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Penka69
Penka69
Participant
January 28, 2026
Question

Access to Acrobat Pro 2020 perpetual licence (activation limit preventing installation on replacement computer)

  • January 28, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 103 views

I am lodging a formal complaint regarding my inability to use my Acrobat Pro 2020 perpetual licence for MacOS, purchased in 2020 and registered on 2 November 2020.

I used this product successfully on two MacOS devices since purchasing. In November 2025, I replaced my primary work computer. Before transferring the software, the old computer was reset and wiped for the new owner. As a result, I no longer have access to that device and cannot sign out/deactivate Acrobat Pro 2020 on it.

When attempting to install and activate Acrobat Pro 2020 on my replacement computer, activation fails with an error indicating the maximum number of activations/devices has been reached. I understand the two-device limit.

The issue is that I cannot deactivate the previous computer because it is no longer accessible, and uninstalling/resetting has not released the activation (as Adobe’s own guidance notes that uninstalling does not necessarily deactivate a licence).

I contacted Adobe support via online chat in December 2025, explained that the previous device was not accessible, and requested assistance to release the activation. The advice provided was limited to “deactivate the other device”, which is not possible in my circumstances.

I need Adobe to remotely deactivate the prior activation (or otherwise reset the activation status) for my Acrobat Pro 2020 perpetual licence so I can activate and use the software on my replacement computer (within the permitted two-device limit). If Adobe is unable to do this, then I need an equivalent remedy (like a replacement licence/product).

Under Australian Consumer Law, products must be of acceptable quality and remain usable for a reasonable time (5 years isn’t reasonable, nor is the claim of “perpetual licence” upheld), and consumers are entitled to a remedy if a product cannot be used for its normal purpose and cannot be fixed within a reasonable time.

As a small business, I cannot continue to fork out the exorbitant subscription fees charges for every piece of software - that is the reason I bought a “perpetual licence”.

Thanks in ancicipation.

      2 replies

      mkenneally1999
      mkenneally1999
      Participant
      March 4, 2026

      I am having the exact same issue; it is incredibly frustrating when the answer given to me by Adobe support is that they cannot help me because they have shut down servers managing accounts specifically for Acrobat 2020 licenses….how on earth is that an equitable practice, especially when they are clearly still monitoring which devices access the product keys somehow. This seems to be a very one-sided system, and the customer support side is clearly not a concern for them.

      creative explorer
      Community Expert
      creative explorerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 28, 2026

      ​@Penka69 did you registered your Acrobat Pro 2020 with Adobe? If so, you can still deactivate it (I had to go back into one of my old accounts here — as you can see, I also didn’t deactivate it either-oops). Go to adobe.com or https://account.adobe.com/activated-devices
       

      Deactivate online account.adobe.com/activated-devices web URL 

      As you can see, there is a button to ‘Deactivate’ — in my case, I believe that was Adobe CS6! So, you should be able to see your old computer. 

      On a different note, there is a 3-year license term called Acrobat Pro 2024 (it used to be called Acrobat Classic) —it mimics a perpetual license but expires. It’s a one time fee where you can buy from any reputable retailer like Amazon (very expensive though!), Officeworks, Area9, etc. The prices will definitely vary. You could even buy this on adobe’s website, https://www.adobe.com/products/catalog.html#category=pdf

      If a family member is a student or teacher, the cost is almost 1/3 of the price too! 🤐

      Adobe sells it for me at $476 Canadian dollars (this includes taxes—so in theory, this is even cheaper than above because that doesn’t even include the taxes yet!) = $500 in Aussie quid! If you break that out in 3 years, it’s like $166.66 per year or $13.88 per month. 

      It’s still cheaper than the yearly subscription from $251.86 to $478.98. 
      https://www.adobe.com/au/acrobat/pricing.html



      It only works on desktop, no cloud services (which is fine, because you were using 2020 with no cloud services anyways!), no AI and the license has a hard-coded expiration date—exactly 36 months after you activate it, the license expires. https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/faq-acrobat-pro-2024.html

      Personally, if I needed the security features, I would get the 3 year term. Cheaper than the yearly subscription, it’s up to date compared to the 2020 (6 years of security vulnerabilities of out-dated security features) and in 3 years, it would be the latest software again. Something to consider.

      Sorry, this was a mouthful! And no, I don’t get a single cent or commission!

      Good luck.

      m
      Penka69
      Penka69Author
      Participant
      January 28, 2026

      Yeah, I did - it says there isn’t anything registered, even though it has the purchase listed in my history.

      I’ve spoken three times to an agent, and via their tech support on the phone, who looked into my account, to try and get that sorted, but no joy. 

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