Last updated: August 28, 2019
- Also see: Unblock Flash Content in Google Chrome
- Watch: Unblock Flash in Google Chrome
When Google released Chrome 56, a planned move to enable HTML5 by default rolled out to 100% of Chrome users. In doing so, Adobe Flash Player, used to view Flash content in a web page, was disabled unless a user provides permission to run Flash. After an initial prompt, a user can extend permission to run Flash to sites they trust and frequently visit. Considering the new circumstances, your need to manage Flash in Chrome may increase.
To avoid over-prompting users to run Flash, Chrome will at first prompt for permission only with sites you have never visited, or those you don’t often visit. Your Site Engagement Index (SEI) determines if a prompt to run Flash content will display. In Chrome 56, sites with a SEI of less than 2 will see a prompt. By October 2017, the threshold will gradually increase to 100. At that point, users who visit sites with Flash content will see an initial prompt.
Google bundles Flash Player (PPAPI) with Chrome. As such, new Flash Player versions are automatically updated when Chrome itself updates. View information about Flash in Chrome by visiting chrome://flash in the omnibox. Although you may have an increased need to manage Flash in Chrome, you will not have to update Flash independently. With Chrome 56, users still have the option to always allow Flash to run by visiting chrome://plugins/ in the omnibox. However, access to the plugins page is deprecated in Chrome 57.
Manage Flash in Content settings
To access Flash settings in Chrome, visit Content settings, chrome://settings/content in the omnibox. Scroll down to the Flash section. Select one of three Flash content settings.
Select Allow sites to run Flash if you do not want to see a prompt to run Flash for any website. Flash will run unprompted. Choose Detect and run important Flash content so the browser runs Flash for Flash content that is only central to the web page. Finally, Block sites from running Flash would be the choice to prevent any website from running Flash.
The safest bet may be to select Block sites from running Flash. Then use the exception list for specific Flash content sites that you trust and visit often. Click the Manage exceptions… button to add exceptions.
Input a hostname into the Hostname pattern field. Use the Behavior pull-down menu to select Allow, Detect content or Block, depending on your preference.
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