Fix: "Update needed before the Motif plugin can start" WebView2 version

If you see a dialog saying "Update needed before the Motif plugin can start" when loading Motif in Revit, your installed version of Microsoft Edge WebView2 contains a known bug that causes Revit to crash. This article will guide you to update the component.

Symptoms

• A warning dialog appears when launching the Motif plugin in Revit

• The dialog shows a detected WebView2 version between 146.0.0.0 and 148.x (e.g., 147.0.3912.98)

• Revit may crash if the plugin is loaded without resolving the issue

Cause

A bug introduced in WebView2 version 146.0.0.0 causes Revit to crash when the Motif plugin loads. Microsoft fixed this in 149.0.3992.0. Versions 146, 147, and 148 all contain the bug.

Affected range: 146.0.0.0 ≤ WebView2 version < 149.0.3992.0

Required version: 149.0.3992.0 or newer (or any build older than 146.0.0.0)

Reference: Github Microsoft Edge Bug: WebView2Feedback issue #5540

Solution

Option 1: Wait for automatic update (recommended for most users)

Microsoft Edge includes a background updater that keeps WebView2 current automatically. On most machines, no action is needed — the fix typically arrives within a few days of a new release.

Option 2: Update WebView2 via Microsoft Edge

1. Open Microsoft Edge

2. Go to Settings > About Microsoft Edge (or Settings > Updates)

3. Allow Edge to update — this also updates the bundled WebView2 runtime

4. Reopen Revit and load the Motif plugin

Option 3: Install the standalone WebView2 update manually

Use this if automatic updates haven't run or Option 2 isn't available.

1. Download the Evergreen Standalone Installer from Microsoft: 👉 https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/

2. Close Revit completely before running the installer

3. Run the installer — it takes about 30 seconds and does not require a system restart

4. Reopen Revit and load the Motif plugin

Option 4: Contact your IT team (managed computers)

If your organization manages software updates (Examples include Group Policy, Microsoft Intune, SCCM, or WSUS), you may not be able to update WebView2 yourself.

Click "My IT team manages updates" in the Motif dialog to copy a pre-formatted message you can send to your IT administrator. It includes:

• Your detected WebView2 version

• The required version

• A link to the download page

Verify It Worked

After updating, reopen Revit and load the Motif plugin. The warning dialog should no longer appear. The plugin has been tested with WebView2 versions 145.x, 149.x, and later across Revit 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 with no crashes or issues.

Still Having Issues?

If the dialog persists after updating, contact Motif support and include:

• Your WebView2 version (shown in the dialog under "Version information")

• Your Revit version

• Whether your computer is managed by an IT team