This is why Microsoft is ending Adobe Flash support by 2021
- Following Adobe, Microsoft ends Flash support at the end of 2020.
- As such, Adobe Flash Player will no longer be used on Internet Explorer or Edge.
- A browser that still supports Flash Player is Opera, albeit for a short period of time.
- If you're wondering what will replace Flash after it's truly dead, the answer is HTML5 content.
Adobe has finally announced that it will be ending support for Flash at the end of 2020. The company will discontinue any sort of support and security updates after 2020. However, until then, Adobe will still provide security updates and will be compatible with a majority of browsers.
In line with Abode’s announcement, Microsoft has also announced that it will be phasing out the aging standard.
Why is Microsoft ending support for Flash?
A potential threat
Flash took the online world by storm when it was announced initially but in the recent past, online Flash content has been no less reliable.
The Flash Players’ design allows attackers to easily induce malware via unauthorized back doors. We have seen umpteen number of flash attacks on both PCs and Android smartphones.
In fact, the Flash browser version has often been criticized for its ability to accommodate malware and despite changes made by Adobe, the tool is still a potential threat.
Most of us have already moved on to HTML5 video player and I have in fact deleted the Flash player a couple of months ago. Yes, there is a fair share of web services that make use of Flash Player but the security of your system takes precedence over anything else.
It’s obsolete
Well, it’s not just Microsoft that has been ending the support for Flash content, in fact, all the other major web browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari have already announced the same.
HTML 5 is clearly the better choice since it not only improves the overall performance of the browser but also increases security and battery life.
Quick Tip
Opera is the only browser where Flash content is still available. As such, Opera might be the alternative for a lot of Flash movies or games fans.
Opera is a lightweight browser with a bunch of extremely useful built-in features that favor more productivity. The news feed and alternate workspaces help you stay organized and fully up-to-date. The unlimited VPN keeps your identity private while you’re browsing the Internet. Plus, there are hundreds of add-ons that you can add to make the experience even more fun.
To keep accessing Flash content in Opera, make sure the Flash option is active here: opera://settings/content/flash?search=flash
Opera
A great browser alternative that you can use to still access your favorite Flash content after 2020.
Here’s a possible calendar of the forthcoming Flash support removal:
- Throughout 2017 and into 2018, Microsoft Edge will continue to ask users for permission to run Flash on most sites upon the first visit. It will remember the user’s preference for subsequent visits. Internet Explorer will continue to allow Flash with no special permissions required during this time.
- Mid to late 2018, we will update Microsoft Edge to require permission for Flash to be run each session. Internet Explorer will continue to allow Flash for all sites in 2018.
- Mid to late 2019, we will disable Flash by default in both Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer. Users will be able to re-enable Flash in both browsers. When re-enabled, Microsoft Edge will continue to require approval for Flash on a site-by-site basis.
- By the end of 2020, the ability to run Adobe Flash will be removed in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer across all supported versions of Microsoft Windows. Users will no longer have any ability to enable or run Flash.
Additionally, it’s recommended that you uninstall Flash Player from your system, to avoid exposure to cyber-attacks, as the tool will become vulnerable.
What’s your take on Microsoft’s decision. You can drop us a line in the comments section.
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