Nov 10, 2011

How to disable Flash Player for various browsers

If you are creating a site where Flash is used, but want to have this site viewable in platforms where flash is NOT enabled/installed/supported, then you must think of the down level experience you will provide to your users.
Previously the down level experience was to show a "No Flash" module where users were suggested to install flash player by clicking on given link.
The other approach is to have an basic HTML version of your website as a down level experience.
What could be the best is that you use HTML5 capabilities of modern browsers and show higher rich content.

Whatever is your decision, you will have to develop a down level experience. Now there is a small problem during developing such down level experiences. The problem is that how would you test it locally before signing it off for Testers, and how would Testers test it.

There are two approaches to this:

  • Uninstall flash player (Plugin+ActiveX) from your system, test for down level. Install flash player again to check whether switching between down level and flash is working. Uninstall, Install, Uninstall, Install .... 
  • Disable the Flash Player (Plugin OR ActiveX/Addon). This seems to be very very easy and fast to test and develop. Now there are different ways Flash Player is installed in browsers. For Internet Explorer, it installs as ActiveX or Addon. For Firefox and Chrome, it installs as Plugin.
    • Firefox: Go to Tools > Add Ons > Plugins and do as directed in screenshot below
Disable Flash in Firefox
    • Google Chrome: Open new tab and write chrome://plugins and do as directed in screenshot below

Disable flash in Chrome

    •  Internet Explorer: Go to Tools > Manage Addons and do as directed in screenshot below. 

Disable flash in Internet Explorer 9
    • Safari: Click on the Preferences > Uncheck 'Enable plug-ins'.
    • Opera: Press F12 > Uncheck 'Enable plug-ins'.

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