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Old version photoshop

Forum|Forum|1 month ago
July 28, 2026
13 replies
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I have two Mac Studios on which I use the Creative Suite—obviously, only on one machine at a time. On rare occasions, for academic reasons, I need to work on an old 2012 MacBook Pro that is no longer compatible with the current versions of Adobe. My use on the MacBook would be limited to Photoshop only. I was wondering if it’s possible to get just the standalone installer for this app in the old version compatible with the 2012 MacBook.

Anna Paladini

Participant

I have a regular Adobe Creative Cloud plan. The oldest Photoshop version currently available through Creative Cloud is the 2025 version.

I have a 2019 MacBook Pro and an older IMac, still very powerful and perfect for work. For quite some time now it has been nearly impossible to work on large projects because the versions released over the past two years are full of bugs and suffer from serious lag across almost every tool.

I rely on Adobe for my work as a professional illustrator, but I simply cannot work properly if the tools do not function as they should. Considering how much I pay for my subscription, I would like to be able to access the software I am paying for in a version that is actually usable on my machines. I would like to know who can affor to switch computer every 2 years just to run inefficient updated versions of the same software...this is riddiculous!

A

AxelMatt

Community Expert

@Anna Paladini The Creative Cloud desktop app provides only the last major Photoshop version (currently its version 26.x).If you need older versions you’ve to contact the Adobe customer support and ask to provide download links to earlier versions. Explain friendly why you need them. But it isn’t sure that you get the links

Click on the chat bubble in the lower-right corner: https://helpx.adobe.com/support/lightroom-classic.html

Type "agent" to chat with a human. If the agent isn't able or doesn't want to provide you with a download link, hang up and try again. Some have reported trying several agents before getting one who could help.

If you get the appropriate link and after you've download the installation file it is recommended to save this file to a save place, like external hard drive or usb stick, for a further usage. It isn't guaranteed how long Adobe will make such versions available on demand.

My System: Intel i7-8700K - 64GB RAM - NVidia Geforce RTX 3060 - Windows 11 Pro 25H2 -- LR-Classic 15 - Photoshop 27 - Nik Collection 9 - PureRAW 6 - Topaz Photo AI

Anna Paladini

Participant

@AxelMatt

I contacted support again, and fortunately, this time I was finally able to get help. The consultant provided me with two different older versions of the software that work with my iMac and MacBook Pro.

I am grateful for the help of that particular consultant, who took the time to understand the issue and find a solution. However, I remain very frustrated that access to older compatible versions is not available directly through the Creative Cloud app. Customers should not have to contact support repeatedly and hope to reach a consultant who is understanding enough to provide solutions.

I spent two precious hours of my working time simply trying to resolve this issue. That should not happen with a paid service, particularly one as expensive as Creative Cloud.

In conclusion, I appreciate the assistance I eventually received, but I am very disappointed with the service as a whole and with the direction in which it seems to be going. As a customer who has been using Adobe products since 2006, I find this especially disappointing. I have been a loyal customer since my teenage years, and I expect a service of this cost and importance to make these kinds of solutions much more accessible.

I hope Adobe will take this feedback seriously and consider making older compatible versions easier for customers to access without requiring lengthy support interactions.

NB, colourmanagement

Community Expert

@Ged_Traynor ah yes, his 2012 MacBook Pro youre right of course. thanks for spotting my error. SO perhaps he has NO solution then - possibly he simply won't get Photoshop working on a 2012 MacBook Pro, because the older installers aren't available - and even if they could get an installer, in some earlier version cases, the activation servers have been switched off.

NeilB

C

cfcmdesign

Participating Frequently

I have seen places that sell old used software that they claim is legal, especially if that laptop has a CD drive on it, you might look into it. I know the EU has repeatedly affirmed that it’s legal to purchase used software licenses. You used to be able to sell old software and transfer your license so it makes sense.

davescm

Community Expert

Whilst a license transfer process did exist for ‘perpetual’ CS versions, Photoshop has been subscription based since the introduction of CC in 2013. Anyone claiming to sell a ‘license’ for any CC version is not selling a legitimate version.
Dave

C

cfcmdesign

Participating Frequently

Right, but OP asked about for a 2012 laptop. And I figured by me saying “has a CD drive” it would be implied I was talking about physical software, not creative cloud. It is companies selling old versions of CS

gener7

Community Expert

Might recommend the Macbook Neo. I have a Mid 2015 MBP, but even that is not getting upgrades. I got mine on the Apple card (interest free payments) and paid it off in less than a year.

A

AxelMatt

Community Expert

You can download and install only the current version and one version before. If you need an earlier version you have to contact Adobe and asking them for a download link.But it isn’t sure you’ll get it.

Contact Adobe support by clicking here, https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?rghtup=autoOpen

In the chat field (lower right of screen) typing “Agent” into the chat text field will bypass the initial chatbot. Be patient, it can take quite a while to reach a human. Explain why you need the old versions, and ask politely for the links.

It isn’t sure that you get the link for an older and unsupported version of a Adobe application.

If you are not able to get to the chat window, then disable your ad-blockers, firewall, enable cookies/scripts on your browser.

If you get the links save the downloaded files for further use.

My System: Intel i7-8700K - 64GB RAM - NVidia Geforce RTX 3060 - Windows 11 Pro 25H2 -- LR-Classic 15 - Photoshop 27 - Nik Collection 9 - PureRAW 6 - Topaz Photo AI

NB, colourmanagement

Community Expert

@Filippo Biagianti Not sure this helps,

there’s some info here https://helpx.adobe.com/au/download-install/using/install-previous-version.html

All the same, this is not going to get around your licence covering use on l only 2 machines - the only solution I can think of is to have an additional subscription, for just photoshop, rather than the suite, on the mac you mention.

I hope this helps

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,
colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online
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I hope this helps

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,
colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online
Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts

Ged_Traynor

Community Expert

@NB, colourmanagement the OP is looking for an older version that is not available in the Creative Cloud app, so taking out another subscription will not help in this case

Ged_Traynor

Community Expert

@Filippo Biagianti as far as I’m aware Adobe no longer provides download links for unsupported versions of Photoshop

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