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How to Enable Flash Player on Mac

Last Updated: February 8, 2024

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 33,615 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow shows you how to enable Flash Player on in Safari and Chrome for macOS. If you're using Safari, you'll need to download and install Adobe Flash Player from Adobe's website. If you're using Chrome, there's no need to install additional apps.

Support for Adobe Flash ends in December 2020. After that time, it will no longer be possible to use Flash.

Enabling Flash on Safari

• If you don't want Flash to run automatically, select Ask instead. You'll be prompted to approve Flash any time a website tries to display it.
• Click the red circle at the top-left corner to exit Preferences when you are done.

Enabling Flash on Google Chrome

• Since Flash comes with Google Chrome, you won't need to download any extra apps.

• If the switch is already blue then Flash is enabled and you won't need to change anything.

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How to get Adobe Flash Player on a Mac

If you are trying to use a site or service that is indicating it needs Flash on your Mac, or you are seeing “Adobe Flash Player is blocked” messages what should you do? In this article we will explain why you need to be cautious about downloading Flash for Mac and alternative ways in which you could view Flash content now.

Why you shouldn’t use or download Flash Player

Adobe ended support for Flash Player on 31 December 2020 and blocked Flash content from running in Flash Player from 12 January 2021.

Adobe even goes as far as recommending that “all users immediately uninstall Flash Player to help protect their systems”.

If you are on a site that is indicating that you need Flash Player for it to work, or you are using an app that requires Flash Player, there is a very good chance that you have come into contact with malware. Definitely do not follow any links to download Flash as the chances are high that you will end up with malware on your Mac. As Adobe puts it here : “Unauthorized downloads are a common source of malware and viruses.”

Adobe maintains that the reason it stopped supporting Flash was because of the arrival of open standards including HTML5, WebGL, and WebAssembly – all of which are viable alternatives to Flash.

However, the other key reason why Adobe ended support for Flash may have been because of the abundance of fake Flash Player downloads that had become one of the most common ways for harmful code to arrive on Macs.

Over the years Flash Player had become steadily more vulnerable to online threats. See our list of Mac viruses, malware and security flaws and our recommendations for the best Mac security settings .

For example, in September 2020 a file disguised as Adobe Flash installer was able to make its way onto Macs – unfortunately it contained Shlayer, a malware that replaces web pages and search results with its own ads. Read: Apple accidentally approves Mac malware .

Even before Adobe ended support for Flash web browsers had turned their backs on it. When Apple released Safari 14 in September 2020 it no longer loaded Flash Player or ran Flash content and many other web browsers quickly followed suit. Google Chrome started to block Flash Player as of January 2021. Microsoft removed Flash support from Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer 11 at the end of 2020, and has since removed it from Windows too. Firefox phased out Flash support with Firefox 85 in January 2021.

Is it safe to use Flash Player

In a word: No.

Because Adobe has ended Flash Player development there will be no more security updates – so you can pretty much guarantee that getting any version of Flash Player and installing it on your Mac would be a bad idea potentially opening you up to security risks.

With all this in mind you should uninstall Flash if you do have it on your Mac. You certainly shouldn’t be looking to install it. We explain How to uninstall Flash Player in a separate article.

Alternatives to Adobe Flash Player

If your reason for wanting Flash Player is to play old Flash games check out the Internet Archive. That service is preserving some Flash-based games and animations, and since these will be emulated rather than truly Flash-based, you’ll still be able to play them. Take a look at the collection on the Internet Archive .

Ruffle is a Flash Player emulator. It runs as a standalone application. You can use it on iOS as well as Mac. Ruffle should allow you to view Flash content. If you want to run Ruffle in Safari you will need to convert the extension to be Safari compatible with Xcode 12+, but the developers explain how to do that on their site. Download it here.

Developer BlueMaxima describes Flashpoint as “a webgame preservation project”. In the Flashpoint Secure Player it is possible to play web-based media “without leaving permanent changes or security holes on your computer,” according to BlueMaxima. Download it here , but note that the Mac support is described as “experimental.”

Flash Player 2022

Flash Player 2022 by ModernKit.one is an emulator that will let you run Flash Player content. It is a Firefox extension. Get It here .

For more information read:

What to do now that Adobe is killing Flash

How to get Flash on iOS

Author: Karen Haslam , Editor

Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld two decades ago. 

Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.

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Now that adobe flash is disabled, how can I view content on safari that required the program?

Now that adobe flash is disabled, how can I view content on safari that required the program? (like videos or chatrooms etc)

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Nov 2, 2020 10:34 AM

Posted on Nov 6, 2020 11:48 AM

Safari 14 completely removed support for Adobe Flash, so you are done viewing Flash content in that browser. Firefox still supports Flash until Jan 2021's Firefox 85, but it is not enabled by default in Firefox settings. At the end of this year, Adobe is flushing the toilet, and no one will have access to Flash, and the websites that have failed to migrate to streaming HTML5 web content will be unvisited islands.

Similar questions

• What do I use now that flash player is being disabled? Certain websites need flash player to work on Safari. Now that flash player is being disabled, I can no longer access the site. What is the solution? 1081 2
• Why is Safari now unusable? What is the workaround for Apple’s foolish decision to drop support for flash making most websites unusable? I am tired of being dependent on a platform with ever decreasing useability. 286 4
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Nov 6, 2020 11:48 AM in response to aristodemou21

Nov 6, 2020 9:26 AM in response to aristodemou21

Hello aristodemou21,

It sounds like you're wanting to enable Adobe Flash within Safari. You can still do that manually:

https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/enabling-flash-player-safari.html

How to enable Adobe Flash Player on a Mac computer using Safari

• When you need the plugin for it, you can enable Adobe Flash Player on your Mac's Safari browser in a few quick steps.
• Before you get started, however, you'll need to know what version of Safari you have on your Mac — this will dictate where you'll go to enable Adobe Flash Player .
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Adobe Flash Player is a plugin that allows you to interact with sites that offer multimedia experiences, like games and animation. 

Enabling Adobe Flash Player on your Mac is easily done, provided you have it installed and you know which version of the Safari browser you're using.

Note, however, that support for Adobe Flash Player will be ending in 2020 — these instructions work for now, but they may soon become outdated once Adobe ends the service. 

Here's what you'll need to do.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Macbook pro (from $1,299 at apple), how to enable adobe flash player on a mac using safari.

For these directions, you'll need to know the version of Safari you're using. To find out, open Safari, click "Safari" in the top toolbar and then choose "About Safari."

Here's what you need to do to enable Adobe Flash Player if you have Safari version 11.0 or newer:

1. First of all, make sure that you have Adobe Flash Player downloaded. Go here if you need it.

2. Open Safari.

3. Click "Safari" in the top toolbar, then choose "Preferences."

4. Toggle over to "Websites."

5. If necessary, scroll down to the plugins section in the left toolbar.

6. Check the box to enable Adobe Flash Player.

From that screen, you'll also be able to set Adobe Flash Player to automatically stay on, ask you to turn on, or be disabled when you visit other websites.

If you have an earlier version of Safari, you'll still have to go through Safari's "Preferences" to enable Flash Player. But instead of using the "Websites" tab, toggle over to the "Security" tab. 

