What is Adobe Flash Player. How to update Adobe Flash Player. Full instructions

About four years ago, Adobe decided to abandon the development of a mobile version of its browser plugin for the popular Flash Player. At the time, the company said the move would allow it to focus on developing HTML5 technologies for mobile devices and allow it to pay more attention to maintaining the security of its desktop Flash plugin.

Currently, half of the predictions made by Adobe in 2011 have come true as they predicted. HTML5 has replaced Flash in almost all aspects on mobile devices, and has even begun to take over the segment of desktop browsers.

Why you need to remove Flash Player on your computer

Flash for desktop browsers is still as clunky as ever. To display HTML5 content, browsers must render this type of content using an Adobe plugin instead of using native code. But what's even worse is that Adobe recently discovered a huge security hole in Flash that allows hackers to “take control of a vulnerable system,” and in the coming weeks, the company's programmers will not be able to fix it.

This state of affairs has become commonplace with Adobe Flash, but the vulnerability is so serious that IT security professionals recommend that everyone uninstall the program, calling it “a hacker's best friend.” In fact, there are several vulnerabilities in previous versions of Flash that could allow an attacker to control a victim's system. In addition, experts say that new holes in Adobe Flash are discovered almost every day.

If you consider that HTML5 is generally much faster and more secure, you'll realize that Flash has become an obsolete technology. Nowadays, many sites default to Flash when a plugin is detected, but otherwise render content using HTML5. So why risk the security of your device? If you're ready to make the decision, we'll show you how to remove Adobe Flash and bring your browser into the modern HTML5 era.

First, you will need to download the Adobe Flash uninstaller program. Click on the link and the file download should begin immediately. Before you begin, you will need to close all programs that may be using Flash. Therefore, make sure that you completely close Firefox, Internet Explorer, and/or Microsoft Edge. Next, simply run the Adobe Flash Uninstaller file and then click the “Uninstall” button to remove Flash from your system.

If you have Chrome installed, be aware that it uses a version of Flash that the uninstaller cannot access, so you will have to uninstall it manually. To get started, paste the following URL into the address bar and press Enter.

If you own a website or blog, try to avoid using outdated Flash technology. By the way, an excellent option for hosting a website is high-quality Ukrainian hosting freehost.com.ua. Low prices and flexible tariffs are the distinctive qualities of this hosting provider.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. Probably not very many of you know what flash technology actually is, and also what why do you need adobe flash player.

But when your browser stops showing videos or games, does not play audio, and the menus of some sites do not react to your actions in any way, then you start looking for the reason (or).

Most likely, you will quickly be enlightened that perhaps that same mysterious Flash Player is outdated (or simply does not work). To solve the problem, you will be advised to update it or completely reinstall it (uninstall it and then install it again).

In addition, the reason may lie in the settings of the Flash Player plugin in . However, all these general words are not always able to lead to a solution to the problem, so I decided to dwell on the question in more detail installation, proper removal, updating and configuration the brainchild of Adobe on your computer.

Flash Player update - why is it needed?

Let me start right away with the fact that in some browsers the Flash Player plugin is built-in along with the engine update. First of all, this applies to the Google Chrome Internet browser, which we discussed in detail. However, for some reason this plugin may be disabled there. How to enable it, read below.

Player system module too can track the appearance of its own updates, and you probably saw this window more than once the next time you turned on your computer:

I strongly recommend not to neglect the possibility of timely updates, because they may also include security updates. It is possible that this will save your computer from infection. I just wrote about the importance of updating all the key ones (including the flash player), because found security holes are quickly plugged in them.

If you have no desire to install this extension, but you want to know Do you have the latest version of Flash installed?, then there is a way to check from the official developers. All you have to do is go to this page and click on the “Check Now” button at the top to find out the information you are interested in:

However, unexpected problems may arise with the operation of Flash in your browser, when movies are not shown, games are not played, and the menus of some sites do not open. Apparently there is some problem with the Adobe Flash plugin. So let's see how we can install or update Flash Player.

Installing Flash Player and solving emerging problems

In the simplest case, you just need to go to the official Adobe Player page and click on the “Install” button located there:

If suddenly your browser and operating system are detected incorrectly, then you can click on the link “You need a Flash Player for another computer,” where you make the changes you need and click the “Install now” button. As I mentioned just above, in the case of the Google browser, a separate installation of the plugin is not required, because it is included in the browser, but if you wish, you can still install the Adobe® Flash® Player system module:

In most cases, this will be enough for installation or updating, but sometimes unexpected problems arise when, even after installing the player, video, audio and games are still not displayed in the browser.

