Hi all, I’m trying to reinstall Adobe Design & Web Premium CS6 (Windows) from my Adobe account, where the product and serial number are still listed. During installation, I get the error:“The serial number you entered has been revoked. This product cannot be licensed.”I’ve confirmed: The serial matches what’s in my Adobe account The installer was downloaded directly from Adobe The product was previously working I contacted Adobe support and was told: The serial “does not support activation” CS6 is no longer supported No replacement serial or workaround was provided Case ID: ADB-44469275-L5W9 Questions: Has Adobe permanently deactivated some CS6 serials, even if they still appear in accounts? Is there any workaround (e.g. different installer, offline activation, legacy method)? Has anyone successfully activated CS6 recently with an existing license? I understand CS6 is end-of-life, but this is a perpetual license still listed in my account, so I’m trying to understand if there is any remaining way to use it. Any help or clarification would be appreciated. Thanks

Participant

Question

CS6 serial in Adobe account shows as “revoked” — cannot activate

Forum|Forum|1 month ago
March 19, 2026
5 replies
197 views

Hi all,

I’m trying to reinstall Adobe Design & Web Premium CS6 (Windows) from my Adobe account, where the product and serial number are still listed.

During installation, I get the error:

“The serial number you entered has been revoked. This product cannot be licensed.”

I’ve confirmed:

The serial matches what’s in my Adobe account
The installer was downloaded directly from Adobe
The product was previously working

I contacted Adobe support and was told:

The serial “does not support activation”
CS6 is no longer supported
No replacement serial or workaround was provided

Case ID: ADB-44469275-L5W9

Questions:

Has Adobe permanently deactivated some CS6 serials, even if they still appear in accounts?
Is there any workaround (e.g. different installer, offline activation, legacy method)?
Has anyone successfully activated CS6 recently with an existing license?

I understand CS6 is end-of-life, but this is a perpetual license still listed in my account, so I’m trying to understand if there is any remaining way to use it.

Any help or clarification would be appreciated.

Thanks

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Which software do you need?

I ask because the Web products in CS6 from 2012 are utterly useless and unfit for use in 2026.

If you just need Photoshop, I can recommend a couple of options.

PS Elements or a Photography Plan.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

JimmyCookAuthor

Participant

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses — I think I need to clarify the situation.

This license wasn’t purchased from a grey-market seller or anything like that. It was originally purchased legitimately through my company, and I was the one who made the purchase at the time.
It appears this is a volume license, and I may have caused the issue by recently attempting to register/use it under my personal Adobe account, rather than the original company account it was associated with.

I still have access to the original company Adobe account used for the purchase.

Given that, is there any way to restore or use the license correctly under the original account, or has the revocation made it permanently unusable regardless?

Appreciate any clarification.

Thanks

kglad

Community Expert

@JimmyCook

is there any way to restore or use the license correctly under the original account, or has the revocation made it permanently unusable regardless?

that serial number is unusable unless adobe restores it. there’s a small chance you could get that restoration by contacting adobe via social media and making the request. post no private info (eg, serial number) in any forum.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

A revoked number signifies that Adobe’s TERMS were violated— either by the user or a middleman who sold licenses illegally. Licenses are revoked to stop the hemorrhaging.

There’s no recourse, except to replace CS6 with legitimate products that are supported by Adobe.

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

We can help you choose a replacement if you tell us which products you need.

Hope that helps.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

John T Smith

Community Expert

>purchased through a reseller... volume license versions

Your serial number was revoked because you were sold an illegal product... a volume license may only be used by the original company that made the purchase, the license may not be sold

Peru Bob

Community Expert

Did you purchase it firectly from Adobe?

JimmyCookAuthor

Participant

This was originally purchased through a reseller. Thanks

Jeffrey_A_Wright

Legend

@JimmyCook thanks for posting. I can confirm that the serial numbers for Creative Suite 6 that you registered 10 days ago are for volume license versions of our software.

Please see https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/volume-licensing-site.html for information on how to access the correct installation files that match the license you purchased.

If you did purchase a new license for Creative Suite 6, in 2026, then please make sure to complete the license transfer process listed at https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/transfer-product-license.html with the original holder.

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