Cant activate Acrobat on new laptop despite deactivation of previous installation

Forum|Forum|8 months ago
May 29, 2025
3 replies
469 views

Hi, I bought lifetime version of Acrobat X. I wanted to move it to a new laptop, so I deactivated all previous installations on 2 previous systems, but when I install on new system, cannot activate it and it says I have reached my activation limit.

My account states that there are no activated devices.

If anyone has knows how to deactivate when already deactivated, please let me know, thanks

Hey Adobe - where is the direct customer support for the lifetime product purchase customers? How come you don't support lifetime purchase customers and ony support subscribers?

Contact me so I can open a ticket directly with you.

General troubleshooting

Correct answer kglad

you can no longer activate acrobat x even if we help you successfully convey the deactivation to adobe's servers.

you can use for the 30 day trial and there are ways (that require signicant effort) to extend those 30 days repeated every month.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

That was a license to use it for the life of the software, not YOUR lifetime.

Acrobat X is End of Life. The 15-year-old activation servers are dead.

You need a modern replacement.

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

Hope that helps.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

kglad

Correct answer

Community Expert

you can no longer activate acrobat x even if we help you successfully convey the deactivation to adobe's servers.

you can use for the 30 day trial and there are ways (that require signicant effort) to extend those 30 days repeated every month.

creative explorer

Community Expert

@glamorous_Glitter5802 first of all, Adobe Acrobat X was released on November 15, 2010. Adobe ended support for Acrobat X on November 15, 2015, typically refers to a perpetual license for that specific version on the operating systems it was designed for. Over time, operating systems like Windows 11 introduce significant changes and security enhancements that often break compatibility with older, unsupported software.

Regarding compatibility with Windows 11, Acrobat X is an old and unsupported application, and it is not officially compatible with Windows 11. While some users might report success in getting it to work with compatibility mode, it's not guaranteed, and you may encounter stability issues, security risks, or problems with functionalities that require operating system integration (like printing or email).

Also, Adobe has retired activation servers for older products, meaning even if the software could technically run, it can no longer verify your license, preventing the "lifetime access" from being recognized. This isn't about the license itself expiring, but rather the underlying infrastructure and operating system evolving beyond what the software was built to handle, making it impossible to activate or reliably use.

For optimal performance and security, it's always recommended to use software versions that are officially supported by their developers on your operating system.

If you can get by using the free version of Adobe Reader, it is free. But, if you need to create, edit and sign, then a small price will need to be spent at $12 a month, which is quite affordable if you want security. I would never trust any other PDF software, as I have heard malware and trojans on third-party PDFs apps

https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pricing/compare-versions.html

m

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