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September 10, 2026
Question

Photoshop CS5 legitimate perpetual license – activation count reset required

  • September 10, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 20 views

I own a legitimate Photoshop CS5 perpetual license.

The serial number is valid, but Adobe's activation server says it has already been activated on two computers.

Those computers were replaced many years ago and no longer exist, therefore I cannot deactivate them.

I only intend to use Photoshop on one current computer.

Is there any current method in 2026 for Adobe to clear the two orphaned activations from the activation server?

I can provide proof of ownership and registration if required.

    1 reply

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    September 10, 2026

    Sorry, they stopped doing that about two years ago. If you can’t deactivate one of the two previous activations yourself, there’s nothing to do. It’s over.

     

    Like it or not, CS5 is 16 year old software. This is the age of obsolescence. Looking around my house, I don’t think I have anything 16 years old that still works.