diff --git a/.ci/compile.sh b/.ci/compile.sh
index 3fdd7b839..da32b6810 100755
--- a/.ci/compile.sh
+++ b/.ci/compile.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # --ccache [<size>] uses ccache and shows stats, optionally provide size
 # --dir <dir> sets the name of the build dir, default is "build"
 # --target-macos-version <version> sets the min os version - only used for macOS builds
-# uses env: BUILDTYPE MAKE_INSTALL MAKE_PACKAGE PACKAGE_TYPE PACKAGE_SUFFIX MAKE_SERVER MAKE_NO_CLIENT MAKE_TEST USE_CCACHE CCACHE_SIZE CCACHE_VARIANT BUILD_DIR CMAKE_GENERATOR CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM TARGET_MACOS_VERSION
+# uses env: BUILDTYPE MAKE_INSTALL MAKE_PACKAGE PACKAGE_TYPE PACKAGE_SUFFIX MAKE_SERVER MAKE_NO_CLIENT MAKE_TEST USE_CCACHE CCACHE_SIZE BUILD_DIR CMAKE_GENERATOR CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM TARGET_MACOS_VERSION
 # (correspond to args: --debug/--release --install --package <package type> --suffix <suffix> --server --test --ccache <ccache_size> --dir <dir>)
 # exitcode: 1 for failure, 3 for invalid arguments
 
@@ -128,15 +128,10 @@ if [[ $MAKE_TEST ]]; then
   flags+=("-DTEST=1")
 fi
 if [[ $USE_CCACHE ]]; then
-  if [[ $CCACHE_VARIANT ]]; then
-    # COMPILER_LAUNCHER only; USE_CCACHE=OFF prevents RULE_LAUNCH_COMPILE (avoids Strawberry ccache on Windows)
-    flags+=("-DUSE_CCACHE=OFF" "-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=$CCACHE_VARIANT" "-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=$CCACHE_VARIANT")
-  else
-    flags+=("-DUSE_CCACHE=1")
-  fi
-  if [[ $CCACHE_SIZE && "$CCACHE_VARIANT" != "sccache" ]]; then
+  flags+=("-DUSE_CCACHE=1")
+  if [[ $CCACHE_SIZE ]]; then
     # note, this setting persists after running the script
-    "${CCACHE_VARIANT:-ccache}" --max-size "$CCACHE_SIZE"
+    ccache --max-size "$CCACHE_SIZE"
   fi
 fi
 if [[ $PACKAGE_TYPE ]]; then
@@ -158,16 +153,12 @@ fi
 buildflags=(--config "$BUILDTYPE")
 
 function ccachestatsverbose() {
-  local launcher="${CCACHE_VARIANT:-ccache}"
-  if [[ $launcher == "sccache" ]]; then
-    sccache -s
+  # note, verbose only works on newer ccache, discard the error
+  local got
+  if got="$(ccache --show-stats --verbose 2>/dev/null)"; then
+    echo "$got"
   else
-    local got
-    if got="$("$launcher" --show-stats --verbose 2>/dev/null)"; then
-      echo "$got"
-    else
-      "$launcher" --show-stats
-    fi
+    ccache --show-stats
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml b/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
index cb6f3d7b6..539c38f09 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ jobs:
             qt_arch: clang_64
             qt_modules: qtimageformats qtmultimedia qtwebsockets
             cmake_generator: Ninja
-            ccache_variant: ccache
+            use_ccache: 1
 
           - os: macOS
             target: 14
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ jobs:
             qt_arch: clang_64
             qt_modules: qtimageformats qtmultimedia qtwebsockets
             cmake_generator: Ninja
-            ccache_variant: ccache
+            use_ccache: 1
 
           - os: macOS
             target: 15
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ jobs:
             qt_arch: clang_64
             qt_modules: qtimageformats qtmultimedia qtwebsockets
             cmake_generator: Ninja
-            ccache_variant: ccache
+            use_ccache: 1
 
           - os: macOS
             target: 15
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ jobs:
             qt_arch: clang_64
             qt_modules: qtimageformats qtmultimedia qtwebsockets
             cmake_generator: Ninja
-            ccache_variant: ccache
+            use_ccache: 1
 
           - os: Windows
             target: 10
@@ -320,14 +320,14 @@ jobs:
             qt_arch: win64_msvc2022_64
             qt_modules: qtimageformats qtmultimedia qtwebsockets
             cmake_generator: Ninja
-            ccache_variant: sccache
 
     name: ${{matrix.os}} ${{matrix.target}}${{ matrix.soc == 'Intel' && ' Intel' || '' }}${{ matrix.type == 'Debug' && ' Debug' || '' }}
     needs: configure
     runs-on: ${{matrix.runner}}
     env:
       CCACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.cache/
-      SCCACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.cache/
+      # Cache size over the entire repo is 10Gi:
+      # https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/caching-dependencies-to-speed-up-workflows#usage-limits-and-eviction-policy
       CCACHE_SIZE: 500M
 
     steps:
@@ -336,23 +336,20 @@ jobs:
         with:
           submodules: recursive
 
