NOTE: FutureWave and Macromedia first developed Flash in the 1990s, and then Macromedia was acquired by Adobe Systems in 2005. Adobe and many web browser developers officially ended support for Flash on December 31, 2020. However, as web technologies improved, Flash became increasingly criticized for its shortcomings, which included performance and security issues. The files could be played by the free Flash Player or with a web browser that had the Flash plugin installed. Re: Viewing SWF files Beeswax34, I probably already have this (shows in IE/Mozilla as part of a web page), however I did do the installation - still can't run local swf file. However, as SWF files became a standard means of publishing Flash content on the web, the acronym has been modified to mean 'Small Web Format,' as well.Ĭontent developers primarily used Adobe Flash (now Animate), Flash Builder, and After Effects to create SWF animation.

SWF was originally an acronym for 'Shockwave Flash' since the SWF format was designed for Shockwave Player.

They were also a popular means of delivering browser-based games. SWF (pronounced 'Swiff') files were commonly used to bring animated graphics, video, and sound to the web in the 2000s and 2010s.

Viewing swf files