# Why isn't Flash working with Firefox? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268 "2014-11-10T20:25:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268/1 "2014-11-10T20:25:19Z")
[ul] [li]Dell Precision T3400, 4 GB RAM, Core 2 Duo CPU.[/li][li]Windows 7, 64 bit, with all the latest updates.[/li][li]Firefox 33.1, updated today.[/li][li]Shockwave Flash 15.0, updated two weeks ago.[/li][/ul] For some time now, including with earlier versions of Firefox, Flash has either not worked, or been quite spotty. This is most obvious with videos, like on Facebook or YouTube. Sometimes Flash will give me a crash error message, and suggest reloading the page. This never works. Sometimes it just doesn’t load. For a while, a few FF versions back, if I set Flash to activate only when I approved, it usually worked. That hasn’t been the case for the last few versions. If I copy and paste the URL to Internet Explorer, it works fine, without fail. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling Flash several times, with no joy. I use AdBlock Plus, but turning it off makes no difference. Please do not recommend using Chrome or IE. I want to use Firefox, and surely Flash is supposed to work with Firefox. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268/2 "2014-11-11T00:16:14Z")
I asked this very question a few days ago and received a very satisfying reply. Followed his advice, so far so good. > **[Shockwave Flash Player May Be Busy ??](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739934)** > > HELP !! “Shockwave Flash Player may be busy, or”…blah blah blah This recurring popup has been aggravating me for months if not years. Somebody on this board must know how to fix it once and for all. Win7, Firefox, and everything is up to date. ... ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268/3 "2014-11-11T02:44:47Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Why isn’t Flash working with Firefox? Because Batman was _prepared_. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268/4 "2014-11-11T02:52:00Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Because Batman was _prepared_. Haha I thought of something along the same lines. I was also going to say switch to Chrome, since that was the only thing I found that works. But this was good > **[Shockwave Flash Player May Be Busy ??](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739934)** > > HELP !! “Shockwave Flash Player may be busy, or”…blah blah blah This recurring popup has been aggravating me for months if not years. Somebody on this board must know how to fix it once and for all. Win7, Firefox, and everything is up to date. ... Also, Flashblock. Never browse with out it. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268/5 "2014-11-11T04:02:59Z")
So I’m curious, of the things to try I posted in that other thread, what ended up actually helping and what didn’t? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268/6 "2014-11-11T19:49:58Z")
Thanks **TreacherousCretin** and **Reply**. (I should have thought to search before posting. **TC** ’s post was remarkably similar to mine!) For me, **Reply** , I uninstalled Shockwave Flash and Adobe Flash, and manually reinstalled the latest Adobe Flash. I also set the browser to use HTML5 instead of Flash. Everything seems to be okay now, so I’m cautiously optimistic. Thanks all. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-flash-working-with-firefox/704268/7 "2014-11-11T20:23:32Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > So I’m curious, of the things to try I posted in that other thread, what ended up actually helping and what didn’t? I won’t list the reboots I did between some steps. 1. Shockwave didn’t appear in Programs and Features or Control Panel. Only place I found it was in Firefox Add-ons, with options for activation, nothing for removal. 2. (I added this step just because it seemed like a good idea.) Using Adobe’s directions and app, I did a complete uninstall of Adobe Flash Player. 2a) IF I remember correctly, I then found that “Shockwave Flash” was no longer showing in Foxfire Add-Ons. Gone. 1. Installed a fresh AFP, being careful as always to defuse the McAfee boobytrap. 2. Surprise! Adobe Flash Player Plug-In still didn’t appear in the Firefox add-ons, BUT “Shockwave Flash” was back, with the same release number as AFP (15.0.0.189). A couple of attempts to disable/work without it quickly generated pop-ups saying AFP and Shockwave are the same entity. Okay, fine. 3. I set Shockwave to always “Ask To Activate.” 4. Installed Flashblock 1.5.17, went to options and unselected “Block HTML5 videos as well” 5. Set YouTube to request HTML5 player, as per the link you provided. Smooth sailing so far. Adding a couple of extra clicks to view Flash videos has been vastly preferable to having Shockwave crash Firefox at least once daily. Thanks again for your tips and insights. Much appreciated.