This won’t happen every day, but rarely you may come across an old website that asks you to install Flash on your Mac. Without it, you cannot view the video, audio, multimedia, retro browser game, etc. on that webpage. If this happens, you will be prompted to get Flash Player. So, let us know more about it and then show you how to download and install Adobe Flash Player on Mac.
Safe Download Adobe Flash Player Mac
The Adobe Flash Player runtime lets you effortlessly reach over 1.3 billion people across browsers and OS versions with no install — 11 times more people than the best-selling hardware game console. Create high-performance, more responsive games and content using ActionScript workers and shared.
- To clarify, when I said Adobe Flash Player was safe, I meant it is safe to download. I should of added it is not considered secure. Windows 10 x64 20H2 Mint Cinnamon 20.
- Do you still need Adobe Flash Player in 2020? We dive into why you might still need to download this software and if it’s safe. In the conversation of the most common plug-ins for playing different kinds of content, the Adobe Flash Player is always in the mix.
Is It Safe to Install Adobe Flash Player on Mac?
Flash had privacy and security concerns. But the actual utility saw installation on over billion devices and is a genuine, useful tool of yesteryear.
However, now many sketchy websites show popups or colorful animations asking you to download Flash before you can make use of their services like free movies, or games. Most of the time, these are malware that can be extremely harmful to your computer. When you click on them, you may be taken to an external site that has viruses or other wicked software disguised as Flash Player.
Many times even after uninstalling this malware, they might leave traces like folders, trackers, etc. So, it is essential to proceed with caution. Remember, you can download a legitimate version of Flash only from Adobe, who is its owner/developer.
Now you may be asking, are all websites that request Flash installation wrong? Well, no! Suppose you are on a legacy school or university site that has not been updated in years. Or you are on a website that genuinely lets you enjoy retro game titles, etc. They will ask you to download and install flash before you can view their rich audio-video content. There is no harm in using Flash for such usage. Now that we have a basic idea about the topic, let us see how to get Flash Player on Mac.
How to Download and Install Flash Player on Mac for Free
- Go to Adobe’s Flash Player
- Click on Install Adobe Pepper Flash Player.
- Now, click on Open from the popup → Click on Install.
- Enter your Mac’s password if asked and then click on Install Helper.
- For installation, you may have to close any other apps that also require Flash. Click on Close All.
- Now, click on Continue, go through the process → Finish.
Uninstall Adobe Flash Player on Mac
- First, download
- Double click and launch the Uninstaller once it is downloaded.
- Now, click on Uninstall.
- Enter your Mac’s password when asked and then click on Install Helper.
- Do not click Quit in the Uninstaller window but close all the running browsers
- After the uninstallation is complete, click Done.
- Adobe also asks you to delete the following directories
/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash Player/Library/Caches/Adobe/Flash Player
For this from Finder press and hold the Option key and click on Go from the top menu bar. You will see the Library. Click on it, and then find and delete the above two folders.
That’s all, mate!
This was all the basics about installing and uninstalling Flash on Mac. If you have a question or query, please put that in the comments down below. Finally, Google has a helpful page explaining Flash for Chrome, that you should give a glance if needed.
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Adobe Flash Player Download
I have been an Apple user for over seven years now. At iGeeksBlog, I love creating how-tos and troubleshooting guides that help people do more with their iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch. In my free time, I like to watch stand up comedy videos, tech documentaries, news debates, and political speeches.
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Although Adobe has written and published instructions to run Flash on iOS, Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder, and former CEO, famously fought against the free programs and, namely, free Adobe software.
In an article published on apple.com in April 2010, Steve highlighted the reasons why Adobe Flash Player will never be an official component of Safari, Apple’s integrated web browser. Jobs pushed hard for an upgrade to HTML to support videos without Flash. Ultimately, the result became what we know as HTML5.
Why Is Apple Against Flash?
As highlighted is in his article, Jobs main concern was never security. In fact, he explicitly mentioned that protecting the App Store was never the main reason behind Apple’s stance against Flash. Steve argued that Flash is a closed system because it’s developed and owned by Adobe. In contrast, HTML5, CSS, Javascript are open systems which is why Apple decided to adopt them. The former Apple’s CEO was against Flash because it was 100% property of a private company despite being widely available.
In the same article, Steve Jobs went on to explain that HTML5 allows web developers to create advanced graphics, animations, and typography without relying on 3rd party software such as Flash. He also argued that major video service providers such as YouTube, Netflix, HBO, Vimeo, and FOX don’t depend on Flash. When Steve wrote his article, almost 40% of online video content was viewable on Apple products. Apple was able to meet all of their customers’ video-related needs without Flash support.
Is Flash Safe for Mac?
The short answer is yes, Flash can run on a Mac without any major issues. However, since it is not officially supported by Apple for the reasons mentioned above, it will require some tweaking first. Here’s what you need to do before and after installing Flash on a Mac:
- Check this brief guide to see which version works best with your iOS version.
- Uninstall any previous version you have of Flash Player.
- Close all applications before installing.
- After the installation finishes, reboot your device.
- When the device boots back up, head to Safari>System Preferences>Flash Player>Advanced then click Check Now.
- Close and relaunch Safari.
The most important step is making sure that you’re downloading Flash from Adobe. To avoid any confusion, click here to reach the download page. In all cases, you should always make sure that you’re downloading from adobe.com and not any other domain.
Alternatives to Flash
If you prefer not to download and install Adobe Flash for any reason, you should try using Google Chrome instead of Safari. Chrome comes with an integrated Flash player and will not require any extra permission. Flash also comes turned on by default in Google Chrome so you will not have to do any extra tweaking.
Adobe Flash Update For Mac
Alternatively, you should consider dealing with websites built on modern technologies. Particularly, websites who support HTML5. As mentioned in this article by Aphr, 95% of websites who used to rely on Flash switched to HTML5. If everyone is switching to Flash, it shouldn’t be hard to find an alternative to your favorite website after a quick online search.