NPAPI is the Netscape development platform that many browser plugins (add-ons) run on. Recently, leading application developers have been trying to move away from it due to security, stability and performance issues. But many popular add-ons, for example, Adobe Flash, work on it, as well as a number of plugins for viewing audio, video and online games . Those using these services need to enable NPAPI.
In browsers, if necessary, you can enable NPAPI yourself.
Google Chrome and Yandex Browser are based on the same Chromium engine. It is characterized by security, reliability, performance, support for web specifications, various formats, web applications.
Starting with Google Chrome 42nd version, NPAPI is disabled by default, and applications are gradually moving to more modern Native Client and HTML5. Plugins like Java, Silverlight, Unity and many others stopped working. In order to work with sites using this interface, you need to enable it.
Procedure if plugins don’t work
To enable the Netscape platform, do the following:
- Enter chrome: // flags / # enable-npapi in the address bar.
- On the page that opens, find the “Enable NPAPI” item at the top and click “Enable”.
- Restart Chrome.
To enable plugins, enter chrome: plugins in the line.
A list of available add-ons will appear, click on the “Enable” you need and check the “Always run” checkbox.
ATTENTION. The specified instruction works in versions of Google Chrome below 45. Further, this feature was finally removed. The company itself suggests that customers not use sites built on this architecture, or access them from other browsers. Despite the obvious inconvenience of the innovation, Google has indeed become safer.
But what about those for whom it is impossible to refuse, for example, Java? Many business systems and internet banking operate on such platforms. At the same time, Microsoft switched to developing its own technological solutions, Yandex Browser in the summer of 2016 completely decided to abandon this platform, Firefox announced a transition period until the end of 2017, and then it will also finally stop using it. It turns out that there are no alternatives. You can only suggest downloading old versions of Google Chrome and not updating them:
- Open Start, Control Panel, Programs and Features.
- Remove Google Chrome.
- Find and download on the Internet version up to 45 (40 is best). You won’t be able to download from the official site, so find a reliable source.
- Install the program .
- Enable support for the Netscape platform using the above method, if necessary.
ADVICE. You can add support in Yandex Browser in the same way. In the address bar, enter browser: // flags / # enable-npapi. But this is only suitable for older versions of the browser.
Currently, all sites are trying to adapt to new technologies, so the difficulties with displaying content are temporary during the transition period.
The rejection of NPAPI gives rise to new developments, which should ultimately bring increased security, speed and performance on the network . Therefore, enable support for the Netscape platform in Google and Yandex only if you really cannot display some important content without it.