Chrome no longer supports the technology that is required to run Java Applets in the browser.
Java Applets rely on the cross-platform plugin architecture NPAPI. This has been supported by Chrome (and other browsers) for over a decade, until Google released Chrome version 45 in July 2015.
Since then the Java Plugin has no longer worked and thus you have not been able to run Java Applets.
However, it is still possible to run Java Applets in Chrome using extensions such as the CheerpJ Applet Runner and IE tab.
CheerpJ Applet Runner
CheerpJ is an Enterprise-grade solution to modernise and preserve access to mission-critical Java Applications and Applets. It allows organisations to either preserve accessibility to existing Java Applets and Applications or modernise them to integrate within HTML5 pages (including those powered by frameworks such as React and Angular).
The CheerpJ Applet Runner is a browser extension for Chrome and Edge to run Java Applets without a Java plugin or installation. It allows you to access Java Applets in Chrome or any other modern browser, allowing you to continue using your internal or third-party Java Applet interfaces on modern IT architectures.
The CheerpJ Applet Runner can be used in Enterprise settings and deployed via Global Policy Objects on Edge or Chrome on Microsoft-based enterprise architectures.
How to Use the CheerpJ Applet Runner Chrome Extension
Using The CheerpJ Applet Runner is simple and free for non-commercial purposes. Install the extension, visit your Applet-based website, and enable the extension by clicking on its icon in the upper right corner of your browser.
- Install the CheerpJ Applet Runner Chrome extension. Once installed, the extension appears as a shield icon in the Chrome toolbar.
- When you visit a page with a Java applet, select the CheerpJ icon, then select Run Applets to enable the Java applets on the page.
- Once enabled, you’ll see all of the applets run inside your Chrome browser as they normally should.
IE Tab
The IE Tab Extension can be used to display web pages using IE within Chrome, allowing you to use Java, Silverlight, ActiveX and Sharepoint.
The IE Tab does this by emulating Internet Explorer, enabling you to load your web pages with different versions of IE (IE7 – IE11).
It is worth noting that since Chrome no longer supports NPAPI, the technology which allows extensions to access local computer resources, IE Tab requires you to download a separate helper executable.
As with the CheerpJ Applet Runner, a license is required for non-personal.
How to Use IE Tab
- Install the IE Tab Chrome extension from the Chrome web store.
- Download and install the IE Tab Helper
- Restart the Chrome browser and visit a page with a Java Applet.
- Select the IE Tab icon in your browser menu to re-open the tab using the new extension.
- You should now see the Java Applet correctly displayed in the browser.
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