Participating Frequently

Question

Unable to reinstall CS6 Photoshop

Forum|Forum|3 months ago
October 17, 2025
5 replies
323 views

My old system is gone, moved to a new system and now I get the error:

"The serial number [xxxx] is already in use by the
maximum allowed computers. You need to deactivate another computer within 25
days to use this product."

Elsewhere I saw an answer that said if I don't deactivate the license on the old system (can't do this, nor can somebody with a crashed hard drive), I can't install CS6 on the new system. Is that true? What kind of crap policy is this? Isn't Adobe a repoutable company that supports its products?

Doesn't Adobe have a database that's checked to see if there are multiple computers running the same license? Why can't that be updated to forget the old system?

Is there any solution for this? I've got a valid license that Adobe will not allow me to run.

And I absolutely loath subscription software.

kglad

Community Expert

Elsewhere I saw an answer that said if I don't deactivate the license on the old system (can't do this, nor can somebody with a crashed hard drive), I can't install CS6 on the new system. Is that true?

this is true

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

The support window for CS6 ended 3 years after your purchase. You've been using unsupported software for about 10 years. That's nothing to be bitter about.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

P

paulkinzAuthor

Participating Frequently

Yes, I can be pissed. It was working on an old system which died. I should be able to install my software that I own on another computer and expect it to work if it were from a reputable company that cared about its customers.

And to use the excuse that you (Adobe) are unable or unwilling to go poke a bit in your database to provide a customer a service that they paid for is just stupid.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Yes, I can be pissed. It was working on an old system which died.
By @paulkinz

==========

I'm sorry for your loss, but I neither work for Adobe nor make the software. I'm just an unpaid forum volunteer and long-time product user like you.

The path from darkness starts with a flick of the light switch.

When you see all that modern Photoshop can do, you'll kick yourself for not trying it sooner.

Try Photoshop free for a 7-day no risk trial. Cancel before the trial ends and owe nothing.

Good luck.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

kglad

Community Expert

yes, it's true.

P

paulkinzAuthor

Participating Frequently

Which part is true? The part about adobe not caring about its customers? 🙂

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Did you deactivate Creative Suite 6 from your previously installed devices first?
That's critically important because your individual license has a strict 2 time activation limit. Remote deactivation of Creative Suite is not possible.
- https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/activate-deactivate-products.html
- https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/activation-deactivation-help.html

If the old devices are dead or no longer in your possession, you're stuck. You won't be allowed to activate CS6 on another device.

MODERN OPTIONS:

==============
Photoshop Elements (3 year license, no subscription needed).
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html

Creative Cloud Annual Photography plan. Includes the following:
- Photoshop CC and Photoshop on iPad
- Camera Raw
- Lightroom on desktop, mobile and the web
- Lightroom Classic
- Portfolio website + hosting
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

P

paulkinzAuthor

Participating Frequently

No, I didn't deactivate it. We lost the hard drive. How can I deactivate when I can't boot up the system? Am I the first person to have faced this problem? I bet not, but you guys have no ability to address this. That is customer hostile.

I'm angry because I paid for a tool that should work when I move it to another system. It doesn't work apparently because a database with Adobe seems to think the license is on two systems. Are you going to attempt to tell me that you have no ability to go into YOUR database and poke it to let it know that my other system is gone? I spent 30 years in the computer industry and so I will laugh at you.

A reputable software company that cared about their customers would not leave their customer high and dry just because they don't feel like changing something in their own database which would be trivial to do, but you refuse to do this. That's not how you delight customers.

Now do you understand why I'm pissed?

Jeffrey_A_Wright

Community Manager

Paul, thanks for posting your question about managing your remaining Creative Suite 6 activations in 2025. You are correct, you will need to deactivate on a previous installation, to free up an activation for a new computer. You can find more information on the process at https://adobe.ly/3KWk86i.

It is no longer possible to remotely deactivate computers or increase the activation count. We have made updates to allow people to continue to activate their older software titles in 2025. You can find more information on the updated sign-in process at https://adobe.ly/4nuLG0p.

If you cannot deactivate Creative Suite 6 on a previous computer, then you will need to find a new solution for your creative needs. ^JW

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