Mac OSX support

[champnic]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Add support for WebView2 on Mac OSX.

Related
#645: Linux Support

AB#27336439

[captainjono]

Keen beta tester here for anything preview 🥇

[jwosty]

This would be a serious game changer for those of us who want to build cross-platform electron-like apps with .NET. Currently, there isn't really a good macOS CEF binding for .NET out there, so we have to resort to using Apple's built-in WKWebView, which ends up behaving differently at times because it's a different browser (not Chromium).

Interstellar is very very interested in this.

Having WebView2 for macOS would be seriously amazing. Please please please!

[chris1000]

Has there been any updates to this?

[DominicFarrington]

It's still marked on the roadmap: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/roadmap.

We also need this feature; so would be nice to have a timeline.

[captainjono]

I got word from inside MS on the Roadmap being first release expected around Oct `22.

…

On Tue, Nov 2, 2021 at 1:59 PM DominicFarrington ***@***.***> wrote: It's still marked on the roadmap: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/roadmap. We also need this feature; so would be nice to have a timeline. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1314 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABOPWTXBBHCJUM3GIFNZIDDUJ5HZNANCNFSM45JV57BQ> . Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>.

[vmeganathan81]

@champnic ... do you have any idea by when we could expect this for macOC ?

[ningccn]

@vmeganathan81 we are actively working on the WebView2 macOS support towards the future public developer release. We will keep you posted for updates here, stay tuned!

[jwosty]

Fantastic news!

[arunvishy]

@ningccn Thanks for the news, any tentative timelines.

[vjpr]

https://twitter.com/msedgedev/status/1532450628256948224

From slides => 2023

[vmeganathan81]

@champnic ... could we get beta release of webview2 in macOS so we can start some work on it?

[Danielx64]

Any updates? Also wanting to build something on mac too

[npolyak]

Friends, any updates for Mac and Linux????????

[champnic]

No updates since @ningccn's comment above. We are continuing to make progress on Mac and haven't begun Linux planning yet.

[bobcarroll]

@champnic That seems to be the perpetual response with the Linux client. It lags behind the Windows client with inconsistent feature updates, bugs, no release notes, and no timelines. I'm happy there's even a Linux client at all, but it would be nice if Microsoft gave it some love.

Edit: Sorry, I just realized this feedback is specifically for Edge and not Teams. It's even more disappointing Teams would switch to WebView2 when it isn't yet supported on macOS or Linux.

[jgoldhammer]

It seems that a new pre version of Teams with Webview2 for macOS is landed in following github project https://github.com/ItzLevvie/MicrosoftTeams-msinternal. Currently I cannot use it as noted here: ItzLevvie/MicrosoftTeams-msinternal#34

[xland]

WebView2 now use COM(IDL) to call native-side code from web-side code.
I wonder how this part will be migrated to Mac system.
That's a real concern for developers, isn't it?

[koenvd]

Wondering if there's an update here? Thanks!!

[hjlld]

@champnic Any news about mac support?I'm thirsty for rebuilding my electron app with webview2.

[xland]

@ningccn @champnic

I don't want to rush you to support for Mac OSX.
I just want to know if there will be destructive updates when support for Mac OSX.

WebView2 now use COM(IDL) to call native-side code from web-side code. I wonder how this part will be migrated to Mac system. That's a real concern for developers, isn't it?

[vjpr]

New Microsoft Teams claims to use WebView2 now. Does this mean WebView2 is now running on macOS?

Macs don't benefit quite as much from the new app since, unlike Windows, they don't have any of the Edge WebView2 files built-in—a WebView2 app on macOS is a lot like an Electron app, in that it includes its own dependencies and needs to update them separately from other WebView2 apps on the same system. But Microsoft still says the new app should improve Mac performance by making it faster to switch channels, improving scrolling performance, more efficiently using device resources, and optimizing the "Teams experience even when using multiple high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings."

