Desktop apps display web content with the Edge rendering engine through Microsoft Edge WebView2, a runtime without a window of its own. People usually encounter it inside an app that relies on it, while developers use it to add web-based screens to native software.
Add web content to a desktop app
WebView2 embeds pages and other web-based content in an app's own interface. The app can combine those views with its native screens, so people can interact with online services without leaving the application. This approach is used for features such as account pages, dashboards, and other content that changes through web technologies.
The Edge rendering engine provides the web view, while the host app determines how it fits into the surrounding interface. Developers can build these parts with web technologies and connect them to native app features through WebView2 APIs.
Select a runtime deployment model
App developers can use the Evergreen Runtime, which is maintained separately from an individual app, or distribute a fixed-version runtime with a project. The fixed option lets an app ship with a specific Chromium runtime package; the app's developers then manage that package as part of their deployment.
- Use Evergreen when apps should rely on the shared runtime.
- Package a fixed version when a project needs to control the runtime version it uses.
Use the runtime through its host app
WebView2 is a component for app developers, not a browser with its own browsing window. For someone using an app, its WebView2-powered pages appear as part of that app. The app supplies the navigation, controls, and the purpose of each embedded view.
Pros
- Renders web content with the Edge engine inside desktop apps
- Supports a fixed-version Chromium runtime package for app projects
- Provides access to native APIs through the WebView2 component
System requirements: Windows 10, Windows 11
What does Microsoft Edge WebView2 do?
It lets desktop apps show web content using the Edge rendering engine.
Can WebView2 be used as a standalone browser?
No. It is a runtime component; the app that embeds it provides the interface.
Can developers package a fixed runtime with an app?
Yes. WebView2 supports distributing a fixed-version Chromium runtime package with a project.
