Tapatalk

Is it possible to disable Edge WebView2 in UltraEdit?

Is it possible to disable Edge WebView2 in UltraEdit?

2
NewbieNewbie
2

PostJan 20, 2023#1

Is it possible to disable Edge WebView2?

I mean, I hate programs that launch "other" programs (in this case UltraEdit that, at start, launches Edge WebView2) when I do not need them. I'd like to use other "new" features in version 2022.2 but not this one (unless required).

Windows 10 Home 64 bit
UltraEdit 2022.2 64 bit
22
Basic UserBasic User
22

PostJan 27, 2023#2

I see that 2022.1 (which I previously ran) originated the feature:

"UE 2022.1 comes with the integration of WebView2, a Chromium-powered rendering engine that significantly upgrades browser view and live preview. This replaces the Internet Explorer-based control to render HTML used in older versions of UltraEdit."

But something is different in 2022.2, because whenever I run UE now WebView is used (there are a slew of subordinate webview2.exe process under UE, and I don't mean in connection with doing what's described above but editing simple text files). That shouldn't be.

That did not happen in 2022.1. I know that for sure because I would have noticed over a period of months. I'm not saying that the processes were never spawned in that version, but if they were it was briefly.

Is this a design change or a bug? If the latter, is there anything in UE that can be disabled to stop it?

I've killed the processes in the meantime with no ill effect, though of course once UE is restarted they're back (or, I suppose, if I did any of the previewing mentioned above, which I haven't been doing).

Win11 22H2
UE 22.2.0.34
6,823625
Grand MasterGrand Master
6,823625

PostJan 28, 2023#3

unpack778 wrote:Is it possible to disable Edge WebView2?
rseiler wrote:Is this a design change or a bug? If the latter, is there anything in UE that can be disabled to stop it?
The only configuration setting added with UltraEdit for Windows and UEStudio v2022.2.0.34 is Disable syntax coloring in selections at Advanced - Settings or Configuration - Editor display - Syntax highlighting. I don't think that there is a hidden configuration setting which disables the automatic start of Edge WebView2. Further I think the questions should be asked UltraEdit support by email or technical support form. I doubt that any UltraEdit/UEStudio user can really answer them based on facts.
22
Basic UserBasic User
22

PostFeb 01, 2023#4

It continues in today's x.44 release, increasing the chances that it's by design. What a curiosity.
6,823625
Grand MasterGrand Master
6,823625

PostFeb 02, 2023#5

That the public published hotfix version 2022.2.0.44 still starts Edge WebView2 on start of UltraEdit/UEStudio on Windows where Edge WebView2 is available at all does not mean that this is by design.

The reason could be also that nobody has reported that behavior as an issue by email to UltraEdit support. I did not report it.

It is also possible that this not wanted behavior is reported as an issue by a user to UltraEdit support, but the priority to fix it is lower than the priority of other issues.

I don't know which issues has been addressed in 2022.2.0.44 in comparison to 2022.2.0.34 as the UltraEdit hotfix information page does not contain yet any information about changes and fixes and the UEStudio hotfix information page does not exist anymore at all. It looks like the update of the UltraEdit web site is not yet finished.

The unwanted behavior of starting Edge WebView2 should be reported as an issue by email to UltraEdit support by every user who does not like that. The more users report an issue or complain about an unwanted behavior, the higher becomes the priority for fixing it or making a change to get the wanted behavior (back).
22
Basic UserBasic User
22

PostFeb 02, 2023#6

OK, I did that, and the gist of the response is:
  • Due to changes Microsoft made to WebView2, changes were made to UE to "verify that Webview2 is installed on a system."
  • So, that's why the processes are immediately spawned, but it is a bug that they're not then closed. It's implied that this will be addressed in a coming release.
That's the good news. The bad news is that "more and more functionality" will be dependent on WebView2 in the future, meaning that the above will eventually become intended, which is unfortunate, because at that point UE will have essentially become an Electron-like app (there are far too many of those now).

PostFeb 08, 2023#7

FYI: Corrected in 2022.2.0.48

PostDec 20, 2024#8

The behavior has returned in v2024.2.0.39 (Win11 24H2). Can anyone confirm?

Like before the problem was corrected last year, killing the processes seems to have no ill effects.
6,823625
Grand MasterGrand Master
6,823625

PostDec 22, 2024#9

Yes, public released UltraEdit for Windows and UEStudio v2024.2.0.39 launch in background always Microsoft Edge WebView2, even on Pieces not installed and the Pieces window not visible. I suggest to report this issue by email to UltraEdit support.
22
Basic UserBasic User
22

PostDec 22, 2024#10

I also opted not to install Pieces (though it crossed my mind that it's somehow related). I sent in an email about the issue and they're looking into it.
434
Basic UserBasic User
434

PostFeb 19, 2025#11

I came here hoping to find how to completely remove/disable any WebView2 / Pieces / Copilot

I've been an UltraEdit user since the mid-late 1990s, so I'm probably old woman who yells at clouds at this point, but I can't stand all this so called AI stuff - I don't trust it, and I aim to keep my own life and environment as free as possible from this stuff.

/sigh
22
Basic UserBasic User
22

PostFeb 19, 2025#12

You can choose not to opt-in to Pieces, but that doesn't help with the WebView2 issue (on that, support is still looking into it).

If you did opt in to Pieces, I don't know about reversing that since I didn't do it.
6
NewbieNewbie
6

PostMar 18, 2025#13

Just uninstall Pieces OS and the pane will go back to the uninstalled message. You close that window pane, it doesn't come back. I guess if you install it later it will reenable. There doesn't look to be anything special in the Pieces integration, Pieces Desktop treats it just as a browser.
22
Basic UserBasic User
22

PostOct 13, 2025#14

Open the Registry editor and navigate here:
 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IDM Computer Solutions\UltraEdit\Locks
 
Add this DWORD value:
 
WebView2="1"
 
If you have this value in your settings and start UltraEdit, WebView2 should be completely disabled anywhere that it would have previously been used in UltraEdit.
6,823625
Grand MasterGrand Master
6,823625

PostNov 16, 2025#15

It is also possible to disable the use of WebView2 by UltraEdit/UEStudio v2025.1.0.20 just for the current user which does not require the elevated privileges of a local administrator by running in a command prompt window:

UltraEdit:

Code: Select all

reg.exe ADD "HKCU\Software\IDM Computer Solutions\UltraEdit\Locks" /v WebView2 /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
UEStudio:

Code: Select all

reg.exe ADD "HKCU\Software\IDM Computer Solutions\UEStudio\Locks" /v WebView2 /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Note: All plugins are not available anymore on disabling the use of WebView2. The plugins installed by default with UltraEdit/UEStudio are not listed anymore on ribbon tab Advanced or in the menu Advanced on adding this registry value. It is also not possible to run UltraEdit scripts designed for being executed with the WebView2 engine, i.e. containing the comment // @Engine=WebView2 at top of the script file.

The registry value can be removed also from within a command prompt window with the execution of the following command line.

UltraEdit:

Code: Select all

reg.exe DELETE "HKCU\Software\IDM Computer Solutions\UltraEdit\Locks" /v WebView2 /f
UEStudio:

Code: Select all

reg.exe DELETE "HKCU\Software\IDM Computer Solutions\UEStudio\Locks" /v WebView2 /f
All those commands can be executed with HKLM instead of HKCU in a command prompt window opened with run as administrator to add/delete the double word registry value in registry hive of local machine instead of current user.