diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.lock b/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.lock
index e65b0ab7e4..040cca0d41 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.lock
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.lock
@@ -658,27 +658,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "crypto-common",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "dirs"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "44c45a9d03d6676652bcb5e724c7e988de1acad23a711b5217ab9cbecbec2225"
-dependencies = [
- "dirs-sys",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "dirs-sys"
-version = "0.4.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "520f05a5cbd335fae5a99ff7a6ab8627577660ee5cfd6a94a6a929b52ff0321c"
-dependencies = [
- "libc",
- "option-ext",
- "redox_users",
- "windows-sys 0.48.0",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "displaydoc"
 version = "0.2.5"
@@ -826,7 +805,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "actix-web-static-files",
  "anyhow",
  "clap",
- "dirs",
  "glob",
  "notify",
  "once_cell",
@@ -838,6 +816,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tokio",
  "tracing",
  "tracing-subscriber",
+ "windows",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1358,12 +1337,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "option-ext"
-version = "0.2.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "04744f49eae99ab78e0d5c0b603ab218f515ea8cfe5a456d7629ad883a3b6e7d"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "overload"
 version = "0.1.1"
@@ -1510,17 +1483,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags 2.6.0",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "redox_users"
-version = "0.4.6"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ba009ff324d1fc1b900bd1fdb31564febe58a8ccc8a6fdbb93b543d33b13ca43"
-dependencies = [
- "getrandom",
- "libredox",
- "thiserror",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "regex"
 version = "1.11.1"
@@ -2068,6 +2030,69 @@ version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "712e227841d057c1ee1cd2fb22fa7e5a5461ae8e48fa2ca79ec42cfc1931183f"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows"
+version = "0.59.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7f919aee0a93304be7f62e8e5027811bbba96bcb1de84d6618be56e43f8a32a1"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-core",
+ "windows-targets 0.53.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-core"
+version = "0.59.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "810ce18ed2112484b0d4e15d022e5f598113e220c53e373fb31e67e21670c1ce"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-implement",
+ "windows-interface",
+ "windows-result",
+ "windows-strings",
+ "windows-targets 0.53.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-implement"
+version = "0.59.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "83577b051e2f49a058c308f17f273b570a6a758386fc291b5f6a934dd84e48c1"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-interface"
+version = "0.59.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "cb26fd936d991781ea39e87c3a27285081e3c0da5ca0fcbc02d368cc6f52ff01"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-result"
+version = "0.3.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d08106ce80268c4067c0571ca55a9b4e9516518eaa1a1fe9b37ca403ae1d1a34"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-targets 0.53.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-strings"
+version = "0.3.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b888f919960b42ea4e11c2f408fadb55f78a9f236d5eef084103c8ce52893491"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-targets 0.53.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-sys"
 version = "0.48.0"
@@ -2119,13 +2144,29 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows_aarch64_gnullvm 0.52.6",
  "windows_aarch64_msvc 0.52.6",
  "windows_i686_gnu 0.52.6",
- "windows_i686_gnullvm",
+ "windows_i686_gnullvm 0.52.6",
  "windows_i686_msvc 0.52.6",
  "windows_x86_64_gnu 0.52.6",
  "windows_x86_64_gnullvm 0.52.6",
  "windows_x86_64_msvc 0.52.6",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-targets"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b1e4c7e8ceaaf9cb7d7507c974735728ab453b67ef8f18febdd7c11fe59dca8b"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows_aarch64_gnullvm 0.53.0",
+ "windows_aarch64_msvc 0.53.0",
+ "windows_i686_gnu 0.53.0",
+ "windows_i686_gnullvm 0.53.0",
+ "windows_i686_msvc 0.53.0",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnu 0.53.0",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnullvm 0.53.0",
+ "windows_x86_64_msvc 0.53.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_aarch64_gnullvm"
 version = "0.48.5"
@@ -2138,6 +2179,12 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "32a4622180e7a0ec044bb555404c800bc9fd9ec262ec147edd5989ccd0c02cd3"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_aarch64_gnullvm"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "86b8d5f90ddd19cb4a147a5fa63ca848db3df085e25fee3cc10b39b6eebae764"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_aarch64_msvc"
 version = "0.48.5"
@@ -2150,6 +2197,12 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "09ec2a7bb152e2252b53fa7803150007879548bc709c039df7627cabbd05d469"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_aarch64_msvc"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c7651a1f62a11b8cbd5e0d42526e55f2c99886c77e007179efff86c2b137e66c"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_gnu"
 version = "0.48.5"
@@ -2162,12 +2215,24 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "8e9b5ad5ab802e97eb8e295ac6720e509ee4c243f69d781394014ebfe8bbfa0b"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_gnu"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c1dc67659d35f387f5f6c479dc4e28f1d4bb90ddd1a5d3da2e5d97b42d6272c3"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_gnullvm"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "0eee52d38c090b3caa76c563b86c3a4bd71ef1a819287c19d586d7334ae8ed66"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_gnullvm"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9ce6ccbdedbf6d6354471319e781c0dfef054c81fbc7cf83f338a4296c0cae11"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_msvc"
 version = "0.48.5"
@@ -2180,6 +2245,12 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "240948bc05c5e7c6dabba28bf89d89ffce3e303022809e73deaefe4f6ec56c66"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_msvc"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "581fee95406bb13382d2f65cd4a908ca7b1e4c2f1917f143ba16efe98a589b5d"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_gnu"
 version = "0.48.5"
@@ -2192,6 +2263,12 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "147a5c80aabfbf0c7d901cb5895d1de30ef2907eb21fbbab29ca94c5b08b1a78"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_gnu"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "2e55b5ac9ea33f2fc1716d1742db15574fd6fc8dadc51caab1c16a3d3b4190ba"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_gnullvm"
 version = "0.48.5"
@@ -2204,6 +2281,12 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "24d5b23dc417412679681396f2b49f3de8c1473deb516bd34410872eff51ed0d"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_gnullvm"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0a6e035dd0599267ce1ee132e51c27dd29437f63325753051e71dd9e42406c57"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_msvc"
 version = "0.48.5"
@@ -2216,6 +2299,12 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "589f6da84c646204747d1270a2a5661ea66ed1cced2631d546fdfb155959f9ec"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_msvc"
+version = "0.53.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "271414315aff87387382ec3d271b52d7ae78726f5d44ac98b4f4030c91880486"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "write16"
 version = "1.0.0"
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.toml b/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.toml
index 033ff3ed27..7cffd8782b 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.toml
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ notify = "6.0"
 tokio = { version = "1.0", features = ["full"] }
 tracing = "0.1"
 tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3", features = ["env-filter"] }
-dirs = "5.0.1"
 serde_json = "1.0"
 once_cell = "1"
 clap = { version = "4", features = ["derive"] }
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ glob = "0.3"
 single-instance = "0.3.3"
 opener = "0.7.1"
 anyhow = "1.0"
+windows = { version = "0.59", features = ["Win32_UI_Shell"] }
 
