Working in Flash > Configuring a server for the Flash Player |  |

Configuring a server for the Flash Player

For a user to view your Flash movie on the Web, the Web server must be properly configured to recognize the SWF file as a Flash movie.

Your server may already be configured properly. To test server configuration, see Flash TechNote 4151 on the Macromedia Flash Support Center. If your server is not properly configured, follow the procedure below to configure it.

Configuring a server establishes the appropriate Multipart Internet Mail Extension (MIME) types for the server to identify files with the SWF suffix as Shockwave Flash files.

A browser that receives the correct MIME type can load the appropriate plug-in, control, or helper application to process and properly display the incoming data. If the MIME type is missing or not properly delivered by the server, the browser might display an error message or a blank window with a puzzle piece icon.

Note: When you publish a Flash movie, you must configure the movie for the Flash Player in order for users to view the movie. See Publishing.

To configure a server for the Flash Player, do one of the following:

| If your site is established through an Internet service provider, contact them and request that the MIME type application/x-shockwave-flash with the SWF suffix be added to the server.
| If you are administering your own server, consult the documentation for your Web server software for instructions on adding or configuring MIME types.