Everyone knows that after the first installation Windows operating systems contain only basic sets of the most necessary software and only from Microsoft. That is why it is always necessary to install additional applications and additions to already installed programs. A special place here is allocated to special plugins that integrate into web browsers. Next, we will focus on how to update the Adobe Flash Player plugin, and also briefly consider the basic general techniques for other software. And to begin with, we’ll give a brief theoretical information that will help to understand the general methods used to find and install the necessary updates.
Updating plugins: general principles of actions
Let's start, perhaps, just with the general principles of updating any software presented in the form of special extensions / add-ons integrated into the environment of Internet browsers. There are only two options for updating: either the update is installed automatically without user intervention, which usually requires only consent or confirmation, or we update the plugins manually. Just a manual update is provided for a flash player from Adobe, which must be present in browsers (initially this add-on is available only in some, but not all, versions of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox).
What is the Adobe Flash Player plugin?
Before we deal with the update processes, let's figure out what this plugin is in general and what it is for. The player itself, despite the name, is not a player, because it does not even have its own interface and does not open in a separate window, but only provides its modules to browsers or some other programs as a means of playing multimedia content (audio, video, animation) .
At the same time, activation of the plug-in by the user is not required (unless only if it is manually turned on in the settings). And in the automatic playback of the contents of the web page, and in the case of a start made directly by the user, playback starts immediately, and the player modules work in the background (the content is played directly in the browser window without using an external player).
However, the developers of this plugin with enviable constancy release newer and newer updates for it. And this system is built so that when a new version appears, an outdated plugin can only be updated in manual mode. But the saddest thing is that, unlike other add-ons, the old modifications of which can work without the obligatory installation of an update, the flash player refuses to function (this immediately becomes noticeable due to the impossibility of activating playback or the appearance of errors with the corresponding messages).
How to update the Adobe Flash Player plugin?
Now let's touch directly on the installation of updates, which is absolutely no different from the initial installation of the add-on. You can upgrade the plugin for free to the latest version by first downloading the installation file from the official website of the developer.
However, before downloading the main file, it is strongly recommended that you pay attention to special offers for installing affiliate software (the offer is automatically checked with a tick in the middle of the window). If at this stage everything is left unchanged, then do not be surprised that another antivirus will appear on the computer, or another browser will be installed, which will be used by default.
But we were distracted. So, we update plugins. In the case of a flash player, it all comes down to running the downloaded installer executable file as administrator with closed browsers (both conditions are mandatory). We follow the instructions of the installer and wait for the end of the process.
Upon completion, the pre-downloaded installation file will be deleted automatically.
How to update if the process is blocked or throws errors?
But what if we update the plugins and the file download or installation is blocked or gives errors?
In this case, to bypass the lock, the easiest solution would be to use a VPN client in the browser that replaces the real external IP address of the user computer. In case of errors, it is recommended first to remove the old version of the plugin manually, using the Control Panel programs and components section or uninstall programs like iObit Uninstaller, and then perform the installation again.
A few words in the end
It remains to add that many users are interested in the issue of managing startup of the update client, which is constantly “hanging” in the corresponding section. There is nothing wrong with turning it off. Even provided that he will not monitor the appearance of new versions of the flash player, it will be possible to find out about the need to update it when it will be impossible to play multimedia, or a warning will be issued on the site containing such materials.