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brenda_MTS
Participant
October 4, 2025
Question

Need manual deactivation of Photoshop Elements serial#—old PC no longer boots

  • October 4, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 93 views

Hi Adobe Support,

I’m trying to activate Photoshop Elements on a new PC, but one of my activations is tied to a machine that no longer boots. I can’t deactivate it from that system.  Could you please assist with a manual backend deactivation of the serial number associated with that installation's perpetual license?  Or perhaps in other terms assistance with activation count associated with my serial number (goal is to be able to install and use a single activated copy of the app on my new/only PC after having lost prior machines to system inoperability-- so it can't be booted to allow me to run anything including the PhotoShop elemenets long enough to logout/deactivate that copy).

 

It was purchased 8/26/24 online direct from Adobe via Order# AB04617143845CUS

I gather you have my email assoc w/my order by virtue of having logged into this forum w/the same email ID i was logged into the instance of PhotoShop Elements on the machine that is now unbootable.

<i can provide further specifics re: serial# as necessary via a more direct v. forum message-- though suspect i don't want to include it here in this public message in the event it's reset and someone else activates it before i have the chance.>

 

I’ve tried chat support, but it won’t connect me to an agent due to lack of an active Creative Cloud plan/subscription. And the old support URL dedicated to PhotoShop Elements returns a 404 error (  https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/contact-support.html & https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/serial-number-issues.html  ). Nonetheless it was a perpetual one-time-license i purchased, and i understand you're able to see it being inactive at this point on your end.

 

Thanks & sincere appreciation for any assistance you can provide.

 

#activation, #serial number, #Photoshop Elements, #manual deactivation

 

 

2 replies

Greg_S.
Community Expert
Greg_S.Community Expert
Community Expert
October 5, 2025

Despite what Glenn says, some users have been able to activate a new computer by completely disconnecting the machine from the internet, and activating the machine offline, using the instructions found here.  However, the data on this method of activation is sparse and inconclusive.  I have been asking Adobe for months to clarify its position with respect to users in your situation, but my pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

 

So, while Glenn may be 100% right about Support's response, I still hold out hope that the offline activation will work in some cases.  If you follow this method, please report back whether or not you are able to activate your second machine without deactivating the computer that no longer boots.

 

I would also suggest that if you are able to contact a live support person, you mention that support for Elements 2024 is supposedly available until the end of 2025, and that if they are unable to deactivate your old computer, they give you a new license number that can be activated.  At least one other person has reported this solution being given by Adobe support.

Glenn 8675309
Glenn 8675309
Legend
October 4, 2025

Adobe changed their policy around June 6th 2024 concerning reactivations:  They no longer do it.

What does that mean?   You can forget about using pse 2024.

From the sound of what you stated earlier, as I understand it, you had installed your version on two machines.   That is pretty much the end of the discussion.

You can get an adobe chat window and thype in AGENT, no more, no less, just AGENT to get a live person - but there is a 99.9999999999999999% chance they will say "sorry, here's a link to a trial version on pse 2026"   

I am not aware of a single user in your situation in which Adobe has said "Awh shucks, good story man, we will reset your activiations."

Please never post serial #'s here in the forum- it's mostly just people helping people, not adobe employees.


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