+      - name: Setup ccache
+        if: matrix.use_ccache == 1 && matrix.os == 'macOS'
+        run: brew install ccache
+
       - name: Restore compiler cache (ccache)
+        if: matrix.use_ccache == 1
         id: ccache_restore
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v5
+        env:
+          BRANCH_NAME: ${{ github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
         with:
-          path: ${{ github.workspace }}/.cache/
-          key: ${{ matrix.ccache_variant }}-${{ matrix.runner }}-${{ matrix.soc || 'Windows' }}-${{ matrix.type }}-master
-          restore-keys: |
-            ${{ matrix.ccache_variant }}-${{ matrix.runner }}-${{ matrix.soc || 'Windows' }}-${{ matrix.type }}-master-
-
-      - name: Setup ${{ matrix.ccache_variant }}
-        uses: hendrikmuhs/ccache-action@v1.2.20
-        with:
-          key: ${{ matrix.runner }}-${{ matrix.soc || 'Windows' }}-${{ matrix.type }}-master
-          restore-keys: ${{ matrix.runner }}-${{ matrix.soc || 'Windows' }}-${{ matrix.type }}-master-
-          max-size: 500M
-          variant: ${{ matrix.ccache_variant }}
-          save: false
+          path: ${{ env.CCACHE_DIR }}
+          key: ccache-${{ matrix.runner }}-${{ matrix.soc }}-${{ matrix.type }}-${{ env.BRANCH_NAME }}
+          restore-keys: ccache-${{ matrix.runner }}-${{ matrix.soc }}-${{ matrix.type }}-
 
       - name: Setup MSVC (Windows)
         if: matrix.os == 'Windows'
@@ -431,8 +428,7 @@ jobs:
           PACKAGE_SUFFIX: '${{matrix.package_suffix}}'
           CMAKE_GENERATOR: ${{matrix.cmake_generator}}
           CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM: ${{ matrix.cmake_generator_platform || '' }}
-          USE_CCACHE: 1
-          CCACHE_VARIANT: ${{ matrix.ccache_variant }}
+          USE_CCACHE: ${{ matrix.use_ccache }}
           VCPKG_DISABLE_METRICS: 1
           VCPKG_BINARY_SOURCES: 'clear;files,${{ steps.vcpkg-cache.outputs.path }},readwrite'
           MACOS_CERTIFICATE: ${{ secrets.PROD_MACOS_CERTIFICATE }}
@@ -445,17 +441,19 @@ jobs:
 
       # Delete used cache to emulate a cache update. See https://github.com/actions/cache/issues/342.
       - name: Delete old compiler cache (ccache)
-        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && steps.ccache_restore.outputs.cache-hit && steps.build.outcome == 'success'
+        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && matrix.use_ccache == 1 && steps.ccache_restore.outputs.cache-hit && steps.build.outcome == 'success'
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: gh cache delete --repo ${{ github.repository }} ${{ steps.ccache_restore.outputs.cache-primary-key }}
 
       - name: Save compiler cache (ccache)
-        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && steps.build.outcome == 'success'
+        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && matrix.use_ccache == 1
         uses: actions/cache/save@v5
+        env:
+          BRANCH_NAME: ${{ github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
         with:
-          path: ${{ github.workspace }}/.cache/
-          key: ${{ steps.ccache_restore.outputs.cache-primary-key }}
+          path: ${{ env.CCACHE_DIR }}
+          key: ccache-${{ matrix.runner }}-${{ matrix.soc }}-${{ matrix.type }}-${{ env.BRANCH_NAME }}
 
       - name: Sign app bundle
         if: matrix.os == 'macOS' && matrix.make_package && needs.configure.outputs.tag != null
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c838cd05d..50ed9727a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -140,15 +140,9 @@ endif()
 
 # Define proper compilation flags
 if(MSVC)
-  # /Z7 when using compiler launcher (sccache): avoids C1041 PDB lock with parallel cached compiles
-  # /Zi /FS otherwise for Ninja + /MP parallel builds
-  if(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER)
-    set(_msvc_debug_format " /Z7")
-  else()
-    set(_msvc_debug_format " /Zi /FS")
-  endif()
   # Disable Warning C4251, C++20 compatibility, Multi-threaded Builds, Warn Detection, Unwind Semantics, Debug Symbols
-  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "/wd4251 /Zc:__cplusplus /std:c++20 /permissive- /W4 /MP /EHsc${_msvc_debug_format}")
+  # /Zi /FS for Ninja + /MP parallel builds (FS allows multiple cl.exe to write PDB)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "/wd4251 /Zc:__cplusplus /std:c++20 /permissive- /W4 /MP /EHsc /Zi /FS")
   # Visual Studio: Maximum Optimization, Multi-threaded DLL
   set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "/Ox /MD")
   # Visual Studio: No Optimization, Multi-threaded Debug DLL