diff --git a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
index 50a508ca3..f9a4d8cf5 100644
--- a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler_version:
 docker_image:
 - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:alma9
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-openstack-gpu-2xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
index aa311390d..d825e4628 100644
--- a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler_version:
 docker_image:
 - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:alma9
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-openstack-gpu-2xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
index 673574c66..2aa7fa3ae 100644
--- a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler_version:
 docker_image:
 - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:alma9
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-openstack-gpu-2xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
index e413beb1a..c81c17a7b 100644
--- a/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/linux_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler_version:
 docker_image:
 - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:alma9
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-openstack-gpu-2xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
index 1c9769b94..47d4bce83 100644
--- a/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.9is_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler_version:
 docker_image:
 - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:alma9
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-openstack-gpu-2xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
index 1c7ea27a5..df5b748c0 100644
--- a/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/linux_aarch64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler_version:
 docker_image:
 - quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-x86_64:alma9
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-openstack-gpu-2xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/migrations/fmt121_spdlog117.yaml b/.ci_support/migrations/fmt121_spdlog117.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f46fced4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci_support/migrations/fmt121_spdlog117.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+__migrator:
+  build_number: 1
+  commit_message: Rebuild for fmt 12.1 and spdlog 1.17
+  kind: version
+  migration_number: 1
+migrator_ts: 1767674179.1402016
+fmt:
+- '12.1'
+spdlog:
+- '1.17'
diff --git a/.ci_support/migrations/fmt12_spdlog116.yaml b/.ci_support/migrations/fmt12_spdlog116.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 87c31a2ba..000000000
--- a/.ci_support/migrations/fmt12_spdlog116.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-__migrator:
-  build_number: 1
-  commit_message: Rebuild for fmt 12.0 and spdlog 1.16
-  kind: version
-  migration_number: 1
-migrator_ts: 1760196591.995821
-fmt:
-- '12.0'
-spdlog:
-- '1.16'
diff --git a/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
index 0e3c6fc57..8d36a026c 100644
--- a/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implgenericchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler:
 cxx_compiler_version:
 - '19'
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-macos-m4-large
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
index a79826c93..32c420421 100644
--- a/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/osx_64_blas_implmklchannel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler:
 cxx_compiler_version:
 - '19'
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-macos-m4-large
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/osx_arm64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/osx_arm64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
index 6c92bb710..80150d0b2 100644
--- a/.ci_support/osx_arm64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/osx_arm64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rcis_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cxx_compiler:
 cxx_compiler_version:
 - '19'
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-macos-m4-large
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.8is_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.8is_rcTrue.yaml
index e617d2fcb..aeb72dee6 100644
--- a/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.8is_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_version12.8is_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ cudnn:
 cxx_compiler:
 - vs2022
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-azure-windows-4xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml b/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
index b3a0d13a9..66822d990 100644
--- a/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
+++ b/.ci_support/win_64_channel_targetsconda-forge_pytorch_rccuda_compiler_versionNoneis_rcTrue.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ cudnn:
 cxx_compiler:
 - vs2022
 fmt:
-- '12.0'
+- '12.1'
 github_actions_labels:
 - cirun-azure-windows-4xlarge
 is_rc:
diff --git a/recipe/build.sh b/recipe/build.sh
index dd24fc2d9..870380065 100644
--- a/recipe/build.sh
+++ b/recipe/build.sh
@@ -302,7 +302,11 @@ case ${PKG_NAME} in
     for f in bin/* lib/* share/* include/*; do
       if [[ -e "$PREFIX/$f" ]]; then
         rm -rf $f
-        ln -sf $PREFIX/$f $PWD/$f
