Build Modern .NET MAUI Apps with .NET 11 [Webinar Show Notes]

.NET MAUI continues to evolve as Microsoft focuses on improving performance, reliability, developer productivity, and the native application experience across Android, iOS, Mac Catalyst, and Windows.

In this webinar, Principal Product Manager David Ortinau from Microsoft explored the improvements arriving with .NET MAUI in .NET 11 and demonstrated how developers can begin applying them to real cross-platform applications.

From a new runtime foundation and XAML improvements to navigation, gestures, maps, security, and updated Syncfusion controls, .NET 11 introduces changes throughout the development experience.

If you missed the webinar or would like to watch it again, the recording is on our YouTube channel and embedded below.

Time stamps

[00:00] Introduction and .NET 11 RC1
[02:00] State of .NET MAUI in 2026
[04:42] Syncfusion’s contributions to .NET MAUI
[08:08] CoreCLR becomes the .NET MAUI runtime
[09:29] ReadyToRun and Native AOT options
[14:32] .NET MAUI 11 feature highlights
[14:54] CollectionView improvements on Windows
[15:34] Maps, status bar, and splash screen improvements
[17:28] XAML improvements in .NET 11
[17:55] XAML incremental Hot Reload
[18:41] Syncfusion .NET MAUI Toolkit updates
[19:35] Developer Balance sample with .NET 11
[20:34] Long-press gestures
[22:13] Syncfusion GridSplitter
[23:14] Syncfusion InteractiveViewer
[24:02] Chart tooltips
[24:38] Live .NET 11 application demo
[25:45] GridSplitter demo
[26:43] Long-press gesture demo
[27:34] SwipeView styling
[28:04] InteractiveViewer demo
[29:31] .NET 11 code walkthrough
[32:12] Adapting the experience for Android and mobile
[34:03] Tab badges and navigation updates
[38:13] Q&A: Linux and macOS options with MAUI Labs
[38:46] MAUI Sherpa
[40:08] MAUI Dev Flow and AI-assisted development
[41:35] Q&A: Syncfusion’s .NET MAUI roadmap
[42:13] Q&A: Hot Reload improvements in .NET 11
[44:35] TabbedPage, Shell, and navigation guidance
[45:53] Shell route templates
[46:50] Map pin clustering
[48:00] Passkeys and passwordless authentication
[49:26] Material 3 support
[51:01] Safe-area and edge-to-edge improvements
[51:32] Light and dark splash screen themes
[52:36] Compiled XAML and resource loading
[53:58] C# expressions in XAML
[55:48] .NET MAUI support lifecycle and upgrading
[57:45] .NET Run, .NET Watch, and testing improvements
[58:35] Key takeaways for adopting .NET MAUI 11
[59:51] Audience Q&A
[01:08:03] Q&A: Reducing .NET MAUI app size
[01:10:58] Closing remarks

Moving .NET MAUI to CoreCLR

One of the most significant changes in .NET 11 is the move to CoreCLR as the runtime across .NET MAUI platforms.

For developers, adopting it is straightforward: target .NET 11 and the application runs on CoreCLR.

This transition gives .NET MAUI access to a runtime that has been heavily optimized and tested throughout the broader .NET ecosystem. It also creates opportunities for continued improvements to debugging, Hot Reload, telemetry, logging, stability, and runtime performance.

Developers targeting Android can also evaluate different deployment strategies depending on their application requirements.

ReadyToRun

ReadyToRun provides options for improving runtime performance, with the tradeoff of increased application size.

Native AOT

Native AOT raises the bar for trimming compatibility and requires developers to address related warnings and dependencies, but it can deliver highly optimized startup performance and smaller application binaries.

The right approach depends on the individual application, making performance measurement and benchmarking an important part of the upgrade process.

Improving the XAML development experience

.NET 11 includes substantial work to XAML.

Source generation is playing a larger role in the XAML pipeline, with opportunities to reduce allocations and improve performance. Developers can also choose how certain resources are loaded, including lazy-loading scenarios that can help optimize applications.

C# expressions in XAML provide another way to reduce unnecessary boilerplate.

Instead of creating a value converter for every simple piece of presentation logic, developers can use concise C# expressions for appropriate scenarios while keeping larger pieces of logic in code-behind or application code.

XAML incremental Hot Reload

Hot Reload continues to receive significant investment for .NET MAUI. .NET 11 includes improved XAML incremental Hot Reload, while .NET Watch is becoming an increasingly important part of the Hot Reload workflow across platforms.

For client application development, where full rebuild cycles can be costly, reducing the amount of work required to see a UI change can have a major impact on everyday productivity.

Build performance is also receiving attention, including support for multithreaded build scenarios where appropriate.

Building better native experiences

Several .NET 11 improvements focus on capabilities developers frequently need when creating native experiences.

Long-press gestures

Long-press gestures can now be implemented through a cross-platform .NET MAUI API. These gestures are useful for secondary or advanced actions and don’t require developers to build separate, platform-specific implementations.

The webinar demonstrated this in a task application where tapping opens an item while a long press exposes additional actions.

SwipeView styling

SwipeView has also received improvements, including more flexible styling of icons and text. Combined with theme bindings, developers can build swipe experiences that remain visually consistent in light and dark modes.

Using the Syncfusion .NET MAUI Toolkit

The webinar also highlighted several controls available through the open-source Syncfusion .NET MAUI Toolkit. These controls are used within the Developer Balance sample to extend the application while keeping the UI responsive in desktop and mobile form factors.