There may be many reasons for this state of affairs, but the most effective and efficient way would be, perhaps, complete reinstallation of flash player. To do this, you will need to close all your open browsers, go to the Windows control panel (in Vista this is “Start” - “Control Panel” - “Programs and Features”) and uninstall this program (plugin). After that, go to the official website again and install Adobe Flash Player from scratch. In theory, some of the problems that interfere with normal operation should be eliminated.

How to remove all “tails” from a flash player?

However, even after this, problems may remain. Then you will need to remove the “tails” of the player using a specialized removal utility developed in Adobe —
Uninstall Flash Player. The procedure should be approximately as follows:

Download the flash player removal utility from the link above.
Before running it, do not forget to close all browsers and other programs that may use Flash technology, otherwise complete removal may not be possible. Check their possible operation in the background (look in the tray).
Launch the utility and follow its instructions.
Once the uninstallation process is complete, restart your computer.

After this, you can install Flash Player again from the official website using the link provided. How to check its functionality? Well, you can again use the test from Adobe - just go to this page and make sure that in the fifth point you are watching an animation on the theme of a tree and clouds floating across the sky.

How to enable the Flash Player plugin in your browser

When the flash does not work, then in addition to the option of removing the player from the OS and reinstalling it, you can also look for the answer in the browser settings. The fact is that Adobe Flash Player is installed as a plugin, and for some mysterious reason it may simply be disabled. It's quite easy to check. It all depends on the browser you use:

If none of the methods described above bring results (Flash is not displayed in browsers), then I advise you to contact the developers (or their forum) for help, describing in detail the problem you are experiencing with Flash Player.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

You can watch more videos by going to

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How to update adobe flash player correctly.

Now let's begin the update process itself. I want to immediately please you that the process is quite simple, what is required of you is to follow the instructions, and you will succeed.

Note! The update process is the same for all browsers, but, for example, the flash player is built in by default and is updated when the browser is updated.

3 options available:

automatic installation of updates, in this case the program will install all the necessary patches without your participation;
notification before installation, the program will ask the user for permission to install updates;
do not check for updates; updates will not be downloaded and installed automatically;

Note! Before the update process, you must close all browsers!

After installing the update, the Internet browser will launch and the official developer page will load, this means that we did everything correctly. This is the first option on how to update Adobe Flash Player. Now we will look at another method.

We update Adobe Flash Player through the application.

There is another, probably easier way to update Adobe Flash Player. This is done like this:

Now you know how to update Adobe Flash Player. There should be no problems with the update if everything is done strictly according to the instructions.

How to remove Flash Player?

Sometimes there are cases when, after updating the flash player, the browser starts to work incorrectly. Flash content closes on its own or the content being played begins to slow down the computer. In this case, you will need to remove the program and install it again.

To remove Adobe Flash Player do the following:

That's it, the program is completely removed from your computer. Now you need to go again to the official website of the developers and perform a clean installation of the software.

Adobe Flash Player

Modern humanity cannot imagine its life without daily use of the Internet, this has a strong justification: the Internet opens access to limitless information. The sites provide an abundance of content: audio, video, browser games. This won’t surprise anyone, but few people know how it works. Correct video playback is possible thanks to the use of Flash technology. In today's article we will try to study in detail all the nuances of the plugin, as well as methods and step-by-step tips for installing it.

General description of Adobe Flash Player

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The Adobe Flash Player plugin is designed to correctly play content in various browsers. The use of Flash is widespread in the creation of games, animations and video files.

Macromedia began working on the development of flash technology back in 1996. Later, this company became part of the Adobe Systems corporation, as a result of which the product was distributed under the more well-known name - Adobe Flash.

The technology is used to create all kinds of multimedia files. Every day we come across these files on the Internet on website pages: we listen to music, watch online movies, play.

Each of the listed files has its own formats. This means that in order to play them, the system used must be able to read these formats. Flash technology is characterized by a range of supported formats. Flash files have a standard format - .swf (Small Web Format). Flash video files are characterized by the .FLV and .F4V formats.