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/10/rebuilt-microsoft-teams-app-promises-twice-the-speed-and-half-the-ram-usage/

This doesn't seem to be such an issue, essentially its just the fixed version runtime model: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/concepts/distribution#the-fixed-version-runtime-distribution-mode

There is now /Applications/Microsoft Teams (work or school).app/Contents/Frameworks/MSWebView2.framework...

[gilvbp]

New Microsoft Teams claims to use WebView2 now. Does this mean WebView2 is now running on macOS?

Macs don't benefit quite as much from the new app since, unlike Windows, they don't have any of the Edge WebView2 files built-in—a WebView2 app on macOS is a lot like an Electron app, in that it includes its own dependencies and needs to update them separately from other WebView2 apps on the same system. But Microsoft still says the new app should improve Mac performance by making it faster to switch channels, improving scrolling performance, more efficiently using device resources, and optimizing the "Teams experience even when using multiple high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings."

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/10/rebuilt-microsoft-teams-app-promises-twice-the-speed-and-half-the-ram-usage/

This doesn't seem to be such an issue, essentially its just the fixed version runtime model: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/concepts/distribution#the-fixed-version-runtime-distribution-mode

There is now /Applications/Microsoft Teams (work or school).app/Contents/Frameworks/MSWebView2.framework...

It's out! Finally!

@AGN1234 @npolyak @jgoldhammer @koenvd @Danielx64 @DominicFarrington @chris1000

@champnic Congrats! Awesome work!

[Danielx64]

So how do I get my hands on it now?

[gilvbp]

So how do I get my hands on it now?

It´s just like Windows.

Follow these procedures:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/get-early-access-to-new-features-in-microsoft-teams-a6e387fe-1cad-4f90-ad78-1a311c77b36d

and after that:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/switch-to-the-new-microsoft-teams-2d4a0c96-fa52-43f8-a006-4bfbc62cf6c5

[Danielx64]

So how do I get my hands on it now?

It´s just like Windows.

Follow these procedures:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/get-early-access-to-new-features-in-microsoft-teams-a6e387fe-1cad-4f90-ad78-1a311c77b36d

and after that:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/switch-to-the-new-microsoft-teams-2d4a0c96-fa52-43f8-a006-4bfbc62cf6c5

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I'm taking about webview2 for Mac so I can start building my Mac based application

[alexchandel]

New Microsoft Teams claims to use WebView2 now. Does this mean WebView2 is now running on macOS?

Macs don't benefit quite as much from the new app since, unlike Windows, they don't have any of the Edge WebView2 files built-in—a WebView2 app on macOS is a lot like an Electron app, in that it includes its own dependencies and needs to update them separately from other WebView2 apps on the same system. But Microsoft still says the new app should improve Mac performance by making it faster to switch channels, improving scrolling performance, more efficiently using device resources, and optimizing the "Teams experience even when using multiple high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings."

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/10/rebuilt-microsoft-teams-app-promises-twice-the-speed-and-half-the-ram-usage/

This doesn't seem to be such an issue, essentially its just the fixed version runtime model: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/concepts/distribution#the-fixed-version-runtime-distribution-mode

There is now /Applications/Microsoft Teams (work or school).app/Contents/Frameworks/MSWebView2.framework...

It would be preferable to install WebView2 globally on macOS, similar to how it functions on Windows. macOS already has great support for shared application frameworks (even multiple versions), so this shouldn't be a problem.

[awakecoding]

Any update on this? I've heard to new Windows App uses WebView2 under the hood, and it has a macOS version. Clearly there's a non-Windows WebView2 runtime being gradually adopted by first-party Microsoft applications, we're just here waiting for it to become available for everybody else.

[koenvd]

Wondering as well if there would be an update about this? Would be amazing news 😀.

[radiachkik]

Same here!

Just a regular reminder, showing there are quite some people interested. 👍

[jaruba]

[npolyak]

Same here!

