FAQ

To learn about the new features in each edition, click the links for top new features on each of the suite edition product overview pages.

If you've been using an earlier version of Creative Suite, you may be eligible for an upgrade price for Creative Suite 6. Check the upgrade eligibility table on the buying guide for your suite edition to determine the most cost-effective way for you to upgrade.

Adobe worked closely with customers on all versions of Creative Suite, including CS3 and CS4 customers, in developing our plans around CS6, and our customers have noted that the innovations in CS6 will help them far more efficiently create and deliver content and applications across many devices, thus saving significant money on rework and deploying multiple teams. Customers have indicated an eagerness to upgrade at the proposed prices, given the increased efficiency, productivity, and reach they'll achieve using CS6.

If your creative workflow requires multiple Adobe components, you can save money when you purchase a Creative Suite 6 edition instead of individual CS components. Depending on the edition you purchase, you can save up to 60% compared to buying the individual components that make up that edition.

Check the product comparison chart in the buying guide of each edition to see what's included.

With Creative Suite editions for design, web, and video, Adobe has a solution tailored to meet your needs no matter what you are trying to create. Each edition has been designed around next-generation workflows that give you the creative freedom to express your ideas as completely and quickly as possible. So even if you don't use all of the tools today, purchasing a suite edition gives you the flexibility to adapt your workflow as your creative needs change.

As of the launch of Creative Suite 6, Adobe has combined Design Premium and Web Premium into one suite edition, CS6 Design & Web Premium. This new edition for designers and web developers includes all of the tools needed to deliver innovative ideas in print, on the web, and for tablet devices and smartphones. Learn more about Design & Web Premium and the included components.

Adobe does not plan to make any changes to the existing complimentary and paid support programs that are enjoyed by our customers. For details on these programs, visit the Adobe support page.

Yes, you can upgrade from CS5 or CS5.5 versions of Design Premium or Web Premium to CS6 Design & Web Premium. For more specifics on upgrade pricing, as well as options to upgrade from earlier versions of Design Premium or Web Premium to CS6, see the Design & Web Premium buying guide.

The software license agreement accompanying your product may entitle you to install and activate the software on two systems with certain restrictions. The product license agreement for Creative Suite 6 does not allow you to install the components of a single suite edition across multiple computers. Please see the software license agreement for more information.

Adobe CS Review and SiteCatalyst® NetAverages™ were discontinued as of April 12, 2012; however, Adobe BrowserLab, Adobe Story, and Acrobat.com continue to remain available. Learn more about the discontinuation of CS Live.

You will still have access to BrowserLab, Story, and Acrobat.com using your Adobe ID.

To use the services, your Adobe ID must be a valid email address. If your ID does not contain a verified email address, you will need to update it. Follow these instructions to update your Adobe ID or password:

· Go to the Adobe website and sign in with your current Adobe ID.
· Click Edit Your Account Information and select the Adobe ID tab.
· Click Change to enter your current email address. You can also change your password in this tab. Click Update to apply the changes to your account.
 
After you change your Adobe ID to match your email address, you can set up access to the desired services.

With the CS6 update, joining Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Photoshop as native 64-bit Mac applications are Adobe Encore, Adobe SpeedGrade, and Adobe Illustrator. On Windows, Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, SpeedGrade, and Encore are native 64 bit and run only on 64-bit operating systems. Photoshop and Illustrator are native 64-bit Windows applications, but also run on 32-bit operating systems.

By optimizing code for 64-bit operating systems, Adobe is able to deliver the performance gains video professionals require. Creative Suite customers benefit from working on the latest hardware and operating systems, and the majority of video professionals have already transitioned to 64-bit capable systems, such as Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion, or 64-bit versions of Windows 7. Because 64-bit operating systems offer superior performance, CS6 and future releases of Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Encore, and SpeedGrade will not support 32-bit operating systems. For an up-to-date list of 64-bit third-party plug-ins for After Effects, visit the After Effects plug-ins page.

