Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime - What is it and can it be removed?

Some users of Windows 10 and Windows 11, and sometimes earlier versions of the system, may have noticed the presence of this process in the program list in the control panel or in the application list in settings, without having installed the application themselves, and Microsoft Edge may not be on the system.

This article is about what the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime environment is, where it comes from on your computer or laptop, and whether you can remove this component.

Why the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime Is Needed and How It Got to Your Computer

The component serves to enable the embedding of content created using web technologies (conventionally: website content) into conventional computer applications using the Chromium engine of Microsoft Edge. For more details about the purpose, see the official Microsoft page: https://docs.microsoft.com/ru-ru/microsoft-edge/webview2/

In Windows 11, the component is installed on the system by default. In Windows 10, 8.1 and Windows 7 it is installed automatically for users with modern versions of Microsoft Office specifically for the purpose of running office applications and integrated web-based components.

In general, you don't need to pay attention to the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime – the process only runs when necessary and doesn't affect the operation of any of your programs.

Can Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime be uninstalled?

There are no standard methods for removing this component in Windows 11 , but in earlier versions of the system it can be removed like any other program: using the "Programs and Features" control panel item and the "Uninstall" button.

It is safe? From what I can judge it is quite safe for most cases: according to the information I have found the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime environment is so far only used by Microsoft Outlook and if you are not using it, it is very possible that you will not notice any change. That being said, there is a possibility that some time after uninstalling the WebView2 Runtime it will automatically install again.

I still can't judge to what extent the program is necessary to run Windows 11 - it might be necessary to run some system elements, like the new widget bar or something else.

If you need to download WebView2 Runtime in the future, because you have had problems after uninstalling it, you can do it from the official page https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/