The end of Flash has been less of a quick termination and more of a slow shuffle toward the finish line. However, Microsoft has finally confirmed that Patch Tuesday in July will be the last you see of Flash on Windows 10.
Microsoft's Confirmed Termination Date for Flash Player
As spotted on Windows Latest, Microsoft has quietly announced when it will remove Flash from everyone's copies of Windows 10. The hammer will come down once the KB4577586 update releases on the public channel.
However, if you'd rather not wait that long, Microsoft has some good news for you. The software giant confirmed two avenues you can take that strips Flash from your system long before the July deadline.
First of all, you can manually download and install the update that removes Flash from Windows 10. You can do this by heading over to the Windows Update Catalog and downloading the patch that matches your operating system.
However, as Windows Latest discovered, you cannot manually remove the update once installed unless you revert to a previous restore point. As such, you should be 100 percent positive you no longer want Flash on your system before you download this optional update.
Second, you can get rid of Flash by downloading Windows 10 version 21H1, also known as the May 2021 update. Microsoft hasn't released the May 2021 update at the time of writing, but it should come around soon.
If you take neither of the above actions, Microsoft will still remove Flash from your PC when July's Patch Tuesday update drops.
It's worth noting that the patch will only remove the copy of Flash that's installed within Windows as part of the operating system. If you manually download and install Flash yourself, the update won't remove it. As such, you can hang onto Flash for a little longer or manually uninstall it if you don't need it anymore.
The Last Goodbyes for Flash on Windows 10
Flash has already long passed its prime, but it hasn't been fully removed from Windows 10 as of yet. However, come July, everyone will receive an update that finally puts the old media player to bed.
If you're wondering why Microsoft is on a quest to remove Flash from Windows 10, it's because Adobe officially stopped supporting it back in December 2020. As such, Flash is now more of a security vulnerability than a useful tool, and tech companies around the world are working on getting rid of it and moving on.