On Windows, Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 and Adobe After Effects CS6 require a 64-bit edition of Microsoft® Windows 7. If you are using the following operating systems, you will not be able to install or run Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 or After Effects CS6:

• 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows XP Home or Professional
• 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise

If you are using one of the listed incompatible operating systems, Adobe recommends that you upgrade to a 64-bit edition of Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate.

On 64-bit operating systems you have access to essentially unlimited RAM, because they offer a wider address system and data path. On 32-bit systems, each application is limited to 4GB of RAM (and in practice this number is actually smaller). More RAM means applications can manipulate larger chunks of data, cache more information, and handle a wide range of tasks more efficiently.

Mac OS Snow Leopard and OS X Lion are already 64-bit capable.  64 bit enables leveraging of more than 4GB of RAM. All you need to do is add more RAM to start seeing the benefits of native 64-bit OS support.

When you install Windows 7, choose the 64-bit version.

With the CS6 update, joining Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Photoshop as native 64-bit Mac applications are Adobe Encore, SpeedGrade, and Illustrator. On Windows, Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, SpeedGrade, and Encore are native 64-bit and run only on 64-bit operating systems. Photoshop and Illustrator are native 64-bit Windows applications, but also run on 32-bit operating systems.

The CS5.5 and CS6 versions of Master Collection and Production Premium will be supported on a complimentary basis.  Other products will require a fee.

Adobe has a number of upgrade paths available to current Creative Suite customers. Refer to the buying guide pages for your products to get full details on your upgrade options.

Adobe plans to continue offering support according to the existing complimentary and paid support programs. For details on these programs, visit the support page.

With native 64-bit applications, more RAM means better performance when working with multiple applications on high-resolution projects. For that reason, we recommend you use at least 8GB of RAM, and 16GB, 32GB, or even more for high-performance configurations.

Visit the performance page for more information.

If you know what products you currently own, use the upgrade eligibility chart within the buying guide to find out which upgrades you are eligible for. If you are no longer eligible for upgrade pricing and are looking for a way to access Creative Suite products without a big upfront payment, visit the subscription tab in the buying guide to determine if subscribing is the right choice for you.

If you're buying Creative Suite products for the first time, use the buying guide to determine which suite edition is right for you.

With the availability of Adobe CS6 solutions in 2012, Adobe will no longer offer upgrade pricing to customers who are on older versions of Creative Suite dating more than one version back. Customers on versions of Creative Suite CS4, CS3, CS2 and older will not be eligible for upgrade pricing for CS6 unless they have upgraded to CS5 or CS5.5 before CS6 is released.

In October 2011, Adobe introduced Adobe Creative Cloud, a complete solution of cloud-based creative services, applications, and community that will enable customers to create, publish, and share across channels and mediums. Creative Cloud will be offered for as low as US$49.99 per month for an annual plan, providing our customers maximum flexibility and lower cost of entry. 

Given this innovative new offering at such an attractive price, we expect that many of our customers will become Creative Cloud members. To that end, we are simplifying our perpetual license offerings for Creative Suite. This change is designed to streamline our offerings while simplifying the choices our customers need to make. Customers may choose to keep their Creative Suite perpetual licenses current in order to receive upgrade pricing when new versions of Creative Suite are released, or move to Adobe Creative Cloud when it becomes available, at an extremely attractive and affordable price.

To upgrade to CS5.5, you can:

• Buy from Adobe: Buy and download Adobe software to start using it immediately, or choose to have the product shipped to you.
• Buy from a reseller: Whether you're looking for a local retail store or a value-added reseller, Adobe has an extensive network of partners. To locate Adobe Authorized Resellers in your area, visit the find a reseller page.

From within any of your individual Adobe products, select the menu item "About [product name]," which will open a dialog box that displays which version you own. Then check the upgrade eligibility chart on the buying guide to determine which upgrades you are eligible for.

