Release Notes for the WebView2 SDK, Release, 144 (#3692) (#3704)

* release 144 template

* release first draft

* DragStarting API

* sdk-only section

* date 26th

* extensions user docs on landing page

* user experience (UX)

* Update WebView2 release notes for January 27, 2026

Changed the release date in the WebView2 SDK release notes from January 26, 2026 to January 27, 2026 to reflect the correct release date.

* Add note about chrome.webview availability fix

Updated the release notes to mention the fix for the unavailability of `chrome.webview` in the Runtime-only section.

---------

Co-authored-by: Michael Hoffman <45407486+mikehoffms@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: vootlasaichandu <V-VCHANDU@microsoft.com>

Author: 3 people

microsoft-edge/extensions/index.md

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ ms.date: 08/20/2024
 # Overview of Microsoft Edge extensions
 <!-- https://aka.ms/AboutEdgeAddons -->
 
-A Microsoft Edge _extension_ is a small app that a developer creates to add or modify features of Microsoft Edge, to extend the User Experience (UX) for end-users in a specialized way.  An extension provides a niche experience or function that's important to a target audience.
+A Microsoft Edge _extension_ is a small app that a developer creates to add or modify features of Microsoft Edge, to extend the user experience (UX) for end-users in a specialized way.  An extension provides a niche experience or function that's important to a target audience.
 
 Users browse and install extensions for Microsoft Edge from the [Microsoft Edge Add-ons](https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com) site.  _Add-ons_ include extensions and themes.
 

microsoft-edge/extensions/landing/index.yml

@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ landingContent:
           - text: Overview of Microsoft Edge extensions
             url: ../index.md
 
+          - text: User docs about Microsoft Edge extensions
+            url: ../getting-started/user-docs.md
+
           - text: Extension concepts and architecture
             url: ../getting-started/index.md
 

microsoft-edge/webview2/release-notes/index.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ ms.author: msedgedevrel
 ms.topic: article
 ms.service: microsoft-edge
 ms.subservice: webview
-ms.date: 12/08/2025
+ms.date: 01/27/2026
 ---
 # Release notes for the WebView2 SDK
 <!--
@@ -24,6 +24,88 @@ if change h2 headings pattern, enter work item: update links in announcements
 The following new features and bug fixes are in the WebView2 Release SDK and Prerelease SDK, for SDKs during the past year.
 
 
+<!-- Jan 2026 Release SDK (144) -->
+<!-- ====================================================================== -->
+## Release SDK 1.0.3719.77, for Runtime 144
+
+Release Date: January 27, 2026
+
+[NuGet package for WebView2 SDK 1.0.3719.77](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.Web.WebView2/1.0.3719.77)
+
+For full API compatibility, this Release version of the WebView2 SDK requires WebView2 Runtime version 144.0.3719.77 or higher.
+
+
+<!-- ------------------------------ -->
+#### Promotions to Phase 3 (Stable in Release)
+
+The following APIs have been promoted from Phase 2: Stable in Prerelease, to Phase 3: Stable in Release, and are now included in this Release SDK.
+
+
+<!-- ---------- -->
+###### Customize the drag and drop behavior (DragStarting API)
+
+The `DragStarting` API overrides the default drag and drop behavior when running in visual hosting mode.  The `DragStarting` event notifies your app when the user starts a drag operation in the WebView2, and provides the state that's necessary to override the default WebView2 drag operation with your own logic.
+
+<!-- todo: still 5 suffix, like previous phase?  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/release-notes/?tabs=win32cpp#promotions-to-phase-2-stable-in-prerelease-1 -->
+* Use `DragStarting` on the `ICoreWebView2CompositionController5` to add an event handler that's invoked when the drag operation is starting.
+* Use `ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs` to start your own drag operation.
+   * Use the `GetDeferral` method to execute any async drag logic and call back into the WebView at a later time.
+   * Use the `Handled` property to let the WebView2 know whether to use its own drag logic.
+
+##### [.NET/C#](#tab/dotnetcsharp)
+
+N/A
+
+##### [WinRT/C#](#tab/winrtcsharp)
+
+N/A
+
+##### [Win32/C++](#tab/win32cpp)
+
+<!-- todo: still 5 suffix, like previous phase?  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/release-notes/?tabs=win32cpp#promotions-to-phase-2-stable-in-prerelease-1 -->
+* [ICoreWebView2CompositionController5](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2compositioncontroller5?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true)
+  * [ICoreWebView2CompositionController5::add_DragStarting](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2compositioncontroller5?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#add_dragstarting)
+  * [ICoreWebView2CompositionController5::remove_DragStarting](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2compositioncontroller5?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77e&preserve-view=true#remove_dragstarting)
+
+<!-- exception: rt interop docs -->
+<!-- todo: still 3 suffix, like previous phase?  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/release-notes/?tabs=win32cpp#promotions-to-phase-2-stable-in-prerelease-1 -->
+* [ICoreWebView2CompositionControllerInterop3](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/winrt/interop/icorewebview2compositioncontrollerinterop3?view=webview2-winrt-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true)
+  * [ICoreWebView2CompositionControllerInterop3::add_DragStarting](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/winrt/interop/icorewebview2compositioncontrollerinterop3?view=webview2-winrt-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#add_dragstarting)
+  * [ICoreWebView2CompositionControllerInterop3::remove_DragStarting](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/winrt/interop/icorewebview2compositioncontrollerinterop3?view=webview2-winrt-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#remove_dragstarting)
+
+* [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventargs?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true)
+  * [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs::get_AllowedDropEffects](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventargs?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#get_alloweddropeffects)
+  * [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs::get_Data](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventargs?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#get_data)
+  * [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs::get_Handled](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventargs?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#get_handled)
+  * [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs::get_Position](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventargs?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#get_position)
+  * [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs::GetDeferral](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventargs?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#getdeferral)
+  * [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventArgs::put_Handled](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventargs?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true#put_handled)
+
+* [ICoreWebView2DragStartingEventHandler](/microsoft-edge/webview2/reference/win32/icorewebview2dragstartingeventhandler?view=webview2-1.0.3719.77&preserve-view=true)
+
+---
+
+
+<!-- ------------------------------ -->
+#### Bug fixes
+
+This Release SDK includes the following bug fixes.
+
+
+<!-- ---------- -->
+###### Runtime-only
+
+* Fixed `chrome.webview` unavailability.
+
+
+<!-- ---------- -->
+###### SDK-only
+
+* Added the article [Performance best practices for WebView2 apps](../concepts/performance.md), about how to improve the startup speed, memory usage, and responsiveness of a WebView2 app.
+
+<!-- end of Jan 2026 Release SDK (144) -->
+
+
 <!-- Jan 2026 Prerelease SDK (145) -->
 <!-- ====================================================================== -->
 ## Prerelease SDK 1.0.3796-prerelease, for Runtime 145
@@ -101,6 +183,7 @@ This Prerelease SDK includes the following bug fixes.
 <!-- ---------- -->
 ###### Runtime-only
 
+* Fixed `chrome.webview` unavailability.
 * Disabled background update of network time.