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How do I disable the new feature that disables outdated plugins unless they are clicked?

  • 33 replies
  • 19 have this problem
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  • Last reply by contamine

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I'm running Adobe Acrobat 8. I'm happy with it. Firefox has a new feature that automatically disables the PDF plugin unless it's clicked. It's called the "Click to Play" feature. Even when disabled, it's not really disabled: it activates itself for "vulnerable plugins." Though there is an option to make a website trusted for plugins, there is seemingly no way to make the PLUGIN ITSELF trusted. As a result, every time I get a PDF, I have to Click to Play.

Question: How do I truly disable this stupid new feature?

There is the following support article that explains this new system, and that the only solution is trust a website, but apparently can't disable the feature or trust the plugin:

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/why-do-i-have-click-activate-plugins?esab=a&s=disable+click+to+play&r=13&as=s

I'm running Adobe Acrobat 8. I'm happy with it. Firefox has a new feature that automatically disables the PDF plugin unless it's clicked. It's called the "Click to Play" feature. Even when disabled, it's not really disabled: it activates itself for "vulnerable plugins." Though there is an option to make a website trusted for plugins, there is seemingly no way to make the PLUGIN ITSELF trusted. As a result, every time I get a PDF, I have to Click to Play. Question: How do I truly disable this stupid new feature? There is the following support article that explains this new system, and that the only solution is trust a website, but apparently can't disable the feature or trust the plugin: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/why-do-i-have-click-activate-plugins?esab=a&s=disable+click+to+play&r=13&as=s

All Replies (20)

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The best solution is to update Adobe Reader to version 11. Adobe 8 is VERY out of date, and vulnerable t lots of critical security holes (Infected PDF's are one of the most common ways a virus get's spread on the web). If you update, then you won't have to see that message again. I know it will take a few minutes of work now, but that's better than days or work and money when (not if, when) you get infected because of an older PDF reader.

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(note that this is not about the Adobe Reader, but the Adobe Acrobat 8 program)

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So, if I want to keep using my Acrobat 8 Pro without this reminder every single time I open a PDF, I have to either return to a version of Firefox from a month ago that didn't have this feature, or switch to Chrome? There's really no way to disable this new Firefox feature? This mandatory Click to Play thing is something I'd expect from IE, not Firefox. It reminds me of the Mac vs PC commercial (and I love PCs) where Vista's bodyguard, mimicking User Access Control, says: "You are coming to a sad realization: cancel or allow." Only, in this case, it can't even be turned off. It's the Firefox goon. I'll give it a couple of weeks; I'm sure the Mozilla team will come through and allow this thing to be disabled.

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Can't you enable that plugin permanently on the Tools > Add-ons > Plugins page?

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Click to Play has nothing to do with Firefox disabling plugins due to the plugin being out of date. As corel mentioned, enable the plugin in Addons > Plugins and it will stay enabled.

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The question was still not answered. How can the click-to-play "feature" be 100% disabled? No more lectures about security risks are needed as everyone here understands that this is inadvisable. The original poster, myself, and every other person asking this question that has been ignored so far just want an answer, free of the high and mighty "omg security risk!" attitude.

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disable the outdated adobe pro pdf plugin in firefox > addons > plugins & install the current adobe reader in order to view pdfs embedded in the browser safely & without click-to-play interfering or use the pdf viewer addon: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/pdfjs

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Your comment is useless.

The question is how to disable click-to-run, not how to disable out of date plugins. You obviously have not read the thread, my post, or the original posters post.

How can you disable click to run? The question will keep being asked until it is answered.

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well, even that's not the answer you want to hear, it's not possible to selectively switch off ctp for outdated plugins. you can only disable the blocklisting functionality in firefox altogether which will have further repercussions though & remove the protection from malicious extensions and graphics drivers which are known to crash the browser...

i can only assume that the reason to switch off click-to-play in this case is for convenience purposes - and since the OP stated that he is having the issue with adobe 8 pro it is very easy to circumvent by installing a up-to-date reader version next to the old acrobat pro & letting it to the job of displaying pdfs inside the browser.

outdated plugins are the #1 infection vector on the web nowadays & in this case you should definitely make security a higher priority than convenience.

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I have never gotten infected from web browsing. Besides, if I was really worried about viruses, etc. I wouldn't be using Windows. I'm not asking about selectively switching off CTP for outdated plugins. I'm asking about switching off CTP *ENTIRELY*. I think it's a stupid system, but I know it was put in place with good intentions. I'm not trying to have a debate about CTP. It's a pretty simple question really; how can I turn it off? What you or anybody else thinks about CTP is 100% irrelevant and beside the point. How can it be turned off completely?

Surely there is a way to turn off the CTP function without completely disabling blacklisting. If there isn't, then that's crazy, but I still want to turn of CTP whatever it takes. Like I said I've never had my browser or my PC infected from web browsing with Firefox and I'd rather have any and all security "features" turned off if they massively interfere with the usability of the web browser.

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there is no way to turn off ctp for outdated plugins at the moment - the only option regarding ctp in about:config (plugins.click_to_play) let's you turn it on for all other plugins too, but you obviously wouldn't want that. the future default setting in firefox will be that all plugin content, except the current version of adobe flash player, will only be executed on a per demand basis btw...

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I'd better buy some Google shares. I predict an exodus to Chrome.

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So Mozilla is becoming more and more like Microsoft and Apple.....

I have been using firefox since the days of Pheonix and it was fast, small and agile. It has now become its father - everything it was trying not to be.

This is the latest example of many where so called geeks ( and I am one too) decide on what is best for me! Apple do it exactly with their iTunes - controlling and determining what is good for me. I think I am old enough and brave enough to make my own choices and more importantly ACCEPT those choices and consequences!

To have a feature imposed, with no choice is just big brother! I want the facility to be able to permanently accept a plugin and not have to do it every time. THIS IS MY CHOICE. What give you the right to determine what it good for me....If I want to use an old plugin, well let me.

Like others, I think I will exercise my freedom of choice an switch to another browser.....

Ironically in this case Microsoft IE lets me use the plugin :-D

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In about:config, set extensions.blocklist.enabled to false

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But that disables all, which I do not want. I just want to accept an individual plugin

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I have the same problem with Adobe Flash player. Firefox is de-activating this plugin because it is out of date. The reason I use this out of date Flash player is that current up to date versions cause my audio and video to be OUT OF SYNC and there's no fixing it. Adobe is aware of this and recommends using the older version

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hello navydisposaleer, you can use the latest version of the 10.3 branch of the plugin instead, which has received all security updates and isn't flagged as insecure: http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

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Unfortunately, trying to install Version 10.3 can't be done. The install feature says it's an outdated version and the newer version must be installed.

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