should i uninstall microsoft edge webview2 runtime

Starting on April 1, 2021, users with Apps version 2101 or later will start to receive the Runtime. If, however, you happen to be on the Monthly Enterprise Channel, I would estimate your users will start to see impact come April or May of 2021. The next version that will include and require WebView2 will be in July. The Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel is likely more prevalent in your organization. That’s because only users on the Current Channel will have received version 2101 (January 2021) or later. If no, you won’t be impacted come April 2021. Bear in mind, however: Only PCs that are running the Microsoft 365 Apps version 2101 or later will be impacted.Īn easy way to know if your organization will be impacted is to answer this question: Are any of your users subscribed to the Current Channel? This is the Channel that receives a build with new features once a month. This is why Microsoft will begin rolling out this Runtime starting April 1st, 2021. So, unless your users’ computers have WebView2 installed in some fashion, the Microsoft 365 Apps won’t be able to take advantage of these new features.

In turn, this consistent experience helps your users to learn and use those features without having to learn the nuances of Office on each device platform.” By making use of WebView2, we can more easily provide your users with Office features that look and feel the same across device platforms. WebView2 uses Microsoft Edge as a rendering engine to display web-based features in a desktop application. “For example, the Room Finder and the Meeting Insights features in Outlook. “Microsoft 365 Apps is starting to provide new or improved features that rely on Microsoft Edge WebView2,” explains a post in the Microsoft 365 Admin Message Center.

Let’s get some details about what’s happening, the when, and what the end-user impact will be. But, as is often the case, there are controls to slow down or postpone this rollout. First off, you should always take notice when Microsoft will be pushing or releasing updates or software onto your users’ PCs. That’s because starting April 1st, 2021, Microsoft will start pushing the Edge WebView2 Runtime (EWR) to Windows PCs running the Microsoft 365 apps for enterprise version 2101 or later.

Back in February of this year, Microsoft added an item to their Microsoft 365 Roadmap that may very well be of interest to you as a Microsoft 365 Administrator.

Should i uninstall microsoft edge webview2 runtime