Disable Java In Your Browser, On Windows, Mac OS X Platform [Complete Tutorial]

With more and more zero-day vulnerabilities are uncovered which is affecting Oracle’s Java plugin, users are now often asking how to disable Java or remove Java from their Windows computers or Mac platform.

First, let us clear the confusion which arises among most users about Java and JavaScript, keep in mind that both are different. Java is a programming language and computing platform that powers programs including utilities, games, and business applications, which was first released by Sun Microsystems in 1995, now developed and maintained by Oracle. While, JavaScript is an open source scripting language used to create dynamic websites and enhance user interfaces.

Looking at the increasing number of zero-day flaws that are getting uncovered, its advised that you do not to install Java at all, if you never felt the need of it. If you need Java for some important work, then you should only enable it when you need it. For the rest of the time you should keep Java plugin disabled in your browsers and you should also disable Java on Windows or OS X operating system.

Below, we will walkthrough you through the simple process to disable Java in your browser, on your Windows and OS X operating system.

How to disable Java on Windows?

  • Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 users, click on the Start button and open the Control Panel. Double-click on the Java icon to open the Java Control Panel.
  • If you are running the latest Windows 8 operating system, press the Windows key + W to open the Search charm, in the search box enter Java Control Panel. Click on Java icon to open the Java Control Panel.
  • In the Java Control Panel, click on the Security tab.
  • Deselect the check box for Enable Java content in the browser to disable the Java plug-in in the browser.

disable-java-windows

  • Click Apply. If you receive the Windows User Account Control (UAC) dialog box, click on the Yes button to make the changes.
  • Click OK in the Java Plug-in confirmation window.
  • If you have any web browser running in the background, restart it for the changes to take effect.
  • You should now have disabled Java in Windows.

Note: If you cannot find the disable Java check box and security slider in the Control Panel even when you have Java 7 update 10 (7u10) or Java 7u11 installed, please follow the instructions given here to resolve the issue.

How to disable Java on OS X?

  • To disable Java in OS X, click on Apple in the menu bar and select System Preferences.
  • Once System Preferences is open, click on the Java icon to get access to the Java Control Panel.
  • From here, the process is similar as with Windows, click on the Security tab and deselect the check box for Enable Java content in the browser.

disable-java-mac-os-x

  • Click on Apply and then OK.
  • If you have any web browser running in the background, restart it for the changes to take effect.
  • You should now have disabled Java in OS X.

Disable the Java plugin in a particular browser

If you need to disable Java plugin in a particular browser, please follow the instructions for disabling Java below.

How to disable Java in Internet Explorer?

Disabling (and then re-enabling) Java on Internet Explorer is very complex unless you have Java 7 update 10 or later version of Java installed. Java 7 update 10 has introduced a security control feature that allows Java browser plugin to be disabled entirely. Please follow the instructions given under “How to disable Java on Windows?” heading above.

How to disable Java in Firefox?

Mozilla has already taken steps to protect Firefox users from the recent threats. You can further lower the risk by disabling Java in Firefox. These instructions below also apply if you are running an older version of the browser.

  • Open Firefox in Windows or Mac OS X. The instructions are same for Firefox running on both platforms.
  • Click on the Firefox tab and then select Add-ons (If you have Menu bar enabled, click on Tools and then select Add-ons).
  • In the Add-ons Manager window, select Plugins.
  • Click on the Java (TM) Platform plugin to select it.
  • Click on the Disable button to disable Java. If the button says Enable, it means Java plugin is already disabled in Firefox.
  • Close and restart the browser to complete the process.

How to disable Java in Chrome?

If you are running a 64-bit operating system (Windows/OS X), then you may not have Java installed in Chrome web browser. Still, you should follow the instructions below to make sure Java is disabled in Chrome. The instructions below are also valid if you have a 32-bit operating system and you are running Chrome browser on your computer.

  • In Windows or OS X, open Google Chrome. In the omnibar (the search plus address bar), type chrome://plugins and press Enter.
  • Scroll down to the Java section and click on the Disable link to disable the Java Plug-in.
  • Restart the browser and Java should be disabled now for good.

How to disable Java in Safari?

  • Open Safari (in Windows or Mac) and open Safari Preferences (either from the Edit menu or the Safari menu on OS X).
  • Click on the Security option. Now, under Web Content, deselect the Enable Java check box.
  • The settings are saved automatically. Close Safari Preferences window and restart the browser.

How to disable Java in Opera?

  • In Opera, open a New Tab first. Type opera:plugins into the location bar and press Enter.
  • Now, find all Java plugin related items in the list and click on Disable next to them.
  • Close and restart the browser to complete the process.

Test if Java is disabled in your browser

After following this tutorial, you can verify if Java has been disabled by visiting http://javatester.org/version.html from your web browser.

Do you still have Java enabled in your browser? What is stopping you from uninstalling Java from your computer. Share with us your thoughts on this through comments below. And don’t forget to share this with your friends and protect them using the sharing options below.

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