Activate and deactivate Adobe products

Activation—connecting an application to a valid user license—is automatic for most apps. In some cases, you need to activate your application manually before you can use it. Find your product in the sections below to learn how to activate your app.

With Adobe Creative Cloud, Acrobat Pro DC, or Acrobat Standard DC, simply sign in to activate your software. Launch the app and choose Help > Sign in (your Adobe ID). Or, sign in from the Creative Cloud desktop app.

For detailed instructions, see Sign in and sign out to activate Creative Cloud apps.

Running into a problem? See Creative Cloud activation and sign-in troubleshooting.

CS6: Sign in with your Adobe ID and password to activate your software within the first seven days of use. To do so, follow the steps below.

CS5.5, CS5, CS4, CS3, and earlier: Activation happens automatically as soon as the software detects an Internet connection, or the software prompts you to activate it during installation. To activate your software manually, follow the steps below.

Adobe Acrobat XI and X are automatically activated as soon as the software detects an Internet connection.

If you need to activate your software manually (for instance, if you deactivated it on one computer so you could activate it on a different computer), follow the steps under Creative Suite 6 and earlier.
 

You don’t need to activate these products. If you need help with these products, visit the following sites:

• Flash Player Help
• Acrobat Reader DC Help
• Shockwave Player Help

Deactivation disconnects an application from a valid user license. Once deactivated, you can reactivate at any time, if you choose. You do not need to uninstall an application from your computer to deactivate it. Uninstalling an application does not necessarily deactivate its license.

A single license for Adobe software lets you install an application on two computers—for example, at home and in the office. If you want to install the software on a third computer, first you must deactivate one installation of the application. Here’s how.
 

You can deactivate a Creative Cloud app simply by signing out. Launch any Creative Cloud app and choose Help > Sign Out (your Adobe ID). You can also sign out from the Creative Cloud desktop app or deactivate a device from your account page on adobe.com.

For detailed instructions, see Sign in and sign out to activate Creative Cloud apps.

Running into a problem? See Creative Cloud activation and sign-in troubleshooting.

If you have an Acrobat DC subscription, you can deactivate the app simply by signing out. Launch the app and choose Help > Sign Out (your Adobe ID).

You can also sign out by deactivating a device from your account page on adobe.com. This is a useful option if you no longer have access to your old computer. See Sign out from account page.

If you have a standalone, non-subscription version of Acrobat DC, simply sign out of Acrobat to deactivate it. Launch the app and choose Help > Sign Out (your Adobe ID).