If you are interested in upgrading to a specific CS5.5 product, you can check that product's buying guide page.

There are several options to determine which edition of Creative Suite is installed on your computer:

If you've registered your software, your product registration details will show your suite edition and serial number. Check your registration details by logging in to your account on Adobe.com and clicking the "View product registrations" link.

For Creative Suite 4 and Creative Suite 3 editions, you can determine the suite edition by doing the following:

• In Windows, go to Start > All Programs and check the Creative Suite edition.
• In Mac OS, you can identify which suite edition is installed via the uninstaller (go to Applications\Utilities\Adobe Installers). For example, the uninstaller will say "Design Premium," "Web Premium," or whichever other suite edition was installed.

For earlier versions of Creative Suite or Macromedia® Studio, check your installation CD or DVD for the suite edition.

No. Adobe does not offer upgrade pricing for customers who wish to move from a suite edition to an individual CS component. For complete upgrade information for the product you are interested in, consult that product's buying guide page to determine which upgrades you are eligible for based on the products you currently own.

Current Web Standard customers are eligible for the same upgrade pricing as customers who own other editions of Creative Suite. Web Standard customers should use the upgrade eligibility chart on the buying guide to determine which upgrades they are eligible for.

There are two main ways to purchase Adobe software:

• Buy from Adobe: Buy and download Adobe software to start using it immediately, or choose to have the product shipped to you. Subscriptions are sold exclusively on Adobe.com.
• Buy from a reseller: Whether you're looking for a local retail store or a value-added reseller, Adobe has an extensive network of partners. To locate Adobe Authorized Resellers in your area, visit the find a reseller page.

Before you open your upgrade of CS5.5 software, read the upgrade information page to ensure you are a licensed user of eligible Adobe or Macromedia software.

Yes. Qualifying full-time or part-time students, faculty, and staff of accredited educational institutions can purchase Adobe products at a reduced price. Learn more about Creative Suite 5.5 for education and eligibility requirements. Note that there are no reduced-price subscriptions available for education customers.

Yes. You may qualify for a discount on software through Adobe Volume Licensing (AVL). Learn more about volume licensing, or have a licensing specialist contact you. Subscriptions are not available for volume licensing customers.

The Creative Suite 5.5 editions address the needs of various creative roles within a multidisciplinary team. As you learn about the CS5.5 products and review your purchasing options, consider the requirements of each of the roles and individuals on your team. To learn more about your options, have a licensing specialist contact you.

No, there are no upgrades or discounts for subscriptions. Subscription customers will, however, automatically receive new versions of Creative Suite as they become available.

No. There is no upgrade path from a subscription to a full version.

No. You cannot upgrade from a Creative Suite edition to an individual CS component. To confirm your options and learn about the requirements for upgrades, check the buying guide page of the product you wish to purchase. Among other requirements, you must be able to provide the serial number for the product you wish to upgrade from during installation.

You may be eligible. Call Customer Service in your region for more information.

Yes, you may purchase upgrades for education versions provided you meet the upgrade eligibility requirements. For requirements, pricing, or to place your single-user license order, visit the Adobe.com Store in your region. For additional sales information about education versions of Adobe products, see the service note.

No. Adobe does not permit individual end users to upgrade components of their TLP or CLP license to individual shrinkwrapped software.

Yes, provided you meet the upgrade eligibility requirements.  For customers who want to move from shrinkwrapped software to a volume license, we also offer a credit against past qualifying purchases. For details and requirements, visit the Adobe Volume Licensing page.

Yes. If you are upgrading from an earlier qualifying version of an Adobe product to the newest version, you can upgrade across languages. To move from one language to another in the current version, you will have to call Customer Service in your region for eligibility and fulfillment. There may be a cost. Restrictions apply. See the service note.