To provide the user with the opportunity to fully consume the information provided by the Internet, the developers made sure that each file could be reproduced.

Among the many programs used in this area, the most functional and popular is the Adobe Flash Player program. This plugin allows you to easily watch videos, use applications and flash games directly in the browser.

Today, installing a special software product to be able to reproduce information in Flash format is necessary on any personal computer, because Flash technology is used everywhere today.

In more than 95% of cases, the Adobe Flash Player utility is preinstalled on the computer. Moreover, the computer owner may not even know about it - just popular browsers such as Google Chrome use a built-in flash player.

The following manifestations of using the utility can be classified as disadvantages:

Significant processor load can cause your personal computer to run slower. However, this may only appear if your computer has been running for a long time or is not very powerful.
Errors often occur in flash technology-based applications themselves; this can cause a malfunction of the application or the browser being used.
Along with the popularity of the application, it can be dangerous, because many hackers who want easy money use popular applications to their advantage. With the help of their fake applications, they can control someone else's computer. To avoid such negative aspects, we recommend that you install only proven software and download installation files from the official resources of the product.

How to install the plugin correctly?

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If you purchased a new computer or reinstalled the operating system, you will inevitably have to work with the settings. Customize it for yourself, install the necessary programs. The set of programs is purely individual.

Adobe Flash Player is an important add-on that was created specifically to be able to play audio and video files. Installing the application is very simple and quick. First, you need to download the download file from the official portal.

Download

Step-by-step installation of the plugin on Windows

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The official website will automatically install the operating system of your personal computer and the bit rate, and then offer a suitable file for downloading. Uncheck the middle window that prompts you to download McAfee Security Scan Plus. Next you need to click "Install Now". The hint is shown in the photo below.

Installing Adobe Flash Player

After this action, a window will open in front of you where you will need to confirm the action:

You have already downloaded the installation file and now you can safely proceed to the installation process. Run the downloaded file (find it in the “Downloads” folder or open it through quick access in the browser).

Downloaded files

After launch you will see the following window:

Installing Adobe Flash Player

Select “Run”. You will be offered three options regarding automatic update of the plugin, check the box as shown in the photo and click on the yellow “Next” button.

Adobe Flash Player Update

The installation percentage of the program is displayed in the window.

Adobe Flash Player installer

Once the installation process is complete, click Finish. To ensure that all installed components are applied and work correctly, restart your personal computer.

Step-by-step installation of the plugin on Linux Ubuntu

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Installing Adobe Flash Player on the Linux Ubuntu operating system differs from the installation discussed above on Windows. One of the available installation methods can be used here. Installation by downloading the installation file from the official website or via "Application Center".

Installation by downloading a file from the official website

Installing the application this way is more efficient. This is explained by the fact that developers post current versions of software products on the official portal.

To download the download file, visit the official Adobe Flash products website. The link to download the file can be found above. Here your operating system will also be automatically detected, its bit size and then the required file will be offered for downloading.

If the operating system has been detected correctly, then you need to click the yellow button, having first unchecked the checkboxes from the offer to download the antivirus file, "Download". As a result, the file will begin downloading.

If the automatic detection incorrectly installed the data or did not detect it at all, then in the drop-down list, select the required parameters yourself: operating system, bitness and version. To confirm the settings, press "Download".

Once the file is downloaded, run it. To do this, use the download window in your browser or find the desired download in the folder "Downloads". Please note that in some cases the system may ask you to provide an admin password. You can monitor the installation progress through the installation window. When the status bar indicates installation is complete, click on "Complete".

Installing Adobe Flash Player using “Application Center”

This method has its advantages - just a few clicks of the mouse and the Adobe Flash Player add-on is installed on your computer.

Let's get started. In the launcher, find go to App Center. A window will appear in front of you in which you need to specify search parameters in a special search field. Enter the word “Flash” and the first thing the system will offer you is Adobe Flash Player. Click with the mouse on the line with the name and thereby you will call up buttons with possible actions. Click on the team "Installation".

Step-by-step installation of the plugin on Mac

First step to install Adobe Flash Player for Mac operating system identical to the first steps in the described Windows and Linux systems. You need to go to the official portal, wait for the parameters of your operating network to be automatically determined, or install them yourself. Click on the button "Download". The download of the installation file starts.

