lordaimer raises a detailed technical question about integrating advertisements into a native WinUI 3 desktop app using C#, highlighting the lack of ad network support beyond UWP and seeking compliant solutions from the community.

Seeking Legitimate Ad Integration Options for WinUI 3 Desktop Apps

Author: lordaimer

Overview

lordaimer presents a detailed challenge in monetizing a Windows desktop application built with C# and WinUI 3 (Windows App SDK). Unlike UWP, WinUI 3 targets classic Win32 desktop environments, which severely limits the ability to use popular ad SDKs.

Key Problem

  • Most ad networks like PubMatic, AdMob, AdsJumbo, Pubfinity, and Unity Ads either:
    • Don’t support desktop (Win32) at all,
    • Only provide UWP-compatible SDKs (not WinUI 3/WinAppSDK), or
    • Only serve ads in browsers (WebView2-based solutions may violate network terms).
  • Embedding ads using WebView2 is generally considered a policy violation by ad networks, potentially regarded as fraud.

Technical Stack

  • Frontend: C# with WinUI 3 (Windows App SDK, Win32)
  • Backend: Rust via FFI
  • Not using: UWP, WPF, or any web application runtime

Requirements

  • Compliant ad delivery: Must not violate any ad network’s TOS or policies.
  • Banner or native ads are preferred.
  • Looking for:
    • Ad SDKs supporting Win32/WinAppSDK desktop scenarios.
    • Legitimate workarounds that do not involve violating ad network terms.

Community Questions

  • Has anyone successfully monetized a WinUI 3 desktop app with ads?
  • Are there any ad SDKs or networks with legitimate support for Win32/WinAppSDK?
  • Any practical and policy-compliant ways of using WebView2 for ads?

Additional Context

This technical challenge is the only blocker before the MVP can be shipped. The author is open to niche or small ad networks provided the integration remains above board.

Call for Experience

lordaimer invites any developers who have successfully tackled this scenario to share SDK recommendations, integration stories, or technical workarounds that ensured both technical functionality and policy compliance.

This post appeared first on “Reddit CSharp”. Read the entire article here