diff --git a/.github/skills/validate-samples/SKILL.md b/.github/skills/validate-samples/SKILL.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f8f95d4501b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/skills/validate-samples/SKILL.md
@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+---
+name: validate-samples
+description: >-
+  Build and validate SkiaSharp sample projects using CI-produced NuGet packages.
+  Downloads the latest CI artifacts, detects the preview version, and runs the
+  samples cake target to verify all samples compile correctly.
+  Triggers: "validate samples", "build samples", "test samples", "check samples build",
+  "run samples", "do the samples build", "samples CI", "verify sample builds".
+  Also use when asked to check if samples work after a code change, or when
+  investigating sample build failures. Use this skill proactively whenever the
+  user mentions building, testing, or validating any SkiaSharp sample project.
+---
+
+# Validate Samples
+
+Automates the workflow for building SkiaSharp samples against CI-produced NuGet packages.
+The samples use package references (not project references) when built through the cake
+target, so they need downloadable NuGet packages.
+
+## Quick Reference
+
+```bash
+# Full workflow — clear cache, download, detect version, build all samples
+dotnet cake --target=validate-samples-full
+
+# Or step by step:
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/skiasharp* externals/package_cache/harfbuzzsharp*
+dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output
+# Detect version from downloaded nupkgs, then:
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=preview.0 --buildNumber=76
+```
+
+## When to Use
+
+- After making changes to samples and wanting to verify they build
+- When CI reports sample build failures and you need to reproduce locally
+- When validating that a new SkiaSharp release doesn't break samples
+- After merging changes that affect sample project files or dependencies
+
+## Step-by-Step Workflow
+
+### Step 1: Clear Cached Packages
+
+Old cached packages cause stale version resolution. Always clear before validating:
+
+```bash
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/skiasharp*
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/harfbuzzsharp*
+```
+
+If you suspect deeper caching issues, also clear the global NuGet cache:
+
+```bash
+dotnet nuget locals all --clear
+```
+
+### Step 2: Download CI Packages
+
+Download the latest stable and preview NuGet packages from the CI feed:
+
+```bash
+dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output
+```
+
+This downloads from the **SkiaSharp-CI** Azure DevOps feed:
+`https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/xamarin/public/_packaging/SkiaSharp-CI/nuget/v3/index.json`
+
+Two package sets are fetched:
+- `_nugets` — stable packages (e.g. `SkiaSharp.3.119.4.nupkg`)
+- `_nugetspreview` — preview packages (e.g. `SkiaSharp.3.119.4-preview.0.76.nupkg`)
+
+Output goes to `output/nugets/`.
+
+> **Note:** This target clears `./output/` first. If you also need native binaries
+> in `output/native/`, run `externals-download` first, then `docs-download-output`.
+
+### Step 3: Detect the Preview Version
+
+The preview label and build number must be passed to the samples target. Extract them
+from the downloaded nupkg filenames:
+
+```bash
+# Find a preview SkiaSharp package
+PREVIEW_PKG=$(ls output/nugets/SkiaSharp.[0-9]*-*.nupkg 2>/dev/null | grep -v NativeAssets | head -1)
+echo "Preview package: $PREVIEW_PKG"
+
+# Extract the suffix (everything after base version, before .nupkg)
+# Example: SkiaSharp.3.119.4-preview.0.76.nupkg → preview.0.76
+SUFFIX=$(basename "$PREVIEW_PKG" | sed 's/^SkiaSharp\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*-//' | sed 's/\.nupkg$//')
+echo "Full suffix: $SUFFIX"
+
+# Split: preview label = everything before last dot, build number = last component
+PREVIEW_LABEL=$(echo "$SUFFIX" | sed 's/\.[0-9]*$//')
+BUILD_NUMBER=$(echo "$SUFFIX" | grep -o '[0-9]*$')
+echo "Preview label: $PREVIEW_LABEL"
+echo "Build number: $BUILD_NUMBER"
+```
+
+### Step 4: Build Samples
+
+Run the full samples pipeline with the detected version:
+
+```bash
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=$PREVIEW_LABEL --buildNumber=$BUILD_NUMBER
+```
+
+This runs three sub-targets in sequence:
+1. **samples-generate** — Copies `samples/` to `output/samples/` and `output/samples-preview/`,
+   converting `<ProjectReference>` to `<PackageReference>` using versions from `scripts/VERSIONS.txt`
+2. **samples-prepare** — Clears cached SkiaSharp/HarfBuzz packages from `externals/package_cache`,
+   copies nupkgs next to Dockerfiles for Docker sample builds
+3. **samples-run** — Builds every sample solution in the output directory
+
+#### Building a Single Sample
+
+Use the `--sample` filter to build just one:
+
+```bash
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=$PREVIEW_LABEL --buildNumber=$BUILD_NUMBER --sample=tvOS
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=$PREVIEW_LABEL --buildNumber=$BUILD_NUMBER --sample=Blazor
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=$PREVIEW_LABEL --buildNumber=$BUILD_NUMBER --sample=Android
+```
+
+## Version Construction Deep Dive
+
+### Two-step version system
+
+The CI feed and the NuGet packages use **different versioning**:
+
+1. **CI feed wrapper version** (e.g. `0.0.0-branch.main.2580`) — identifies the source build
+2. **Real NuGet version** (e.g. `3.119.4-preview.0.76`) — the user-facing package version inside
+
+When downloading, cake uses `--gitBranch`/`--gitSha`/`--previewLabel` to resolve the CI wrapper version.
