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Participant
August 8, 2025
Question

CS6 cd key stopped working

  • August 8, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 411 views

I have been happily using my CS6 programs happily since I got out of college. then one day I got a pop up that told me my cd key will is nolonger working. I have tried going to support but they told me to come here for a solution. I still have the install cd and the key it came with but it is nolonger working. 

dose anyone have any sugestions?

4 replies

kglad
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 16, 2025

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">
kglad
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 8, 2025

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

 

if you saw some other message, what was it?

Participant
August 16, 2025

not invalid. when I try to regester it it is saying it is in use.

 

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 16, 2025

Registration is only required once... activation is allowed twice... have you installed on more than one computer, or did you have a problem and have to RE-install on one computer?

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 8, 2025

According to a message I read a LONG time ago, some education versions that were sold 'through' a college instead of directly from Adobe had an experiation date... did you buy from Adobe, or through your college?

Participant
August 16, 2025

it is an education version but im sure I bought it through adobe

 

Peru Bob
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 8, 2025
Participant
August 16, 2025

when I try to register my cd key it says its allredy in use, because untill it stopped letting me 
I had been using it