Adobe CS5 Photoshop extention Activation

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
July 22, 2025
3 replies
391 views

I am trying to reactivate my Adobe Photoshop on a new computer after de-activating from my old computer system. The de-activation was confirmed but when I try to Activate on my new computer system it is now telling me that the Serial number is active on 2 computers and that I have now reached my limit of trying to Activate. Any advice to correct this situation? Thank you!

Windows

F

floyd_9745

Participant

That message usually means Adobe’s activation servers still show your old computer as active, even though you deactivated it. The best fix is to contact Adobe Support directly and ask them to reset your activation count. They can remove old machine records from your serial number. You’ll need your product key and possibly your Adobe ID.

Since CS5 is a legacy product, you may need to use chat or phone support and request a “serial number activation reset.” Once they clear it, you’ll be able to activate Photoshop on your new system normally.

kglad

Community Expert

@floyd_9745

your information is outdated and incorrect. adobe support cannot help.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Don't waste your time chasing after a 15-year-old product built for Win XP, Vista, Win 7.

1. The likelihood that anyone still has access to old equipment & operating systems is slim to none.

2. There's no guarantee that CS5 will install, much less activate, on your new system.

3. CS5's been unsupported for more than a decade.

Get modern software to compliment your superfast new computer. After you see what current Photoshop can do, you'll kick for yourself for not doing this sooner.

Creative Cloud Photography Plan
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Creative Cloud Bundles & Single App Plans for mobile, web & desktops
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

Enjoy your new computer!

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

brentj71776630

Participating Frequently

Photoshop CS5 has been working just fine for me for years, including on my latest Windows 10 desktop. Before upgrading that computer to Win 11 today, I deactivated Photoshop and it CONFIRMED that it was successfully deactivated. After completion of the Win 11 upgrade, I opened Photoshop, it asked for the serial number, I entered it, and it told me that the activation limit had already been reached. I bet that CS5 would work just fine with Win 11 on the very same computer it worked just fine on with Win 10 this morning. But Adobe has blocked me from finding out, with an incorrect claim that the activation limit had been reached. They no longer offer support to correct their error in this respect, but they somehow find it worth their time to still have a server active that tracks the number of times the software has been activated, but IGNORES whenever it is deactivated. I don't want a "guarantee" from Adobe, and I don't care if they no longer support CS5. I just don't want them to sc**w me out of the product I paid for. I suspect it is an intentional strategy on their part to force users to "see what current Photoshop can do." Nope, not this user, I'm not spending any more money on a company that behaves in this manner.

kglad

Community Expert

local confirmation is not the same as confirmation that deactivation was registered at adobe.

kglad

Community Expert

retry activating on that old computer. then update your os and make sure your default browser is not opera and is also updated. then retry deactivating.

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