diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index c10a31646f..55a5a78f70 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -1,33 +1,19 @@
 environment:
   matrix:
-    - TARGET_ARCH: x86
-      CONDA_PY: 36
-      CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN: C:\\Miniconda36
-      APPVEYOR_BUILD_WORKER_IMAGE: Visual Studio 2017
-      platform: x86
-      SHARED: ON
-
     - TARGET_ARCH: x64
-      CONDA_PY: 37
+      CONDA_PY: 3.7
       CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN: C:\\Miniconda37-x64
       APPVEYOR_BUILD_WORKER_IMAGE: Visual Studio 2017
       platform: x64
-      SHARED: ON
+      SHARED: OFF
 
     - TARGET_ARCH: x86
-      CONDA_PY: 37
+      CONDA_PY: 3.7
       CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN: C:\\Miniconda37
       APPVEYOR_BUILD_WORKER_IMAGE: Visual Studio 2017
       platform: x86
       SHARED: ON
 
-    - TARGET_ARCH: x64
-      CONDA_PY: 36
-      CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN: C:\\Miniconda36-x64
-      APPVEYOR_BUILD_WORKER_IMAGE: Visual Studio 2017
-      platform: x64
-      SHARED: OFF
-
 configuration:
 #  - Debug
   - Release
@@ -91,7 +77,6 @@ install:
 
   # Add path, activate `conda` and update conda.
   - cmd: call %CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN%\Scripts\activate.bat
-  - cmd: conda update --yes --quiet conda
 
   - cmd: set PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
 
@@ -101,9 +86,9 @@ install:
   - cmd: conda config --append channels conda-forge
 
   # Configure the VM.
-  - cmd: conda install -n root --quiet --yes numpy>=1.15 cmake hdf5
-  # ADIOS2 build only for 64bit Windows and Python 3.6+
-  - cmd: if "%TARGET_ARCH%"=="x64" if %CONDA_PY% GEQ 36 conda install -n root --quiet --yes adios2
+  - cmd: conda install -n root --quiet --yes numpy cmake hdf5 python=%CONDA_PY%
+  # ADIOS2 build only for 64bit Windows
+  - cmd: if "%TARGET_ARCH%"=="x64" conda install -n root --quiet --yes adios2 python=%CONDA_PY%
 
 before_build:
   - cmd: cd C:\projects\openpmd-api
@@ -121,12 +106,12 @@ before_build:
 #  - cmd: if "%TARGET_ARCH%"=="x64" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 15.9\VC\vcvarsall.bat" amd64
 
   # CMake configure
-  - cmd: cmake -G "%OPENPMD_CMAKE_GENERATOR%" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=%CONFIGURATION% -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=%SHARED% -DBUILD_TESTING=ON -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="%CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN%" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR="Library\bin" ".."
+  - cmd: cmake -G "%OPENPMD_CMAKE_GENERATOR%" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=%CONFIGURATION% -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=%SHARED% -DBUILD_TESTING=ON -DopenPMD_USE_PYTHON=ON -DPython_EXECUTABLE="%CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN%\python.exe" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="%CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN%" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR="Library\bin" ".."
 
 build_script:
-  - cmd: cmake --build . --config %CONFIGURATION%
+  - cmd: cmake --build . --config %CONFIGURATION% -j 2
   - cmd: cmake --build . --config %CONFIGURATION% --target install
 
 test_script:
   - cmd: ctest -V -C %CONFIGURATION%
-  - cmd: python -c "import openpmd_api; print(openpmd_api.__version__); print(openpmd_api.variants)"
+  - cmd: call %CONDA_INSTALL_LOCN%\python.exe -c "import openpmd_api; print(openpmd_api.__version__); print(openpmd_api.variants)"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3eb4c671a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+name: 🪟 Windows
+
+on: [push, pull_request]
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.ref }}-${{ github.head_ref }}-windows
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  build_win_msvc:
+    name: MSVC w/o MPI
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+    - name: Build & Install
+      run: |
+        python3.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        python3.exe -m pip install --upgrade numpy
+
+        pwsh "share\openPMD\download_samples.ps1" build
+        cmake -S . -B build               `
+              -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug    `
+              -DopenPMD_USE_MPI=OFF
+        cmake --build build --config Debug --parallel 2
+        cmake --build build --config Debug --target install
+
+# add before install, and fix Python path:
+# ctest --test-dir build -C Debug --output-on-failure
+
+
+  build_win_clang:
+    name: Clang w/o MPI
+    runs-on: windows-2019
+    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+    - uses: seanmiddleditch/gha-setup-ninja@master
+    - name: Build & Install
+      shell: cmd
+      run: |
+        python3.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        python3.exe -m pip install --upgrade numpy
+
+        call "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\vc\Auxiliary\build\vcvarsall.bat" x64
+        pwsh "share\openPMD\download_samples.ps1" build
+        cmake -S . -B build   ^
+              -G "Ninja"      ^
+              -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=clang-cl   ^
+              -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=clang-cl ^
+              -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release    ^
+              -DopenPMD_USE_MPI=OFF
+        cmake --build build --config Release --parallel 2
+        cmake --build build --config Debug --target install
+
+# add before install, and fix Python path:
+# ctest --test-dir build -C Debug --output-on-failure
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cc4b057609..25c0bfe004 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1276,7 +1276,8 @@ if(openPMD_BUILD_TESTING)
         endforeach()
 
         # openpmd-pipe (python) test
-        if( openPMD_HAVE_HDF5
+        if( NOT WIN32
+            AND openPMD_HAVE_HDF5
             AND (openPMD_HAVE_ADIOS2 OR openPMD_HAVE_ADIOS1)
             AND EXAMPLE_DATA_FOUND
         )
diff --git a/share/openPMD/download_samples.ps1 b/share/openPMD/download_samples.ps1
index 3e2f2eae83..5fc8987c4d 100755
--- a/share/openPMD/download_samples.ps1
+++ b/share/openPMD/download_samples.ps1
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ Param(
 )
 
 $orgdir = $(Get-Location | Foreach-Object { $_.Path })
+
+$null = New-Item -Type Directory -Force $bdir
 cd $bdir
 
 New-item -ItemType directory -Name samples\git-sample\thetaMode\