# io.Connect Browser 4.5 Release Highlights

**URL:** <https://community.interop.io/t/io-connect-browser-4-5-release-highlights/623>\
**Category:** io.Connect Browser\
**Tags:** release, News\
**Created:** [July 14, 2026, 7:54am UTC](https://community.interop.io/t/io-connect-browser-4-5-release-highlights/623 "2026-07-14T07:54:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![toni.petrov](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/community.interop.io/toni.petrov/32/17_2.png) [@toni.petrov](https://community.interop.io/u/toni.petrov)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 7:54am UTC](https://community.interop.io/t/io-connect-browser-4-5-release-highlights/623/1 "2026-07-14T07:54:52Z")

</div>

**io.Connect Browser 4.5** is out. This release introduces a new API for opening apps in IFrames, new Layout inspection capabilities, more control over Channels, a redesigned Launchpad, and additional Workspace customization options.

## [Opening Apps in IFrames](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html#new_features-interopioiframesapi-opening_apps_in_iframes)

The new `@interopio/iframes-api` library enables Browser Clients to start io.Connect apps inside `<iframe>` elements in the current app using `io.iframes.openApp()` to open an app in a specified container and pass it an initial context.

- [IFrames API](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/windows/iframes/index.html)

- [Configuring IFrame Attributes](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html#new_features-interopiobrowser-configuring_iframe_attributes)

> The `workspacesSandbox` property will be deprecated in io.Connect Browser 5.0. Migrating to `iframeSandbox` is recommended.

## [Retrieving Layout Contents](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html#new_features-interopiobrowser-retrieving_layout_contents)

The Layouts API now includes a `getLayoutContents()` method for inspecting the contents of Global Layouts and Workspace Layouts.

- [Retrieving Layout Contents](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/windows/layouts/layouts-api/index.html#layout_operations-retrieving_layout_contents)

- [getLayoutContents()](https://docs.interop.io/browser/reference/javascript/layouts/api/index.html#API-getLayoutContents)

- [GetContentsOptions](https://docs.interop.io/browser/reference/javascript/layouts/getcontentsoptions/index.html)

## [More Control over Channels](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html#new_features-interopiobrowser-leaving_channels)

The Channels API now lets you remove a specific window from its currently joined Channel or from all joined Channels when using multi-Channel mode by passing the window ID to `io.channels.leave()`.

You can also pass an optional `FDC3Options` object to `getMyChannels()` to retrieve only Channel contexts containing a specified FDC3 context type.

- [Joining and Leaving Channels](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/data-sharing/channels/index.html#join__leave_channels)

- [Retrieving Channel Contexts](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/data-sharing/channels/index.html#multiple_channels-retrieving_channel_contexts)

## [Launchpad Redesign](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html#new_features-interopiohomeuireact-launchpad_redesign)

The Home App Launchpad has been redesigned. Global Layouts are now displayed in their own section alongside apps and Workspaces instead of in a separate panel.

Favorites are now managed through the context menu of each item. The underlying Home UI library also adds new options for section icons, custom header actions, selected states, and status pills.

 ![launchpad-sections](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/interopio/original/1X/3da9e2f669a3395edb0bd92a6363e755e710b817.png)

## [Workspace Splitter Size](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html#new_features-interopioworkspacesuireact-workspace_splitter_size)

You can now customize the width of the draggable splitters between windows in a Workspace by setting `splitterSize` in the configuration of the `<Workspaces />` component.

Related docs:

- [Workspace Splitter Size](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/windows/workspaces/workspaces-app/index.html#splitter_size)

## [Improvements & Bug Fixes](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html#improvements__bug_fixes)

This release also includes:

- stricter URL validation that rejects unsafe protocols such as `data:`, `javascript:`, and `vbscript:`;

- improved performance when fetching remote configuration from io.Manager;

- fixes to the Notifications and Channels APIs;

- FDC3 2.2 compatibility updates;

- UI and theme fixes across the Home App, Modals, and form components.

Full changelog: [io.Connect Browser 4.5](https://docs.interop.io/browser/getting-started/changelog/4-5/index.html)