This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Can't install flash on new Windows 8 notebook

  • 5 replies
  • 6 have this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by philipp

more options

I can't decide which I hate more -- Windows 8 or the new FireFox, as I feel like I have never seen a computer before trying to do things that used to be automatic.

When I enter a site that wants to show a flash video, I see just a big black box, without the message that I need to install a plug-in.

When I go to the site to manually install flash (get.adobe.com/flashplayer), it says that java is not enabled. But Java is enabled (with the miserable ask before using "feature"). I have already clicked on the little globe on this site and chosen to allow java at this site. But it still says that java is not enabled.

Flash works fine in Internet Explorer.

I can't decide which I hate more -- Windows 8 or the new FireFox, as I feel like I have never seen a computer before trying to do things that used to be automatic. When I enter a site that wants to show a flash video, I see just a big black box, without the message that I need to install a plug-in. When I go to the site to manually install flash (get.adobe.com/flashplayer), it says that java is not enabled. But Java is enabled (with the miserable ask before using "feature"). I have already clicked on the little globe on this site and chosen to allow java at this site. But it still says that java is not enabled. Flash works fine in Internet Explorer.

Chosen solution

i don't know why that setting was changed originally, but you can turn it back to the default like this: enter about:config into the firefox address bar (confirm the info message in case it shows up) & search for the preference named javascript.enabled. double-click it and change its value to true...

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (5)

more options

hello, i don't think that flash needs java for downloading (maybe javascript - which is a different technology, but that will be enabled by default in firefox anyway unless you use an addon like noscript).

if you continue having issues installing it, try to obtain the flash offline installer directly from http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html (choose windows, Plugin-based browsers)

more options

Philip -- thank you. You are correct that it is JavaScript that is needed, not Java. When I go to the site you posted, it takes me back to the get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ site that tells me that JavaScript is currently disabled in my browser.

How do I enable JavaScript? I don't have any add-ons to disable it.


Thanks,

DEave

more options

could you go to firefox > help > troubleshooting information, copy the contents of that page and paste them here into a reply on the forum? this might give us a clue what is going on...

more options

I see that Javascript is not enabled. How do I enable it?


Reset Firefox to its default state

If you're having major problems which you can't resolve, start fresh with only your essential information.
Troubleshooting Information
This page contains technical information that might be useful when you're trying to solve a problem. If you are looking for answers to common questions about Firefox, check out our support website.

Application Basics
Name 	Firefox
Version 	26.0
Update History 	
User Agent 	Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; rv:26.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/26.0
Profile Folder 	
Enabled Plugins 	about:plugins
Build Configuration 	about:buildconfig
Crash Reports 	about:crashes
Memory Use 	about:memory
Extensions
Name 	Version 	Enabled 	ID
Adblock Plus	2.4	true	{d10d0bf8-f5b5-c8b4-a8b2-2b9879e08c5d}
Ant Video Downloader	2.4.7.15	true	anttoolbar@ant.com
DownloadHelper	4.9.21	true	{b9db16a4-6edc-47ec-a1f4-b86292ed211d}
Downloads Window	0.3.3	true	{a7213cf2-fa1e-4373-88ff-255d0abd3020}
Flash Video Downloader	4.0.8	true	artur.dubovoy@gmail.com
flv movies downloader	1.43	true	flvmoviesdownloader@rzll
Image Toolbar	0.6.14	true	{A4732521-77D9-447E-A557-B279AC923F06}
LastPass	2.0.20	true	support@lastpass.com
NetVideoHunter	1.15	true	netvideohunter@netvideohunter.com
Save Images	0.9.5	true	LDSI_plashcor@gmail.com
Show Picture	2.9	true	LDshowpicture_plashcor@gmail.com
CacheDownload	0.7.201310121020	false	cachedownload@phigDR.projects
Download Manager Tweak	0.9.8	false	{F8A55C97-3DB6-4961-A81D-0DE0080E53CB}
Flash and Video Download	1.46	false	{bee6eb20-01e0-ebd1-da83-080329fb9a3a}
Image Download Ⅱ	6.0.5	false	imagedownload@Merci.chao
Image Picker	1.8.1	false	ImagePicker@topolog.org
Test Pilot	1.2.3	false	testpilot@labs.mozilla.com
Important Modified Preferences
Name 	Value browser.cache.disk.capacity	358400
browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run	false
browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max	false
browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value	358400
browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion	4
browser.search.update	false
browser.sessionstore.max_tabs_undo	0
browser.sessionstore.max_windows_undo	0
browser.sessionstore.restore_on_demand	false
browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash	false
browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID	20131205075310
browser.startup.homepage	|http://my.yahoo.com/
browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID	20131205075310
browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone	26.0
browser.tabs.warnOnOpen	false
dom.mozApps.used	true
extensions.lastAppVersion	26.0
font.internaluseonly.changed	false
gfx.direct3d.last_used_feature_level_idx	0
javascript.enabled	false
network.cookie.prefsMigrated	true
places.database.lastMaintenance	1387765764
places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages	50679
plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types	application/pdf
plugin.importedState	true
plugin.state.java	2
privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs	true
storage.vacuum.last.index	1
storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite	1387680495
Graphics
Adapter Description	Intel(R) HD Graphics
Adapter Drivers	igdumdim32 igd10iumd32 igd10iumd32
Adapter RAM	Unknown
Device ID	0x0f31
Direct2D Enabled	true
DirectWrite Enabled	true (6.3.9600.16384)
Driver Date	8-28-2013
Driver Version	10.18.10.3286
GPU #2 Active	false
GPU Accelerated Windows	1/1 Direct3D 10
Vendor ID	0x8086
WebGL Renderer	Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Intel(R) HD Graphics Direct3D9Ex vs_3_0 ps_3_0)
windowLayerManagerRemote	false
AzureCanvasBackend	direct2d
AzureContentBackend	direct2d
AzureFallbackCanvasBackend	cairo
AzureSkiaAccelerated	0
JavaScript
Incremental GC 	true
Accessibility
Activated 	true
Prevent Accessibility 	0
Library Versions
	Expected minimum version	Version in use
NSPR	4.10.2	4.10.2
NSS	3.15.3.1 Basic ECC	3.15.3.1 Basic ECC
NSSSMIME	3.15.3.1 Basic ECC	3.15.3.1 Basic ECC
NSSSSL	3.15.3.1 Basic ECC	3.15.3.1 Basic ECC
NSSUTIL	3.15.3.1	3.15.3.1

Modified by cor-el

more options

Chosen Solution

i don't know why that setting was changed originally, but you can turn it back to the default like this: enter about:config into the firefox address bar (confirm the info message in case it shows up) & search for the preference named javascript.enabled. double-click it and change its value to true...