Microsoft Edge To Start Blocking Flash By Default Next Year

Earlier this month we reported that Google had updated its Chrome browser to disable Adobe’s Flash by default. Given the various security scares we’ve had, and with many websites now starting to switch to HTML5, it made perfect sense. However for non-Chrome users, those changes are coming your way in the near future, especially if you use the Edge browser.

According to a post on Microsoft’s Windows Blog, starting next year and with the next update, the Edge browser will start to block Flash content by default. Microsoft writes, “Sites that support HTML5 will default to a clean HTML5 experience. In these cases, Flash will not even be loaded, improving performance, battery life, and security.”

However just like Chrome where Flash can be enabled if you absolutely need it, the same can be done with Edge. “For sites that still depend on Flash, users will have the opportunity to decide whether they want Flash to load and run, and this preference can be remembered for subsequent visits.”

Like we said there have been some pretty scary security issues linked with Flash in the past, so it is understandable that developers are starting to seek alternatives like HTML5. So far major websites have already made the switch, such as YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook, just to name a few, so in reality you probably won’t be missing out on too much.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: adobe, edge, flash, Microsoft