Troubleshoot Adobe Flash Player installation for Windows
What's covered
- Uninstall previous versions of Flash Player
- Download Adobe Flash Player
- Troubleshooting Adobe Flash Player for Internet Explorer
- Unable to view Flash content
If you have problems installing Adobe Flash Player, follow the troubleshooting steps below. If one step does not
correct the problem, move on to the next step. After each step, you may want to restart your machine to ensure that your changes
take effect before moving on to the next step.
1. Uninstall all previous versions
Before you install Flash Player for any Windows browser, uninstall all previous versions. For instructions on
removing the player, please see "How to uninstall the Adobe Flash Player plug-in and ActiveX control" (TechNote tn_14157).
Note: All applications must be closed before you run the Flash
Player uninstaller. Quit all running applications, including all Internet Explorer or other browser windows, and
all Instant Messenger clients. Check the Windows system tray carefully to make certain no applications which might possibly
use Flash Player are still in memory.
After you have removed previous versions, you are ready to download and/or install Flash Player.
2. Download Adobe Flash Player
Flash Player is available for download from the Adobe Flash Player Download Center.
3. Troubleshoot Adobe Flash Player for Internet Explorer
Before installing Flash Player, please check the following browser settings:
Internet Explorer ActiveX settings
Browser security settings should be chosen by you or by your system administrator. For single users who do not
have an administrator, the Medium: Default Level allows you to view Flash content. For any Custom Level, ensure that both
the "Download Signed ActiveX controls" and "Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins" options are set to "Prompt".
To change
your security level:
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Choose Tools > Internet Options.
- Select the Security tab.
- Select Custom Level.
- Find the section "ActiveX controls and plug-ins".
- Set ' Download Signed ActiveX Controls' to Prompt.
- Set 'Run ActiveX Controls And Plug-ins' to Prompt.
If you are having trouble installing, make sure that your Internet Explorer security level is not set to High
or to a custom level that does not allow viewing of ActiveX controls.
A damaged Windows system registry or incorrect permissions in the registry may prevent Flash Player from installing
or registering correctly.
Symptoms of a damaged registry or incorrect permissions may include:
- Error during Flash Player installation:
'Failed to install. For Troubleshooting please see: http://www.adobe.com/go/tn_19166'
- Flash Player installer finishes with no error, but Flash content cannot be viewed in Internet Explorer.
- Some sites tell you that you do not have the correct version of Flash Player, even though you just installed the latest
version.
- Some sites tell you to reinstall Flash Player, but after reinstalling the same message occurs.
Download SubInACL from Microsoft to fix permission issues that prevent the Flash Player installation. For instruction
on how to run SubInACL to fix these permission issues please refer to "Download SubInACL from Microsoft to fix permission
issues that prevent the Flash Player installation" (TechNote fb1634cb).
Windows Vista installation failure
On some Windows Vista systems Flash Player may be installed, but will not display Flash content. In some cases
updating to the latest Flash Player using the included utility can correct the User Account Control settings that cause this
problem.
To run the utility, find your installed Flash folder:
- Right-click C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil9d.exe
The letter changes with each Flash version, so may
be "FlashUtilb.exe" or "FlashUtile.exe"
- Select "Run as Administrator"
- Follow the steps to complete the Flash Player installation
- Restart your computer
Computer user permissions
User permissions determine whether or not you are allowed to install ActiveX controls or plug-ins. If you don't
have Administrator access to Windows NT, 2000, XP, or Vista you may not be able to install Flash Player successfully. Administrative
privileges are required for the Windows system registry and for the C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash folder.
Error while installing older version: The version of Adobe Flash Player ActiveX that you
are trying to install is not the most current version
If you previously installed a later version of Flash Player for Internet Explorer, you may be prevented from installing
an earlier version. For example, if you installed Flash Player 9,0,115,0, and attempted to install version 9,0,47,0 the installation
would fail. In this case follow the instructions in "Safe versions security restrictions when installing Flash Player" (TechNote
kb402435).
If the ActiveX Control for Flash Player fails to install, download the executable installer.
If the information above has not resolved the issue, download the executable Flash Player installer here:
- Download and unzip Install_Flash_Player_10_ActiveX.zip.
Save this installer to your desktop, close out all applications, and run the installer. This may help if you are
having trouble with the ActiveX installation from Adobe.com. To confirm that Flash Player has installed successfully, please
visit: www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about/.
4. I have installed Adobe Flash Player but still don't see any Flash content. What is wrong?
If you are using Internet Explorer for Windows then the problem is most likely one of the items above in "Troubleshoot Adobe Flash Player for Internet Explorer". However, there are other possible issues that effect both Internet Explorer for Windows and other browser and OS versions.
The most common reasons that Flash content fails to display are:
3rd Party 'Flash Player' Cleaners
In some cases you may have run a non-Adobe 'fix' for Flash Player permission problems. In some cases these tools
can actually cause further Flash Player problems. If you have run any type of registry cleaner or other fix tool Adobe suggests
you run the /clean uninstaller discussed in "Safe versions security restrictions when installing Flash Player" (TechNote kb402435), then reinstall Flash Player.
Pop-up blockers
A common cause of Flash movies failing to display is the presence of pop-up/ad blocker software that specifically
targets Flash content. To find out more about this issue, see "Flash movies do not appear after installing the Flash Player"
(TechNote tn_19091).
Internet utilities blocking Flash Player
Some Internet utilities, such as Norton Internet Utilities, perform functions similar to a firewall and may restrict
viewing of ActiveX controls, and in some cases specifically blocking Flash content. You need to ensure that your firewall
or utility settings are set to allow ActiveX controls and Flash (SWF) content.
My machine is crashing when viewing Flash content
Crashing in Flash or Flex created content can occur for any number of reasons. Both developers and Flash Player
end users should refer to "Troubleshooting Flash Player crash or freeze for developers and end users (Windows XP and Vista)"
(TechNote kb408620).
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