Yes. To help you evaluate Adobe's creative software for upgrade or new purchase, we offer "try and buy" versions of the premium editions of Creative Suite 5.5 as well as most individual CS5.5 products, such as Adobe InDesign CS5.5 and Flash Professional CS5.5, in many of the languages in which we ship. These trial versions offer almost every feature and function of the product for you to test-drive.¹

In most cases, the trials can easily be converted to purchased versions without needing to reinstall the software. The trial period begins on the first day you launch the software and continues for 30 days. When the trial expires, you must purchase the software to continue using it. You can also convert a trial to a subscription edition by purchasing a subscription and entering that serial number in the trial software.

¹Notice to Production Premium trial users

After Effects CS5.5
The trial version of After Effects CS5.5 does not include some features that depend on software licensed from parties other than Adobe. Third-party plug-ins that are not found in the trial version of After Effects include Imagineer Systems mocha and mocha shape, CycoreFX, Synthetic Aperture Color Finesse LE, and Digieffects FreeForm. If you decide to purchase the software after the trial period, support for plug-ins is automatically added to the software via a simple update once you enter a valid serial number.

Encore CS5
Adobe Encore CS5 is not available as a trial. Encore CS5 will be installed as part of the trial for Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium and Master Collection but will not be available for use until you purchase.

DVD trials
Available to order as a DVD set

Trial downloads

You have two choices: Download a trial version of an individual CS5.5 product, such as Flash Professional CS5.5, or any of the Creative Suite 5.5 editions (for example, Design Premium) directly from the Adobe.com download pages at no charge. Or, purchase a trial DVD set of any of the Creative Suite 5.5 premium editions from the Adobe Store.

Prices for the trial DVDs are listed in the following chart and include shipping and handling. This charge helps cover the cost of producing and distributing the DVD sets.

A DVD set can serve as your backup media if you choose to convert from trial to purchase at the end of 30 days. (Alternatively, you can choose to have a full product box delivered to you when you purchase, and simply use that serial number to convert the trial you already installed.)

You can download trial software by navigating to the "downloads" section of Adobe.com and selecting the product you would like to try. In order to improve your download stability and speed, Adobe offers download assistant software (Adobe Download Assistant).  

On Windows, Adobe Download Assistant downloads two files, an executable (EXE) file and a 7z file. The 7z file is a highly compressed archive that is used with the EXE file to install a downloaded product. The EXE and 7z files must both be completely downloaded and located in the same folder in order for the product to install successfully.

On Mac OS, Adobe Download Assistant downloads a single DMG file.

Visit Adobe Download Assistant help for more information.

By default, some product installers will automatically start when your download completes. If the installation doesn't start automatically, see Start the installer after downloading.

You do not need a serial number to try out your software. To start the trial, launch your software and click the "Start Trial" button on the first screen that loads.  

If you already purchased a product on the online Adobe Store, your serial number will be emailed to you. Alternately, you can sign in to your Adobe account to find your serial number. For additional information about finding your serial number, see "Find a serial number".

You may not extend a trial version once it expires at the end of 30 days, nor can you install another copy of the same trial onto the same computer to try again.

Yes. If you have tried an individual product such as Flash Professional CS5.5, you can either convert that directly to the same product or convert it to one of the Creative Suite 5.5 editions that contains Flash Professional. Alternatively, if you tried an edition of Creative Suite 5.5 but decide to buy an individual component that is part of that edition, you can simply enter the serial number for the purchased product to convert your trial to the individual component you purchased. You can also convert your CS5.5 trial to a Subscription Edition. Learn more about the subscription program.

If you are already using a trial of an eligible Creative Suite 5.5 product or component, just go to the Adobe Store and select the Subscription option when you add a product to your online cart. You can copy and paste your purchased serial number when you launch your trial. then follow the instructions on the screen to start using your Subscription Edition product. However, you can only convert a CS5.5 trial into a subscription. You cannot convert earlier trial versions into a subscription.

