How to Download and Use Flash Players on Internet Explorer

Flash players make visiting the Internet more fun. In fact, without them the Internet would be a pretty boring place. Flash players enable you to view animations online and participate in interactive Web sites. It is hard to imagine viewing the Internet nowadays without the benefit of a Flash player. That would take you back to the early days of online activity when every Web page was plain black and white text. Most computers today come with Flash players already installed. However, if yours does not, do not despair! You can download Flash players on the Internet and use them with Internet Explorer.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet access
• Computer
• Internet Explorer Version 7

Learn to be Flashy

1. Sit down at your computer and open Internet Explorer. If it isn't already installed, visit the Microsoft Web site to download the latest version (see Resources below).
2. Visit the Internet Explorer Web site on the Internet.
3. Click on 'Get Add-Ons.'
4. Select 'Animation (Flash) Players' under the 'Entertainment' column.
5. Review the flash players in the list. Some of them will be free, while others will have a small cost associated with them.
6. Determine the flash player you want and click on 'Download Now.'
7. Click 'Install Now.' The flash player you selected will download to your computer automatically. If you selected a flash player that was not free, you will need to pay for it with your credit card before being able to install it.
8. Make use of your new flash player. Whenever you use Internet Explorer to go to Web sites that have interactive features or animation, your flash player will kick in to allow you to see and appreciate these features.

Tips & Warnings

• When the need for additional help with Internet Explorer arises, assistance is merely a click away at the Internet Explorer FAQs page (see Resources below).
• Internet Explorer 7 will run on computers using Windows XP, Vista or Server 2003 with a 233MHz processor or higher.
• Internet Explorer has a pretty thorough security package, but it lacks software to scan for viruses that may have attached themselves to your computer. Downloading a free virus scanner online or purchasing one in a store allows you to have one more weapon in your arsenal against Internet dangers.
• Downloading Flash players, as described by this guide, is done using Internet Explorer version 7. If you are running a prior version, you may need to upgrade your browser.