diff --git a/Samples/WindowsML/Directory.Build.props b/Samples/WindowsML/Directory.Build.props
index d70d6aebd..890d54e94 100644
--- a/Samples/WindowsML/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/Samples/WindowsML/Directory.Build.props
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <Project>
   <PropertyGroup>
     <!-- Global settings for all WindowsML projects -->
-    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.22621.0</TargetFramework>
+    <TargetFramework Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.csproj'">net8.0-windows10.0.22621.0</TargetFramework>
     <TargetPlatformMinVersion Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.csproj'">10.0.22621.0</TargetPlatformMinVersion>
     <WindowsTargetPlatformVersion Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.vcxproj'">10.0.26100.0</WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>
     <Platforms>x64;ARM64</Platforms>
@@ -9,5 +9,9 @@
     <Nullable Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.csproj'">enable</Nullable>
     <ImplicitUsings Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.csproj'">enable</ImplicitUsings>
     <AllowUnsafeBlocks Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.csproj'">true</AllowUnsafeBlocks>
+
+    <!-- Per-project output directories to avoid clobbering between samples -->
+    <OutDir Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.vcxproj'">$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)bin\$(MSBuildProjectName)\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\</OutDir>
+    <IntDir Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.vcxproj'">$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)obj\$(MSBuildProjectName)\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\</IntDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
 </Project>
diff --git a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI.vcxproj b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI.vcxproj
index e4ca7ef28..2ff5e500c 100644
--- a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI.vcxproj
+++ b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI.vcxproj
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   <PropertyGroup>
     <WinMLEnableDefaultOrtHeaderIncludePath>true</WinMLEnableDefaultOrtHeaderIncludePath>
   </PropertyGroup>
-  <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props" Condition="Exists('..\..\packages\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props')" />
+  <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props')" />
   <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props')" />
   <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.1.8.251222000\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.props" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.1.8.251222000\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.props')" />
   <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.1.8.251231004\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.props" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.1.8.251231004\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.props')" />
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
     <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.1.8.251231004\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.targets" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.1.8.251231004\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets.targets')" />
     <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.1.8.251222000\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.targets" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.1.8.251222000\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.targets')" />
     <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets')" />
-    <Import Project="..\..\packages\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\packages\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets')" />
+    <Import Project="$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets" Condition="Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets')" />
   </ImportGroup>
   <Target Name="EnsureNuGetPackageBuildImports" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
     <PropertyGroup>
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
     <Error Condition="!Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.1.8.251222000\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.1.8.251222000\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI.targets'))" />
     <Error Condition="!Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props'))" />
     <Error Condition="!Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.260101001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets'))" />
-    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\packages\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\packages\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props'))" />
-    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\packages\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\packages\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets'))" />
+    <Error Condition="!Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.props'))" />
+    <Error Condition="!Exists('$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '$(NugetPackageDirectory)\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.0.10.0\build\native\Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntimeGenAI.WinML.targets'))" />
   </Target>
 </Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/Directory.Build.props b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/Directory.Build.props
index 41b807f38..9181c5f13 100644
--- a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop.GenAI/Directory.Build.props
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 <Project>
+  <Import Project="$([MSBuild]::GetPathOfFileAbove('Directory.Build.props', '$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)..\'))" />
+
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
   </PropertyGroup>
diff --git a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop/Directory.Build.props b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop/Directory.Build.props
index 41b807f38..9181c5f13 100644
--- a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDesktop/Directory.Build.props
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 <Project>
+  <Import Project="$([MSBuild]::GetPathOfFileAbove('Directory.Build.props', '$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)..\'))" />
+
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
   </PropertyGroup>
diff --git a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDll/WindowsMLWrapper/packages.config b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDll/WindowsMLWrapper/packages.config
index e057cbccc..c1d47d402 100644
--- a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDll/WindowsMLWrapper/packages.config
+++ b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/CppConsoleDll/WindowsMLWrapper/packages.config
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
   <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Runtime" version="1.8.260101001" targetFramework="native" />
   <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets" version="1.8.251231004" targetFramework="native" />
   <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.WinUI" version="1.8.251222000" targetFramework="native" />
-  <package id="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.MSIX" version="1.7.20250829.1" targetFramework="native" />
-  <package id="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" version="10.0.26100.4654" targetFramework="native" />
   <package id="Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT" version="2.0.240405.15" targetFramework="native" />
   <package id="Microsoft.Windows.ImplementationLibrary" version="1.0.240803.1" targetFramework="native" />
   <package id="Microsoft.Web.WebView2" version="1.0.3179.45" targetFramework="native" />
diff --git a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/Directory.Build.props b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/Directory.Build.props
index bcdd1e21c..365120f7e 100644
--- a/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/Samples/WindowsML/cpp/Directory.Build.props
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 <Project>
+  <Import Project="$([MSBuild]::GetPathOfFileAbove('Directory.Build.props', '$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)..\'))" />
+
   <!-- Security settings for Control Flow Guard (CFG) and other mitigations -->
   <ItemDefinitionGroup>
     <ClCompile>