diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd.yml b/.github/workflows/cd.yml
index 6f37de263..a29f112fd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cd.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd.yml
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ jobs:
           # whole install — vcpkg refuses to retry that class of curl
           # error — so retry here.
           for attempt in 1 2 3; do
-            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }} && exit 0
+            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }} --overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release && exit 0
             echo "vcpkg install failed (attempt $attempt); retrying"
             sleep 15
           done
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: pwsh
         run: |
           for ($i = 1; $i -le 3; $i++) {
-            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }}
+            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }} --overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release
             if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { exit 0 }
             Write-Host "vcpkg install failed (attempt $i); retrying"
             Start-Sleep -Seconds 15
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c8b6f89e3..0ab1d5aa7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ jobs:
           # error — so retry here. vcpkg resumes from its archive and
           # download caches, so a repeat attempt is cheap.
           for attempt in 1 2 3; do
-            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }} && exit 0
+            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }} --overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release && exit 0
             echo "vcpkg install failed (attempt $attempt); retrying"
             sleep 15
           done
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: pwsh
         run: |
           for ($i = 1; $i -le 3; $i++) {
-            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }}
+            vcpkg install --triplet ${{ matrix.triplet }} --overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release
             if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { exit 0 }
             Write-Host "vcpkg install failed (attempt $i); retrying"
             Start-Sleep -Seconds 15
diff --git a/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/README.md b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..45539597b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# vcpkg overlay triplets
+
+Small overlays over vcpkg's builtin triplets, passed to `vcpkg install`
+with `--overlay-triplets <dir>` (both workflows, see
+`.github/workflows/ci.yml` and `.github/workflows/cd.yml`).
+
+`release/` pins every supported triplet to the release configuration
+(`set(VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE release)`): vcpkg otherwise builds every port
+twice — release and debug — which doubles the FFmpeg/port build time in
+CI and CD. Our build scripts only ever consume the release layout
+(`FFMPEG_DIR=<prefix>` with `<prefix>/lib/pkgconfig`, plus the linker
+paths those `.pc` files carry), so the debug half was pure waste; the C
+libraries' ABI is identical for the debug cargo binary CI tests.
+
+Notes:
+
+- The non-build-type settings mirror vcpkg's builtin triplets
+  (`scripts/triplets/`) so the overlay stays a drop-in replacement; a
+  vcpkg upgrade that changes a builtin triplet should be mirrored here.
+- `VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE` must be set in the triplet: the environment
+  variable of the same name is ignored in manifest mode.
+- Do not try `debug` here: several ports (e.g. zlib) patch files in the
+  release layout and fail when only the debug configuration is built.
diff --git a/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/arm64-linux.cmake b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/arm64-linux.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c6a75589
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/arm64-linux.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Oak's build-type overlay triplet for arm64-linux (see the note in
+# ../README.md): the settings mirror vcpkg's builtin arm64-linux.cmake and
+# only the build type is pinned. Pass this directory with
+# `--overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release`.
+set(VCPKG_TARGET_ARCHITECTURE arm64)
+set(VCPKG_CRT_LINKAGE dynamic)
+set(VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE static)
+
+set(VCPKG_CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Linux)
+
+# Build only the release configuration (see x64-linux.cmake).
+set(VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE release)
diff --git a/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/arm64-osx.cmake b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/arm64-osx.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fab794a90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/arm64-osx.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Oak's build-type overlay triplet for arm64-osx (see the note in
+# ../README.md): the settings mirror vcpkg's builtin arm64-osx.cmake and
+# only the build type is pinned. Pass this directory with
+# `--overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release`.
+set(VCPKG_TARGET_ARCHITECTURE arm64)
+set(VCPKG_CRT_LINKAGE dynamic)
+set(VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE static)
+
+set(VCPKG_CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Darwin)
+set(VCPKG_OSX_ARCHITECTURES arm64)
+
+# Build only the release configuration (see x64-linux.cmake).
+set(VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE release)
diff --git a/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/x64-linux.cmake b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/x64-linux.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c63b1f261
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/x64-linux.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Oak's build-type overlay triplet for x64-linux (see the note in
+# ../README.md): the settings mirror vcpkg's builtin x64-linux.cmake and
+# only the build type is pinned. Pass this directory with
+# `--overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release`.
+set(VCPKG_TARGET_ARCHITECTURE x64)
+set(VCPKG_CRT_LINKAGE dynamic)
+set(VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE static)
+
+set(VCPKG_CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Linux)
+
+# Build only the release configuration. vcpkg otherwise builds every port
+# twice (release + debug) and our build scripts/vcpkg caches only ever use
+# the release layout (FFMPEG_DIR's lib/pkgconfig).
+set(VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE release)
diff --git a/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/x64-windows.cmake b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/x64-windows.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..97ada31fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release/x64-windows.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Oak's build-type overlay triplet for x64-windows (see the note in
+# ../README.md): the settings mirror vcpkg's builtin x64-windows.cmake and
+# only the build type is pinned. Pass this directory with
+# `--overlay-triplets tooling/vcpkg-triplets/release`.
+set(VCPKG_TARGET_ARCHITECTURE x64)
+set(VCPKG_CRT_LINKAGE dynamic)
+set(VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE dynamic)
+set(VCPKG_PROVIDED_FORTRAN ON)
+
+# Build only the release configuration (see x64-linux.cmake).
+set(VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE release)