Unable to disengage from old PC to use Photoshop Elements

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
July 15, 2025
3 replies
247 views

I purchased a license to Photoshop Elements 13 a long time ago under a perpetual license rather than under a subscription. For some reason now, when I launch it, I get a message saying that the serial number is already in use by the maximum allowed compuers and that I need to deactivate another computer to use this product. However, since the last time I used it, old PC malfunctioned so I am unable to sign out of the program on it. Nobody at abobe seems to know how to manually disengage the program so that I can use it on my new PC. I've tried all the thing they did suggest and all they did was want to sign me up for one of their subscriptions.

Is there any way around this problem? I would think that if Adobe thinks it's been activated on another PC, they ought to be able to disactivate it. But all I seem to get when I call is customer service people and not someone in technical support. Any help would be appreciated.

Doc1.docx

Windows

Greg_S.

Community Expert

@thomasg52046878 have you recently upgraded your computer from Win 10 to Win 11? If so, it seems that Adobe treats the new OS as another device. The only possible solution that some users in your situation have found to be successful is to totally remove your new computer from the internet and activate your legacy copy of Elements 13 offline, using the instructions found here.

The link that I have provided above is from Archive.org, so it make take quite a few seconds to load. The reason I am giving you this link is because the original link goes to the wrong page. I don't know whether this is because the instructions are no longer valid or whether it is simply an update webpage coding error. Because this is such a recurrent problem lately, I am trying to get some kind of official response from Adobe. In the meantime, please let us know if this offline activation solution works for you. Hopefully, I am not just beating my head against a wall with this issue.

T

thomasg52046878Author

Participant

This didn't work because the system now does not generate a page that says, "Having trouble connecting to the internet" when installing the software. Thus, I never get to the point where it would generate the Request code needed for offline activation.
Regards,

Thomas [Personal info removed by moderator]

Glenn 8675309

Legend

You can forget about ever using that version, ever again. Adobe no longer does activation resets.

This is the point that many users will mention "purpetual.... forever......... and I paid good money"-- If you do not have access to the old computer, and it has been installed on 2 computers, you are out of luck.

Talking to a "live person" will not help either.

I can't recommend purchasing a copy off of ebay, or at a yard sale: no telling how many times it has been installed.

Right now PSE 2025 is full price- that means at checkout, when purchasing pse 2025 you can get it for $79.99 as a previous user.

here is a link to the free 7 day trial:

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements/free-trial.html

davescm

Community Expert

Hi , I've moved your post from the Photoshop forum to the Photoshop Elements forum where you are more likely to get answers relevant to your issue.

Elements can be activated on two PCs but to deactivate you need to access the old PC(s). If you cannot do that it cannot be reset.

Dave

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