Download the installation file and run it. Installation may require you to enter an administrator password. After entering this information, click "OK". The installation of the program will begin. When the process is complete, click "Complete".

For further correct operation, reboot the system.

How to update an outdated version

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When working with a computer or using portable devices, sooner or later, the user may be faced with a system prompt to update the already installed Adobe Flash Player plugin. The user will be notified that the program is out of date using the “Adobe Flash Player is out of date” notification.

It is worth noting that such a notification can be either system or displayed on one of the sites in the browser. Often, antivirus software opens a reminder about outdated programs, or the user simply cannot view the video file and discovers information about the need to update the plugin.

Several reasons why you should not use a plugin that is already outdated:

The vast majority of sites do not support outdated versions and when using them, a message will be displayed indicating the need to update the player;
New versions are noticeably faster compared to previous versions;
Outdated versions of the flash player make a personal computer vulnerable, since most viruses use the vulnerabilities of outdated versions for attacks.

Do not rush to follow the instructions on the sites and update the plugin directly from the links offered on various sites. There are often cases when these links lead to the installation of malicious software. You only need to download from an official source, because that’s where you don’t take risks and don’t expose your computer to danger.

After you update your player to the latest version, messages prompting you to update the plugin will no longer appear. If they are still there, then these are tricks of attackers and you should not follow the links provided.

When installing software, you will usually be prompted to automatically update to the latest version. However, if for some reason your player does not update automatically, then it must be updated manually.

Automatic update may not work in several cases:

Incorrect plugin installation
Auto-update not allowed
Plugin conflict and others

To update an outdated player you will need to follow a few simple steps:

Updating a plugin is not much different from installing it, so you will first need to go to the official website of the program, where the current version of the plugin is always presented there. Select a column "Install Now" . Study the additional offers, and if something is required, check the boxes next to the required items; if not, then uncheck them.
By clicking on the button, you activate the process of downloading the file. Then we launch it. Before starting the installation, it is better to close your browsers, if any are open, for correct installation.
Here, check the box next to the automatic update offer. Click "Further" and observe the successful installation of the plugin update. When the update is complete, click "Complete" and restart your personal computer.

There is another way to update the plugin. You can use applications for this, such as Driver Pack Solution. They update all the necessary applications that are installed on the computer in “one click”. Thus, minimal effort is required from the user.

The main disadvantage of such applications is that they often make mistakes and install outdated versions of the player.

In order for the Adobe Flash Player plugin update to be available, you must download the Driver Pack Offline version. The version marked Online does not allow Flash Player updates.

After downloading the software to your personal computer, you need to run the file and select the “Expert” operating mode. After this, go to the “Software” section and place markers next to those applications that are subject to update. After selecting, click on the button “Install the necessary programs” . The result of your actions will be the successful updating of the selected programs to the latest versions.

Adobe Flash Player– Instructions

1. General concepts about Adobe Flash Player
To make everything clear to everyone, I’ll start with the fact that there are three types of such Flash players, and for every browser – your personal one, namely:
- Required for Internet Explorer Adobe Flash Player ActiveX install_ flash_ player_ ax. exe). Essentially this player is ActiveX-component (i.e. plugin) for playing Flash in the Internet Explorer browser .
- For Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape or Opera you need Adobe Flash Player Plugin(the installation file is called install_ flash_ player. exe). This player is also a plugin for playing Flash using browsers compatible with this plugin component.
- And finally, just Adobe Flash Player, which is not intended for browsers at all, but purely for viewing flash videos in the window of this particular player.

If you use multiple browsers, then you must have both options installed on your computer. Adobe Flash Player(a) – for different browsers.

In addition, these “browser” players are also used for viewing animations and videos from the Internet (i.e. directly on website pages).

And of course, your computer must have a regularAdobe Flash Player. In this case, there is no need to view flash files (swf) using browsers. Just click on the video file 2 times andAdobe Flash Playerhe will connect and start playing this videoswf-file.

2. Testing the browser for availabilityAdobe Flash Player and its versions

In order to find out whether Adobe Flash Player is installed in your browser and what version is installed for it, you need to use this browser to go to the tests page of the official website: http://www. /software/flash/about/ . This page looks like this:

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image002_210.jpg" width="479" height="345 src=">

1. The presence of a red icon on the page means that the player for this browser is installed.

2. The small sign on the right shows the version of the installed player.

3. The table below shows the latest versions of Adobe Flash Player(s) available for installation for each operating system and each browser.

