Not long ago, you couldn’t get to a website without touching some Flash element. Ads, games, and even entire websites were built using Adobe Flash, but as time went on, official support for Flash finally ended on December 31, 2020, and HTML5 interactive content quickly replaced it.
However, this will not help you if you still want to play older Flash content. Websites that are not updated and old media that cannot be transferred are forgotten and cannot be used. While Chrome no longer has a Flash player, here are some ways to play Flash files in 2020 and beyond.
Why can’t I play Flash content in Google Chrome?
The use of Flash has been busy since Apple decided not to support Flash on iOS devices back in 2010. HTML5 has filled this gap by improving speed and security, and as more and more websites use HTML5, fewer sites use Flash.
While Google lasted longer than Apple, it couldn’t ignore the fact that Flash itself reached the end of its Adobe support in late 2019. Google hasn’t allowed Flash Player in Chrome to automatically play content for some time now, and while Chrome can still technically play Flash content, the built-in Flash player should be removed in 2020.
Flash is officially dead, but you can still play Flash media in Chrome – for now. Don’t bemoan Flash, though, as it was slow, rather insecure, and did not take into account modern web browsing experiences, and you might want to completely disable Flash on your PC if you no longer use it.
Using Flash Player in Chrome in 2020
Chrome’s built-in Flash player still remains, but not for long. The Flash removal target is Chrome version 87 in December 2020, but this may happen earlier. If you exceed this time limit, you will need to consider using one of the other Flash players listed below as these instructions will not work.
- You can check if your version of Flash Player is installed in Chrome by typing chrome: // components in the address bar. If you have Adobe Flash Player installed, you can still play Flash content, but you need to enable it first.
- If your version of Chrome still has the Flash player installed, you still need to enable it to launch when the Flash page loads. You will need to click on the blocking settings icon that appears on the page that Flash is running on, at the end of the address bar. From here click the “Manage” button.
- The Flash settings menu will open. You can also access it by typing chrome: // settings / content / flash in the address bar. To allow Flash to run, click the Prevent sites from running Flash slider (recommended). The slider turns blue and the option changes to Ask.
- Return to the Flash content page and refresh it. Chrome will ask you if you want to launch Flash content, so click Allow to launch the content.
At this point, your Flash content should automatically load, allowing you to interact with it. If this is not the case, or if Flash is no longer supported in Chrome, you need to try an alternative method.
Play old flash games with BlueMaxima Flashpoint
With Flash disabled in 2020, you won’t have a lot of options to play old Flash files when big browsers like Chrome and Firefox stop supporting it. One option, especially for gamers, is to download and use BlueMaxima’s Flashpoint software.
This project is a flash player and web archive project rolled into one. You can download this software and use it to play over 38,000 old Flash games on your computer – no browser required and completely free.
To use Flashpoint, you need to download one of the available Flashpoint packages The recommended option is Flashpoint Infinity, which will load games the way you want with a file size of roughly 300MB.
Otherwise, you need to download the full Flashpoint Ultimate package, which is almost 300GB in size. It contains the entire archive of Flash games that Flashpoint offers, allowing you to play them whenever (or wherever), completely offline.
Online flash simulation with ruffle
If you don’t like old Flash games, you can use the Ruffle Flash emulator to run other types of Flash media content. This allows old Flash SWF files to run in a PC browser, replacing Flash entirely.
With Ruffle, you don’t have to worry about the end of Chrome support for Flash. Ruffle converts Flash content into a modern, web-friendly format. It shouldn’t be blocked by your browser, and you don’t need the built-in Flash player for that.
You can try Ruffle by trying Ruffle’s online demo emulator, which has a Flash game demo as well as the ability to upload your own SWF files to play and use.
Use Adobe Flash Player in 2020 and beyond
Although Adobe dropped support for Flash, you can still download the Adobe Flash Player as a standalone player for PC and Mac. To play SWF Flash files on your PC without a browser, you need to download the Flash Player Projector Content Debugger from the Adobe website.
- You can currently download it from the unsupported Adobe Support Page. Click the Load Flash Player Projector Content Debugger option for your operating system, then run the file.
- This version of Adobe Flash Player is standalone, so you don’t need to install it to use it — just run the file, then in the Adobe Flash Player window, click File> Open.
- Select the Flash SWF file in the Open box. You can use a link to a web address or click Browse to launch the SWF file from your computer.
The standalone Adobe Flash Player file will download and run your Flash content, allowing you to continue playing and interacting with Flash files as soon as Chrome and other browsers stop supporting it.
Jump from Flash
Yes, in 2020 there are still ways to play Adobe Flash content with the Flash Player, but support has officially ended. It’s time to ditch Flash and move to HTML5, but before doing so, use Chrome’s built-in Flash player to enjoy your old content while you still have the option.
If you are a gamer, you will need to download older Flash games if you want to keep playing them after the 2020 deadline. You can use a project like Flashpoint to do this, or watch some of the best browser games online instead.
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