Microsoft to largely ‘freeze’ Flash content in Edge

Following Chrome and Safari, future versions of the Edge browser will not just play Flash content such as banners and animations. Microsoft is going to pause Flash components that are not essential by default. The feature will be introduced this summer.

Microsoft says it uses an “intelligent” method to freeze Flash content that is not essential to the website the user is visiting. Ads or animations that use Flash will load in a paused state and will only play if the user chooses to do so by clicking. Games or video players that use Flash will not simply be blocked if they are central to a website.

Windows Insiders can test the feature in Windows 10 build 14316, released Wednesday. Flash banner “freezing” will be rolled out to all Edge users in the summer, when Microsoft releases the Anniversary Update for Windows 10. With the same update, the browser gets support for extensions.

According to Microsoft, freezing Flash content saves battery power on mobile devices and improves browsing performance. The maker of the Edge browser does not specifically comment on the many security vulnerabilities that Flash faces, but does say that it is looking forward to a future where Flash is no longer a necessary part of the “standard experience” in Edge.

Microsoft also states that future updates will give users even more control over the use of Flash. Like Chrome, Edge has a built-in Flash plugin, which runs in its own sandbox. The plug-in can be disabled in its entirety, but it is not possible to force ‘ask to activate’, as is possible with the separate plug-ins for other browsers.