Internet Explorer 10's Newest Update Will Enable Flash Content To Run By Default

Tomorrow Microsoft will roll out an update to Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 8 and Windows RT that enables Flash content to run by default. Such a move will ensure websites "just work," something Microsoft says it believes is a key part of improving the experience for customers. Some websites will still have Flash blocked by default, however, due to incompatibility.

According to Microsoft, it has been testing websites with Flash content for compatibility with touch-based use of Windows, as well as battery life and performance. This testing, which is said to have taken place over the last several months, has demonstrated to Microsoft that the majority of websites with Flash content are compatible with the Windows "experience."

The update is being rolled out for both the desktop and immersive Internet Explorer varieties. For both Windows 8 and Windows RT, Flash content for immersive Internet Explorer will run by default unless it is on the Compatibility View list. Desktop Internet Explorer, however, will have Flash content enabled for all websites on Windows 8, but likewise enabled unless on the Compatibility View list in Windows RT.

With Windows 8, the included Flash is optimized for a host of criteria, including battery life, reliability, performance, security, and of course, touch. This was the result of "substantial changes" made by Adobe, and the use of Compatibility View allowed Microsoft to tailor its browser so that only compatible websites would run Flash content. As of now, according to the company, less than 4-percent of tested websites with Flash content are still incompatible.

[via MSDN]