In July of 2017, Adobe announced that it would stop distributing and updating Flash Player after December 31, 2020. Adobe decided to end support for Flash Player due to the diminished usage of the technology.
Instructors who have Flash-based content in their courses will want to convert the content to a more secure option such as HTML5. With the demise of the Flash Player, students will no longer be able to view your Flash-based content safely.
Depending on the type of files you have, there are two options for converting to HTML5. If you have the source .fla and .as3 files, the process will be easy to accomplish with Google’s Web designer and Adobe’s Animate CC. With the source files, you can publish your content for the HTML5 platform.
- Adobe Animate CC — This tool requires a subscription, but there is a free trial.
- Google Web Designer — This is a free web editor for Flash to HTML5 conversion.
If you do not have the Flash source files but have the actual SWF, some automated tools are provided as part of the Haxe and CreateJS JavaScript libraries to convert SWF to HTML5. Working with Haxe and JavaScript libraries can be pretty complicated and may require technical help with the conversion. If you need help with SWF files, contact the IT Help Desk helpdesk@k-state.edu.
To learn more about Flash Player’s end-of-life, view the Adobe Information Page.
