How to Install Flash Player in Tor Browser

Tor browser in one of the best way to access blocked websites easily in schools, colleges, and workplace. But if you started using Tor browser, then you came to know that it cannot play videos. This is because it doesn’t contain flash/Shockwave player in it.

When you visit any video sites like YouTube or any other flash-based sites you will be notified with an error message saying Install missing plugin. When you tried to install that plugin it still won’t play video. Wondering why it happens? and how to install flash player in tor browser? Before we go to this point let’s know what’s this Tor Browser is all about.

Tor Browser:

The first thing you should know about Tor Browser is, Tor is a free and open source for Windows, Mac, Linux/Unix, and Android. This browser is designed to protect your privacy. By default Tor browser doesn’t allow you to enable any plugins, this is because Plugins operate independently from Firefox and can perform an action on your computer that ruins your anonymity.   So they disable all plugin by default and never recommend to install any plugin in your tor browser. But if you don’t care about anonymity and just want to unblock a blocked site, then go ahead and install any plugins you want. But installing and enabling flash player in tor browser is little tricky. I will show you how to do that.

Installing Flash/Shockwave Player in Tor Browser:

Update (07-Jan-2014):

It looks like latest version (3.5)+ of Tor browser supports flash player without doing all the below steps. The only thing you need to do is install flash player on your Windows O.S, to verify installation follow 3rd step. Once you install flash player on your O.S, go and activate Flash Plugin on Tor browser by following 8th Step.

So to install flash player on your Tor Browser, you just need to follow 3rd and 8th Step in the below-given instructions.

1.  Download and install Tor Browser Bundle

Tip: Tor site blocked? then you can download Tor via email: log in to your Gmail account and mail gettor@gettor.torproject.org‘. If you include the word ‘help’ in the body of the email, it will reply with instructions.

2. Visit any Video streaming site like youtube.com you will see missing plugin alert. Install Flash player by clicking that alert.

missing plugin alert in tor

3.   Now locate where Flash player was installed on your computer. By default it will be installed in C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash open that directory. If you didn’t find in this folder, then you have not yet installed flash player on your Windows Operating System. So go and install the flash player software first on your PC by downloading flash player here.

flash player installation location on windows 8 os

4. Next, open the tor browser folder. In my case, I have installed in C:\Tor Browser.   Navigate to C:\Tor Browser\FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins

5. Copy all the flash files which you have seen in step 2 and paste it in the location “C:\Tor Browser\FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins” folder

6. Now launch your tor browser and click on Tor icon which is located behind the address bar. In the drop-down menu select the Preferences option

select preferences option in tor browser

7. Now in the Pop up menu select the Security Settings tab and uncheck Disable browser plugins (such as Flash) option and click ok

security settings in tor browser

8.   Now we have to enable Flash player plugin in tor browser. To do that, click on the TorBrowser drop-down menu at top left corner and select Add-ons options (or) press Ctrl+Shift+A

enable flash player add-ons in tor browser

9. Next, in that plugin list you will see Shockwave Flash Now click Enable button and Restart Tor Browser.

That’s it. Now you have successfully installed Flash Player plugin on our tor browser to play video. Now open any flash based sites like youtube and start watching videos. But it doesn’t play video directly. Every time you open the video you will see a message saying “click here to activate the adobe flash plugin” click on that message to start playing video.

click here to activate the adobe flash plugin in tor browser

 

 

49 thoughts on “How to Install Flash Player in Tor Browser”

    1. Yes-Just tested. Tor 3.5 have changed folder structure. I tried to find that folder but I didn’t get that.

      For me it looks like latest Tor comes with Flash/Shockwave plugin you just need to enable it. Try once. I tested in 2 PC, in all those I got Flash player without doing anything.

      If nothing works then you can try downloading Tor browser 2.3.25-4 version to follow this guide and then update to latest version if you want.

