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WebView2 ActiveX

WebView2 ActiveX — the COM Control Microsoft Didn’t Ship

Works in VBA (Excel, Access, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Visio, Project), VB6, VB.NET, C#, C++, Delphi, Python, PowerShell, AutoIt — and any COM host.

LiteView2 is a commercial WebView2 ActiveX/COM control. It exposes 270+ methods, 59 events, and a JSON engine to any host that consumes COM — VBA (Excel, Access, Word, Outlook), VB6, VB.NET, C#, C++, Delphi, Python (via pywin32), and PowerShell. It supports both registered and registration-free deployment. Microsoft has not shipped an ActiveX wrapper for WebView2 and has publicly declined to do so.

30-day commercial trial · No telemetry · 32-bit and 64-bit · No admin required (reg-free mode)

Developers have been asking Microsoft for this — and were declined

"I wish if webview2 will work as com component so vfp/vb developers can use the power of real html5 in their applications" WebView2Feedback GitHub issue #321 (closed as "not planned")
"I wish…that Microsoft creates a webview2.ocx control or webview2.dll with a com interface [supporting] VB6, VC++6, Delphi, VBA (Excel, Access), and FoxPro" WebView2Feedback GitHub issue #1392 (closed as "not planned")
"There's no official support of VB6 for WebView2 from Microsoft" Microsoft Q&A (question 727127)

What LiteView2 exposes

270+ methods across 8 interfaces, 59 events, and a standalone JSON engine. All via standard COM dispatch — no special SDK, no type library required to get started.

270+ MethodsNavigation, DOM, JavaScript, PDF, screenshots, cookies, downloads, and more
59 EventsNavigation, DOM ready, web message, downloads, authentication, process lifecycle
JSON EngineStandalone C++ JSON parser — no WebView2 required. Works in any VBA/VB6 host
Reg-Free DeployCopy OCX next to your .accdb or .xlsm — no regsvr32, no admin rights, no IT ticket
Host Objects (JS→VBA)AddHostObjectToScript — call VBA methods directly from JavaScript in the page
Multi-Browser PoolIBrowserPool: multiple independent browser instances per form, indexed by Long

Which hosts does it work in?

Any host that consumes COM/ActiveX can use LiteView2 — both the registered OCX (design-time) and the registration-free pool (runtime code).

HostRegistered ModeReg-Free Mode32-bit64-bit
Excel VBA
Access VBA
Word VBA
Outlook / PowerPoint / Visio / Project VBA
Visual Basic 6 (VB6)N/A (VB6 is 32-bit only)
VB.NET / C# (via COM Interop)
C++ (ATL/MFC)
Delphi
Python (pywin32 / win32com)
PowerShell
AutoIt / JScript / HTA / WSH

Code sample

VBA (Access/Excel) — Registered Mode:

Private WithEvents m_lv As LiteView2.LiteView2Ctrl

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Set m_lv = Me.LiteView2Ctrl1.Object
End Sub

Private Sub m_lv_WebViewReady()
    m_lv.SetLocalContentRoot CurrentProject.Path & "\html"
    m_lv.Navigate "https://lv2.local/dashboard.html"
End Sub

Private Sub m_lv_NavigationCompleted(ByVal url As String, ByVal success As Boolean)
    m_lv.ExecuteScript "loadData(" & BuildJson() & ")"
End Sub

VBA — Reg-Free Mode (IBrowserPool):

Private pool As Object
Private idx As Long

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Set pool = GetPool()          ' from modLV2Pool — paste once per project
    idx = pool.CreateInControl("about:blank", Me.Frame1)
    pool.SetReadyCallback idx, Me, "OnBrowserReady"
End Sub

Public Sub OnBrowserReady()
    pool.SetLocalContentRoot idx, CurrentProject.Path & "\html"
    pool.Navigate idx, "https://lv2.local/dashboard.html"
End Sub

Why not use something else?

Why not Microsoft's Edge Browser Control?

Microsoft's Edge Browser Control is available "in Access desktop databases" only — not Excel, Word, VB6, or any other host. LiteView2 works across all COM hosts. See the full comparison.

Why not CefSharp / CEF4Delphi?

CefSharp is an excellent .NET Chromium binding; CEF4Delphi is the leading Delphi/Lazarus binding. Both are excellent in their language ecosystems. Neither targets COM/ActiveX hosting and neither has a story for VBA in Excel, Access, or Word. LiteView2 is the only ActiveX/COM control that drops into any host that consumes COM.

Why not a community WebView2 OCX wrapper?

Community projects like ucWebView2 are valuable open-source efforts, typically labeled beta by their own authors. LiteView2 is commercially supported software: bug reports get triaged, releases are signed, and licensing is unambiguous for enterprise deployment.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an ActiveX version of WebView2?

Microsoft has not shipped one and has publicly declined to do so. LiteView2 is the commercial ActiveX/COM wrapper for WebView2 — the gap Microsoft left unfilled.

Can I use WebView2 in Excel VBA?

Not with Microsoft's WebView2 SDK directly — it has no ActiveX or COM surface. LiteView2 gives you a COM/ActiveX control you drop on an Excel UserForm or embed at runtime via IBrowserPool. Same Chromium engine, VBA-native API.

Is there a WebView2 control for Visual Basic 6?

Microsoft has confirmed there is "no official support of VB6 for WebView2." LiteView2 ships a 32-bit x86 OCX that installs and runs in VB6 projects — registered or registration-free.

What does the trial include?

30 days of full access: all 270+ methods, all 59 events, JSON engine, registered and reg-free modes, commercial use. No watermark during the trial period. Download now and follow the quickstart.

The WebView2 ActiveX Microsoft didn’t ship

270+ methods. 59 events. Every COM host. Registered or reg-free. Free 30-day trial.

Download free 30-day trial
30-day commercial trial · No telemetry · 32-bit and 64-bit · No admin required (reg-free mode)

See also: Replace the WebBrowser Control · vs Edge Browser Control · Deploy without admin rights · IBrowserPool API