In an effort to help Microsoft Edge improve its performance on websites that use a lot of Flash-based content, Microsoft says it will be adding a feature to the web browser that will automatically pause some content that is not central to those sites.
The update is currently available for Insiders in the recently released Windows 10 preview build 14316 and will be included for all Windows 10 users as part of the upcoming Anniversary update. Microsoft says:
Peripheral content like animations or advertisements built with Flash will be displayed in a paused state unless the user explicitly clicks to play that content. This significantly reduces power consumption and improves performance while preserving the full fidelity of the page. Flash content that is central to the page, like video and games, will not be paused.
Microsoft says that more advanced web programing standards can be used instead of Flash to perform the same tasks, and the company is encouraging web programmers to transition their sites away from using Flash.
Over time, we will provide users additional control over the use of Flash (including content central to the page) and monitor the prevalence of Flash on the web. We are planning for and look forward to a future where Flash is no longer necessary as a default experience in Microsoft Edge.