Then, make sure that the boxes next to "Enable Javascript" and "Allow Plug-ins" are checked. After that, you'll either click "Plugin Settings" or "Manage Website Settings" (you'll see different prompts depending on your version of Safari).

Those with version 10 or newer (but still older than Safari 11) should continue on to step four, as listed above. Those with versions earlier than 10 will need to select the "When visiting other websites" menu, then choose "On" for Adobe Flash Player.

Related coverage from   How To Do Everything: Tech :

How to set your browser's homepage on a mac, with instructions for safari, chrome, and firefox, how to block pop-ups on a mac computer's safari browser, and avoid fraudulent websites, how to add websites to your favorites list on a mac's safari browser, making them easily accessible at any moment, how to save and delete webpages on the reading list in your mac computer's safari browser.

Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

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• Main content

How to Enable Adobe Flash Player on Mac?

In this article you will find the following:

As a Mac user, you may have experienced the frustration of encountering websites or software that require Adobe Flash Player (AFP) to display videos or multimedia components. And what if you don’t have it installed on your Mac? Or why should you care about what browser to choose if there are more convenient alternatives to AFP?

Moreover, AFP has had several challenges over the years. Among the latest, in 2021, Adobe stopped supporting Flash due to the likes of HTML-5 and WebGL, since they allow videos and games to run seamlessly without having to install a specific plugin.

But if you’ve encountered a website or software that still needs AFP, this guide will show you how to enable Adobe Flash Player on your Mac.  

BEFORE WE START   When using Chrome and Safari, you’re likely to come across banners and annoying ads that’ll slow your browser down. Also, these ads can track you and your internet history, leaving you as a target for sellers attempting to give you better deals. To stop annoying ads, banners, and trackers, use MacKeeper’s StopAd tool and surf the web safely with no interruptions.   Here’s how to block selected sites with MacKeeper’s StopAd: Download MacKeeper Launch MacKeeper and select StopAd in the left side pane Click Install next to Chrome/Safari You’ll be redirected to your selected browser, and then click Add Extension . You’ll be happy to know it’s a breeze to unblock Adobe Flash Player on your Mac. All you have to do is head to the settings of your selected browser and allow an option to enable Flash.

• How to enable Adobe Flash Player in Safari?

First, you’ll need to establish which version of Safari you’re using. To figure out what version of Safari you have, launch Safari and click the Safari menu > About Safari , and you’ll see the version in the small pop-up window. If you’re using Safari 14 and later, you can't unblock Adobe Flash, so you’d have to downgrade your current version to enable it.

Here’s how to turn on Adobe Flash Player in Safari :

• Open Safari
• Click the Safari menu > Preferences
• Click the Websites tab
• Underneath the Plugin tab on the left, you’ll find Adobe Flash Player
• Tick the box next to Adobe Flash Player
• In the When visiting other websites drop-down menu, select On.

• How to turn on Adobe Flash Player in Google Chrome?

As of 2021, Adobe stopped supporting the Flash Player plugin for Chrome, so you may find that it could be blocked after Chrome's auto-update. But don’t worry, if you still have Flash in Chrome, it’s easy to activate Adobe Flash Player on your Mac.

Follow these steps to switch on Adobe Flash Player in Google Chrome:

• Open Google Chrome
• Select the three dots in the top right and click Settings
• Scroll down and click Advanced
• Scroll down again and choose Content Settings
• Select Flash in the menu
• Toggle the switch to on to enable Flash Player.

After learning how to turn on Adobe Flash Player on your Mac, you’ll know how to open videos on multiple browsers with ease. Now why don’t you become a pro dealing with other formats, such as images and PDF? Check out how to edit pictures on Mac and how to edit PDF on Mac .

• How to allow Adobe Flash Player in Microsoft Edge?

Like the other popular browsers, you can enable Flash Player super quickly with Microsoft Edge.

Follow these steps to enable Adobe Flash Player in Microsoft Edge:

• Launch Microsoft Edge
• Click the three dots in the top left and click Settings
• Select Site Permissions
• Next to Ask before running Flash , toggle the switch on (it’ll turn blue and white when it’s on).

• How to get Adobe Flash Player to work in Mozilla Firefox?

Version 69 of Firefox implemented a change by eliminating the option to unblock Adobe Flash for all websites. Consequently, enabling Adobe Flash on specific sites became mandatory.  

Once you land on a site that employs Flash, you'll encounter a notification which allows you to permit or prohibit Flash usage for that website.  

Here’s how to activate Adobe Flash Player in Mozilla Firefox:

• Open Firefox
• Click the three lines in the top right and select Add Ons
• Select Plugins and click the three dots next to Shockwave Flash
• Choose Ask to Activate
• Firefox displays an icon beside the address bar once Flash content is detected. This icon empowers you to either enable or disable Flash for that specific site
• Click the icon and choose Allow .

Remember to click Allow when you visit a website with Flash content. Firefox won't remember your preferences and will prompt you to allow Flash content, even if you visit the same site in a new tab right after.  

• Flash’s time is running out, but you know the drill

Adobe Flash Player was a major tool in the digital world, but its usage has been limited since 2021. However, if you still need to allow Adobe Flash Player on your Mac, you know the reliable steps to take.

Besides enabling the player, you should consider using MacKeeper's StopAd tool that blocks annoying ads on all/selected sites. Moreover, it helps stop online trackers from following you, allowing you to browse faster, which is beneficial to your Mac’s performance.  

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How To Install Adobe Flash On Mac And Enable It In Safari

If you grew up in 2000s, then you would know how big Adobe Flash Player used to be. Most browser based games and interactive media heavy sites relied on Flash Player. Even popular websites like YouTube used to require Adobe Flash to work. Slowly the death of Flash started when modern devices like the iPhone didn’t support it.

Apple’s Steve Jobs even published his famous Thoughts On Flash write up criticising Flash’s performance. Perhaps the biggest factor was that Adobe stopped updating it as frequently as they were required and far superior standards became the norm.

One of the biggest blow to Flash was announced recently when Google made the announcement that it will soon stop indexing Flash content on websites and standalone SWF files will not appear in its search results. Although the use of Flash has become very limited across the Internet there are still corners of the web that rely on it. A few examples of Adobe Flash’s use today are websites that have not been updated in many years, classic websites that hold nostalgic value and games such as many online games.

While everyone on the Internet is abandoning the Adobe Flash player, that does not mean you cannot enjoy your favorite content with it. Adobe still updates Flash and although it is disabled by default, you can install and enable Flash on your Mac. In this tutorial we will show you how you can install and enable Flash Player in desktop Safari browser.

Many popular online games like the ones mentioned on the best online pokies to try in 2020 have been known to use Flash technology. However over the past few years they have shifted to modern technologies for better performance.

How to Install Flash On Your Mac

If Flash is not installed on your Mac already, you can install and enable Flash by following the steps below.

• First of all download Adobe Flash for Mac using this official link .
• Once Flash Player has downloaded locate the downloaded file and open it.
• Now click on ‘Install Adobe Flash Player’ file.
• When prompted click on Open.
• Let installer complete the installation process, after which you should quit Safari and open it again.

How To Enable Flash in Safari

In case your Mac already has the Flash Player installed but it is not enabled in Safari, you have to follow these steps. By the end of this guide you will be able to enable Adobe Flash Player in Safari browser.

