Pop up error messages like adobe flash couldn’t load plugin is not uncommon in Chrome. This issue is more frequent with Adobe Flash Player and occurs if there is some kind of internal error with Google Chrome.
Plugins are important if not absolutely necessary for a customized and better experience in Chrome. And when a plugin can’t be installed, it means you’ll miss on the features of that plugin.
This error mostly occurs due to corrupt system files. Or, sometimes an outdated Google Chrome browser can also result in this error. Further, if the data inside the ‘PepperFlash’ folder somehow gets corrupted, then you can face this issue.
Moreover, if the plugins of the Adobe Flash Player is not always on, even then this problem can crop up.
Methods to Fix ‘Couldn’t Load Plugin’ Error on Chrome
In this section, you will get to learn the fixes that’ll help you to easily rectify the error ‘couldn’t load the plugin of the Adobe Flash Player’ on the Chrome browser.
Remove the Folder PepperFlash
If the data present inside the ‘PepperFlash’ folder gets corrupted, then you might encounter this problem. Now, the best answer to get rid of this problem is to delete all the contents within the ‘PepperFlash’ directory. In order to do that, follow the steps below.
- First, if the Google Chrome web browser is open, then quit the application.
- Next, press the keys ‘Windows + R’, to open a new dialog box having the name ‘Run’.
- Inside that dialog box, type the text “%localappdata%” in the blank area, beside the label ‘Open:’ and then hit the ‘Enter’ button.
- As soon as you do that, a new window will come up, in it, locate and double-click on ‘GoogleChromeUser Data’. Next, inside that folder, find ‘PepperFlash’ and right-click on it.
- Now, from the popup menu, choose the ‘Delete’ option to remove this folder from the PC.
- Open the Chrome browser and then in the URL bar, enter the following address – “chrome://components” and then press the ‘Enter’ button.
- Now, a new page with all the components will come up. From that page, locate the component “pepper_flash”, then tap on the ‘Check for updates’ button.
- At last, close and restart the Chrome browser then see if this error is fixed.
Execute both the SFC and DISM built-in Tools
If the system files present within the computer are corrupted somehow, then you can encounter this error. Now, the best answer to resolve this problem is to run the two built-in tools known as SFC and DISM.
The SFC or System File Checker is a tool that is built into the Windows OS, which scans the computer for any corrupt system files and then repairs them with the cached copy. The Deployment Image Servicing and Management or DISM is another in-built tool that can be used to modify and repair the image files of the Windows OS.
- First, press the ‘Cortana’ logo on the taskbar, to open the default the Windows Operating Search section.
- Inside that search section, input the text – “command prompt” on the empty area and then from the result of that search, locate and right-click on the ‘Command Prompt’ option.
- Next, from the popup menu that comes up, choose the ‘Run as administrator’ option. As soon as you click on that, a new window with the name ‘Command Prompt’ will come up.
- Within that window, type the command “sfc /scannow” and then press the ‘Enter’ button to execute the same. Wait for this command to execute completely.
- Now, input the following three commands one after another – “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth”, “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth”, “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” and then press the ‘Enter’ key after each of them.
- Wait for all the three commands to execute fully. Once the execution is complete, close the ‘Command Prompt’ window.
- Finally, restart the computer, open the Chrome browser and check if this issue comes up or not.
Stop the Shockwave Flash from the Google Chrome Browser
Sometimes, if the ‘Shockwave Flash’ plugin is active, then you can face this problem. The most feasible answer to resolve this issue is to stop the ‘Shockwave Flash’ plugin from the Chrome browser. For that to happen, follow the steps below.
- First, open the Chrome browser and then from the top right corner of the window, click the ‘three vertical dots’. This action will open the drop-down menu with several setting options.
- Out of those options, find and highlight the option ‘More tools’. After that, from the sub-menu select the ‘Task Manager’ option.
- When you click on that option, a new dialog box with the title “Task Manager-Google Chrome” will come up.
- Inside that dialog box, there will be a list of all the currently running processes within the browser.
- Among those processes, locate and choose the one that says ‘Plugin: Shockwave Flash’ and then select the ‘End process’ button.
- Lastly, if you see the error message “Shockwave Flash has crashed” when you attempt to run a flash content, hit the ‘Reload’ button.
Disable the PPAPI Flash Extension
If the plugin PPAPI Flash is enabled within the Google Chrome browser, then you might get the ‘Adobe Flash couldn’t load plugin’ error. Therefore, the right answer to resolve this issue is to deactivate the “PPAPI Flash” plugin. To do that, follow the steps below.
- First, launch the Chrome browser, then on the URL bar, input the address – “chrome://extensions” and press the ‘Enter’ key.
- This action will open up a new page that lists all the extensions of the Chrome browser. From that list, locate and choose the ‘Adobe Flash Player’ plugin, then click on the ‘Details’ button.
- Now, find the ‘PPAPI Flash’ version and then tap on the ‘Disable’ button.
- Once the PPAPI Flash plugin has been deactivated, next restart the Chrome browser and check if this issue is still present or not.
Inspect the Settings of Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit
If the ‘Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit’ is not configured in a proper way, even then you can face this problem. The correct solution to resolve this problem is to check the configuration of the ‘Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit’.
The EME Toolkit is a utility that prevents any vulnerabilities within an application from being exploited For that to happen, follow the steps below.
- First, locate and then open the ‘Enhanced Mitigation Toolkit’ folder. Next, from that folder, find the ‘EMT’ application and double-click on it to run the same.
- Once the ‘EMT’ software opens up, tap on the ‘Configure apps’ button. Now, a list of applications will be presented on a new page.
- Inside that page, from the list, locate and choose the ‘Chrome.exe’ option. After that, beside the option ‘Chrome.exe’ remove the tick mark from the ‘SEHOP’ sub-option.
- Next, tap on the ‘OK’ button and then quit the ‘EMT’ directory.
- At last, launch the Google Chrome browser and check whether this problem has been resolved or not.
Remove and Reinstall the Chrome Browser
If none of the methods provided above can solve this error, then as a last solution all you can do is remove and then install the Chrome browser once again. The steps to do it are as follows:
- First, tap on the ‘Windows + I’ keys together to open a new window having the name ‘Windows Settings’.
- Inside that window, select the ‘Apps’ settings category and then from the new page, go to the left pane and choose the ‘Apps and Features’ option.
- Now, go to the right pane of that page and then from the list of installed applications, locate and choose the ‘Chrome’ option. After that, choose the ‘Uninstall’ button to remove the ‘Chrome’ application from the machine.
- Once the removal process is complete, restart the computer.
- Finally, visit the official website of the Google Chrome browser then download and install the software into the computer.
