16 Fixes For Chrome Couldn't Load Plugin Error (2023)

The Chrome error that couldn’t load the plugin is caused by a problem with the Adobe Flash Player plugin. This is caused by Chrome’s settings and stops the Flash Player from functioning correctly.

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What Causes the Couldn’t Load Plugin Issue on Chrome?

Obsolete Browser: It is conceivable that the browser you are using is outdated and does not support some of the most recent improvements in internet technology. As a result, we urge you to check if your browser has been updated to the most recent version in order to resolve the Couldn’t Load Plugin Issue.
Outdated Components: Some components of your browser may not have been updated in tandem with normal updates, which might occasionally disrupt certain browser features. As a result, in order to resolve the Chrome Couldn’t Load Plugin Issue, we recommend that you also update the browser’s outdated components.
Faulty Sectors: In some cases, bad sectors on your disc or in your system’s registry may be present, resulting in this error message. As a result, we recommend running a scan to look for and detect any issues.
Flash Plugins: Adobe Flash Player has steadily died over the years, as have many of the plugins that need the use of flash content. As a result, we advise you to check to determine if Flash plugins are being utilized.
Corrupted cache: Over time, the browser may have built up some cache, which may have become corrupted owing to a storage failure. As a result, we propose that you test whether emptying the cache and regenerating it might resolve the issue.
Corrupted Installation: The browser may not have been correctly installed on your computer, resulting in the Adobe Flash Player Couldn’t Load Plugin Chrome error. As a result, we propose that you reinstall your browser and then confirm whether or not you are able to resolve this issue.

Solutions to Fix Google Chrome couldn’t load the plugin Error

Check to see whether your Chrome is up to current.
Check that all of Chrome’s plugins are up to date.
Remove the PepperFlash folder.
The pepflashplayer.dll file should be renamed.
Check to see whether Chrome allows you to use Flash.
SFC and DISM scans should be performed.
Clear the browser cache after uninstalling the Adobe Flash NPAPI plugin.
Chrome should be reinstalled after a fresh Windows installation.
Turn off PDF Isolation.
Change Adobe Reader Preferences.
Flash plugins should be disabled.
Stop websites, ISPs, and other third parties from monitoring you.
Restore the lost files quickly
Check the settings for the Enhanced Mitigation Toolkit.
Turn off Shockwave Flash.
Open fewer tabs

Check to see whether your Chrome is up to the current date

In general, Google Chrome should be automatically updated when you restart the browser. However, some users tend to leave the browser running for extended periods of time without restarting it. As a result, you should ensure that it is up to date:

Click the Menu button in the top-right corner of your Google Chrome browser.
The settings page will appear, and you may check to see if your browser is up to date.

Check that all of Chrome’s plugins are up to date

It is also critical to ensure that all installed Google Chrome components, particularly Adobe Flash, are up to date:

Open Google Chrome and type chrome://components into the search box.
When you press the Enter key, a list of installed components should appear.

Remove the PepperFlash folder.

By hitting the X button, you may exit Google Chrome. Additionally, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and choose End task under any Google Chrome processes that are currently running.
Then, press Win + R, type percent %localappdata%, and click OK.
Go to Google\Chrome\User data and delete the PepperFlash folder.

The pepflashplayer.dll file should be renamed

The settings page will appear when you open this option in the Chrome settings, and you may check to see if your browser is up to date.
Check for updates to ensure that all plugins are up to date.

The failure of the pepper flash component caused the “Couldn’t load plugin” error to appear in the majority of cases. As a result, you should strive to change it. First, try renaming the pepflashplayer.dll:

Navigate to :\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\PepperFlash\32.0.0.171..
Locate and rename pepflashplayer.dll to pepflashplayerX.dll.
Restart Chrome and see whether the “Couldn’t load plugin” warning appears again.

Check to see whether Chrome allows you to use Flash

Open your browser and type or paste “chrome:/settings/content” into the URL bar, then choose “Flash” (jigsaw piece symbol) from the “Content Section.”
Check that the “Ask First (Recommended)” option is turned “ON”; if not, click the toggle button to enable it and then “Restart” your browser.

SFC and DISM scans should be performed.

To launch the “Command Prompt” window, hit the “Window + S” keys on your keyboard, type “cmd” in the search field, then click “Enter.” If you are prompted for permission, select “YES.”
Enter or paste “sfc /scannow” into the command prompt window. Don’t forget to separate sfc and /scannow with a single space and remove the quotation marks.
Then, hit “Enter” to execute this command on your machine.
Launch a DISM scan by typing “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” into the CMD prompt and pressing “Enter.”
Finally, “Restart” your machine to see if the error has been resolved.

Clear the browser cache after uninstalling the Adobe Flash NPAPI plugin.