• Open Safari and click on Safari option from the menu bar.
• Click on Preferences option.
• Once you are in the Preferences section click on ‘Websites’ from the top navigation bar.
• On the Websites page look for ‘Plug-ins’ section under the side pane.
• Finally make sure ‘Adobe Flash Player’ is active. A checkmark should appear next to it.

You should also enable Flash Player for your favorite Flash based website. If you had previously tried to open this webpage, then it will appear in Websites section of the Preferences page. Here click on Adobe Flash Player from the side pane and then make sure Flash is turned on for that website.

There you go folks, this is how you can install Adobe Flash Player on your Mac and enjoy your favorite Flash content on your computer. In the second part of this tutorial you learned how you can enable the Flash Player in Safari browser and open your favorite Adobe Flash based websites in Safari.

If you have any questions regarding this tutorial, then feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

• Adobe Flash

It is pretty easy to install flash on mac or enable it on your Safari browser if you have the software on your machine before. No, you don’t have to enable for each site Lol. Just check your website page and locate “Plug-ins” and ensure it is active. I believe your flash sites will open automatically once the checkmark appears as active I your plug-ins.

All the comments I read so far seems so cool with all methods and procedures. I just can’t disturb my head with those procedures at the moment. I just feel like quitting anything flash 😂

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How to enable Adobe Flash Player on a Mac computer using Safari

You can easily enable Adobe Flash Player on your Mac - for now.

• When you need the plugin for it, you can enable Adobe Flash Player on your Mac's Safari browser in a few quick steps.
• Before you get started, however, you'll need to know what version of Safari you have on your Mac - this will dictate where you'll go to enable Adobe Flash Player .
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Adobe Flash Player is a plugin that allows you to interact with sites that offer multimedia experiences, like games and animation.

Enabling Adobe Flash Player on your Mac is easily done, provided you have it installed and you know which version of the Safari browser you're using.

Note, however, that support for Adobe Flash Player will be ending in 2020 - these instructions work for now, but they may soon become outdated once Adobe ends the service.

Here's what you'll need to do.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Macbook pro (from $1,299 at apple), how to enable adobe flash player on a mac using safari.

For these directions, you'll need to know the version of Safari you're using. To find out, open Safari, click "Safari" in the top toolbar and then choose "About Safari."

Devon Delfino/Business Insider

Open the "About Safari" menu to see what version of Safari you're running.

Here's what you need to do to enable Adobe Flash Player if you have Safari version 11.0 or newer:

1. First of all, make sure that you have Adobe Flash Player downloaded. Go here if you need it.

2. Open Safari.

3. Click "Safari" in the top toolbar, then choose "Preferences."

Open the program's Preferences.

4. Toggle over to "Websites."

5. If necessary, scroll down to the plugins section in the left toolbar.

6. Check the box to enable Adobe Flash Player.

Enable Adobe Flash Player by checking the box.

From that screen, you'll also be able to set Adobe Flash Player to automatically stay on, ask you to turn on, or be disabled when you visit other websites.

If you have an earlier version of Safari, you'll still have to go through Safari's "Preferences" to enable Flash Player. But instead of using the "Websites" tab, toggle over to the "Security" tab.

Then, make sure that the boxes next to "Enable Javascript" and "Allow Plug-ins" are checked. After that, you'll either click "Plugin Settings" or "Manage Website Settings" (you'll see different prompts depending on your version of Safari).

Those with version 10 or newer (but still older than Safari 11) should continue on to step four, as listed above. Those with versions earlier than 10 will need to select the "When visiting other websites" menu, then choose "On" for Adobe Flash Player.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech :

How to set your browser's homepage on a mac, with instructions for safari, chrome, and firefox, how to block pop-ups on a mac computer's safari browser, and avoid fraudulent websites, how to add websites to your favorites list on a mac's safari browser, making them easily accessible at any moment, how to save and delete webpages on the reading list in your mac computer's safari browser, now watch: 5 things wrong with apple's lightning cable.

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How to Unblock Adobe Flash Player on a Mac

macOS blocks the Adobe Flash Player by default for security reasons. Need to use Flash anyway? Here's how to unblock it.

Do you want to access Adobe Flash content on your Mac? If so, the first thing you need to do is to unblock Adobe Flash Player in macOS. The operating system blocks this player by default for security reasons, and you need to manually enable it to then use it across your browsers.

What Does It Mean to Unblock Adobe Flash Player on a Mac?

Unblocking the Adobe Flash Player basically means you're allowing the player to be used in any web browser you run on macOS. Browsers generally block Flash by default, but you can turn on an option in most of them to allow Flash to run.

How to Unblock Adobe Flash Player on Your Mac

Depending on what browser you use, you can head into the settings menu and toggle an option to unblock Flash.

Here's how to enable Flash in Chrome and other popular browsers on macOS.

Unblock Adobe Flash Player in Chrome on macOS

• Open a new tab in Google Chrome on your Mac.
• Type the following in the address bar and press Enter : chrome://settings/content/flash

You should now be able to view Flash content in Chrome.

Unblock Adobe Flash Player in Safari on macOS

As of Safari 14, Flash is completely blocked and you can't unblock it. If you're running an earlier version of the browser, follow the instructions below.

• Open Safari and click the Safari menu at the top followed by Preferences .
• Click the Websites tab at the top.

Flash is now unblocked in Safari.

Unblock Adobe Flash Player in Firefox on macOS

Firefox removed the option to unblock Adobe Flash for all websites in version 69. As a result, you now need to turn on Flash for each website you want to use Flash on.

You’ll see a prompt when you’re on a website that uses Flash. You can either allow or block Flash from being used on that site.

• When Firefox detects Flash content on a site, you’ll see a new icon near the address bar. This icon is what allows you to allow or disallow Flash for your site.

Keep in mind that you need to click Allow each time you are on a site with Flash content; Firefox won’t remember your choice and will show a prompt even if you immediately open the same site in a new tab.

Need to Keep Flash Content for When the Flash Player Is Gone?

Adobe is putting an end to development on the Flash Player. By the end of 2020, Adobe will no longer offer the Flash Player download.

If you have favorite Flash-based content, now is the time to download and save it to your computer. This may be some Flash-based games that you want to play offline , some Flash videos, etc. This way, even if Flash Player is gone, you'll be able to access your Flash content as it's stored locally on your computer.

Get That Flash Content While You Can

If you’ve come across a site that requires Flash, use one of the methods above to enable Flash in your browser and access your Flash-based content. You won’t be able to do this after the end of 2020, so make the most of it while you can.

Make sure to get your favorite Flash videos or games downloaded to your computer soon, as you won’t be able to do this after Adobe has put the Flash Player to rest.

Flash Player Help

Start a free trial

Install Flash Player in five easy steps

1. check if flash player is installed on your computer.

2. Download the latest version of Flash Player

If you don't have the latest version, download it here: Adobe Flash Player download

3. Install Flash Player

After you download Flash Player, follow the installation instructions that appear on the download page.

4. Enable Flash Player in your browser

5. Verify whether Flash Player is installed

If you see clouds moving in the animation below, you have successfully installed Flash Player. Congratulations! 

If you don't see the animation after completing all the steps, refresh this page using the icon below.

Still having problems?

