Participant

Question

Unable to Reactivate Adobe InDesign CS6 License After Windows Reinstallation

Forum|Forum|5 months ago
October 20, 2025
3 replies
675 views

Hello Adobe Community,

My name is Giampaolo Vimercati and I’m reaching out for help regarding a license issue with Adobe InDesign CS6.

I own a legitimate perpetual license for Adobe InDesign CS6 (version 8.0, International English for Windows). The software is currently installed and working perfectly on my PC Desktop.

Until recently, it was also installed and activated on my Surface Book 2, but due to a technical issue, I had to perform a clean reinstallation of Windows 11 (version 25H2).

After reinstalling the OS, I attempted to reinstall InDesign CS6 on the Surface Book, but I received the following error message:
"The serial number you entered has been revoked. This product cannot be licensed. Please contact Customer Support."

I contacted Adobe Italy support, but they informed me they are unable to assist with legacy product activations.
I also tried emailing abuse@adobe.com and support@adobe.com, but received either an automated response or a delivery failure.

I understand CS6 is a legacy product, but since the license was already active on this same device prior to the OS reinstall, I’m hoping there is a way to reactivate it or receive guidance on how to proceed.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Giampaolo Vimercati

[personal information removed by moderator]

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

My experience has been this:

I reinstalled InDesign CS6 about a year ago in an effort to convert some old PageMaker files.

Even though I still had the serial number, the installation process would not recognize it as valid and put up complaints.

I closed out of those complaints, and then the InDesign CS6 opened and ran anyway. I don't know why it proceeded to work, but I successfully converted PageMaker files, saving as InDesign files, and later re-saving as current InDesign files in the current version of InDesign.

Mike Witherell

BobLevine

Community Expert

Was it on a machine that already had a CC subscription active?

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Yes, it was.

Mike Witherell

BobLevine

Community Expert

Unless you bought that software directly from Adobe there's no way to know just how legitimate it is. I'm sorry, but your chances of getting it activated again are near zero and nobody here can help with it.

creative explorer

Community Expert

@G-V Adobe staff are correct. CS6 was officially released on May 7, 2012. Originally, it was designed for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. Windows 11, particularly later versions like 25H2, has architectural and security changes that can break older software. It might have worked before, on an older version of Windows but once you started a clean installation, that changed all that! Unofrtunately, you have no choice to move up and upgrade and just get CC subscription, or roll back your PC to Windows 7 or 8

m

BobLevine

Community Expert

This has absolutely nothing to do with the version of Windows. The OP would, unfortunately be wasting a lot of time trying to fix this because of it. There was an issue years ago with licenses expiring because they were educational (if I remember correctly) and sold through schools. They did expire.

I don't know if that's the case here or if this was among other serial numbers that Adobe flagged as bogus.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded