Google's Chrome browser will (almost) kill off Flash support by December

By John Callaham
last updated

Google has announced plans to slowly kill off support in its Chrome browser for most websites that use Adobe's Flash by December in favor of HTML5 sites.

While the use of Flash on websites has diminished in the past few years, there are still some sites that use it. In a blog post. Google stated:

Today, more than 90% of the Flash on the web loads behind the scenes to support things like page analytics. This kind of Flash slows you down, and starting this September, Chrome 53 will begin to block it. HTML5 is much lighter and faster, and publishers are switching over to speed up page loading and save you more battery life. You'll see an improvement in responsiveness and efficiency for many sites.

HTML5 will become the default way to view websites with the release of Chrome 55 in December, according to Google. The only exceptions will be sites that only use Flash, in which case the browser will prompt used to enable Flash when they visit the site.

John Callaham
John Callaham
56 Comments
  • Good....MS should follow suit.
  • You mean like how they do with Edge?
  • Came here to say this. I have Flash off in Edge
  • Um you mean Chrome is following suit of MS. Edge is way ahead of Chrome for HTML5.
  • No, for IE...
  • you mean the browser that was only included to appease businesses?
  • IE doesn't come with Flash. If you want to use IE without Flash, simply don't install Flash.
  • Actually IE10 and up on Windows 8.0 and up come with Flash. If you don't want to use Flash on IE/Edge on Windows 8.0+ you need to manually disable it.
  • If so, I stand corrected.
  • You mean Apple right who started it all #TeamLumia 950 XL
  • Edge already disables Flash by default. You can turn it on if you need to.
  • Glad to see this. Flash should be retired given that it is not as efficient as we need for today's devices.  I hope other browser continue down this path.
  • Shockwave and Adobe Flash were great back in 2003 when people started creating better websites than those plain looking HTML-bases sites.
    .
    However, things come and go and the time for both Shockwave and Flash to retire has come.
  • So they are doing what Firefox has already done?
  • basically yes, Firefox and Maxthon have already disabled Flash and Shockwave players from running
  • Isn't this site flash? Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Yes, it is. Time to re-construct the WC website!
  • Please! This is the only website that has caused performance issues on my gaming rig. Flash inevitably crashes on this site and slows my machine to a crawl. i7 and 290X cannot keep up with Flash! Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • same, my Surface Pro 4 with Core i7 and Intel Iris GPU cannot handle the Windows Central website properly.
    .
    Heck, the Crackberry and MSPowerUser websites are way better to use.
  • Site is very smooth for me after I blocked ads.
  • With my work laptop 5th generation i5 web-version of WC is totally unusable. I have always thinked whats wrong with my computers, but now I know it's not only me. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • only the website is, but not the Windows 10 app.
  • Edge has Flash enabled by default. Almost.
  • They could easily change this default in the future. The fact it uses an integrated flash that can be easily turned off is very good even if it's not unique
  • What about Flash based games? Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • They'll die
  • "They will all DIE" (r) Cabal
  • Flash can't die fast enough
  • actually this news is quite old since most of the browsers announced end-of-support for Flash and Shockwave last year.
  • Good to see Chrome following Edge. But to late. I already switched to Edge. It's better at alot of things now. Sorry Google.
  • Edge is my main browser since the Aniversaty update. Block of adds is all I needed from it.
  • Yeah I switched to Edge on tablet because of its lack of battery draining. Just wish Edge would get themes...
  • With the addition of extionsions I'm 99.99999% on Edge. My company still runs something in the background that only IE can run (I don't care enough to learn what it is lol) for when we install software off our installation website, and I still use chrome for Gmail (work only) I wish we never parterned with Google for our mail and the Google "office" apps.
  • Why if it's far superior #TeamLumia 950 XL
  • For some reason I don't know once i read "Google..." I start smiling :)
  • Disaster. Html5 I cant get above 720p for most videos with flash i get 4K. whatever browser supports flash despites' its past i will use. Even in internet explorer 11 compatibility mode doesn't work and I'm.stuck with 780p videos. Same in opera.
  • Edge seems to have no issue with HTML5 video over 720p for me.
  • I use Edge and Firefox (both without Adobe Flash) and can play 4K resolutions on my Surface Pro 4.
    .
    A lot of times, it is the screen resolution and connection type that causes websites like YouTube to limit what settings you see. For example, if you use a desktop with VGA or DVI connection, you will only see up to 720p res but for those with DisplayPort and HDMI they will see up to 8K (again depending on screen resolution and connection type)
  • You need better devices. I have an old dual core duo laptop that has no problem playing 4k videos on Youtube with html5 in any browser.
  • "....in which case the browser will prompt used to enable Flash when they visit the site.​" prompt the user?
  • yeah typo mistake: used should be user
  • It should have been done at least 8 months ago.  I can't wait until Flash is gone for good.
  • Hopefully after that announcement HBO GO LA finally use html5 video instead of flash.  So I will be able to use my Edge browser in the phone 950XL, and I won't have to wait eternally for an app from them.
  • Ungrateful bunch! You can't wait to see something that revolutionized the internet gone? What a shame!
  • Why does that make people ungrateful? Would you say the same to people that don't want dial up internet, or a horse drawn buggy? It's not ungraefulness, it's progress.
  • He was being sarcastic Ayyyyy lmao
  • Why isn't a chrome on the mobile Windows store?
  • Because Google actively keeps their stuff off of Windows mobile. No need for Chrome on there anyway. There are better mobile browsers on Windows Mobile. UC browser and Edge to name a couple.
  • UC browser is awful. There is surely any good Browser in the entire App store apart from Opera and that's it. #TeamLumia 950 XL
  • Because it's a waste of money to develop for less than 1% if the global market
  • the only browser I would never use, and guest what Edge now supports extensions.
  • Instead of killing Flash, Google needs to work on youtube videos on Chrome, I've seen many reviews of Lon Seidman on youtube with Chromebooks and Windows 10 laptops and 1) 1080p at 60fps only works on Edge, doesn't work on Chrome 2) 4K (UHD) video doesn't work on Chrome, but it works on Edge. What's going on with Google, the efficient and smart company they were long ago with first Chrome releases is now something of the past, Chrome is now a bulky OS which occupies too much memory and doesn't support simple things like 1080p at 60fps or UHD video.  Google developers have lost their touch. I believe there will be changes coming soon in Chrome management team, the ship is sinking if they don't act fast.
  • ..google doesn't make chrome, they just compile the source from the open source project "Chromium"
  • Ok as much as i hate chrome but i have to correct you here
    Chrome supported 4k and 60 fps youtube videos before any browser and they work perfectly on my PC Ayyyyy lmao
  • Will this come for windows 10 mobile
  • Great! Now we just need MS to do the same for Silverlight, and we're done with these pesky "sorry you don't have flash/silverlight" installed, please move away from your favourite browser."