In case you are wondering whether or not Flash Player is installed on your Mac and want to uninstall Adobe Flash Player from your Mac for security reasons, you will find below the steps to do so.
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Uninstall Adobe Flash Player From Mac
While the general trend is to get away from Flash due to security issues related with Adobe’s Flash Player, there are still some websites that feature Flash based Videos.
By default, Flash Player is not installed on Mac, but the Safari browser on Mac still supports Flash and allows you to install Adobe Flash Player.
In case you are using Google’s Chrome Browser on Mac, it comes with in-built support for Flash Player and allows you to watch Flash Videos without downloading Flash Player from Adobe.
According to Google, Flash will be completely removed from its Chrome Browser by the end of 2020, at which point Adobe will cease development and distribution of Flash Player.
If you are concerned about Flash Player being installed on Mac and want to get rid of it, you can follow the steps as provided below to remove Flash Player from your Mac.
What Happens If You Remove Flash Player From Mac
If Flash Player is removed from Mac, you won’t really miss it. You should be able to browse almost the entire web without using Flash Player.
Should I Delete Adobe Flash
In case you happen to come across a website featuring Flash Videos, you won’t be able to play such videos using the Safari browser on your Mac.
In case the Flash Video is irresistible and worth watching, you can make use of Google’s Chrome Browser to watch the Video.
Chrome Browser comes with in-built support for Flash content and allows you to watch Flash Videos without having to download Flash Player.
How to Find if Flash Player is installed on Mac
In order to check whether or not Flash Player is installed on your Mac, try visiting a website with Flash Content such as Channel 4 using Safari browser.
Flash Uninstaller For Mac From Adobe Acrobat
Most likely you will see “This video requires Adobe Flash Player” popup. This means, either Flash Player is not installed on your Mac or it is installed and needs to be switched on.
Click on Switch on Flash Player button and see what happens next. If the Flash Video starts playing or you are directed to settings page on Mac, it confirms that Flash Player is installed on your Mac.
If you are directed to Adobe’s website (get.Adobe.com/flashplayer), it means that Flash Player is not installed on your Mac.
How to Uninstall Adobe Flash Player on Mac
If Flash is installed on your Mac, you can either wait for the next macOS update, which will automatically remove Flash player from Mac or manually remove Adobe Flash Player from Mac by following the steps below.
1. Download Flash Player Uninstaller from Adobe’s official Website.
Note: You will find different versions of Flash Uninstaller on Adobe’s website. Download the most recent version as available and it should cover all subsequent versions of macOS.
2. The Flash Player Uninstaller will be downloaded to the Downloads Folder on your Mac.
3. Launch Flash Player Uninstaller and click on Uninstall to begin the process.
4. On the next pop-up, enter your Admin Password and click on OK.
5. Allow the Uninstaller to complete the process of Uninstalling Adobe Flash Player.
According to Adobe, you should also delete certain Folders on Mac after the Uninstaller has finished removing Flash Player from Mac.
1. Click on the Finder icon on your Mac.
2. Next, click on the Go option in top menu bar, hold down the Alt (or Option) key and click on the Library option.
3. In the Library Folder, see if you can find the following files and delete them:
- ~/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/FlashPlayer
- ~/Library/Caches/Adobe/FlashPlayer
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.
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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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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