Grid Splitter

The Grid Splitter allows desktop and data-dense applications to divide available space into adjustable panes. Users can resize, expand, or collapse areas of the interface, and developers can also control the behavior programmatically. This is particularly useful when larger screens provide enough space to display multiple pieces of information simultaneously.

Interactive Viewer

The Interactive Viewer provides built-in panning, zooming, and rotation for content larger than the available display area. Instead of manually creating gesture and transformation handling, developers can place content inside the viewer and configure the experience.

Potential scenarios include diagrams, images, maps, documents, and other dense visual content.

Chart tooltips

Chart tooltips provide another layer of information for data visualization. Developers can determine which information should appear when users interact with chart elements, complementing existing legends and making data easier to explore.

Designing responsive cross-platform applications

Building cross-platform software doesn’t mean every screen must use exactly the same layout.

The webinar demonstrated a desktop interface that uses additional screen space for controls and panels while the Android version provides a more compact mobile experience.

.NET MAUI applications can adapt based on factors such as device idiom or screen dimensions. For example, desktop and tablet experiences may use flyout navigation, while smaller phones may rely on tabs or gestures.

The goal is to share as much application code as practical while still delivering an experience that feels appropriate and native on each platform.

Navigation improvements

.NET 11 also continues the modernization of .NET MAUI navigation. Underlying handlers are becoming more consistent among Shell, TabbedPage, FlyoutPage, and related navigation components.

Tab badges

Developers can display badges in tab-based navigation, including scenarios using either Shell or TabbedPage.

Rather than prescribing a single navigation architecture, the guidance is to choose the approach that works best for the application’s requirements. Shell provides a convenient higher-level experience, while the lower-level navigation primitives remain available for more customized layouts.

Shell route templates

Shell route templates make it easier to represent values directly within navigation paths. Instead of relying only on query-string parameters, applications can define templated route segments and retrieve values when navigating to the corresponding page.

This can result in cleaner and more expressive navigation structures.

Making maps easier to use

Maps receive several improvements in .NET 11. One new capability is pin clustering. When many map pins occupy the same geographic area, clustering groups them together until the user zooms further into the map. This helps prevent dense datasets from overwhelming the interface and provides behavior familiar to users of modern mapping applications.

Adding passwordless authentication with passkeys

Security is another focus area for modern application development.

.NET MAUI 11 provides improved support for passkeys, helping developers implement passwordless authentication without having to assemble the complete platform integration themselves.

Supporting modern Android experiences with Material 3

Material 3 support has continued to expand in recent .NET MAUI releases and is highlighted as an important part of .NET 11. Developers can opt into Material 3 styling for Android applications through project configuration rather than recreating the experience manually.

The webinar also discussed improvements around edge-to-edge layouts and safe areas, helping applications adapt to modern Android presentation requirements.

Light and dark splash screen themes

Applications that follow system appearances can now more easily provide splash screens appropriate for both light and dark themes. This prevents situations where an application configured for dark mode begins with an unexpectedly bright splash screen.

Developers can configure this at the cross-platform project level and implement more customized platform-specific behavior when needed.

Expanded .NET CLI and testing support

The developer workflow receives several updates alongside the UI and runtime improvements.

.NET Run now provides broader support for MAUI workflows and can offer interactive device selection when a target device hasn’t already been specified.

.NET Watch is supported across platforms as part of the ongoing Hot Reload work.

Testing support has also expanded, with test projects supported across the .NET MAUI platforms.

Using AI to improve the development workflow

AI-assisted development is also becoming part of the .NET MAUI workflow. The session discussed using development agents to help with tasks such as:

• Upgrading projects between .NET versions.
• Reviewing release documentation.
• Running application tests.
• Interacting with applications.
• Benchmarking performance.
• Investigating startup time and memory usage.
• Identifying opportunities to reduce application size.

Tools and experiments such as MAUI Dev Flow demonstrate how agents can interact with running applications rather than requiring developers to perform every testing step manually.

The goal is not simply generating code faster. AI can also help developers validate, benchmark, and understand the applications they are building.

Evaluating application size and performance

There is no single configuration that will produce the best result for every application.

Developers should investigate where application size comes from and optimize based on the actual deployment target. Potential strategies include:

• Removing unnecessary assets and dependencies.
• Loading large media only when required.
• Targeting only the required device architectures.
• Choosing the appropriate store bundle configuration.
• Evaluating ReadyToRun options.
• Using Native AOT when the application’s dependencies and trimming requirements support it.

Each option comes with tradeoffs between application size, performance, compatibility, and development effort. Benchmarking the actual application remains the best way to determine which approach makes sense.

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Getting started with .NET MAUI 11

The simplest next step is to take an existing application and run it on .NET MAUI 11. Developers can then evaluate startup time, application size, memory behavior, and compatibility before deciding which additional .NET 11 capabilities they want to adopt.

From incremental Hot Reload and Shell route templates to passkeys, maps, updated XAML features, and new Syncfusion Toolkit controls, teams can adopt the improvements that provide the most value for their applications.

.NET MAUI 11 continues the framework’s focus on better performance, stronger tooling, richer native capabilities, and more productive cross-platform development.

Related links

• .NET MAUI Labs on GitHub repository
• .NET MAUI GitHub demos
• What’s new in .NET MAUI for .NET 11

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