Last updated: October 18, 2017
Let’s face it. Some web browser plug-ins pose a security risk to your computer system. Google Chrome, as well as other web browsers, blocks plug-ins from running automatically by default. When blocked, you may see Java needs your permission to run display in place of the content. Although Java and Flash content is still widely encountered on the Internet, Chrome imposes this restriction on both plug-ins for your protection. So when you encounter Java or Flash content in any web page on the Internet, Chrome may ask for your permission to run it. If it is content you trust, then you can choose to run the plug-in only on a one-time basis, or configure the plug-in to run whenever you visit that trusted site.
When you encounter a blocked plug-in, you may see a warning in the web browser’s address bar that says Plug-in blocked:
…a notification bar at the top of the browser window that says Java needs your permission to run or Flash needs your permission to run:
…or you may see a gray warning in the plug-in area of the web page itself (or all of these):
The first course of action is to check that you are using the latest Java or check that you are using the latest version of Flash Player.
You may also wish to reference our How to enable Java in Google Chrome 42 and higher article if you see This plug-in is not supported.
Once you have checked that your plug-in is up to date, you may give Chrome permission to run Java or Flash on a one-time basis by clicking the Run this time button in the notification bar. To always allow Java or Flash to run on the trusted site you are visiting, click the Always run on this site button instead, then click Done.
If no notification bar is present, click the Plug-in blocked icon in the address bar (which may also display as just 
):
By default, the Continue blocking plug-ins radio button is selected. To give Chrome permission to run Java or Flash on a one-time basis only, click the Run all plug-ins this time link, then click the Done button. To always allow Java or Flash to run on the trusted site you are visiting, click the Always allow plug-ins on this site button instead, then click Done. If the Java or Flash content does not load automatically thereafter, double-click inside the gray area where it says Java needs your permission to run to load the content.
Manage Plug-ins On a Per-Site Basis
This dialog also includes a Manage plug-in blocking… link to allow you to manage your plug-in exceptions for specific web sites or domains. Click the link to launch the Plug-in exceptions dialog:
Click inside the Hostname pattern box, and input a web site or domain name for which you want to configure a specific behavior. You may also input IP addresses, IPv6 addresses, and non-HTTP URLs. Using the Behavior pull-down menu, select Allow to always allow plug-ins for the site, Ask if you would prefer to be prompted before running plug-ins on the site, or Block to always prevent plug-ins from running on the site.
Manage Plug-ins on a Per-Plug-in Basis
To always allow Java or Flash to run, visit chrome://plugins in your web browser, find the plug-in, and check the Always allowed box. To disable a plug-in from running, click the Disable link.
Although the blocking of browser plug-ins is disabled by default in Chrome, the web browser application certainly provides ample opportunity to configure plug-in settings to meet your needs. The option to configure plug-in settings as broadly as on per-plug-in basis, or as narrowly as down to specific sites, extends the needed flexibility to view the content you want.
You will also like our How to enable Java in Google Chrome 42 and higher article.
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