On this page you can always find out if you need to install a new player.

3. Where and how to install automaticallyAdobe Flash Player(plugin)

You can install Adobe Flash Player for free on the official website, but first you need to select the version of the flash player specifically for your OS (Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Solaris) and for your browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera).

For example, on the date November 1, 2010. Players available for Windows:

Version available for Win98/ME 9.0.280.0

Version available for 7/Vista/XP/2008/2003/2000 10.1.85.3

(Version 10.1.85.3 called Adobe Flash Player Installer/Uninstaller)

For example, if you have Internet Explorer and Firefox (Mozilla, Netscape or Opera) browsers installed, then you need to download and install both flash players.

But before installing a new version of Adobe Flash Player, you need to uninstall the old one; to do this, you need to download the uninstaller on the official website. Attention! In version 10.1.82.76 and higher the uninstaller is already built in. But all this will be discussed below in the text (at the end).

So, on the page http://get. /ru/flashplayer/otherversions/ select the version of Adobe Flash Player:

Virus" href="/text/category/virus/" rel="bookmark">virus scanner.

If you do not need these programs, then do not forget to uncheck the additional installation item (if such an item appears). By the way, installation Google Toolbar also entails advantages: you will have a very good translator in your browser, with which you will always be satisfied.

After installation you will need restart browser and check the player's performance on the tests page. If everything turns out unsuccessfully, then you need to reinstall the player (uninstall and install again). In this case, it is advisable to install the player from a computer. Then test again...

4. How to downloadAdobe Flash Player (plugin) without automatic installation

To prevent the official server from immediately offering to install the player, you should do this: download the player installer for Internet Explorer using any other browser, for example, Opera or Firefox. To do this, go to the office. site Opera or Firefox, and select Internet Explorer.

And, conversely, download the installer for other browsers using the Internet Explorer browser.

It is clear that you need to have any of these browsers on your computer (Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape or Opera).

In this case, the page of. the site will look like this:

Do you want changes to be made to this computer?", click Yes.

6. Restart your computer.

7. Go to the tests page of. website: http://www. /software/flash/about/ to check if Adobe Flash Player has been removed. If on the right side of the tests page you see in a small window information like the one in the figure below, this means that the player was not deleted:

7. LocationAdobe Flash Playeron your computer

By default, the “secret location” in the depths of your computer for both of these Flash Player(s) is located at the following address: C:\ WINDOWS\ system32\ Macromed\ Flash\

8. Adobe Flash Player - to viewSWF videos outside the browser

Personally, I don’t like viewing video clips in a browser window; I prefer to do it in Adobe Flash Player(e), which is designed specifically for viewing such videos.

It's much faster and easier. You just double-click on the swf video file you want to view, and this player connects itself and starts playing the video in its own window.

Installing such a Flash Player(s) is quite simple:

1. In the downloaded archive, find the “Flash Players” folder and copy the “FlashPlayer - for viewing SWF” folder into it (inside the file FlashPlayer. exe).

2. Place this folder in the directory on drive C, where all installed programs are located.

3. Open this folder and run the file FlashPlayer. exe 2 clicks.

4. That's it! You don't need to do anything else! And no shortcuts to the desktop!!!

Thus, Adobe Flash Player is activated on your computer and from now on will “stand guard” over all SWF files. You just have to double-click on such a video file and Adobe Flash Player will automatically connect to it and play this SWF file.

As you can see, in this case, no browsers are needed to view swf videos... Very convenient!

Note! Important! Do not under any circumstances place or run (i.e. activate) the file FlashPlayer. exe on your desktop! Otherwise, you will not be able to remove this file from the desktop; it will remain there. First, think about whether you need extra icons on your desktop that you will never use...?

9. Conclusion:

In the download archive in the “Players” folder you will find all three types of Adobe Flash Player(s) described above + uninstaller (only for both types of “browser” plug-in players!).

Reminder(s):

Player testing page: http://www. /software/flash/about/

Player download page: http://get. /ru/flashplayer/otherversions/

Uninstaller download page: http:///cps/141/tn_14157.html

Location of “browser” Flash Player(s) on the computer: C:\ WINDOWS\ system32\ Macromed\ Flash\