Amid a serious security flaw in the latest version of Java 7, where even the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned users to disable the plug-in, here's how you do it.
Windows: Step 1
Java settings are based in the Windows Control Panel, and can be disabled from running in the browser.
• To disable Java in Windows, go to
Start and enter the
Control Panel.
Windows: Step 2
Once you are at the Control Panel:
• Go to
Java (32/64-bit) and this will load up the appropriate settings.
Windows: Step 3
Once you are in the Java Control Panel, you can now disable the software from running in your browser.
• Hit the
Security tab.
• On the Security settings, uncheck the box saying
Enable Java content in the browser.
• Hit
Apply then
OK.
You should now have disabled Java in Windows.
OS X: Step 1
To disable Java in Mac OS X, follow these instructions.
• Go to the
Apple symbol () in the menu bar.
• Select
System Preferences.
• On System Preferences, type in
Java and select the highlighted panel.
OS X: Step 2
A new window will appear warning you that the Java settings need to be opened in a new console. This will open. Same as with Windows, simply:
• Hit the
Security tab.
• On the Security settings, uncheck the box saying
Enable Java content in the browser.
• Hit
Apply then
OK.
You should now have disabled Java in OS X.
Safari: Step 1
In Safari (both Windows and Mac), you can disable Java in the browser, as well as on the operating system.
• Go to Safari
Preferences (either from the
Edit menu or the
Safari menu on Mac).
Safari: Step 2
Safari: Step 2Once you open up the Safari preferences, you should:
• Go to the
Security tab.
• Under Web Content, ensure that the
Enable Java box is unticked.
The settings are saved automatically. Close the dialog box and
restart the browser.
You can check and verify to see if Java has been disabled by
following the instructions here.
Chrome
On Chrome, you may not have Java installed if you are running a 64-bit operating system. Still, it's better to check to be on the safe side.
• Open Chrome and in the omnibar (search/address bar), type in
chrome://plugins and hit Enter.
• Scroll down until you see
Java (TM) and a version number. Simply hit
Disable and the settings will be saved for you.
And that's it.
Restart the browser and Java should be disabled.
You can check and verify to see if Java has been disabled by
following the instructions here.
Firefox: Step 1
Firefox users may already find that Java has been disabled. Still, it's worth checking to make sure in case you are using an older version of the browser.
• In both Windows and Mac, go to
Tools and then
Add-ons.
Firefox: Step 2
Once you have loaded the add-ons section, which includes extensions and themes, make sure you:
• Select the
Extensions button (which looks like a Lego block).
• Under
Java (TM) Platform followed by a version number, hit the
Disable button.
Close and restart the browser. Java should now be disabled.
You can check and verify to see if Java has been disabled by
following the instructions here.
