Evergreen Webview2 Jun 2026

: Because multiple apps share a single Evergreen installation, it significantly reduces the disk footprint on the user's machine compared to bundling separate engines for each app.

While the Evergreen runtime handles its own updates, a resilient WebView2 application requires the developer to plan for a few key scenarios.

: On compatible systems, binaries for Microsoft Edge and the Evergreen Runtime are hard-linked, optimizing memory and disk usage. Deployment Best Practices

Use it unless you’re building for a disconnected bunker. evergreen webview2

The benefits of Evergreen WebView2 include:

Microsoft is also introducing WebView2 support for Entra ID sign-ins on Windows 11, enabling faster, more secure authentication flows that pave the way for passwordless login and advanced identity features. As Microsoft stated, "Authentication is the front door to your digital world. As identity experiences evolve, we need a foundation that supports modern web standards, advanced security, and future-ready scenarios. WebView2 provides exactly that".

Be aware that the Evergreen mode, by design, does not allow you to specify a particular runtime version for your application. If your application requires strict version compatibility to function correctly (e.g., in a highly regulated industry or when embedded in specialized hardware), the Fixed Version distribution mode may be a more suitable choice. : Because multiple apps share a single Evergreen

Once upon a time in the bustling city of Windows, a developer named Alex was building a grand new application. Alex wanted a window that could show the magic of the web without carrying the weight of a whole browser in their suitcase.

Have you decided which WebView2 distribution fits your next Windows app?

By adopting the Evergreen model, developers benefit from reduced application size, lower maintenance overhead, and a future-proofed architecture that automatically receives security patches and performance improvements. The runtime's preinstallation on Windows 11 means that for a growing number of users, your application simply works without any additional setup. Deployment Best Practices Use it unless you’re building

From a security perspective, automatic updates are transformative. Security fixes flow to all WebView2 applications simultaneously when the runtime updates—without requiring every application to be repackaged and redistributed. Microsoft's WebView2 Evergreen model intentionally supports this operational benefit, ensuring that critical security patches reach end users as quickly as possible.

To address this, Microsoft recommends implementing the NewBrowserVersionAvailable event handler in your WebView2 applications. This event is triggered when a new version of the Evergreen runtime has been installed on the system but is not yet being used by the running application. The correct flow for this scenario is:

Understanding Evergreen WebView2: The Future of Web Integration

The Evergreen WebView2 is Microsoft’s solution for embedding web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) into native desktop applications (WinForms, WPF, WinUI, C++). Unlike the fixed-version model, the "Evergreen" runtime automatically stays up-to-date on the user’s machine, similar to Chrome’s auto-update mechanism.

Web standards evolve rapidly. An app compiled two years ago with a fixed web engine might struggle with modern JavaScript features today. The Evergreen model ensures your native app can render modern web content indefinitely, as the engine stays current.