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A
AppleAddict001
Known Participant
December 12, 2025
Question

What is the proper method for uninstalling older version of Photoshop?

  • December 12, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 735 views

Currently I have both, Photoshop v 26.11.2 and Photoshop v 27.1.0 (on my 2020 iMac - OS 15.7.2). I would like to uninstall the older version (26.11.2) but many sources have indicated if you merely use the "Uninstall Photoshop" application to uninstall, this will leave hndreds of related files/folders remaining on my system drive. On this same subject, I also have Lightroom (NOT Lightroom Classic) - just Lightroom v 9.0. (frankly I never use Lightroom and consider it nothing more than Adobe Camera RAW. 

I do, however, have both versions of Adobe Bridge, Bridge v 15.1.2 and Bridge v 16.0.0 and would like to get rid of the older version.

 

I assume ACR is "built into" Photoshop and most current version of ACR will remain even after one unistalls the older version of Photoshop............but a verification of this would be nice.

 

Please, please - anyone replying please explain in Apple Mac "language" - not a PC.

 

Thank you.

2 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
December 12, 2025

The concern when uninstalling an older verion is file associations. Just uninstalling the old version may break them, and they may or may not be easily restored.

 

Fortunately, there is a 100% safe way to do this: Follow strict version order both ways. Think of it as tennis balls in a plastic tube. To get to the bottom, remove from the top.

 

So what you need to do is this:

  1. uninstall version 27. Before the uninstall, you will be asked if you want to keep preferences. Yes, you do want to keep them.
  2. uninstall version 26. This time, choose to not keep preferences.
  3. reinstall version 27, which will again pick up the preferences you kept without missing a beat.

 

Every version will have settings and preferences stored in your user account. Those are the "hundreds of remaining files " you were told about. You need them for an installed version, you don't need them for an uninstalled version.

A
AppleAddict001Author
Known Participant
December 13, 2025

@ D Fosse - My original questions was; "What is the proper method for uninstalling older version (or versions) of Photoshop." Rather than address my specific question, you merely explain "a sequence" for uninstalling. While appreciated, your answer does not direct me to a location as to where best to initiate the UN-install.

 

While I have been a Photoshop user for 25 years..........and a Mac user for 28 years, this "subscription thing" is brand new to me. I don't want to screw something up on the uninstall (or, as you seem to be saying, neither do I want to screw up something on the RE-stalling  of version 27). I sure as hell don't want Adobe to bill me twice for RE-installing Photoshop (and Bridge).  So if you don't mind, please expain exactly where I need to go to perform these UN-installs and RE-installs. Do I go to my Applications folder / Photoshop / uninstall Adobe Photoshop 2025..................or do I need to go to the Creative Cloud App to perform these uninstalls and reinstalls?  (And would this be the same procedure for both, Photoshop and Bridge.................and while we're on the subject, should I not touch on Lightroom version 9 since I don't use it?) 

 

 

√
D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
December 13, 2025

All installs, uninstalls and updates are done from the Creative Cloud desktop app.

 

It's the one that looks like this:

CC.png

 

CC2.png

E
ExUSA
Legend
December 12, 2025

Adobe uses numerous common files that work across multiple versions, like ACR. So yes that is not touched.

You can use the desktop CC App to remove older versions. If that isn't enough, Adobe has a cleaner tool that nukes everything off your drive.

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/apps/troubleshoot/download-failure/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

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