As we reported before, Microsoft is slowly pulling the plug on Flash from Windows 10 via Windows Update. You can now download this update manually, but if you're expecting it to scrub every trace of Flash from your PC, you may be disappointed.

What Does the New Windows Update Do to Flash?

News of how the new Windows 10 update works come to us via Lawrence Abrams via Bleeping Computer. Abrams downloaded and installed the optional Windows Update, which will soon become a mandatory part of Windows 10 in the future.

Once Abrams installed the update, it was confusing as to what the update actually removed. As it turns out, any copies of Flash Player that came installed via Windows 10 is deleted. The update cannot be rolled back, so this version of Flash was killed off forever.

However, the update didn't erase every strain of Flash. For one, if you have the Flash component installed on Microsoft Edge, that remains after the update. Also, if you manually downloaded and installed Flash as a standalone program, that too will stick around.

To clear up what's going on, BleepingComputer reached out to Microsoft:

Microsoft states they will make this update available via WSUS and Windows Update to perform wide-scale removal of Flash Player in early 2021 after Flash reaches the end of life.

As such, it's clear that Microsoft knows about the limitations of the latest Windows Update and aims to release a bigger removal tool later on.

Good News for Both Haters and Lovers of Flash?

For the time being, Flash hasn't reached the end of its life. As such, this update may be a good middle ground between those who need Flash and those who don't.

If you hate Flash and dislike it installed on your operating system, this update will scrub it free. Anything that sticks around, you can manually uninstall (if you haven't already). You can then continue using your PC, knowing that Flash doesn't haunt it anymore.

However, if you've manually downloaded and installed Flash in the past, there's a good chance you still want to continue using it. As such, this update lets you hang on to Flash for the coming months by downloading and installing the standalone version.

However, if you use Flash, you'll need to hop off of it when Flash reaches the end of its life in early 2021. Afterward, it'll be a bad idea to stick with Flash, as it'll receive no more security updates and will become riskier to use over time.

Preparing for a Post-Flash World

While the new Windows Update does remove Flash to a degree, it isn't a complete clean-up. If you hate Flash, the update should be enough for you to scrub it entirely from your PC; however, if you need it, you can still work around it and continue using it for now. You can also still download Flash for Mac.

If you're already feeling sad for all the Flash games that will be lost to time, it's worth learning about how to download Flash games to play offline. That way, your fave block-pusher online game will be safe on your hard drive forever.

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