NPAPI and PPAPI versions of Flash Player may be downloaded and installed. [3] Users who reported “Couldn’t load plugin” errors indicated they had both installed. As a result, you must remove one of the versions, preferably NPAPI, while leaving PPAPI running:

Open your browser and select “Customize and Control Google Chrome,” which is represented by the “3 vertical dots” to the left of your address bar.
Choose “Settings” from the drop-down menu. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and choose “Advanced.”
Click on the “Clear Browsing Data” option from the “Privacy and Security” settings section.
In the new pop-up window, go to the “Advanced” tab and change the time range to “All Time.”
To resolve the adobe flash player that couldn’t load the plugin chrome issue, tick all of the boxes and then click “Clear Data.
Bring up the Windows Start menu and search for “Control Panel” in the search bar (Windows + S) at the bottom. Then, from the list of search results, click to open it.
Navigate to the “Programs > Programs and Features” area from here.
Scroll down through the list of installed applications in the pop-up window until you find “Adobe Flash NPAPI” and right-click on it to select “Uninstall.”
Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall the program completely and then “Restart” your browser to see if the error got eradicated now.

Chrome should be reinstalled after a fresh Windows installation

Download and save the bootable Windows Media Creation Tool ver1803 on a USB flash drive.
Restart your computer and do not click “OK” when the error message appears on the screen.
To “Run” the “Media Creation Tool” from the USB flash drive, double-click on it.
To accept the license, click “Accept,” and then choose “Create Installation Media (USB Flash drive, DVD, or ISO File) for another PC.
Choose your preferred “Language” and “Edition” as “Windows 10” and “Architecture” as “64 bit (x64).
Select the “ISO File” option next. Choose where you want to install your file and click “Save” to begin the download. When you’re finished, click “Finish.”
Download and install the most recent version of Rufus 3.13 on the same USB flash drive.
Double-click Rufus and locate the “Media Creation Tool” by clicking on the “Browse” button and navigating to it.
Finally, click “Start” to begin a fresh installation of “Windows 10,” and then check to see whether the issue has been resolved.
Press the “Window + X” keys on your keyboard at the same time, and then choose “Apps and Features/Programs and Features” from the pop-up menu.
Locate “Chrome” in the “Apps and Features/Programs and Features” box and right-click on it and select “Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.” To uninstall, answer “YES” to the permission question.
Now, restart your computer every now and then by hitting “Alt + F4” on your keyboard and selecting “Restart” from the drop-down menu.
After a fresh restart, download and install Google Chrome on your PC.

Turn off PDF Isolation

Open your browser and type or paste “chrome:/flags/” into the address box, then hit “Enter.”
Locate “PDF Isolation” and deactivate it by selecting “Disable” from the three options in the dropdown menu ahead.
After you’ve deactivated it, see whether it helps you get rid of the issue.

Change Adobe Reader Preferences

Click the “Window + S” keys on your keyboard at the same time, then type or paste “Adobe Reader” into the search box and press “Enter.”
Now, press “Ctrl + K” to enter the “Preferences Window,” and select “Internet” from the list of categories in the left menu pane.
If it’s already “ON,” click the “Display PDF Documents In The Web Browser” option to turn it off, or vice versa.
After that, click “OK” to preserve your settings and “Restart” your browser.

Flash plugins should be disabled

Navigate to the “Customize and Control Google Chrome” menu, which is situated on the upper right side of your browser, just below the “Close” button.
Hover your mouse over your browser’s “More Tools” option and pick “Extensions” from the context menu.
Disable” or “Remove” any plugins connected to “Adobe Flash” in the list of plugins installed on your computer and restart your computer.
Furthermore, select “Details” and then “Disable” to remove “PPAPI Flash.” Now “Restart” your browser to see if the problem has been resolved.

Check the settings for the Enhanced Mitigation Toolkit

This issue is frequently reported by Windows 10 users while utilizing the Enhanced Mitigation Toolbox. As a result, we recommend that you verify the toolkit’s settings. To finish this, simply follow the directions we’ve provided below.

To begin, navigate to the Enhanced Mitigation Toolkit directory and launch the EMT program.
Wait a few moments for the EMT application to open. Select the “Configure applications” from the drop-down menu that appears in the window
In the App name column, look for Chrome.exe. Uncheck the SEHOP boxes next to the chrome.exe file.
Exit the EMT app.
Restart the Chrome browser and check to see if the problem remains.

Stop websites, ISPs, and other third parties from monitoring you.

You should use a Private Internet Access VPN to be entirely anonymous and prevent your ISP and the authorities from snooping on you. It will let you access the internet while being entirely anonymous by encrypting all information and blocking trackers, advertisements, and unwanted material. Most significantly, you will put an end to the unlawful surveillance operations carried out by the NSA and other government agencies behind your back.

Restore the lost files quickly

Unexpected events can occur at any time while using the computer: it can turn off due to a power outage, a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) can occur, or random Windows updates can occur when you leave the computer for a few minutes. As a result, you may lose your schooling, vital papers, and other data.

Turn off Shockwave Flash

Navigate to the Menu tab in Chrome.
Choose More tools and then Task Manager.
Plugin Locator: Shockwave Flash, right-click it, and choose End process.
Finally, choose Reload.

Open fewer tabs

A simple workaround approach is to remove superfluous browser tabs or just open fewer tabs to prevent encountering the couldn’t load plugin google chrome pdf issue.

Conclusion

The “Couldn’t load plugin” issue may impair your online surfing experience by preventing you from seeing some information. We hope that one of the methods we gave in this article assisted you in resolving this error and that you may now surf the web with your Google Chrome browser without incident.