What you need to know

  • Microsoft plans to retire Flash in all versions of Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer by the end of 2020.
  • This timeline was already known for the original version of Edge, but Microsoft clarified its plans for Flash in the newer Chromium version of Edge.
  • The Flash removal plan for Chromium Edge follows the same timeline for other browsers built on Chromium.

Microsoft reiterated its plans for retiring Flash across all of its browsers today, notably clarifying its intentions for the new version of Edge built on Chromium. Microsoft will remove Flash from Internet Explorer, the original Edge, and the new Chromium Edge by the end of 2020.

From Microsoft:

Flash will initially be disabled, and the user will need to re-enable Flash on a site-by-site basis; Flash will be completely removed from the browser towards the end of 2020. Group policies are available for enterprise admins and IT pros to change the Flash behavior prior to that date.

Most of these plans were already known, as Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Mozilla all came out with their own timelines for retiring Flash after Adobe announced Flash would be killed off in 2020.

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Currently, Microsoft's browsers require you to enable Flash with explicit permission on a per-site basis. Look for Flash to be fully removed from Internet Explorer and both versions of Edge by December of 2020.