+After extraction, the real nupkg versions are in `output/nugets/`.
+
+### How preview versions are built
+
+The cake build constructs the NuGet preview suffix from two arguments:
+
+```csharp
+// build.cake:57-72
+var PREVIEW_LABEL = Argument("previewLabel", EnvironmentVariable("PREVIEW_LABEL") ?? "preview");
+var BUILD_NUMBER = Argument("buildNumber", EnvironmentVariable("BUILD_NUMBER") ?? "0");
+PREVIEW_NUGET_SUFFIX = $"{PREVIEW_LABEL}.{BUILD_NUMBER}";
+// Result: "preview.0.76" when PREVIEW_LABEL="preview.0" and BUILD_NUMBER="76"
+```
+
+The final NuGet version: `{base_version}-{PREVIEW_NUGET_SUFFIX}`
+- Base version comes from `scripts/VERSIONS.txt` (e.g. `3.119.4`)
+- The `.0` in `preview.0.76` is the **preview number** (first preview = 0, second = 1, etc.)
+
+### How download resolution works
+
+The `DownloadPackageAsync` function resolves the CI artifact version (checked in priority order):
+
+```csharp
+// scripts/cake/UtilsManaged.cake:165-174
+if (PREVIEW_LABEL.StartsWith("pr."))     → "0.0.0-pr.{number}.*"
+else if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(GIT_SHA)) → "0.0.0-commit.{sha}.*"
+else if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(GIT_BRANCH_NAME)) → "0.0.0-branch.{name}.*"
+else                                     → "0.0.0-branch.main.*"
+```
+
+The `CreateSamplesDirectory()` function in `scripts/cake/samples.cake`:
+
+1. **`<ProjectReference>`** → converted to `<PackageReference>` using the project's
+   `<PackagingGroup>` as the package ID and version from `VERSIONS.txt`
+2. **Existing `<PackageReference>`** → version updated from `VERSIONS.txt`
+3. For SkiaSharp/HarfBuzzSharp packages, the preview suffix is appended
+
+Two output trees are created:
+- `output/samples/` — stable versions
+- `output/samples-preview/` — preview versions (with suffix)
+
+## Cake Arguments Reference
+
+| Argument | Env var | Default | Purpose |
+|----------|---------|---------|---------|
+| `--previewLabel` | `PREVIEW_LABEL` | `preview` | Preview suffix label |
+| `--buildNumber` | `BUILD_NUMBER` | `0` | Build number for suffix |
+| `--buildCounter` | `BUILD_COUNTER` | Same as buildNumber | Build counter for CI version |
+| `--artifactsFeed` | — | SkiaSharp-CI URL | Override the NuGet feed |
+| `--gitBranch` | `GIT_BRANCH_NAME` | `""` | Branch name for CI version |
+| `--sample` | — | `""` | Filter to specific sample |
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### "The local source 'packages' doesn't exist" (Docker samples)
+Docker samples (`Docker/Console`, `Docker/WebApi`) have their own `nuget.config` with a
+local `packages` folder. This is by design — they're built via `run.ps1` inside Docker,
+not `dotnet build`. The `samples-prepare` target copies nupkgs there automatically.
+
+### Platform-specific samples not building
+Some platforms are disabled by default for local builds:
+```bash
+# These MSBuild properties enable optional platforms
+-p:IsNetTVOSSupported=true
+-p:IsNetTizenSupported=true
+-p:IsNetMacOSSupported=true
+```
+
+### WinUI XAML compiler crash on .NET 10
+The WinUI sample may need a newer `Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK` version. This is a known
+compatibility issue between older WinUI SDK versions and .NET 10.
