Install Flash Plugin Manually in Firefox on Vista
So you installed Firefox on Windows Vista, but you can't seem to get the flash plugin to install… you click the "Install Missing Plugins" button, follow the wizard, restart Firefox, and it's still not installed. Annoying!
Instead of going through this repeatedly without any luck, you can simply install the plugin manually with a couple of steps.
Note that you can use this manual method to install any plugin, not just Flash.
Install Flash Plugin Manually on Vista
The first thing you'll need to do is manually download the plugin file. You should be able to right-click on this link and choose "Save Link As…" from the menu.
http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/xpi/current/flashplayer-win.xpi
Once you have the file downloaded, rename the file with a .zip extension:
You should be able to double-click on the file to open it up, since .xpi files are really just renamed .zip files.
Now you'll need to copy two files from that directory into one of two directories, depending on whether you want to install the plugin globally for all users, or just for your user account.
The two files you'll need to copy are these:
- flashplayer.xpt
- NPSWF32.dll
Install for All Users
Navigate down to the following path in Windows Explorer to find the Firefox installation directory:
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugins
Note that if you are running on 64-bit Vista the path will have (x86) like the next screenshot, or if you are using Portable Firefox you'll have to find your Firefox installation folder and navigate to the plugins directory there.
Now paste those two files that you extracted into this directory (You'll be prompted by UAC), restart Firefox and you are done.
Install for Your User Account Only
If you don't have administrator access to your machine, or you simply want to install for only your account, you can browse to the following path:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla
Once you are in that directory, create a new directory called Plugins if it doesn't already exist:
And then paste the two files into the Plugins directory. Restart Firefox, and you are done.
Verifying Installation
You can make sure that the plugin is loaded and turned on by typing about:plugins into the address bar:
Of course the simpler test would be to just load up whatever page you were on before you started troubleshooting. =)
I tried to install this plug-in to Firefox several times, but never could. Your solution worked perfectly. I only discovered this web site a few months ago. I've used a bunch of your "how-to's" and they've gotten the job done every time. Thanks guys. You're GREAT!
thanks for your help
Yea this drove me crazy till I figured it out. As always your site rocks. As I culled my RSS Toolbar in Firefox your site has become #1.
Cheers
I'm glad to know this helped somebody!
Sometimes I write these "troubleshooting" articles, not sure if they will help anybody. It's always good to know that it has =)
super! this problem had been bothering me for some time as i kept hearing that i should be using firefox. if i can make it work anyone should be able to figure it out (with your help, i mean). i too have made much use of your site and have learned a lot from you. thanks much
Why can't you just go here: http://www.adobe.com/shockwave.....kwaveFlash and install the file that way? Seems to work for me, and with just one click…
isn't this a little overcomplicated for a solution.
Firefox fails to autoinstall Flash because UAC blocks it. Run firefox as an Admin then try to install flash. Works for me everytime.
The same is also true for many other firefox plugins, like the active X plugin, which works but is really slow on some sites. I really don't understand why firefox doesn't just prompt for admin access like how it does in linux. It shouldn't be that hard to implement because as far as I've seen UAC is just a blatant rip off of gksudo.
Hahaha, this is great. Thanks a lot
Great! This worked perfectly! If you dont mind can I copy some bits (and I do seriously mean only some bits) of your post and post it on my blog? I shall re direct the users to this page if they want to read the full article.
>>Why can't you just go here: http://www.adobe.com/shockwave…..kwaveFlash and install the file that way? Seems to work for me, and with just one click…
Worked fine for me… and much simpler.
Btw, I tried the approach of installing flash plugin after running firefox as admin on vista, but no luck with that approach.
Awesome! Though im just a visitor it worked perfectly . Thanks for your help man!
Great, I've been annoyed for several months because Flash wouldn't work in Firefox even though I've installed it several times. But thanks to this solution it finally works!! Thanks!
Awesome dude,fantastic work. Im using a Japanese VAIO so I cant check things like to tell if Im running firefox in the administrator mode in the control panel tab etc so all work arounds are great especially this one. Man I wish I could shake your hand, I had net explorer funning flash and not firefox and I was going nuts. Thanks for your help man, RSS subscribed.
oh thank u sooooo much my flash wasnt workin now it is you guys are the best!!!!
Thanks so much. Just downloaded FF3 a couple of days ago and found that I couldn't get anything Flash-related to work due to lack of admin privileges, so this REALLY helped me out.
Cheers!
I can not do this. Whenever I download something in firefox, it opens the little download window, and downloads it, but I can not click open when complete (it is grayed out so that I can't click it). When I go to my downloads folder, there is nothing there, this has worked every time I try to download flash 9. Works in Internet explorer, but I am guessing there is some Vista security thing stopping me from being able to do it. Every time I am in Firefox and click on install missing plugin, and ty to do it manually, it doesnt work. It doesn't download the plugin automatically when I click on install either. Tried a lot of things to fix, but no luck.
Please Help!
Thanks
thanks a lot!
WOW! It works !!!! Thanks!
Thanks soooo much! Your rock! Wow! I have been working on this for a week!
Thanks again
Thank you so much for this fix. I have uninstalled and installed adobe flash too many times to count. This seems to have worked. This is my first visit to this website. You are definitely being added to my bookmarks.
Thanks so much - this fix was easy to find, easy to implement, and most importantly - EFFECTIVE! Much appreciated.
Good shot! I tried many times before googling for help. Thanks.
Works a treat, nice tutorial!
thank you SO much. fantastic!!!
You're a genius. Thank you very much!
GREAT!!! I was about to give up on Firefox as EVERY other site I tried to help me install Flash was hopeless-but this WORKED HURRAY!!!
Many Thanks xxx
Works perfectly!!! Thank you. I will spread the word.
Hey man, I've been struggling with this problem for days and just found your page. You're a real life-saver, thanks for the help!!!!!!
I've been trying to fix this since we got our new computer. Thank GOD it worked. Thanks for your help!
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
I bought a new computer with Windows Vista and it
was so frustrating trying to install the flash player
over and over for Firefox and have nothing happen
each time. Finally! Your instructions have brought
me into the promised land! Woo Hoo!
Your a legend!
Many thanks!!. Fellow writers often cite your solutions, and as usual you were right on! It worked seamlessly following your screen shots and instructions.
Out of curiosity, do you have an explanation for this problem?
I know some part of the explanation;
flash never really uninstalls anything well, especially when updating, and the flash install for firefox is
a little erratic. So the mixture of old installs lingering, and a
new install that doesn't really tell firefox what it needs to know causes the problem.
Very helpful tutorial.
good job
Thank you! Saved my time! For the without admin privileges tutorial!
Perfect. Thank you so much. I was going nuts.