Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime for Developers and Users

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is a powerful tool for developers and users alike. It allows developers to embed the Microsoft Edge browser within their desktop applications, providing a seamless experience for users.

The WebView2 Runtime is built on the Chromium open-source project, which is the same engine that powers Google Chrome. This means that developers can leverage the same rendering engine as Chrome to create fast and secure web experiences.

For developers, the WebView2 Runtime provides a range of benefits, including improved performance, enhanced security, and better support for modern web technologies. It's also easy to use, with a simple and intuitive API that makes it easy to get started.

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You can deploy the Evergreen WebView2 Runtime for all Evergreen apps on a device with just one installation, and several tools are available to help you do so, including the WebView2 Runtime Bootstrapper and the WebView2 Runtime Standalone Installer.

The WebView2 Runtime installation process began in April 2021 and affects devices running Windows with Version 2101 or later of Microsoft 365 Apps installed. If the WebView2 Runtime is already installed, it will be updated to the latest version if needed.

To deploy the WebView2 Runtime, you can specify it as a dependency in the App Installer manifest, or use the WebView2 Runtime Bootstrapper or Standalone Installer, depending on whether you're deploying online or offline.

Here are the tools available for deploying the WebView2 Runtime:

The Evergreen distribution mode is a recommended approach for most developers. It allows the WebView2 Runtime to update automatically on client machines, without requiring your app to handle the updates.

This mode is beneficial because it reduces the disk space required for the WebView2 Runtime on client systems. The WebView2 Runtime is shared by all WebView2 apps on the client, which means less storage space is needed.

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Here are the key benefits of the Evergreen distribution mode:

However, there is a limitation to using the Evergreen distribution mode: your WebView2 app cannot specify that a particular version of the WebView2 Runtime is required. This means you need to consider whether it's essential for your app to use the latest version of the WebView2 Runtime, based on your app's threat model.

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Installing as Machine/User can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, I've got you covered.

For online clients, you can use the WebView2 Runtime Bootstrapper, a tiny installer that's approximately 2 MB in size. This installer downloads and installs the Evergreen Runtime from Microsoft servers that match the user's device architecture.

You can also use the WebView2 Runtime Standalone Installer for offline clients, which is a full installer that installs the Evergreen WebView2 Runtime in offline environments.

To install Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime, make sure you're installing it as an administrator. Microsoft Edge isn't required to run Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime.

If you're using Auto Updates channel to upgrade/install iManage Work Desktop for Windows, Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime is downloaded and installed before installing iManage Work Desktop for Windows 10.5.0 and later.

Here's a quick rundown of the installation methods:

Note that Azure Conditional Access policies on Microsoft Windows Server 2016 are currently supported only with Internet Explorer (IE) that is no longer supported by Microsoft.

Installing as User is a straightforward process that requires some basic setup. You'll need to create a user account with the necessary permissions to install the software.

The first step is to log in as a user with administrative privileges, which is covered in the "Prerequisites" section. This will give you the access you need to install the software.

You'll need to download the software installer from the official website, which is available for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems, as mentioned in the "Downloading the Software" section. Make sure to select the correct version for your system.

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Once you've downloaded the installer, run it and follow the prompts to complete the installation. This will typically take a few minutes, depending on your system's specifications.

During the installation process, you may be prompted to enter a license key or accept the terms of service, as outlined in the "License Agreement" section. Be sure to read and understand the terms before proceeding.

After the installation is complete, you can launch the software and start using it. This is a good opportunity to review the "Getting Started" section to ensure you're familiar with the software's features and functionality.

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The Fixed Version distribution mode is a way to package and deploy the WebView2 Runtime with your app. This approach gives you more control over the versioning of the WebView2 Runtime, and you know exactly which APIs are available to your app.

You download a specific version of the WebView2 Runtime and package it together with your app. The Fixed Version binaries are over 250 MB, so this approach will make your app package larger.

To use the Fixed Version distribution mode, you need to download the Fixed Version of the WebView2 Runtime from the official website, as a package. The most-patched version of the latest and second-latest major releases are available for download.

