Adobe has recommended all users uninstall the browser plug-in Flash Player now the product has reached the end of its life. The product was released in 1996 and helped bring interactivity to the early web, including providing the ability to stream videos and play games online.
Adobe said that, in 2009, Flash Player was installed on 99 per cent of internet-connected desktop PCs, but the product did not adapt quickly enough to the smartphone era.
The company has explained, “Uninstalling Flash Player will help to secure your system since Adobe does not intend to issue Flash Player updates or security patches after the end-of-life date.”
Instructions for removing Flash on Windows and Mac computers can be found on the Adobe website. The product itself now shows alerts in Windows that “strongly” recommends users uninstall the program (as shown by the screenshot above).