Handle WebView2

WebView2 is a release decision for Windows Tauri apps, not a footnote.

What To Decide

Will the installer install WebView2 if missing?
Which install mode will it use?
Does the distribution channel require offline WebView2 installer mode?
Can the app tolerate Evergreen runtime updates?
How will a clean Windows machine be tested?

Modes

Mode	Bundle size	Update responsibility	Use for
Evergreen download bootstrapper	Small	Microsoft updates runtime	Most direct installers with internet
Evergreen embedded bootstrapper	Medium	Microsoft updates runtime	Direct installers that should include bootstrapper
Evergreen offline installer	Larger	Microsoft updates runtime	Offline installs and Microsoft Store EXE/MSI flow
Fixed Version	Very large	App developer updates runtime	Highly controlled environments
Skip	Small	External environment must provide runtime	Internal fleets where runtime is guaranteed

Microsoft states production apps should use the WebView2 Runtime, not Microsoft Edge Stable, as the backing platform.

Tauri Config Example

{
  "bundle": {
    "windows": {
      "webviewInstallMode": {
        "type": "downloadBootstrapper",
        "silent": true
      }
    }
  }
}

For Microsoft Store EXE/MSI distribution, the Tauri docs call out offline installer mode and silent install behavior.

Clean-Machine Smoke

fresh Windows VM or clean user profile
no dev server running
install artifact
launch app
verify WebView2 runtime path works
run command-backed feature
record installer mode and runtime notes