 [build-dependencies]
 static-files = "0.2.1"
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/src/main.rs b/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/src/main.rs
index ada17de331..a315951e92 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/src/main.rs
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/dots-viewer/src/main.rs
@@ -12,16 +12,14 @@ use notify::Watcher;
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use serde_json::json;
 use single_instance::SingleInstance;
+use std::env;
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 use std::time::SystemTime;
 use tokio::runtime;
-use tracing::debug;
-use tracing::error;
-use tracing::info;
 use tracing::instrument;
-use tracing::{event, Level};
+use tracing::{debug, error, info, warn};
 
 include!(concat!(env!("OUT_DIR"), "/generated.rs"));
 
@@ -89,6 +87,50 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for GstDots {
     }
 }
 
+fn get_user_cache_dir() -> PathBuf {
+    if let Ok(cache_dir) = env::var("XDG_CACHE_HOME") {
+        if !cache_dir.is_empty() {
+            return PathBuf::from(cache_dir);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(windows)]
+    {
+        use windows::Win32::UI::Shell::{
+            FOLDERID_InternetCache, SHGetKnownFolderPath, KF_FLAG_DEFAULT,
+        };
+
+        unsafe {
+            if let Ok(path) = SHGetKnownFolderPath(&FOLDERID_InternetCache, KF_FLAG_DEFAULT, None) {
+                if let Ok(path_str) = path.to_string() {
+                    return PathBuf::from(path_str);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    let home = if let Ok(home) = env::var("HOME") {
+        PathBuf::from(home)
+    } else {
+        #[cfg(windows)]
+        {
+            if let Ok(profile) = env::var("USERPROFILE") {
+                PathBuf::from(profile)
+            } else {
+                warn!("Could not find home directory: $HOME is not set, and user database could not be read.");
+                PathBuf::from(r"C:\")
+            }
+        }
+        #[cfg(unix)]
+        {
+            warn!("Could not find home directory: $HOME is not set, and user database could not be read.");
+            PathBuf::from("/")
+        }
+    };
+
+    home.join(".cache")
+}
+
 impl GstDots {
     fn new(args: Args) -> Arc<Self> {
         let gstdot_path = args
@@ -96,7 +138,7 @@ impl GstDots {
             .as_ref()
             .map(std::path::PathBuf::from)
             .unwrap_or_else(|| {
-                let mut path = dirs::cache_dir().expect("Failed to find cache directory");
+                let mut path = get_user_cache_dir();
                 path.push("gstreamer-dots");
                 path
             });
@@ -331,7 +373,7 @@ impl GstDots {
                 .as_ref()
                 .map(std::path::PathBuf::from)
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| {
-                    let mut path = dirs::cache_dir().expect("Failed to find cache directory");
+                    let mut path = get_user_cache_dir();
                     path.push("gstreamer-dots");
                     path
                 });