+        # do not symlink include files back
+        # https://github.com/conda-forge/pytorch-cpu-feedstock/issues/447#issuecomment-3712968499
+        if [[ ${f} != include/* ]]; then
+          ln -sf $PREFIX/$f $PWD/$f
+        fi
       fi
     done
     popd
diff --git a/recipe/meta.yaml b/recipe/meta.yaml
index 0767a1287..c8bb6fbd1 100644
--- a/recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # if you wish to build release candidate number X, append the version string with ".rcX"
 {% set version = "2.10.0-rc3" %}
-{% set build = 0 %}
+{% set build = 1 %}
 
 # Use a higher build number for the CUDA variant, to ensure that it's
 # preferred by conda's solver, and it's preferentially
@@ -365,6 +365,8 @@ outputs:
         - cuda-nvrtc-dev            # [cuda_compiler_version != "None"]
         - nvtx-c                    # [cuda_compiler_version != "None"]
         - pybind11
+        # not required upstream, but useful
+        - pytest-timeout
       imports:
         - torch
         - torch._C
@@ -439,6 +441,12 @@ outputs:
         {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_addbmm or test_baddbmm or test_bmm" %}         # [aarch64]
         # doesn't crash, but gets different result on aarch + CUDA
         {% set skips = skips ~ " or illcondition_matrix_input_should_not_crash_cpu" %}  # [aarch64 and cuda_compiler_version != "None"]
+        # may crash spuriously
+        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestAutograd and test_profiler_seq_nr)" %}         # [not win]
+        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestAutograd and test_profiler_propagation)" %}    # [not win]
+        # tests that fail due to resource clean-up issues (non-unique temporary libraries), see
+        # https://github.com/conda-forge/pytorch-cpu-feedstock/pull/318#issuecomment-2620080859
+        {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_mutable_custom_op_fixed_layout" %}             # [not win]
         # minor inaccuracy on aarch64 (emulation?)
         {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_upsampling_bfloat16)" %}           # [aarch64]
         # may crash spuriously
@@ -479,23 +487,13 @@ outputs:
         # non-MKL problems
         {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_gather_scatter_cpu or test_index_put2_cpu" %}      # [linux and blas_impl != "mkl" and cuda_compiler_version != "None"]
         # these tests are failing with low -n values
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_base_does_not_require_grad_mode_nothing" %}
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_base_does_not_require_grad_mode_warn" %}
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_composite_registered_to_cpu_mode_nothing" %}
+        {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_base_does_not_require_grad_mode_nothing" %}    # [not win]
+        {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_base_does_not_require_grad_mode_warn" %}       # [not win]
+        {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_composite_registered_to_cpu_mode_nothing" %}   # [not win]
         # these tests are failing on windows
         {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestMkldnnCPU and test_batch_norm_2d_cpu)" %}       # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv1d_dilated)" %}                 # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv1d_pad_same_dilated)" %}        # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv2d_pad_same_dilated)" %}        # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv2d_padding)" %}                 # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv2d_strided)" %}                 # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv3d_dilated)" %}                 # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv3d_dilated_strided)" %}         # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv3d_pad_same_dilated)" %}        # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv3d_stride)" %}                  # [win]
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestNN and test_Conv3d_stride_padding)" %}          # [win]
         # flaky test, fragile to GC behavior
-        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestTorch and test_tensor_cycle_via_slots)" %}
+        {% set skips = skips ~ " or (TestTorch and test_tensor_cycle_via_slots)" %}     # [not win]
         # unexpected success
         {% set skips = skips ~ " or test_forward_nn_Bilinear_mps_float16" %}            # [osx and arm64]
         # "quantized engine NoQEngine is not supported"
@@ -514,7 +512,7 @@ outputs:
         {% set jobs = "-n 1" %}     # [linux64 and cuda_compiler_version != "None"]
         # test only one python version on aarch because emulation is super-slow;
         # disable hypothesis because it randomly yields health check errors
-        - pytest {{ jobs }} {{ tests }} -k "not ({{ skips }})" -m "not hypothesis" --durations=50 --disable-warnings    # [not aarch64 or py==312]
+        - pytest {{ jobs }} {{ tests }} -k "not ({{ skips }})" -m "not hypothesis" --durations=50 --timeout=1200 --disable-warnings    # [not aarch64 or py==312]
 
         # regression test for https://github.com/conda-forge/pytorch-cpu-feedstock/issues/329, where we picked up
         # duplicate `.pyc` files due to newest py-ver (3.13) in the build environment not matching the one in host;