Browse one of the following links for help:

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By now, you’ve probably heard that the future of Adobe Flash isn’t bright. Plagued by security issues, Adobe Flash has always been a thorn in the flesh of software developers such as Apple and Microsoft, who finally said that enough is enough and decided to get rid of it. In this article, we explain why Adobe Flash matters and why you, as a Mac user, should care about its inevitable demise.

The Origin of Adobe Flash

Adobe Flash started its arduous life in the 90s, when its precursor, named SmartSketch, was published by FutureWave Software. The rising popularity of the internet at the time made FutureWave Software realize that their vector drawing application had had the potential to challenge Macromedia Shockwave, a multimedia platform for building interactive multimedia applications and video games.

In 1995, FutureWave Software approached Adobe Systems and offered SmartSketch for sale. Adobe Systems, however, declined the offer, which led to FutureWave Software getting acquired by Macromedia and its subsequent rebranding to Macromedia Flash 1.0. Under Macromedia’s patronage, Flash quickly gained both market share and new features, including scripting and data access capabilities.

In 2005, Macromedia was acquired by Adobe Systems for approximately $3.4 billion. Adobe Systems added support for the ActionScript 3.0 programming language, improved the animation capabilities of Flash, included a 3D engine that allowed basic object transformations in 3D space, and allowed GPU-accelerated 3D rendering for Flash applications and games on desktop platforms, just to name a few noteworthy improvements.

The End of Adobe Flash

By the beginning of this decade, Adobe Flash, including Flash for Mac, has already established itself as a popular multimedia platform for building interactive multimedia applications and video games. In 2011, Flash was included in 99 percent of desktop browsers. Unfortunately for Flash, the platform had already entered the last stage of its life by that time.

In an open letter titled Thoughts on Flash, Steve Jobs explained why he decided not to include support for Flash in iOS, “Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary. They are only available from Adobe, and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement, pricing, etc. While Adobe’s Flash products are widely available, this does not mean they are open, since they are controlled entirely by Adobe and available only from Adobe. By almost any definition, Flash is a closed system.”

Most Apple shareholders would most likely consider this to be a good-enough reason to adopt HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, and other open standards instead, but Jobs had more reasons to stay away from Flash. “Symantec recently highlighted Flash for having one of the worst security records in 2009. We also know firsthand that Flash is the number one reason Macs crash. We have been working with Adobe to fix these problems, but they have persisted for several years now. We don’t want to reduce the reliability and security of our iPhones, iPods and iPads by adding Flash,” he said.

Apple wasn’t the only company that was sick and tired of the security plaguing Flash. As such, nobody was surprised when Adobe released a press release, officially stating that the company was planning to stop updating and distributing the Flash Player at the end of 2020.

“Adobe will continue to support Flash on a number of major OSs and browsers that currently support Flash content through the planned EOL. This will include issuing regular security patches, maintaining OS and browser compatibility and adding features and capabilities as needed.”

While most major websites have already moved away from Flash and, just like Apple, embraced HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript, some still depend on the deprecated technology, forcing many Mac users to keep Adobe Flash for Mac installed on their computers. If you count yourself among them, the first thing you should do is ensure that you’re using the latest version of Flash.

How to Update Adobe Flash Player for Mac?

To update Flash Player Mac, complete the following steps:

• Open Apple’s Spotlight app by pressing the command key on your keyboard and hitting the space bar.
• Type Flash Player.
• You should see an option titled “Flash Player.prefPane” under System Preferences. Click on it.
• Go to the Updates tab.
• Click on the Check Now button.
• If Adobe Flash Player finds any available updates, it will prompt you.

How to Download Adobe Flash Player for Mac?

Follow the steps below to download Flash for Mac:

• Go to the official download page: https://get.adobe.com/ flashplayer/ otherversions/
• Select your operating system (Mac OS X 10.6 – 10.13) from the first drop-down menu on the left side of the page.
• Choose whether you want to download Adobe Flash Player for Mac Chrome and Opera or for Safari and Firefox by clicking on the second drop-down menu on the left side of the page.
• Click on the Download now button on the right side of the page.
• Install Flash for Mac just like you would any other Mac software.

How to Disable Adobe Flash Player on Mac

Considering how often are new Flash security vulnerabilities discovered, it makes sense to keep Adobe Flash Player disabled and activate it only when you really need it.

• Open Safari and go to the Menu bar and click on and then Preferences.
• Click on the Security button and then Plug-In Settings.
• Uncheck Adobe Flash Player from the left-hand menu.
• Click on Done to finalize the change.
• Open Chrome and type in the following in Google Chrome’s location bar and press Enter: chrome://settings/content
• Find the Flash Player listing on the Content settings screen and click on it.

• Close the chrome://settings/ content tab to confirm the change.
• Open Firefox and type in about:addons in the Firefox address bar.
• Click on Plugins on the left-hand side.
• Look for Flash and select either Never Activate or Ask to Activate from the drop-down box right next to it.
• Close the about:addons tab to confirm the change.

How to Enable Adobe Flash Player on Mac

The most straightforward way how to re-enable Adobe Flash Player on Mac computers is to simply uninstall it. Doing so will also ensure that you’re using the latest version and enable Adobe Flash Player on Mac across all installed web browsers and applications that use it. Alternatively, you can follow the instructions from the chapter above to re-enable Adobe Flash Player in individual web browsers.

How to Uninstall Adobe Flash Player on Mac

Adobe has created a dedicated uninstaller for Macs, and you can download it here .

• Click on the Uninstall option.
• Make sure you don’t have any web browser open on your computer as the uninstaller wouldn’t be able to complete the uninstallation process.
• When you see the message notifying you that the uninstallation succeeded, click Done.
• <home directory> /Library/ Preferences/ Macromedia/ Flash\ Player
• <home directory> /Library/ Caches/ Adobe/ Flash\ Player
• Restart your computer.
• The same page also contains links to many Flash tutorials from Adobe.

How to Recover Files After Adobe Flash Malware Infection

Adobe Flash is among the most popular attack vectors used by cybercriminals to infect Mac computers. For example, in January 2018, a hacker successfully disguised dangerous malware as an Adobe Flash Player installer, probably targeting diplomats and other high-profile individuals.

If your computer had been infected with malware because of Adobe Flash, causing you to lose important files, there’s still some hope left — provided you act quickly enough. There are a number of data recovery software solutions for Mac computers that can recover even those files that your Mac can no longer see.

One such software solution stands out because it blends excellent usability with state-of-the-art data recovery algorithms, and its name is Disk Drill .

Disk Drill is a professional yet easy to use data recovery application that supports the recovery of over 200 file formats from virtually all storage devices. To use it, you simply launch it, select the storage device from which you would like to recover lost or deleted files, and click on the Recover button right next to it.

Of course, Disk Drill also allows you to precisely control the recovery process. As a nice bonus, Disk Drill comes with several extra free disk tools, including a duplicate file finder , a disk space analyzer , a data protection “Recovery Vault”, a disk monitoring utility, and a data backup tool for creating byte-to-byte disk and partition backups. Visit the official website of Disk Drill to download it for free.

Arthur Cole

Arthur Cole is a freelance content creator. He also has a more than 10-year experience in program development for macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Arthur Cole is a writer with deep expertise in programming, who can easily...

