[Travelinglady]

How do I unblock the adobe flash player, so I can play games again? I must have pressed "block" accidentally. Thanks!

[Quarter life]

Hmmm.........me doesn't know. But thought I would say Hi

[DocJohn]

Here's one article Google found that should help you:

5 Ways to Unblock Flash Player - wikiHow

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

How do I unblock the adobe flash player, so I can play games again? I must have pressed "block" accidentally. Thanks!

just wanted to let you know that it wasn't you that hit block.

it was the new windows update, that blocked it for you.

a while ago it was discovered that leaving adobe flash player unblocked leaves a persons computer at risk for hacking and other undesirable behaviors.

So Microsoft windows added a patch or command to their updates to automatically block adobe flash player, making it so that now people who have the adobe flash player has to make their own choice of whether they want to leave their computers unprotected by unblocking the flash player.

there are two options now. -

those that don't want to leave their computers unprotected can do a temporary unblock each use by clicking "unblock only once" which will automatically reblock adobe flash player after that one time use and a person has to click the unblock only once pop up for another use of it.

or a person can go into their computers settings and their browsers settings and unblock which can leave the computer open to hackers and other undesirables.

think of it like leaving an actual window in your home open. if you open it part way and not leave it open all the time you have less chance of the wrong people entering your home, but if you leave the window open 24/7 the odds of someone burgularizing and harming those in the house is higher.

Microsoft is aware that undesirables are using adobe flash products for their hacking and such, so they made it so that each person with a computer has to now make their own choice whether to leave their computers unprotected and for how long.

I left my adobe flash player blocked and prefer to do the required click for each use rather than leaving my computer open to hackers and such full time.

[Travelinglady]

Wow, that's scary. Thanks for explaining what happened. I didn't think it was my doing, but I couldn't think of another explanation.

[Travelinglady]

Okay, I unlocked it, played, and then locked it back. I got the following message : "Flash player will not be supported after December 2020."

Anyone know what that means?

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

Okay, I unlocked it, played, and then locked it back. I got the following message : "Flash player will not be supported after December 2020."

Anyone know what that means?

I don't have Windows, but I'm a software engineer...

When someone says a piece of software will no longer be supported, it almost always means that the software is no longer being developed or maintained, which in turn means the software is not guaranteed to work anymore because the developers are no longer fixing bugs and glitches. In very rare cases, the software is still being developed despite being unsupported, but despite development, it still isn’t guaranteed to work anymore.

So in the case of Adobe Flash Player, there's a 99% chance this means Adobe will stop fixing bugs and will stop making improvements. So, the software may run slower, you may encounter glitches/bugs, or it flat out may not work anymore, and no one will fix those problems. However, just because it isn't guaranteed to work doesn't mean it won't work. In fact, it probably will work for a while. I doubt it will suddenly stop working on Dec 2020. Though if a new version of Windows comes out, then I would start to wonder if it'd actually work anymore.

Hope that makes sense.

[FooZe]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

Okay, I unlocked it, played, and then locked it back. I got the following message : "Flash player will not be supported after December 2020."

Anyone know what that means?

What operating system are you using? Do you have any plans to upgrade to a newer one?

I've used different versions of Flash Player (or alternatives) on at least four computers by now, with Windows 98, XP, 7, and now 10. Each time, everything has worked fine at first. Then malware and other problems have apparently surfaced; Adobe, Firefox, Microsoft, etc., have worked on ways to limit the damage; and eventually a new version of Windows has come out that makes all the previous solutions obsolete. I still use my Windows 98 and Windows XP computers occasionally but only for local apps, not for going online or viewing videos.

In the last year or so, my Firefox (on Windows 7) has been balking more and more at showing some videos -- so much so, that when Firefox won't play something like a Rachel Maddow clip, I switch to Chrome temporarily to watch it. I don't even know for sure when Flash Player, specifically, is and isn't involved -- my impression is that similar problems follow all video players around.

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7 in January. I decided to beat the rush (?) by getting my new computer and Windows 10 a few days ago. Videos and animations seem to be working fine so far. Again, I don't know if Flash Player is even on my system but I'm assuming that at least by the time Adobe ends support for it, Microsoft will be providing ways to do without it.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by FooZe

What operating system are you using? Do you have any plans to upgrade to a newer one?

I've used different versions of Flash Player (or alternatives) on at least four computers by now, with Windows 98, XP, 7, and now 10. Each time, everything has worked fine at first. Then malware and other problems have apparently surfaced; Adobe, Firefox, Microsoft, etc., have worked on ways to limit the damage; and eventually a new version of Windows has come out that makes all the previous solutions obsolete. I still use my Windows 98 and Windows XP computers occasionally but only for local apps, not for going online or viewing videos.

In the last year or so, my Firefox (on Windows 7) has been balking more and more at showing some videos -- so much so, that when Firefox won't play something like a Rachel Maddow clip, I switch to Chrome temporarily to watch it. I don't even know for sure when Flash Player, specifically, is and isn't involved -- my impression is that similar problems follow all video players around.

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7 in January. I decided to beat the rush (?) by getting my new computer and Windows 10 a few days ago. Videos and animations seem to be working fine so far. Again, I don't know if Flash Player is even on my system but I'm assuming that at least by the time Adobe ends support for it, Microsoft will be providing ways to do without it.

just a heads up. Microsoft is not updating any of their windows programs under 10, this includes 7,8, xp, vista and others. they stopped updating these out of date operating systems right before windows 10 came out. everyone was sent a message and option to upgrade their computers for free when windows came out in July 2015. those that chose not to (pushed the opt out button ) got a message saying their computers and any software they had on their computers would eventually have problems and eventually would no longer word due to the windows programs that were now outdated and not being updated wont be receiving any patches / fixes or new components that keep computers and computer software working.

in other words your programs are not working because they are not receiving the necessary parts from windows to keep them "compatable" and working.

the problem with windows 10 happened to me. turned out I was turning off my devices/ laptops and computers, and I also did not set my settings as update at such and such a time. so when windows 10 tried to do their automatic updates they could not do so...

Windows 10 is supposed to be the last operating system that Microsoft is going to make. instead of making a new one every couple years they made 10 in a way that it will always work. anyone that has 10 and keeps their devices connected to their internet and wifi will receive updates that will continue to keep 10 working as it should as long as their settings show they want automatic updates and when the updates should be added to their devices.

reason I am saying this is a suggestion.... for those on windows 10 make sure your settings are set that you want updates and set your time. they update every 24 hours. I have mine set for the middle of the night so that I don't have to wait for it to happen nor interrupt me when I am trying to do things. because updating includes a series of restarting the computer/ laptops.

for those devices you have that are running on outdated window programs they will continue to have problems and eventually not work anymore. the fix is buying windows 10 at the Microsoft website or in any store that sells the program. or you can donate the outdated devices to a recycling plant who will update to windows 10 and resell the device.

not sure but its possible that Since its been 4 years since windows 10 came out and everyone was supposed to switch over to it then for free, now the free option may no longer available due to how many updates you may have already missed that have to be done after your change over to windows 10.