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Known Participant
April 22, 2025
Question

Where can I see a list of activated devices?

  • April 22, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 813 views

I'm baffled. In my account, Adobe says, "You have no activated devices." But when I try to enter my serial number for a Premiere Elements 2020 installation, it says, "The serial number ... is already in use by the maximum allowed computers." See image.

2 replies

Peru Bob
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 22, 2025

 John T Smith is correct.

The list of activated devices only refers to subscription plans.

The only way to deactivate an installation is to do it on the computer on which it is installed.

Known Participant
April 22, 2025

OK, thanks, that explains the seeming contradiction between the "no activated devices" and the claim that I have to deactivate devices.

 

Machines where I've had it installed. Good question. I think I had it on a computer I sold last year. Wipe the drive, install basic Windows, put it on eBay. There'll be no deactivation of any Adobe products there.

 

Since it didn't run on Win11, I haven't had much use for it. I'm working now with a Win10 virtual machine. Second try. First one was unstable. Delete the VM and start over. No deactivation possible there either.

I guess you're saying I should have bitten the bullet and switched to DaVinci Resolve some time back. None of this nonsense.

One would think that Adobe, charging hundreds per license, might find a way to maintain a license registry. The situation you describe is remarkable.

If what you're saying is correct, I don't believe I had better buy any more Adobe products. It really was disgusting to see them seize upon each Windows upgrade as an excuse to obviate their own software. This is a step beyond that.

Hopefully there's something incorrect about this. Hopefully Adobe's position is really not this brain-dead. But I assume you guys do know what you're talking about.

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 23, 2025

>find a way to maintain a license registry

 

Adobe does... and you have discovered that if you do not DE-activate you will 'use up' your allowed activations and the program may no longer be used

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 22, 2025

As far as I know that 'activated devices' link is only for subscriptions, not serial number programs

 

How many other computers have you used PrEl on... and did you DE-activate when you stopped using them?