diff --git a/archinstall/default_profiles/desktop.py b/archinstall/default_profiles/desktop.py
index 9bd65b444b..ab582186e1 100644
--- a/archinstall/default_profiles/desktop.py
+++ b/archinstall/default_profiles/desktop.py
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ def packages(self) -> list[str]:
 			'wget',
 			'iwd',
 			'wireless_tools',
-			'wpa_supplicant',
 			'smartmontools',
 			'xdg-utils',
 		]
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/installer.py b/archinstall/lib/installer.py
index 36a15df686..88cd89365f 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/installer.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/installer.py
@@ -768,6 +768,14 @@ def post_install_enable_networkd_resolved(*args: str, **kwargs: str) -> None:
 
 		return True
 
+	def configure_nm_iwd(self) -> None:
+		# Create NetworkManager config directory and write iwd backend conf
+		nm_conf_dir = self.target / 'etc/NetworkManager/conf.d'
+		nm_conf_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+		iwd_backend_conf = nm_conf_dir / 'wifi_backend.conf'
+		iwd_backend_conf.write_text('[device]\nwifi.backend=iwd\n')
+
 	def mkinitcpio(self, flags: list[str]) -> bool:
 		for plugin in plugins.values():
 			if hasattr(plugin, 'on_mkinitcpio'):
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py b/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py
index 14071ef2d2..7ab2a1f3cd 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py
@@ -212,6 +212,8 @@ def ask_to_configure_network(preset: NetworkConfiguration | None) -> NetworkConf
 					return NetworkConfiguration(NicType.ISO)
 				case NicType.NM:
 					return NetworkConfiguration(NicType.NM)
+				case NicType.NM_IWD:
+					return NetworkConfiguration(NicType.NM_IWD)
 				case NicType.MANUAL:
 					preset_nics = preset.nics if preset else []
 					nics = ManualNetworkConfig(tr('Configure interfaces'), preset_nics).run()
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/models/network.py b/archinstall/lib/models/network.py
index 88f52fd6b9..69acc06812 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/models/network.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/models/network.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 class NicType(Enum):
 	ISO = 'iso'
 	NM = 'nm'
+	NM_IWD = 'nm_iwd'
 	MANUAL = 'manual'
 
 	def display_msg(self) -> str:
@@ -24,7 +25,9 @@ def display_msg(self) -> str:
 			case NicType.ISO:
 				return tr('Copy ISO network configuration to installation')
 			case NicType.NM:
-				return tr('Use NetworkManager (necessary to configure internet graphically in GNOME and KDE Plasma)')
+				return tr('Use Network Manager (default backend)')
+			case NicType.NM_IWD:
+				return tr('Use Network Manager (iwd backend)')
 			case NicType.MANUAL:
 				return tr('Manual configuration')
 
@@ -147,16 +150,29 @@ def install_network_config(
 				installation.copy_iso_network_config(
 					enable_services=True,  # Sources the ISO network configuration to the install medium.
 				)
-			case NicType.NM:
-				installation.add_additional_packages(['networkmanager'])
+			case NicType.NM | NicType.NM_IWD:
+				# Install NetworkManager package for both cases
+				packages = ['networkmanager']
+				# Defautl back-end only for non-iwd
+				if self.type == NicType.NM:
+					packages.append('wpa_supplicant')
+
+				installation.add_additional_packages(packages)
+
+				# Desktop profile -> Always add applet
 				if profile_config and profile_config.profile:
 					if profile_config.profile.is_desktop_profile():
-						installation.add_additional_packages(['network-manager-applet'])
+						installation.add_additional_packages('network-manager-applet')
+
 				installation.enable_service('NetworkManager.service')
+				if self.type == NicType.NM_IWD:
+					# NM_IWD special handling
+					installation.configure_nm_iwd()
+					installation.disable_service('iwd.service')
+
 			case NicType.MANUAL:
 				for nic in self.nics:
 					installation.configure_nic(nic)
-
 				installation.enable_service('systemd-networkd')
 				installation.enable_service('systemd-resolved')