Google Search Results Now Notifying iPhone Users When Websites Use Flash - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Google Search Results Now Notifying iPhone Users When Websites Use Flash

by

Google recently implemented a feature that warns iPhone users when search results include websites that use Adobe Flash, as Flash is not supported by the iPhone.

When searching for a site, pages that primarily use Flash are clearly marked by Google with a warning that the site may not work on a particular device.

flashexample

A common annoyance for web users is when websites require browser technologies that are not supported by their device. When users access such pages, they may see nothing but a blank space or miss out a large portion of the page's contents.

Starting today, we will indicate to searchers when our algorithms detect pages that may not work on their devices.

Google goes on to recommend that websites use the universally supported HTML5 and provides both Web Fundamentals and a Web Starter Kit for website developers.

Apple received a good bit of criticism when the iPhone was first released for not supporting Flash as it was used often back then, but interest in Flash has since been dying out in favor of mobile-friendly solutions.

Top Rated Comments

citi Avatar
155 months ago
I would expect that this would apply to GOOGLE phones too considering they don't natively support flash either.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
155 months ago
If YouTube just completely dropped Flash, I'm sure Flash would go away faster..
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
155 months ago
Just iPhone Users?

Hey Juli, Some Android devices don't support Flash either. It's not just iPhone users.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
the8thark Avatar
155 months ago
Hey Juli, Some Android devices don't support Flash either. It's not just iPhone users.
This.
The warning is for all mobile devices. iOS devices are just an unintended beneficiary of this.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
155 months ago
There hasn't been a single time this year that I loaded a webpage and thought "oh s*it, I need flash to run this"
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Carlanga Avatar
155 months ago
Ms. Clover, your title is not proper for the message google is convening…

Android and iOS devices of today cannot do flash natively.

Proper title should be: Google Search Results Now Notifying Mobile Users When Websites Use Flash :eek: ;)

----------

This is not a feature to me. Just a complication. Google is just begging me to use Bing.

lol, but then again you own a phone and a tablet ;)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Are 'Nearly Ready' to Launch, New Siri Remote Also Rumored

Sunday May 31, 2026 8:47 am PDT by
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said. "I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV...
iphone 17 pro black feature

iPhone 18 Pro's Camera Upgrade Will Cost Apple 50% More

Friday May 29, 2026 3:44 am PDT by
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max's all-new variable aperture lens will cost Apple 50% more than the camera unit used in current models, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Variable aperture has been one of the most persistent iPhone camera rumors of the past few years. Kuo first flagged the feature in late 2024, and it has since been corroborated by multiple reports and...
iphone 18 pro color dummies

First Look at iPhone 18 Pro Color Options Revealed by Dummy Models

Friday May 29, 2026 4:50 am PDT by
Leaker Sonny Dickson today shared images of iPhone 18 Pro dummy models in the device's four rumored colors, offering the first real-world look at what to expect from the lineup visually. Corroborating previous rumors, the dummies show the iPhone 18 Pro Max in Light Blue, Black, Silver, and Dark Cherry. Dickson said "Cherry will probably be the next hit, orange did very well." Cosmic Orange...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors