How to Save Flash Animations from Websites and Play Them in 2026
How can you save Flash animation from a website? In 2005 the trick was to dig the .swf file out of Internet Explorer’s Temporary Internet Files folder, because right-clicking a Flash movie only showed Settings and About Macromedia Flash Player. Adobe ended Flash Player at the end of 2020, and browsers no longer run Flash at all. But old animations and games are not lost. Here is how to save SWF files and play them safely in 2026.
Quick answer: To save a Flash animation, open the page, press F12 for developer tools, go to the Network tab, reload, filter by “swf” and open or save the file. To play it, use the free Ruffle Flash emulator, which runs SWF files in your browser or on your desktop. Thousands of preserved animations and games are also available through Flashpoint Archive and the Internet Archive.
Table of Contents
What happened to Flash?
Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player on 31 December 2020 and began blocking Flash content from running in January 2021. Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari all removed the plugin. Websites that still embed SWF files now show an empty box unless they use an emulator. If you run a site with old Flash content, see how to convert Flash SWF files to HTML5.
How to save a Flash (SWF) file from a website
- Open the page with the Flash animation in Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
- Press F12 (or right-click and choose Inspect) and open the Network tab.
- Reload the page so the browser requests the files again.
- Type swf in the filter box to show only Flash files.
- Right-click the file and choose Open in new tab, then save it with Ctrl+S. You can also search the page source (Ctrl+U) for “.swf” to find the direct link.
Some old sites load extra SWF files for levels or sounds; save all of them into one folder. Only download content you are allowed to keep for personal use.
How to play saved Flash animations
- Ruffle – a free, open-source Flash emulator written in Rust. Use the desktop app to open SWF files, or the browser extension to play Flash content on websites. It runs most animations and many ActionScript 1 and 2 games, with ActionScript 3 support improving.
- Flashpoint Archive – a preservation project with a launcher that plays well over 100,000 Flash games and animations offline.
- Internet Archive – its software collection includes playable Flash animations and games in the browser, powered by Ruffle.
Do not install old Flash Player
Old Flash Player installers have serious security holes and are no longer patched. Fake “Flash update” pop-ups are also a common way to spread malware. Use Ruffle or Flashpoint instead, and if you were tricked into installing something, run a free scan with a tool like McAfee Stinger.
Turning Flash animations into video
Want to share an old animation on YouTube or keep it as a video? Play it full screen in Ruffle and record it with a screen recorder such as OBS Studio, then trim the clip. Our guide to free online file converters can help change the video format afterwards.
The 2005 Internet Explorer method
For history fans: in Internet Explorer we opened Tools, Internet Options, Temporary Internet Files, Settings, View Files, sorted by type and copied any “Shockwave Flash Object”. If the folder was crowded, we deleted all offline content and reloaded the page so only the new SWF file appeared. Internet Explorer itself has now been retired by Microsoft.
FAQ
Can I still play Flash games in 2026?
Yes, with Ruffle, Flashpoint Archive or the Internet Archive. You do not need Adobe Flash Player.
What is an SWF file?
SWF (Small Web Format or Shockwave Flash) is the file format used by Flash animations and games.
Is Ruffle safe?
Ruffle is open source and runs in a secure sandbox, avoiding the security problems of the old Flash Player.
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help me i can save and download the candymagic.swf but when i try to open it all is there is black screen, some games from miniclip that i have saved work but the candy magic game doesn’t.
The reason it not working is because, the file has been created either by login to a server that requires username and password to access it. Or it has been created together with scripts to be able to view it. This mean that you have to download/save the actual flash file/game and find out the scripts files location and download it and put together with the flash file for t to work. This could be a challenge to locate the scripts files. Some have multiple script files, which you have to download them all and place them in the right folder location with the flash file to make it work. If you like to find out more how to save flash files and flash games, you can check it here:
Good luck.
Sharing is caring!
Hey Great Tutorial!
I though i need any software to download it from any website but i have done it using firefox in few clicks!
Thanks
i cannot find temporary files settings
Please helping me … I try saving a slideshow I created by http://www.slide.com & followed instructions above … “Finding the flash file
Open the Internet explorer
Go to Tools > Internet Options
Look for “Temporary internet Files” – click on Settings
Then in the Pop Window, look for “Temporary Internet Files Folder” …
This functions usally but this time not — I cannot locate the .swf file because there is’nt one. Slide.com makes it impossible for anone to copy their foto slideshow — please I need expert advice … somebdy helping me … advanced thanks !
still there is lot more problem to save the shockwave file to the hard disk bcoz they have .dcr extention how can i play these files
Download Netscape Navigator or Opera. Open the page with the video or flash vid/game. Load it fully. When loaded make a new tab and type in the address bar ‘about:cache’. Hit enter. Locate file and open in a new tab. In netscape when you open the file in a new tab click on the link again to open it. When file has open in the new tab go to ‘file, save as’ then save the file some where like on the desktop and click save. Open the folder where the file was saved and then open the file. If you don’t have a flash player open it in IE. With this method you can download any media such as vids and flash files.