Decompress the WebView2 Runtime package using the command-line command or a decompression tool like WinRAR. Avoid decompressing through File Explorer, as this might not generate the correct folder structure.

You need to include all of the decompressed Fixed Version binaries in your app package, to be deployed on the target machine during your app's installation. Indicate the path to the Fixed Version binaries when creating the WebView2 environment.

On Windows 10 devices, starting with Fixed Version 120, developers of unpackaged Win32 applications using Fixed Version are required to run specific commands for Fixed Version to continue to work. This is due to a security improvement in v120 to run the Renderer process inside the App Container.

Here are the steps to use the Fixed Version distribution mode:

There are several options for installing the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime. You can choose to use the Evergreen distribution mode, which is recommended for most apps.

The Evergreen distribution mode provides a small Evergreen Runtime bootstrapper that runs on the client machine, which downloads and installs the appropriate Evergreen WebView2 Runtime onto the client.

You can use the Evergreen Standalone Installer, which is a large, standalone Evergreen installer primarily for offline users. This approach avoids dependency on Microsoft's CDN to get the Runtime.

If you want to use the Fixed Version distribution mode, you can skip the next couple of sections and jump ahead to the details about the Fixed Version runtime distribution mode.

For offline deployment scenarios, you can use the following workflow:

If you have an offline deployment scenario, where app deployment has to work entirely offline, you can use the Evergreen Standalone Installer or the Fixed Version distribution mode.

To prevent the automatic installation of the WebView2 Runtime on devices in your organization, you need to sign in to the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center with an admin account.

Clearing the Enable automatic installation of WebView2 Runtime check box will prevent new installations of WebView2 Runtime, but it won't remove WebView2 Runtime from devices on which it has already been installed.

You need to install the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime as an administrator to ensure a smooth installation process.

Microsoft Edge isn't required to run the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime, and you can download and install it from the following link: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/#download-section .

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Compatibility and Testing is crucial for a smooth user experience. You should test your app for forward-compatibility, especially if you're using the Evergreen distribution mode.

The Evergreen distribution mode automatically keeps the WebView2 Runtime up to date on the client with the latest features and security fixes. This is a great way to ensure your app stays compatible with the web.

To test your app for forward-compatibility, you should set up testing infrastructure. This will help you identify and fix any issues before they become major problems.

For best practices on how to test your app, check out Prerelease testing using preview channels and Self-host by deploying preview channels.

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime allows developers to embed the Microsoft Edge browser in their applications, providing a seamless browsing experience for users. This integration enables developers to use the Edge browser's rendering engine, Blink, which is also used by Google Chrome.

The WebView2 Runtime can be used in various applications, including desktop and mobile apps, as well as Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. This broad compatibility makes it an attractive option for developers looking to integrate the Edge browser into their projects.

By using the WebView2 Runtime, developers can also leverage the Edge browser's security features, including its sandboxing capabilities and phishing protection.

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During development and testing, a WebView2 app can use either the WebView2 Runtime or a preview Microsoft Edge browser channel as the backing web platform. The WebView2 Runtime provides the same web platform capabilities and update cadence as the Stable channel of the Microsoft Edge browser.

The WebView2 Runtime is generally recommended for production environments, as it ensures a consistent web platform experience across all devices.

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You can use the Stable channel of Microsoft Edge, but this is not permitted in production releases of WebView2 apps. This restriction prevents a production release of a WebView2 app from taking a dependency on the browser.

There are several reasons for this restriction, including the fact that Microsoft Edge isn't guaranteed to be present on all user devices, and browsers and apps have different use cases.

Here are the possible backing web platforms for a WebView2 app:

It's worth noting that the Evergreen WebView2 Runtime will be included as part of the Windows 11 operating system, but it's still a good practice to check whether the Runtime is present on the client before creating a WebView2.

If you're developing an app that uses the WebView2 Runtime, you're probably wondering about the devices it supports. Windows 11 devices have the Evergreen Runtime preinstalled as part of the Windows 11 operating system.

