On July 25, 2017, Adobe announced that it will stop updating and distributing Flash Player at the end of 2020, and “encourage content creators to migrate any existing Flash content” to newer open formats like HTML5 [1]. Adobe made this announcement in coordination with the major browser makers, each of whom issued their own timeline for removing Flash support. Since 2017, Flash is slowly being phased out, with no major browser supporting it past the end of 2020.
How This Change Affects Your DigitalChalk Course Content
- “Packaged” content types such as SCORM, AICC, WebArchive, and xAPI can be Flash-based and may no longer work in browsers once Flash support is removed.
- Other content types like tests, assignments, uploaded Powerpoints and chalkboards should not be affected unless you are on an older browser such as IE8 and 9.
What You Should Do
- Contact your course provider to see if you have any Flash-based course content.
- Re-publish the content using newer technology (like HTML5) instead of Flash.
- Upload the new content into the DigitalChalk course.
How This Change Affects Learners Taking the Course
- WebArchive elements can be edited and the changes are immediately available to anyone taking the course.
- SCORM, AICC, and xAPI elements cannot be edited and must be replaced. To avoid confusion with progress between old and new versions, you might want to consider ending registration of the old course and creating a new course with the updated elements.
To help you determine the timing for migrating your Flash course content, we’re providing timelines from the major browser makers for sunsetting Flash:
Apple
- The iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch have never supported Flash, so there is no change for these devices.
- Since 2010, Macs do not have Flash pre-installed. If installed by the user, Flash remains off by default.
- Current versions of Safari for the Mac require explicit approval for each website before running Flash.
- All Apple products will stop supporting Flash at the end of 2020. [2]
- Flash has been disabled by default in Google Chrome since version 53.
- Since the end of 2016, Chrome has required explicit approval for each site to run Flash.
- Chrome will continue phasing out Flash over the next few years, first by asking for your permission to run Flash in more situations, and eventually disabling it by default.
- Chrome will completely stop supporting Flash at the end of 2020.
- (Note: Chrome on Android has never supported Flash.) [3]
Microsoft
- Since the end of 2017, Edge has asked users permission to run Flash on the first visit to each site. IE will have no change during this period.
- Since late 2018, Edge will require user permission for each session to use flash. IE, no changes from current.
- By late 2019, both Edge and IE will disable Flash by default. Users can re-enable Flash, with the same rules as above active.
- By the end of 2020, the ability to run Flash will be removed from IE, Edge, and all supported versions of Windows. [4]
Mozilla
- Since August/September 2017 (Firefox 55), users must choose which sites are allowed to use Flash. Firefox for Android will remove all plugin support, including Flash.
- Since late 2018, Firefox will no longer remember sites which are allowed to use Flash, and this must be allowed by the user each session.
- By mid-2019, Firefox will disable the Flash plugin by default. Users will not be prompted to enable the plugin (although it will still be possible via deep settings). This is basically the end of Flash support for normal consumers using Firefox.
- By early 2020, Flash support will be completely removed from all consumer versions of Firefox. This doesn’t include Extended Support Releases (ESR).
- By the end of 2020, Flash support will be removed from ALL versions of Firefox (including ESRs). Firefox will refuse to load the plugin. [5,6]
References
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