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Troubleshooting Flash Player Error 2176
Flash player error 2176 is a very nondescript error that is easy enough for a developer to solve. However, many developers still program for Flash 9 (which does not experience this error nearly as much), resulting in outdated Flash applications throwing errors on user computers.
Unfortunately, Flash player error 2176 is a result of the code used by the developer when the application was being written. From a visitors perspective there is little a visitor can do, aside from downgrade their version of Flash, to get rid of Flash player error 2176 if it is occurring.
If desired, you can uninstall and then reinstall Flash and hope that it solves the problem. Follow the instructions below:
- Uninstall Flash via the Adobe uninstall tool - Found here (http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html), this tool is the only way to completely remove Macromedia Flash from your system. Choose the version that is appropriate for your operating system, download, and then run the program.
Once the program has run it will have completely removed Flash from your computer. You can verify this by trying to visit any Flash-enabled website.
- Reinstall Flash - Once Flash has been completely uninstalled, reinstall Flash by visiting the Adobe Flash website (http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/). Be sure to download the latest version (as of this writing it was version 10).
Background Information about the Flash Player Error 2176:
Specific error name: Error #2176: Certain actions, such as those that display a pop-up window, may only be invoked upon user interaction, for example by a mouse click or button press.
Flash player error 2176 is a security error, typically associated with the new security permissions requirements that have been put in place since Flash version 10. Certain actions, such as the opening of a pop-up window, must be verified to be desired by the user before they can be initiated. This is primarily seen with pop-up windows for file upload scripts, where the user has to select a file to upload.
In prior versions of Flash many programmers simply had the pop-up window for the file selection appear upon loading of the Flash application. In new versions of Flash this results in the error 2176, whereas it did not throw an error previously. Many programmers are updating applications as required to suit the new versions of Flash.
Fixing Flash Player Error 2176
The only workaround from a user perspective is to downgrade their version of Flash to version 9 or prior. This is not recommended for many reasons, the least of which include compatibility and security concerns. If you must download Flash version 9, follow the steps below:
- Uninstall Flash via the Adobe uninstall tool - Found here (http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html), this tool is the only way to completely remove Macromedia Flash from your system. Choose the version that is appropriate for your operating system, download, and then run the program.
Once the program has run it will have completely removed Flash from your computer. You can verify this by trying to visit any Flash-enabled website.
- Download Flash version 9 - You can find Flash 9 from FileHippo.com (http://www.filehippo.com/download_flashplayer_ie/4007/). Once you've downloaded it follow the installation instructions. You can verify its installation by visiting a Flash-enabled website, such as YouTube or Megagrounds.com.
If you are a developer, the solution to this error is as simple as adding a user requirement before a pop-up window loads. A user requirement can be something as small as the user clicking an "ok" button. This is a very easy fix.