Download both Flash and Shockwave player.
http://get.adobe.com/shockwave
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer

Goto - File > Quit
Install the flash and Shockwave player and check it out
www.mozilla.org/plugincheck

I tried installing Shockwave, and following your instructions, but it still says that I need to update it... :/

Yeah, checked everything, Shockwave said the installation was fine, and the "tests" that they have on there are saying that everything is up and running (I even turned my laptop off and then back on), so I don't know why it isn't registering...

Are you running in safemode

I don't know if I am. How can I tell if I am running on safemode, and how would that affect what is happening?

Try the Firefox Safe Mode to see how it works there. The Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.

(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)

• You can open the Firefox 4.0+ Safe Mode by holding the Shift key when you use the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
• Or use the Help menu item and click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled... menu item while Firefox is running.

Don't select anything right now, just use "'Start in Safe Mode" To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before using the Firefox shortcut (without the Shift key) to open it again. If it is good in the Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one.

Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article for that.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.

Tried the "Start in Safe Mode" suggestion, and again, nothing is solved. It STILL shows/says that I need to update what it says I need to update.

Let me reiterate: 1) Both Flash and Shockwave are saying that the programs are running, and the installations gave me no error messages. 2) As I said before, everything on the sites I visit are working as they should.

Certain Firefox problems can be solved by performing a Clean reinstall. This means you remove Firefox and any leftover program files and then reinstall Firefox. Please follow these steps one by one:

1. Download the latest Desktop version of Firefox from http://www.mozilla.org and save the setup file to your computer.
2. After the download finishes, close all Firefox windows (click Exit from the Firefox or File menu) and confirm all upcoming messages.
3. Now, uninstall Firefox by following the steps mentioned in the Uninstall Firefox article.

IMPORTANT: On Windows, the uninstaller has the option to remove your personal data and settings. Make sure that you do not check this option; otherwise all of your bookmarks, passwords, extensions, user customizations and other Firefox user profile data will be removed from your computer.

After uninstalling Firefox on Windows, delete the "Mozilla Firefox" program folder, located by default in one of these locations:

• (On 32-bit Windows) C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
• (On 64-bit Windows) C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox

1. Go to the Windows Start menu and click on "Computer".
2. In the Explorer window that opens, double click Local Disk (C:) to open the C:\ drive.
3. Find the "Program Files (x86)" folder or "Program Files" folder.
   • On 32-bit Windows, double-click the Program Files folder to open it.
   • On 64-bit Windows, you will see a "Program Files (x86)" folder AND a "Program Files" folder. Open the Program Files (x86) folder.
4. Look for a Mozilla Firefox folder. If you find one, right-click it and select Delete and confirm that you want to move the folder to the Recycle Bin.

Now, go ahead and reinstall Firefox:

1. Double-click the downloaded installation file and go through the steps of the installation wizard.
2. Once the wizard is finished, choose to directly open Firefox after clicking the Finish button.

Please report back to see if this helped you!

im having a similar problem. if i go to the plugincheck url it tells me im using an outdated version of flash. if i go to flash about it tells me im using 11,5,502,135 and that the lastest version for firefox is 11.5.502.135. so according to adobe i am using the latest version. i tried following the uninstall flash procedures and then downloaded the standalone installer but it says the same thing. seems to me like the plugincheck site is wrong.

edit: just updated flash on another computer and same thing. its definitely a problem with the plugincheck site.

• http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
• You have version 11,5,502,135 installed
• Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera (and other plugin-based browsers) 11.5.502.135

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/plugincheck/
• Shockwave Flash
• Shockwave Flash 11.5 r502 Outdated Version

Tried that, and nope, like all the other solutions you've proposed, it's not solved anything. The plugin check still says that I need to update...

...sigh...

The Plugin Check page needs updating to detect the new version 11.5.502.135. I have reported that problem.

In Add-ons > Plugins you should see Shockwave Flash 11.5.502.135. If you see that and everything works on Flash sites (i.e., Youtube), then everything is OK. You can also check your installed version at http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/155/tn_15507.html . If you have IE installed, also be sure to update it. You can obtain both installers to save to your hard drive, then close all browsers and run the installer(s) at https://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html . Download the .EXE versions for both IE and Plug-in based browsers (Firefox and other).

You do not need to install Shockwave Player if it was not already on your system; Flash (aka Shockwave Flash) is a completely separate and non-related application from Adobe. It shows as Shockwave for Director (version) in Add-ons > Plugins. If you wish and you do not need Shockwave Player, you can uninstall via Windows Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs (or Programs and Features).

Months after your question, I'm still having this problem, with FF20 and the latest version of FP. I download it and install it - seems to dl and install properly. But if I click on the icon in Apps, I get the Install app. FP doesn't show up in my FF list of plug-ins/extensions. When I go to a site requiring FP, I'm told I have to dl and install it. Which I've done. Like three times tonight. And because I'm getting multiple copies of the icon with the curvy arrow (disk image?), I finally just went to Adobe and got the uninstall and uninstalled it, then restarted my computer. Guess what? I still can't get it to work. It's the same old story as before. FP is simply not there, though the disk image (?) is in my apps; but if I click on it I again get the Install app. And the sites still tell me I don't have it and have to install it. I've gone round in circles enough. Is this thing ever going to work?

And note: I see no way to post a question on this site. Mozilla requires me to click on one of their categories, none of which have anything to do with my problem, which is Flash Player in FF 20. So I'm left to reply to somebody else's similar question posted 5 months ago. This is not a user-friendly site.

roughbeast:

You are posting in a thread that is almost 5 months old.

To post a new question, log-in to the forum, click on "Ask A Question" at the top of the page, above and to the right of the words "Mozilla Support", and follow the prompts.

There are 2 versions of Flashplayer; one for IE (ActiveX) and one for most other browsers (Plugin). On a Windows system with IE installed, you should always update both.

• Download, save to hard drive, close all browsers, run the installer you downloaded. The currently supported versions of Flashplayer can be downloaded from (download both .EXE installers for Windows) - http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html
• Also see:
  • https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-flash-plugin-view-videos-animations-games
  • https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/keep-flash-up-to-date-and-troubleshoot-problems

Thanks. I was aware of the age of this thread but didn't know what else to do. I'll try your advice.

As for Flashplayer, I have Firefox 20 and OS X 10.6.8. And no matter how many times I've downloaded and installed Flash - successfully, it's telling me (it lies!) - it doesn't show up in my FF add-ons, and though the icon with the curved arrow appears in my Apps, clicking on it gets only the Install app. After downloading, I've tried both opening it and saving it to HD, with no effect.

I did start a new thread here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/958462