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TerryLn22
Inspiring
Aug 7, 2026 2:44 AM UTC
Answered

CS5.5 activation limit reached

I have 2 computers, an old one and a new one. I’ve had CS 5 on the old computer for probably 10 years, and on the newer computer for about 5 years.

My newer computer had problems so I had to take it into the shop. In the meantime I used my old computer which I haven’t used for probably 3 years. I pulled up Photoshop to do something simple on my old computer and closed it.

A few days later I got my newer computer back, opened Photoshop and got the message about the activation limit reached. I’m allowed to have it on 2 computers so….why am I getting this message?? But I thought no big deal because I was going to sell my old computer anyways. So I did the deletion of the software with the deactivation button while online on the old computer, finished, and figured I was done. 

I go back to the new computer and….. I still get the same message. I called Adobe and they basically said “It’s a legacy product. We can’t activate it anymore because our servers are closed for that; we haven’t offered that for 13 years”.  Yeah, well….. that’s YOUR problem. I bought the software, you made it so it wouldn’t work. What’s so “legacy” about you making it not work? Why is it that you can’t activate it, but you have no problems DE-activating it, you stupid slobs? 

This amounts to nothing more than stealing. Abode basically says ““We don’t care. We want you to buy new stuff”. 

Sorry chumps, but I don’t buy from THIEVES. 

I did an AI search of steps to take to reactivate my software, but ….why do I have to go through all this time and effort, just because Adobe sabatoged the software? Shouldn’t they be paying for someone to ressurect this for me? 

Assuming Adobe is too poor to pay to have someone fix this for me, what steps do the rest of you have to ressurect the software? I’m not buying their new stuff. 

    kglad
    kgladCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Oct 12, 2026 5:35 PM UTC

    the cs5, cs5.5 and cs6 deactivation and activation servers are still working.

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    8 replies

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Oct 13, 2026 10:37 PM UTC

     ​@Captivating_Luminary9a31 

    How is it “borrowed time” when the software was sold as a perpetual license.

    ============

    The license to use is perpetual, not the software.  In theory, if nothing ever changed on your WinXP/Vista/Win7 computer, you could keep using the products indefinitely or until the computer stopped running. That’s what a perpetual license means.

     

    CS5 was never tested or certified on OSs higher than Win7/8.  And there’s no such thing as “forever software,” not now, not ever. Eventually, everything has an “end of life” date at which point you’re expected to replace or keep using it at your own risk of failures. That’s what borrowed time means. 

     

    Post back if you would like replacement recommendations. 

     

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    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    l_8871
    Known Participant
    Nov 4, 2026 11:28 AM UTC

    Your response may sound professional, but it is logically flawed. The core issue is that Adobe unilaterally shut down its activation servers and refuses to reset activation counts for customers. Adobe is fully capable of keeping the activation servers online and resetting activation attempts, yet it chooses not to do so. Adobe’s greed amounts to outright theft.

    Central to this dispute is Adobe’s activation technology: it serves Adobe’s interests at the expense of consumers. Without this activation system, customers who purchased Photoshop could reinstall and use it whenever they wanted.

    Community experts should stop bringing up compatibility with newer systems like Windows7/8/10/11 or talking about EOL. Those are irrelevant to perpetual licensing and only muddy the waters. If the activation system had not created these barriers, far fewer people would be complaining.

    Adobe foresaw this problem back when the CS line was released and promised to remove the activation locks. Driven by greed, however, it never honored that commitment.

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    kglad
    Community Expert
    kgladCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Nov 4, 2026 1:26 PM UTC

    ​@l_8871 

     

    the cs5, cs5.5 and cs6 activation servers are still maintained by adobe and functioning.

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    kglad
    Community Expert
    kgladCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Oct 12, 2026 5:35 PM UTC

    the cs5, cs5.5 and cs6 deactivation and activation servers are still working.

    Translate
    leo.r
    Community Expert
    leo.rCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Oct 12, 2026 5:24 PM UTC
    I’ve had CS 5 on the old computer for probably 10 years, and on the newer computer for about 5 years.


    Even in 2016, CS5.5. was already a legacy product. The current version back then was CC 2015. CS6 was released back in 2012, CS5.5 yet earlier. So I assume you bought a second-hand copy back then? Although this doesn’t make a difference in this case.

    Regardless, Adobe already explained everything. Activation servers for CS5.5. are not maintained anymore. Even Adobe employees can’t access them. When your computer was in repairs, something had been done that disabled the activation. 
     

    why do I have to go through all this time and effort, just because Adobe sabatoged the software?


    They didn’t sabotage anything. This software reached its end of life many years ago. The activation and licensing infrastructure is part of the software package, and they’re out for commission for years as well. This software has been dead for quite sometime. You simply were able to use it for several years on a borrowed time.

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      Captivating_Luminary9a31
      Participant
      Oct 12, 2026 7:51 PM UTC

      How is it “borrowed time” when the software was sold as a perpetual license. I paid for my license and now I can’t use it. That would be breach of contract.

       

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      leo.r
      Community Expert
      leo.rCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      Oct 12, 2026 8:30 PM UTC

      How is it “borrowed time” when the software was sold as a perpetual license. I paid for my license and now I can’t use it. That would be breach of contract.

       

      “Perpetual license” means it’s not a subscription, that is you pay once and can use the software for as long as it can be used. It’s not a promise that the software will magically run for eternity, regardless of whatever changes happen in the tech world.

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