Yes. Acrobat X Pro is available as part of the Creative Suite software trial. In addition, the full version of Acrobat X Pro is included with both Mac OS and Windows versions of CS5.5 Master Collection, Design Premium, Design Standard, and Web Premium.  Full versions are available for sale on Adobe.com.

Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and After Effects CS5.5 require a 64-bit Intel® processor. You must have a 64-bit Intel processor to try the software.  If you decide to purchase CS5.5 Master Collection or CS5.5 Production Premium, complimentary 32-bit-compatible versions of Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 and After Effects CS4 will be provided with your purchase.

Yes. If you have opted to receive email communications from Adobe, you may receive a series of communications with helpful resources and tips to get the most from your trial. There are also additional free resources available:

• Visit Adobe TV, your online source for expert insight and inspiration. Discover insider tips, innovative techniques, and behind-the-scenes tours delivered on video, on demand, helping you make the most of your Creative Suite 5.5 software trial. For more details, visit Adobe TV.
  
• You can also browse the Design Center or Developer Connection for additional training information. 
• Join the worldwide Adobe user group community to network and build connections, master new skills, and learn from your peers. Adobe Groups provide a forum for business and creative professionals at all levels. Join a group now at Adobe Groups.
  

Adobe Technical Support will help you install or troubleshoot an installation issue with a trial version of Adobe creative products. Additional phone and web support is available only for registered users of purchased software. For additional help, we recommend the following free options: 

• Search Adobe Community Help to find the focused answers you need — fast. Searchable content includes the in-depth product-specific Help that Adobe has always delivered, plus additional Adobe and third-party content chosen by experts at Adobe and in the design and production communities.
• Use the search bar within most Creative Suite 5.5 component software, or simply choose Help > Product name.
• Search the online Adobe Knowledgebase in the support area.
  

Yes. CS Live online services^1,2 can be accessed from within certain CS5.5 editions and individual products, streamlining workflow and helping to improve productivity.

To set up access to CS Live during your trial, simply enter your Adobe ID in the trial screen that loads when you launch your product. If you do not have an Adobe ID, click the "Create an Adobe ID" button in the trial screen and follow the prompts to create your ID. You will also need to read and agree to any applicable online services terms of use.

¹CS Live online services are complimentary until April 12, 2012. Learn more.

²Adobe online services, including Adobe CS Live Services, are available only to users 13 and older and require agreement to additional terms and Adobe’s online privacy policy. Online services are not available in all countries or languages, may require user registration and may be subject to change or discontinuation without notice. Additional fees or subscription charges may apply.

Converting your trial is simple:  Purchase the software through the online Adobe Store (as an electronic download or as a shipped product) or from your preferred authorized reseller, store, or catalog. If you plan to purchase through the Adobe Store, simply click the button in the screen that loads when you launch your trial software. Enter the serial number from your purchase into the product screen that loads when you launch your trial. You can enter a serial number to convert the trial at any time during the 30-day trial period or after the trial ends. You can also convert a trial to a Subscription Edition. Learn more about the subscription program.

Optional: If you purchased an electronic download from the Adobe Store, log in to your account and download any additional available content or applications for the product you purchased. You can use your Adobe ID and password to access this content for up to three years after the product is released. If you purchased through a channel other than the Adobe Store and are converting from an individual CS5.5 product to a suite edition or to a different individual product, you may need to install the additional applications on your computer.

Yes.  You can convert your trial to a subscription by purchasing a subscription serial number on the online Adobe Store. After you purchase your subscription serial number, simply enter this number into the trial screen that loads when you launch your software.  Learn more about the subscription program.

Creative Suite 5.5 trials allow you to evaluate individual products or editions of Creative Suite 5.5 and then convert the installed trial to a full version. For instance, if you tried an edition of Creative Suite 5.5 but decide to buy an individual component that is part of that edition, you can simply enter the serial number for the purchased product to convert your trial to the individual component you want.

