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Is a Registry Setting Blocking Your Edge WebView2 Update? (How to Fix Windows Update Loop)
When updating Windows, some users find that the Edge WebView2 component repeatedly fails to install through Windows Update. This happens when certain Group Policy or registry settings prevent the component from updating properly.
What’s Happening
- Windows Update continues to offer the Edge WebView2 update repeatedly.
- The installation appears successful but never registers as complete.
- The loop keeps reappearing even after restart.
Why It Happens
- Newer versions of Microsoft Edge use Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to control WebView2 updates.
- A registry key may block the installation if its value is incorrect.
- For many affected systems, the problem lies in the following registry path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate
If entries here set certain Install or Update values to “0,” Windows will silently block WebView2 installation.
How to Check and Fix It
- Open Registry Editor (regedit via the Start menu).
- Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate
- Delete all entries starting with Install and Update (do not touch “Default”).
- Close Registry Editor and re-run Windows Update.
This clears the policy block, letting the WebView2 runtime install normally.
Additional Clues
- Using Event Viewer may show a DCOM process failing during installation.
- Missing C++ runtimes might appear, but updating them usually doesn’t fix the real cause.
- The same error can occur when installing Visual Studio 2022 or other tools using WebView2.
Expert Tip
If these keys reappear after a Group Policy update, it means the organization has enforced update restrictions. In that case, consult your system administrator before editing registry settings.
These steps restore normal WebView2 updates through Windows Update, ensuring smoother compatibility with apps that depend on Edge rendering.