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bowscam
Participant
March 2, 2026
Question

Elements 2025 on a Mac can't open NEF files taken with a Nikon Z5-2. Camera Raw 18.2 installed

  • March 2, 2026
  • 5 replies
  • 37 views

Worked fine with a Nikon Z5 under Camera Raw 17.3.  Camera raw compatiblilty list shows that 18.2 should work on the the later camera.  Buggy update?

    5 replies

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 4, 2026

    If in Photoshop Elements you go to Adobe Photoshop Elements Editor 2025>About Plugins and click on Camera Raw, what Version does it say?

     

    Adobe Creative Cloud doesn’t install anything for Photoshop Elements.

    You either have to install Camera Raw using Help>Install Camera Raw from within the Photoshop Elements Editor 2025 or manually install Camera Raw using these instructions:

    https://community.adobe.com/questions-716/manually-install-adobe-camera-raw-acr-nicer-to-look-at-1209785

     

    Do you have other Adobe applications like Photoshop?

     

     

    bowscam
    bowscamAuthor
    Participant
    March 4, 2026

    Jeff, it finally happened, everything now works.  Can’t tell you why or how, the installer finally got hold and I now have a usable program that opens raw files. Thank you so much for your efforts!

    bowscam
    bowscamAuthor
    Participant
    March 4, 2026

    Mac is Tahoe 26.3.  I have tried installing ACR 18.2 from the help screen and from the Adobe website Help-install.  Elements is the 2025 version. I have tried both methods a number of times now. I checked on Creative cloud and it tells me that i have 18.2 installed in Photoshop.elements 2025 

    bowscam
    bowscamAuthor
    Participant
    March 4, 2026

    Any way I can go back to 17.3, it worked with my older Z5

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 4, 2026

    What version of macOS are you running?

     

    Do you have Photoshop Elements 2025 or 2026?

     

    In Photoshop Elements have you tried going to Help>Install Camera Raw?

     

    If in Photoshop Elements you go to Adobe Photoshop Elements Editor (version)>About Plugins and click on Camera Raw, what Version does it say?

     

    Actually according to Adobe the Nikon Z52 nefs should open using Camera Raw 17.3

    https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html

     

    How are you installing Camera Raw 18.2?

    bowscam
    bowscamAuthor
    Participant
    March 3, 2026

    I have removed Elements off the Mac, and then reloaded it, adding ACR18.2, still not able to open my NEF files.  Have seen online that others have been having problems with 18.2 as well.  Adobe, let’s get this resolved!

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 2, 2026

    The directions on this page should enable a successful install of Camera Raw 18.2 for use with PSE 2025:

    https://community.adobe.com/questions-716/manually-install-adobe-camera-raw-acr-nicer-to-look-at-1209785