Just a regular reminder, showing there are quite some people interested. 👍

Except for Microsoft

[ajaythakran]

Since new Teams has now become stable, can we see WebView2 release for Mac OS soon????
It would be great if we could get some beta versions to try!!

[leaanthony]

Can't stand "+1" posts but anything for a response!

[guidsdo]

Any update? Is there any way in which we can help?

Maybe one of these tags will help: @champnic @tochukwuIbeEkeocha @victorhuangwq @novac42 @yildirimcagri-msft @ningccn

[novac42]

Hi everyone,
After careful consideration and review of our long-term product strategy, we have decided to discontinue plans for a public release of WebView2 on MacOS and Linux to focus on providing the most value to our customers on currently supported platforms. Thank you for being a valued member of this community and sharing your feedback.
In the meantime, if you have any other questions or suggestions, feel free to share them with us. Your input is valuable as we continue to improve WebView2. Thank you for your understanding!

[mvasilkov]

GG well played :)

[eburnette]

In November 2020, @champnic wrote: "We are currently planning on adding support for MacOS first".

In March 2023, Sumi Sigh explained the advantages of WebView2 and said the Mac version was coming soon. A diagram showed Windows, Mac, and Linux.

In October 2023, Anupam Pattnaik announced the general availability of the new Teams app on the Mac. He wrote: "Using Edge WebView2 as the host for the new Teams app helped us reduce memory usage and disk space as resources are shared with Edge."

Given that Microsoft already supports Teams with WebView2 on the Mac, one could argue it's a "currently supported platform". Is it really that much more work to make the APIs and downloads public? If you can't, then put WebView2 source on GitHub and let the community do it. I bet there would be a port within a week.

The community has waited almost 4 years for WebView2 on Mac. It's based on open-source projects like Chromium. Microsoft is using it internally, so please make it public via SDK or source code so the rest of us can get the same benefits.

[bukowa]

You'd get over it too if you had a budget as small as Microsoft's.

[YoavCodes]

Upsetting news. I was hoping to use webview2 in electrobun

Working with chromium directly and CEF outside of C++ is such a pain. I guess we'll just have to bite that bullet and build it ourselves.

[SergioRibera]

I came from commenting in the linux thread, since there they also canceled the project, but I will comment my current recommendation, with microsoft we can no longer count, I do not think they will make it Open Source or do something additional so I suggest that all the support there was in this topic is transferred in efforts to improve servo, they have many open source libraries regarding web rendering that can be great and I also recommend taking a look at Tauri as in their plans is to make a rendering system itself, additionally I leave other interesting projects that may be better than what we were expecting or at least are Open Source.

• Servo: Servo, the embeddable, independent, memory-safe, modular, parallel web rendering engine. Nothing more to add, it speaks for itself.
• Servo WebRender: A GPU-based renderer for the web. As far as I have been reviewing it, it has a lot of potential as a library and has many fields of use, even as a replacement for end2end libraries.
• Gosub browser: Immature for now but very promising in terms of webview library

If you know of any other, please comment so that together we can help these projects grow, for now I only know of these and for me they are the best so far.

[AndreaPravato]

@SergioRibera thanks for sharing. Bookmarked Servo and I can recommend Tauri as well. Akin to Gosub there is https://ladybird.org/, that I know of; they are progressing well, but there is still much to do (first Alpha release for early adopters expected in 2026)

[aluhrs13]

@Destroyer - We welcome feedback on this decision for folks who want to describe how this affects them to help us reconsider future priorities.

Unproductive, snarky comments will force us to lock this thread and ultimately be more harmful than helpful.

[travisbikkle]

I'm thinking of giving up Electron, seems webview2 is the only choice? and it doesn't support macos yet?

[npolyak]

I'm thinking of giving up Electron, seems webview2 is the only choice? and it doesn't support macos yet?

I heard some good words about DotNetBrowser - though pretty expesive.