Microsoft has deprecated the UWP Map management API in Home windows. Home windows purposes utilizing that function to embed Bing maps will cease receiving up to date maps, and they’ll finally cease working fully. Microsoft’s personal Maps app may additionally shut down.
Microsoft launched the MapControl API in Home windows 10, which allowed apps to show maps utilizing information from Bing. It was a useful function for climate purposes, system monitoring instruments, and anyplace else an app would possibly want to indicate a world map or native space. Nonetheless, it was a element within the Common Home windows Platform (UWP) structure, which was by no means a well-liked method to construct Home windows purposes. Microsoft merged UWP back into Win32 with Undertaking Reunion, and most UWP performance is now obtainable to conventional Home windows apps.
The MapControl API was powered by Bing Maps for Enterprise, which has already been retired in favor of Microsoft’s newer Azure Maps service. Microsoft introduced immediately that the Home windows UWP Map management is now formally deprecated—it should proceed working in current purposes for some time, however the maps will not be up to date.
In a weblog put up for software program builders, Microsoft mentioned, “In Might 2024 we introduced the unification of Bing Maps for Enterprise with Azure Maps into the compliant Azure providing powered by the identical Bing Maps information. In case your resolution leverages the Home windows UWP management, we wish to request that you simply look to maneuver to an Azure Maps primarily based substitute earlier than April 2026 reasonably than the tip date for your entire Bing Maps for Enterprise platform.”
The Impression
The excellent news is that this modification doesn’t matter for most individuals. Probably the most notable app utilizing these APIs appears to be Windows Maps, which was put in by default on new PCs. Microsoft mentioned the Bing API shutdown “aligns with the identical announcement for the Maps Software.”
That sounds just like the Home windows Maps app will even cease receiving new maps information, however Maps is already utilizing TomTom for a minimum of a few of its options, so the precise impression isn’t clear. We’ve reached out to Microsoft for remark, and we’ll replace this text after we hear again. The Home windows Maps app at present reveals a banner about offline maps being eliminated “by the tip of 2023.”
A GitHub search reveals some smaller tasks utilizing the maps API, together with an openHAB client for Windows, and an unofficial Pokémon GO port for Home windows 10 and Home windows 10 Cellular. There may be some area of interest apps nonetheless in use that require the API to operate, nevertheless it’s most likely not being utilized in any fashionable instruments at this level. Home windows purposes utilizing map information from Google, OpenStreetMap, and different suppliers will not be affected.
Microsoft mentioned the “UWP Maps platform help inside Home windows will not be obtainable” in “roughly 1 yr from this announcement,” which sounds like every apps nonetheless counting on the Map management API will cease working round April 2026. That’s not fully clear, although, for the reason that underlying Bing Maps for Enterprise platform is meant to proceed working till June 30, 2028.
In case you are a software program developer with a challenge utilizing the UWP Map management, Microsoft recommends that you simply migrate your code to Azure Maps.
Supply: Microsoft Bing Blogs