Brett Johnson

This article has been approved by Brett Johnson, Data Recovery Engineer at ACE Data Recovery. Brett has a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Systems and Network, 12 years of experience.

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How-To Geek

How to use adobe flash (even though it's dead).

What about all of the great games?

Quick Links

Is flash gone for good, warning: you really should avoid flash, can you run an old version of adobe flash, how to open .swf files with an open-source flash player, how do i watch flv video files, what can i do if i have adobe flash on my website, what about all those old flash games and cartoons, how do i run the outdated version of flash, you might not need flash at all, key takeaways.

• Flash has been officially retired with no official download sources, and Adobe has included a kill switch for Flash content. Modern websites have replaced Flash with more secure web standards.
• It is strongly recommended to avoid running Flash due to security vulnerabilities. However, if you rely on Flash, you can use an outdated version in a secure environment like a virtual machine.
• There are alternatives to running Flash, such as using open-source Flash player emulators like Ruffle or converting Flash content into video formats. Many Flash games and animations have also been preserved and can be accessed through projects like BlueMaxima's Flashpoint and the Internet Archive.

Adobe Flash has been retired for years, and from a security standpoint, you should stop using it. But what if you have to use it? How can you run .SWF files or play online games from the good old days? Here's what you need to know about running old Flash content.

Just in case you hadn't heard, Flash has officially been retired . Flash has security problems and doesn't run on mobile platforms like iPhone, iPad, and Android. Modern websites have replaced Flash with modern web standards. In fact, Flash is the last browser plug-in to vanish, following in the footsteps of Oracle Java, Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Shockwave, Apple QuickTime, and others.

Official support for Flash ended on December 31, 2020. Adobe removed download links for Flash from its website and ceased security updates.

Adobe has even included a kill switch for Flash content. On January 12, 2021, the most recent versions of the Adobe Flash plug-in stopped running Flash content.

While Adobe has done everything it can to block Flash content from ever running again on the web, there are still some workarounds.

If you can avoid running Flash, we strongly recommend letting go of it. You may be hesitant to do so if you have software or a website that depends on it, but there's no time like the present to make the transition. Adobe has planned the end of Flash since 2017, and Flash just isn't coming back.

If you are in a position where you rely on Flash in some form, however, you're not entirely out of luck. We'll explain your options. But again, if there is anyway to avoid using Flash you should take advantage of it.

Adobe has removed all download links for Flash from its website, which means you can't even download the final version (released in December 2020) from an official source.

The company also built a kill switch into Flash from version 32.0.0.387 onward. If you're using that version or later, Flash content simply won't run anymore. You'll see an "Adobe Flash Player is blocked" or "Adobe Flash Player is No Longer Supported" message on websites in Google Chrome, for example.

According to Andkon Arcade , the last version of the plug-in that doesn't include the killswitch is 32.0.0.371. For Flash content hosted on the web to run in your browser, you'll need to be using an outdated version of the plug-in. We cannot recommend that you do this in good faith, particularly considering the security issues that hounded Flash until the day it was shut down.

Flash used the .SWF file extension for exported content designed to be embedded in a web page. These files could also be opened on the desktop using Adobe Flash Player, but that's no longer the case.

So what do you do if you have an .SWF file that you rely on, or you want to look at an old project or website that you made in Flash? One option is to take the outdated Flash Player route outlined below. Create a virtual machine, install Flash 32.0.0.371 and a compatible browser, then import your .SWF files into the virtual machine.

A better option is to use the open-source Flash Player emulator Ruffle . This free download is compatible with modern operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. Once it's installed, you can simply double-click an .SWF file, choose to open in Ruffle, and enjoy. You can also use it from the command line by typing:

Lightspark is another open-source Flash player for Windows and Linux that aims to support all Flash formats. The project was updated as recently as mid-2020, but currently supports only around 76% of Flash APIs, which means that some things simply aren't going to work, as evidenced on the support status page .

The aforementioned Ruffle is another alternative, and we'd recommend using it over Lightspark.

Streaming video websites like YouTube once relied on video players that were created in Flash. These players could play video in the Flash Video (.FLV) format since retired in favor of MP4. Fortunately, Flash Video support is widespread and doesn't require Flash Player or an emulator.

You can use a free media player like VLC or MPV to open FLV files just as you would any other video file.

If you have a Flash animation or movie on your website, consider recording it as a video and uploading that instead. The easiest way of doing this would be to download Flash emulator Ruffle, launch the .SWF file on your local computer, and record it using screen recording software . If the video is in .FLV format, you can convert it with something like Handbrake and upload an .MP4 instead.

If your website is constructed entirely in Flash, it might be time to think about creating a new website. If you have elements of your existing website that you would like to preserve, Ruffle can help you out. The emulator uses a single line of JavaScript to automatically convert Flash content on the fly, with no download required by visitors.

If you encounter problems, make sure that your web server is configured to serve .WASM (Web Assembly) files correctly. Keep in mind that visitors will need to click on a "play" button for Ruffle to work.

If you want to take a trip down memory lane and relive some of the Flash games and animations of the late 1990s and early 2000s, you'll be pleased to learn that many classics have been preserved.

BlueMaxima's Flashpoint is a Flash game and animation project that runs locally on your Windows computer, with Mac and Linux versions under development. You can download the entire archive for offline use, or pick and choose by downloading games on the fly.

The Internet Archive has also put together an archive of Flash classics , with over 2,500 items in the collection so far. These work in any browser that supports Web Assembly thanks to Ruffle, with no downloads required.

And, of course, the entire Newgrounds library is still available. In order to use Newgrounds natively, you can either use the Windows-only (and somewhat outdated) Newgrounds Player , or you can download the Ruffle browser extension and try that instead.

We really do advise against running an outdated version of Flash. It has security vulnerabilities, and there are no more legitimate, official download sources. We include this information here for informational purposes only. You're on your own.

If you were to run an older version of Flash that still technically works, you should probably do so in a secure environment like a virtual machine . Free apps like VirtualBox (and premium ones like VMWare ) can create a virtualized environment that poses no immediate threat to your system. In essence, you're running an operating system on top of your existing operating system.

To do this, set up a virtual machine and install the operating system of your choice (Windows is a good choice.). From here, download a browser that's still compatible with Flash 32.0.0.371 (which came out in May 2020) and find a mirror for the same version of Flash. No official downloads are available, and we can't recommend any third-party sources for this.

With your virtual machine set up, launch the browser, install Flash (make sure that you disable automatic updates), and navigate to your Flash content. Depending on how powerful your computer is, you may run into performance issues, since virtualization is demanding. Ideally, you'll be using your outdated setup to only access web pages on a closed intranet. If you venture onto the world wide web, avoid disclosing any login credentials, payment details, or any similar information.

It's critical that you don't natively run an outdated version of Flash on your main computer that's connected to the internet, as this presents a huge security risk.

Many animations and cartoons have been recorded separately and uploaded to YouTube, including Homestar Runner . Also, some games that originally used Flash have gone on to become standalone hits, including Super Meat Boy .

But an enormous number of websites still use Flash, and these solutions (particularly Ruffle) should help you continue to enjoy this content without constantly worrying about the security issues that plagued the platform.

Wondering why Flash was killed in such a manner? Learn more about the problems that led to the plug-in's downfall .

