Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime

ApplicationMicrosoft Corporation

Also called webview2, edge webview, msedgewebview2

Microsoft CorporationSystem

Embedded Edge engine other apps host. The process is msedgewebview2.exe. It is not Microsoft Edge the browser.

What you need to know

WebView2 is the embed engine. Edge the browser is msedge.exe.

Other apps host msedgewebview2.exe. It is not the Edge window. Ending every copy can blank those apps.

What is it?: Embedded Edge runtime
Still current?: Yes, see Current status
Official download?: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If msedgewebview2.exe is busy and Edge is closed, I look for Teams or another host. I do not treat that process as a second browser you launched.

What is Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime?

WebView2 is Chromium Edge inside another app's UI. msedge.exe is the full browser. Ending every WebView can blank Teams, Outlook, or a game launcher.

If you have never used it

If you never opened Edge but still see msedgewebview2.exe, another app is hosting an Edge engine in its window. Teams, widgets, and many installers do this. It is not the blue-e browser. Do not uninstall it to "remove Edge."

What is it used for?

In-app web UI

Teams, widgets, and desktop apps render HTML here. That is not a browser window you chose.

Evergreen runtime

Microsoft updates the shared runtime. Fixed-version embeds exist, but Evergreen is what most PCs show.

Not the Edge browser

Closing Edge does not stop WebView2. Uninstalling the runtime breaks hosts.

Who is it for?

People who see msedgewebview2.exe without opening Edge
Admins who package Evergreen WebView2
Users told to "delete Edge" by a bad guide

Current status

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime (2020) is a current embedded edge runtime from Microsoft Corporation. The vendor still points Windows users at https://developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/.

How old is it?

WebView2 shipped in 2020 as the Chromium Edge embed. The old EdgeHTML WebView is gone. Current Windows apps expect the Evergreen runtime.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Evergreen Runtime

Fixed Version (app-local)

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
msedgewebview2.exe	Main Windows executable

Startup components

WebView2 starts when a host app needs it. Windows features can start a copy without a browser window.

File locations

Common Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeWebView\Application\

Common problems

Uninstalled WebView2 to remove Edge

The browser and the runtime are different products. Hosts fail without the runtime.

Many processes at once

Each host can start its own WebView. That is expected, not a duplicate Edge install.

Getting unstuck

See who started msedgewebview2.exe

Task Manager > Details > command line or the process article. The parent is the host app.

Repair Evergreen from Microsoft's WebView2 page

developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2 is the supported bootstrapper.

Do not delete EdgeWebView under Program Files

That folder is the runtime. Reinstall the bootstrapper if it is broken.

Alternatives

Old IE WebBrowser embeds are legacy. CefSharp and other Chromium embeds are vendor-specific, not this Microsoft runtime.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/ Vendor support
Official site	developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/ Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

Same class of need as Edge: RAM and a working GPU driver. The host app sets how heavy a WebView is.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime official site · Vendor product page
Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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