With the Windows 10 Creators Update, the Edge browser will take a further step towards HTML 5 transition. That is because, Microsoft Edge will automatically block Flash content on web pages, by default.
That doesn’t mean, it won’t support Flash, but a click-to run functionality for Flash content will be employed, which will ask for user permission before it gets loaded. The browser will remember your selection if you are subsequently visiting the same page.
However, websites which are purely based on HTML5 will default to a clean HTML5 experience. In this case, Flash will not be loaded, thus improving battery consumption, performance and hence, security.
We are deeply aware that Flash is an integral part of many web experiences today. To ease the transition to HTML5, these changes initially will not affect the most popular sites which rely on Flash today. In the coming months, we will actively monitor Flash consumption in Microsoft Edge and will gradually shorten the list of automatic exceptions. At the end of this process, users will remain in control, and will be able to choose Flash for any site they visit.
This feature will be first delivered to Windows Insiders, in the coming builds and a stable release will be made available with the Creators Update in early 2017.
Microsoft is also encouraging developers to make use of standardized content delivery mechanisms like JavaScript and HTML5 Encrypted Media Extensions, Media Source Extensions, Canvas, Web Audio, and RTC in the coming months.
With Apple, Mozilla, and Google already blocking Flash on their respective products, Microsoft too has to deliver changes to improve the capabilities and security of the web for all users.