  1. I can uncheck the enable flash box in preferences. It unchecks then I press ok, if I go back into preferences its still checked. What should I do?

  2. I have the same issue as Bob. Enable the flash plugin by clearing the checkbox in preferences doesn’t do anything. Also after a browser restart, it gets selected again ( thus plugins remain disabled) I thoroughly checked the folder structure – before and after- I don’t see any Flash related file as far I can tell. Tor version 2.x works fine, but I do want to use the latest version.
    Any news on this ?

  3. Hello dude, good info, one question, do you know how to install Silverlight on Tor?

    Thank you for your response.

  4. hi arun,
    actualy in my company block the movie sites.I tried to use as per u r suggestion,but after the buffering is showing IP incorrect msg.pls help me.

  5. ERROR IS
    !doctype html> html> head> style> !– a:link { color: #000000 }a:visited { color: #000000 }a:hover { color: #000000 }a:active { color: #000000 } –> /style> script> !– function ){var d this,f function a){var b typeof a;if “object” b)if a){if a instanceof Array)return”array”;if a instanceof Object)return b;var c Object.prototype.toString.call a);if “[object Window]” c)return”object”;if “[object Array]” c||”number” typeof a.length&&”undefined”! typeof a.splice&&”undefined”! typeof a.propertyIsEnumerable&&!a.propertyIsEnumerable “splice”))return”array”;if “[object Function]” c||”undefined”! typeof a.call&&”undefined”! typeof a.propertyIsEnumerable&&!a.propertyIsEnumerable “call”))return”function”}

  6. Thank you so much, even a total dummy in technical stuff like me managed to run Flash in Tor, very helpful instruction 🙂

  7. Does anyone know what folder to paste these files into now that the TOR file structure has all changed with the recent update?

      1. No that still doesn’t work my friend. It’s very frustrating because the site I am trying to access used to work perfectly in TOR with Firefox…..now I just keep getting the “Video Format or MIME Type is not Supported” error 🙁

    1. This is what happens when it goes mainstream… Whats the fucking point with Tor if u gonna run flashplugin, shockwave etc? Geez!

    1. First install Flash software for windows Operating system… you can confirm installation by visiting below path.

      C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash

      Now try restarting your Tor browser and see video plays or not. If not.. try to Active Flash Plugin on Tor by following 8th Step.

      Let me know the result.

      1. So, my Tor version don’t giving me Flash player option !
        Please give me download URL of your Tor version ” with integratedFlash player !
        Thanks in advance !

        1. Please download latest version of TOR browser and check once..If it still didn’t show, then try installing Flash player on your Operating System and then Try again.

  8. I’ll be completely honest. I’m trying to watch porn on Tor because my buddy activated a dns restriction. I’m using the browser, but everytime I try to play an animation or something it says “embed failed! you need a flash player.” I have shockwave, but apparently this doesn’t suffice.

    1. If its not working for certain video then the problem could be from the website. For example, the video link which you given in comment I cannot able to view because that site/video is restricted to only few countries.

      Tor browser acts like a proxy sites. Means, every time you open it connected from different internet/country (not your Home IP/country IP) and that site might be blocking that country for viewing video. So the URL might be blocking that country to view your video.

  9. Here is how I manage (sorry for my approximation !) :
    I put all flash files in that directory : \Desktop\Tor Browser\Browser\TorBrowser\Data\Browser\profile.default\extensions
    Lauch Tor Browser
    Go to Plugins manager
    Then, to Extensions (or plugins ?).
    Open options of “Torbuttons”
    Unselect the last option, something like “Modify details that distinguish you from other tor browser users”.

    Relaod your page.

    That’s done 🙂

  10. For my last post : another way to go to the option to uncheck :
    Go to Parameters of confidentiality and security from the onion button and find there the option to uncheck 🙂

    1. You just need to follow the 3rd and 8th step in this article. If you don’t find 3rd step location, then first install flash software on your Windows PC.

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