As Flash approaches the end of its life, Microsoft is preparing to finally put it to rest.
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| A monitor showing a Flash video player |
As the sun begins to set on Adobe Flash Player, Microsoft has announced how the company will handle the transition to a future without Flash. Microsoft has published a roadmap on how it will slowly dismantle its Flash-based resources.
Microsoft’s Plans For Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Flash will officially come to the end of its life on December 31, 2020. This isn’t surprising news, as the company set the date on the Adobe Blog way back in July 2017.As we approach the final deadline, Microsoft has announced its plans for removing Flash from Windows 10 on Windows Blogs.
When December 31 arrives, Microsoft will no longer support Flash for either the new Edge browser or for Internet Explorer 11. The browsers will disable Flash by default and will block any version of Flash dating older than June 2020.Then, Microsoft will begin rolling out an update in early 2021 that removes Flash from all Windows operating systems. The download will be called “Update for Removal of Adobe Flash Player.”At first, Windows Update will list this update as an optional download; however, after a few months, it will be escalated to a recommended update.
If you want to get rid of Flash sooner rather than later, Microsoft will list the removal tool in its update catalog from Fall 2020. You can then manually download the update without waiting for it to appear on Windows Update. Be careful, however; once you apply the update, there’s no way to revert it.
Then, in the summer of 2021, Microsoft will release another update that will remove all Flash-related components from legacy Edge and Internet Explorer, thus bringing the era of Flash on Windows to a close.
The End For A Relic Of The Internet
Come December 2020, the once-adored, now-reviled Adobe Flash Player will make its exit. Microsoft will end Windows’ Flash support for good, paving the way for new and better media formats to thrive where Flash once stood.If you’re worried about all your favorite Flash games being lost to time, don’t worry. There are ways you can download and preserve them forever.