+
+### Stale packages after repeated runs
+If versions don't update between runs:
+```bash
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/skiasharp* externals/package_cache/harfbuzzsharp*
+dotnet nuget locals all --clear
+```
+
+## Further Reading
+
+- [Building Samples](../../documentation/dev/building-samples.md) — Full developer documentation
+- `build.cake` lines 57-83 — Version construction
+- `build.cake` lines 473-651 — Sample targets
+- `scripts/cake/samples.cake` — ProjectRef→PackageRef conversion logic
+- `scripts/VERSIONS.txt` — Package version source of truth
diff --git a/.github/skills/validate-samples/scripts/detect-preview-version.sh b/.github/skills/validate-samples/scripts/detect-preview-version.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..e6a00513849
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/skills/validate-samples/scripts/detect-preview-version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# detect-preview-version.sh
+# Detects the preview label and build number from downloaded nupkg files in output/nugets/
+# Usage: source detect-preview-version.sh
+#   Sets: PREVIEW_LABEL, BUILD_NUMBER, PREVIEW_SUFFIX
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+NUGETS_DIR="${1:-output/nugets}"
+
+# Find a preview SkiaSharp package (not NativeAssets, not HarfBuzz)
+PREVIEW_PKG=$(ls "$NUGETS_DIR"/SkiaSharp.[0-9]*-*.nupkg 2>/dev/null | grep -v NativeAssets | head -1)
+
+if [ -z "$PREVIEW_PKG" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: No preview SkiaSharp package found in $NUGETS_DIR" >&2
+    echo "Run 'dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output' first." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Extract filename
+FILENAME=$(basename "$PREVIEW_PKG")
+echo "Found: $FILENAME"
+
+# Extract suffix: SkiaSharp.3.119.4-preview.0.76.nupkg → preview.0.76
+SUFFIX=$(echo "$FILENAME" | sed 's/^SkiaSharp\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*-//' | sed 's/\.nupkg$//')
+
+# Split on last dot: preview.0 + 76
+PREVIEW_LABEL=$(echo "$SUFFIX" | sed 's/\.[0-9]*$//')
+BUILD_NUMBER=$(echo "$SUFFIX" | grep -o '[0-9]*$')
+
+echo "Preview label: $PREVIEW_LABEL"
+echo "Build number:  $BUILD_NUMBER"
+echo "Full suffix:   $SUFFIX"
+
+# Export for use by caller
+export PREVIEW_LABEL
+export BUILD_NUMBER
+export PREVIEW_SUFFIX="$SUFFIX"
diff --git a/documentation/dev/building-samples.md b/documentation/dev/building-samples.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..40fbe68efa3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/documentation/dev/building-samples.md
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+# Building and Validating Samples
+
+This guide explains how to build SkiaSharp samples using CI-produced NuGet packages. The samples use **package references** (not project references) when built through the `samples` cake target, so they need downloadable NuGet packages to compile.
+
+## CI Artifacts Feed
+
+All CI builds publish wrapper packages to the **SkiaSharp-CI** Azure DevOps feed:
+
+```
+https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/xamarin/public/_packaging/SkiaSharp-CI/nuget/v3/index.json
+```
+
+These wrapper packages bundle the real NuGet packages inside their `tools/` directory:
+
+| Wrapper package | Contains |
+|-----------------|----------|
+| `_nativeassets` | Native binaries (per-platform frameworks/dylibs) |
+| `_nugets` | Stable NuGet packages (e.g. `SkiaSharp.3.119.4.nupkg`) |
+| `_nugetspreview` | Preview NuGet packages (e.g. `SkiaSharp.3.119.4-preview.0.76.nupkg`) |
+
+The wrapper packages use `0.0.0-{source}.{build}` versioning to identify their CI source. The actual NuGet packages inside have their real, user-facing version numbers.
+
+## Two-Step Process
+
+Building samples requires two separate sets of arguments because the CI feed version and the NuGet package version are different things:
+
+### Step 1: Download — select which CI build to fetch
+
+The `docs-download-output` target resolves the CI wrapper package version using these args (checked in priority order):
+
+| Argument | Resolves to | Use case |
+|----------|------------|----------|
+| `--previewLabel=pr.3553` | `0.0.0-pr.3553.*` | PR build |
+| `--gitSha=abc123` | `0.0.0-commit.abc123.*` | Specific commit |
+| `--gitBranch=release/3.119.4` | `0.0.0-branch.release.3.119.4.*` | Release branch |
+| `--gitBranch=main` | `0.0.0-branch.main.*` | Main branch (nightly) |
+| *(no args)* | `0.0.0-branch.main.*` | Default: latest from main |
+
+The `.*` wildcard selects the **latest** matching build from the feed.
