diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 41557477..60cb01d6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -246,12 +246,35 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-      - name: Install GTK3
+      # - name: Install GTK
+      #   run: |
+      #     sudo apt-cache search libwxgt*
+      #     sudo apt-cache search libgtk*
+      #     sudo apt install -y libwxgtk3.0-gtk3-dev libgtk-3-dev
+      #   if: ${{ matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest' }}
+      - name: Install wxWidgets (Windows)
+        working-directory: samples/${{ matrix.sample }}
+        run: |
+          vcpkg install wxwidgets
+          vcpkg integrate install
+        if: ${{ matrix.sample == 'CPlusPlusWidgets' && matrix.os == 'windows-latest' }}
+
+      - name: Install wxWidgets (MacOS)
+        run: brew install wxwidgets
+        if: ${{ matrix.sample == 'CPlusPlusWidgets' && matrix.os == 'macos-latest' }}
+
+      - name: Install wxWidgets (Linux)
         run: |
           sudo apt-cache search libwxgt*
           sudo apt-cache search libgtk*
           sudo apt install -y libwxgtk3.0-gtk3-dev libgtk-3-dev
-        if: ${{ matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest' }}
+        if: ${{ matrix.sample == 'CPlusPlusWidgets' && matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest' }}
+
+      # - name: Install wxWidgets
+      #   run: |
+      #     vcpkg install wxwidgets
+      #     vcpkg integrate install
+        
       - name: Install VPK
         run: dotnet tool install -g vpk
       - name: Pack Sample (Windows)
diff --git a/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/.gitignore b/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/.gitignore
index 2e78d319..70822c6d 100644
--- a/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/.gitignore
+++ b/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/.gitignore
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ build-rel
 cmake-build-debug
 cmake-build-release
 .vscode
-.idea
\ No newline at end of file
+.idea
+wxWidgets
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/CMakeLists.txt b/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/CMakeLists.txt
index 610b46b7..dd30cbae 100644
--- a/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/samples/CPlusPlusWidgets/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,33 +9,45 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 
 set(wxBUILD_SHARED OFF)
 
-message(STATUS "Fetching wxWidgets...")
+if(IS_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/wxWidgets")
+    set(wxWidgets_ROOT_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/wxWidgets")
+    set(wxWidgets_LIB_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/wxWidgets/lib/vc14x_x64_dll")
+    set(wxWidgets_INCLUDE_DIRS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/wxWidgets/include")
+endif()
+
+find_package(wxWidgets COMPONENTS net core base)
+if(wxWidgets_USE_FILE) # not defined in CONFIG mode
+    include(${wxWidgets_USE_FILE})
+endif()
+
+if(NOT wxWidgets_FOUND)
+    message(STATUS "wxWidgets not found. Fetching wxWidgets from git...")
+    FetchContent_Declare(
+        wxWidgets
+        GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/wxWidgets/wxWidgets.git
+        GIT_SHALLOW ON
+    )
+    FetchContent_MakeAvailable(wxWidgets)
+    set(wxWidgets_LIBRARIES wxcore wxnet)
+endif()
 
-FetchContent_Declare(
-   wxWidgets
-   GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/wxWidgets/wxWidgets.git
-   GIT_SHALLOW ON
-)
-FetchContent_MakeAvailable(wxWidgets)
 
 # include the Velopack library (headers + precompiled lib)
 include_directories("${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../src/lib-cpp/include")
 set(VELOPACK_LIB_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../target/debug/velopack_libc.dll.lib")
 set(VELOPACK_DLL_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../target/debug/velopack_libc.dll")
 
-# add sources and executable
-set(SRCS main.cpp)
 if(WIN32)
     # the WIN32 is needed for Windows in order for it to look for WinMain
     # instead of the main function. This is ignored on other systems,
     # so it works on all platforms
-    add_executable(main WIN32 ${SRCS} main.exe.manifest)
+    add_executable(main WIN32 main.cpp main.exe.manifest)
 else()
-    add_executable(main ${SRCS})
+    add_executable(main main.cpp)
 endif()
 
 target_compile_definitions(main PRIVATE RELEASES_DIR="${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/releases")
-target_link_libraries(main PRIVATE wxcore wxnet "${VELOPACK_LIB_PATH}")
+target_link_libraries(main PRIVATE ${wxWidgets_LIBRARIES} "${VELOPACK_LIB_PATH}")
 
 # copy velopack dll to output directory
 add_custom_command(TARGET main POST_BUILD