Requirements

This page covers what you need to run the WebExeBuilder Builder, what your web project needs, and what your end users need to run the compiled app.

Builder Requirements

These are the requirements for running the WebExeBuilder Builder itself — the tool you use to create and compile projects.

Operating System

• Windows 10 or later (64-bit or 32-bit)
• Windows 11 is fully supported

Administrator Privileges

The Builder requires administrator privileges and will prompt for elevation (UAC) when launched. This is needed because the compilation process modifies executable resources — specifically, branding the output .exe with your custom icon, version info, and embedded file archive. These operations require elevated permissions on Windows.

If you run the Builder without admin rights, resource branding and icon replacement will fail during compilation.

Microsoft WebView2 Runtime

The Builder uses WebView2 internally for its built-in browser panel. If the WebView2 Runtime is not installed on your system, the Builder will still function for project configuration and compilation, but the browser preview panel won't work.

Most Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems already have WebView2 installed (it ships with Microsoft Edge). If you need to install it manually:

• Download from: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=2124703

Disk Space

• The Builder installation itself is lightweight (under 50 MB)
• Additional space is needed for your web project files and compiled output
• Each compiled .exe includes your embedded web content plus the stub runtime (~5–15 MB depending on platform and content size)

Web Project Requirements

These are the requirements for the web content you want to package into an executable.

Minimum Requirements

• An index.html file — this is the entry point your app loads on startup
• A folder containing your web project files (HTML, CSS, JS, images, etc.)

That's it. If you have a working web page with an index.html, you can compile it.

Optional but Recommended

• A .ico file for your app's custom icon (if not provided, the default icon is used)
• All assets referenced by your HTML should be in the project folder or subfolders — external URLs work too, but embedded assets load faster and work offline

What Works

Your web content runs in a full Chromium-based browser (WebView2), so you get:

• Modern HTML5, CSS3, and ES6+ JavaScript
• Canvas, WebGL, SVG
• Fetch API, async/await, Promises
• CSS Grid, Flexbox, animations
• Web fonts, audio, video
• LocalStorage and SessionStorage
• WebSockets and XMLHttpRequest

What Doesn't Apply

Since your app runs as a desktop executable, some web concepts don't apply:

• No web server needed — files are served from the embedded virtual file system
• No CORS restrictions for local content
• No need for service workers or PWA manifests
• Browser-specific features like push notifications use the native Windows notification system instead (via the JavaScript bridge API)

Compiled App Requirements (End Users)

These are the requirements for the people who run your compiled .exe.

Operating System

• Windows 10 or later
• Both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) builds are supported — compile for whichever platforms your users need

Microsoft WebView2 Runtime

Your compiled app requires the Microsoft WebView2 Runtime to render web content. This is the single most important dependency.

Good news: WebView2 is pre-installed on most modern Windows systems because it ships with Microsoft Edge. Your users likely already have it.

If it's missing: When your app launches and detects that WebView2 is not installed, it shows a dialog prompting the user to download and install it. The dialog links directly to the official Microsoft download page:

• https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=2124703

The user installs the runtime, restarts your app, and everything works. This is a one-time setup.

Internet Connection

An internet connection is not required by default. Your app's web content is fully embedded in the .exe and runs offline.

However, an internet connection is required if:

• Require Internet is enabled in your project settings — the app checks for connectivity on launch and exits with a message if offline
• Gumroad licensing is enabled — online license verification requires internet access; the app will not start without a connection
• Your web content itself fetches external resources (APIs, CDNs, remote images, etc.)

No Installation Required

Compiled apps are portable single-file executables. No installer, no setup wizard, no registry entries needed. Users just double-click the .exe and it runs.

If One Instance mode is enabled in your project, only one copy of the app can run at a time. Launching a second instance brings the existing window to the foreground.

Administrator Privileges

Compiled apps do not require administrator privileges. They run under standard user permissions.

The only exception is if your app uses the JavaScript bridge API to perform operations that inherently need elevation (like writing to protected registry keys or system directories), but this depends entirely on what your web code does.

Quick Reference

Next Steps

• Getting Started — create your first project
• File Manager — manage the files embedded in your app
• Application Development Guide — full JavaScript API reference