Alternatively, if you have tried an individual product such as Flash Professional CS5.5, you can either convert the trial directly to the same product or convert it to one of the Creative Suite 5.5 editions that contains Flash Professional.

If you tried multiple products and purchased a suite edition that contains both, you can enter the suite edition serial number in one of the components and the other one will automatically pick up the serial number. You will need to install the additional components contained in the suite edition. If you tried individual CS5.5 products and bought them as single products, you can simply enter the serial numbers in the respective products.

Yes, Adobe Volume Licensing customers can also convert trials by simply entering a valid license serial number. Contact your reseller or authorized Adobe License Center to place a volume licensing order.

When you are converting your trial, the serial number you enter must match your trial software language set. If the language set does not match, you may need to uninstall your trial and reinstall a version that supports the desired language set.

The following is a list of the languages included in each language set:

Worldwide English: English (UE/IE)

Americas/Europe: French (F), French Canadian (FC), Spanish (E), Latin American Spanish (LAS), North American Spanish (NAS), Portuguese (Brazil), German, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian

Asia: Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean

Japan: Japanese

Eastern Europe: Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian

To uninstall your trial version, close any open Adobe software on your computer and do the following: In Windows, open the Windows Control Panel and double-click Add or Remove Programs. Select the product you want to uninstall, click Change/Remove, and then follow the onscreen instructions.

In Mac OS, double-click the product installer in Applications > Utilities > Adobe Installers. Authenticate as an administrator, select Uninstall Components, and then follow the onscreen instructions.

Yes, provided you have a qualifying earlier version of Adobe software. In this case, you may purchase an upgrade to convert your trial to a purchased version. To verify that you have an earlier version that qualifies you for the software you're purchasing, check the buying guide page for that product.

When you enter the purchased serial number to activate your trial for ongoing use, the installer will search your hard drive for the qualifying software. If it doesn't find it, it will prompt you for the serial number of your earlier version. If that serial number does not work, contact Adobe Customer Service in your region for further assistance.

Yes, if you choose the download option when converting a trial to a purchased version, we highly recommend making a backup copy and keeping it together with the serial number. That way, if you get a new computer or have to rebuild an existing machine, you have everything you need to efficiently reinstall your Adobe software. Alternatively, follow the instructions in the email receipt to log in and download your software for up to three years after you purchase. If you had the software shipped from Adobe or a reseller at purchase, that package serves as your backup version.

The software license agreement accompanying your product may entitle you to install and activate the software on two systems with certain restrictions. Read the software license agreement for more information. Subscription Editions follow the same license agreement terms.

Refer to the end-user license for the specific product. Subscription Editions are subject to the same end-user license rules.

Whether you're in a studio of one or hundreds, Adobe CS Live online services significantly enhance your workflows, allowing you to focus on creating your most impactful work. The services integrate with Adobe Creative Suite® 5 and CS5.5 software to simplify the creative review process, help speed up website compatibility testing, and more. CS5 and CS5.5 have features to enhance the experience of using the services.

When you register your CS5 or CS5.5 product or sign in online, you will get access to all CS Live services, which are complimentary until April 12, 2012.  See the CS Live Terms of Use for more information.

Adobe CS Review and SiteCatalyst® NetAverages™ are being discontinued as of April 12, 2012. Adobe BrowserLab, Adobe Story, and Acrobat.com will continue to remain available without any service interruption.

For information on how to remove or transfer stored content in CS Review, refer to help.

There are currently five CS Live online services available.  As of April 12, 2012 CS Review and SiteCatalyst NetAverages will be discontinued.                                

Adobe BrowserLab: An easier, faster solution for cross-browser testing. Preview dynamic web pages and local content with multiple viewing, diagnostic, and comparison tools.

Adobe CS Review: CS Review will be discontinued on April 12, 2012. For information on how to remove or transfer stored content, refer to help. Please note: Stored content will no longer be available after April 12, 2012.

