Adobe software activation
The activation tour and FAQs on this page apply specifically to Adobe products. Check the list to see which Adobe products require product activation.
Take a step-by-step tour to see how simple and quick it is to activate a software product. Starting with Adobe® Acrobat® 9 software, the process is automatic and transparent in most cases.
FAQ
How does activation work?
- Is activation mandatory?
- Yes. You must activate your Adobe software to validate that your serial number is used in accordance with the End-User License Agreement. A simplified process (starting with Acrobat 9) in which processing is performed transparently and automatically as soon as a connection to the Internet is detected makes activation easier and more convenient.
- What uses of the product does activation allow?
- Activation enables all uses currently allowed under the Adobe product license agreement pertaining to the product.
- Which products require product activation?
- Please check the list to see which Adobe products require product activation.
- May I use the software on more than one computer at a time?
- The activation process for individual products purchased at retail outlets supports installation on up to two computers. The Adobe product license agreement allows the primary user to install the product on a primary computer and also on a home or laptop computer for his or her use, provided that the two copies are not used simultaneously. While the activation process supports installing and activating Adobe software on two computers, use of the product on the second computer is restricted to the user who licensed the software. Allowing others to use a second copy of the software violates the product license agreement.
- Do I have to reactivate if I reformat my hard drive?
- As long as you don't perform a "low-level" reformat of your hard drive, you will not be required to reactivate your Adobe software. Please note that utilities (provided by the operating system vendor) typically used for reformatting the hard drive do not perform a "low-level" reformat. If reactivation is necessary, the application will do it automatically without displaying any dialog to the user once a connection to the Internet has been detected.
- Will I be required to reactivate Adobe software if I perform regular backups or restore my system? What about system upgrades?
- Backup and restoration of your system using standard tools do not require reactivation. While reactivation after backing up or restoring the system was required in early versions of Adobe software (such as Adobe Photoshop® CS), Adobe has continued to improve the activation process with new technology that eliminates the need to reactivate after system restoration. In complex situations where the system is being upgraded, we recommend deactivating the Adobe software before commencing the system upgrade. Once the system upgrade is completed, the subsequent install/restore will require reactivation, which is typically accomplished without difficulty and is completely transparent to the user.
- For Adobe Creative Suite® 3, will I be required to activate each individual component?
- No. Activating any one component of Adobe Creative Suite 3 software will activate all the remaining components as well.
How does activation affect Adobe Open Options volume licensing customers?
- Do Adobe Open Options customers have to activate each copy they install?
- Product activation applies mostly to the individual retail versions of Adobe software products and is generally not part of the Adobe Open Options programs. In some regions, activation might apply to certain volume licensing programs. Volume licensing customers who order Adobe software products need to make certain they order licensing program—specific CD sets. Customers should contact their Adobe Authorized Reseller or customer service representative if they have questions. Read more about Adobe Open Options.
How do activation and registration differ?
- Is activation related to registration? Does activation replace registration?
- Activation is completely separate from product registration, which is optional. Registration is for customers who want to receive information about product updates and other special offers from Adobe. In fact, the data for activation and registration reside on separate servers, and there is no linking of these separate sets of data.
- How will activation information be used?
- The unique serial number assigned to each copy of Adobe software is combined with a "machine identifier" for the user's computer. When the product is activated on a computer, the machine identifier and product serial number are provided to Adobe to help ensure that each genuine copy of its software is not activated more than the permitted number of times. Adobe's activation system does not collect, transmit, or use any personal information.
What happens after I activate Adobe software?
- How do you expect activation to affect customers?
- Most users will see no change in their ability to use the software. Adobe recognizes that software license activation systems can create a few more steps for the user and has worked hard to minimize customer inconvenience. The simplified activation process starting with Acrobat 9 goes one step further, making activation completely transparent for most users. The Adobe activation process supports installation on a primary and secondary computer as well as most system upgrades (for example, operating system, motherboard, memory, or processor). In most cases, customers can change computing environments without contacting Adobe Customer Care or reactivating any installed Adobe software.
- What happens if the product is discontinued?