+
+### Step 2: Build samples — use the real NuGet version
+
+After downloading, the extracted nupkgs in `output/nugets/` have real version numbers. The `samples` target needs `--previewLabel` and `--buildNumber` matching these real versions:
+
+```bash
+# Detect from downloaded packages
+ls output/nugets/SkiaSharp.3*-*.nupkg
+# → SkiaSharp.3.119.4-preview.0.76.nupkg
+# So: --previewLabel=preview.0 --buildNumber=76
+```
+
+## NuGet Package Version Construction
+
+Preview package versions follow this pattern:
+
+```
+{base_version}-{PREVIEW_LABEL}.{BUILD_NUMBER}
+```
+
+- **base_version**: From `scripts/VERSIONS.txt` (e.g. `3.119.4`)
+- **PREVIEW_LABEL**: The preview label (e.g. `preview.0` — first preview, `preview.1` — second, etc.)
+- **BUILD_NUMBER**: The CI build counter
+
+**Example:** `3.119.4-preview.0.76` → `previewLabel=preview.0`, `buildNumber=76`
+
+## Cake Arguments
+
+### For downloading (`docs-download-output`, `externals-download`)
+
+These arguments control **which CI build** to fetch from the feed:
+
+| Argument | Environment variable | Default | Purpose |
+|----------|---------------------|---------|---------|
+| `--previewLabel` | `PREVIEW_LABEL` | `preview` | When starts with `pr.`, fetches PR build |
+| `--gitSha` | `GIT_SHA` | `""` | Fetch by commit SHA |
+| `--gitBranch` | `GIT_BRANCH_NAME` | `""` | Fetch by branch name |
+| `--artifactsFeed` | — | SkiaSharp-CI URL | Override the NuGet feed |
+
+### For building samples (`samples`)
+
+These arguments control the **NuGet version suffix** used when rewriting package references:
+
+| Argument | Environment variable | Default | Purpose |
+|----------|---------------------|---------|---------|
+| `--previewLabel` | `PREVIEW_LABEL` | `preview` | Preview suffix label |
+| `--buildNumber` | `BUILD_NUMBER` | `0` | Build number for suffix |
+| `--sample` | — | `""` | Filter to build a specific sample |
+
+> **Note:** `--previewLabel` serves double duty: it selects the CI artifact during download AND forms the NuGet suffix during sample generation. For nightly builds from main, you typically run download with default args, then set `--previewLabel` and `--buildNumber` to match the extracted packages.
+
+## Cake Targets
+
+| Target | What it does | Output directory |
+|--------|-------------|-----------------|
+| `externals-download` | Downloads native binaries from CI feed | `output/native/{platform}/` |
+| `docs-download-output` | Downloads stable + preview NuGet packages from CI feed | `output/nugets/` |
+| `samples-generate` | Copies samples to `output/`, converts ProjectRef → PackageRef | `output/samples/`, `output/samples-preview/` |
+| `samples-prepare` | Clears cached SkiaSharp/HarfBuzz packages, copies nupkgs for Docker | — |
+| `samples-run` | Builds all generated samples from `output/` | — |
+| `samples` | Runs generate → prepare → run in sequence | — |
+
+## Step-by-Step: Building Samples Locally
+
+### 1. Clear cached packages
+
+```bash
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/skiasharp*
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/harfbuzzsharp*
+```
+
+### 2. Download CI packages
+
+```bash
+# Latest from main (default)
+dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output
+
+# From a specific branch
+dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output --gitBranch=release/3.119.4
+
+# From a PR
+dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output --previewLabel=pr.3553
+
+# From a specific commit
+dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output --gitSha=abc123def456
+```
+
+This populates `output/nugets/` with the real `.nupkg` files extracted from the CI wrapper.
