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anthony_2557
Participant
October 9, 2025
Answered

INSTALLED WITHOUT PERMISSION

  • October 9, 2025
  • 44 replies
  • 11021 views

Can anyone explain to me why Adobe Photoshop Express was suddenly installed on my machine? installed the newest windows update and after turning on  it installed and this was without my prompt or permission. I saw PSExpressBroker.exe and PSExpressCore.exe running in Task Manager. File Explorer showed many adobe files created at the exact time of the PC boot! I don't use or have Adobe on my PC . Or I didn't. There are no Adobe entries in MS Program and Features, so no entry to uninstall, but plenty of files in Program Files, and a handful in Program Data. I want this off my pc and want to now how as it has been installed without me selecting to install it or asking for my permission. My pc speed has gone through the floor because of all these programs running in the background...

    Correct answer Rose DV

    Hi ​@anthony_2557, ​@DT-AMRV, ​@Shigeomix, ​@Jmack2467 

    Thank you all for flagging this - I completely understand how unsettling it is to find software running on your machine without explicitly installing it.

     

    Adobe Photoshop Express was distributed as part of a Windows Update for eligible devices. We recognize this wasn't a great experience for users who didn't want the app, and will pass along the sentiment to the correct team. 

     

    To stop it running in the background (Windows):
    Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps > Photoshop Express > ⋯ > Advanced Options, then turn off Run at login and click Terminate. You can also uninstall it from that same menu.

     

    For IT admins or enterprise users who need guidance on managing this deployment across devices, this HelpX article covers how to handle existing installations: https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/kb/adobe-express-photos-existing-users-admin-guide.html

     

    Sorry for the frustration this caused!

    Rose

    44 replies

    Show previous replies
    loyal_wanderlustefa5
    Participant
    September 5, 2026

    Already switched to Affinity and other capable FOSS for design applications.
    I have kept Reader around for the occasional use-case, but seriously, its like you guys are trying to drive users away.
     

    It is my computer.Dont install  [cursing removed]  I dont ask to install, pretty simple.

     

    Linux Mint is a great daily driver (using W10 still for school)

    FOSS apps will continue eating your lunch slowly since you are not a moving target. You add no value-add features, just explore creative (read terrible) SAAS billing methods. Acrobat Pro is a CHORE to use. There are THREE different comment methods each buried in a different location you have to menu dive through to get to. Like.  ??? Hello?

    Good bye.

    innovative_Elixir95c8
    Participating Frequently
    August 27, 2026

    If anyone in this thread is wondering why anyone  [illegal activity removed] would run linux, now you might understand a little. 

      innovative_Elixir95c8
      Participating Frequently
      August 26, 2026

      Installing the software without asking me is one thing, but re-mapping my print key one day is confusing, bad user experience, and frankly out of line. 

        innovative_Elixir95c8
        Participating Frequently
        August 26, 2026

        This comment was put in and then you mentioned passing on the sentiment to the team about 2 months ago and this just happened to me. The software downloading itself is one thing, but the fact that it decided to remap a key on my keyboard to itself is extremely disappointing.  

         

        If this app thinks it can remap keys on my computer and then ask me if I want to revert back (not the other way around) I am uninstalling it and never trying it. 

          innovative_Elixir95c8
          Participating Frequently
          August 26, 2026

          Why does it require me to find an obscure tool to opt out? Why not opt in? and why did you quietly and forcefully REMAP my Print screen key without my permission when this software was installed? 

            Ashtastica
            Participant
            August 23, 2026

            this is an awful feature and very sketchy. i never approved of this, and its legitamtely annoying

              Carefree_Crystald2fe
              Participant
              August 17, 2026

              Software that installs itself without expressed approval is a shady software practice. Adobe should be ashamed of itself.

                Flamboyant_ease082f
                Participant
                August 14, 2026

                Oh, and now I have to get an uninstall app to clean off all this rubbish

                Flamboyant_ease082f
                Participant
                August 14, 2026

                This is not on. I have to log in to creative cloud to remove anything, having previously uninstalled all the Adobe stuff I have (except Acrobat Reader) because I cancelled my subscription a year ago. And now I have to update Creative Cloud to even log into it. What [cursing removed] are you lot thinking at Adobe? Apple bundling an unwanted U2 album should have been a lesson for everyone, please dont do this again.

                rromanow
                Participant
                August 10, 2026

                I rarely get this incensed over an app, and have been using Adobe products for well over a decade.

                However, this “Photoshop Express” is little, if any, better than straight up malware - forced installation (x2, it actually installed itself TWICE), random popups, hijacking the printscreen key, attempting to grab image file associations, etc.

                Furthermore, there is no option to “toggle it off” in Creative Cloud - Adobe is DETERMINED to force this app on its users. This is how to stop it from reinstalling itself (on Windows, at least):

                Open Powershell and run this command:
                REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Express Photos" /v "bFeatureLockDown" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
                 

                That will add a block key in the registry. Don’t forget to go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps and Uninstall it first. 

                Ridiculous!

                 

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