--- a/e2e/cli/test_unuse
+++ b/e2e/cli/test_unuse
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 assert "mise install dummy@1.0.0"
+assert "ls $MISE_DATA_DIR/installs/dummy" "1
+1.0
+1.0.0
+latest"
 assert "mise rm dummy"
 assert_empty "mise ls"
+assert_fail "ls $MISE_DATA_DIR/installs/dummy"
 
 assert "mise use dummy@1.0.0"
 assert_contains "mise ls dummy" "1.0.0"
diff --git a/e2e/cli/test_use b/e2e/cli/test_use
index c5d6a808d3..65553b7eb4 100644
--- a/e2e/cli/test_use
+++ b/e2e/cli/test_use
@@ -75,6 +75,13 @@ assert "cat ~/.config/mise/config.toml" '[tools]
 gh = "2"'
 rm -f ~/.config/mise/config.toml
 
+export MISE_ENV=test
+mise use -g dummy@1
+assert "cat ~/.config/mise/config.toml" '[tools]
+dummy = "1"'
+rm -f ~/.config/mise/config.toml
+unset MISE_ENV
+
 mise uninstall dummy --all
 mise use dummy@system
 assert "mise ls dummy" "dummy  system  ~/workdir/mise.toml  system"
diff --git a/registry.toml b/registry.toml
index 3753e99ab8..5fd2f80ce2 100644
--- a/registry.toml
+++ b/registry.toml
@@ -842,6 +842,7 @@ gwvault.backends = [
     "asdf:GoodwayGroup/asdf-gwvault"
 ]
 hadolint.backends = [
+    "aqua:hadolint/hadolint",
     "ubi:hadolint/hadolint",
     "asdf:devlincashman/asdf-hadolint"
 ]
@@ -982,7 +983,11 @@ k3kcli.backends = [
 k3s.backends = ["asdf:mise-plugins/mise-k3s"]
 k3sup.backends = ["aqua:alexellis/k3sup", "asdf:cgroschupp/asdf-k3sup"]
 k6.backends = ["ubi:grafana/k6", "asdf:gr1m0h/asdf-k6"]
-k9s.backends = ["ubi:derailed/k9s", "asdf:looztra/asdf-k9s"]
+k9s.backends = [
+    "aqua:derailed/k9s",
+    "ubi:derailed/k9s",
+    "asdf:looztra/asdf-k9s"
+]
 kafka.backends = ["asdf:mise-plugins/mise-kafka"]
 kafkactl.backends = [
     "aqua:deviceinsight/kafkactl",
@@ -1615,7 +1620,11 @@ sonobuoy.backends = [
     "ubi:vmware-tanzu/sonobuoy",
     "asdf:Nick-Triller/asdf-sonobuoy"
 ]
-sops.backends = ["ubi:getsops/sops", "asdf:mise-plugins/mise-sops"]
+sops.backends = [
+    "aqua:getsops/sops",
+    "ubi:getsops/sops",
+    "asdf:mise-plugins/mise-sops"
+]
 sopstool.backends = ["aqua:ibotta/sopstool", "asdf:elementalvoid/asdf-sopstool"]
 soracom.backends = ["ubi:soracom/soracom-cli", "asdf:gr1m0h/asdf-soracom"]
 sourcery.backends = ["asdf:mise-plugins/mise-sourcery"]
diff --git a/schema/mise.json b/schema/mise.json
index 617a7a3fe9..a1b1260747 100644
--- a/schema/mise.json
+++ b/schema/mise.json
@@ -969,6 +969,11 @@
             "type": "string"
           }
         },
+        "windows_shim_mode": {
+          "default": "file",
+          "description": "Shim file mode for Windows. Options: `file`, `hardlink`, `symlink`.",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
         "yes": {
           "description": "This will automatically answer yes or no to prompts. This is useful for scripting.",
           "type": "boolean"
diff --git a/settings.toml b/settings.toml
index bab52156b9..d7809f2212 100644
--- a/settings.toml
+++ b/settings.toml
@@ -1159,6 +1159,17 @@ default = ["exe", "bat", "cmd", "com", "ps1", "vbs"]
 parse_env = "list_by_comma"
 description = "List of executable extensions for Windows. For example, `exe` for .exe files, `bat` for .bat files, and so on."
 