Top 10 Flash Player Alternatives

In December 2020, Adobe stopped its support for Flash Player. The company even encouraged people to uninstall it. This left many users searching for a Flash Player replacement. If you’re wondering what is replacing Adobe Flash Player, there is no single answer. But we’ve put together a comprehensive list to help your transition to a new tool as smooth as possible.

Table of Contents

Best Alternatives for Adobe Flash Player in 2024

Users situation:

Despite its once important role, Flash Player now poses a security threat to your system due to the risk of hacker attacks. Adobe has asked all users to uninstall it immediately. It’s no longer supported by any major browsers. However, each of the apps below can serve as the perfect alternative to Flash Player. Learn their pros and cons, as well as their most prominent features. For a quick and brief overview, you can go directly to the comparison table .

Adobe Flash Player Alternatives for macOS

Elmedia player.

Elmedia Player makes a great alternative to Flash Player for Mac. It supports a wide range of file formats which include SWF and FLV files, as well as MPEG, MOV, MP4, M4V, MKV, and WMV. You won’t experience any lags or sync issues. Elmedia Player also features an in-app web browser that successfully runs Flash components. The app offers various playback and streaming options, subtitle settings, fine audio tuning, playlists, and more.

Regardless of whether you’d like to stream your content to your Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, or another AirPlay or DLNA-compatible device, Elmedia Player offers full compatibility. In addition to that, as a standalone desktop app, Elmedia provides a high level of security and privacy. Its dedicated team ensures it’s always up-to-date.

• Extensive file format and Flash support
• Complete customization for audio and video playback
• Support for built-in and external subtitles, plus online search
• Wireless streaming to a variety of devices
• Supports AirPlay 2 and DLNA
• Hardware acceleration, deinterlacing for smooth playback
• Custom playlist creation.
• Limited support for older devices
• Only available for Mac.

Supported OS: macOS Price: free, Pro upgrade available for $19.99 Rating: 4.5/5 on Mac App Store

Ruffle is a free, open-source flash player emulator for SWF files. It is based on the Rust programming language. Although it’s not technically a player, it runs as a standalone application on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It aims to overcome the security issues inherent in Flash while preserving old content. Browser extensions are available for Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Firefox. Note that Ruffle does not support some ActionScript 3 API.

• Provides security for older Flash content
• Regularly updates are available
• Supports files and web page content.
• Ruffle not supported by certain websites
• No support for newer Flash content.

Supported OS/browsers: macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge Price: free and open source Rating: 4.2/5 on AlternativeTo

BlueMaxima’s Flashpoint

BlueMaxima’s Flashpoint is an open-source project which aims to preserve Flash web games through archival. Their launcher and an application called Flashpoint Secure Player allow users to play web-based media. The software comes in two versions: Ultimate and Infinity. Ultimate comes with all media pre-downloaded in an offline-ready format, while with Infinity, users can download and play content as desired.

• High Flash API compatibility
• Compatible with most browsers
• Many old Flash-based apps and games available
• Regular updates.
• Does not support all media
• Large download size.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux Price: free Rating: 3.5/5 on TechSpot

Best Alternatives for Adobe Flash Player for Windows

Lightspark is a free, open-source Flash player for Windows and Linux. it’s licensed under ​​LGPLv3 and written in C++/C. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Flash Player for Chrome and Firefox, as it also comes as a browser plugin. Lightspark is still in the alpha phase, running a variety of Flash APIs.

• Free for use, open-source
• Customization through code editing
• Support for embedded video
• Occasional speed lags and bug reported
• Plugin is not supported by popular browsers such as Chrome, Opera and Firefox
• No desktop app available for Mac.

Supported OS/browsers: Windows, Linux, cross-platform browser plugin Price: free Rating: 2/5 on AlternativeTo

Gnash is a free, open-source player, part of the GNU project. It supports SWF files and therefore serves as a great free alternative to Adobe Flash Player. It’s available as a standalone app for computers and embedded devices. In addition, Gnash is available as a plugin for the browsers such as Mozilla and Firefox. No new releases have been made since 2012, so the project seems to be frozen.

• Free and open-source
• Available for major browsers.
• No support for SWF v10
• The app is outdated
• The project appears to be inactive.

Supported OS/browsers: Linux, Microsoft Windows, browsers still supporting NPAPI Price: free, donations accepted

Shubus Viewer

Shubus Viewer is a free tool that can be used to create texts and HTML pages, view pictures, and play games. The app relies on simplicity and user-friendliness. It supports Flash games (SWF), Unity3D games, and Adobe Shockwave games. What is supposed to be the Shubus Corporation company website appears unprofessional and lacks sufficient information.

• Flash player, HTML, and text editor
• Support various types of games.
• Lacks good official website or download source
• Functionality could be improved.

Supported OS: Windows Price: free-to-use Rating: 3.7/5 on Softpedia

Plugins and browser solutions

Cheerpx for flash.

CheerpX for Flash is an HTML5 solution that aims to preserve access to Flash applications. It doesn’t require any installation or plugins and it uses normal unmodified browsers. Just like Ruffle, CheerpX for Flash is an emulator. But unlike Ruffle, it offers 100% compatibility with Flash, including Flex, Spark, and ActionScript 2 and 3. However, this Adobe Flash Player alternative targets enterprises, and users need to request a demo to test it.

• API compatibility
• No special browsers or installable components required
• Improved safety and security.
• Aimed at Flash developers and integrators, not average users
• Requires license.

Supported browsers: all modern browsers like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and Opera Price: free

SuperNova Player

Supernova Player is a standalone app that launches SWF content from any browser. That way, you can play your favorite games on their respective websites. It’s also a great Flash Player alternative for Chrome because it comes as a browser extension and Chrome users don’t need to install the standalone app. SuperNova is free to use, but unfortunately, is only available for Windows.

• Available as a standalone flash player
• Simple user interface
• Easy to install and compact file size.
• Very restricted compatibility of the browser extension
• Limited features.

Supported OS and browsers: Windows, Chrome Price: free Rating: 3/5 on AlternativeTo

Lunascape is actually not a player, it’s a web browser. It features three rendering engines: Trident, Gecko, and WebKit, and comes with various options. The reason why it can serve as a Flash Player replacement is that it has built-in Flash support. Lunascape runs the content automatically. Users who are looking for an Adobe Flash Player alternative for Mac can use the Lunascape Phoebe version. Lunascape Mobile is available for Android and iOS.

• Free browser with a wide range of features
• Built-in Flash support without plugins.
• Not all users are willing to switch to an entirely new browser.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android Price: free Rating: 3.9/5 CNET

Flashfox Browser

Next on our list we have the Flashfox Flash browser . Similar to Lunascape, it’s a web browser instead of a media player or plugin. It can be used as an alternative for Adobe Flash Player due to its built-in Flash support. Note that although it claims to offer good security, the developers have no official website and there is no official download source.

• Available for free
• Powerful and lightweight
• Runs Flash content online.
• The free version contains ads
• No official download location
• Originally designed for mobile, desktop versions suffer.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Android Rating: 3.5/5 on Uptodown

What is a Flash Player?

Flash Player is computer software that runs multimedia content. It was released in 1996 and acquired by Adobe in 2005. Apart from video and audio, it also supports Rich Internet Applications (RIA) and streaming. Adobe Flash Player played a major part in games, animations, user interfaces, etc. It ran on web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.

