Use Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime to Render Web Content in Applications

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The Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is a powerful application that allows any developer-side web content to be integrated into standard Windows applications. We will discuss how this software element provides a seamless and unified user experience across multiple Windows devices.

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What is Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime

A “WebView” is essentially a web browser that can be embedded within an application. Each operating system has its own WebView to create a unified browser-like experience. For instance, Android smartphones utilize a WebView based on Google Chrome. When you click a Gmail app link on your phone, it will open within a familiar Google Chrome browser environment.

Similarly, the Microsoft Edge WebView 2 Runtime recreates the Microsoft Edge browser environment, specifically, the Edge Chromium rendering engine. This means that any desktop app compatible with Windows 11/10, say Outlook, can now render web content in a manner consistent with the Edge browser, directly within the installed desktop application.

What is WebView2 Runtime Used For?

Microsoft’s WebView2 Runtime is a powerful developer tool that seamlessly bridges the gap between a desktop application and a browser interface.

To the casual user, however, the benefits are barely noticeable, which is the whole point of having an application like this on your Windows laptop or PC. You get more consistent user interface (UI) controls. For example, when WebView2 runs in the background in the Outlook desktop app, you can enjoy a seamless UI transfer to the Edge browser window just by clicking an email link.

The best part is that WebView2 Runtime works even with browsers other than Microsoft Edge. If your default Windows browser is Google Chrome or Firefox, you won’t face any problems interacting with WebView2 Runtime.

Developers also have a big advantage with WebView2. Apart from embedding web content in any standalone Windows application, they can ensure their applications work cross-platform on any device. Whether the developers have used HTML, CSS, or JavaScript, matters little, as the final app with WebView2 will have a unified appearance. Thus, the developers can fast-track their applications in the Microsoft Store marketplace.

Related: Microsoft began rolling out the WebView 2 Runtime environment in April 2021 across all its desktop Windows apps. It’s now standard and mainstream for all updated Windows devices. You only need to update your device and the WebView will be installed by default.

Programs That Require Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime

Here are some of the most popular Windows 11/10 programs running on Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime:

  • Microsoft Edge browser
  • Microsoft Outlook application
  • Microsoft 365 Office applications – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote
  • Teams
  • Calendar
  • Weather
  • Widgets
  • Clipchamp
  • Microsoft To Do
  • Many supported Microsoft Store applications

FYI: Microsoft Edge is a powerful browser that lets you view and manage all your saved passwords on PC and mobile devices.

How to Install Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime

Installing Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is fairly simple. Most users who have updated Windows 11/10 need not do anything. The application is available readily from Settings -> Apps -> Installed Apps. However, you can always download it from this developer link.

You can either download the evergreen bootstrapper or the evergreen standalone installer. Make sure you choose your system architecture correctly, ARM64, x86 for Win32 or x64 for Win64 devices. You can also download a fixed version of the software which follows a link such as “125.0.0.” Click Accept and Download to download the software version to your device.

For those who have the application on their device, you might see an error such as “Installation failed. The Microsoft Edge WebView 2 Runtime is already installed on the system.” For the rest, the setup file would automatically start installing the WebView on your Windows device. It should not take very long.

Related: are you running into an installation failure in Windows due to system policies? We can get you back on track.

Uninstalling WebView2 Runtime

While installing WebView2 Runtime is straightforward, uninstalling it can pose challenges, particularly for Windows 11 users. In the Installed apps section, you may notice that the Uninstall option is greyed out. Similarly, attempting to remove the application from the Control Panel will not yield an uninstall option. The program remains active in the background and is independent of the Microsoft Edge browser; therefore, uninstalling Edge will not resolve the issue.

However, if you’re certain you want to debloat your system and can do without the WebView2 Runtime app, you can open the Command prompt in Administrator mode, and type the following. It will pinpoint the exact location of the WebView2 Runtime application on your Windows device.

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeWebView\Application\1*\Installer

After the path has been identified, you can uninstall the stubborn application by clicking a force-uninstall command. This should remove the application and all its dependencies, which would allow you to reinstall them.

.\setup.exe --uninstall --msedgewebview --system-level --verbose-logging --force-uninstall

In case the above methods don’t do the trick, you will need to use a third-party uninstaller. You can either use Revo or IObit Uninstallers. Identify the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime application and select it. It just takes a few seconds for it to be uninstalled from your system. Just remember to take backups with System Restore, in case something goes wrong.

While the installers will do their part, some elements remain behind as WebView 2 Runtime is integral to many of the applications you commonly use, such as Microsoft Edge browser. In that case, use Task Manager to close all unnecessary programs. Then these elements can be removed manually from the EdgeWebView folder located at C:-> Program Files (x86) -> Microsoft.

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is a useful application to run a browser-like environment with other desktop applications. If you like using Microsoft Edge, you can import and export your favorites to this browser.

Image Credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Sayak Boral.

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Sayak Boral –
Staff Writer

Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.

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