+[windows_shim_mode]
+env = "MISE_WINDOWS_SHIM_MODE"
+type = "String"
+default = "file"
+description = "Shim file mode for Windows. Options: `file`, `hardlink`, `symlink`."
+docs = """
+`file`: Creates a file with the content `mise exec`.
+`hardlink`: Uses Windows NTFS Hardlink, required on same filesystems. Need run `mise reshim --force` after upgrade mise
+`symlink`: Uses Windows NTFS SymbolicLink. Requires Windows Vista or later with admin privileges or enabling "Developer Mode" in Windows 10/11.
+"""
+
 [yes]
 env = "MISE_YES"
 type = "Bool"
diff --git a/src/backend/ubi.rs b/src/backend/ubi.rs
index 3e7cb8385e..0c542c2498 100644
--- a/src/backend/ubi.rs
+++ b/src/backend/ubi.rs
@@ -104,8 +104,13 @@ impl Backend for UbiBackend {
 
             if extract_all {
                 builder = builder.extract_all();
-            } else if let Some(exe) = opts.get("exe") {
-                builder = builder.exe(exe);
+            } else {
+                if let Some(exe) = opts.get("exe") {
+                    builder = builder.exe(exe);
+                }
+                if let Some(rename_exe) = opts.get("rename_exe") {
+                    builder = builder.rename_exe_to(rename_exe)
+                }
             }
             if let Some(matching) = opts.get("matching") {
                 builder = builder.matching(matching);
diff --git a/src/cli/outdated.rs b/src/cli/outdated.rs
index f70b082f04..7c06d983bf 100644
--- a/src/cli/outdated.rs
+++ b/src/cli/outdated.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,19 @@ impl Outdated {
         ts.versions
             .retain(|_, tvl| tool_set.is_empty() || tool_set.contains(&tvl.backend));
         let outdated = ts.list_outdated_versions(self.bump);
+        self.display(outdated)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn display(&self, outdated: Vec<OutdatedInfo>) -> Result<()> {
+        match self.json {
+            true => self.display_json(outdated)?,
+            false => self.display_table(outdated)?,
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn display_table(&self, outdated: Vec<OutdatedInfo>) -> Result<()> {
         if outdated.is_empty() {
             info!("All tools are up to date");
             if !self.bump {
@@ -62,15 +75,8 @@ impl Outdated {
                     ""
                 );
             }
-        } else if self.json {
-            self.display_json(outdated)?;
-        } else {
-            self.display(outdated)?;
+            return Ok(());
         }
-        Ok(())
-    }
-
-    fn display(&self, outdated: Vec<OutdatedInfo>) -> Result<()> {
         let mut table = tabled::Table::new(outdated);
         if !self.bump {
             table.with(Remove::column(ByColumnName::new("bump")));
diff --git a/src/cli/unuse.rs b/src/cli/unuse.rs
index 33918f2e57..00d7cec060 100644
--- a/src/cli/unuse.rs
+++ b/src/cli/unuse.rs
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ impl Unuse {
 
         if !self.no_prune {
             prune(self.installed_tool.iter().map(|ta| &ta.ba).collect(), false)?;
+            config::rebuild_shims_and_runtime_symlinks(&[])?;
         }
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/src/cli/use.rs b/src/cli/use.rs
index da31deff0c..1b886459bf 100644
--- a/src/cli/use.rs
+++ b/src/cli/use.rs
@@ -195,7 +195,9 @@ impl Use {
 
