Microsoft Begins Removing Flash From Windows 10

The end for Flash is nigh, but there is a way to keep the program if you still need it.

As Flash begins to show its age, companies are dropping support for the old animation format. Microsoft has been threatening to remove Flash from Windows 10 for a while, and now the company is releasing an update that does just that.

Saying Sayonara to Flash on Windows 10

Windows Latest discovered the Windows 10 update that’s stripping the operating system of Flash… at least, most of it.

The update of Flash’s bane is called Windows 10 KB4577586. It’s marked as an optional update, but when you click on “Check for updates,” it automatically downloads and installs itself.

It takes only five minutes and a reboot to get the update on your PC. After you do that, Flash will be scrubbed from your computer. Once it’s on, you can’t remove it again, so be sure you want to remove Flash from your PC before you download it.

If you want to keep Flash around, but you don’t want to put Windows Update on hold, there is a way to keep it. The update will only remove Flash if Windows 10 installed the plugin itself.

As such, if you, a third-party program, or a browser installed Flash on your computer, Windows shouldn’t remove it in this update. If you want to keep it around, manually install Flash, and you should be okay. If you want to get rid of Flash, be sure to uninstall any third-party installations of the software before downloading the update.

Why Is Flash on the Chopping Block?

If you don’t know why Microsoft is on a mission to scrub Flash from everyone’s computers, it’s because the program poses a major security risk for people’s PCs.

Flash used to be a loved and cherished plugin, but it has gotten buggier and less secure over time in recent years. 2016 marked the first nail in Flash’s coffin when Google Chrome blocked the Flash plugin from running.

Since then, people have slowly moved away from Flash until Adobe themselves dropped support in December 2020. Now that Adobe is no longer keeping Flash updated, it’s a huge security risk and should be removed.

As such, Microsoft is doing its part to ensure that everyone’s computers are clean from Flash, even if the user doesn’t even realize what Flash is or why it’s on their PC.

Gone in a Flash

If Windows 10 installed Flash on your system, the new update for Windows 10 will help eliminate it. You can choose to hold onto it by downloading it manually, but it won’t be long until Microsoft comes for those versions too.

If you dread to think how many Flash games will soon vanish forever, you can download Flash games from the internet to keep them forever.

About The Author