However, in late 2020, Adobe discontinued Flash Player support, urging users to remove it and look for a third-party FLV player and SWF player for Mac to play Flash files. Luckily, there are a number of Windows and Mac Flash Player alternatives to consider.

Comparison Table

The discontinuation of Adobe Flash Player was the end of an era, but it turns out that it’s not the end of the world. There are many solutions trying to preserve the legacy and allow users to enjoy Flash content. Depending on your preferences, you can choose a good free Flash player for Mac such as Elmedia Player which offers an array of features. Or you can try a browser plug-in, an emulator, or even an entirely new browser. Either way, you don’t need to worry – your favorite Flash games and videos are safe.

What is replacing Flash Player in 2024?

There are different solutions to use as Adobe Flash Player replacements. You can use an all-around player such as Elmedia to view any Flash content. Alternatively, you can try a browser plugin or a new browser with built-in Flash support. As for HTML5, since it’s a different standard, it can be viewed as an alternative to Flash, but not a replacement.

What will Chrome use instead of Flash?

Flash no longer runs on Chrome, but the browser can support Flash content with the use of different Chrome extensions. Flash developers have been migrating to HTML5, but it does not solve the issue with existing Flash content that cannot be played.

How can I use HTML5 instead of Flash?

The process is not too straightforward. If you want to move content that you’ve created from Flash to HTML5, you’d need to convert it. If you simply need to play or view Flash content, you can use one of the Flash Player alternatives listed above.

Is there a Flash Player for Mac?

Adobe ended support for Flash Player in December 2020. But still there are some alternative solutions you can use as Flash Player for Mac. We have reviewed the most popular ones in the article above.

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Flash Player now sandboxed under Safari on Mac OS X

The Flash Player plug-in has more restrictions and better security under Safari on Mac OS X Mavericks

Adobe has worked with Apple to sandbox Flash Player under Safari in Mac OS X, restricting the ability of attackers to exploit any vulnerabilities they might find in the browser plug-in.

“With this week’s release of Safari in OS X Mavericks, Flash Player will now be protected by an OS X App Sandbox,” Peleus Uhley, platform security strategist at Adobe, said Wednesday in a blog post .

A sandbox is a mechanism that enforces certain restrictions on how an application interacts with the underlying operating system.

Sandboxing Flash Player under Safari on Mac OS X increases the level of protection against Web-based attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in browser plug-ins to install malware on systems.

The majority of these attacks target Windows computers, but Mac users have had their fair share of problems because of vulnerabilities in browser plug-ins like Flash Player or Java.

In April 2012 attackers exploited a Java vulnerability to infect around 670,000 Mac OS X computers with a Trojan program called Flashback.

In February, Adobe released an emergency security update to patch two critical vulnerabilities in Flash Player, one of which was being exploited in attacks against Firefox and Safari users on Mac OS X.

Because of such attacks, Apple started blacklisting outdated versions of Java and Flash Player in Safari through XProtect.

With the new Safari release in Mavericks, “Flash Player’s capabilities to read and write files will be limited to only those locations it needs to function properly,” Uhley explained. “The sandbox also limits Flash Player’s local connections to device resources and inter-process communication (IPC) channels. Finally, the sandbox limits Flash Player’s networking privileges to prevent unnecessary connection capabilities.”

“The result is that customers can still view Flash Player content while benefiting from these added security protections,” Uhley said.

Sandboxing Flash Player under Safari on Mac OS X is the latest step in the company’s plan to secure the plug-in across different platforms and browsers. On Windows, Flash Player already has been sandboxed under Google Chrome since March 2011, under Mozilla Firefox since June 2012 and under Internet Explorer 10 since it was released on Windows 8.

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Best Flash Player alternative for Mac in 2024

• Flash Player for Mac
• Adobe Flash Player alternative

Since Adobe has stopped support for Flash Player in 2020, lots of users ended up searching for alternative Flash Player . To help you finding the decent one, we’ve compiled a list of the best up-to-date alternatives and provide you with the hints on how to choose the right Flash Player replacement.

Users situation:

Is it possible to run flash files on Mac? Most posts I read are to run the old Adobe Flash Projector+Debugger tool but this has been removed from Adobe's site and I don't even know if it runs on the Mac? Does anyone currently have a workaround for this? — Reddit

Mac Flash Player Alternative apps

Elmedia player - adobe flash player for mac.

Elmedia Player is a top-notch Flash Player alternative for Mac. This plugin-free app is capable of playing various file types, including MPEG, SWF, FLV, MOV, MP4, M4V, MKV, WMV, and way more. Elmedia Player is an excellent choice for those who are looking for an all-in-one media player that offers plenty of features and supports multiple file formats.

Being a standalone app, Elmedia provides robust privacy and security features that the extensions can’t guarantee. The player offers a user-friendly interface that makes accessing media content a breeze. A great plus of the app is its ability to wirelessly stream content to a wide range of devices. Having support for different streaming technologies, you can seamlessly stream content to Apple TV, DLNA, AirPlay, and Chromecast - compatible devices.

Elmedia Player checked on macOS Sonoma.

"Elmedia Player Pro is an inexpensive, more powerful alternative to QuickTime Player, and if you need it, the ability to download web content is easily worth the paid upgrade."

Rating in App Store : 4.5 out of 5

Price: free to use, PRO upgrade priced at $19.99

Supported OS: macOS

• Compatible with a wide list of media file formats
• Offers advanced options for audio and video playback
• Ability to export/import bookmarks
• Ability to create and manage playlists
• Wireless streaming to lots of devices
• Works with external and internal subtitles
• Deinterlacing feature.
• PRO version is required to unlock all features
• No support for encrypted Blu-ray disks
• Limited support for DVD videos disks.

How to play SWF files on Mac with Elmedia Player

Visit the official website of Elmedia or the App Store and download the player.

To start the installation process double-click the downloaded file. After that drag the Elmedia Player icon to the Applications folder.

Alternatively, you can drag and drop the SWF file into the Elmedia Player window to start playing it or the player’s icon on the Dock.

The list of other alternatives to Flash Player in 2024

Ruffle works in the form of an emulator and is an ideal Adobe Flash Player alternative. Again, it’s an open source program, meaning that a range of different developers have contributed to it, and it’s available to users completely free. It also benefits from letting you emulate a number of different browsers which, while not essential, can definitely be useful.

• Provides a Flash browsing experience in 2022
• Unaffected by the Adobe Kill Switch
• Works both for files and for web pages.
• Independently developed and supported
• Could shut down with insufficient funding or motivation.

Rating in Chrome Web Store : 4 out of 5

Price: Free, open-source

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, a web client is also available

SuperNova functions as an extension, meaning that you simply need to get it from the Chrome store and add it to your browser. It works as an alternative to Adobe Flash Player for Chrome, letting you view any files as well as playing Shockwave Flash games. It’s a simple choice, letting you carry out the basics with no difficulties.

• Easy to install, no setup required
• Works on most systems.
• Limited to a browser add-on
• Minimal features and options.

Rating in Chrome Web Store : 2 out of 5

Price: Free

Supported browsers: Chrome. Support for other browsers is still under maintenance.

