diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 352b934..5a95d91 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
     build-windows:
       uses: ./.github/workflows/windows.yml
       with:
-        cmake-version: '3.31.0'
+        cmake-version: '4.2.7'
         platforms: "['x64', 'Win32', 'ARM64']"
         configurations: "['RelWithDebInfo', 'Debug']"
     # MacOS
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
index c7c84ea..e48b9f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ on:
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: windows-latest
+    env:
+      # CMake 4.x removed compatibility with cmake_minimum_required(VERSION < 3.5).
+      # The vendored RapidJSON source (downloaded at configure time) still declares an
+      # older minimum, so clamp the policy version for its nested/child configures.
+      CMAKE_POLICY_VERSION_MINIMUM: "3.5"
     strategy:
         matrix:
             platform: ${{ fromJson(inputs.platforms) }}
@@ -26,11 +31,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
             submodules: 'true'
       - name: Setup CMake
-        uses: jwlawson/actions-setup-cmake@v2.0.2
+        uses: jwlawson/actions-setup-cmake@v2.2.0
         with:
             cmake-version: ${{ inputs.cmake-version }}
       - name: CMake Configure
-        run: cmake -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A ${{ matrix.platform }} -B ./Built/Int/cmake_${{ matrix.platform }} .
+        run: cmake -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" -A ${{ matrix.platform }} -B ./Built/Int/cmake_${{ matrix.platform }} .
       - name: CMake Build
         run: cmake --build . --target install --config ${{ matrix.config }}
         working-directory: ./Built/Int/cmake_${{ matrix.platform }}
diff --git a/External/RapidJSON/CMakeRapidJSONDownload.txt.in b/External/RapidJSON/CMakeRapidJSONDownload.txt.in
index ed9135e..9e3be43 100644
--- a/External/RapidJSON/CMakeRapidJSONDownload.txt.in
+++ b/External/RapidJSON/CMakeRapidJSONDownload.txt.in
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.2)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5)
 
 project(RapidJSON-download NONE)
 
diff --git a/GLTFSDK.Samples/CMakeLists.txt b/GLTFSDK.Samples/CMakeLists.txt
index a66ed93..b8062b1 100644
--- a/GLTFSDK.Samples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/GLTFSDK.Samples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5)
 
+# Visual Studio 2026 (MSVC 14.5x) removed the <experimental/filesystem> header that
+# these samples fall back to under C++14. Build the samples as C++17 so they use the
+# standard <filesystem> header instead (see each sample's Source/main.cpp). The GLTFSDK
+# library itself continues to target C++14.
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+
 add_subdirectory(Deserialize)
 add_subdirectory(Serialize)