diff --git a/change/react-native-windows-6cd4f931-1b4e-4127-ba02-3b4bb01b2645.json b/change/react-native-windows-6cd4f931-1b4e-4127-ba02-3b4bb01b2645.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3c529ef9d01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/change/react-native-windows-6cd4f931-1b4e-4127-ba02-3b4bb01b2645.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "type": "prerelease",
+  "comment": "Template should import Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props before setting  ReactNativeWindowsDir",
+  "packageName": "react-native-windows",
+  "email": "30809111+acoates-ms@users.noreply.github.com",
+  "dependentChangeType": "patch"
+}
diff --git a/vnext/template/cpp-lib/proj/MyLib.vcxproj b/vnext/template/cpp-lib/proj/MyLib.vcxproj
index 71e8f394146..c2ce9c7ff31 100644
--- a/vnext/template/cpp-lib/proj/MyLib.vcxproj
+++ b/vnext/template/cpp-lib/proj/MyLib.vcxproj
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     <ApplicationType>Windows Store</ApplicationType>
     <ApplicationTypeRevision>10.0</ApplicationTypeRevision>
   </PropertyGroup>
+  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="ReactNativeWindowsProps">
     <ReactNativeWindowsDir Condition="'$(ReactNativeWindowsDir)' == ''">$([MSBuild]::GetDirectoryNameOfFileAbove($(SolutionDir), 'node_modules\react-native-windows\package.json'))\node_modules\react-native-windows\</ReactNativeWindowsDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@
     <WindowsTargetPlatformVersion Condition=" '$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)' == '' ">10.0.22621.0</WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>
     <WindowsTargetPlatformMinVersion Condition=" '$(WindowsTargetPlatformMinVersion)' == '' ">10.0.17763.0</WindowsTargetPlatformMinVersion>
   </PropertyGroup>
-  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations">
     <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|ARM64">
       <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>
diff --git a/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj b/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj
index f0a3399164c..5da9e535819 100644
--- a/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj
+++ b/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@
     <MinimumVisualStudioVersion>17.0</MinimumVisualStudioVersion>
     <AppxPackage>false</AppxPackage>
   </PropertyGroup>
+  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="ReactNativeWindowsProps">
     <ReactNativeWindowsDir Condition="'$(ReactNativeWindowsDir)' == ''">$([MSBuild]::GetDirectoryNameOfFileAbove($(MSBuildThisFileDirectory), 'node_modules\react-native-windows\package.json'))\node_modules\react-native-windows\</ReactNativeWindowsDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(ReactNativeWindowsDir)\PropertySheets\External\Microsoft.ReactNative.WindowsSdk.Default.props" />
-  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations">
     <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|Win32">
       <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>
diff --git a/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj b/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj
index 067a586aa81..ba68cffa9de 100644
--- a/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj
+++ b/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@
     <MinimumVisualStudioVersion>17.0</MinimumVisualStudioVersion>
     <AppxPackage>false</AppxPackage>
   </PropertyGroup>
+  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="ReactNativeWindowsProps">
     <ReactNativeWindowsDir Condition="'$(ReactNativeWindowsDir)' == ''">$([MSBuild]::GetDirectoryNameOfFileAbove($(MSBuildThisFileDirectory), 'node_modules\react-native-windows\package.json'))\node_modules\react-native-windows\</ReactNativeWindowsDir>
     <RunAutolinkCheck>false</RunAutolinkCheck>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(ReactNativeWindowsDir)\PropertySheets\External\Microsoft.ReactNative.WindowsSdk.Default.props" />
-  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations">
     <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|Win32">
       <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>