Microsoft has announced that it will automatically block off Adobe Flash content, but it will give its users the option of manually running it on the updated Microsoft Edge browser.

Blocking off Adobe Flash in Microsoft Edge is one way that Microsoft can protect its users from malicious contents. This include animations in advertisements and other irrelevant contents. However, the feature will be limited to members of its Windows Insider program. The Verge reported that by default, Adobe Flash will be blocked and will automatically give users an HTML5 experience instead. Aside from security, this would also ensure longer battery life and improved performance.

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Microsoft's efforts to block off Adobe Flash content started last April, when the company said that it would pause Flash contents that were not central to the webpage. However, PC World reported that the company was aware that Flash is still considered an important part of any web experience. In that case, the company said that if users frequent a site that requires Adobe Flash content, they can opt to enable the feature on-demand. An option to either allow it once or always will be presented.

While members of the Windows Insider program will be able to experience the transition on the next build, Microsoft said that the move from Adobe Flash to HTML5 would happen gradually. The company has also advised other web developers to migrate to a safer and friendlier content delivery mechanism.

Aside from Microsoft, Google has also taken a similar approach with its Chrome browser. Some of the webpages' top sites have been transitioned from Adobe Flash to HTML5. However, unlike the Edge browser, it does not give users the authority to manage the alteration. Instead of user preference, Google has the authority to choose whether to display Flash content or not. This decision would depend on how users interacted with those websites in the past.