Acrobat.com: A better way to work together, online. Streamline your work with extended teams by using online services to store and share documents, conduct online meetings, and author documents collaboratively.

Adobe Story: The blueprint for your next big story. Craft your narrative in a collaborative writing environment that offers the flexibility to work both online and offline. Turn video projects into efficient productions as you integrate your Story project into CS5.5 Production Premium.

SiteCatalyst® NetAverages™: Site Catalyst Net Averages will be discontinued on April 12, 2012.

See CS Live system requirements for detailed information.

See CS Live system requirements for a table that shows which services are available by language. Adobe is currently evaluating options to expand the services to more languages.

The services are available to users who are not minors and who have a verified Adobe ID. See the CS Live terms of use for more information.

No. You must have a high-speed Internet connection to use the services. See CS Live system requirements for more details.

Adobe does not guarantee uptime for any of the services at this time, but uses reasonable efforts to keep them available. We are actively working on a service level agreement (SLA) and expect to make that available soon.

If you proactively ask Adobe to close your account, you will no longer have access to your data or files once the account is closed. If you wish to sign up for another account in the future, you may use the same Adobe ID or a new one to create an account; however, your original data will not be reinstated to your new account.

You will receive an expiration notice approximately 30 days prior to your subscription end date. You will have 30 days from that day to log in to your account and download your data. For information on how to remove or transfer stored content in CS Review, refer to help.

If you have questions about how a service works or using CS5 or CS5.5 with any of the services, Adobe provides Getting Started Support as part of the complimentary subscription. Getting Started Support for the services provides access to unlimited incidents related to account maintenance or unexpected behavior of documented features. Expanded options are also available through a paid technical support plan. CS Live services Help also provides a rich self-service knowledgebase to troubleshoot issues.

There are several free resources available to help you get started with the services:

• Visit the CS Live services product pages to learn about features, system requirements, how the services integrate with CS5 and CS5.5, availability, and how to sign up.
• Explore Help to see the latest support information, view or participate in forums, or search the Knowledgebase.
• Get tips, tricks, and tutorials from Adobe experts. Visit Adobe TV, your online source for expert insight and inspiration.
• Attend an eSeminar, OnDemand seminar, live event, or conference. See a list of events.

Visit the Developer Connection for additional training information.

Access to the services is available on a complimentary basis through April 12, 2012. There are three ways to get access:

• When you purchase a Creative Suite 5 or 5.5 product, you can sign up for a complimentary subscription by registering your product. This method allows you to take advantage of the special CS5 and CS5.5 features that enhance the experience of using the services within your creative workflow.
• If you use a Creative Suite product on a trial basis, you can set up access the services during your trial period when prompted to provide an Adobe ID after you install your trial software. This method also allows you to take advantage of the special Creative Suite features that enhance the experience of using the CS Live services.
• From any web browser, you can simply sign up to use the services on a complimentary basis through April 12, 2012.  You can use an existing Adobe ID (login) or create a new one.  

You will have until April 12, 2012, to use the services on a complimentary basis.

Access to CS Live online services is complimentary until April 12, 2012. At the end of this complimentary period, Adobe may offer for-purchase subscriptions. Final pricing of for-purchase subscriptions is to be determined.

An Adobe ID is typically your current email address. A verified Adobe ID, plus your password, gives you access to the services. You can create an Adobe ID by registering your Creative Suite software or by signing up for CS Live services.

To use the services, your Adobe ID must be a valid email address. If your ID does not contain a verified email address, you will need to update it. Follow these instructions to update your Adobe ID or password:

1. Go to the sign in page on the Adobe website and log in with your current Adobe ID.
2. Click Edit Your Account Information and select the Adobe ID tab.
3. Click Change to enter your current email address. You can also change your password in this tab.
4. Click Update to apply the changes to your account.

After you change your Adobe ID to match your email address, you can set up access to the CS Live services.