Note: this method does not work in IE
This may work in FireFox but haven’t tried it yet.
Before I only visit You Tube for a few minutes. I’m really glad about Realplayer 11 Webvideo downloader, now I got to watch & enjoy You Tube & Google learning videos more than ever, without the annoying buffering stops. You Tube, you should give Realplayer a portion of you profits. I can even view them offline CONTINUOUSLY! Thanks Realplayer geniuses I hope you include shockwave files next time. Try it it’s free and set preferences to High Definition videos. So clear
Hi,I run some flash player 9 but when i check my temporary folder i couldnt find any flash fill maybe it hide how can i find it if not available in temporary folder.
with best regard
Wow thanks! I will try this. I love videobooks such as video biographies of inspiring & successful people which I watch whenever I have time to motivate me. But when I tried to save video bio from Biography.com I used Realplayer but I cannot watch it offline. Realplayer said it cannot detect the format- shockwave flash
UNH solutions has the flash saving plugin and the flash player… http://unhsolutions.net/
I have used both for a few years..pretty good overall.
does any1 knw how to save flash frm BlueMountain??
id b greatful if any1 cud help me =(
Great tutorial, I have never really thought about saving the flash like that. I have always done it by viewing source and then the javascript.
All these methods work if the .swf file is self-contained, ie. has all of the data it uses embedded within the file.
If the .swf was written to access the net to stream other parameters and resources such as a database, video files, etc. it will not work.
Also some .swf files are written to check that it is run from the original domain and will not work otherwise…
:-(
there is a trick to save such files, if you can not find them under Media Files menu of FireFox, Just try from menu View Source and try to find out the URL of the flash object, then Copy Paste that URL in Address now and now try from menu Tools, Page Info, Media. and then on Falsh object select “Save as..” and here you go.. bingo..
The method given here is good….but unfortunately this method cannot save all the files.Use some third party tools to capture flash files.The best one(and free) is to use firefox with “Download Embedded” addon.That would save the users from lots of troubles!
Thanks for that great tip! I too have been puzzled over how to accomplish that. The first 2 times I tried, it worked great but it seems like it doesn’t work every time everywhere.
Not all of the files are swf, some are flv and other extensions. Does it work for any and all flash documents? Some of the ones I’ve tried to get will let you copy the url but it won’t paste or, you can copy and paste but it still won’t play. Am I missing something here.
Thanks everyone for all of the useful tips here.
I know the best way to save swf (shock wava flash) animation file. Open the website on which your desired animation is present. In internet temporary folders all the files will store there temporary just go to C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorLocal SettingsTemporary Internet Files on your computer and you will the swf animations file there then copy it on your hard disk location and paste there
thanks & regards
Yea I cant play Shockwave Flash Object files on my computre at all on the net it is fine but off the net I cant play them at all what do i need on my computre to do this can I download the player onto my jcomputre I have IE as we all do but use FF as its better faster and just more user friendly any can you help. Send me a Mail and I will be Happy as I bont have net and usually only can check my Email thanks all.
Hi this trick is really cool….thanx…great work……
but how do you get it to play offline what do you need to download. it says its Shockwave Flash Object.
Hi ive been playing alot of flash games and ive used some of the methods used on this form but i have a problem how do i save and play the new DCR 3D flash files? I managed to save the .dcr file but how do i play it back on my pc, offline? the game is a zipzaps racing game that is pretty addicting and i want to save it and play it offline, is there a stand alone flash player for playing DCR flash files offline
This looks awesome, ill download it for saving some stuff i did a few years ago and dont have acsess to the files no more. Instread of creating them again this will save time.
Thanks
If you are using Firefox browser, there is one FFextension which allows you to save flash object embedded in the webpage. The link is at However for unknown reasons to me some of saved files are playing blank when played offline. Any ideas what can be reason and solution for the same.
Thanks
THANKS S000 MUCH-! i HAVE BEEN TRYiNG T0 FiGURE 0UT H0W T0 D0 THAT F0REVER. VERRRRY HElPFUl-!
How about saving dcr files?
I’ve got trouble in it….
