From fd5e966b2bf89a869ed8018412a173bf274a36d7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andrew Coates <30809111+acoates-ms@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 17 May 2026 16:57:55 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Template should import Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props before
 setting  ReactNativeWindowsDir

---
 vnext/template/cpp-app/proj/MyApp.vcxproj           | 2 +-
 vnext/template/cpp-lib/proj/MyLib.vcxproj           | 2 +-
 vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj | 2 +-
 vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj | 2 +-
 4 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/vnext/template/cpp-app/proj/MyApp.vcxproj b/vnext/template/cpp-app/proj/MyApp.vcxproj
index dffb3175d3f..3f6f32e0846 100644
--- a/vnext/template/cpp-app/proj/MyApp.vcxproj
+++ b/vnext/template/cpp-app/proj/MyApp.vcxproj
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@
     <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>
   <Import Project="$(ReactNativeWindowsDir)\PropertySheets\External\Microsoft.ReactNative.WindowsSdk.Default.props" />
-  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations">
     <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|ARM64">
       <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>
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="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations">
     <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|ARM64">
       <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>
diff --git a/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj b/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj
index a605b34aaa1..85d8e4775b5 100644
--- a/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj
+++ b/vnext/templates/cpp-app/windows/MyApp/MyApp.vcxproj
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@
     <MinimumVisualStudioVersion>17.0</MinimumVisualStudioVersion>
     <AppxPackage>false</AppxPackage>
   </PropertyGroup>
+  <Import Project="$(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="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations">
     <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|Win32">
       <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>
diff --git a/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj b/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj
index 09df9a72e4b..51d143f25b6 100644
--- a/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj
+++ b/vnext/templates/cpp-lib/windows/MyLib/MyLib.vcxproj
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@
     <MinimumVisualStudioVersion>17.0</MinimumVisualStudioVersion>
     <AppxPackage>false</AppxPackage>
   </PropertyGroup>
+  <Import Project="$(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>

From 69aa1d2cc8ffc20aa474cc624dd35b37a181a8aa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andrew Coates <30809111+acoates-ms@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 17 May 2026 16:58:05 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Change files

---
 ...ative-windows-6cd4f931-1b4e-4127-ba02-3b4bb01b2645.json | 7 +++++++
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 change/react-native-windows-6cd4f931-1b4e-4127-ba02-3b4bb01b2645.json

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"
+}