Windows 11 UWP apps just got a big boost

(Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

WebView2 is now generally available for desktop UWP apps.
The rollout of WebView2 support coincided with the release of WinUI 2.8, which became available earlier this year.
WebView2 lets developers embed web content using the Microsoft Edge Chromium platform, which is compatible with more websites than Edge legacy.

General users of PCs likely have not heard of WebView2, or any version of WebView, but it's an important feature for applications. Before WebView2, applications had to use the legacy version of Edge to embed content from the web. Edge legacy lagged behind Chromium and other platforms in terms of web compatibility when it was still Microsoft's platform of choice. The gap has widened further now that Microsoft has moved to Edge Chromium.

Incompatibility can cause all sorts of problems for applications, but it shouldn't be an issue with WebView2. Windows 11 supports a wide range of app types, including some that already worked with WebView2. Now, UWP supports the modern developer control as well.

Windows 11 has WebView2 built right in, so developers don't have to include it with their app. Microsoft Edge and the WebView2 Runtime are "hard-linked" together. Because of how they're connected, apps that use WebView2 only use the disk space of one product. Microsoft dives into further detail in a blog post from June 2022. WebView2 also works on Windows 10.

For many developers, swapping from WebView to WebView2 will be simple. In some cases swapping an application over requires only one step. Microsoft has a WebView2 feedback hub on GitHub that developers can use to reach out about any issues or concerns.

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Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.