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How to disable protected mode feature for Adobe Flash Player in Firefox?

  • 2 replies
  • 30 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by John99

LelandH
LelandH
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jscher2000 Posted 12/8/13 10:34 AM Hi mtjensen5, Mozilla is working on a replacement for the Flash plugin (Shumway), but that won't be ready until some time next year and probably won't be perfect until, well, it might never be perfect. Until then, we're stuck with the plugin Adobe provides. The Flash Player's protected mode feature does have theoretical security benefits because it splits up Flash applications into separate compartments so that it is more difficult for a malicious Flash application to infect another one. But... on some systems this feature makes Firefox unusable on sites that use Flash, so if you want to keep using Firefox, and keep using Flash in Firefox, I don't think you have much choice but to disable the protected mode feature.

So, I want to know how to disable protected mode feature for Adobe Flash Player in Firefox? My computer is running on Windows XP.

jscher2000 Posted 12/8/13 10:34 AM Hi mtjensen5, Mozilla is working on a replacement for the Flash plugin (Shumway), but that won't be ready until some time next year and probably won't be perfect until, well, it might never be perfect. Until then, we're stuck with the plugin Adobe provides. The Flash Player's protected mode feature does have theoretical security benefits because it splits up Flash applications into separate compartments so that it is more difficult for a malicious Flash application to infect another one. But... on some systems this feature makes Firefox unusable on sites that use Flash, so if you want to keep using Firefox, and keep using Flash in Firefox, I don't think you have much choice but to disable the protected mode feature. So, I want to know how to disable protected mode feature for Adobe Flash Player in Firefox? My computer is running on Windows XP.

All Replies (2)

gnittala
gnittala
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Hello, is this what you are looking for?

Some problems with Flash video playback can be resolved by disabling hardware acceleration in your Flash Player settings. (See this article for more information on using the Flash plugin in Firefox).

To disable hardware acceleration in Flash Player:

  1. Go to this Adobe Flash Player Help page.
  2. Right-click on the Flash Player logo on that page.
  3. Click on Settings in the context menu. The Adobe Flash Player Settings screen will open.
  4. Click on the icon at the bottom-left of the Adobe Flash Player Settings window to open the Display panel.

    The image "fpSettings1.PNG" does not exist.
  5. Remove the check mark from Enable hardware acceleration.
  6. Click Close to close the Adobe Flash Player Settings Window.
  7. Restart Firefox.

This Flash Player Help - Display Settings page has more information on Flash Player hardware acceleration, if you're interested.

Thank you

John99
John99
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Hi LelandH

Firstly, Yes I understand what you have read however it is not a problem or an option on Windows XP.
Secondly it is well worth trying with disabling Hardware Acceleration (HA) in both Flash Player's and Firefox's settings. It is relatively quick and simple, and easily reversible.

Here are links to background information, including how to do this for users of Windows after Windows XP, so Vista, Windows 7 & Windows 8

I hope the above fully answers your initial question.

Presumably though you are having problems with Flash Player if so give more information and we will see what we can do.

Also see