diff --git a/.github/actions/spell-check/expect.txt b/.github/actions/spell-check/expect.txt
index cd6e9b0a2b..3d22a06313 100644
--- a/.github/actions/spell-check/expect.txt
+++ b/.github/actions/spell-check/expect.txt
@@ -1383,6 +1383,7 @@ RIGHTSCROLLBAR
 riid
 RKey
 RNumber
+Rns
 rop
 ROUNDSMALL
 ROWSETEXT
diff --git a/.pipelines/v2/release.yml b/.pipelines/v2/release.yml
index 227dd1cf71..18163e899a 100644
--- a/.pipelines/v2/release.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/v2/release.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ parameters:
     displayName: "Build Using Visual Studio Preview"
     default: false
 
+  - name: enableAOT
+    type: boolean
+    displayName: "Enable AOT (Ahead-of-Time) Compilation for CmdPal"
+    default: true
+
 name: $(BuildDefinitionName)_$(date:yyMM).$(date:dd)$(rev:rrr)
 
 variables:
@@ -95,7 +100,7 @@ extends:
                 useManagedIdentity: $(SigningUseManagedIdentity)
                 clientId: $(SigningOriginalClientId)
               # Have msbuild use the release nuget config profile
-              additionalBuildOptions: /p:RestoreConfigFile="$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\.pipelines\release-nuget.config"
+              additionalBuildOptions: /p:RestoreConfigFile="$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\.pipelines\release-nuget.config" /p:EnableCmdPalAOT=${{ parameters.enableAOT }}
               beforeBuildSteps:
                 # Sets versions for all PowerToy created DLLs
                 - pwsh: |-
diff --git a/.pipelines/verifyDepsJsonLibraryVersions.ps1 b/.pipelines/verifyDepsJsonLibraryVersions.ps1
index 085e1e439a..6123316b5f 100644
--- a/.pipelines/verifyDepsJsonLibraryVersions.ps1
+++ b/.pipelines/verifyDepsJsonLibraryVersions.ps1
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Get-ChildItem $targetDir -Recurse -Filter *.deps.json -Exclude *UITest*,MouseJum
     # Temporarily exclude All UI-Test, Fuzzer-Test projects because of Appium.WebDriver dependencies
     $depsJsonFullFileName = $_.FullName
 
-    if ($depsJsonFullFileName -like "*CmdPal*") {
+    if ($depsJsonFullFileName -like "*CmdPal*" -or $depsJsonFullFileName -like "*CommandPalette*") {
         return
     }
 
diff --git a/Directory.Packages.props b/Directory.Packages.props
index 5ebced2715..f29669d9e7 100644
--- a/Directory.Packages.props
+++ b/Directory.Packages.props
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     <PackageVersion Include="CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Extensions" Version="8.2.250402" />
     <PackageVersion Include="CommunityToolkit.WinUI.UI.Controls.DataGrid" Version="7.1.2" />
     <PackageVersion Include="CommunityToolkit.WinUI.UI.Controls.Markdown" Version="7.1.2" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.Controls.MarkdownTextBlock" Version="0.1.250703-build.2173" />
     <PackageVersion Include="ControlzEx" Version="6.0.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="HelixToolkit" Version="2.24.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="HelixToolkit.Core.Wpf" Version="2.24.0" />
diff --git a/NOTICE.md b/NOTICE.md
index 2b1201bc50..b2232e4984 100644
--- a/NOTICE.md
+++ b/NOTICE.md
@@ -1497,6 +1497,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
 - Appium.WebDriver 4.4.5
 - Azure.AI.OpenAI 1.0.0-beta.17
 - CommunityToolkit.Common 8.4.0
+- CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.Controls.MarkdownTextBlock 0.1.250703-build.2173
 - CommunityToolkit.Mvvm 8.4.0
 - CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Animations 8.2.250402
 - CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Collections 8.2.250402
@@ -1579,4 +1580,3 @@ SOFTWARE.
 - WinUIEx 2.2.0
 - WPF-UI 3.0.5
 - WyHash 1.0.5
-
diff --git a/src/Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props b/src/Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props
index 82988104dd..bebb88428c 100644
--- a/src/Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props
+++ b/src/Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     <CsWinRTAotWarningLevel>2</CsWinRTAotWarningLevel>
 
