Microsoft outlines end of support for Adobe Flash Player

Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft outlines the end of support for Adobe Flash Player in a new blog post.
  • Microsoft's browser will end support for Adobe Flash Player at the end of 2020.
  • Adobe Flash Player is being replaced by more secure technologies.

Microsoft shared an update today on the end of support for Adobe Flash Player. Microsoft already announced that support for Adobe Flash Player would end in December 2020, but a new blog post from the company outlines how enterprise users can get continued support. It also provides a more exact timeline of how support will end.

Adobe Flash Player is less secure than alternatives such as HTML5, WebGL, and WebAssembly. Both the legacy version of Microsoft Edge and the new Microsoft Edge will lose support for Adobe Flash Player at the end of 2020. Additionally, Internet Explorer 11 will lose Adobe Flash support at the end of the year.

While many sites have already migrated away from Adobe Flash Player, some enterprises still rely on it. Enterprise customers can contact Adobe's official partner, HARMAN, if they still need support for Adobe Flash Player beyond the end of 2020. Adobe discusses this further in a blog post.

Microsoft will remove all APIs, group policies, and user interfaces that "specifically govern the behavior of Adobe Flash Player" from Microsoft Edge (legacy) and Internet Explorer 11 through a Cumulative Update in the summer of 2021, as outlined in its blog post.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.