+
+### 3. Detect the preview version
+
+```bash
+# Use the helper script
+source .github/skills/validate-samples/scripts/detect-preview-version.sh
+# Sets: PREVIEW_LABEL, BUILD_NUMBER
+
+# Or manually:
+PREVIEW_PKG=$(ls output/nugets/SkiaSharp.[0-9]*-*.nupkg 2>/dev/null | grep -v NativeAssets | head -1)
+SUFFIX=$(basename "$PREVIEW_PKG" | sed 's/^SkiaSharp\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*-//' | sed 's/\.nupkg$//')
+PREVIEW_LABEL=$(echo "$SUFFIX" | sed 's/\.[0-9]*$//')
+BUILD_NUMBER=$(echo "$SUFFIX" | grep -o '[0-9]*$')
+```
+
+### 4. Build samples
+
+```bash
+# Build all samples
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=$PREVIEW_LABEL --buildNumber=$BUILD_NUMBER
+
+# Build a single sample
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=$PREVIEW_LABEL --buildNumber=$BUILD_NUMBER --sample=tvOS
+```
+
+### Complete one-liner
+
+```bash
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/skiasharp* externals/package_cache/harfbuzzsharp* && \
+dotnet cake --target=docs-download-output && \
+source .github/skills/validate-samples/scripts/detect-preview-version.sh && \
+dotnet cake --target=samples --previewLabel=$PREVIEW_LABEL --buildNumber=$BUILD_NUMBER
+```
+
+## How `samples-generate` Works
+
+The `CreateSamplesDirectory()` function in `scripts/cake/samples.cake`:
+
+1. **`<ProjectReference>`** → converted to `<PackageReference>` using the project's `<PackagingGroup>` as the package ID and version from `VERSIONS.txt`
+2. **Existing `<PackageReference>`** → version updated from `VERSIONS.txt`
+3. For SkiaSharp/HarfBuzzSharp packages, the preview suffix is appended
+4. Two output trees: `output/samples/` (stable) and `output/samples-preview/` (preview)
+
+## Building with Native Binaries (for local development)
+
+If you need native binaries (e.g. for running samples directly with project references):
+
+```bash
+dotnet cake --target=externals-download
+```
+
+> **Note:** `externals-download` clears `./output/` first. If you need both native binaries and NuGet packages, run `externals-download` first, then `docs-download-output`.
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Stale cached packages
+```bash
+rm -rf externals/package_cache/skiasharp* externals/package_cache/harfbuzzsharp*
+dotnet nuget locals all --clear
+```
+
+### tvOS/macOS/Tizen not building
+Some platforms are disabled by default:
+```bash
+-p:IsNetTVOSSupported=true
+-p:IsNetTizenSupported=true
+-p:IsNetMacOSSupported=true
+```
+
+### WinUI XAML compiler failures on .NET 10
+May need a newer `Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK` version.
+
+### NuGet feed authentication
+The SkiaSharp-CI feed is public — no authentication required.
diff --git a/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKControl.cs b/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKControl.cs
index d3653ad1c30..80b610a6d58 100644
--- a/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKControl.cs
+++ b/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKControl.cs
@@ -10,16 +10,12 @@ namespace SkiaSharp.Views.Desktop
 	[DefaultProperty("Name")]
 	public class SKControl : Control
 	{
-		private readonly bool designMode;
-
 		private Bitmap bitmap;
 
 		public SKControl()
 		{
 			DoubleBuffered = true;
 			SetStyle(ControlStyles.ResizeRedraw, true);
-
-			designMode = DesignMode || LicenseManager.UsageMode == LicenseUsageMode.Designtime;
 		}
 
 		public SKSize CanvasSize => bitmap == null ? SKSize.Empty : new SKSize(bitmap.Width, bitmap.Height);
@@ -29,7 +25,7 @@ public SKControl()
 
 		protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
 		{
-			if (designMode)
+			if (DesignMode)
 				return;
 
 			base.OnPaint(e);
diff --git a/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKGLControl.cs b/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKGLControl.cs
index 45d8fe1f333..b2571b63c90 100644
--- a/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKGLControl.cs
+++ b/source/SkiaSharp.Views/SkiaSharp.Views.WindowsForms/SKGLControl.cs
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ public class SKGLControl : GLControl
 		private const SKColorType colorType = SKColorType.Rgba8888;
 		private const GRSurfaceOrigin surfaceOrigin = GRSurfaceOrigin.BottomLeft;
 
-		private bool designMode;
-
 		private GRContext grContext;
 		private GRGlFramebufferInfo glInfo;
 		private GRBackendRenderTarget renderTarget;
@@ -61,8 +59,6 @@ public SKGLControl(GraphicsMode mode, int major, int minor, GraphicsContextFlags
 
 		private void Initialize()
 		{
-			designMode = DesignMode || LicenseManager.UsageMode == LicenseUsageMode.Designtime;
-
 			ResizeRedraw = true;
 		}
 
@@ -75,7 +71,7 @@ private void Initialize()
 
 		protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
 		{
-			if (designMode)
+			if (DesignMode)
 			{
 				e.Graphics.Clear(BackColor);
 				return;