Microsoft Edge: Enterprise WebView2 runtime downgrade via Downgrade Version policy

[What and Why:]

To help enterprises respond quickly to critical application regressions, Microsoft is introducing a new Downgrade Version policy for the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Evergreen Runtime. This policy enables administrators to temporarily roll back WebView2 to a previous supported version (N‑1 or N‑2) on a per‑application basis, without disabling Evergreen updates entirely.

This change strengthens enterprise‑grade manageability, giving admins a controlled, time‑bound mitigation option while maintaining the security and update benefits of Evergreen servicing.

This message is associated with Roadmap ID 561329.

[Rollout Schedule:]

General Availability (Worldwide):  We will begin rolling out in early June 2026 and expect to complete by mid-June 2026.

[Impact on Your Organization:]

Who is affected:

Organizations managing enterprise‑managed Windows devices (domain‑joined or MDM‑enrolled) that use WebView2‑based applications

Platforms/Services:

• Windows devices
• Microsoft Edge WebView2 Evergreen Runtime
• Group Policy / MDM (msedgewebview2.admx)

What will happen:

• A new Downgrade Version policy becomes available in msedgewebview2.admx.
• Admins can map specific application executables to a previous WebView2 version (N‑1 or N‑2).
• The Edge Updater installs the target version side‑by‑side.
• The WebView2 Loader redirects only the targeted apps.
• Downgrades automatically expire as new WebView2 versions are released:
  • Apps pinned to N‑1 remain on that version until the next release (then move forward).
  • Apps pinned to N‑2 revert automatically to the current Evergreen version.
• The policy applies only to enterprise‑managed devices.
• No change occurs unless the policy is explicitly configured.

[Action Required / Recommendations:]

No action is required before rollout.

Recommended actions:

• Review existing Group Policy or registry configurations related to WebView2 to understand potential usage scenarios.
• Update internal incident response or app compatibility playbooks to include this downgrade option.
• Share guidance with application owners on when and how to request a temporary WebView2 rollback.

Learn more: Microsoft Edge WebView2 Policy Documentation | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations:]

An admin control is added that allows configuration of WebView2 runtime versions per application. No other compliance impacts are identified.