Can't login to Adobe account

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
August 3, 2025
3 replies
273 views

I have a license to Adobe Photoshop CS5 that I use occassionally. Years ago when I first purchased it, I used an e-mail address as my Adobe account login that worked fine. Unfortunately, my computer died and couldn't be repaired and I couldn't boot it up to deactivate Photoshop before installing it on my new computer and apparently I've reached the limit on activations. When I looked up the problem, I was told I should login to my account and deactivate it manually. Unfortunately, when I try to login to my account, it immediately tells me it wants me to change my password and sends a code to the e-mail address associated with my account, which would be great if I could log into that account but I can't. The e-mail address is from an old ISP I was with in 2014 and since then, I've moved cities and ISPs. So Adobe is sending 6 digit codes to a mail address that doesn't exist and can't be logged into. So how am I supposed to reset my activations? I have the login/password for the Adobe account but because it's sending a code immediately after entering the e-mail address, I can't login to the account to tell it what my new e-mail is.

Account management

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

1) You cannot deactivate CS5 remotely from your online account. That only works with subscription products.

2) You must have access to the original devices on which CS5 was installed to deactivate manually. Evidently that's impossible now because your computer died. Sorry.

3) CS5 is outdated legacyware from 2010. Discontinued & unsupported, it's way beyond it's "replace me" date. Even under ideal conditions, there's no guarantee that this would work. Too much pain for too little gain.

MODERN OPTIONS:
==============
FREE Acrobat Reader -- view, comment, print & sign PDF.
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pdf-reader.html

Paid Acrobat Pro -- the complete solution for creating and saving PDF.
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/acrobat-pro.html

Photoshop Elements or Premiere Elements (3 year license, no subscription needed).
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html

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

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

Hope that helps.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

kglad

Community Expert

there's no way to i crease available activation s other than using a computer with a current activation. and that's just the start of the requirements. so, if that starting point is impossible, it's impossible to eliminate an excess activation count message.

E

eileen_1791Author

Participant

Is it not possible to deauthorize accounts from an Adobe account page? I know I can't boot up the old computer but I'm hoping to at least get into my old Adobe account and deauthorize it from there. I don't want to increase activations.

kglad

Community Expert

that's no longer possible.

kglad

Community Expert

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from account, payment and plan">

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded