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Axis777
Participant
June 7, 2026
Question

Creative Cloud and Photoshop disappeared from my laptop and now Windows can't find them

  • June 7, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 54 views

I’m a long-time Adobe user. I bought a new laptop and installed Creative Cloud, Acrobat, and Photoshop. All three ran fine for several weeks, then a few days ago I couldn’t open Creative Cloud or Photoshop (Acrobat is OK). Even when I click directly on the .exe files for either product, I get a message saying Windows can’t find the app. I shut down any running Adobe products in the Task Manager, then I used the Adobe uninstaller and removed both products. Then I reinstalled them. No difference. I run them as Administrator. No difference. I re-ran the uninstaller again and reinstalled both apps. Windows still says it can find them. Acrobat continues to run as usual. Here is the message I see when I try to open Creative Cloud even when I click directly on the file it says it can’t find.

 

    4 replies

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 8, 2026

    If installed apps have vanished, Windows 11 may have hidden them, temporarily logged you into a different user account, or moved files during a recent update.  Did you restart your computer and log-in with your administrative computer user profile?

     

    Verify Your User Profile
    Windows 11 sometimes creates a temporary user profile after a major update, which makes it look like everything is missing, even though your files are safely on the hard drive.
    • Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users 
    • Check if there are multiple user folders (e.g., your regular name, Temp, or User.000
    • Check the Desktop, Documents, and Program Files within those other folders to see if your old data is stored there.
    Check for the Windows.old Folder
    If your system recently updated, your previous files and programs may have been moved to a backup folder. 
    • Open File Explorer and go to This PCLocal Disk (C:)
    • Look for the Windows.old
    • If it exists, navigate into Windows.old\Program Files or Users to find your missing applications. 

    Report back with your findings.

     

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    Axis777
    Axis777Author
    Participant
    June 8, 2026

    I followed your instructions exactly, cleaned all Adobe apps and processes (verified by checking file locations), rebooted, downloaded a clean installation tile for Creative Cloud, and ran that as Admin. Same exact error message as I had before. Acrobat runs fine after reinstallation, but Windows seems to think that Creative Cloud and Photoshop still aren’t installed even when I try to run the .exe files as Admin. Is there a Windows indexing service that may be corrupted? I feel like I’m going crazy.

    kglad
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 8, 2026

    yes, you have os problems. you should

     

    1. backup your data
    2. reformat your c drive
    3. reinstall your os
    4. update your os
    5. restore your data
    6. download the cc desktop app by using the links at the both of this page, https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/apps/download-install-apps/creative-cloud-apps/download-creative-cloud-desktop-app-from-web.html
    7. install the cc desktop app using an administrator account (solution 4 here, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/creative-cloud-missing-damaged.html)
    8. use the desktop app to install your cc programs/trials
    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 7, 2026

    Which version of Windows?

    Windows Start > type winver > hit Enter.

     

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    Axis777
    Axis777Author
    Participant
    June 8, 2026

    25H2 (OS Build 26200.8457)

    kglad
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 7, 2026

    first try, resetting the cc app: To reset the Creative Cloud desktop app, make sure it's in the foreground, then press: Win: Ctrl + Alt + R Mac: Cmd + Opt + R

     

    if that fails, do a clean cc install:

     

    uninstall every cc app including preferences, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-remove-app.html

     

    then uninstall the cc desktop app, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-creative-cloud-desktop-app.html

     

    clean your computer of cc files per http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

     

    restart your computer (don't skip this)

     

    download the cc desktop app by using the links at the both of this page, https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/apps/download-install-apps/creative-cloud-apps/download-creative-cloud-desktop-app-from-web.html

     

    install the cc desktop app using an administrator account (solution 4 here, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/creative-cloud-missing-damaged.html)

     

    use the desktop app to install your cc programs/trials