Note: The uninstall instructions in this article can be used for pre-release as well as release versions of Flash Player 10.1. 

If you are having problems uninstalling Flash Player, follow these steps to download and run the appropriate uninstaller for your system:

1. Download the Adobe Flash Player uninstaller:
   • Windows: uninstall_flash_player.exe (226 KB) (updated 06/10/2010)
   • Mac OS X, version 10.4 and above: uninstall_flash_player_osx.dmg (238 KB) (updated 06/10/10)
   • Mac OS X, version 10.3 and below: uninstall_flash_player_osx_10.2.dmg (1.3 MB) (updated 05/27/08)
   • Mac OS 8.x, 9.x: uninstall_flash_player.hqx (33 KB)
2. Save the uninstaller file, choosing a location where you can find it--your Windows Desktop, for example. Macintosh users may need to open or unstuff the .hqx file.
3. Exit all applications:
   • Windows: Check the task bar and the system tray to make sure no user applications are running. For example, if you see icons for browsers or instant messaging (IM) clients such as AOL Instant Messenger or Yahoo! Messenger, right-click the icon and select either Close or Exit. The following image shows how to close the Yahoo! Messenger client after right-clicking its icon in the Windows system tray:
   • Mac OS X: Click Force Quit in the Apple menu. Close each application except the window containing the Adobe Flash Player Uninstaller.
   • Mac OS 9.x: Look in the Application menu (upper right corner of screen) to see the list of open applications. Select and then close each open application.
   • Mac OS 8.x: Consult your system documentation for instructions on closing applications.
4. Run the uninstaller. If you see the message "Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer?", click Yes. 

IT professionals: Find information on command line options at "Installation issues when switching between release and debugger versions during development and testing".

Important! If any applications are using Flash Player when you run the uninstaller, uninstall may complete without deleting all the necessary files. If you accidentally left any applications open, close all applications and run the uninstaller again. Applications that use Flash Player include web browsers such as Internet Explorer, instant messaging clients such as AOL Instant Messenger, stand-alone SWF applications (*.swf files), and projectors (*.exe files that play Flash content). 

5. Restart your computer.

6. Open the About Adobe Flash Player page to verify that you have uninstalled Flash Player. If you see an information box similar to the one below, Flash Player was not uninstalled:

In this case, repeat these steps to uninstall Flash Player.

Uninstallation succeeded if:

• The About Adobe Flash Player page tells you that Flash Player cannot be found and needs to be installed

or

• You see a "broken" image such as a blue diamond or a question mark where the Version Information box would normally appear.

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