     fn get_config_file(&self) -> Result<Box<dyn ConfigFile>> {
         let cwd = env::current_dir()?;
-        let path = if let Some(p) = &self.path {
+        let path = if self.global {
+            MISE_GLOBAL_CONFIG_FILE.clone()
+        } else if let Some(p) = &self.path {
             let from_dir = config_file_from_dir(p).absolutize()?.to_path_buf();
             if from_dir.starts_with(&cwd) {
                 from_dir
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ impl Use {
         } else if !env::MISE_ENV.is_empty() {
             let env = env::MISE_ENV.last().unwrap();
             config_file_from_dir(&cwd.join(format!("mise.{env}.toml")))
-        } else if self.global || env::in_home_dir() {
+        } else if env::in_home_dir() {
             MISE_GLOBAL_CONFIG_FILE.clone()
         } else {
             config_file_from_dir(&cwd)
diff --git a/src/config/tracking.rs b/src/config/tracking.rs
index cee9921eef..46609c99f4 100644
--- a/src/config/tracking.rs
+++ b/src/config/tracking.rs
@@ -26,11 +26,14 @@ impl Tracker {
             return Ok(output);
         }
         for path in read_dir(&*TRACKED_CONFIGS)? {
-            let path = path?.path();
-            if !path.is_symlink() {
+            let mut path = path?.path();
+            if path.is_symlink() {
+                path = fs::read_link(path)?;
+            } else if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
+                path = PathBuf::from(fs::read_to_string(&path)?.trim());
+            } else {
                 continue;
             }
-            let path = fs::read_link(path)?;
             if path.exists() {
                 output.push(path);
             }
diff --git a/src/shims.rs b/src/shims.rs
index ec57360632..495edd0d05 100644
--- a/src/shims.rs
+++ b/src/shims.rs
@@ -128,38 +128,59 @@ pub fn reshim(ts: &Toolset, force: bool) -> Result<()> {
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
 fn add_shim(mise_bin: &Path, symlink_path: &Path, shim: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    let shim = shim.trim_end_matches(".cmd");
-    // write a shim file without extension for use in Git Bash/Cygwin
-    file::write(
-        symlink_path.with_extension(""),
-        formatdoc! {r#"
+    match SETTINGS.windows_shim_mode.as_ref() {
+        "file" => {
+            let shim = shim.trim_end_matches(".cmd");
+            // write a shim file without extension for use in Git Bash/Cygwin
+            file::write(
+                symlink_path.with_extension(""),
+                formatdoc! {r#"
         #!/bin/bash
 
         exec mise x -- {shim} "$@"
         "#},
-    )
-    .wrap_err_with(|| {
-        eyre!(
-            "Failed to create symlink from {} to {}",
-            display_path(mise_bin),
-            display_path(symlink_path)
-        )
-    })?;
-    file::write(
-        symlink_path.with_extension("cmd"),
-        formatdoc! {r#"
+            )
+            .wrap_err_with(|| {
+                eyre!(
+                    "Failed to create symlink from {} to {}",
+                    display_path(mise_bin),
+                    display_path(symlink_path)
+                )
+            })?;
+            file::write(
+                symlink_path.with_extension("cmd"),
+                formatdoc! {r#"
         @echo off
         setlocal
         mise x -- {shim} %*
         "#},
-    )
-    .wrap_err_with(|| {
-        eyre!(
-            "Failed to create symlink from {} to {}",
-            display_path(mise_bin),
-            display_path(symlink_path)
-        )
-    })
+            )
+            .wrap_err_with(|| {
+                eyre!(
+                    "Failed to create symlink from {} to {}",
+                    display_path(mise_bin),
+                    display_path(symlink_path)
+                )
+            })
+        }
+        "hardlink" => fs::hard_link(mise_bin, symlink_path).wrap_err_with(|| {
+            eyre!(
+                "Failed to create hardlink from {} to {}",
+                display_path(mise_bin),
+                display_path(symlink_path)
+            )
+        }),
+        "symlink" => {
+            std::os::windows::fs::symlink_file(mise_bin, symlink_path).wrap_err_with(|| {
+                eyre!(
+                    "Failed to create symlink from {} to {}",
+                    display_path(mise_bin),
+                    display_path(symlink_path)
+                )
+            })
+        }
+        _ => panic!("Unknown shim mode"),
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(unix)]
@@ -261,10 +282,18 @@ fn get_desired_shims(toolset: &Toolset) -> Result<HashSet<String>> {
                 bins.into_iter()
                     .flat_map(|b| {
                         let p = PathBuf::from(&b);
-                        vec![
-                            p.with_extension("").to_string_lossy().to_string(),
-                            p.with_extension("cmd").to_string_lossy().to_string(),
-                        ]
+                        match SETTINGS.windows_shim_mode.as_ref() {
+                            "hardlink" | "symlink" => {
+                                vec![p.with_extension("exe").to_string_lossy().to_string()]
+                            }
+                            "file" => {
+                                vec![
+                                    p.with_extension("").to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+                                    p.with_extension("cmd").to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+                                ]
+                            }
+                            _ => panic!("Unknown shim mode"),
+                        }
                     })
                     .collect()
             } else if cfg!(macos) {