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I like to play some downloaded Shockwave Flash (.SWF) files without opening my internet browser. Sometime ago, I remember I could do it just double clicking on the SWF item. Then it was opening in a plain Shockwave window. Now XP won't play ball. I tried Folder Options > File types but couldn't find the associated player exe. How can I surpass this?

Edit: There has to be some way to do this without a 3rd party software since I can already play SWFs on my browsers.

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Drag and drop into Internet Explorer ? –  Sathya Feb 8 '10 at 18:35
That's not the way I want. I want it to open in a plain Shockwave player window as I have stated within my question. –  Mehper C. Palavuzlar Feb 8 '10 at 19:36

8 Answers 8

up vote 4 down vote accepted

Update: You can use either the Windows Flash Player 13 Projector or the Flash Player 13 ActiveX control content debugger for IE, as suggested by Name and Doktoro Reichard.

Macromedia also used to have a standalone Shockwave/Flash player that they marketed as a gaming platform, but the last time I used it was probably around 2000, long before Adobe acquired Macromedia. I've tried finding it again several times over the past several years, but haven't had any luck. It seems to have been discontinued. Maybe if you spend enough time digging through the WayBackMachine, you'll find some reference to it, and can look it up by the exact product name.

If the above-mentioned solutions are discontinued, here's one more standalone SWF player to add to the list: http://www.standaloneflashplayer.com (direct download link)

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If you have the Flash authoring software installed you get a stand alone flash player with this. Here are downloads, it looks like you can download a stand alone Flash Player here, not sure of this requires the authoring tool to already be installed: adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html Here are archived versions of old Flash Players for testing: kb2.adobe.com/cps/142/tn_14266.html –  bpartch Feb 8 '10 at 21:01
The accepted answer mentions the existence of a standalone Shockwave/Flash player made by Macromedia. I searched around for it and found this (Download link). It seems to be the Flash Player 13 ActiveX control content debugger (for IE), as stated on here. –  user317600 Apr 23 at 1:08
@Name thanks for the link; I've added it to the answer. –  rob Apr 23 at 17:26
rob, I would also like to tell you that your first paragraph may be out of date, seeing as the Adobe Projector seems to be the offline Flash Player (as also stated on another answer). I was the one that edited Name's answer, which was apparently moved to comment. –  Doktoro Reichard May 20 at 19:11
@DoktoroReichard Thanks! I've updated my answer. –  rob May 20 at 20:22

IrfanView plays SWF files, if you install the plugins package.

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Media Player Classic plays SWF just fine (MPC is included in the XP Codec Pack).

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You can do this easily by going to adobe: http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html and then look for "Projector" that you can download as an EXE. This exe is essentially that standalone player that you're looking for.

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The wonderful VLC media Player will play .flvs also. :)

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I just realized this. I for some reason confused the 2 file types. :blush: –  bpartch Feb 8 '10 at 20:43
i just tested VLC version 1.0.5 portable, it does play FLV alright but it doesn't play SWF. –  Molly7244 Feb 8 '10 at 20:44

There is a solution to that problem but you have to install Adobe Flash CS 4.

I can't remember if it asks to play swf files separately or if it does it by default but it does play them separately and creates thumbnail views too.

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I've used Flash Movie Player on XP in the past.

Works on Win7 as well, but rather annoyingly the volume slowly reduces, and it does not appear to be under further development.

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You need a Flash game which runs from Flash player, then go to your SWF file, right-click on the file and select Open with…

Then click Browse, go to the location where your Flash game is present and double-click on the Flash game.

Then you will see the Flash Player appearing in the list of programs. Select it and click OK.

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protected by slhck Apr 23 at 11:54


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