How to use Adobe Flash after it was discontinued

Adobe Flash is officially dead, and that means you should stop using it. But what if you have to use it? How can I run .SWF files or play old online games? Here's what you need to know about running old Flash content.

Is Flash gone forever?

Flash has officially been discontinued. Flash has security issues and does not run on mobile platforms such as iPhone, iPad and Android. Modern websites have replaced Flash with a more modern web standard. In fact, Flash was the last browser plug-in to disappear, following in the footsteps of other plug-ins like Oracle Java, Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Shockwave, Apple QuickTime.

Official support for Flash ends on December 31, 2020. Adobe has removed download links for Flash from its website and will not update Flash with any security updates.

Adobe has even provided a shortcut button for Flash content. Starting January 12, 2021, recent versions of the Adobe Flash plugin will refuse to run Flash content.

While Adobe has done all it can to block Flash content from ever running again on the web, there are still some workarounds.

Warning: You really shouldn't run Flash

If you can avoid running Flash files, we strongly recommend that you give it up. If your job requires you to work on Flash files, I'm sorry, Flash will not return.

Is it possible to run old versions of Flash?

Adobe has removed all Flash-related download links from its official website. This means you can't even download the final version (released in December 2020) from an official source.

Additionally, Adobe has also integrated a 'self-destruct switch' into Flash from version 32.0.0.387 onwards. If you're using that version or later, Flash content will no longer run. For example, you'll see the message 'Adobe Flash Player is blocked' appear on web pages in Google Chrome.

To get web-hosted Flash content to run in your browser, you will need to use an outdated plugin version, probably 32.0.0.371. We cannot advise you to do this in good faith, especially given the security issues associated with Flash up until the day it was discontinued.

How to open .SWF files with the open source Flash Player tool

Flash uses the .SWF extension for exported content designed to be embedded on a web page. These files can also be opened on a computer using Adobe Flash Player, but this is no longer possible.

So what to do if you need to access an old .SWF file? A pretty good option is to use an 'old' version of Flash Player. Create a virtual machine, install Flash Player version 32.0.0.371 and a compatible browser, then import your .SWF files into the virtual machine.

A better option is to use the open source Flash Player emulator Ruffle. This free download is compatible with modern operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. Once installed, you just need to double-click the .SWF file, select open in Ruffle and you're done.

Similar to Ruffle, Lightspark is also another open source Flash player for Windows and Linux that can support all Flash formats. The project was recently updated in mid-2020, but currently only supports about 76% of Flash APIs.

How to watch FLV video files?

Online video sharing sites like YouTube used to operate on video players developed from Flash. These players could play videos in the Flash Video (.FLV) format until they were discontinued in favor of the MP4 format. Fortunately, Flash Video support has been common for many years, and therefore does not require Flash Player or an emulator.

You can use free media streaming apps like VLC or MPV to open FLV files the same way you would any other modern video file type.

What to do if your website has Flash content?

If you have Flash animation or video on your website, consider recording it as a video and uploading it. The easiest way to do this is to install the Flash Ruffle emulator, launch the .SWF file on your local computer, and record its content using screen recording software. Save videos in .FLV format to .MP4 format instead.

In case your website is built entirely in Flash, it may be time to think about creating a new website. If you want to keep certain content, Ruffle can help. This emulator uses a single line of JavaScript to automatically convert Flash content without requiring visitors to download it.

If you're having problems, make sure your web server is configured to serve .WASM (Web Assembly) files correctly. Remember that visitors will need to click the 'play' button for Ruffle to work.

How to run outdated Flash versions?

Note: We strongly recommend that you do not run outdated versions of Flash, except in unavoidable circumstances. They contain many security holes and there are no official, legal download sources anymore.

If you still have to install and use Flash, you should do it in a secure environment such as a virtual machine. Free applications like VirtualBox (and premium like VMWare) can create a virtualized environment without posing an immediate threat to your system.

First, set up a virtual machine and install the operating system of your choice (Windows is a safe choice). Then download and install a browser that's still compatible with Flash 32.0.0.371 (launched May 2020).

On the virtual machine that's been set up, launch the browser, install Flash (make sure automatic updates are turned off), and navigate to your Flash content. Depending on the configuration power of your system, you may encounter performance issues because the virtualization process consumes a lot of resources. Ideally, you should only use this outdated setup to access sites that are part of a closed intranet. If accessing the world wide web, avoid revealing any login information, payment details or any similar personal data.

Kareem Winters

Update 01 November 2023