You can sign in to the services with your Adobe ID and password.

To sign in from within your Creative Suite software, click the "Sign in" link within the CS Live services menu, located in the upper right corner of the toolbar in your application. After you sign in, you can access the services from within your software.

To sign in from within your web browser, navigate to the service you would like to use and click the "Sign in" link in the upper right corner. Select a service to sign in:

• Adobe BrowserLab
• Adobe CS Review
• Adobe Story
• Acrobat.com
• SiteCatalyst NetAverages

You can use the online services directly from within Creative Suite 5 or 5.5 applications — enhancing the efficiency and convenience of the services and providing you with the additional workflow benefits. If you're new to Creative Suite and the CS Live services, you can get started by accessing the CS Live services menu, located in the upper right corner of the toolbar in your application. From this menu you can set up access, log in to a service, begin service-related workflows, and more.

The services integrate with relevant workflows for many, but not all, Creative Suite products. CS Live services do not integrate with Adobe Fireworks®, Flash® Catalyst®, InCopy®, Contribute®, Adobe Audition®, Flash Builder™, or InDesign® Server software.

Yes. The services can be accessed directly from your browser; however, Creative Suite 5 and 5.5 have features to enhance the experience of using the services. Access to the services is available on a complimentary basis through April 12, 2012.

No. CS5 and CS5.5 have special features designed to enhance the experience of using the services. Earlier versions of Creative Suite do not have these special features. For users of earlier versions of Creative Suite, CS Live services are available online through a web browser with no in-application integration. Starting with CS5, services updates will provide backward compatibility with two earlier versions of Creative Suite software as long as the earlier version is CS5 or later.

Yes. All users of a licensed Creative Suite 5 or 5.5 desktop product can access the CS services from that product, whether that product is licensed on a retail or volume basis.

Volume-licensed CS5 and CS5.5 desktop products offer users a way to sign up from the desktop product for a complimentary CS Live services subscription through April 12, 2012. If a user signs up for a complimentary subscription either online directly from a service or from within a volume-licensed product, that subscription belongs to the user who signed up and not to the volume licensor who purchased the product.

Yes. Even if a service is not available in the same language as your desktop product, you can still use it. Service-related menus in the product will be available in your preferred language. However, when accessing a service on the web, the service will default to English. You will have the opportunity to select from other available languages.

Federated ID support, including LDAP/directory services, is not supported at this time.

SECURITY
Adobe uses industry-leading security engineering processes in building its products. With CS Live services, security is considered at every level, from applications to networks to physical facilities. In addition to the latest technologies, world-class security requires ongoing adherence to best-practice policies.

APPLICATION‐LEVEL SECURITY
CS Live services use some of the latest technology available for Internet security. When you access a service, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology is used for both server authentication and data encryption, helping to ensure that your data and documents are available only to you and the users you authorize. The service issues a session cookie only to record authentication information for the duration of a specific session. The session cookie does not include the username (Adobe ID) or password of the user.

NETWORK‐LEVEL SECURITY
CS Live services leverage firewall protection, intrusion detection systems, SSL encryption, and proprietary protocols to protect your important information. The services are hosted in a protected server environment that uses a firewall and other advanced technology to help prevent interference or access from outside intruders.

PHYSICAL FACILITIES SECURITY
Services hosting facilities are protected by multiple layers of physical security, and only authorized personnel may access the facilities and servers. In addition, all facility access is logged, and logs are regularly reviewed and protected from outside access. All data center equipment has physical protections in place against data theft and environmental hazards in order to prevent assets from being lost, damaged, or compromised and to prevent interruption in business activities.

We are currently in the process of assessing CS Live services security practices using ISO 27001/27002:2005 criteria. We will make the necessary documents available when the assessment is complete.

No. The services will be hosted on Adobe servers only. At this point we do not have plans to provide an on-site solution. Visit the support center for additional services support.