Manage, disable Local Shared Objects | Flash Player

Adobe's goal is to put users in control of their own data and computers. Flash Player can provide you with the same control of local shared objects that web browsers give you for cookies. This TechNote explains how to manage the settings for and delete local shared objects through the Settings Manager.

• What is a local shared object?
• Where can I change the settings for disabling, or deleting local shared objects?
• Additional Information

A local shared object, sometimes called a "Flash cookie," is a data file that can be created on your computer by the sites you visit. Shared objects are most often used to enhance your web-browsing experience. For example, by allowing you to personalize the look of a website that you frequently visit. Shared objects, by themselves, can't do anything to or with the data on your computer. More important, shared objects can never access or remember your e-mail address or other personal informationâ”unless you willingly provide such information.

To understand more about local shared objects, see What Is a Local Shared Object?.

Flash Player provides a number of ways you can manage a website's ability to store information in local shared objects. You can control storage by individual websites or for all websites.

To adjust settings or delete data for individual websites you have visited, use the Website Storage Settings panel (Figure 1) in the Settings Manager. You can change the storage limit of individual websites by selecting the website from the list and moving the slider bar. You can also delete data from a specific website by selecting a website and clicking Delete. Finally, you can delete all data currently stored on your system in local shared objects by clicking Delete All Sites. This function is similar to the function in your web browser that lets you delete cookies.

Figure 1. The Website Storage Settings panel of the Settings Manager lets you configure individual website storage and delete stored data.

If you are unsure how much space to allow, but want to be prompted when the site tries to store data or increase the storage limit, move the slider bar to 0 KB. Selecting the Never Ask Again option prevents the Local Storage pop-up dialog from appearing within the rich media content. However, this option can cause certain sites that rely on some amount of local storage to stop working without any warning.

By default, Flash Player allows each site to store 100 KB of data in a local shared object on your computer. You can change the default storage behavior for all sites you visit using the  Global Storage settings panel (Figure 4) in the Flash Player Settings Manager.

If you are unsure how much space to allow, but would like to be prompted tries to store data or increase the storage limit, move the slider bar to 0 KB. Selecting the Never Ask Again option prevents the Local Storage pop-up dialog from appearing within the rich media content. However, this option can cause certain sites that rely on some amount of local storage to stop working without any warning.

For additional information regarding security, visit the Flash Player Privacy and Security Center.

For more detailed information on what a local shared object is, see What Is a Local Shared Object?. For information about Third Party Local Shared Objects, see What Is a Third-Party Local Shared Object?. To learn how to disable Flash Player's Local Shared Objects see How to disable third-party local shared objects (4c68e546).

Adobe takes consumers' privacy seriously and is committed to protecting the security of individuals' personal information on the web. Adobe is dedicated to helping you maintain a secure browsing experience by providing and continuously improving Flash Player privacy controls.