Introduction
Use this guide to resolve Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe CC) access problems, including "trial" or "expired license" error messages.
Requirements
- General Requirement: An active license is required to use Adobe CC applications.
- Students:
- Automatic Access: Licenses are automatically applied to student accounts when enrolled in a course requiring Adobe CC.
- Device Limit: Students can install and activate Adobe CC on up to two devices simultaneously, including personal computers.
- Staff and Employees:
Instructions
Follow each of the steps below to troubleshoot Adobe Create Cloud License Issues:
Step 1: Sign Out and Sign In
Re-authenticating is the most effective solution for resolving license issues.
- Open the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application.
- Click your profile icon located in the top-right corner.
- Select Sign Out from the dropdown menu.
- Close all Adobe applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) and the Creative Cloud desktop app.
- Restart the Creative Cloud app and Sign In using your Pima email address and password.
Step 2: Check for Multiple Profiles
If your Pima email is linked to both a personal and an institutional account, you must select the correct profile to access the license.
- During Sign In, if a "Select an account" pop-up appears, select "Company or School Account."
Step 3: Clear Adobe Cache (Advanced Fix)
If the previous steps fail, corrupted installation or cache files (OOBE folder) may be preventing the license from activating.
- Close all Adobe applications completely.
- Delete all files inside the following directory based on your operating system:
- Windows Path:
C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Local\Adobe\OOBE
- macOS Path:
~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE
- Restart your computer and sign back into the Creative Cloud app.
Need Help?
If none of the Adobe CC troubleshooting options resolve the issue or you need further assistance, please submit a Report a Software Problem ticket.