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The vast majority of Windows 10 devices have the WebView2 Runtime installed already. However, a small number of Windows 10 devices don't have it installed.

To handle this edge case, you can either programmatically deploy the Evergreen Runtime with your app or redirect your end users to the Microsoft site to download the Evergreen WebView2 Runtime installer.

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To check if Microsoft Edge is installed on your computer, you can search for it in the Apps & Features section.

Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime is automatically loaded on Windows 10 and 11, but you can still check if it's installed by searching for it in Apps & Features.

You can also check if Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime is installed by following these steps: 1. Type in Apps & Features in the search box on Windows 11 or 10 and hit Enter. 2. Type webview2 runtime in the search box and click the Enter key to search for this feature. 3. Then you can observe whether there is a Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime on your system.

If you're using Windows Server 2016 with Azure conditional access policy enabled, you won't be able to install Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime, as it's not compatible with this setup.

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If you're experiencing issues with the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime, you can try killing the process in Task Manager.

You can manage to get rid of it in all programs that it appears, including Task Manager and Control Panel.

To completely remove the Microsoft Edge WebView2 feature from Windows 11 or 10, you can uninstall it.

Killing the process in Task Manager is a quick fix, but if you want to remove it completely, you'll need to go through the uninstallation process.

You can find the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime in all programs that it appears, including Task Manager and Control Panel.

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The WebView2 Runtime is a crucial component for your app, and it's essential to ensure it's present on the client machine. This requirement applies to both the Evergreen and Fixed Version distribution modes.

Most Windows 10 devices have the WebView2 Runtime installed already, but a small number don't. You can handle this edge case by either programmatically deploying the Evergreen Runtime with your app or redirecting end users to download and install it themselves from the Microsoft site.

To determine if the Runtime is present, you can use methods like QueryInterface or try-catch to feature-detect the presence of new APIs. This is particularly important when using Evergreen mode, as updates to the Runtime might not occur if an IT Admin disables updating or the client is offline.

The Evergreen mode in WebView2 apps requires feature-detecting to check for new APIs on the client's machine.

You should use methods like QueryInterface or try-catch to detect the presence of new APIs, because the client machine might not have the latest WebView2 Runtime.

Feature-detecting is necessary because updates to the WebView2 Runtime might not occur if an IT Admin disables updating, or if the client is offline.

Updates to the WebView2 Runtime are separate from Microsoft Edge updates, and disabling updates for Microsoft Edge doesn't impact the availability of the latest WebView2 APIs.

The WebView2 Runtime can still update automatically, unless updating the WebView2 Runtime is disabled by an Admin.

The WebView2 Runtime is a crucial component for your app's success.

It needs to be present on the client machine when distributing your WebView2 app.

This requirement applies to both the Evergreen and Fixed Version distribution modes.

Make sure to include the WebView2 Runtime in your app's distribution plan.

The WebView2 Runtime ensures that your app can render web content correctly.

It's a necessary step to ensure a smooth user experience.

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Windows 11 devices have the Evergreen Runtime preinstalled as part of the Windows 11 operating system.

The vast majority of Windows 10 devices already have the WebView2 Runtime installed, thanks to Microsoft's effort to deliver it to managed devices.

However, a small number of Windows 10 devices don't have the WebView2 Runtime installed, so it's essential to handle this edge case.

You can programmatically deploy the Evergreen Runtime with your app, or redirect your end users to the Microsoft site to download and install the Runtime themselves.

Here are the recommended approaches for handling the edge case on Windows 10 devices:

Windows 11 devices, on the other hand, don't require any extra effort since the Evergreen Runtime is preinstalled.

You can prevent Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime from automatically installing on your computer.

To do this, locate the Microsoft Edge WebView2 setting, which can be found in your system settings.

Uncheck the box that says "Enable automatic installation of WebView2 Runtime" to prevent automatic installation.

This option can help fix Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime errors, and it's worth trying if you're experiencing issues.

Your system won't automatically install WebView2 Runtime once you've unchecked the box.