How To Properly Disable or Enable Android WebView

WebView is a system component for the Android OS that allows Android applications to display content from the web inside an app directly. Follow the article to get step-by-step programmatic instructions on how it can be disabled or enabled to fix various problems.

In two ways you can view web content on your Android device; through a traditional browser or an app that includes this in the layout.  If a developer wishes to add browser functionality to an app then he can include its library and create an instance of a web view class.

Now what this does is embed a browser within the application to perform tasks such as rendering web pages and executing the JavaScript. It is powerful not because it not only provides the application with an embedded browser but also allows the developer’s application to interact with the web pages and other applications.

In the past, it was coupled with OS and the component would be updated only with the release of a new OS version. When Lollipop was released by Google, however, it separated it from the core OS so that updates to this could be disturbed through the Google Play application store.

This seems to be good news for the end-users whose phones run on the new version of the OS. If a bug is there in its component then Google can push out a fix and end users can get it at the Play store and get it installed.

Now, no longer has Google provided patches for vulnerabilities that are found in Android version 4.3 and older if you want to protect devices from attacks that may exploit its capabilities, then Google suggests that all users run the latest version of the OS and update this when it is prompted.

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Uninstalling Android WebView – Is it possible?

Uninstalling WebView from your phone

Now if you wish to get rid of this then you can only uninstall the updates and not the application itself. This can be done if your device is not running on Nougat or higher. With Nougat, Google got rid of this as a standalone application and in spite uses Chrome as a Webview application.

If you have this and also the application, the Android system Webview is running there on Chrome and not on the application. If the application is not disabled already then it is suggested that you do it yourself.

If you have it and want to uninstall then for this;

  • You need to go to Google Play.
  • Click on the hamburger icon > my apps and games > installed tab.
  • The application shall be near the top.
  • Click on this and hit the uninstall button.

Remove Android WebView Permanently

Now, if you are using Android Nougat or higher then it is safe to disable it but if you are using the inferior versions then we suggest that you leave it as it is. If Chrome is disabled then it might be because you are using any other browser. At such a point it is good that you keep this application.

Enabling or Disabling Android WebView (Working Solution)

Let’s see how we can enable it as this can hamper the app’s performance. This option is only available to 6.0 and below. After these, some developments were made and Google Chrome was enhanced to open web pages in applications as well.

The devices which worked on this shall need this. Applications could malfunction without it refusing to open the web pages simply. You need to enable this tool to use the feature on the 7.0 correctly.

For this, you need to:

  • Open the Play Store.
  • Scroll the application on your home and find it.
  • After this, you need to click on “open”.
  • You shall now see the disabled button.
  • Click on enable.

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Disabling WebView (The Easy Way)

As it is a contribution to the OS there it cannot be uninstalled. However, it can be disabled. Though, it is not suggested that you disable the application for Marshmallow and lower.

Now, if you are using Nougat or any version above then disabling this is fine. Since Google Chrome has taken the task to render it for the full device. To make the process more efficient for the device, chrome works for all the web pages that are opened on it.

  • In the first step, you need to open Playstore on your device,
  • Once done, you need to search for this and click on it.

Enable Android WebView Step 1

  • You shall now see the option of disabling.
  • Click on it.
  • The application has been disabled.

Many versions shall show this as disabled on default as it is good for the device.

Disable Android WebView Step 1

By doing this you can save a lot of battery and background running applications perform better.

FAQs

Is WebView a virus?

No, this is Android’s built-in functionality that allows it to view web content.

Is WebView a Spyware app?

It is a core component required in the operating system and is not used to spy on users.

Is it safe to disable it?

Yes, it is safe to be disabled. However, please remember that some major apps may crash if it is not working.

Webview not downloading or updating

This is due to the old cache still in the memory. Simply clear the cache and try to update again and this time it will work like a charm.

Must Read: Top Android App Cloners To Download For Free (No Ads).

Conclusion: Was your Android WebView Issue Fixed?

WebView is a core Android OS component, recently it crashed millions of apps on the web and was headlines on the news. This was later fixed with an update from Google. It shows the scale of issues it can cause. This is where you can utilize and follow our above tutorial to enable or disable it based on your circumstances.

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Lee White
Lee is currently a full-time writer at DekiSoft that is eager to discover new and exciting advancements in Technology, Software, Linux and Cyber Security. Lee has spent the past 18 years working as an Systems Engineer providing support for various operating systems and networks. When not at his desk or writing, you will find him tinkering with retro tech.

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