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steve_6735
Participating Frequently
October 14, 2025
Question

CS5.5 Design Premium – Registered Serial Number Rejected After Install (Activation Servers Offline?)

  • October 14, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 812 views

Hello folks,

 

This software is legitimately registered to me, and the serial number appears under my Adobe Account page. It’s a TLP license key, originally purchased for our design department. I have the original installer media (ISO copies) as well as the installer download from Adobe’s Manage Account page.

 

When installing on a new Windows 11 system, the installer initially accepts my serial number and completes successfully. However, when I launch Photoshop (or any other CS5.5 app), I’m prompted again for the serial number — and this time it’s rejected with the message:

 

“This serial number is not valid for this product.”

 

I was able to run the software in trial mode for about a month, but that trial period has now expired, and the programs will no longer launch because it rejects my serial number.

 

This serial number is unquestionably valid and tied to the correct media; it’s also listed under my registered products in my Adobe account.

 

Is there any way to resolve this? I’ve read that Adobe sometimes provides non-activation installers or offline activation replacements for legacy CS products whose activation servers have been retired. If that’s still possible, could someone please point me in the right direction or escalate this to Adobe staff?

 

Thank you very much for any help or guidance.

 

(Attached: screenshot of my registered serial in the Adobe Account portal and in TLP export document, with serial numbers redacted)

4 replies

kglad
Community Expert
kgladCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 15, 2025

more info:   if you saw an invalid serial number you either made an error when entering the number OR you have the wrong installer.  details:

 

assuming you're using a valid adobe serial number (6 groups of 4 numbers), you have a mismatch between your installation file and serial number. ie, you can have a valid serial number, but if it's for program A and your installation file is for program B, you will see an invalid serial number message.

 

common mismatches are language/region (eg, serial number is for western europe and installation file is eastern europe), platform (eg, serial number is for a mac and installation file is win), license type (eg, education vs enterprise vs individual). and one of the most common is using a program installation file with a suite's serial number. eg, using a cs6 suite serial number with a photoshop cs6 installation file. that won't work even though photoshop is included in that suite.

 

you must use the (correct) suite's installation file (and you can choose to only install one program from the suite). here's official info about that error, http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-serial-number-valid-product.html

    S
    steve_6735Author
    Participating Frequently
    October 15, 2025

    As I mentioned in another reply, I was IT Manager and was in charge of TLP licensing for ten years. This serial number is my personal serial number and is copied directly out of a file that was exported from the TLP licensing site. The install media is an ISO copy that I made prior to leaving the company in 2011. So it's hard to imagine that I screwed it up, but I guess anything's possible.

    The TLP file says this serial number is for Adobe Design Premium 5.5, Universal English, Windows. The install media only indicate that it's Design Premium 5.5 Win - there's nothing to indicate whether this is retail package vs volume license, etc.

    I also downloaded the installer from the Adobe site that shows up next to the registered serial number, with the same results.

    Are you aware of any other sources where I can specifically download the legacy installer?

    Jeffrey_A_Wright
    Community Manager
    Jeffrey_A_WrightCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    October 15, 2025

    Thanks for the update, Steve, I am sorry if I was unclear. If you are receiving the message that the serial number is invalid, then you should download a fresh copy of the correct installation files from the licensing website. You can find information on how someone within the organization can regain access to the licensing website at https://adobe.ly/4qdDLae.  

     

    Many times, the installation files that are provided are specific to that licensing agreement, so there is no other source of installation files that will work with the Creative Suite 5.5 volume license, which includes the TLP license you referenced. ^JW

    Peru Bob
    Community Expert
    Peru BobCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 15, 2025

    Is there a serial number for the suite and another serial number for each app in the package?

      S
      steve_6735Author
      Participating Frequently
      October 15, 2025

      There is a single serial number for the suite and a separate serial number for Acrobat X. Acrobat validates and is functional, but the suite fails.

      Nancy OShea
      Community Expert
      Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 15, 2025

      CS5.5 came out in 2011 and was built for use on WinXP.  At that time, it had an expected shelf-life of 3 to 5 years, after which you were expected to upgrade. 

       

      There's no guarantee that a product that old will perform properly on Win11. Too much has changed since then.

       

      MODERN OPTIONS:
      ==============
      FREE Acrobat Reader
      https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pdf-reader.html

      FREE Online PDF Editor
      https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/pdf-editor.html\

      Paid Acrobat (Standard, Pro or Studio)
      https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pricing/compare-versions.html

      Creative Cloud Annual Photography plan. Includes the following:
      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
      S
      steve_6735Author
      Participating Frequently
      October 15, 2025

      Understood. And yet, it still works. I used Photoshop 5.x from this package in Trial mode under Win11 and it was perfectly usable, until the trail period expired. The issue is the activation process, not whether the app itself is functional. Also note that Acrobat X, from the same installer package, activates properly with its own serial number. It's just the suite iteself that's failing to activate.

      kglad
      Community Expert
      kgladCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 14, 2025

      there's a mismatch between the install file and serial number.

        S
        steve_6735Author
        Participating Frequently
        October 15, 2025

        It's possible but not likely. I was IT Manager and was in charge of TLP licensing for ten years. This serial number is my personal copy from the TLP purchases and I made ISO copies of the media before I left the company in 2011. I'm 99% certain it has worked on other installs until now.

        Jeffrey_A_Wright
        Community Manager
        Jeffrey_A_WrightCommunity Manager
        Community Manager
        October 15, 2025

        Steve, if you have a TLP license for Creative Suite 5.5 then the correct installation files are available at the Adobe Licensing Website. Please see https://adobe.ly/43cQzDM for more information on how to access the necessary files. Kglad, and others are correct, the retail installation files will not work and provide the error message that the serial number is not accepted. ^JW

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