     <!-- Suppress DynamicallyAccessedMemberTypes.PublicParameterlessConstructor in fallback code path of Windows SDK projection -->
-    <WarningsNotAsErrors>IL2081;CsWinRT1028;$(WarningsNotAsErrors)</WarningsNotAsErrors>
+    <!-- Suppress CA1416 for Windows-specific APIs that are used in PowerToys which only runs on Windows 10.0.19041.0+ -->
+    <WarningsNotAsErrors>IL2081;CsWinRT1028;CA1416;$(WarningsNotAsErrors)</WarningsNotAsErrors>
   </PropertyGroup>
 </Project>
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutDialogContentControl.xaml b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutDialogContentControl.xaml
index 7932a27e91..56ae0bfca6 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutDialogContentControl.xaml
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutDialogContentControl.xaml
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
     xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
     xmlns:controls="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Controls"
     xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
+    xmlns:labToolkit="using:CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.MarkdownTextBlock"
     xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
-    xmlns:tk7controls="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.UI.Controls"
     x:Name="ShortcutContentControl"
     mc:Ignorable="d">
     <Grid MinWidth="498" MinHeight="220">
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
                     IsTabStop="{Binding ElementName=ShortcutContentControl, Path=IsWarningAltGr, Mode=OneWay}"
                     Severity="Warning" />
             </Grid>
-            <tk7controls:MarkdownTextBlock
+            <labToolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
                 x:Uid="InvalidShortcutWarningLabel"
                 Background="Transparent"
                 FontSize="12"
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutWithTextLabelControl.xaml b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutWithTextLabelControl.xaml
index e7bc518dee..2e34b4e31a 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutWithTextLabelControl.xaml
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/ShortcutControl/ShortcutWithTextLabelControl.xaml
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
     xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
     xmlns:controls="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Controls"
     xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
+    xmlns:labToolkit="using:CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.MarkdownTextBlock"
     xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
-    xmlns:tk7controls="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.UI.Controls"
     d:DesignHeight="300"
     d:DesignWidth="400"
     mc:Ignorable="d">
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
                 </DataTemplate>
             </ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
         </ItemsControl>
-        <tk7controls:MarkdownTextBlock
+        <labToolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
             Grid.Column="1"
             VerticalAlignment="Center"
             Background="Transparent"
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ContentPage.xaml b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ContentPage.xaml
index e3232a82bd..dd19eea1e5 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ContentPage.xaml
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ContentPage.xaml
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
     xmlns:controls="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Controls"
     xmlns:converters="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Converters"
     xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
+    xmlns:labToolkit="using:CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.MarkdownTextBlock"
     xmlns:local="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI"
+    xmlns:markdownTextBlockRns="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Controls.MarkdownTextBlockRns"
     xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
     xmlns:toolkit="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.UI.Controls"
     xmlns:viewModels="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels"
@@ -19,6 +21,12 @@
 
     <Page.Resources>
         <ResourceDictionary>
+            <markdownTextBlockRns:MarkdownThemes
+                x:Key="DefaultMarkdownThemeConfig"
+                H3FontSize="12"
+                H3FontWeight="Normal" />
+            <labToolkit:MarkdownConfig x:Key="DefaultMarkdownConfig" Themes="{StaticResource DefaultMarkdownThemeConfig}" />
+
             <StackLayout
                 x:Name="VerticalStackLayout"
                 Orientation="Vertical"
@@ -43,12 +51,9 @@
 
             <DataTemplate x:Key="MarkdownContentTemplate" x:DataType="viewModels:ContentMarkdownViewModel">
                 <Grid Margin="0,4,4,4" Padding="12,8,8,8">
-                    <toolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
+                    <labToolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
                         Background="Transparent"
-                        Header3FontSize="12"
-                        Header3FontWeight="Normal"
-                        Header3Foreground="{ThemeResource TextFillColorSecondaryBrush}"
-                        IsTextSelectionEnabled="True"
+                        Config="{StaticResource DefaultMarkdownConfig}"
                         Text="{x:Bind Body, Mode=OneWay}" />
                 </Grid>
             </DataTemplate>
@@ -61,12 +66,9 @@
 
