Question

Branched and renamed - deactivate PSE

Forum|Forum|7 months ago
November 21, 2025
4 replies
208 views

I'm getting an "Activation limit reached" message because I have PSE installed on a laptop that my former employer has locked down so that I can't access it to deactivate the copy of PSE that is on the machine. When I follow the suggestion here and go to "Activated devices" so I can deactivate one of them, Adobe says that I "have no activated devices". I haven't been able to find a chat option on any of the (many) support pages I've visited on the Adobe website. 😞 I'd greatly appreciate suggestions!

Download and install

Greg_S.

Community Expert

Some users in your circumstance have been able to activate legacy versions of Elements by taking their computers totally offline and using the instructions found here.

Please report back if you are able to activate your license.

kglad

Community Expert

what pse version?

S

stacia_7721Author

PSE 11

kglad

Community Expert

pse11 can't be activated when an excess activation count is generated. you have to use an computer with a current activation to deactivate and restore an activation. i understand that's not possible, therefore it's not possible to activate a new install. there's no workaround.

John T Smith

Community Expert

Online deactivation is only for subscription programs, not ones with a serial number

You may ONLY deactivate a serial number program on the computer where the program is installed

If you can't do that, there is NO way to deactivate and use your activation again

E

ExUSA

Legend

This is an eight year old thread about CS3 which can no longer be activated. Please start a new thread about your specific issue.

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