Supported OS: Windows (macOS & Linux will be soon)

BlueMaxima’s Flashpoint

Flashpoint is another alternative to Flash Player that you may want to consider. It’s less of a player or emulator, and more of a database of popular Flash games. It holds over two thousand animations on 13 platforms, meaning that if you’re simply looking for a way of viewing some of your favorite Flash content, it could be a good option.

It doesn’t quite fall into the category of the other options we’ve looked at, but it’s still a good choice if your preferred content is in their list.

• Massive library of games and apps
• Many different versions of Flash Player
• Optimized for individual games, customizable
• Frequent updates, active community.
• Large download size
• Some learning may be necessary before use.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux (under Wine or in a VM)

This cross-platform browser has enough features out of the box to rival mainstream web apps with add-ons. For instance, ad blocking is a default option, and you don’t need to install ABP or uBlock Origin. Lunascape excels as an Adobe Flash Player alternative, providing on-page playback. The Mac version of Lunascape is an iPad port but you won’t notice this due to its excellent quality.

• Fully free browser with a great feature set
• Flawless Flash support.
• No official plugin library.

Rating in App Store : 4.4 out of 5

Supported OS: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows

How to Choose the Best Option between Adobe Flash Player Alternatives?

When choosing the best Flash Player alternative for Mac options there are several criteria you should take into consideration. While making this article, we have read lots of information and tested dozens of apps. Unfortunately, there were cases when the description of the tool contradicted reality. However, we have gathered the following tips:

• Make sure that the Flash Player replacement you found is fully compatible with your operating system.
• Read carefully the information about user experience, as they are the best testers of the app.
• Check the pros and cons of each tool and compare them with each other.
• Don’t forget to read about technical requirements and limitations.
• Ensure that the chosen Flash Player alternative is constantly updated and has technical support.

What is Adobe Flash Player?

Adobe Flash Player was a multimedia software platform that allowed users to view and interact with rich media content on the internet. It was developed by Adobe Systems in 1996. The software was developed to play animations, videos, and other types of interactive content on websites, and it was widely adopted by web developers.

However, in recent years, Flash Player became known for its numerous security vulnerabilities, which made it a popular target for hackers and malware attacks. In response to these concerns, the company announced in 2017 that it would be discontinuing support for the app by the end of 2020.

As of January 2021, Flash Player is no longer supported by Adobe and all updates and security patches have been discontinued. The company has recommended that users need to uninstall it from their machines and has published an end-of-life notice on the official website.

If you still need to play Flash content on your Mac, it is important to find a good Adobe Flash Player alternative for Mac. One such alternative is Elmedia Player, which supports SWF and FLV files. Besides that, there is also a great number of alternative solutions that we will take a look at below.

When selecting an alternative Flash Player for Mac, there are several key factors to consider. Firstly, ensure that the player is compatible with your operating system and web browser. It is also essential to choose a solution that offers a smooth and seamless playback experience without any lag or buffering. Another crucial factor is security. Finally, user interface and additional features can also be significant factors.

After considering these criteria, Elmedia appears to be one of the best Mac Flash Player alternative Adobe solutions for a Flash player. The app offers enhanced features for smooth video playback, has a user-friendly interface and can boast support for dozens of audio and video formats. And how do you deal with Flash content? Leave your comment below.

FAQs concerning alternatives for Adobe Flash Player:

Why is flash player being discontinued, what can i use instead of flash player for mac.

Thanks for the useful article. Brief, apt, informative as usual. Looking forward to the next one. Maybe something about Bluetooth apps, eh?

I’d almost given up on finding an alternative for Adobe Flash Player. Thanks for gathering all this info, a lot easier to choose this way! I’m glad to find out that so many of these games are getting preserved. It would be terrible to lose this piece of internet history.

Which alternative to Flash Player would you recommend for FLV movies? I have Flashpoint for games, but I’d really like a dedicated video player with better sound and playback controls, etc

Elmedia Player is the way to go. You’ll be able to watch FLV with the full set of features it provides.

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Adobe Flash Player for Mac

Is it outdated.

Ever gotten an error message on YouTube telling you to update your Flash Player to its latest version. Nope? No surprise there. With technology evolving to support SWF (Small Web Format) now, you don't need Flash Player to enjoy all sorts of online content. So does it make sense to still download the program?

The end of an era

Despite regular updates and improvements for Flash Player, the software has lost ground to other software programs like HTML5, WebGL, and WebAssemble.

Back in the day, watching videos and playing multimedia games online were impossible without the help of Adobe Flash Player. Even if you had a Mac, you still needed to download the software to make the most of its entertainment capabilities. But now, times have changed; what was once an absolute must is no longer in demand.  By the end of 2020, Adobe will no longer continue supporting the program. Regardless, that doesn't mean you have to miss out on some of the benefits that the program still has to offer. 

Entertainment and gaming experience

True to its original promise, Adobe Flash Player drives entertainment and fun with its spectacular gaming features. Using the GPU rendering feature, you can build fast 2D and 3D games in high-definition and full-screen. Its enhanced mouse control draws you deeper into the gaming experience to give you a more hand s- on  — or rather, finger-on  —approach . For those who are avid gamers, you won't want to miss out on these fun perks.  

The software program also lets you watch videos in HD with industry-standard codecs such as H.264, AAC, and MP3. It can help you create high-quality vector graphics or produce true 1080p videos. The LZMA compression algorithm lets you deliver optimized SWF files for faster download. Adobe recently improved Flash Player's bitmap control to deliver better and more interactive animation. 

The future of Flash Player

Although Adobe has done well to integrate updates and improvements in this program, the company has not been able to keep up enough pace with breakthroughs in technology. For that reason, the pioneering tech company has decided to call it quits with Adobe Flash Player. 

For those of you who want to take advantage of the software program, you'll have until the end of 2020 to do so. After that, Adobe will no longer continue developing the program. But until said EOL, you can rest assured that the company will offer support to current users and issue regular security patches to promise quality service at least. 

Where can you run this program?

Adobe Flash Player is available on Mac OS. It has a separate client for Windows 7 or older OS, as well as for Windows 8 and 10. Linux users may also download the software on their devices. The program can be supported on browsers like Internet Explorer, IE for Windows 10, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, and Opera. 

Is there a better alternative?

While there are definitely other applications similar to Adobe Flash Player,  they don't compare to the tech giant's product.  If you're looking to ween off Adobe Flash Player, check out ClickToFlash or ClickToPlugin extensions for your Safari browser. Another option is to download the Google Chrome browser, which supports HTML5 and  offers YouTube.

Adobe Flash Player has served its purpose well. Its developers continue to update the software in order to keep its users safe and improve its performance over time. Yet, in spite of all of this, it won't matter any more when the program is decommissioned in the coming year. 

Should you download it? 

No. If you don't regularly consume Flash-based content, getting Adobe Flash Player would be pointless. Download the software only if you think you will need to access any Flash-based content. If you end up getting the program, just make sure to update the program periodically to not miss out on the latest security patches. 

• Enjoy rich content
• Regular updates from Adobe
• Runs on multiple platforms
• Could become a security threat
• Adobe will pull the plug by the end of 2020
• Almost unnecessary at this point

Also available in other platforms

• Adobe Flash Player for Android
• Adobe Flash Player for Windows

Program available in other languages

• Descargar Adobe Flash Player [ES]

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