Microsoft PowerToys moves away from obsolete WebBrowser controls

The latest update to PowerToys leaves old tech behind in favor of tools like WebView 2.

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What you need to know

Microsoft is rolling out an update for PowerToys that brings the app to version 0.58.0. The update doesn’t introduce any significant new features, but it improves the app in several ways by upgrading to new tools and technologies.

PowerToys now uses WinUI 3 for its settings section rather than the older XAML Islands. The app also uses .NET 6 instead of .NET Core 3.1 and replaces WebBrowser controls with WebView 2.

First released in 2020, WebView 2 uses the newer Chromium-based Edge as a rendering engine. Moving to WebView 2 allows apps to benefit from Edge receiving updates.

Here are the highlights from PowerToys 0.58:

The developers behind PowerToys often share extensive changelogs. That’s the case again with version 0.58.0. The devs even listed fixes to spelling errors within code and thanked the person that spotted the errors. You can read through thechangelog on GitHub.

PowerToys

PowerToys is a collection of utilities aimed at power users on Windows. The latest update improves the app by moving to newer tools and technologies, such as WebView 2.

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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.