Manually Install Adobe Camera RAW (ACR)---Nicer to Look at

Last updated on April 6th, 2024 :  Also Applies to Elements Organizer, Premiere Elements

The following is a workaround to update Camera Raw within Elements. It is recommended to wait for Camera Raw updates within the product for issue fixes. 

If you haven't been able to update the Camera Raw plug-in for Elements, follow these steps, Primarilly because your new camera needs a newer version of ACR to support RAW files:

Download and install the latest Camera Raw version from https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html

Quit all Adobe applications.

On macOS, double-click the .dmg file to mount it.

On Windows double-click the downloaded .zip file to unzip it.
(Windows might unzip the file for you.)

On macOS, double-click the .pkg file to start the installer. 

On Windows, double-click the resulting .exe file to start the installer.

Follow the on-screen instructions.

 Once installed successfully, close the installer window.

 
Navigate to the following folder:
On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/CC/File Formats

On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats

Copy the Camera Raw plug-in (just the .8bi file) from the CC > File Formats folder that is mentioned in the above step.

Navigate to the following folder: 

On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/Elements<Version Number>/File Formats

On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\Elements<Version Number>\File Formats

Replace the existing Camera Raw plugin in Elements<Version Number> folder with the plug-in that you copied earlier.

Prior to PSE 2024 PSE used a version numbering system that made the actual version number “2 OFF” from the Product name.  FOR EXAMPLE:  pse 2021 was version 19:  pse 2022 was version 20, and pse 2023 was version 21.  THERE IS NO VERSION 22 OR 23.

BEGINNING WITH PSE 2024 THE INSTALLED FILES MATCH UP WITH THE PRODUCT NAME.   Version 24 is PSE 2024.   I expect PSE 2025 to be version 25.

Below is where I manually installed version 16.0 of ACR on my windows computer after using the above instructions on my computer- yours should be in the same location if you used the default settings when installing the program

Depending upon how many versions of PSE you have installed the contents of this view may be, probably will be, different for you.  This is just the view on my computer.

You will notice I have a directory called “CC”- That is where the latest version of ACR is installed.   As of this document date (April 6th 2024) The latest version of ACR version 16.2.1.1767.

As of FEB 8th 2025 it is up to ACR 17.1