This article is no longer maintained, so its content might be out of date.

Note: This article was written for an earlier version of Firefox. Starting in Firefox version 55, the Flash plugin is "click to play" by default. For more information, see the article This article was written for an earlier version of Firefox. Starting in Firefox version 55, the Flash plugin is "click to play" by default. For more information, see the article Why do I have to click to activate plugins?

Some websites use Adobe Flash to display content. However, attackers can also use the security flaws in Flash to run malicious sofware on your computer and gain access to your system.

One way to protect yourself is by disabling or removing Flash, but if your trusted websites require Flash, you can change your plugin settings so that Flash runs only when you click to activate it.

Here’s how to set Flash to run on demand:

Click the menu button , click Add-ons Add-ons Plugins . Look for Shockwave Flash on your list. Set it to Ask to Activate .

The next time you visit a website that requires Flash, click on the Activate Adobe Flash prompt to allow the plugin, if needed*:

When you click the prompt and allow the plugin, the missing content will load normally. If it doesn't, reload the page (click the reload button in the address bar) and try again.

*Before you activate Flash: Allow Flash only for trusted websites and content providers. Avoid activating Flash for ads or third-party content, or on sites you don't trust.