- Adobe is fully committed to honoring the terms of its product license agreements. In the event that a product is discontinued, Adobe will enable automatic approval of all activation requests for that product or provide a means to remove activation outright. In either case, the customer will not experience any change in software capabilities.
- Will I be able to use the software in perpetuity? What happens if Adobe shuts down?
- Adobe's product license agreements typically grant the user of an Adobe product the right to use it in perpetuity, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Adobe plans to honor these agreements. In the unlikely event of the company's shutting down, we will enable automatic approval of all activation requests or provide other technical means to allow users to continue using our products.
- What happens if Adobe releases a newer version of a software program that requires activation? Will I be able to activate the older version?
- Yes. Even after the older version of the product stops shipping, you can activate your copy of the older product.
- What happens if I get a new computer and want to install Adobe software on the new computer?
- You can deactivate your Adobe software on your original computer for use on your new computer. After you install the software on your new computer, the software will automatically attempt to activate itself. At this time, you must uninstall the software from your older computer to comply with the license agreement. The uninstaller reminds you to deactivate the software on this computer, so that activation is available for another installation on another computer using the same serial number. Deactivating Adobe software is easy, anonymous, and quick. In most circumstances, the deactivation and activation process can be completed without complications. In the rare case that the process is unsuccessful, call Adobe Customer Care for help. Some older versions of Adobe software do not enable deactivation or activation transfer. If you are using software that does not enable deactivation or activation transfer, please contact Adobe Customer Care.
- I don't have access to the computer on which I originally activated Adobe software. Can I still deactivate the Adobe software and use it on a new computer?
- We strongly advise deactivating the Adobe software on the original computer before decommissioning it or uninstalling the product from it. If access to the original computer is not available, you may not be able to activate on the new computer. Please call Adobe Customer Care for assistance.
- Will deactivation affect the licensing status of my software?
- No. Deactivation activation does not affect your license to use the software or your product registration of the software. This feature is primarily meant to provide you with flexibility in installing and activating your software. If you wish to deactivate your license to use the software on a different computer or to pass the software to a different individual or organization, in addition to deactivating the software, you will need to comply with the transfer provisions included in the product license agreement, including completion of the Adobe Transfer of License form. Learn more.
- I've already deactivated the Adobe software on my original computer and activated it on a new computer. Can I go back to using the software on the original computer?
- Yes. In order to do this, you will need to deactivate the software on the new computer and activate it again on the original computer. When you activate the software on the original computer, it will run without any problems. Note that there is a limit of 20 deactivations per serial number.
- Should I uninstall Adobe software after deactivating it?
- It is not necessary to uninstall Adobe software after deactivating it. Deactivation renders the copy of Adobe software installed on the computer unusable, unless it is activated again. If you want to use Adobe software on this computer in the future, you can do so by launching the software again, which will trigger the automatic activation process.
- What is Adobe doing to stop professional piracy? Shouldn't efforts be expended at Adobe instead of burdening loyal customers?
- Adobe does not believe a customer-focused activation process represents a customer burden, and with the simplification introduced in Acrobat 9, the process is invisible for most users. Adobe is working to stop professional piracy, both on its own and through industry coalitions such as the Business Software Alliance. Professional piracy is a serious problem for the software industry and costs Adobe an estimated US$800 million per year. Learn more about Adobe's antipiracy initiatives.
How is Adobe educating customers about activation?
- How is Customer Care prepared to support users during the activation process?
- The Adobe Customer Care team is fully prepared to address all customer concerns during the activation process. We believe that in most cases, customers will have a smooth experience and will not need to contact Adobe Customer Care. Adobe also provides for unforeseen circumstances (such as communication outages) so that Customer Care can respond to customer calls or extend the activation period until full communications are restored.
- How is Adobe informing customers about product activation?
- Adobe is proactively communicating information about product activation to existing and potential customers in several ways:
- On the outside of the product box so that potential buyers are aware before they purchase the product
- On the product pages of the Adobe website
- Within the product itself
What are Adobe's future plans for activation?
- Did Adobe develop its product activation system internally, or is it relying on a third-party provider?
- In its commitment to balance user experience and licensing requirements, Adobe has worked with a third-party developer on its product activation process.