             <DataTemplate x:Key="NestedMarkdownContentTemplate" x:DataType="viewModels:ContentMarkdownViewModel">
                 <Grid>
-                    <toolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
+                    <labToolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
                         Background="Transparent"
-                        Header3FontSize="12"
-                        Header3FontWeight="Normal"
-                        Header3Foreground="{ThemeResource TextFillColorSecondaryBrush}"
-                        IsTextSelectionEnabled="True"
+                        Config="{StaticResource DefaultMarkdownConfig}"
                         Text="{x:Bind Body, Mode=OneWay}" />
                 </Grid>
             </DataTemplate>
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.csproj b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.csproj
index 75e49fd695..44ef3483e2 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.csproj
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.csproj
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
   <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props" />
+  <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props" />
   <Import Project="..\..\..\CmdPalVersion.props" />
   <Import Project="CmdPal.pre.props" />
   <Import Project="CmdPal.Branding.props" />
@@ -23,6 +24,13 @@
     <AppendRuntimeIdentifierToOutputPath>false</AppendRuntimeIdentifierToOutputPath>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
+  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(EnableCmdPalAOT)' == 'true'">
+    <SelfContained>true</SelfContained>
+    <PublishSingleFile>false</PublishSingleFile>
+    <DisableRuntimeMarshalling>false</DisableRuntimeMarshalling>
+    <PublishAot>true</PublishAot>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(CIBuild)'=='true'">
     <GenerateAppxPackageOnBuild>true</GenerateAppxPackageOnBuild>
   </PropertyGroup>
@@ -71,7 +79,7 @@
     <PackageReference Include="CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Converters" />
     <PackageReference Include="CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Animations" />
     <PackageReference Include="CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Extensions" />
-    <PackageReference Include="CommunityToolkit.WinUI.UI.Controls.Markdown" />
+    <PackageReference Include="CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.Controls.MarkdownTextBlock" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" />
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/NativeMethods.txt b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/NativeMethods.txt
index 165933fe93..a432d9a808 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/NativeMethods.txt
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/NativeMethods.txt
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ SetActiveWindow
 MonitorFromWindow
 GetMonitorInfo
 GetDpiForMonitor
-CoAllowSetForegroundWindow
 WM_HOTKEY
 WM_NCLBUTTONDBLCLK
 
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Pages/ShellPage.xaml b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Pages/ShellPage.xaml
index 63877834e9..9df81e1513 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Pages/ShellPage.xaml
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Pages/ShellPage.xaml
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@
     xmlns:cpcontrols="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Controls"
     xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
     xmlns:help="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Helpers"
+    xmlns:labToolkit="using:CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.MarkdownTextBlock"
+    xmlns:markdownTextBlockRns="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Controls.MarkdownTextBlockRns"
     xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
-    xmlns:toolkit="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.UI.Controls"
+    xmlns:toolkit="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI.Controls"
     xmlns:ui="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI"
     xmlns:viewModels="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels"
     Background="Transparent"
@@ -144,6 +146,11 @@
                     </ItemsControl>
                 </StackPanel>
             </DataTemplate>
+            <markdownTextBlockRns:MarkdownThemes
+                x:Key="DefaultMarkdownThemeConfig"
+                H3FontSize="12"
+                H3FontWeight="Normal" />
+            <labToolkit:MarkdownConfig x:Key="DefaultMarkdownConfig" Themes="{StaticResource DefaultMarkdownThemeConfig}" />
         </ResourceDictionary>
     </Page.Resources>
 
@@ -406,14 +413,11 @@
                             TextWrapping="WrapWholeWords"
                             Visibility="{x:Bind ViewModel.Details.Title, Converter={StaticResource StringNotEmptyToVisibilityConverter}, Mode=OneWay}" />
 
-                        <toolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
+                        <labToolkit:MarkdownTextBlock
                             Grid.Row="2"
                             Margin="0,4,0,24"
                             Background="Transparent"
-                            Header3FontSize="12"
-                            Header3FontWeight="Normal"
-                            Header3Foreground="{ThemeResource TextFillColorSecondaryBrush}"
-                            IsTextSelectionEnabled="True"
+                            Config="{StaticResource DefaultMarkdownConfig}"
                             Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.Details.Body, Mode=OneWay}" />
 
                         <ItemsRepeater
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-arm64.pubxml b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-arm64.pubxml
index b95afb7240..adf22122d9 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-arm64.pubxml
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-arm64.pubxml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=208121.
     <PublishSingleFile>False</PublishSingleFile>
     <PublishReadyToRun Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">False</PublishReadyToRun>
     <PublishReadyToRun Condition="'$(Configuration)' != 'Debug'">True</PublishReadyToRun>
-    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">False</PublishTrimmed>
-    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(Configuration)' != 'Debug'">False</PublishTrimmed>
+    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(EnableCmdPalAOT)' == 'true'">True</PublishTrimmed>
+    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(EnableCmdPalAOT)' != 'true'">False</PublishTrimmed>
   </PropertyGroup>
 </Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-x64.pubxml b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-x64.pubxml
index 5ff16b291b..7f6d14d1ad 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-x64.pubxml
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/PublishProfiles/win-x64.pubxml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=208121.
     <PublishSingleFile>False</PublishSingleFile>
     <PublishReadyToRun Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">False</PublishReadyToRun>
     <PublishReadyToRun Condition="'$(Configuration)' != 'Debug'">True</PublishReadyToRun>
-    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">False</PublishTrimmed>
-    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(Configuration)' != 'Debug'">False</PublishTrimmed>
+    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(EnableCmdPalAOT)' == 'true'">True</PublishTrimmed>
+    <PublishTrimmed Condition="'$(EnableCmdPalAOT)' != 'true'">False</PublishTrimmed>
   </PropertyGroup>
 </Project>
\ No newline at end of file