diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-tests-fabric.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-tests-fabric.yml
index f4c66f425cc71..939f986cc187a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-tests-fabric.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-tests-fabric.yml
@@ -38,42 +38,29 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        include:
+        os: [macOS-14, ubuntu-22.04, windows-2022]
+        config:
           # only run PyTorch latest
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.1" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.1" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.1" }
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.2.2" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.2.2" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.2.2" }
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.3" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.3" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.3" }
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.4.1" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.4.1" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.4.1" }
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.5.1" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.5.1" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.5.1" }
+          - { pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.1" }
+          - { pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.2.2" }
+          - { pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.11", pytorch-version: "2.3" }
+          - { pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.4.1" }
+          - { pkg-name: "lightning", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.5.1" }
+
           # only run PyTorch latest with Python latest, use Fabric scope to limit dependency issues
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.6" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.6" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.6" }
-          # "oldest" versions tests, only on minimum Python
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "fabric", pytorch-version: "2.1", requires: "oldest" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "fabric", pytorch-version: "2.1", requires: "oldest" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "fabric", pytorch-version: "2.1", requires: "oldest" }
+          - { pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12.7", pytorch-version: "2.6" }
+
           # "fabric" installs the standalone package
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.7" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.7" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.7" }
+          - { pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.10", pytorch-version: "2.7" }
+
           # adding recently cut Torch 2.7 - FUTURE
-          - { os: "macOS-14", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12", pytorch-version: "2.8" }
-          - { os: "ubuntu-22.04", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12", pytorch-version: "2.8" }
-          - { os: "windows-2022", pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12", pytorch-version: "2.8" }
+          - { pkg-name: "fabric", python-version: "3.12", pytorch-version: "2.8" }
+
+          # "oldest" versions tests, only on minimum Python
+          - { pkg-name: "fabric", pytorch-version: "2.1", requires: "oldest" }
     timeout-minutes: 25 # because of building grpcio on Mac
     env:
-      PACKAGE_NAME: ${{ matrix.pkg-name }}
+      PACKAGE_NAME: ${{ matrix.config.pkg-name }}
       FREEZE_REQUIREMENTS: ${{ ! (github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release/')) }}
       PYPI_CACHE_DIR: "_pip-wheels"
       TORCH_URL_STABLE: "https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cpu/"
@@ -83,10 +70,10 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v5
 
-      - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.config.python-version }}
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version || '3.9' }}
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.config.python-version || '3.9' }}
 
       - name: basic setup
         run: pip install -q -r .actions/requirements.txt
@@ -106,7 +93,7 @@ jobs:
           pip install -q -r requirements/ci.txt
           python -m wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Lightning-AI/utilities/main/scripts/adjust-torch-versions.py
           for fpath in `ls requirements/**/*.txt`; do \
-            python ./adjust-torch-versions.py $fpath ${{ matrix.pytorch-version }}; \
+            python ./adjust-torch-versions.py $fpath ${{ matrix.config.pytorch-version }}; \
           done
 
       - name: pip wheels cache
@@ -121,11 +108,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Expand Env. variables
         run: |
           # Switch PyTorch URL between stable and test/future
-          python -c "print('TORCH_URL=' + str('${{env.TORCH_URL_TEST}}' if '${{ matrix.pytorch-version }}' == '2.7' else '${{env.TORCH_URL_STABLE}}'))" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          python -c "print('TORCH_URL=' + str('${{env.TORCH_URL_TEST}}' if '${{ matrix.config.pytorch-version }}' == '2.7' else '${{env.TORCH_URL_STABLE}}'))" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           # Switch coverage scope
-          python -c "print('COVERAGE_SCOPE=' + str('lightning' if '${{matrix.pkg-name}}' == 'lightning' else 'lightning_fabric'))" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          python -c "print('COVERAGE_SCOPE=' + str('lightning' if '${{matrix.config.pkg-name}}' == 'lightning' else 'lightning_fabric'))" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           # if you install mono-package set dependency only for this subpackage
-          python -c "print('EXTRA_PREFIX=' + str('' if '${{matrix.pkg-name}}' != 'lightning' else 'fabric-'))" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          python -c "print('EXTRA_PREFIX=' + str('' if '${{matrix.config.pkg-name}}' != 'lightning' else 'fabric-'))" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Append Env. vars for MacOS
         if: ${{ runner.os == 'macOS' }}
         run: |
@@ -155,7 +142,7 @@ jobs:
           cache-key: "pypi_wheels"
 
       - name: Adjust tests
-        if: ${{ matrix.pkg-name != 'lightning' }}
+        if: ${{ matrix.config.pkg-name != 'lightning' }}
         run: |
           python .actions/assistant.py copy_replace_imports --source_dir="./tests" \
             --source_import="lightning.fabric" --target_import="lightning_fabric"
@@ -188,7 +175,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
           file: tests/tests_fabric/coverage.xml
-          flags: ${{ env.COVERAGE_SCOPE }},cpu,pytest,python${{ matrix.python-version }}
+          flags: ${{ env.COVERAGE_SCOPE }},cpu,pytest,python${{ matrix.config.python-version }}
           name: CPU-coverage
           fail_ci_if_error: false