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Type 2 conventional dendritic cell (cDC2) gene signature was shown to be associated with better overall survival in patients with lung cancer and a fraction of patients with breast carcinoma, indicating that they may possess antitumoral function. Nevertheless, unraveling the antitumoral role of cDC2s proved to be challenging due to their complex development and heterogeneity. Here, we discuss findings showcasing the ability of cDC2s to prime cytotoxic CD8+ T cells upon acquiring a distinct activation state, leading to effective immune responses against viral infections and cancer. This cDC2 activation state is induced by type I interferon (IFN) and consequently shows enrichment in IFN-stimulated genes.