None of these options work with shockwave files. Opening up page source in Firefox and you get a dcr file in the media folder and it’s locked up tighter than, well tighter than most anything.
I just use this with IE, simple to use.
http://www.browsertools.net/Flash-Saving-Plugin/
1. Copy the URL of the page that contains the Flash animation to the clipboard.
2. Go to: https://trucosdescargas.com/ and follow the instructions on that page.
Great Tip,. I always Used this tip to Save Flash or Internet Radio …..
In Mozilla anyone can Save Flash Easily….
how..?
1: Go To TOOLS Menu and Than Page Info,..
2: Than Click On Media Tab..
3: All Flash and Images ‘ll bee shown,..
4: now click anyflash and Click Save As to Save Enjoy..
Afridi …….. From http://www.itdunya.com
I just went to firefox and there is no way to ask them the question I told you about. So that one is a dead end. If anyone knows the answer to this it would be very helpful to me and many others. Rianna
OK guys if any of the ways you mention work, for what I need I’ll be impressed. Copying the flash off my desktop does not work for what I need it for.
I have been making a few of my own swf files to put on my own website but my website supports html code but now swf html code. So I need a way to save the swf. file as an IMAGE file not the code. So then I can insert the image flash directly into my website. Does anyone know of any software that can do this? Respond on this page and I’ll check back. Hope one of you know the answer. In the meantime I’ll check on all the software that you mention. Rianna
Or you could get the address of the flash file in Opera, and paste it into the Quick Download box in the transfer window.
how to add shockwave file in email text message box to forwarding newsletter mail
Man,
I have been making ‘no stone unturned’approach so far to learn how to copy a flash file but of no avail until I visited your page, which not only explained how it should be done but also made me float on cloud nine !!
Thanks,
R.Kesavan.
Don’t suppose anyone knows how to save pictures displayed through a flash interface? Coz I want to get the pages of a webcomic, but view source doesn’t give me any links to the pictures, and as has already been noted, there’s no ‘save as’ feature available on the menu. Even saving the webpage whole doesn’t get the pics.
I’ve been doing this for a while now, since I know HTML and can pick out this stuff easily. I make it much quicker though- I assemble the full URL (from the http:// on) and grab the file with wget so I don’t have to search through all my cache to find the flash file. (wget is only for linux as far as I know, and it’s commmand-line only, but I think I remember doing something a similar a few years back with the Add URL feature of Download Accelerator, back when I was on Windows and dial-up.) Nice writeup though.
Just look for “Flash Movie Extract Pilot”. It’s free, and it’s a heck of alot easier to use than doing all that other stuff…
i have been using the firefox method, because no self-respecting computer user would use IE anyways. however, if you still use IE, you can download FlashGet. It is a free download manager. You copy the source, open flashget , click on new download, & ur done!
What about flash files that won’t play unless they are on the site? Such as “The Adventures of Chad” from gprime.net. I copied them but could not view them again in IE or FFox.
I’ve also been using the firefox method to save flash files for a long time now, however there is another method if you insist on using a browser that does not have such features such as *cough* IE.
If you have the address of the flash file, eg. http://www.site.com/flash.swf, copy-paste it into google, right click on the link google provides, and choose save link as (or whatever it is). Man I
or just do what pogenwurst said, it’s a lot faster…
In Firefox use adblock to get URL, then use Flashget (Jetcar) click new download, saves right to your desktop in about 10 secs.
All you have to do is;
1) view source to get the address of the .swf file
2) go to the address
3) click on File -> Save As…
If you have the URL of the file you can also feed it to GNU’s wget. There is also a GUI available.
Wget is also extremely useful for almost any other HTTP or FTP retrieval (feed it a file containing a list of links to download, mirror a website, etc).
Or you could just add a button to your IE favorites/toolbar with this url:
javascript:var url=prompt(“URL to link to:”,”http://”);document.write(‘‘+link+’‘);
– Then use the view-source option to get (copy) the filename of the file.
– Click the just created button
– Enter (paste) the URL
– Right-click the link
– Save As…
Hi, an easy way to save flash from a webpage is saving the page, which results in a html-file and a folder containing the images etc. …and the swf-file
as pogenwurst just illustrated, everything is so much simpler with firefox.
Would this work for Macromedia Breeze files too? Thanks!
In Mozilla Firefox, just right click anywhere on the page and click “View Page Info” (or find it in the “Tools” menu) and click on the media tab. Then select the desired .swf file from the list and click “Save as…”
Thank u very much .ur suggestion on how to save swf files on mozilla firefox was very helpful.I am currently using it to save a large number of chemical engineering process flash files.Thanks again.